The Cloister and the Hearth, written by Reade (READE), is a historical novel set in the 16th century. It follows the story of a Dutch scholar, Gerard, and his wife Margaret, and their struggles with poverty and religious persecution. The novel also focuses on the lives of nuns (NUNS) and other religious figures, as well as the effects of the Protestant Reformation on the Catholic Church. Reade (READES) was an English novelist and playwright who wrote several novels in the 19th century.