Harriet and the Piper is a novel by Kathleen Thompson Norris, a prolific American author known for her popular fiction in the early 20th century. First published in 1920, the book is a romantic drama that explores themes of love, duty, and social expectations.
The story follows Harriet Holden, a young woman who works as a secretary (or "piper," metaphorically leading others through life's challenges) for a wealthy businessman, Richard Carter. Harriet is efficient, intelligent, and deeply devoted to her employer, even though she harbors unspoken feelings for him.
Richard, however, is married to Nina Carter, a self-absorbed and neglectful wife. When Nina abandons Richard and their young daughter, Linda, Harriet steps in to care for the household, forming a close bond with Linda. Over time, Richard begins to see Harriet in a new light, leading to emotional complications.
As the story unfolds, Harriet must navigate societal expectations, personal desires, and moral dilemmas. The novel examines whether love can overcome duty and whether Harriet will choose her own happiness or sacrifice it for propriety.
Kathleen Norris was known for her sentimental yet socially conscious storytelling, and Harriet and the Piper reflects her ability to blend romance with moral questions. While not as widely remembered today as some of her other works (The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne, Certain People of Importance), it remains an engaging example of early 20th-century women's fiction.
About the Author
Kathleen Thompson Norris (July 16, 1880 - January 18, 1966) was an American novelist and newspaper columnist. She was one of the most widely read and highest paid female writers in the United States for nearly fifty years, from 1911 to 1959. Norris was a prolific writer who wrote 93 novels, many of which became best sellers. Her stories appeared frequently in the popular press of the day, including Atlantic, The American Magazine, McClure's, Everybody's, Ladies' Home Journal and Woman's Home Companion. Norris used her fiction to promote family and moralistic values, such as the sanctity of marriage, the nobility of motherhood, and the importance of service to others.
Kathleen Thompson Norris was born in San Francisco, California on 16 July 1880. Her parents were Josephine (n�e Moroney) and James Alden Thompson. When she was 19 both her parents died. As the oldest sibling she became effectively the head of a large family and had to work. Initially, she found employment in a department store, which was soon followed by work in an accounting office and then the Mechanic's Institute Library. In 1905, she enrolled in a creative writing program at the University of California, Berkeley and began writing short stories. The San Francisco Call, which had published a few of her stories, hired her to write a society column in September 1906. In the course of that work she met Charles Gilman Norris (whose late older brother was the famous novelist Frank Norris), and they soon fell in love. He moved to New York to be art editor of The American Magazine. After eight months of daily correspondence and some improvements in her family's financial situation, she joined him there and they were married in April 1909.
Norris became involved in various social causes, including women's suffrage, Prohibition, pacifism, and organizations to benefit children and the poor.
Kathleen Thompson Norris died January 18, 1966 in San Francisco at the home of her son Dr. Frank Norris. She was 85. (wikipedia.org)
