Mazo de la Roche
Personal Information
Description
Mazo de la Roche (; born Maisie Louise Roche; January 15, 1879 – July 12, 1961) was a Canadian writer who was the author of the Jalna novels, one of the most popular series of books of her time.
Books
The Building of Jalna
In 1927 an unknown Canadian writer won the Atlantic's 10,000 prize with her novel, Jalna. Since then Jalna has been translated into a dozen different languages. It scored an enormous hit as a play in London and in New York, where Ethel Barymore played the part of Gran. With the Building of Jalna, Mazo de la Roche has now written nine books with the warmth and tenacity of Trollope which have established her as Canada's leading novelist. In her new novel, Miss de la Roche goes back to the year 1850. She shows us Adeline, the impulsive, passionate young bride with her Irish temper and her blazing loyalty; she shows us handsome Captain Whiteoak who sold his commission in the Hussars in order to migrate to the superb virgin country on the shots of Lake Ontario. Here is a story which breathes with the spaciousness and beauty of uncut Canada. Here are the skating parties and the swimming, and here are the jealousies, the fierce attachments, the tart and unexpected humor which possess those who come within range of the Whiteoaks. The building of Jalna brings to any American the sweep of untamed country and the refreshment of watching something build up when so much of the world is being blasted to bits.
Morning at Jalna
Sequel to: The building of Jalna. This book is set in the time of the Civil War, when Adeline was a handsome young matron with four small children.
Whiteoak harvest
First published in 1936, Whiteoak Harvest chronicles the 1930s saga of Renny Whiteoak and his wife, Alayne. Finch Whiteoak's love child. Meanwhile Wakefield Whiteoak is engaged to Pauline Lebraux but if tormented by religious doubts. This is book 11 of 16 in the Whiteoak Chronicles. It is followed by Wakefield's Course.
Wakefield's course
The Jalna men are affected by the course of World War II.
The master of Jalna
The master of Jalna is Renny Whiteoak, who owns the old house and property. After the death of Grandmother Adeline, Renny attempts to carry on the family tradition. He and his wife Alayne have a daughter named Adeline, who has inherited her namesake's red hair, strong will, and fierce temper. While Alayne is preoccupied trying to tame this wild, red-headed child, Renny has a love affair with Claire, the widow of his best friend. The whole Whiteoak family is back at Jalna, and Renny looks after everyone, including Claire and her daughter.
Possession
In a world where Thinkers control the population and Rules are not meant to be broken, fifteen-year-old Violet Schoenfeld must make a choice to control or be controlled after learning truths about her "dead" sister and "missing" father.
Young Renny
Adeline Whiteoak is at the height of her sway as a vigorous and domineering matriarch of 80. Augusta and her sons, Nicholas and Ernest, are now middle-aged and her younger son, the handsome and indolent Philip, is father to the younger trio at Jalna. Meg is in the midst of an unhappy love affair and Renny, a fiery youth, is full of his first passion. The story turns now to the feud between him and his grandmother, and Cousin Malahide from Ireland.
Growth of a man
Story of an orphaned boy left with unsympathetic grandparents on a Canadian farm.
Mary Wakefield
The Jalna saga continues with the Whiteoaks hiring a tutor for Phillip's two young children. Mary Wakefield is inexperienced but quickly adapts to her two wards. Mary quickly falls in love with Jalna and Canada and with Phillip. Family, staff, and neighbors conspire to get Mary away from Jalna and Phillip. The two men in Mary's life learn of the underhanded plots and search for her to set things straight.
