Erb

Ridge, W. Pett (William Pett), 1859-1930Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 396K words
Chapters: 40

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. "Erb" by W. Pett Ridge. Author: Ridge, W. Pett (William Pett), 1859-1930. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Nov 22, 2017.

Editor's review

"Erb" is an English-language novel by the British writer W. Pett Ridge, released free of charge by Project Gutenberg. Ridge was active on the British literary scene from the late 19th to the early 20th century, and his works are mostly set against the street life of London, written in a gentle, humorous tone. This book is a public-domain Project Gutenberg ebook, suitable as an introductory text for reading English literature in the original. Readers can use it to get a sense of the narrative style and language habits of early 20th-century British popular fiction; the dialogue and scene descriptions also offer a window onto the social life of the period. As a public-domain ebook, it is easy to read in instalments on a computer, tablet or e-reader, and is also suited to intensive English reading or as supplementary reading for literary history. Note that the material provides only bibliographic information, with no specific plot or evaluation; readers should approach the text with an open mind and without excessively high expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who want to practise reading original fiction through public-domain novels
Literature enthusiasts interested in early 20th-century British popular fiction
English teachers in need of short or medium-length English material
Readers who like reading public-domain books free on electronic devices

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for a Chinese translation or a bilingual edition
Readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced mystery or fantasy novels
English beginners who need detailed annotations and introductions

Reading tips

Read a chapter or two first to get a feel for the language before deciding whether to read intensively.
Mark unfamiliar words without looking them up, then check them all after finishing a passage.
Use background material on early 20th-century British society to aid comprehension.
Adjust font size and line spacing on an e-reader to reduce the strain of reading long English sentences.

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 in Chinese or English?

This is the original English edition. The author, W. Pett Ridge, is a British writer, and Project Gutenberg provides a public-domain English ebook without a Chinese translation.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg is a free public-domain ebook platform. This book is the electronic edition it has released, usually available in plain text and other formats, easy to download and read across devices, with no purchase cost.

What English level is needed to read this book?

As an early 20th-century English novel, the language carries the features of its time and sentences may be long. A reading level of CET-4 or above is recommended, or readers willing to read patiently with a dictionary.

Comments

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About the author

Ridge, W. Pett (William Pett), 1859-1930 Author

William Pett Ridge (1859–1930) was an English writer best known for his portrayals of lower-middle-class and working-class life in London. Public information about his life is limited, but his fiction centres on everyday city life, ordinary urban characters, and gentle humour and satire, written in a light and sympathetic tone. Five of his works are held here: A Son of the State, Erb, Mixed Grill, Table d’Hôte and Love at Paddington. Their titles and subjects point to his interest in London streets, eating houses, family life and young romance. Ridge was skilled at revealing minor characters through dialogue and detail, and his books, popular with readers of popular fiction in his day, preserve a vivid picture of early twentieth-century London life.