Sentimental Tommy

Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 617K words
Chapters: 62

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. Sentimental Tommy by J. M. Barrie. Author: Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Feb 7, 2005

Editor's review

Sentimental Tommy is a novel by J. M. Barrie, a classic of English literature released free by Project Gutenberg. Barrie is best known for Peter Pan, and this book likewise offers a fine-grained view of childhood imagination and emotional life, with the sensitivity and fantasy-prone temperament of its protagonist Tommy running through the narrative. The prose carries the flavor of the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, with lively dialogue and characterization that blends humor and sentiment. For readers curious about Barrie's fiction beyond his fairy-tale plays, the book offers a valuable complementary perspective. The Gutenberg edition is a plain-text English eBook with no modern introduction, so readers must adapt on their own to the period language and Scottish background elements. It is worth reading slowly, attending to the subtle relationship between the characters' psychology and the narrator's tone; well suited as a discussion text in literary history courses or reading groups.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers interested in J. M. Barrie's fiction
Readers who enjoy coming-of-age narratives and the portrayal of childhood psychology
Students and teachers needing a public-domain text for English literature courses
Readers who can accept period prose and are willing to read an English original slowly

Not a good fit for

Readers who know only Peter Pan and expect similar fairy tales
Beginners who need detailed annotations and a modern introduction
Those who prefer fast-paced contemporary fiction and have low tolerance for classical prose

Reading tips

Learn a little about Barrie's life and Scottish background before starting the text
Follow Tommy's fantasies and dialogue, and mark passages that reveal the narrator's attitude
Read alongside other coming-of-age novels to discuss differences in writing childhood

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 Peter Pan?

Both share the same author, J. M. Barrie, and both touch on childhood and imagination, but Sentimental Tommy is an independent novel, not a prequel or sequel to Peter Pan. It lets readers see Barrie's fiction writing beyond his fairy-tale plays.

How difficult is the English? Is it suitable for beginners?

The book has Edwardian prose and Scottish elements, with period diction in both dialogue and narration, so it poses some challenge for English beginners. Readers with some experience of English originals are advised to try it, using a dictionary and background materials as needed.

Does the Gutenberg edition have annotations or an introduction?

The Gutenberg edition usually provides only the main text, with no modern annotations, introduction, or translation. Readers who need deeper understanding of the historical background and language difficulties must consult literary history sources themselves or read alongside an annotated edition.

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About the author

Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937 Author

J. M. Barrie (James Matthew Barrie, 1860–1937) was a British writer best known for creating the literary figure of Peter Pan. Thirty of his works are held in this collection, including Peter and Wendy, Peter Pan, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, The Little White Bird, and Sentimental Tommy. The Peter Pan stories are the most widely known, telling of a boy who refuses to grow up and his adventures in Neverland; they combine the wonder of fairy tale with gentle reflections on childhood, growing up, and loss, and have been adapted for stage and screen many times. Barrie's writing is delicate and tinged with sentiment, moving between everyday life and fantasy, and his works are often grouped under inspirational coming-of-age reading. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.