The Stars Look Down: A Novel (Digital Original)

By: AJ Cronin

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Synopsis: This thought-provoking novel of the challenges a coal mining community faces in the early twentieth century is &“the finest work Cronin has given his public&” (Kirkus Reviews). First published in 1935, The Stars Look Down tells the story of a North Country mining town as its inhabitants make their way through social and political upheaval. Digging into workers&’ rights, social change, and the relationship between labor and capitalism, the struggles of the novel&’s trifecta of protagonists—politically minded miner David Fenwick, ambitious drifter Joe Gowlan, and frustrated yet meek mining-baron&’s son Arthur Barras—remain compelling and relevant to readers in the twenty-first century. AJ Cronin&’s tale is one of many of the hardships of coal-mining communities during the industrial pre-war, World War I, and interwar periods in Britain, but stands out for its unflinching prose, universal themes, and keen storytelling. The novel was adapted into a 1940 film starring Michael Redgrave as Davey Fenwick, is a New York Times Critics&’ Pick, and is included in the New York Times Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made.