The Register

Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 56K words
Chapters: 6

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 Register by William Dean HowellsAuthor: Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 1, 2002

Editor's review

The Register is a novel by Howells, a leading figure of American literary realism, now available free as a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg. Howells is known for his fine social observation and restrained narrative style; this work continues his attention to ordinary American life and serves as an accessible introduction to the American novel of the late nineteenth century. The electronic edition is easy to search and carry, making it especially suitable for literary scholars checking the original text, English learners reading closely for language, or general readers approaching a classic at low cost. Read it not for dramatic plot turns but for the social attitudes revealed in dialogue and the author's subtle irony. As an English-language public-domain original, it lacks modern notes and an introduction, so readers must supply historical context themselves. Overall, it is a realist work to savor slowly and revisit, not a fast-paced diversion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University students and scholars studying American literary realism
Advanced English learners who want to practice close reading with a public-domain original
General readers interested in novels about late-nineteenth-century American society
Organizers who need free electronic texts for teaching or reading groups

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strongly plotted, fast-paced genre fiction
Beginners with weak English who need Chinese annotations
Readers expecting a modern introduction and detailed background notes

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to see whether you can adjust to Howells's restrained pacing before continuing.
Jot down the social attitudes expressed in dialogue so you can sort out the author's stance afterward.
Read alongside sources on late-nineteenth-century American social history to understand the context better.
Read one or two chapters a day and take brief notes to avoid abandoning the book because of its gentle plot.

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?

According to the information provided, it is an English-language public-domain ebook released by Project Gutenberg, with no Chinese translation. Readers need some English reading ability and may use a dictionary or bilingual tools.

Do I need to know about Howells before reading?

No systematic study of the author is required. Howells was an important writer of American literary realism, and knowing this helps you grasp his realistic style; you can look up his life and background as needed without affecting your entry into the book.

Is this book suitable for learning English?

It can serve as advanced English reading material. The text is an original novel with natural but nineteenth-century prose, suitable for readers already able to read long English works; beginners should start with contemporary simplified readers.

Why are there no modern notes or introduction?

The book is provided by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain electronic text, which usually preserves only the original content without modern editorial notes or introduction. Readers must find background information themselves or compare with an annotated print edition.

Comments

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About the author

Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920 Author

William Dean Howells (1837–1920) was an American author and literary editor, with 107 works held in the collection. His writing spans novels, travel books, memoirs, and literary essays, and his representative works include My Mark Twain, Indian Summer, A Boy's Town, A Modern Instance, and A Hazard of New Fortunes. Howells drew on close observation of everyday life, writing in a plain style with gentle irony and attending to moral questions and human situations amid social change; his travel book Venetian Life and his memoir Literary Friends and Acquaintance record his journeys and personal recollections of American literary figures. Public information is limited, so biographical details are not elaborated here; readers may turn to the works above to learn about his subjects and style.