King Cole

Masefield, John, 1878-1967Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 51K words
Chapters: 6

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.King Cole by John MasefieldAuthor: Masefield, John, 1878-1967,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 26, 2010

Editor's review

King Cole is a work by John Masefield, included in Project Gutenberg's free eBook library, in English and classified under English literature. Masefield was both a poet and a novelist, and his writing often combines narrative rhythm with lyrical texture; this work continues that quality. For Chinese readers, its value lies not only in the story itself but in the chance to experience through the original the linguistic character and narrative manner of early twentieth-century English literature. As a public-domain eBook, it has a low barrier to access and is suitable as a lightweight entry point to English literary reading, as well as supplementary material for readers studying Masefield's work or the transitional period of English literature. Note that this is an English original rather than a Chinese translation, so reading requires some English ability; the Gutenberg edition is a plain-text eBook with simple formatting, better suited to screen reading and searching than to readers seeking hardcover paper copies or detailed annotations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who want low-cost access to English literary originals
Readers interested in Masefield's works or early twentieth-century English literature
Students who need public-domain English texts for supplementary course reading
General readers who prefer electronic texts and are used to screen reading

Not a good fit for

Readers with limited English reading ability who need a Chinese translation
Beginners seeking detailed annotations and introductions
Readers seeking hardcover paper or collector's editions

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp plot and characters, then revisit language details, avoiding looking up words at the start and interrupting the rhythm.
Read alongside Masefield's poetry or biographical material to help understand his writing background and style.
Use the electronic text's search function to mark recurring images or keywords, and summarize themes after reading.
For English study, excerpt short passages for reading aloud and retelling practice, balancing language feel and 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 in Chinese or English?

According to Project Gutenberg information, King Cole is in English and classified under English literature; it is not a Chinese translation. Chinese readers need some English reading ability or dictionaries and辅助工具.

What are the features of the Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg provides free eBooks. This edition is a plain-text eBook that is easy to obtain and search, but it usually has no detailed annotations, introduction, or refined formatting; it suits screen reading and self-study, not collection as a paper copy.

Can I read it directly without having read other Masefield works?

Yes. The book can be read independently as a single work and does not depend on prior works. Still, learning first about Masefield's identity as a poet and his period will make it easier to appreciate his language style and narrative interest.

Comments

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About the author

Masefield, John, 1878-1967 Author

John Masefield (1878–1967) was a British poet and writer, and this library holds fourteen of his works. His range is broad: poems set against the sea and the countryside, such as Salt-Water Ballads, Dauber and Reynard the Fox; adventure stories for young readers like Jim Davis and Martin Hyde, the Duke's Messenger; documentary works drawn from his wartime experience, including Gallipoli and The Old Front Line; and narratives of voyaging and exploration such as On the Spanish Main. His verse is brisk in rhythm and vivid in imagery, often centred on ordinary sailors and country people, with a strong narrative drive; his prose and fiction prize plot momentum and scene-setting, making them highly readable. The library files his work under inspirational coming-of-age writing, reflecting Chinese readers' interest in his themes of adventure and growth. Public information is limited, so this sketch rests on the works held here.