Rich Relatives

Sir Edward Montague Compton MackenzieProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 506K words
Chapters: 51

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.Rich Relatives by Compton MacKenzieAuthor: MacKenzie, Compton, 1883-1972,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Apr 3, 2012

Editor's review

Rich Relatives is an English novel by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie, a work of English literature now released by Project Gutenberg as a free eBook. Mackenzie's writing often depicts social manners in a light-hearted tone, and this book unfolds around the everyday theme of "rich relatives," making it a fitting read as an English novel with an eye for social observation. For readers hoping to approach twentieth-century English literature at a moderate length and difficulty, this book offers a good entry point: it is not as daunting as a hefty volume, yet it conveys the language texture and character interest of the narrative literature of its time. There is no need to rush; it can be read as a diversion in spare moments, a chapter or two on the commute or before bed, or used as practice material for English reading, noting the stylistic differences between dialogue and narration. Note that this edition is a public-domain eBook with an English text; readers need some English reading ability and should judge the formatting and proofreading quality for themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers seeking a low-threshold introduction to twentieth-century English fiction
English learners who want public-domain English novels for extracurricular reading practice
Readers interested in British social-manners themes and character sketches
Commuters who prefer lightweight eBooks that can be read chapter by chapter

Not a good fit for

Readers who need a Chinese translation or bilingual reading
Readers expecting tightly plotted suspense or dramatic twists
Readers impatient with old-fashioned English vocabulary and narrative pacing

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to clarify the characters and what the title "rich relatives" specifically refers to, then decide your reading pace.
Jot down unfamiliar words and old-fashioned expressions as you go and review them together at the end; this is less taxing than looking up every word.
Read chapter by chapter on the commute or before bed, and sum up each chapter in a sentence or two to help maintain continuity.
If using the book for English practice, read aloud passages with plenty of dialogue to feel the stylistic difference between narration and conversation.

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? What reading level is required?

This edition is an English eBook released by Project Gutenberg, with an English text and no Chinese translation. Readers with intermediate English reading ability who can use a dictionary to understand old-fashioned expressions can give it a try; those with weaker English are advised to start with easier reading material.

How can I judge the formatting and proofreading quality of the eBook?

This is a public-domain eBook compiled and released by volunteers, so formatting and proofreading may vary between editions. Watch for obvious typographical problems as you read, and check doubtful passages against other public-domain editions rather than assuming every slip reflects the original text.

Is it better to read it in one sitting or in several?

This book is better read in several sittings. Treat it as a diversion for spare moments, advancing chapter by chapter and briefly reviewing the characters and events after each one; this keeps the reading coherent without giving up midway over old-fashioned vocabulary.

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About the author

Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie Author · Scottish · 1883–1972

Compton Mackenzie (1883–1972), formally Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, was a Scottish novelist and playwright. Born in West Hartlepool, England, he graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford. He wrote more than a hundred books, including the two-volume Sinister Street, The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett, The Altar Steps, Rich Relatives, Poor Relations, Guy and Pauline and Plashers Mead: A Novel. His fiction often deals with young people coming of age in the city, family ties and local life, in a style both realistic and satirical. In 1923 he founded The Gramophone, and he was a co-founder of the Scottish National Party. He was awarded the OBE in 1919, was knighted in 1952, and died in Edinburgh in 1972.