Mabel's Mistake

Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia), 1810-1886Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 783K words
Chapters: 79

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.Mabel's Mistake by Ann S. StephensAuthor: Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia), 1810-1886,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Oct 13, 2009

Editor's review

Mabel's Mistake is a novel by the 19th-century American woman writer Ann S. Stephens, made available as a free eBook by Project Gutenberg. Stephens was an important writer of 19th-century American popular literature, and her works often center on women's fates, family ethics, and emotional choices. This book revolves around the heroine Mabel's mistake and, through its plot, presents the characters' inner struggles and changing relationships, bearing a strong moralizing tone typical of its era. For readers studying 19th-century American women's literature, the development of popular fiction, or English literature reading practice, this book offers a direct primary text. When reading, note its Victorian pace, which is slower and more didactic than modern fiction, and understand the characters' behavior in light of the period. As a public-domain eBook, it is suitable as an introductory English-language long-form reading text and as a sample of popular literature for literary historians.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying 19th-century American women's literature who need a primary novel text
English majors seeking to expand their reading of 19th-century English-language long fiction
Literature enthusiasts interested in Victorian popular fiction and narrative
Self-learners who need public-domain English eBooks for reading practice

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced modern fiction and lack patience for slow narrative
General readers looking for contemporary original Chinese writing
Readers sensitive to the moralizing style of 19th-century prose
Academic readers who need full annotations and an introduction for close study

Reading tips

Read the bibliographic information and chapter titles on the Gutenberg page first to grasp the story's framework before starting the text
Read one or two chapters a day; mark unfamiliar period expressions and look them up together after finishing the chapter
As you read, note each of the heroine's key choices and trace the narrative chain from her "mistake" to its consequences
After finishing, make brief notes comparing the book with common themes in 19th-century American women's fiction

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?

This is the original English edition, released by Project Gutenberg and labeled as English. It contains no Chinese translation, so readers should have some English reading ability to read the original text directly.

Can Project Gutenberg eBooks be read for free?

Yes. Project Gutenberg was the first project to provide free eBooks, and its public-domain works are generally free to download and read. This book is a public-domain eBook released by the project.

Do I need to know the author's background to read this book?

It is not required, but it helps. The author, Ann S. Stephens, was a 19th-century American writer, and knowing the period helps in understanding the novel's portrayal of women's circumstances and moral views. If you are only practicing English reading, you can start directly with the text.

Is this book suitable for English beginners?

Not really. 19th-century English novels have longer sentences, and their period vocabulary and narrative style differ from modern English, making reading demanding for beginners. It is better suited to readers with intermediate or higher reading ability.

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About the author

Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia), 1810-1886 Author

Ann S. Stephens (1810–1886) was a nineteenth-century American writer of popular fiction. Public information about her life is limited and biographical details are hard to verify, but the twelve works held in the collection reveal the range of her writing. Malaeska: The Indian Wife of the White Hunter, told from the perspective of a white hunter's wife, is regarded as an important early example of the dime novel; Fashion and Famine and The Old Homestead focus on family morality and the ways of the world; Sybil Chase or, The Valley Ranche moves the story to California with a flavor of frontier romance; and Phemie Frost's Experiences is lighter in tone, close to travel narrative and humorous sketch. Her writing draws mainly on family, marriage, the frontier, and urban and rural life, with intricate plots and strong sentiment, aimed at ordinary readers and combining moral instruction with entertainment. The collection classifies her work under inspirational growth, reflecting its concern with personal destiny and moral choice.