The Broken Road

Alfred Edward Woodley MasonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 533K words
Chapters: 54

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 Broken Road by A. E. W. MasonAuthor: Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley), 1865-1948,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

The Broken Road is an English novel by British author A. E. W. Mason, available as a free public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg. Mason excelled at adventure and melodramatic fiction; the original English text is clear and strongly paced, making it suitable as an introductory or extensive reading material for English literature. As a public-domain eBook, its value lies not in binding or marketing but in giving readers zero-cost access to the narrative style and language habits of early twentieth-century British popular fiction. When reading, focus on plot progression and character dialogue to feel the rhythm of English fiction of that era; for students of genre fiction or English literature, it can also serve as a supplementary reader for understanding Mason's creative profile. Note that this is the original English edition in electronic text, lacking modern annotations and introductions; readers need some foundation in English reading and must handle unfamiliar words and cultural background information themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with basic English reading ability who want to read original English novels extensively
Readers interested in early twentieth-century British popular fiction and adventure narrative
Students who need free public-domain English texts as extracurricular extensive reading material
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand the scope of A. E. W. Mason's work

Not a good fit for

Readers with weak English foundations who need Chinese annotations or bilingual comparison
Deep readers seeking introductions, annotations, and background analysis
Young readers who prefer the pace and themes of contemporary fiction

Reading tips

Read the first two or three chapters first to grasp the character relationships and main storyline, then decide whether to read through.
When encountering unfamiliar words, guess from context first and look them up after finishing the chapter to maintain reading rhythm.
Listen along with an audiobook or text-to-speech software to help adapt to English syntax and language feel.
After finishing, retell the main plot in a few sentences to check whether you have grasped the narrative focus.

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 English level is needed to read this book?

This is an original English novel in the popular narrative style of the early twentieth century; sentence structures are not complex, but the vocabulary has a period flavor. At least a high school level of English reading ability is recommended, with a dictionary for unfamiliar words; those who read original English regularly will find it relatively smooth.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg provides free public-domain eBooks; this book is its released English text, available at zero cost and easy to read on a computer or e-reader. Such editions usually lack modern introductions, annotations, or typographic optimization, so readers must supplement background knowledge themselves.

What should I focus on when reading this book?

Focus on how the plot advances, how dialogue shapes character, and the author's techniques in building adventure and suspense. If reading to learn English, note narrative tenses and common expressions; if reading for literary interest, savor the narrative rhythm of early twentieth-century British popular fiction.

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About the author

Alfred Edward Woodley Mason Author · British · 1865–1948

A. E. W. Mason (Alfred Edward Woodley Mason, 1865–1948) was a British novelist and playwright born in Camberwell, London, and educated at Trinity College, Oxford. His work spans adventure, detective fiction, and romance; his best-known novel, The Four Feathers, is celebrated for its conflict between battlefield duty and honour. His French detective Inspector Hanaud is regarded as one of the prototypes for Hercule Poirot, and such mystery works as At the Villa Rose and The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel also drew readers' attention. Mason served as a Liberal MP in the House of Commons and worked in naval intelligence during the First World War, experiences that lent a realistic texture to his narratives. Twenty of his works are held in the collection; public information is limited, yet his writing retains a place in the history of popular and detective fiction.