"The Hills of Refuge: A Novel" by Will N. Harben intricately explores the fictional setting of the Hills of Refuge, a small-town community nestled in the rural landscapes of the Southern United States. Through Harben's vivid storytelling, readers are immersed in the lives of the townsfolk, experiencing their familial bonds, intricate relationships, and dramatic struggles. Set against the backdrop of the Southern countryside, the novel delves into the complexities of family dynamics and the resilience of individuals facing adversity. Secrets buried deep within the community come to light, challenging characters to confront their pasts and seek redemption. As drama unfolds and tensions rise, the Hills of Refuge become a stage for the human condition, where struggles are met with perseverance and resilience. Through the lens of small-town life, Harben captures the essence of community spirit and the enduring power of human connection. "The Hills of Refuge: A Novel" stands as a testament to Harben's mastery of Southern fiction, offering readers a captivating portrayal of rural life, rich with drama, emotion, and the timeless pursuit of redemption.
William Nathaniel Harben was an American writer who lived in the early twentieth century. He specialized in stories about the people who lived in the mountains of Northern Georgia. He was sometimes attributed as Will N. Harben or just Will Harben. Harben was born in 1858 in Dalton, Georgia, to a wealthy family. He grew up to become a trader in the same town. At the age of 30, Harben began composing stories. His father, Nathaniel Parks Harben, was a notable southern abolitionist who worked as a spy for the Union and then a scout for General Sherman. When William was a tiny child, his family was forced to flee to the north, but they finally returned to Dalton during restoration. Harben's first book, White Marie, a narrative about a white girl raised in slavery in the American South, was written in 1889. After the work was published, he relocated his family to New York City. Harben's subsequent novel, Almost Persuaded (1890), was a religious novel. The novel attracted enough notice that Queen Victoria requested a copy. Harben later wrote Mute Confessor (1892), a romantic romance, and Land of the Changing Sun (1894), a science fiction novel. Throughout the decade, he also wrote three detective novels. Harben's greatest literary triumph was Northern Georgia Sketches (1900), a collection of short stories about Georgia "hillbillies". He became a protégé and friend of William Dean Howells.
