The Foster Son

Lennep, J. van (Jacob), 1802-1868Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.7

Word count: 1M words
Chapters: 104

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.De Pleegzoon by J. van LennepAuthor: Lennep, J. van (Jacob), 1802-1868,Language: Dutch, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Jan 31, 2008

Editor's review

De Pleegzoon is a novel by the Dutch writer Jacob van Lennep (1802–1868), released free in the original Dutch by Project Gutenberg. Van Lennep was a major nineteenth-century Dutch novelist, and his works often combine historical settings with adventure plots; this book follows that pattern, centering on an adopted son and unfolding with the identity mysteries and turns of fate common to the Romantic period. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies first in the documentary and linguistic dimension: readers can encounter nineteenth-century Dutch narrative prose and observe how long-form fiction of the period was structured and rhetorically styled. In terms of reading context, it is better suited as supplementary material for the history of foreign literature or for Dutch language study than as light reading for those seeking a fast-paced story. Note that the book is in the original Dutch with no Chinese translation included, and the Gutenberg edition provides text only, without notes or introduction; readers will need their own language tools or background knowledge. Overall, this is a public-domain text best used by those with clear research or language-learning aims.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate and advanced language learners of Dutch who wish to encounter nineteenth-century narrative prose in the original
Researchers and students of Dutch literary history or Romantic-era fiction
Collector-type readers interested in public-domain ebooks and Project Gutenberg documents
Language professionals who need nineteenth-century Dutch corpus material for textual analysis

Not a good fit for

General readers who read only Chinese and are unfamiliar with Dutch
Readers of popular fiction who expect fast pacing and strong dramatic conflict
Beginner readers who need notes, introductions, or study aids

Reading tips

First learn about Van Lennep's life and the background of nineteenth-century Dutch literature, then begin the text
Prepare a Dutch dictionary or translation tool, proceed chapter by chapter, and record unfamiliar words and sentence patterns
Read it alongside European historical novels of the same period to compare narrative techniques
If using it for research, read introductory materials first, then map out the character relationships and timeline

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 there a Chinese translation of this book?

According to the available information, the book is released by Project Gutenberg in the original Dutch, and no Chinese translation is mentioned. Readers who do not know Dutch will need translation tools or a version in another language for comparison.

Does the Gutenberg edition include notes or an introduction?

The information indicates that this edition is a free electronic text provided by Project Gutenberg and does not state that it includes notes, an introduction, or scholarly appendices. Readers who need background knowledge should consult relevant literary history materials themselves.

Is this book suitable for learning Dutch?

It can serve as reading material in nineteenth-century original Dutch, but the style is old and the sentences tend to be long, so it is better suited to learners at intermediate or advanced levels. Beginners are advised to start with modern Dutch reading materials.

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About the author

Lennep, J. van (Jacob), 1802-1868 Author

Jacob van Lennep (1802–1868) was a Dutch author. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are difficult to verify, but the eight works held in the collection show that he wrote both historical fiction and local history, and also compiled a nautical reference work. Representative works such as De Pleegzoon, De Roos van Dekama and Ferdinand Huyck are set against Dutch history and balance plot development with character portrayal, carrying the flavor of nineteenth-century romantic historical fiction; Merkwaardige Kasteelen in Nederland examines Dutch castles, while Galerij van Beroemde Nederlanders focuses on notable figures from the era of Frederik Hendrik, showing a sustained interest in national history. He also compiled a maritime dictionary, Zeemans-Woordeboek, and left collections of anecdotes and stories from past and present. His writing combines historical substance with readability and holds a place in Dutch popular historical literature.