A Tall Ship

Bartimeus, 1886-1967Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 226K words
Chapters: 23

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 Tall Ship by BartimeusAuthor: Bartimeus, 1886-1967,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Jun 10, 2008

Editor's review

A Tall Ship is a work by the British author Bartimeus (1886–1967), classified as juvenile literature (PZ). Bartimeus was known for writing on naval subjects, and this book likewise centers on seafaring and shipboard life, suited to readers interested in maritime stories. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, it is easily accessible and works well as an entry point for reading English texts in the original. The narrative carries the literary style of the early twentieth century, with plain language and a leisurely pace, through which readers can sense the maritime atmosphere of that era and the narrative features of juvenile literature. For those studying early English juvenile literature or with a preference for maritime subjects, the book offers a valuable textual sample. Readers are advised to understand characters' behavior and language habits in light of the period context, and rather than seeking fast-paced plot, to focus on savoring textual details and language style.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English readers who enjoy seafaring and shipboard subjects
Students studying early twentieth-century English juvenile literature
Readers who wish to practice reading English texts through free ebooks
Enthusiasts interested in Bartimeus's works or maritime literature

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong plot and fast-paced narrative
Beginners in English who need modern vernacular or a Chinese translation
Readers impatient with nautical terminology and archaic expressions

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the story's thread, then return to sort out nautical vocabulary and expressions
Read alongside background material on early twentieth-century navies and merchant ships to understand characters' situations
Use the Project Gutenberg ebook for annotations, marking new words and period usage
For English learning, read one or two chapters a day and do a brief retelling

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 suitable for English beginners?

Not very suitable for readers at zero or elementary level. This is an early twentieth-century English text containing nautical terminology and archaic expressions, with sentence structures that pose some difficulty for beginners. Readers with intermediate or above English reading ability who can accept a slower narrative pace will adapt better.

Why is this book offered free on Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg was founded by Michael Hart in 1971 and is the earliest project to offer free ebooks. This book, as a public-domain text in its collection, is open to the public free of charge, making it easy for readers to read directly on electronic devices without purchasing a paper copy.

Do I need prior nautical knowledge to read this book?

Not required, but basic nautical knowledge will make it smoother. The book includes descriptions of ships and life at sea; if unfamiliar with the relevant terminology, you can look it up as you read. This won't affect understanding of the overall story, but will require more patience.

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About the author

Bartimeus, 1886-1967 Author · British · 1886–1967

Bartimeus (1886–1967) was a British naval officer and writer. His real name and early life are poorly documented, and he is generally known by the pen name Bartimeus. Drawing on his own naval career for material, he turned to writing fiction on naval themes, with works largely based on life at sea and military experience, written in a realistic style with a strong narrative pace. Two of his works are held in the collection, A Tall Ship and The Long Trick, both continuing his focus on naval and maritime experience and securing him a place in the tradition of twentieth-century British maritime and naval fiction. Because relatively little biographical material survives, the full range of his writing remains known only in part, and readers chiefly come to know this officer-writer through the works mentioned above.