Kid Scanlan

Witwer, H. C. (Harry Charles), 1890-1929Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 338K words
Chapters: 34

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.Kid Scanlan by H. C. WitwerAuthor: Witwer, H. C. (Harry Charles), 1890-1929,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Aug 22, 2009

Editor's review

Kid Scanlan comes from the American writer Harry Charles Witwer and is classified under American and Canadian literature; it is distributed by Project Gutenberg as a free e-book. Witwer was active in early twentieth-century American popular literature, and his works generally have a light, humorous narrative quality. Judging from the title and category, this book should be an English novel centered on character. The outstanding value of the Gutenberg edition lies in its being free and easily accessible: readers can read the original English directly on electronic devices and experience the language style and narrative rhythm of early twentieth-century American popular literature. For readers who want to broaden their range of original English reading without bearing the cost of buying books, this is a suitable supplementary read. When reading, it is best to focus on understanding the language style of the period and the story, without over-investigating edition differences. Since the available information provides no detailed content summary, readers should keep an open mind and treat it as an English reading experience of independent exploration.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English readers who enjoy early twentieth-century American popular literature
Students and self-learners who want to read original English novels for free
Readers who want to increase their interest in English reading through character-driven stories
Readers with collection or research needs regarding public-domain e-book resources

Not a good fit for

Readers who can read only Chinese and cannot independently handle original English
Readers who need detailed annotations, introductions, or Chinese translations
Readers who prefer contemporary subjects and have no interest in early American popular literature

Reading tips

Read the first few chapters to judge language difficulty and narrative style, then decide whether to read closely or extensively.
While reading, pay attention to character dialogue and colloquial expression to appreciate the linguistic features of early American English.
Keep a simple record of character relationships to help follow the character-centered storyline.
After finishing, try to summarize the main characters and plot in a few sentences to check comprehension.

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 suitable for English beginners?

The book is in the original English and was written in the early twentieth century, so its expression may differ somewhat from contemporary English. English beginners will find it difficult; it is advisable to gain some vocabulary and reading habits first, or to start with shorter contemporary English texts as a transition.

Is the Gutenberg edition's formatting suitable for reading on a phone?

Project Gutenberg provides free e-books, usually in plain text with simple formatting, suitable for reading on phones, tablets, and e-readers. Readers can adjust font size and line spacing on their devices for a more comfortable reading experience.

Do I need to know American literary history to read this book?

No. The book belongs to popular literature, and readers can start directly with the text without prior knowledge of American literary history. If interest in the author or the period arises afterward, they can look up relevant material themselves; this does not affect a first reading.

The information has no detailed summary; how do I judge whether it suits me?

Try reading the first chapter or two to get a sense of language difficulty and narrative style; if reading goes smoothly and the character story interests you, continue; if it is too difficult or the subject does not suit your taste, choose other reading material. The advantage of free e-books is precisely the low cost of trying them.

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About the author

Witwer, H. C. (Harry Charles), 1890-1929 Author · American · 1890–1929

H. C. (Harry Charles) Witwer (1890–1929) was an American writer of popular fiction, mainly active in the magazine publishing world of the 1910s and 1920s, where he produced a large number of magazine stories for a broad readership. His representative works include Alex the Great and Kid Scanlan. His writing often drew on the everyday urban life and sports culture of the United States at the time, with brisk plots and lively language that carry a distinct period flavor. Witwer also co-authored a book with the famous magician Houdini, a cross-disciplinary collaboration that added a special chapter to his career. Because public information is limited, the details of his life and specific experiences are difficult to describe in full, yet he left his mark on American popular literature and magazine fiction, and his works remain a reference for studying the popular reading tastes of that era.