Thoth: A Romance

Nicholson, J. Shield (Joseph Shield), 1850-1927Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 179K words
Chapters: 18

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.Thoth: A Romance by J. Shield NicholsonAuthor: Nicholson, J. Shield (Joseph Shield), 1850-1927,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Apr 13, 2018

Editor's review

Thoth: A Romance is a novel by the British economist Joseph Shield Nicholson. Its subtitle, "A Romance," signals a story closer to imaginative and legendary fiction than to realistic social narrative. The author's background in economics may lend the work a speculative interest in ideas, civilization, or social order beyond its plot, though the available information is limited and does not warrant over-inference about specific content. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, its value lies chiefly in offering a reading sample of late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century English popular romance fiction, suited to readers interested in genre fiction of that era, ancient Egyptian themes, or cross-genre writing by non-professional novelists. It is best read as a period work, attending to narrative pacing and the organization of legendary elements, rather than judged by the standards of classic literature. The electronic edition is plainly formatted; readers are advised to sample the opening chapters first to see whether the narrative style suits their taste.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in late nineteenth-century English romance fiction
General readers who enjoy ancient Egyptian themes and mysterious, imaginative stories
Literature enthusiasts studying genre fiction or cross-genre authorship
Learners who need English public-domain novels as reading practice

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting rigorous historical research or scholarly annotation
Readers who prefer fast-paced contemporary suspense narratives
Those unaccustomed to the formatting of English-language public-domain eBooks

Reading tips

Read the first three to five chapters to judge whether the narrative pacing and legendary flavor suit your taste.
Read it against the backdrop of late nineteenth-century English popular fiction, noting how legendary elements are woven into the plot.
Given the author's background in economics, watch for passages of argument about order, civilization, or ideas.
If used for study, excerpt dialogue and scene descriptions to observe the language habits of genre fiction of that era.

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

What is the connection between this book and Thoth of ancient Egyptian myth?

The title uses "Thoth" and is labeled "A Romance," suggesting a link to ancient Egypt or imagery of ancient wisdom, but the available information does not confirm how the plot unfolds. It is best read as imaginative narrative with a legendary cast rather than presumed to be mythological scholarship.

The author is an economist—what is distinctive about this novel?

Nicholson's primary field was economics, and his foray into fiction is itself noteworthy. While reading, watch for speculative discussion of ideas, order, or social questions, but do not assume the novel is an economic allegory; specifics must be judged from the text itself.

What is the reading experience of the electronic edition like?

This is a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg, offering mainly the novel's text in plain formatting, usually without detailed notes or introduction. It is suitable for direct reading on a computer or e-reader; for background, consult relevant literary histories or author introductions separately.

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About the author

Nicholson, J. Shield (Joseph Shield), 1850-1927 Author

J. Shield Nicholson (Joseph Shield Nicholson, 1850–1927) is an author whose name appears in bibliographic records. Public information about him is limited, and the library holds only one work under his name, Thoth: A Romance. Judging from its title and genre label, the book is a romance or tale centred on Thoth, the ancient Egyptian god of wisdom, rather than the kind of scholarly writing for which he may be better known. Because verifiable Chinese-language sources are scarce, his life, nationality and education should not be guessed at. Readers interested in this book should approach it as a narrative work drawing on ancient Egyptian cultural motifs, attending to its plotting and exotic imagination; a fuller picture of his writings and literary standing awaits further public documentation.