Robin Hood

McSpadden, J. Walker (Joseph Walker), 1874-1960Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 338K words
Chapters: 34

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.Robin Hood by J. Walker McSpaddenAuthor: McSpadden, J. Walker (Joseph Walker), 1874-1960,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Jan 21, 2006

Editor's review

This edition of Robin Hood, retold by J. Walker McSpadden, is a free public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, classified under juvenile literature and presented in English. It shapes the long-standing legend of the greenwood into a coherent, readable narrative, retaining the core motifs of robbing the rich to help the poor and resisting oppression, along with classic episodes such as the archery contest and the formation of the outlaw band. For Chinese readers its value is twofold: first, as an introduction to English literature, its language is relatively plain and its chapters short, making it suitable for reading in segments on a commute or before bed; second, as a cultural reference, it helps readers understand how the figure of Robin Hood has been transmitted in the English-speaking world. Note that this is a public-domain electronic text without modern annotations or an introductory essay, so readers must supply the historical context themselves. Overall it suits light English extensive reading rather than academic study.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate English learners who want to build vocabulary through extensive reading in English
Readers interested in English folklore and greenwood adventure stories
People who need short chapters for bedtime or commute reading
Fans who want to see how the Robin Hood story was assembled in its early form

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer a Chinese translation and do not want to read the English original
Researchers who need detailed historical verification or scholarly annotation
Children expecting an illustrated picture book or a simplified retelling

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and pick familiar episodes such as the archery contest or the formation of the outlaw band, then go back and fill in the surrounding chapters.
After each chapter, retell the plot in two or three English sentences to practice both comprehension and output.
When you hit archaic expressions, skip them first and look them up after finishing the passage, so you don't break the reading rhythm.

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?

This is an English public-domain eBook released by Project Gutenberg, with the text in English and no Chinese translation. Chinese readers need some English reading ability, or should read with a dictionary and supporting tools.

Without notes or an introduction, will it be hard to read?

The narrative is driven mainly by plot, and the language is not especially difficult, but you will encounter old-fashioned expressions and legendary background. It helps to know the basic outline of the Robin Hood story first, and to focus on following the plot rather than looking up every word.

Is it suitable for children?

The book includes episodes of robbery and violent conflict, and it is in the original English, so it is better suited to middle-school readers and above with some English foundation. For younger children, a rewritten Chinese edition with illustrations is recommended.

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

McSpadden, J. Walker (Joseph Walker), 1874-1960 Author

J. Walker McSpadden (Joseph Walker McSpadden, 1874–1960) was an American author and editor whose life and career are documented only in limited public sources. Three of his works are held in this collection: Robin Hood, Stories from Dickens, and Boys' Book of Famous Soldiers, all adaptations and popular works intended for young readers. These titles show that he was skilled at retelling classic tales, literary masterpieces, and stories of historical figures in narratives suited to children, using clear and fluent prose and emphasizing lively storytelling and readability. Among them, Robin Hood circulated widely and became one of the common introductory retellings through which young English-language readers encountered the Robin Hood legend. Overall, his writing aimed to popularize classic and historical knowledge and left a modest mark on children's and young adult literature.