Main Street

Carol Milford is a liberal free-spirited young woman reared in the metropolis of Saint Paul Minnesota. She marries Will Kennicott a doctor who is a small-town boy at heart.When they marry Will convinces her to live in his home-town of Gopher Prairie Minnesota (a town modeled on Sauk Centre Minnesota the author''s birthplace). Carol is appalled at the backwardness of Gopher Prairie. But her disdain for the town''s physical ugliness and smug conservatism compels her to reform it.She speaks with its members about progressive changes joins women''s clubs distributes literature and holds parties to liven up Gopher Prairie''s inhabitants. Despite her friendly but ineffective efforts she is constantly derided by the leading cliques.She finds comfort and companionship outside her social class. These companions are taken from her one by one.In her unhappiness Carol leaves her husband and moves for a time to Washington D.C. but she eventually returns. Nevertheless Carol does not feel defeated:I do not admit that Main Street is as beautiful as it should be! I do not admit that dish-washing is enough to satisfy all women!Includes a biography of the Author