{"product_id":"the-absentee","title":"The Absentee","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA novel of social observation in which Maria Edgeworth examines the effects of absentee landownership and the obligations of class and estate.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Absentee\u003c\/em\u003e, Edgeworth follows the fortunes of a young heir whose family estate in Ireland has long been managed from a distance. As he becomes more directly acquainted with the conditions of the property and its tenants, the narrative traces a movement from detachment to responsibility, set against the expectations of society and family influence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEdgeworth's approach combines narrative with social analysis, presenting questions of management, conduct, and reform within a controlled and often lightly ironic framework. The novel reflects early nineteenth-century concerns with land, class, and governance, while maintaining a focus on individual character and decision. It remains a representative work of Anglo-Irish fiction, offering a considered account of the relationship between ownership and obligation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SMK Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53020487221568,"sku":"9781617207518","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0982\/8912\/3648\/files\/imageloader_e55d7434-1d26-49ac-923b-c55c4bfba154.jpg?v=1786630112","url":"https:\/\/silverstreetbooks.com\/products\/the-absentee","provider":"silverstreetbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}