The North Pacific: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War

Willis Boyd AllenProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.7

Word count: 406K words
Chapters: 41

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 North Pacific: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War by Willis Boyd AllenAuthor: Allen, Willis Boyd, 1855-1938,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 16, 2014

Editor's review

The North Pacific: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War is an English novel by Willis Boyd Allen set against the backdrop of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, released free of charge as an eBook by Project Gutenberg. The original work falls under the category of American and Canadian literature and carries the typical character of the adventure novels of its era: with the sea and the Far Eastern theater as its stage, it links the fortunes of war through the experiences of its characters, combining narrative drive with the flavor of contemporary witness. Its value to readers lies chiefly in two things: first, it lets readers observe the Russo-Japanese War, a major conflict in the Far East, from the perspective of a Western author of the time; second, it offers a sense of the narrative rhythm and values of early twentieth-century Anglo-American adventure fiction for young readers. It should be noted that the work carries pronounced period attitudes and biases; today it is best read as a historical text rather than as objective military history. It is suitable for readers interested in modern East Asian international relations, war literature, or old-style adventure fiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the Russo-Japanese War and the history of modern East Asian international relations
Literature lovers who enjoy early twentieth-century Anglo-American adventure fiction and maritime themes
Students of literature and history researching war narrative and period attitudes
Readers with good English proficiency who wish to broaden their reading of older public-domain books

Not a good fit for

Military researchers seeking rigorous historical verification and neutral analysis
Readers who prefer modern fast-paced narrative and lack patience for old-fashioned prose
Beginners with weak English who need translation and annotation support

Reading tips

Before reading, familiarize yourself with the basic timeline and major battles of the Russo-Japanese War to situate the plot within its historical phase.
Pay attention to the narrator's stance and wording, and analyze the novel as a text to see how it shapes the images of the opposing sides.
Read it alongside a general history of the Russo-Japanese War to distinguish fictional plot from historical fact.
Proceed chapter by chapter, briefly noting character movements and shifts in the war situation after each chapter to avoid confusion of threads.

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 military history or a work of fiction?

It is a work of fiction, developing characters and plot against the background of the Russo-Japanese War rather than a strict historical work; the war descriptions serve the story, and readers should not cite it as historical material.

Do I need prior knowledge of the Russo-Japanese War to read this book?

It is advisable to first grasp the basic facts of when the war broke out, its main theaters, and the belligerents, so that character motivations and plot development are easier to follow; otherwise some background will seem abrupt.

Does the book suffer from biased standpoints?

As an English adventure novel of the early twentieth century, it inevitably carries the Western perspective and period prejudices of its time, and its portrayal of the two sides is not necessarily neutral; today it should be read critically, as a historical text rather than an objective account.

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About the author

Willis Boyd Allen Author · American · 1855–1938

Willis Boyd Allen (1855–1938) was an American writer and editor, born on July 9, 1855, at Kittery Point, Maine, and died in New Hampshire in 1938. A Harvard graduate, he practiced law before turning to writing full time. He wrote chiefly for young readers and produced more than thirty books. Three of his works are held here: The North Pacific: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War, Gulf and Glacier; or, The Percivals in Alaska, and Around the Yule Log. These works draw on historical events and the far northern regions, with some family and holiday themes, and are clearly narrated with attention to adventure and character, reflecting his popular writing for young people. Public information on his editorial work and literary reputation is limited.