Brought Home

Stretton, Hesba, 1832-1911Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 171K words
Chapters: 18

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.Brought Home by Hesba StrettonAuthor: Stretton, Hesba, 1832-1911,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2005

Editor's review

This novel comes from the nineteenth-century English writer Hesba Stretton and belongs squarely to the Victorian tradition of domestic and moral narrative. Stretton's work often revolves around family relationships, social class, and personal conscience, and this book continues that concern: the title "Brought Home" itself suggests an event or emotional shock brought into the home, which forms the core driving force of the narrative. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, its value lies first in accessibility—readers can encounter a nineteenth-century English novel in the original without paying, making it suitable as supplementary reading for English literature courses or for independent extensive reading. When reading, it is worth noting the narrative pace and the period assumptions reflected in the characters' dialogue, especially the tension between family duty and personal choice. Because this is a public-domain electronic text with no modern editorial notes, readers need a reasonable ability to read English originals and some familiarity with Victorian novel conventions. Overall, it is better suited to readers curious about nineteenth-century English fiction than to general readers seeking strong plot or contemporary tastes.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century English fiction who wish to broaden their reading of original texts
Students in English or English literature courses who need supplementary public-domain texts
English-language general readers who enjoy domestic ethics and moral conflict
Learners who want free original English novels for language practice

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced contemporary narrative and have little patience for classical English syntax
Beginners whose English reading is still at an early stage and who need annotated support
Readers expecting modern editorial introductions and detailed background notes

Reading tips

Read the first chapter through to judge whether the language difficulty and narrative pace suit you before deciding how much to invest.
Keep a simple character-relationship chart, noting entries as you read, to help clarify the family and social networks.
Do not look up every unfamiliar period word; first grasp the plot and character motives, then go back to check.
Read alongside other Victorian domestic novels to observe how similar themes are handled differently.

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

What English level is this book roughly suitable for?

It is an original nineteenth-century English novel, with syntax and vocabulary characteristic of its period. It suits readers with university-level English or above who can tolerate longer descriptive sentences. If you mainly read contemporary English fiction, try one chapter first to assess how well you adapt.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg provides public-domain electronic texts that are free and directly downloadable, but they usually contain no modern editorial notes, introduction, or detailed background explanation. Readers get a relatively plain original text and must supply historical and literary background knowledge themselves.

Do I need to know Victorian background before reading?

Systematic preparation is not necessary, but some knowledge of nineteenth-century English family structure, social class, and moral attitudes helps in understanding character motives. If time is limited, look things up as questions arise rather than delaying the start of reading for background preparation.

Is this book suitable as English-learning material?

It can serve as extensive reading material, but it is not recommended as the only study text. The original sentences are long and period vocabulary is frequent, which can frustrate beginners. Use it alongside annotated textbooks or graded readers, treating this book as interest-driven supplementary reading.

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About the author

Stretton, Hesba, 1832-1911 Author

Hesba Stretton (1832–1911) was a nineteenth-century British author of children's literature and popular fiction, though relatively little is documented about her life in publicly available sources, and she generally wrote under her pen name. Ten of her works are held in this collection, including Jessica's First Prayer and, Jessica's Mother, Fern's Hollow, Alone in London, The Christmas Child, Cobwebs and Cables, Little Meg's Children, and Half Brothers. These works show that her writing often centred on poor urban children, orphans, and lower-class families, frequently taking up themes of Christmas, prayer, family affection, and rescue, in a plain and warm style with a clear moral and improving purpose. Her stories found a wide readership in the later Victorian period, and those featuring street children and poor girls in particular circulated widely, leaving some influence on the later tradition of children's literature concerned with the vulnerable.