Bricks Without Straw: A Novel

Tourgée, Albion Winegar, 1838-1905Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 869K words
Chapters: 87

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.Bricks Without Straw: A Novel by Albion Winegar TourgéeAuthor: Tourgée, Albion Winegar, 1838-1905,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 1, 2004

Editor's review

This novel comes from the nineteenth-century American writer Albion Winegar Tourgée and belongs to the category of American and Canadian literature. Tourgée himself had a background in law and politics, and his writing often attends to the tension between social institutions and individual destiny; the book is therefore not only a narrative of plot but also a literary entry point for readers to observe nineteenth-century American social problems. The novel is presented in the original English, its language bearing the marks of its era, and its narrative pace differs from today's popular fiction, requiring readers to slow down and enter the context. As a free e-book from Project Gutenberg, its barrier to access is extremely low, making it suitable as supplementary reading outside American literature courses, and also for readers interested in the intersection of Reconstruction-era history and literature. In reading it, one might treat it as a piece of literary-historical material: look at the story, and also at how the author organizes conflict, shapes characters, and expresses positions. Paired with relevant historical background materials for comparative reading, the gains will be more evident.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students and teachers researching or taking courses in American literature, especially those focusing on nineteenth-century fiction
Readers interested in the history and social issues of the American Reconstruction era
Organizers who need free original English texts as course supplements or reading-group materials
Deep readers who enjoy reading classics slowly and are willing to verify historical background

Not a good fit for

Readers who only want light entertainment stories and are unwilling to engage with historical context
Beginners whose English reading is not yet proficient and who are easily frustrated by old-fashioned expressions
Readers expecting modern narrative pace and strong plot momentum

Reading tips

Read a page or two first to test the pace, then decide to read a fixed chapter each day, avoiding interruption due to language density.
Before reading, spend ten minutes learning the basic background of the nineteenth-century American Reconstruction era; character motivations will be clearer.
Mark unfamiliar place names or institutional terms first, and look them up together after finishing the chapter, reducing the sense of interruption.
If used for a reading group, design discussion questions around the relationship between characters' choices and social institutions.

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 the original English edition, and what language level is required?

This book is the original English e-book released by Project Gutenberg, and its language carries nineteenth-century writing style. Readers with university-level English reading ability who are willing to consult dictionaries and background materials will find it easier to enter; if English reading is not yet proficient, it is recommended to read an introduction first or use parallel materials for support.

Can I understand it without a background in American history?

You can read it, but the depth of understanding will be affected. The novel involves nineteenth-century American social issues, and prior knowledge of the basic outlines of the Reconstruction era can help readers grasp characters' situations and the logic of conflict. It is recommended to read alongside a concise historical overview; it is not necessary to study history systematically first.

Is it suitable as supplementary course reading?

Yes. As a free e-book, it is easy to obtain, and it belongs to the category of American and Canadian literature, so it can be used for extended reading in American literature or history-related courses. Teachers can use selected chapters together with historical materials and discussion questions, but should note that the original language may be rather difficult for some students.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Tourgée, Albion Winegar, 1838-1905 Author · American · 1838–1905

Albion Winegar Tourgée (1838–1905) was an American judge and writer. He is known for his work A Fool's Errand, and the library also holds two of his works: Hullun yritys: Amerikalainen historiallinen romani and Bricks Without Straw: A Novel. Tourgée's writing often draws on American history and reality, focusing on issues of racial equality; his novels combine historical narrative with social criticism. Public information is limited, and little is recorded about the details of his life, his education, or specific positions; the available introduction rests mainly on his works and his known identity as a judge and writer. His works are of some significance for reflecting nineteenth-century American race relations and social reconstruction, and are worth reading in their historical context.