Good Intentions

William Wymark JacobsProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 22K words
Chapters: 3

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.Good Intentions by W. W. JacobsAuthor: Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark), 1863-1943,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

Good Intentions is a work by the English writer W. W. Jacobs, made widely available through Project Gutenberg's free digitization. Jacobs was known for humorous short stories and for depicting ordinary people's embarrassment and self-mockery in everyday situations; this work continues that light, gently satirical narrative style. Readers can enjoy the linguistic wit and the varied characters of early twentieth-century English urban life. As a public-domain eBook, it is moderate in length and easy to obtain, making it a good introductory selection for understanding Jacobs's short-story art, as well as casual reading or language-learning material for English literature enthusiasts. When reading, do not look for grand plots; pay attention instead to the sharpness of the dialogue and the comic timing of the scenes. Note that this is the original English edition, and the electronic version was prepared by volunteers, so the layout and notes are plain, and the reading experience depends on the device used.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-literature readers who enjoy British humorous short stories and urban-life subjects
General readers who want a public-domain eBook for casual reading
Learners who want to improve their sense of English reading through original short stories
Readers interested in early twentieth-century British social life

Not a good fit for

Readers who read only Chinese translations and are not used to English originals
Readers expecting long, continuous plots and strong dramatic conflict
Beginner English learners who need detailed notes and introductions

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot, then go back to the dialogue to appreciate the humor.
Read story by story, and after each one summarize the characters' situation in one or two sentences.
Use an audiobook or read aloud to feel the rhythm and tone of spoken British English.
Mark unfamiliar expressions first and look them up after finishing the whole story, so as not to interrupt reading.

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, released free by Project Gutenberg. The language is marked as English, and it is a public-domain eBook in the language and literature category. Before reading, make sure you have some English reading ability or a dictionary tool ready.

What is Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg is the earliest project providing free eBooks. It was founded by Michael Hart in 1971 and works to digitize public-domain works for free public reading. This book is prepared and released by it as a volunteer-maintained public-domain resource.

Do I need to know the author's background to read this book?

You do not need to study the author's life in advance. Jacobs is known for humorous short stories, and you can feel the narrative interest by going straight into the text; if you become interested afterward, adding background on the author and the period will deepen your understanding.

Is the electronic layout suitable for long reading sessions?

Public-domain eBooks usually have plain layouts, mainly plain text, without carefully edited notes or design. It is advisable to use reading software with adjustable font and line spacing and to read in suitable segments to reduce eye strain from long screen time.

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About the author

William Wymark Jacobs Author · British · 1863–1943

William Wymark Jacobs (1863–1943) was a British short-story writer, born in London in 1863 and died there in 1943. In his early years he lived around the Thames docks and was familiar with the lives of sailors and dockworkers, which led him to write a great many humorous sea stories, often in a light and witty tone. His best-known work, The Monkey's Paw, is a classic horror short story included in The Lady of the Barge (1902); noted for its tight suspense and sudden twists, it is still widely anthologized in horror collections. The library holds 109 of his works, including The Lady of the Barge and Others, Ship's Company, A Tiger's Skin, Captains All, and Night Watches; his common category is inspirational growth. Public information is limited and details of his life are largely unavailable, yet his fiction is distinctive in subject, blending humor with horror, and has had a lasting influence on later short-story writing.