Windfalls

Alfred George GardinerProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 357K words
Chapters: 36

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.Windfalls by A. G. GardinerAuthor: Gardiner, A. G. (Alfred George), 1865-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 22, 2014

Editor's review

Windfalls is a collection of essays by the English essayist A. G. Gardiner, part of the public-domain English literary corpus. Gardiner is known for his clear, elegant newspaper essays, drawing thought-provoking observations from everyday people and affairs, social customs, and the reading life, in prose that is plain yet pointed. The book suits light reading of English essays: the pieces stand alone and are short, so readers can dip in at any point without relying on prior plot. For Chinese readers it is both a sample of early twentieth-century English essay style and material for extensive reading and language feel. Note that this is the original English public-domain text, with no modern annotations or Chinese introduction; pieces touching on the social background of the time may require readers to look things up themselves. Overall, it is better suited to fragmented reading in bed or on the commute than to systematic scholarly study.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy English essays and want light reading in spare moments
Intermediate and advanced English learners who need extensive reading material and want to develop language feel
Readers interested in early twentieth-century English social customs and literary tastes
Casual readers who prefer standalone short pieces over long plots

Not a good fit for

Beginners with weak English who need a Chinese parallel text or detailed annotations
Readers who prefer plot-driven novels with strong narrative tension
Readers seeking systematic literary history or academic research support

Reading tips

Read one or two pieces a day, then note your thoughts or questions in a sentence or two.
Mark unfamiliar cultural references first, then look them up after finishing the whole piece.
Start with pieces close to your own experience to build reading rhythm and confidence.
If using the book for English study, read passages aloud to feel the rhythm and tone of the essay sentences.

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 in Chinese or English?

This is the original English public-domain text, released by Project Gutenberg; the body is in English with no Chinese translation or annotations. Chinese readers can use it as extensive reading material in English, or read it with a dictionary and background references.

I haven't read any other work by Gardiner. Can I start with this book?

Yes. This is an essay collection; the pieces are relatively independent and do not depend on earlier works or a continuous plot. Readers can begin with any piece without difficulty, making it suitable for a first encounter with this author.

About how long is each piece, and when is a good time to read it?

The material does not specify exact lengths, but as a collection of newspaper essays, individual pieces are usually short, suited to fragmented times such as commuting or before bed. Reading one or two at a time is recommended, so as not to lose the chance to savor them.

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About the author

Alfred George Gardiner Author · British · 1865–1946

Alfred George Gardiner (1865–1946) was a British journalist, editor and essayist, born in Chelmsford, Essex. From 1902 he served as editor of the Daily News, and beyond his editorial work he became known for his essays written under the pen name "Alpha of the Plough." His essays are graceful, humorous and unhurried, drawing reflections on life from everyday matters and natural scenery in a warm and well-judged style. His representative works include Pebbles on the Shore, Leaves in the Wind and Windfalls; three of his works are held in this collection. Public information on his early education and private life is limited, so this introduction focuses on his journalistic career and essay writing.