Muslin

Moore, George, 1852-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 543K words
Chapters: 55

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.Muslin by George MooreAuthor: Moore, George, 1852-1933,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 10, 2005

Editor's review

Muslin is an early novel by the Irish writer George Moore, a work of English literature presented here as a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg. Moore's fiction often handles the tension between social custom and personal feeling in a restrained narrative register; this novel is moderate in length, with a plot that unfolds through fine detail rather than dramatic conflict, making it a useful sample of late nineteenth-century English social fiction. Its value lies in observing how the author builds social relationships through everyday scenes and dialogue, and in the detached observational tone of the narration. Because the original is in English and the book dates from an early period, some social customs and usages require historical context. Read it in continuous stretches and keep track of shifting relationships; afterward, compare it with other English novels of the same period to appreciate its choices of narrative pace and characterization.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of classic English literature interested in late nineteenth-century fiction
Students of George Moore or Irish literature
Lovers of social fiction with finely drawn relationships
University students seeking public-domain English texts for reading practice

Not a good fit for

Readers of popular fiction who prefer strong plots and fast pacing
Readers who need a Chinese translation and are not comfortable reading English originals
Readers seeking detailed author biography and critical commentary

Reading tips

Read chapter by chapter, noting differences in social station revealed through relationships and dialogue.
Keep a simple character chart as you read to avoid confusing early-appearing figures.
When you meet period usages, infer from context first and check them together later, to reduce interruptions.
After finishing, compare with English social novels of the same era and write a short note on narrative 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 suitable for English beginners?

Not very. The novel dates from the late nineteenth century, with period sentence structures and vocabulary, and a leisurely narrative pace; beginners may lose the thread in long sentences and descriptions of social custom. It suits readers with university-level English and some experience reading English fiction.

Do I need to know George Moore's other works first?

No. The book stands alone and does not depend on prior works. If you want to understand Moore's place in literary history and the evolution of his style, consult a reliable literary history after reading, then decide whether to explore his other novels.

How reliable is the electronic text?

This edition comes from Project Gutenberg as a public-domain electronic text. The main text is essentially complete, but the formatting is plain and may include platform notes and copyright statements. Distinguish the main text from added material; occasional spellings that differ from modern usage are mostly period forms and can be judged from context.

What can I do if I find it hard to get through?

Slow down and write a one-sentence plot summary for each chapter to keep hold of the main line; or read passages with more dialogue first to get a feel for the narrative tone, then go back to descriptive sections. If it still feels difficult, read a relevant literary history to establish background before returning to the original.

Comments

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About the author

Moore, George, 1852-1933 Author

George Moore (1852–1933) was an Irish writer. The library holds 17 of his works, commonly classified under inspirational and personal growth. His major works include the novels Esther Waters, Evelyn Innes and A Mummer's Wife, the short-story collection The Untilled Field, and such books as Confessions of a Young Man, Memoirs of My Dead Life and The Brook Kerith. His fiction tends to focus on the emotional, marital and personal struggles of ordinary people, written with delicate restraint and a realistic attention to inner life; his autobiographical works candidly recall his own experiences and literary acquaintances. Moore occupies a place in the transition of Irish literature from the Victorian tradition toward modernism, and his work has influenced later writers. Public information is limited, and the above is a brief overview based only on the works held in the library.