The Hive

Will Levington ComfortProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 395K words
Chapters: 40

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 Hive by Will Levington ComfortAuthor: Comfort, Will Levington, 1878-1932,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 17, 2013

Editor's review

The Hive is an English-language novel by Will Levington Comfort, a public-domain work of American and Canadian literature released as an e-book by Project Gutenberg. The available information indicates that it is a novel, suitable as a reading sample for understanding the character of early twentieth-century American popular fiction. Comfort's works often attend to his characters' circumstances and psychological shifts, and the title uses the "hive" as a metaphor; readers may watch for how the structure is arranged and how the group of characters is presented. This e-book has no Chinese translation notes or modern introduction, and the English original poses some difficulty for non-native readers. It is best treated as literary reading rather than historical research material, with attention to narrative pace, character relationships, and period vocabulary; it is suited to being read alongside American novels of the same period in a comparative view, to appreciate the features of popular literature in plot management and thematic expression.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers interested in early twentieth-century American novels
Readers who want to broaden their literary reading through public-domain e-books
Literature enthusiasts studying narrative and character ensembles in popular fiction
Students with a foundation in English who want extracurricular extensive reading

Not a good fit for

Readers who find English reading difficult and need a Chinese translation for support
Readers expecting rigorous historical materials or scholarly analysis
Readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced genre fiction

Reading tips

First read through the opening chapters to grasp the character relationships and narrative perspective, then decide whether to read closely or extensively.
While reading, note characters' entrances and key turning points to help understand how the ensemble structure is organized.
You may look up background material on American society in the author's time to aid understanding of the book's vocabulary and situations.
If used for a course or book club, discussion can center on the metaphor of the "hive" in the title.

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 kind of work is this book?

According to the available information, this book is a novel by Will Levington Comfort, classified under American and Canadian literature. It is a public-domain literary work, not historical research or a scholarly treatise, and its characters and plot arrangements should be understood as fiction.

What level of English is needed to read it?

This is an English-language original e-book, and since it was written in the early twentieth century, some vocabulary and sentence patterns differ from modern English. It suits readers with college-level English reading ability who are willing to look up words; if reading proves difficult, one may first read a Chinese translation or choose a more fully annotated edition for support.

Is there a Chinese translation of this book?

The available information only states that Project Gutenberg released an English e-book and does not mention any Chinese translation. Whether a Chinese translation is needed for support depends on one's English reading ability; readers may look for other editions themselves, but should note the source and completeness of the edition.

Is it suitable for a book club selection?

Yes, but members' willingness to read in English should be considered. The book's length and difficulty suit book clubs with some foundation in English, and discussion can center on the character ensemble, the title's metaphor, and the period background; if members' levels vary widely, it is advisable to assign chapters in advance and prepare background material.

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About the author

Will Levington Comfort Author · American · 1878–1932

Will Levington Comfort (1878–1932) was an American novelist, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and died in Los Angeles in 1932. He served in the Spanish–American War and worked as a war correspondent, reporting from places such as the Philippines and Japan; these experiences supplied material for his later writing. He became known chiefly for his adventure novels, which often involve exotic settings and questions of human fate, with tightly plotted narratives that focus on the choices people make in difficult circumstances and on their inner transformations. The library holds five of his works, including Red Fleece, She Buildeth Her House, Fate Knocks at the Door, The Hive, and Child and Country: A Book of the Younger Generation, which include both fiction and observations on the younger generation. Public information on his early education and specific awards is limited, and existing accounts focus mainly on his career as a journalist and his adventure fiction.