The Argonauts

Blasco Ibáñez, Vicente, 1867-1928Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 1.2M words
Chapters: 123

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. Los argonautas by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. Author: Blasco Ibáñez, Vicente, 1867–1928. Language: Spanish. Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese. Release Date: May 30, 2008

Editor's review

This is a novel by the Spanish writer Blasco Ibáñez, available as a public-domain ebook. It continues the narrative style for which the author is known, unfolding the characters' fates against a backdrop of seafaring and adventure. For those learning Spanish or studying Spanish literature, the book offers an entry point into Spanish-language narrative from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. The electronic edition comes from Project Gutenberg; the text is free and easy to search, making it suitable as extensive reading material for language learners or supplementary reading for literature courses. Note that this is a Spanish-language original, and readers need some proficiency in Spanish to follow it smoothly. When reading, consider the author's historical context and pay attention to the tension between characters and their environment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Learners with intermediate or higher Spanish reading ability who want to engage with Spanish literary originals
Readers studying Spanish literature or the works of Blasco Ibáñez
Literature lovers who enjoy seafaring adventure fiction and are willing to read public-domain foreign-language originals
University Spanish majors in need of extensive reading material

Not a good fit for

Readers with no Spanish at all who can only read Chinese
Beginners expecting a Chinese translation or annotated edition
Readers who prefer fast-paced contemporary fiction and lack patience for late-nineteenth-century narrative style

Reading tips

First skim the chapter titles and opening paragraphs to grasp the story's framework, then read chapter by chapter.
Keep a Spanish dictionary or translation tool handy; mark unfamiliar words and look them up together after finishing a passage.
Read alongside biographical and historical background on the author to better understand character motivation and social setting.
After finishing, write a short summary in Spanish to check your 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 Spanish?

It is a Spanish-language original, not a Chinese translation. Project Gutenberg provides the public-domain text in the original language, so readers need some Spanish reading ability. If your Spanish is weak, consider a bilingual edition or Chinese translation to help you follow along.

Can I read this book without any Spanish?

Reading it directly is not recommended. The entire book is Spanish-language narrative with no Chinese notes or translation. Absolute beginners will struggle to follow the plot and linguistic details and are likely to give up. Start with graded Spanish readers, build some vocabulary, and then try the original.

Is the electronic edition the same as the print edition?

Project Gutenberg publishes electronic texts of public-domain works based on the original. The wording is essentially the same as a print edition, though layout and page numbers differ. The electronic edition is easy to search and copy, making it suitable for study and research.

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About the author

Blasco Ibáñez, Vicente, 1867-1928 Author

Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867–1928) was a Spanish novelist. Public information on the details of his life is limited, yet the character of his work is fairly clear. The library holds 46 of his works, including such representative titles as Sangre y arena, Cañas y barro, Los cuatro jinetes del apocalipsis, La Barraca, Flor de mayo and La bodega. His fiction often draws on rural Valencia and the lives of the urban poor, written in a realistic vein and skilled at portraying the natural landscape and its entanglement with human fate, combining regional colour with social criticism. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, set against war, brought him a wider international readership. Overall, his novels occupy a place in the transition of Spanish literature from realism to modern narrative.