The Agony Column

Biggers, Earl Derr, 1884-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 137K words
Chapters: 14

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.The Agony Column by Earl Derr BiggersAuthor: Biggers, Earl Derr, 1884-1933,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 1, 1999

Editor's review

The Agony Column is an early work by Earl Derr Biggers. Compared with the detective fiction that later made him widely known, it is closer to urban narrative with a suspenseful edge. The story unfolds around the medium of the newspaper column, weaving personal feelings, anonymous messages, and the contingencies of city life together; it reads lightly yet is not without suspense. The English public-domain edition provided by Project Gutenberg is moderate in length, suitable as English reading practice and for readers interested in early twentieth-century American popular literature. Its value lies not in an intricate puzzle structure but in showing how the newspaper culture of the time intervened in private life and how a popular writer handled tense plots in a brisk tone. Read it as light literary entertainment and pay attention to how the column text echoes the characters' actions; if using it for English study, note the expressions in dialogue and epistolary passages.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of English popular fiction who enjoy light suspense and urban themes
Readers interested in early twentieth-century American newspaper culture
English learners who need a moderately difficult public-domain English text
Readers who want to know Biggers's non-detective work

Not a good fit for

Mystery fans expecting rigorous honkaku deduction and elaborate tricks
Readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced suspense narratives
People who lack patience for reading in English and have no need for a bilingual comparison

Reading tips

Read through the story first, then revisit the newspaper-column passages to clarify how information drives the plot.
When reading in English, mark the letter and dialogue sections and compare the language features of different styles.
If used for a book club, discuss how the medium affects character relationships and the revelation of truth.
After finishing, compare it with Biggers's detective fiction to observe changes in his writing style.

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 detective novel?

It is closer to popular narrative with a suspenseful edge than to honkaku detective fiction centered on puzzle-solving. Biggers later became famous for detective fiction, but this book focuses on the interweaving of urban life, newspaper columns, and characters' emotions.

How difficult is the English?

As early twentieth-century American popular literature, the language is generally plain and the sentences are not complex, suitable for readers with some English foundation who want to start practicing reading with public-domain novels, though some period expressions require contextual understanding.

Can the Project Gutenberg edition be used for research?

It can serve as basic material for reading and general citation, but this edition usually lacks modern scholarly annotations and a detailed introduction. For formal research, consult annotated scholarly editions or relevant background materials as well.

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About the author

Biggers, Earl Derr, 1884-1933 Author

Earl Derr Biggers (1884-1933) was an American writer known for his ingeniously constructed detective and suspense fiction. The library holds four of his works, including Seven Keys to Baldpate, The Agony Column, Love Insurance, and The Agony Column (Japanese title). These works often revolve around locked rooms, mysteries, and urban adventures, with plots that unfold layer by layer. He was skilled at building suspense through misunderstandings, coincidences, and reversals, while leavening the narrative with light, humorous dialogue that makes for highly readable stories. Seven Keys to Baldpate in particular circulated widely and was adapted for the stage in various forms, showing the cleverness and influence of its structure. Public information about his life is limited; his nationality, education, and awards are not well documented, so this introduction focuses on the themes and style of his writing.