Summary

Chapter 1, “Birds, Again” (1) opens in Ashwell, Massachusetts in 1871. 29-year-old Caroline Hood was alarmed to see that a rare species of bird, called the trilling heart, had returned to the farm where she lived with her father, Samuel (a renowned essayist and public intellectual), after an absence of many years. Samuel was excited to show the bird to his young protege, David Moore, who would be arriving soon from town. The bird flew off before David arrived, but Caroline drew a sketch for him.

Samuel and David told Caroline about their plan to open a school for teenage girls on the farm. They would provide an education commensurate with that offered to young men at other schools. Samuel suggested Caroline could teach literature. Caroline was uneasy, as her father's grand plans had failed before.

In Chapter 2, “Laying of Plans” (9), Samuel and David continued discussing...