Book about Animals

Merrill, Rufus, 1803-1891Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.2

Word count: 4.7K words
Chapters: 1

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.Book about Animals by Rufus MerrillAuthor: Merrill, Rufus, 1803-1891,Language: English, Class: QL: Science: Zoology, Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

This Book about Animals is an animal-themed reader written by Rufus Merrill in the nineteenth century, now presented by Project Gutenberg as a free e-book and belonging to the public-domain texts in zoology (QL class). Its value lies not in providing cutting-edge zoological knowledge but in giving readers direct contact with the appearance of early natural history writing: observational perspectives, language style, and knowledge frameworks all bear distinct marks of their era, and it can be read against modern popular zoology to appreciate the evolution of scientific expression. As a public-domain e-book, it has a low access threshold and modest length, suitable for browsing as English extensive reading material or as peripheral material for the history of natural history. It should be noted that the content was written long ago and some knowledge may have been updated; readers should treat it as a historical text rather than an authoritative textbook. Overall, this is a small book suited to light reading and reference consultation, not the first choice for systematic study of zoology.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English readers interested in early natural history writing
Learners seeking short public-domain English books for extensive reading practice
Readers needing historical animal-themed texts as comparative material
People who enjoy free e-books and casually browsing old popular science books

Not a good fit for

Those wishing to systematically study modern zoological knowledge
Readers preferring contemporary popular science writing and the latest research findings
Beginners uncomfortable with nineteenth-century English expression who need annotations

Reading tips

First read through once to sense the language style, then check differences against modern popular zoology.
Read the descriptions as historical text; do not correct outdated knowledge, simply note it.
You may closely read chapters on animals of interest and skim the rest.
Read with an English dictionary to accumulate common nineteenth-century natural history expressions.

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 the knowledge in this book still accurate today?

It was written in the nineteenth century and is a historical text. Some animal descriptions and classifications may have been updated by modern research, so it should not be treated as an authoritative source of knowledge; it is better as a sample for understanding early natural history writing, and reading it against modern popular science better reveals the evolution of scientific expression.

How difficult is the English? Is it suitable for beginners?

The text is nineteenth-century English with period features in sentence structure and vocabulary, and it was not written specifically for language learners. Those with basic English reading ability can read through with a dictionary; complete beginners may find it difficult, and it is advisable to sample a page or two first before deciding.

Where can I obtain this book?

It is released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book and can be downloaded or read online for free on the Project Gutenberg website; no payment is required, and it is convenient to copy and quote for non-commercial use.

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About the author

Merrill, Rufus, 1803-1891 Author · American · 1803–1891

Rufus Merrill (1803–1891) was an American publisher active in the nineteenth century. Public information about his life is limited; what can be confirmed is his nationality, dates, and his work in publishing. Two of his works are held in this collection, Book about Animals and Stories About Indians. Judging from their titles and subjects, both were intended for children and general readers and belong to the category of popular works that combined information with entertainment. Such publications were common in nineteenth-century America, often using simple language and lively narration to introduce young readers to animals, distant peoples, and everyday observations, serving both an educational and a recreational purpose. Merrill's editorial and publishing practice reflects the direction of American children's and popular publishing in his time and offers a concrete example for the study of nineteenth-century popular reading culture.