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 First US edition | |
| Author | A. J. Cronin |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Religious fiction Historical novel |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz Ltd (UK) Little, Brown (US) |
Publication date | 1941 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 344 |
| OCLC | 364263 |
The Keys of the Kingdom is a 1941 novel by A. J. Cronin. Spanning six decades, it tells the story of Father Francis Chisholm, an unconventional Scottish Catholic priest who struggles to establish a mission in China. Beset by tragedy in his youth, as a missionary Chisholm endures many years of hardship, punctuated by famine, plague and war in the Chinese province to which he is assigned. Through a life guided by compassion and tolerance, Chisholm earns the respect of the Chinese—and of fellow clergy who would mistrust him—with his kindly, high-minded and courageous ways.