John Whopper

Clark, Thomas M. (Thomas March), 1812-1903Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.7

Word count: 91K words
Chapters: 10

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.John Whopper by Thomas M. ClarkAuthor: Clark, Thomas M. (Thomas March), 1812-1903,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Nov 13, 2009

Editor's review

"John Whopper" is a nineteenth-century American work for young readers by Thomas M. Clark, classified under juvenile literature in Project Gutenberg. From the available materials, it belongs to the popular narrative tradition of early English-language children's books: short, plainly written, and useful as a sample of nineteenth-century English juvenile fiction. Its value lies mainly at the documentary and linguistic level: readers can observe the narrative voice, humor, and moral outlook of children's reading material of the time. Note that the public-domain electronic text lacks a modern introduction and annotations, so readers must supply the background themselves; it is not a bestseller children's book in the contemporary sense, and it is best read with an eye to literary and historical observation rather than plot.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and students of nineteenth-century English-language children's literature
Learners who want to practice reading with short public-domain English texts
Readers interested in early American writing for young people
Parents and teachers looking for classic English reading for children

Not a good fit for

Young readers expecting fast-paced contemporary adventure stories
Beginners who need a Chinese translation or a fully annotated edition
Readers impatient with old-fashioned English narrative style

Reading tips

Read through once for the plot, then revisit the narrative voice and period diction, taking language notes.
Read alongside other juvenile fiction of the same period to observe shared traits and differences.
When reading to children, explain the background first, then read aloud in sections, explaining unfamiliar expressions on the spot.
Write a short review afterward, noting how it differs from the modern children's books you know.

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 suitable to give a child directly as English reading?

You can try, but a parent or teacher should accompany the child. The English is nineteenth-century, and some wording and sentence patterns are distant from contemporary children's books; the pace is also slow. An adult should read it through first, choose suitable sections to read aloud, and explain old-fashioned expressions as they arise; this works better than having the child read alone.

What category does it fall under in Project Gutenberg?

The materials classify it under juvenile literature, the category of pure literature for young readers within language and literature. This indicates it was originally aimed at young readers rather than being a scholarly work. The public-domain electronic edition, however, has no modern editor's introduction, so its specific background and reception require separate research; its literary standing should not be inferred from the classification alone.

What should I keep in mind when reading this public-domain e-book?

Project Gutenberg texts aim at free access and wide distribution; the formatting is plain, transcription issues are possible, and there are no annotations. Use reading software with search, mark unfamiliar place names and personal names as you go, and look them up afterward rather than getting stuck on details and giving up on reading it through.

Comments

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About the author

Clark, Thomas M. (Thomas March), 1812-1903 Author · American · 1812–1903

Thomas M. Clark (1812–1903) was an American Episcopal bishop who long presided over the Diocese of Rhode Island. Public information about his early life, education, and rise to the episcopate is limited, and only one of his works, John Whopper, is held in the collection. That work suggests he was not confined to ecclesiastical affairs but also turned his pen to popular narrative, using story to convey moral concern and observe human nature. His style is plain and readable, unadorned and attentive to accessibility and edification, suited to ordinary readers who wish to grasp its meaning through light reading. As a nineteenth-century American religious figure and writer, his words reflect the tendency of Episcopalians of his day to take part in popular reading. Owing to scarce historical sources and research, the full number and circulation of his works remain uncertain and call for further verification.