Old Testament Legends

Montague Rhodes JamesProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 189K words
Chapters: 19

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.Old Testament Legends by M. R. JamesAuthor: James, M. R. (Montague Rhodes), 1862-1936,Language: English, Class: BS: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: The Bible, Old and New Testament, Release Date: May 21, 2005

Editor's review

This book is Old Testament Legends by the British scholar, antiquarian, and master of the ghost story Montague Rhodes James. Project Gutenberg digitized the work and put it online in 2005, and the 2019 edition continues its status as a public-domain ebook, with the text in English. Unlike James's better-known supernatural fiction, this work turns to the collection and retelling of ancient documents and religious legends, reflecting his scholarly interest as a biblical and antiquarian researcher. Its value lies in two aspects: on one hand, it offers readers an English reader's edition close to Old Testament legendary material, in relatively plain language and with clear narrative; on the other, it presents the typical way late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British scholars handled religious legendary texts, useful for reference in religious culture, philology, and English reading. It is best read as a “legend reader” rather than a strict scholarly annotated edition, and readers should distinguish the retold text from the original scripture. It suits readers interested in religious culture, ancient legends, and Victorian academic writing for slow reading, and also works as close-reading material for English nonfiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Old Testament legends and religious cultural background
Readers who want to know M. R. James's nonfiction writing
Learners who need English nonfiction for close-reading practice
Readers interested in the British academic writing style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting James's supernatural fiction
Researchers seeking strict scholarly annotation and textual criticism of scripture
Readers uninterested in religious subjects or hoping for light stories

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and preface first to understand the sources and arrangement of each legend, then read piece by piece.
After each piece, retell the story in two or three sentences to check whether you have grasped the main line.
Mark personal and place names as you go rather than checking each one, to avoid interrupting the reading rhythm.
If familiar with biblical texts, read alongside them and note the choices made between retelling and original.

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 related to James's supernatural fiction?

Not directly. James is famous for supernatural fiction, but this book is his collection and retelling of Old Testament legends, belonging to religious legend and documentary writing, different in style from ghost stories.

Do I need to know the Bible before reading this book?

You need not have read the whole Bible first, but basic familiarity with Old Testament figures and events will make it smoother. If entirely unfamiliar, read the table of contents and preface first to understand each piece's background before entering the text.

Is this an academic work or a popular reader?

It is closer to a retelling reader for general readers, with clear narrative and plain language, but it is not a strict scholarly edition with detailed annotation and textual criticism; be careful when citing it.

How difficult is the English?

It is nonfiction English with fairly regular sentences but many proper names and religious terms. Intermediate English readers can read it with notes and reference tools; beginners should choose excerpts.

Comments

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About the author

Montague Rhodes James Author · British · 1862–1936

M. R. James (Montague Rhodes James, 1862–1936) was a British medieval scholar, biblical scholar, and writer of ghost stories. He served as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, Headmaster of Eton College, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. Though distinguished in scholarship, he is better known for his ghost stories, including Ghost Stories of an Antiquary and its sequel More Ghost Stories, as well as A Thin Ghost and Others, The Five Jars, and Old Testament Legends. His supernatural tales often revolve around old books, manuscripts, and antiquities, creating a restrained yet convincing atmosphere of dread. He is credited with founding the so-called antiquarian ghost story tradition and is widely regarded as one of the finest ghost story writers in the English language.