The Turnstile

Alfred Edward Woodley MasonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 592K words
Chapters: 60

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 Turnstile by A. E. W. MasonAuthor: Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley), 1865-1948,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 27, 2012

Editor's review

This is a novel by the British novelist A. E. W. Mason, made available as a free e-book by Project Gutenberg. Mason excels at building suspense and moral dilemmas into popular narrative, and this work likewise centers on turning points in its characters' fates, with clean, brisk plotting and dialogue and scene descriptions that bear the typical features of early twentieth-century British fiction. For readers who want to explore public-domain English novels or to approach Mason's work with a low threshold, this is an easily accessible text. When reading, do not be in a hurry to ask about the ending; noting how the characters' choices at key moments are driven jointly by circumstance and temperament will be more rewarding than simply following the plot. Because it is a public-domain electronic text, the layout and notes are relatively plain, making it suitable as supplementary material for reading English originals rather than as a scholarly research base text.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who want to approach British novels in the original through free public-domain resources
General readers interested in early twentieth-century British popular literature
Readers who need light English reading material for fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Research-oriented readers who expect detailed annotations and scholarly introductions
Readers who prefer contemporary fast-paced narrative and lack patience for older styles

Reading tips

Read one chapter first to feel the rhythm of the language, then decide whether to read closely or extensively.
Mark unfamiliar words first and look them up later to avoid frequently interrupting the plot.
After finishing, review the characters' key choices and sort out the causal chain to understand the theme.

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 Chinese version or the original English?

This is an English public-domain e-book released by Project Gutenberg; the text is in English and there is no Chinese translation. It is suitable for readers with some English reading ability who want to engage directly with the original.

Do I need to know Mason's other works before reading?

No. This book can be read independently and does not require prior knowledge of the author's other works. If you become interested in Mason's style after reading, you can then explore his other novels.

Is the e-book layout suitable for long reading sessions?

Public-domain electronic texts are usually plain text, with simple layout and few notes. It is advisable to use reading software with adjustable font size and to read in sections to reduce visual fatigue.

Comments

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About the author

Alfred Edward Woodley Mason Author · British · 1865–1948

A. E. W. Mason (Alfred Edward Woodley Mason, 1865–1948) was a British novelist and playwright born in Camberwell, London, and educated at Trinity College, Oxford. His work spans adventure, detective fiction, and romance; his best-known novel, The Four Feathers, is celebrated for its conflict between battlefield duty and honour. His French detective Inspector Hanaud is regarded as one of the prototypes for Hercule Poirot, and such mystery works as At the Villa Rose and The Affair at the Semiramis Hotel also drew readers' attention. Mason served as a Liberal MP in the House of Commons and worked in naval intelligence during the First World War, experiences that lent a realistic texture to his narratives. Twenty of his works are held in the collection; public information is limited, yet his writing retains a place in the history of popular and detective fiction.