Ten North Frederick, O'Hara's fifth novel, is the first after Appointment in Samarra to be set in Gibbsville, and it enlarges upon several of the concerns of that early novel. Joe Chapin is a more single-mindedly ambitious person than is Julian English in Appointment in Samarra: He wants nothing less than to leave each of his children a million dollars and to become President of the United States. Although Chapin is not presented as a powerhungry schemer, he has been raised by his mother to believe that his own potential is limitless. The American dream of wealth and political influence, however, eludes Chapin, as happiness eludes Julian English; both men substitute social forms for human responses and end by being bewildered by the emptiness of their lives. Ten North Frederick explores the mechanics of party politics, including the power of local political leaders such as Mike...