Almost a Man

Mary Augusta Wood-AllenProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 75K words
Chapters: 8

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.Almost A Man by Mary Wood-AllenAuthor: Wood-Allen, Mary, 1841-1908,Language: English, Class: HQ: Social sciences: The family, Marriage, Sex and Gender, Release Date: Jun 6, 2009

Editor's review

Almost A Man is a work by Mary Wood-Allen written in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, classified under social sciences in the area of family, marriage, and gender. The author long focused on adolescent development and sex education, and this book continues that concern, discussing the physical and mental changes, character formation, and social responsibilities of boys transitioning to manhood. Its value lies not in literary polish but in presenting a systematic period view of masculinity and coming-of-age education, offering today's readers a mirror for observing the evolution of educational ideas. The discussions of self-restraint, respect for others, and the meaning of maturity bear clear marks of their time yet still invite comparison and debate. Suitable as supplementary reading in gender studies, educational history, and family studies, and for general readers interested in late Victorian social attitudes. Read it in historical context, appreciating the author's sincere intent while identifying assumptions no longer tenable.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers and teachers concerned with adolescent development education and gender socialization
Readers interested in late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century views on family and sex education
Social science enthusiasts wanting to understand the historical construction of masculinity
Thesis writers needing English primary texts in educational history or gender studies

Not a good fit for

Casual readers expecting popular fiction plots and characters
Parents seeking contemporary evidence-based parenting or sex education guides
Beginners with limited English needing a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read the preface and contents first to grasp the book's argumentative structure, then proceed chapter by chapter.
Note passages reflecting period bias as you read, keeping comparative notes against contemporary views.
Read alongside social or educational history of the late nineteenth-century West to deepen contextual understanding.
For research, excerpt key passages and record page numbers for later citation.

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 a novel?

No. According to the metadata, it is classified under social sciences in the family, marriage, and gender category; it is an expository work on growing up and education, not fiction, so readers should not expect plot or character development.

How difficult is the English?

Written in the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, its syntax and diction bear period features and require a foundation in English reading. Upper-intermediate to advanced readers should attempt it, with dictionaries and background materials at hand.

Why is this old book still worth reading today?

Its value is historical perspective: it presents the period's systematic views on boys' development, gender roles, and responsibility, helping us understand the evolution of educational ideas and offering a starting point for comparison and reflection in contemporary debate.

Is this book suitable for children?

With caution. Its views carry clear period limitations, and some assumptions conflict with contemporary educational ideas. If giving it to adolescents, adults should preview it and discuss it with them to help identify historical bias.

Comments

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About the author

Mary Augusta Wood-Allen Author · American · 1841–1908

Mary Augusta Wood-Allen (1841–1908) was an American physician, social reformer and writer. She was born on 19 October 1841 in Ohio and died in Washington in 1908. After earning her medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1875, she lectured for the Woman's Christian Temperance Union on heredity and hygiene and became an important voice in the American social purity movement. Her books, written for general readers, focused on young women's physical health, adolescence and moral self-discipline, and are marked by a strongly instructive tone typical of their era. Her representative works include What a Young Woman Ought to Know, Almost A Man and Almost a Woman. Because public information is limited, the details of her life and the Chinese-language reception of her work remain to be further examined.