Fighting the Flames

Robert Michael BallantyneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 507K words
Chapters: 51

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.Fighting the Flames by R. M. BallantyneAuthor: Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael), 1825-1894,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Nov 6, 2007

Editor's review

R. M. Ballantyne was a prolific nineteenth-century British author; Fighting the Flames is written in English, classified as juvenile literature, and built around an adventure narrative of firefighting and fire rescue. The work continues Ballantyne's characteristic blend of tense plotting with moral instruction, presenting courage, duty, and cooperation through fire scenes and characters' choices. Project Gutenberg's free electronic edition makes it readily available and a useful sample for understanding Victorian boys' adventure fiction. Readers may note how the author balances action with didacticism, and how the period imagined the firefighting profession and public safety. For those studying the history of children's literature or public-domain English texts, the book offers analyzable narrative material; those seeking modern firefighting reportage or deep character portrayal should adjust expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers interested in Victorian boys' adventure fiction
Teachers, students, and enthusiasts studying the history of children's literature or public-domain English texts
Intermediate and advanced learners who want to use English public-domain books for extensive reading practice
Readers who enjoy firefighting and rescue themes and can accept older narrative styles

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting modern firefighting reportage or investigations of real events
Adult-fiction readers who prefer complex psychological portrayal and multi-stranded narratives
Beginners whose English reading is not yet fluent and who need simplified texts

Reading tips

Begin with chapter titles and opening paragraphs to grasp the main adventure line, then skip-read key firefighting scenes according to interest.
Make brief notes on Victorian usage or firefighting terms as you go, and look them up together afterward.
Compare with other Ballantyne works to observe recurring structures and moral themes in his boys' adventure narratives.
If using the book for English study, retell each chapter's plot in your own words after reading to practice summarizing and build vocabulary.

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 suitable for children to read directly?

The book is classified as juvenile literature, but it dates from the nineteenth century; its language and narrative pace may be difficult for contemporary children, and it includes dangerous fire scenes. Parents or teachers are advised to read along, or to choose an adapted simplified edition before approaching the original text.

Is the content real firefighting history?

According to the available information, this is a literary work by Ballantyne, a boys' adventure novel rather than a history of firefighting. It reflects its era's literary imagination of firefighting rather than serving as a record of real events or fire-service institutions.

Does the Project Gutenberg edition include notes?

Public-domain ebooks released by Project Gutenberg generally present the original text and usually contain no modern editorial notes or introduction. Readers who need background knowledge can consult separate materials on Victorian firefighting and children's literature.

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About the author

Robert Michael Ballantyne Author · United Kingdom · 1825–1894

Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825–1894) was a Scottish writer of children's literature, born in Edinburgh. At sixteen he went to Canada and worked for the Hudson's Bay Company for six years, an experience that later supplied material for his adventure stories; after returning to Scotland in 1847 he devoted himself to writing and produced more than a hundred adventure novels, of which ninety-seven are held in this collection. His representative works include The Coral Island, The Dog Crusoe and his Master, Black Ivory, The Lighthouse and Martin Rattler, mostly drawing on seafaring, desert-island and frontier adventure, with tight plots and solid detail that combine instruction with appeal for young readers. He was also skilled in watercolour painting. Public information on his early education and private life is limited.