Golden Stars, and Other Verses Following The Red Flower

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.1

Word count: 17K words
Chapters: 2

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.Golden Stars, and Other Verses Following "The Red Flower" by Henry Van DykeAuthor: Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Dec 16, 2006

Editor's review

This collection continues Van Dyke's lyrical vein after "The Red Flower," taking stars, nature, and spiritual reflection as its themes in clear, rhythmic language suited to quiet, poem-by-poem reading. The electronic edition comes from Project Gutenberg and preserves the English text of the poems without modern annotation, so readers need some experience with English poetry. Its value lies not in plot or grand narrative but in the contemplative quality of its short pieces: a gaze upon light, night, faith, and everyday beauty. If you are looking for an English poetry collection to keep by the bedside and read a poem or two at a time, it fits well; if you need line-by-line notes or a Chinese parallel text, supplementary materials will be necessary. Overall, this is a public-domain literary volume suited to slow reading and repeated return, especially helpful for experiencing the linguistic rhythms of early twentieth-century American lyric poetry.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy English lyric poetry and are willing to read short pieces slowly
Those who want a bedside book and to read a poem or two at a time
Readers with an initial interest in early twentieth-century American literature
Self-learners who want to practice their feel for English poetry through public-domain ebooks

Not a good fit for

Beginners who need a Chinese parallel text or line-by-line notes to read poetry
Readers who prefer strong plot and fast-paced narrative
Researchers seeking detailed poet biographies and analysis of the works' background

Reading tips

Each day choose one or two poems to read aloud, first feeling the rhythm, then looking up unfamiliar words.
Keep a notebook and note recurring images such as stars, night, and light.
After finishing the book, pick three favorite poems and try retelling their mood in Chinese.
If you find it hard to continue, read the title poem first, then skip among the other short pieces according to interest.

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 reading level is the English in this book suited to?

Overall it is moderately advanced poetic English; the sentence structures are not complex, but the imagery and diction are fairly literary. Readers with reading ability around CET-4 and a willingness to use a dictionary can try it; if you rarely read English poetry, it is advisable to start with the short poems and use a translation or notes as support.

Does the Gutenberg edition include notes or a Chinese translation?

Project Gutenberg provides public-domain English ebooks, which usually contain no modern notes or Chinese translation. Readers who need support can pair it with an English dictionary, poetry appreciation materials, or a Chinese translation for comparison, but should note that different editions vary in completeness.

Can I read this directly without having read "The Red Flower"?

Yes. Although this collection was published after "The Red Flower," each poem stands largely on its own and does not depend on the earlier work's plot. Knowing the earlier work helps in understanding the poet's development, but it does not affect the reading and appreciation of individual poems.

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

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933 Author

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933) was an American author best known for his essays and Christmas stories. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are not further documented in this collection. Judging from the works available here, he wrote in a clear, quietly poetic style, dealing with themes of faith, goodwill, and inner growth; his narratives are gentle and carry a strong sense of festival and reflection. The Story of the Other Wise Man, his most widely read short work, follows the journey of a fourth Magi and is often regarded as a classic of Christmas literature; The Lost Word: A Christmas Legend of Long Ago continues in this legendary vein. The Mansion uses allegory to explore life and the world to come, brief in length but lingering in meaning. The essay collection Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness turns to nature and leisurely pleasure in an unhurried tone, reflecting his love of outdoor life. Thirty-three of his works are held here, showing that his writing spans fiction, parable, and essay, and that he earned a place in early twentieth-century American popular and holiday reading.