The Delectable Duchy

Quiller-Couch, Arthur, 1863-1944Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 303K words
Chapters: 31

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 Delectable Duchy by Arthur Quiller-CouchAuthor: Quiller-Couch, Arthur, 1863-1944,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: May 1, 2004

Editor's review

The Delectable Duchy is a collection of stories by the English writer Arthur Quiller-Couch set in Cornwall, belonging to a distinctly regional strain of English literature. Long steeped in the customs and landscapes of southwest England, the author portrays Cornwall with both real coastal and rural scenes and local legend and folk flavor, conveyed in a warm, slightly nostalgic narrative tone. For readers familiar with English regional literature, the book offers a window onto English rural writing from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century; for those learning English, its essayistic language and relatively complete story structures also make it suitable as extensive reading material. Note that this is a public-domain e-book, with the text presented as originally published, without modern notes or introduction; readers need a basic grounding in English reading and literary background. It is suited to slow reading in a quiet setting, or as an introductory book for understanding Cornish local culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in English regional literature and rural stories
Readers with some English proficiency who wish to read original English texts extensively
Culture enthusiasts interested in the customs and landscapes of Cornwall
Readers who enjoy short story collections that can be read in sections

Not a good fit for

Beginners whose English reading ability is still at an early stage
Readers expecting modern notes, introductions, or translations
Readers who prefer strong plots and fast-paced narratives

Reading tips

First read a shorter story to become familiar with the author's language rhythm and narrative style.
Mark place names and folk expressions as you read, and look up background information afterward.
Treat each story as an independent piece; read one a day without necessarily proceeding in order.

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 novel or a short story collection?

From the available information, this is a collection of stories by Quiller-Couch set in Cornwall; the pieces are relatively independent rather than a continuous novel. Readers can read them separately and need not finish the whole book in one go.

Can I read this book if my English is average?

This is an original English public-domain book, written in a prose style of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, without modern notes. It is advisable to have at least intermediate English reading ability before attempting it; otherwise local expressions and long sentences may slow the pace.

Does this edition include notes or an introduction?

According to the information, this book is published by Project Gutenberg as a free e-book, with the text presented as originally published; no notes, introduction, or translation are mentioned. Readers who need background knowledge must consult relevant literary and local history materials themselves.

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About the author

Quiller-Couch, Arthur, 1863-1944 Author

Arthur Quiller-Couch (1863–1944) was an English writer with a substantial body of work, of which 41 titles are held in this collection. His writing covers a wide range: essays on the craft of reading and writing such as On the Art of Reading and On the Art of Writing, and narrative works set against the sea, winter, and the fireside, including The Roll-Call of the Reef, I Saw Three Ships and Other Winter Tales, Two Sides of the Face: Midwinter Tales, and The Laird's Luck and Other Fireside Tales. He also retold fairy tales from the Old French in The Sleeping Beauty and other fairy tales from the Old French, and wrote From a Cornish Window, a book that reflects his attention to the Cornish landscape and local life. Public information is limited and biographical details are hard to verify, but the surviving works show a graceful, unhurried prose that combines the reflective habits of an essayist with a storyteller's pleasure in narrative, leaving its mark on English prose and short fiction.