The Keys of the Kingdom: written by A. J. and similar items

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. The book was made into a 1944 film The Keys of the Kingdom starring Gregory Peck as Father Francis Chisholm and Vincent Price as Anselm "Angus" Mealey. This role earned Peck his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.