Harvest

Ward, Humphry, Mrs., 1851-1920Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 423K words
Chapters: 43

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.Harvest by Mrs. Humphry WardAuthor: Ward, Humphry, Mrs., 1851-1920,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 19, 2004

Editor's review

Harvest is a novel by the British writer Mrs. Humphry Ward, continuing her socially realist vein. Ward was known for her delicate portrayal of characters' circumstances and social change; this book likewise centers on rural life and personal destiny, with careful attention to atmosphere and the layered unfolding of characters' inner lives. As a public-domain ebook, it preserves the language of the original and suits readers curious about the shape of the English novel from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. While reading, note how the author advances plot and shapes character through everyday scenes, and the period sensibility embodied in the narrative rhythm. It is not a fast-paced genre novel, but is better savored in quiet moments, for its social observation and emotional tension.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers who enjoy modern English realist fiction
Researchers interested in Mrs. Humphry Ward's work and its era
Readers willing to read a long novel slowly, valuing character and atmosphere
Advanced learners seeking English public-domain fiction for extensive reading

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer plot-driven, fast-paced genre fiction
Beginners with limited English reading experience who need line-by-line notes
Readers seeking clear conclusions on social issues rather than literary narrative

Reading tips

Learn about the author's era and creative background first, then enter the text; this makes the narrative focus easier to grasp.
Proceed chapter by chapter and jot down character relationships to avoid confusion over long narrative threads.
Pay attention to how setting descriptions echo characters' inner lives; this is key to understanding the work's style.
After finishing, compare it with other English realist novels of the same period to compare narrative techniques and themes.

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 kind of novel is Harvest?

It is a realist novel by the British writer Mrs. Humphry Ward, focusing on characters' circumstances, social atmosphere, and psychological portrayal rather than suspense or strong plotting. Read it with literary narrative and period observation as the main focus.

Do I need to read the author's other works first?

No. The book can be read independently, but knowing the author's era and her usual realist themes helps in understanding the narrative rhythm and character setup. If time permits, read a brief overview of her life and work first.

How difficult is the original English?

As a modern English novel, the language is generally readable, but sentence structures and vocabulary carry period features, with many long sentences and descriptive passages. Readers at intermediate level or above will progress more smoothly; beginners may read slowly with a dictionary.

Comments

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About the author

Ward, Humphry, Mrs., 1851-1920 Author

Mrs. Humphry Ward (1851–1920) was a British novelist of the late Victorian era, born Mary Augusta Arnold and known after marriage by her husband's surname. Her fiction often centres on conflicts between religious belief and moral conviction, while also touching on social reform, women's circumstances and family ethics. Her style is realistic, with finely drawn psychological portraits, and her work reached a wide readership in the English-speaking world of her day. The novel Robert Elsmere, her best-known work, stirred public debate by addressing a crisis of faith, while Marcella, The History of David Grieve and The Marriage of William Ashe likewise explore personal conviction and social responsibility. Thirty-three of her works are held in this collection. Public information is limited, so details of her life and career are not elaborated here.