The first book in Anthony Trollope"s funny, warm, well-loved Barchester Chronicles?perfect for Austen fans The tranquil atmosphere of the cathedral town of Barchester is shattered when a scandal breaks concerning the financial affairs of a church-run almshouse for elderly men. In the ensuing furor, Septimus Harding, the almshouse"s well-meaning warden, finds himself pitted against his daughter"s suitor Dr. John Bold, a zealous local reformer. Matters are not improved when Harding"s abrasive son-in law, Archdeacon Grantly, leaps into the fray to defend him against a campaign Bold begins in the national press. An affectionate and wittily satirical view of the workings of the Church of England, this novel is also a subtle exploration of the rights and wrongs of moral crusades and, in its account of Harding"s intensely felt personal drama, a moving depiction of the private impact of public affairs.