The Roll-Call

Bennett, Arnold, 1867-1931Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 665K words
Chapters: 67

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 Roll-Call by Arnold Bennett. Author: Bennett, Arnold, 1867–1931. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: June 1, 2004

Editor's review

The Roll-Call is a novel by the English writer Arnold Bennett (1867–1931), made available as a free eBook by Project Gutenberg. Bennett is known for his finely observed, calmly detailed portrayals of everyday life in the industrial towns of the English Midlands, and for revealing character and social change through ordinary events. This book continues in his realist mode, centering on a character's growth, choices, and social relationships, and serves as an accessible introduction to early twentieth-century British realist fiction. The electronic edition is easy to search and excerpt, making it suitable for commuting, classroom supplementary reading, or self-study in literary topics. Readers are advised to note the author's depiction of urban space, class differences, and personal ambition, as these details are key to understanding Bennett's craft. Because this is a public-domain eBook without modern annotations, the historical background must be looked up by the reader; consulting British literary history alongside the text is recommended for a fuller understanding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary readers interested in early twentieth-century British realist fiction
Students of English literature and researchers who need to read Bennett's work
Readers who enjoy long-form fiction rich in psychological and social detail
Teachers who want to use public-domain eBooks for classroom supplementary teaching

Not a good fit for

Readers of popular fiction who prefer fast-paced plots and strong suspense
Professional researchers seeking an edition with detailed annotations and an introduction

Reading tips

Start by learning about Bennett's life and the background of English industrial towns before beginning the text
Read chapter by chapter and note character relationships as you go to avoid confusion from dense detail
Read alongside Bennett's other major works to appreciate the consistency of his realist method
After finishing, consult relevant chapters of British literary history to fill in the historical background

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 background in English literature?

It can be read, but it requires some patience. Bennett's narrative is detailed and slow-paced, and readers without background knowledge may find it plain. It is advisable to read a short biography of the author and an overview of early twentieth-century British society before starting the text; understanding will be much smoother.

Is this the Chinese version or the English version?

According to the information, the book is in English: it is an English public-domain eBook provided by Project Gutenberg, with no Chinese translation. Reading it requires some English proficiency, and a dictionary or bilingual reference materials may be used alongside it.

Does the electronic edition include annotations or an introduction?

The Project Gutenberg edition is primarily the original text and usually does not include modern scholarly annotations or an introduction. The historical background, place names, and allusions must be looked up by the reader; reading alongside British literary history or studies of the author is recommended.

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About the author

Bennett, Arnold, 1867-1931 Author

Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) was an English novelist, essayist and playwright. Publicly available information is limited, so his early life and education cannot be described in detail, but his work is clearly recognisable. He often set his writing in the five pottery towns of Staffordshire, his home region, portraying the daily livelihoods and emotional ups and downs of ordinary people in a meticulous, restrained style, and revealing character and circumstance through everyday detail. The collection here holds 45 of his works, including The Old Wives' Tale, Riceyman Steps, Clayhanger and several Five Towns story collections, as well as essays such as The Author's Craft and How to Live on 24 Hours a Day. His writing thus spans fiction and essays on life and the craft of writing, drawing its material from ordinary life with a plain style and close observation.