Taboo

James Branch CabellProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 30K 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.Taboo by James Branch CabellAuthor: Cabell, James Branch, 1879-1958,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 22, 2005

Editor's review

Taboo is a work by James Branch Cabell (1879–1958), released as a public-domain eBook by Project Gutenberg. Cabell is known for his finely wrought prose, satirical tone, and parody of the fantasy tradition; his works often treat desire, morality, and fiction itself beneath the surface of romantic narrative. This book is short but continues his playful teasing of established narrative conventions, with polished language and concealed wit that require attention to the irony between the lines. For readers interested in American Southern literature and the tradition of satirical fantasy, it is a short text worth close reading; for general readers, it also offers a small window into Cabell's style. The electronic edition is convenient for searching and comparative reading. Note that the work was published early, and its value judgments and modes of expression bear the marks of their time; it is best understood in literary-historical context rather than judged directly by contemporary standards.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in satirical fantasy and stylistic experimentation
Students and scholars of Cabell and American Southern literature
Readers who enjoy short works and are willing to savor ironic prose

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer straightforward plots and fast-paced narrative
Readers impatient with the historical attitudes of early literature

Reading tips

Read the introduction or author background first, then the text, to grasp the targets of satire
Slow down to savor wording and irony, annotating paragraphs as needed
After reading, compare with other Cabell works to observe continuity in style and theme

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

What are the characteristics of Cabell's writing style?

Cabell is known for elaborate prose, irony, and parody of the fantasy tradition, often wrapping discussions of morality and fiction in romantic narrative. His language is polished and requires close reading to appreciate its wit.

Is this book long, and is it suitable for beginners?

It is relatively short, but its dense language and abundant irony pose a threshold for first-time readers. As an introduction to Cabell, it can serve as a short sample, but prior knowledge of his background is recommended.

What background is helpful for reading it?

Knowledge of early twentieth-century American Southern literary context and Cabell's tradition of parodying fantasy will help in understanding the satire and narrative play in the text.

Comments

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About the author

James Branch Cabell Author · American · 1879–1958

James Branch Cabell (1879–1958) was an American writer born in Richmond, Virginia, and a graduate of the College of William & Mary in 1898. Much of his fiction is set in the invented kingdom of Poictesme. His best-known work, Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice, became the subject of an obscenity prosecution, a famous episode in early twentieth-century American literary censorship. The collection here includes 13 of his works, among them Figures of Earth: A Comedy of Appearances, Chivalry, and Gallantry, many bearing the subtitle "comedy," which reflects his tendency to treat chivalric romance and the worship of women with irony and parody. Public information is limited, but his books use fantastical frameworks for social allegory, creating a distinctive style poised between popular and serious fiction.