George Gissing was a late Victorian author. Between 1880 and 1903 Gissing wrote 23 novels. His early works were naturalistic and later he wrote in a realistic style. His works include New Grub Street, Born in Exile, The Odd Women, In the Year of Jubilee, and The Whirlpool. Will Warburton was Gissing's last novel published three years after his death. Will was a young man working in commerce until speculation cost him everything. He is forced to work as a grocer, which he hates. Will keeps his turn of fortune secret from his friends and family. When the woman he is falling in love discovers he is a grocer she dumps him. At this point Will realizes that there is no shame in being a grocer.