This Simian World

Clarence Shepard DayProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 89K words
Chapters: 9

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.This Simian World by Clarence DayAuthor: Day, Clarence, 1874-1935,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 1, 2004

Editor's review

This Simian World is a satirical collection of essays by Clarence Day that views humanity through an evolutionary lens, casting humans as inhabitants of a "simian world" and reflecting on the impulses, vanity, and social habits of human nature in a light, humorous tone. Concise in length and witty in language, it often uses anthropomorphism to discuss the absurdities of civilization, offering a distinctive intellectual pleasure. As a public-domain ebook, it suits fragmented reading during commutes or lunch breaks, and also serves as a model for studying English essay writing. Readers can sense the feel of early twentieth-century American humorous prose and, through the author's teasing of "simian nature," reflect on themselves. Note that the views carry the marks of their era, and some expressions may read as dated today; approach them critically, taking the insights rather than accepting everything wholesale.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy British and American humorous essays and want light but thoughtful reading
Those interested in evolution and human nature who welcome interdisciplinary casual reading
Learners who want to improve language sense and writing through short English essays
Readers who need lightweight reading for commutes or fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting systematic knowledge of evolutionary biology or anthropology
Readers sensitive to early twentieth-century value statements and unwilling to examine historical context
Readers who prefer coherent full-length novels and are unused to the essay form

Reading tips

Start with the table of contents and begin with the chapters whose titles appeal most; there is no need to read in order.
Pause briefly after each piece, note the specific human weaknesses the author satirizes, then connect them to reality.
Use it as a model for English essays: copy striking metaphors and imitate their sentence patterns.

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 novel or an academic work?

Neither. It is a satirical collection of essays that uses evolution as a starting point to discuss human nature and social habits. The style is light and leans toward personal observation and humorous commentary; it is not systematic academic research and has no continuous plot.

How difficult is the English, and what level is it suitable for?

The original is early twentieth-century American prose. Sentence structures are not complex, but the wording is polished and the irony subtle. It is recommended for readers with at least CET-4 level reading ability; beginners can read slowly piece by piece with a dictionary.

Are the book's views still applicable today?

Many observations about human nature remain thought-provoking, but some expressions reflect the limitations of the author's era. Treat it as an old mirror: appreciate its wit while keeping a critical mind, and there is no need to accept it wholesale.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Clarence Shepard Day Author · American · 1874–1935

Clarence Day (1874–1935) was an American writer and cartoonist, born in New York on November 18, 1874, and died there on December 28, 1935. He is known for his autobiographical novel Life with Father and was a longtime contributor to The New Yorker, skilled at drawing gentle humor and satire from everyday family life. His 1920 humor collection This Simian World uses the world of apes as an allegory for human habits, while The Crow's Nest (1921) continues in an easy, essayistic tone, portraying the small details and warmth of Victorian family life. Three of his works are held in the collection; a common classification is unavailable, and public information is limited. His writing often observes family members in the first person, with plain yet witty language that conveys a fond backward glance at the old family order.