Anthony Adverse (novel)

Anthony Adverse is a historical adventure novel written by Hervey Allen, published in 1933. It became a major bestseller and won the 1934 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

The novel spans the late 18th and early 19th centuries and tells the epic story of Anthony Adverse, a foundling raised in an Italian convent after his mother dies shortly after his birth. Anthony's parentage is shrouded in mystery, but he is eventually claimed by a wealthy merchant, John Bonnyfeather, who raises him as his own.

Anthony's life is filled with travel, adventure, and hardship. He works for a mercantile firm, traversing Europe, Africa, and the Americas. He experiences love, loss, betrayal, and fortune, encountering a diverse cast of characters from various social strata. Throughout his journey, Anthony grapples with questions of fate, free will, and the meaning of life.

The novel is known for its length (over 1,200 pages in its original publication) and its detailed portrayal of historical settings and events, including the Napoleonic Wars and the slave trade. It was adapted into a successful film of the same name in 1936, starring Fredric March. Despite its initial popularity and critical acclaim, Anthony Adverse is less widely read today.