Shango

Jakes, John, 1932-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 23K words
Chapters: 3

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.Shango by John JakesAuthor: Jakes, John, 1932-,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: May 2, 2019

Editor's review

This is the Project Gutenberg public-domain ebook of Shango, an early historical novel by John Jakes, in the category of American and Canadian literature. The work is known for its historical fiction, with tight narrative pacing and characters intertwined with the era, reflecting the grand narrative style the author later mastered. For Chinese readers, the book is a sample for understanding the landscape of twentieth-century American popular historical fiction, and can also serve as reading material in the original English. The electronic edition is freely available, suitable for segmented reading on an e-reader during commutes, travel, and other fragmented time. Note that this is the original English version and a public-domain reset edition, with no Chinese translation or annotations; first-time readers will need a dictionary to handle names, places, and historical background terms, making the reading experience closer to browsing documents than casual entertainment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy American historical fiction and want to understand John Jakes's early work
English learners who need free English ebooks as extensive reading material
Enthusiasts studying twentieth-century American popular literature and public-domain book circulation

Not a good fit for

Readers who want a Chinese translation and prefer not to deal with the English original
In-depth researchers who need detailed historical annotations or scholarly introductions
Casual readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced mystery or romance novels

Reading tips

Read the first two chapters to confirm the character lines and historical background before deciding whether to read the whole book
Prepare a dictionary or electronic lookup tool, and note frequently appearing names and places as you go
Divide the reading task by chapters, and summarize the plot in one or two sentences after each chapter
Compare with the author's other historical novels to observe the continuity and changes in his narrative techniques

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?

The main text is the English original. It is a public-domain ebook released by Project Gutenberg, with no Chinese translation or annotations attached; reading requires some English proficiency or the aid of translation tools.

Why does the introduction repeatedly mention Project Gutenberg?

Because the book is freely released by Project Gutenberg. The introduction explains the platform background and the origin of Michael Hart's invention of the ebook; it is not a summary of the novel's content, and readers should not take it as a plot introduction.

What background should I know before reading this book?

It is advisable to first understand the era and regional background involved in the novel and to become familiar with the main character relationships. Since the public-domain ebook lacks an introduction and annotations, readers can consult relevant historical materials on their own to lower the threshold of understanding.

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About the author

Jakes, John, 1932- Author

John Jakes (1932–) is an American writer. The library holds one work by him, Shango. Public information about him is currently limited: his nationality, dates of birth and death, education, awards, and career details are not reliably documented, so a systematic account of his life cannot be given. As for the work at hand, the title Shango suggests a subject possibly connected with African or Caribbean cultural backgrounds, but reliable information about its plot, characters, and date of writing is lacking and should not be guessed. Jakes's writing style and literary influence likewise cannot be assessed for lack of material. What can be confirmed is that he is a writer whose work is held in the collection, and that his writing at least covers the kind of narrative represented by Shango. A fuller evaluation of his literary standing would require additional biographical, bibliographical, and critical sources. This introduction is based on the limited facts in the library record and includes no unverified personal experiences or honors.