Switzerland

Frank Ignatius FoxProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 251K words
Chapters: 26

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.Switzerland by Frank FoxAuthor: Fox, Frank, 1874-1960,Language: English, Class: DQ: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Switzerland, Release Date: May 8, 2012

Editor's review

Frank Fox's Switzerland is an early twentieth-century English travel and country-study work, available as a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg. Rather than listing transport and accommodation in guidebook fashion, it describes Switzerland's mountains, towns, scenery and culture through an observer's eye, bearing clear marks of its era. For today's readers its value lies mainly in historical perspective: it shows how the English-speaking world viewed Switzerland a century ago, and reflects the tastes and limits of travel writing of the time. The English is plain and the length moderate, making it suitable as relaxed background reading on Switzerland and as comparative reading for fans of travel literature. Read it as a period document rather than an up-to-date guide, and keep a critical eye on its judgments about social conditions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers who enjoy travel literature and old-fashioned travelogues
Travellers seeking Swiss historical and cultural background rather than the latest practical tips
Readers studying early twentieth-century travel writing and national narratives
Learners with intermediate English who want public-domain nonfiction

Not a good fit for

Practical travellers needing current transport, accommodation and price information
Readers expecting systematic analysis of contemporary Swiss politics and economics
Readers who prefer fast-paced fiction or strongly plotted narratives

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and opening chapters to identify the author's geographical and cultural focus before planning your reading.
Read alongside a map or modern Swiss material, distinguishing historical description from present-day conditions.
Take notes on passages about social customs as samples of travel-writing style.
If using it for trip preparation, take only the background sections and consult up-to-date sources for practical information.

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

Can this book be used as a travel guide to Switzerland?

Not directly. It is early twentieth-century travel and country writing, lacking current practical information on transport, accommodation and prices. It is better for historical and cultural background; consult the latest sources for practical arrangements.

What English level is needed to read this book?

The original is in English in an old-style travel-writing register, with longer but not difficult sentences. Intermediate reading ability is enough to get through it; a map or dictionary helps with place names and old forms.

Are the book's descriptions still accurate today?

It depends. The geographical framework of mountains and towns is largely recognisable, but social conditions, transport and travel conditions have changed greatly. Treat it as a historical document and stay critical of specific judgments.

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About the author

Frank Ignatius Fox Author · British (Australian-born) · 1874–1960

Frank Fox (1874–1960), born Frank Ignatius Fox, was a British journalist, writer and soldier who was born in Australia. After moving to London in 1909, he became an assistant editor at the Morning Post, entering the British press. During the First World War he served both as a war correspondent and as an officer in the Royal Artillery, receiving the OBE; this experience gave him first-hand material for his war writing. Eight of his works are held here, covering travel and national portraits of Australia, England, Switzerland, Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula, as well as documentary writing such as The King's Pilgrimage. He observed places and current affairs with a reporter's eye, in plain, readable prose. Public information is limited, and details of his life and the influence of his works remain to be further studied.