Gordon Keith

Page, Thomas Nelson, 1853-1922Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 957K words
Chapters: 96

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.Gordon Keith by Thomas Nelson PageAuthor: Page, Thomas Nelson, 1853-1922,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 17, 2004

Editor's review

Gordon Keith is a novel by the American writer Thomas Nelson Page, belonging to his narrative tradition set against Southern life. The work centers on the growth and fortunes of its titular protagonist, with a broad cast of relationships and themes of social observation and moral testing common in late nineteenth-century Southern American fiction. Page's style leans toward plot momentum and character development, with dialogue and scene descriptions bearing a distinct period stamp. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, it has no modern editorial apparatus, offering readers the original old-style long-form narrative. For those studying Southern American literature or wishing to understand the popular long novel of the early twentieth century, this is a usable primary text. There is no need to rush; read in stages along character lines and note how the author uses Gordon Keith's experiences to reflect the social classes and values of the time. If you prefer tight modern narrative, you may find it diffuse, but if you are willing to enter the rhythm of the old novel, it has its own readability.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying Southern American literature and the late nineteenth-century novel tradition
Those who enjoy old-style long-form coming-of-age narratives and can accept a slow pace
Literature enthusiasts wanting to see Page's work through a public-domain eBook
Readers interested in the social and historical background of the American South

Not a good fit for

Readers accustomed to tight modern narrative and impatient with long exposition
Beginners who need modern annotations and introductory guidance
Readers put off by old-style moralizing tone

Reading tips

First clarify the main character relationships, then read in stages following Gordon Keith's phases of growth.
Note the author's descriptions of Southern social classes and daily life as background clues.
For a long old novel, don't force yourself to finish in one go; set staged goals by chapter.
It helps to know the basic outline of Southern American literature to place the work.

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 difficult to read?

This is a long English public-domain work in late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century English, with long sentences, a slow narrative pace, and no modern annotations. Readers with some experience of long English fiction can make progress; beginners may need a dictionary and a slower pace.

What is the novel mainly about?

The work centers on the growth and life fortunes of the protagonist Gordon Keith, involving character relationships, social circumstances, and moral testing, with narrative features of Southern American fiction. For specific plot, refer to the original text; it is advisable to read the opening chapters first to grasp the characters and setting.

Does the public-domain eBook have annotations or an introduction?

The Project Gutenberg edition usually provides only the original text, without a modern introduction, annotations, or appendix. If you need background material, consult the author's biography and materials on Southern American literature, or read a contrasting edition with a scholarly introduction.

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About the author

Page, Thomas Nelson, 1853-1922 Author

Thomas Nelson Page (1853–1922) was an American writer. Public information about the details of his life is limited, but the twenty-four works by him held in this collection give a clear sense of his writing. His work is rooted in the American South: the novel Red Rock: A Chronicle of Reconstruction confronts the social changes that followed the Civil War, and Gordon Keith likewise unfolds Southern manners and the upheavals of the era. Short works such as The Burial of the Guns and The Spectre in the Cart often deal with memories of war, rural legends, and stories with a touch of mystery. Page's writing is often nostalgic, attentive to local scenery and human temperament, and his works are an important sample for understanding the literary tastes of the late nineteenth-century American South.