The Narrows

work by Petry

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July 1, 2026

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Ann Petry's novel The Narrows (1953) tells the story of Link Williams, a Black man with a Dartmouth education who works in a bar in Monmouth, Connecticut. The novel explores his tragic love affair with a wealthy white woman. While some critics found the plot melodramatic, the work is praised for its fluid writing style and compassionate character portrayals. Petry, an African-American novelist, journalist, and biographer, was known for her unique perspectives on Black life in small-town New England. Her other notable works include The Street and Country Place.1

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Ann Petry
Her third novel, The Narrows (1953), is the story of Link Williams, a Dartmouth-educated black man who tends bar in the black section of Monmouth, Conn., and of his tragic love affair with a rich white woman. Although often criticized for its melodramatic plot, it has been lauded…
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Her third novel, The Narrows (1953), is the story of Link Williams, a Dartmouth-educated black man who tends bar in the black section of Monmouth, Conn., and of his tragic love affair with a rich white woman. Although often criticized for its melodramatic plot, it has been lauded…
Read More