A Farmer's Wife: The Story of Ruth

Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.9

Word count: 18K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.A Farmer's Wife: The Story of Ruth by J. H. WillardAuthor: Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847-,Language: English, Class: BS: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: The Bible, Old and New Testament, Release Date: Jan 19, 2010

Editor's review

This is a religious title from Project Gutenberg's free ebooks, offering a narrative and exposition of the story of Ruth, the "farmer's wife" of the Book of Ruth. Using Ruth's experience as a thread, J. H. Willard links the scriptural background, the characters' circumstances, and themes of faith, making it suitable for readers who wish to understand Ruth from a narrative angle. As a public-domain ebook, it preserves the style and exegetical approach of early religious writing; it is short and easy to read chapter by chapter. Readers may use it as a companion to the Book of Ruth, turning to its discussion of motive, family relationships, and faith choices after reading the text for a more concrete understanding. Note that the book carries a clear period and religious interpretive stance; readers should read it critically alongside the original text and other commentaries rather than treating it as the only interpretation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who wish to understand the Book of Ruth from a narrative angle
Church reading groups needing companion material for the Book of Ruth
Readers interested in the style of early English religious writing
Learners who want to practice English reading with a short public-domain book

Not a good fit for

Researchers expecting strict scholarly rigor or modern commentary conventions
Readers who reject a religious interpretive stance and want purely literary analysis
Readers seeking a systematic theological introduction or a full commentary

Reading tips

Read the Book of Ruth first, then go through this book chapter by chapter alongside it.
Keep a pen handy to mark the book's readings of character motives for later comparison.
Read alongside other commentaries and note differences in stance.
If the English is difficult, read the Chinese text of the passage first, then the corresponding chapter of this book.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book the original text of Ruth or a commentary?

It is a narrative and expository work on the story of Ruth, not a plain collection of the scriptural text. Readers should read the Book of Ruth first and then use this book to understand the author's reading of the characters and plot; the two work best side by side.

Can someone without a religious background read this book?

Yes, but it takes some patience. The book involves biblical figures, family relationships, and themes of faith; if you are entirely unfamiliar with Ruth, read a summary of the text first. Approach it as a text illustrating one traditional way of interpreting scripture, not as a systematic theology textbook, and it will be easier to follow.

Is this book suitable for reading groups?

Yes, especially church or literary reading groups focused on Ruth. Chapters can be assigned to different leaders, with the scriptural text read before each chapter's discussion, and time left for comparing members' understandings so that the book's views are not treated as the only conclusion.

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About the author

Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847- Author

J. H. Willard (James Hartwell Willard, born 1847) was an English-language author of the later nineteenth century; little is publicly known about his life, nationality, or dates. Five of his works are held here, most drawing on biblical figures and festivals: A Farmer's Wife, on the story of Ruth; The Man Who Did Not Die, on Elijah; The Farmer Boy, on Jacob; The Adopted Son, on Moses; and The First Easter, centered on the Easter story. These books retell ancient narratives as accessible popular stories, and their titles often begin from everyday roles or concrete scenes, bringing the figures closer to ordinary readers. His writing emphasizes narrative and readability in plain language, with the character of popular religious literature for a general audience, earning him a place among retellings of biblical stories.