Mason's RetreatUnfolding with the grandeur and suspenseful inevitability of real life, Mason's Retreat tells the story of a family on the Eastern Shore of Maryland on the eve of World War II. After many years of extravagant expatriate living in England, Edward and Edith Mason and their sons, Sebastien and Simon, sail to America to take up residence at the Retreat, the crumbling Mason family estate on the Chesapeake Bay. A man of large appetite and grand illusion, Edward Mason is determined to make a go of it as a gentleman farmer, even though events always seem to conspire against him. Edith and their two sons begin to flourish in America, tasting for the first time the happiness that comes from a sense of freedom and belonging. Yet the family's drift toward destruction inexorably quickens, exposing at the heart of this remarkable novel the powerful interconnections between character, history, and fate; the isolation of class and race; and the corrosive effect of secrets within a family. |
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ain't answered Aquitania asked bastien Bitsy boat boys breath cattails Chester River Christopher Tilghman colored creek damn dark door Eastern Shore Edith Mason England everything eyes face farm father feel felt gone hand happen Harry Hazelton head hear heard imagine Kent Island kitchen laughed light living looked Loretta Mansion House Maryland Mason Mason Creek McCready McCready's Miss Edith Miss Mary Miss Mary's Mister Ed Mister Edward morning mother moved Nancy Cooke never Neville Chamberlain night Normandie Okay Paca perhaps plans pulled Retreat Robert sail Sebastien knew seemed shack side Simon sitting smell smile sound stood stopped sure talk tell thank things thought Tolchester Beach told took truth trying Tuckertown turned Valerie voice waiting walked wanted ward watched wind Winnetka winter woman women wondered