Joseph in the Snow and The Clockmaker Vol II - Berthold Auerbach

It is an era of mass migration as so many young men seek adventure and fortune abroad. When Lenz and lifelong friend Pilgrim were boys they too had longed to travel. Pilgrim did so, for a time, but not the dutiful Lenz. Lens apprenticed to his father, a master clockmaker. After his father's death, Lenz doted on his mother and she on him. But she too has passed. Lenz has inherited a good family name and a substantial sum. He is a skilled craftsman and a gifted singer. He will marry his clockmaking skill with his passion for music. His childhood dream of travel gone the way of his youth, Lenz must become a master in his own right. It is high time for him to take a wife and start a family. His close-knit circle of friends support him, but they are concerned. Some think that Lenz might be too trusting in the good intentions of others. Even Pilgrim questions the choice Lenz has made for a bride. Establishing one's place in an ever changing world can indeed be a challenge for a young man. How will kind-hearted Lenz fare? - Summary by Brian Fullen