'All's Well!'

John OxenhamProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 87K words
Chapters: 9

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.'All's Well!' by John OxenhamAuthor: Oxenham, John, 1852-1941,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 6, 2008

Editor's review

This work is an English novel by John Oxenham, part of the Project Gutenberg free eBook collection; it is in English and classified under PR (English language and literature). For readers studying late Victorian to early twentieth-century popular British fiction, this book offers a sample of the narrative style and moral concerns of that period. Oxenham's works generally focus on ordinary people's choices and emotions in difficult circumstances, and this book is pervaded by the optimistic tone suggested by its title; it is suited to being read in a quiet setting, where one can appreciate its dialogue and plot development. As a public-domain eBook, the text may retain original spelling and typesetting conventions, so readers need some foundation in English reading. It is not a widely known classic, and is better used as literary-historical material or English extensive reading material than as a diversion seeking strong plot. Readers are advised to understand the characters' value judgments in light of the historical background and to regard it as a small window onto the popular literature of its time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English literature students who need a sample of late Victorian popular fiction
Readers with some English foundation who want extensive reading practice through public-domain eBooks
Literary researchers interested in early twentieth-century British society and moral narrative
English readers who enjoy slow-paced character stories and do not seek strong plot

Not a good fit for

Beginners with weak English reading ability, for whom original spelling and wording may pose obstacles
Readers who prefer fast-paced suspense or strongly plotted fiction
Introductory readers hoping for detailed annotations or a guide

Reading tips

First read through the title and chapter headings to grasp the book's optimistic tone, then go into the main text for close reading.
Mark unfamiliar spellings or old-fashioned expressions and look them up after finishing, avoiding frequent interruptions.
Read alongside background material on contemporary British society to help understand characters' motives.
If using it for English extensive reading, read one or two chapters a day and briefly retell the plot to check comprehension.

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 really. This is an English public-domain book and may retain original spelling and old-fashioned expressions, so beginners may stumble over vocabulary and sentence patterns. It is recommended for readers with some English reading foundation who can use a dictionary for extensive reading.

Is this book a novel or some other genre?

According to the information, the book is classified under English language and literature (PR) and is a literary work by John Oxenham, belonging to narrative works. The information does not provide a more detailed genre description; readers may read it as an English novel.

Do I need to know the author's biography to read this book?

Not necessarily. The information provides only the author's birth and death years and work details, without elaborating on his life. Readers can start directly from the text and, if interested in the author's era, supplement with relevant background material.

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About the author

John Oxenham Author · British · 1852–1941

John Oxenham (1852–1941) was the pen name of William Arthur Dunkerley, a British journalist, novelist and poet. Born in Manchester, he first won recognition with the poetry collection Bees in Amber: A Little Book of Thoughtful Verse, which gathers short, reflective poems. His fiction is often set against island and coastal life, and includes such works as Carette of Sark, A Maid of the Silver Sea, Maid of the Mist, The Coil of Carne, White Fire and Pearl of Pearl Island, with plots centred on character and emotion and on local scenery. He also wrote well-known hymns and served as mayor of Worthing. Eight of his works are held in this collection, though a common classification is not yet available; public information is limited. His writing spans poetry, fiction and hymns, combining popular readability with a sense of moral concern.