Robert Keable

Simon Called Peter Robert Keable

Simon Called Peter is a novel by Robert Keable (1887-1927) which was a best-seller in 1921. The title is a reference to Simon Peter the apostle and first Pope of the Catholic Church. In 1921 it was met with astonishing success, and its runaway popularity won Keable a level of celebrity. The book reportedly sold over 600,000 copies during the 1920s, reaching a 66th edition by 1922. A largely autobiographical work, Simon Called Peter is the tale of a priest, Peter Graham, who has an affair in wartime France with a nurse named Julie. The title character almost abandons his faith for love, but experiences a direct revelation of Christ while watching a Catholic mass and is given up by his lover, who sees his sincerity. The book was controversial at its introduction due to its sexual and religious content.