<b>The Blithedale Romance</b>, considered one of Hawthorne's major novels, explores the limitations of human nature set against an experiment in communal living. From mesmerism to illicit love, <b>The Blithedale Romance</b> represents one of Hawthorne's best and most sharply etched works, one that Henry James called his &quot;brightest&quot; and &quot;liveliest&quot; novel, and that Roy Male, acclaimed Americanist scholar, said is &quot;one of the most underrated works in American fiction.&quot;<br><br>This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition is set from the definitive Ohio State University Press Centenary edition of the novel.