Multitude and Solitude

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

2.8

Word count: 450K words
Chapters: 45

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.Multitude and Solitude by John MasefieldAuthor: Masefield, John, 1878-1967,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Dec 9, 2018

Editor's review

Multitude and Solitude is a prose work by John Masefield and belongs to English literature. Masefield is known as a poet and narrative writer, and the title itself suggests the contrasting theme of "the crowd and solitude"; the writing has a lyrical and meditative quality and is suited to slow, appreciative reading. Its value lies not in plot progression but in the rhythm of the language and the author's distilled expression of lived experience, offering lovers of English prose a reading experience that is both poetic and reflective. As a public-domain e-book it is easily available and suitable as material for selected readings in English literature or for imitation in writing practice. Readers should note that the style is decidedly literary and the syntax carefully wrought, so non-native readers may need annotations. Overall, it is a small book suited to reading in segments in a quiet setting rather than a narrative work to be finished in one sitting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Lovers of English literature, especially readers who enjoy prose and essays
Learners who wish to build a store of literary English expressions and practice imitative writing
Readers interested in Masefield's work who want to extend their reading to his non-poetic texts
Readers who need short, intensive reading in fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers of genre fiction who prefer strong plots and fast-paced narrative
Learners with weak English who cannot yet read literary prose independently
Examinees seeking systematic literary-historical knowledge or detailed analysis of the work

Reading tips

Pause after each piece or paragraph, copy out sentences you like, and read them aloud to feel the rhythm of the language
Keep a notebook and record recurring images and contrasting structures in the text
Do not try to finish it in one go; read in several short sessions to keep your impressions fresh
After finishing, try writing a short response in Chinese to check whether you have grasped the author's tone

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 a novel or prose?

Judging from the English-literature classification given in the source and the character of the title, it is closer to a prose or essayistic literary work than to a plot-driven novel. Readers should adjust their expectations and attend to the flow of language, imagery, and thought rather than waiting for turns in a story.

Can readers with average English read this book?

They can try, but should be prepared. Masefield's writing is attentive to rhythm and rhetoric, and the syntax is not fully colloquial. It is best to test the waters with a paragraph or two, using a dictionary and annotations; if there are too many unfamiliar words in every paragraph, start with a simplified edition or choose easier prose as an introduction.

Why is reading aloud or copying out passages recommended?

Much of the value of this kind of literary prose lies in its sound and syntax. Reading aloud helps you feel the rhythm and pauses, while copying passages forces you to slow down and notice word choice. For non-native readers, these two methods build language intuition better than rapid reading.

Related on WeRead

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

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.