Style

Walter Alexander RaleighProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 146K words
Chapters: 15

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. Style by Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh. Author: Raleigh, Walter Alexander, Sir, 1861-1922. Language: English. Class: PN: Language and Literatures: Literature: General, Criticism, Collections. Release Date: Sep 1, 1997

Editor's review

Style is a work of literary criticism and essayistic writing on prose style by Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh, available as a Project Gutenberg public-domain eBook. Raleigh was a British scholar and critic. This book is not a how-to writing manual but a discussion, from the perspective of literary appreciation and criticism, of the meaning and manifestation of "style." The prose is elegant, and the argument proceeds with an essayist's ease; it is suited to close reading by those interested in English prose, rhetoric, and literary criticism. Much of the discussion is based on classic English works, through which readers can observe how a critic analyzes the texture of language and features of literary style. Because the book was written early, its prose and examples pose some difficulty for contemporary readers and are better suited to those with some accumulated experience in reading English literature. The electronic edition is easy to search and excerpt, and can serve as supplementary material for writing or literature courses.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in English prose, rhetoric, and literary criticism
English or literature majors reading it as a critical text
Writers and editors who want to improve their appreciation of English
Readers who enjoy essayistic scholarly discussion and are not seeking practical techniques

Not a good fit for

Beginners who want immediately usable writing templates and techniques
Readers with limited English reading ability who need Chinese explanations
Readers who prefer contemporary popular writing guides and resist classical prose style

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and first chapter first to grasp the author's overall framework for discussing style.
Take notes on key sentences as you read, building a store of English expressions and critical vocabulary you can imitate.
Read alongside passages from the classic works mentioned in the book to deepen understanding.
Read only a small section at a time and allow time to digest the arguments and examples.

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 a writing techniques manual?

No. The book leans toward literary criticism and the essay, discussing the meaning and manifestation of "style" in literature rather than offering step-by-step writing methods. If you need an operational guide, choose a writing textbook instead.

How difficult is the English, and what level is it suitable for?

The text was written early, with long sentences and rather elegant diction, so it suits readers with some accumulated experience in reading English literature. Those with a more basic command of English may first use a dictionary and notes, or choose short passages for close reading.

Can the electronic edition be used in classrooms or reading groups?

Yes. The book is in the public domain, and the electronic edition is easy to distribute and quote. For classroom use, selecting one or two chapters and discussing them alongside specific literary passages works better.

Comments

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About the author

Walter Alexander Raleigh Author · English · 1861–1922

Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh (1861–1922) was a British scholar, poet and writer. He taught English literature at the University of Liverpool and the University of Glasgow, became the first Professor of English Literature at Oxford in 1904, and was knighted in 1911. Six of his works are included here, spanning literary criticism, biography, military history and lectures. Milton and Robert Louis Stevenson show his combined interest in biography and criticism, while Style and Romance: Two Lectures reflect his sustained attention to literary form and aesthetic questions. The first volume of The War in the Air turns to military history, and England and the War collects related lectures. His writing is clear and carefully crafted, both scholarly and readable, and holds a place in early twentieth-century British criticism and biographical writing.