Passing By

Baring, Maurice, 1874-1945Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 263K words
Chapters: 27

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.Passing By by Maurice BaringAuthor: Baring, Maurice, 1874-1945,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 12, 2013

Editor's review

Passing By is a work by the English writer Maurice Baring and belongs to English literature. Baring lived from 1874 to 1945, and his work spans fiction, essays, and criticism. The book is freely distributed by Project Gutenberg, so readers can obtain the original English text at no cost. Judging by its title and format, it is closer to a collection of short pieces or essay-like narratives, suited to reading in spare moments. For readers who want a sense of early twentieth-century English literature without tackling a massive novel, this book offers a light entry point. The English is not especially difficult, but it bears the marks of its era and requires some grounding in English reading. Since the available information provides no specific plot, readers may treat it as a literary exploration: read one or two pieces to get a feel for the tone, then decide whether to read it through. It is better suited as a supplement to one's literary horizons than as a core text for studying a particular writer.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers who want low-cost exposure to early twentieth-century English literature
Those who enjoy short pieces or essay-like narratives that can be picked up and put down at will
Intermediate and advanced English learners who want to practice extensive reading with original texts
General readers interested in public-domain resources from Project Gutenberg

Not a good fit for

Beginners who need a detailed introduction and notes to understand an English original
Readers who prefer strong plots and fast-paced stories
Researchers seeking a systematic study of Baring's life and complete works

Reading tips

Start with one piece to get a feel for the rhythm of the language and the manner of narration, then decide the reading order.
Keep a vocabulary notebook; jot down period expressions as you go and look them up together afterward.
Read alongside short works by English writers of the same period to appreciate differences in style.
If time is limited, do not force yourself to read it all; simply read the pieces that interest you.

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

What level of English is needed to read this book?

The original is early twentieth-century English, with sentence structures and vocabulary characteristic of the period. It is recommended for readers with at least college English proficiency or those accustomed to reading original English fiction. Beginners may slow down and need not look up every word.

Why is there no specific plot summary in the available information?

The book comes from Project Gutenberg's public-domain catalogue, whose public information mainly includes the author, language, category, and publication details, with no content summary. Readers can sample the opening to judge for themselves whether it suits their taste.

Is this book suitable for learning English?

It can serve as extensive reading material, but it is not recommended as the sole textbook. It suits readers who already have some foundation and want to build a feel for the language through original literature. Read mainly for general understanding rather than dwelling on every new word.

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About the author

Baring, Maurice, 1874-1945 Author

Maurice Baring (1874–1945) was an English writer whose work ranged across fiction, poetry, fairy tales, literary criticism and memoir. Eight of his books are represented here, including the memoir The Puppet Show of Memory, the fairy-tale collection The Blue Rose Fairy Book, the short-story collections Orpheus in Mayfair, and Other Stories and Sketches and Passing By, as well as Lost Diaries, Overlooked, Poems, 1914–1919 and the critical study An Outline of Russian Literature. These works show him moving easily between light fantasy and fairy tale, the subtle humour of his sketches and stories, and a broad, critically alert engagement with Russian literature. Public information is limited and the details of his life are hard to verify, yet the works above sufficiently reveal his versatility across genres and a style that combines humour with warmth.