A Simple Story

Inchbald, Mrs., 1753-1821Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.2

Word count: 606K words
Chapters: 61

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 Simple Story by Mrs. InchbaldAuthor: Inchbald, Mrs., 1753-1821,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jul 5, 2007

Editor's review

A Simple Story is a novel by Mrs Inchbald published in the late eighteenth century, offered as a free English e-book by Project Gutenberg. It is often mentioned in the history of the English novel and is notable for its emotional and moral conflicts and its character portrayal, making it useful for understanding the narrative tradition of the late eighteenth-century English novel. The e-book is easy to search and carry, and suits supplementary reading outside an English literature course or extensive reading in the original. As a public-domain e-book it has no modern notes or introduction, so readers must adapt to eighteenth-century English expression and context on their own. Overall, the book suits readers willing to read slowly and follow the thread of literary history better than those seeking light entertainment or a contemporary story pace.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of English literary history who want to fill gaps in eighteenth-century fiction
Literature enthusiasts with some English who are willing to read the original slowly
Readers who need free public-domain e-books for course supplementary reading
Those interested in female characters and moral themes in early English fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers with little English reading experience who need modern notes
Readers who seek only light entertainment and fast-paced plots

Reading tips

Learn the basic background of the late eighteenth-century English novel before starting the text.
Read the first few chapters slowly to get used to the syntax and narrative pace, then speed up.
Note the main characters' changes in temperament to help grasp the novel's moral themes.
Read alongside a literary history textbook or introductory material for better results.

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

How difficult is the English in this book?

As a late eighteenth-century novel, it has long sentences and period vocabulary, making it harder than ordinary modern English reading material. An intermediate or higher reading level is recommended, along with a willingness to read slowly with a dictionary and background material.

Does the e-book include notes or an introduction?

The information shows this is a public-domain e-book released by Project Gutenberg, which usually provides only the original text without modern notes, introductions or exercises. Readers who need background knowledge can consult literary history materials separately.

Is this book suitable as supplementary reading for an English course?

Yes. It is often discussed in the history of the English novel and suits supplementary reading in the original outside a course. Note, however, that the e-book has no notes, so it is best used with teacher guidance or reference books.

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About the author

Inchbald, Mrs., 1753-1821 Author

Mrs. Inchbald (1753-1821) was an English writer, playwright, and novelist. Public information about her life is limited, and the available records do not specify her nationality or education, yet her writing earned a place in the English literary world of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Three of her works are held here: the novels A Simple Story and Nature and Art, and the five-act play Such Things Are: A Play, in Five Acts. Her novels trace emotional and moral conflict with tight structure and finely drawn characters, showing a keen eye for women's circumstances and human weakness, while her plays combine social satire with sentiment in brisk, lively language. Her works were well received by readers of her day and have influenced later English fiction and drama.