JEWETT, SARAH ORNE
A forgotten nineteenth-century classic novel about a young woman torn between her passion for medicine and what society expects of her. Bright, vivacious, and "wild as a hawk," Nan Prince is a young child when she is adopted by the local general practitioner, Dr. Leslie, upon the death of her elderly aunt. Dr. Leslie encourages Nan's curiosity and indulges her innate interest in medicine, despite the opposition and skepticism of their small Maine town. As Nan grows up, her determination to become a doctor sets her apart from other children. Once Nan departs for medical school, she is invited to spend the summer in Dunport with Miss Prince, her wealthy but mysterious aunt. Nan quickly wins over the "smart" society of Dunport, though her new friends are all amazed and scandalized by the thought of a young, attractive woman becoming a physician. But when Nan falls in love with a handsome and clever lawyer, she faces a crossroads: Will she pursue medicine, her first love, or abandon it for the rewards of matrimony?
