The Fourth Generation

Besant, Walter, 1836-1901Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 477K words
Chapters: 48

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 Fourth Generation by Walter BesantAuthor: Besant, Walter, 1836-1901,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Oct 10, 2015

Editor's review

The Fourth Generation is a novel by the English novelist Walter Besant, belonging to the tradition of the Victorian social novel. Besant's works often concern social class, family ethics, and the changes of an era; the title itself suggests themes of generational inheritance and family destiny, making the book suitable for readers interested in nineteenth-century English literature and social life. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, it is extremely accessible: readers can encounter this English original, now in the public domain, at no cost. It is best read against the broader background of the Victorian novel, with attention to how the author handles the relationship between his characters' fates and their social environment. For readers seeking to expand their reading of English originals, especially those wishing to discover writers beyond the first rank of the canon, this is a worthwhile choice. Note that the book is in English and is not among the best-known classics, so some preliminary reading about the author and period is advisable.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Victorian English fiction who want to broaden their reading
English learners who want free public-domain English books for reading practice
Students and enthusiasts studying nineteenth-century English literature of society and family
General readers who enjoy long novels about generational inheritance and family destiny

Not a good fit for

Readers who want only the most famous classics and prefer not to explore lesser-known writers
Beginners with limited English reading ability who need a Chinese translation alongside
Readers who prefer fast-paced plots and have little patience for period background

Reading tips

Before starting, learn a little about the Victorian background of Besant's time, then begin the text.
Read the first chapter first to sort out the characters, then proceed chapter by chapter to avoid confusion.
Mark unfamiliar period expressions as you go, and look them up after finishing the chapter.
After finishing, revisit the meaning of the title "The Fourth Generation" and trace the generational threads and their thematic echoes.

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 in Chinese or English?

This is an English original from the Project Gutenberg public-domain ebook collection, with no Chinese translation included. It suits readers with some foundation in English reading; beginners may read it with a dictionary or a parallel translation.

What is Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg is the earliest provider of free ebooks, founded by Michael Hart in 1971. It works to digitize public-domain books and make them freely available to readers, and this book is one of the public-domain English works in its collection.

Can I read this without having read other works by Besant?

Yes. This is a standalone novel and does not depend on prior knowledge of the author's other works. Besant's books often touch on Victorian social issues, however, so some familiarity with the period will make it easier to get into.

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About the author

Besant, Walter, 1836-1901 Author

Walter Besant (1836–1901) was an English author whose writings span fiction, history, and works on the city, with 23 titles held in this collection. Judging from the works listed here, his writing is clearly centred on the local history and urban memory of London. He produced a two-volume Mediæval London, covering its historical and social as well as its ecclesiastical aspects, and period-based surveys such as London in the Time of the Stuarts and Early London: Prehistoric, Roman, Saxon and Norman. He also devoted separate books to particular districts—Westminster, East London, and London City—and wrote The History of London. These works are marked by solid local antiquarian research and a wealth of anecdote, and will appeal to readers interested in London's urban development and British social and cultural history. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so no conjecture is offered here.