Skippy Bedelle

Owen McMahon JohnsonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 365K words
Chapters: 37

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.Skippy Bedelle by Owen JohnsonAuthor: Johnson, Owen, 1878-1952,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: May 14, 2008

Editor's review

Skippy Bedelle is a novel by American author Owen Johnson, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain ebook and classified under American and Canadian literature. The book continues the author's signature subject of campus and adolescent life, centering its narrative on the character Skippy Bedelle, with a light, brisk style and a plot tinged with humor and coming-of-age themes. Its value lies in its portrayal of early twentieth-century American youth's interpersonal relationships, campus culture, and family life, allowing readers to sense the educational atmosphere and language style of that era. As a public-domain ebook, it is easy to obtain free of charge and suitable for classroom reading. Note that the language and some ideas in the book bear the marks of their time, and modern readers should maintain historical awareness when reading. It suits readers interested in classic adolescent fiction, American literature, or reading original English texts, and also serves as an introductory text for understanding Owen Johnson's style.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy original English coming-of-age novels for young adults
Readers studying American campus literature or Owen Johnson's works
Teachers who need public-domain English texts for classroom reading
Learners who want to boost their interest in English reading through light narrative

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced plots and strong suspense
Beginning readers who need a Chinese translation or detailed annotations
Readers impatient with the language style and ideas of a century ago

Reading tips

Read the first few chapters to get familiar with the characters and language style before deciding whether to read the whole book.
Note unfamiliar period expressions while reading, guess from context first, then look them up.
Read alongside other campus coming-of-age novels to observe narrative differences across eras.
English learners can read one chapter a day, getting through the plot first and then reviewing vocabulary.

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 part of a series?

According to public-domain information, the author is Owen Johnson and the work centers on Skippy Bedelle. Available information does not indicate whether it belongs to a specific series, so readers should not assume it must be read in order. It is advisable to start from the first chapter; character relationships will unfold gradually through the narrative. To confirm any series relationship, consult the author's bibliography.

Is the English difficulty suitable for middle school students?

The book was written long ago, and its language carries early twentieth-century usage, with sentence patterns and vocabulary differing from contemporary English. Middle school students with a relatively good English foundation can attempt it, but may need a dictionary and teacher support; those with an average foundation are advised to read a simplified version or Chinese introduction first before tackling the original. Difficulty is experienced differently by different readers.

Where can I read this book?

The book is released by Project Gutenberg as a free public-domain ebook, available in English on its website for online reading or download. Specific formats and availability are subject to the platform's pages. For a paper copy or Chinese version, other publishing channels must be sought.

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

Owen McMahon Johnson Author · American · 1878–1952

Owen Johnson (1878–1952) was an American novelist and short-story writer, born in New York, the son of the poet Robert Underwood Johnson. A Yale graduate, he became known for the "Dink Stover" series set at the Lawrenceville School and Yale, including The Varmint, Skippy Bedelle, and Stover at Yale, as well as works such as The Salamander and Making Money. His fiction often draws on school and campus life and youthful coming-of-age, written in a light, humorous vein with an eye for social reality; some works also touch on historical and mystery themes, such as In the Name of Liberty and Murder in Any Degree. He served as a war correspondent during World War I and died in Massachusetts in 1952.