The Man Who Did Not Die: The Story of Elijah

Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.7

Word count: 22K words
Chapters: 3

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 Man Who Did Not Die: The Story of Elijah by J. H. WillardAuthor: Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847-,Language: English, Class: BS: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: The Bible, Old and New Testament, Release Date: Jan 9, 2010

Editor's review

This is a public-domain English title from Project Gutenberg that retells the life of the biblical figure Elijah in narrative form and falls under religion and biblical studies. Its value lies in weaving the Elijah episodes scattered through the Books of Kings into a continuous narrative, making it easier for readers to grasp this prophet and his historical setting in one place. The writing addresses general readers in relatively plain language, so it works as an introductory book on biblical figures and as supplementary reading for Sunday school, reading groups, or fans of religious literature. As a public-domain e-book it is easy to obtain and suits segmented reading during commutes or quiet moments before bed. Note that the narrative carries a clear faith stance and an older style; readers would do well to compare it with the biblical text for a fuller understanding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Bible readers who want a systematic account of Elijah's life
Leaders running Sunday school or Bible study groups
Readers interested in religious narrative and classic English writing
Learners who want to practice English reading with public-domain e-books

Not a good fit for

Religious studies scholars expecting rigorous annotations and historical criticism
General literary readers with no interest in religious narrative
Beginners with weak English who need sentence-by-sentence translations

Reading tips

Read the relevant chapters of 1 Kings first, then compare them with this book's narrative to sort out the order of events.
Read chapter by chapter and note one key decision and situation of Elijah after each session.
For group teaching, prepare discussion questions in advance focused on the figure and themes of faith.
If English reading is difficult, consult a Chinese Bible translation alongside to lower the barrier.

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 suitable for readers with no Bible background?

Yes, but it is best to skim the main passages about Elijah in 1 Kings first to get the basic figure and sequence of events. The book is mainly narrative and offers no systematic historical or theological annotation, so complete newcomers may need the biblical text or a study guide to fill in the background.

How does this book relate to the biblical text?

It is a narrative work the author wrote based on the biblical accounts, organizing Elijah's deeds into a continuous story rather than being the biblical text itself. It works well as supplementary reading to trace the figure's storyline, but specific passages should still be checked against the Bible.

What should I keep in mind when reading it as a public-domain e-book?

Project Gutenberg publishes this as a public-domain English e-text with fairly plain formatting and notes. Keep notes or compare with the biblical text as you read, and don't dwell on archaic expressions word by word—just follow the main narrative.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Willard, J. H. (James Hartwell), 1847- Author

J. H. Willard (James Hartwell Willard, born 1847) was an English-language author of the later nineteenth century; little is publicly known about his life, nationality, or dates. Five of his works are held here, most drawing on biblical figures and festivals: A Farmer's Wife, on the story of Ruth; The Man Who Did Not Die, on Elijah; The Farmer Boy, on Jacob; The Adopted Son, on Moses; and The First Easter, centered on the Easter story. These books retell ancient narratives as accessible popular stories, and their titles often begin from everyday roles or concrete scenes, bringing the figures closer to ordinary readers. His writing emphasizes narrative and readability in plain language, with the character of popular religious literature for a general audience, earning him a place among retellings of biblical stories.