Local Color

Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury), 1876-1944Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 608K words
Chapters: 61

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.Local Color by Irvin S. CobbAuthor: Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury), 1876-1944,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 5, 2012

Editor's review

Irvin S. Cobb's Local Color is a public-domain English-language work provided by Project Gutenberg and classified under American and Canadian literature. Judging from the title, it carries the sense of "local color" writing, a mode that often draws on the people, accents, and everyday details of a particular region to present its local character. As a public-domain eBook, its value lies in giving readers direct access to the original texture of early twentieth-century American popular writing and letting them observe how writers of the time shaped regional images and handled dialect and humor. While reading, pay attention to the narrator's attitude toward local characters and to both the limitations and the pleasures of the "local color" mode itself. It suits readers interested in American regional literature, short-form writing, and early popular styles, and also works as supplementary material for English literature courses. Because it is an original-language eBook without modern annotations, readers unfamiliar with the background may need to look up place names and period expressions on their own. It is not for readers expecting a full scholarly introduction or analysis of contemporary issues.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in American local color literature and early popular writing
English-language readers who want to understand early twentieth-century American society through original texts
Teachers and students in English literature courses who need supplementary public-domain short fiction

Not a good fit for

Beginners with limited English reading ability who need Chinese annotations
Readers expecting a full scholarly introduction and modern background explanation
Readers who prefer contemporary narrative pacing and have little patience for old-fashioned styles

Reading tips

Read one or two pieces first to get a feel for the style and dialect handling, then decide whether to read the whole book.
While reading, mark place names, occupations, and period expressions, and look them up as you go to fill in the background.
Read alongside other local color writers to compare different ways of portraying a region.

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 work is Local Color?

According to the data, it is an English-language work by Irvin S. Cobb, classified under American and Canadian literature and released by Project Gutenberg. The title points to the "local color" writing tradition, which usually draws on regional characters, accents, and everyday details; the specific structure of the pieces should be based on the original text.

Can I understand it without annotations?

Readers with good English reading ability can get through it, but the book may involve old place names, dialect, and period expressions, and the lack of modern annotations adds difficulty. It is advisable to look up unfamiliar expressions as you go, or read alongside relevant literary history for fuller comprehension.

Is it suitable for English classes?

It can be used as supplementary material, especially for discussing local color writing, the representation of dialect, and popular styles. But it is a public-domain original without teaching introductions or exercises, so teachers need to design their own background introductions and discussion questions; it cannot be used directly as a complete textbook.

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About the author

Cobb, Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury), 1876-1944 Author

Irvin S. Cobb (1876–1944) was an American humorist and war correspondent. The library holds twenty-five of his works, which fall roughly into two groups. One is set in a fictional Kentucky town, including Old Judge Priest, Back Home and Fibble, D.D., where characters such as Judge Priest bring Southern local life and manners to the page in a humorous yet warm tone. The other consists of reports and sketches from the First World War, such as The Glory of the Coming, Paths of Glory and Europe Revised, marked by close observation and unhurried narration. His prose stands between the humorous sketch and news reportage, often using colloquial dialogue and exaggerated detail for effect. Public information is limited, so this note describes his writing only as reflected in the works held here.