The Upton Letters

Benson, Arthur Christopher, 1862-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 402K 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 Upton Letters by Arthur Christopher BensonAuthor: Benson, Arthur Christopher, 1862-1925,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 1, 2003

Editor's review

The Upton Letters is a collection of essays in epistolary form by Arthur Christopher Benson, in which a correspondent named Upton writes to a friend about education, character, religion, and everyday life. The letter form lends the book an intimate, natural tone, as if conversing with a gentle and learned elder. Benson, an educator and man of letters, writes with concern for the growth of young people and a gentle inquiry into the meaning of life, combining reason and feeling without preaching. The book will appeal to readers who enjoy epistolary essays and care about character education and spiritual questions, and it also offers a window into the intellectual life of early twentieth-century Britain. The original English presents some difficulty for contemporary readers; it is best read slowly and savored rather than rushed.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy the epistolary form and intimate, conversational prose
Teachers and parents concerned with young people's character education and questions of life's meaning
Readers interested in the thought and religious sensibility of early twentieth-century British intellectuals
Learners willing to read the original English slowly to build reading stamina

Not a good fit for

Readers of fiction seeking tight plotting and dramatic conflict
Practical readers looking for concrete educational methods or psychological tools
Beginners with weak English who find the long sentences of epistolary prose difficult

Reading tips

Read the letters in order, and after each one summarize the writer's central concern in a sentence or two
Keep a notebook to copy passages on education and character and annotate them in light of your own experience
If the English proves difficult, learn something of Benson's life and times before entering the text
Read a few letters each week at a steady, relaxed pace rather than in one sitting

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

Why write in the form of letters?

The letter form lets the author discuss serious subjects in an intimate tone, as if speaking privately with a friend, without the stiffness of a formal essay. It heightens sincerity and immediacy, and it allows each letter to stand on its own, making the book easy to read in installments.

Is the book primarily religious preaching?

Benson had a religious background, and the book touches on faith and spiritual questions, but its tone is gentle and restrained, focusing on character and the meaning of life rather than doctrinal instruction. Readers without a religious background will still find general reflections on growth and self-examination.

How does it differ from the author's From a College Window?

Both are collections of essays by Benson, but From a College Window centers on observations and recollections from a college window, while The Upton Letters uses the epistolary form to discuss education, character, and questions of life in a more unified form and with a sharper focus on the spiritual and on personal growth.

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About the author

Benson, Arthur Christopher, 1862-1925 Author

Arthur Christopher Benson (1862–1925) was an English writer whose 18 works are held in this collection, commonly classified under inspirational and personal growth. Public information is limited, and details of his life are difficult to verify, yet his writings reveal a clear authorial bent. Essay collections such as Essays, Beside Still Waters, The Thread of Gold and The Silent Isle dwell on inner experience and reflections on life, in a gentle, restrained prose that carries a contemplative and gently exhortatory tone; The Isles of Sunset and The Child of the Dawn use imagination and allegory to express a longing for spiritual peace. Hugh: Memoirs of a Brother and Memoirs of Arthur Hamilton recall departed friends in a sincere biographical manner. His works often draw moral and spiritual reflection from everyday observation, in a calm, inward style suited to readers seeking consolation and self-growth.