A Room with a View
A Room with a View is a novel written by E. M. Forster and first published in 1908.
Lucy Honeychurch is a young Edwardian Englishwoman on a tour of Florence, torn between what she wants and what she believes society expects of her. In Italy she meets George Emerson; back in Surrey she becomes engaged to the polished, bloodless Cecil Vyse.
The title comes from the opening scene, in which the Emersons, father and son, offer Lucy and her chaperone their rooms in the Florence pension because theirs look over the Arno. The offer, and the offence it causes, say everything about the etiquette and rigidity of the society she belongs to.
Written before the First World War, the novel catches English society mid-change, and handles religion, class, and politics lightly, with a great deal of humor.
It has been included in the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library in the 79th position.
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Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans
Copyright note. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster is believed to be in the public domain in the United States only. It may still be copyrighted in other countries. If you are not in the United States, please check your local laws to ensure this eBook is in the public domain in your country before downloading A Room with a View in PDF or EPUB.
- Pages
- 208
- Reading time
- 5 hours 39 minutes
- Pace
- Intermediate
- First published
- 1908
- Language
- English
- Downloads
- 9,758
118 years later, still timely
Why Read A Room with a View in 2026?
A change of scenery changes a life. Forster contrasts tidy drawing rooms with Tuscan air, urging readers to choose candor over performance. Romantic, witty, quietly brave.
Today's connection
It is a comedy of becoming: maps, music, and mishaps nudge Lucy toward honest speech. Social expectations do not vanish; they are negotiated. Read it to celebrate travel as perspective, to laugh kindly at snobbery, and to practice the art of saying what you mean.
Travel as catalyst
Place rearranges priorities and courage.
Say it plainly
Clarity beats cleverness in love and life.
Light and air
Nature helps the heart tell the truth.
These collections include A Room with a View
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Love tested by money, class and time — including the six Austen novels and all seven the Brontë sisters wrote.
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The Modern Library: 100 Best Novels
The 1998 list, in its own order — and which of the hundred we can legally give you.
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About the author
E. M. Forster
Clear prose about connection, class, and the courage to say yes to life.
