The Damnation of Theron Ware

The Damnation of Theron Ware (published in the U.K. as Illumination) is Frederic’s most famous novel. Its realistic style—Frederic modeled the fictional Octavius after Utica, New York—paints a nuanced portrait of the small-town American religious life of the era. It was received very positively, becoming the fifth best-selling book in the U.S. in 1896 with outfits like the Chicago Tribune saying that “it is a book which every one must read who wishes to hold his own in popular literary discussions.” It garnered literary allusions in works like Main Street; like Main Street, The Damnation of Theron Ware skewers small-town life, but unlike Main Street, its primary focus is religion. It also earned a mention from F. Scott Fitzgerald, who in a letter wrote that he once considered it the best American novel.

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