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.
First US edition
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1941.
Alexander Vvedensky's mug shot in NKVD records
The publisher Robert M. McBride goes bankrupt in 1948 and the copyright on All In A Lifetime is never renewed.