On the eve of his move to a new, more desirable residence, Professor Godfrey St. Peter finds himself in the shabby study of his former home. Surrounded by the comforting, familiar sights of his past, he surveys his life and the people he has loved — his wife Lillian, his daughters, and Tom Outland, his most outstanding student and once, his son-in-law to be.

Enigmatic and courageous — and a tragic victim of the Great War — Tom has remained a source of inspiration to the professor. But he has also left behind him a troubling legacy which has brought betrayal and fracture to the women he loves most.

Willa Cather's "The Professor's House" is a richly layered exploration of discontent and nostalgia set against the backdrop of early 20th-century America. The novel interweaves the life of Professor Godfrey St. Peter with the haunting influence of his past and the changing landscape around him. Cather's exquisite prose balances lyrical description with stark realism, reflecting the tension between the academic world and the natural beauty of the New Mexico landscape.

The narrative structure, oscillating between the present and St. Peter's memories, invites readers to ponder themes of identity, success, and the search for meaning amidst societal expectations.