Autumn Glory; Or, The Toilers of the Field

René Bazin's 'Autumn Glory; Or, The Toilers of the Field' is a novel that opens with a scene of a farmer, Lumineau, and the Marquis de la Fromentière's keeper discussing Lumineau's overdue rent. With lush descriptions of the bountiful cabbage fields, Bazin sets the stage for a story that explores the relationship between the rich and the poor in rural France during the late 1800s. Lumineau and his family, along with their neighbors, are hardworking toilers of the land who must contend with the whims and demands of the Marquis and his agents. But when Lumineau's daughter becomes involved with a penniless young man, tensions rise, and the struggle for survival becomes even more challenging.