by May Sarton
First published 1972
Edward Cavan takes his own life, leaving Harvard University in turmoil. His colleagues struggle to understand what drove the respected professor to such a desperate act. Some blame the political pressures of the McCarthy era and the university's failure to defend him. Others point to personal demons and private struggles. His former students grapple with grief and anger, questioning everything they thought they knew about their mentor. As the academic community fractures along ideological lines, friends become enemies and old alliances crumble. The tragedy forces everyone to confront uncomfortable truths about loyalty, courage, and the price of principles. Through the aftermath of one man's death, the novel explores how institutions and individuals respond when their values are tested by crisis.
Genres: drama, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-friends, ideological-divide, institutional-crisis
Setting: Harvard University
Period: McCarthy Era
281 pages · Hardcover · Norton & Company
Content warnings: suicide