A Hoosier Chronicle

Meredith NicholsonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 880K words
Chapters: 88

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.A Hoosier Chronicle by Meredith NicholsonAuthor: Nicholson, Meredith, 1866-1947,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Feb 22, 2005

Editor's review

A Hoosier Chronicle is a long novel set in Indiana, steeped in regional character and period detail. Nicholson is skilled at laying out social scenes and human relationships; the narrative moves at an easy pace and offers careful portrayals of local politics, community life, and personal fates. As a public-domain eBook, it provides an original text for understanding early twentieth-century Midwestern American literature and society, and will appeal to readers interested in chronicle-style regional fiction. While reading, pay attention to dialogue and scene description, where the author's observations on changing times often lie. Because the book was written long ago, some attitudes and pacing differ from contemporary reading habits; approach it with historical context rather than judging it by present standards. Overall, it is a work that rewards patience and offers a rich sense of regional culture.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Midwestern American literature and local history
Readers who enjoy social novels and are willing to read long works slowly
Scholars or students studying early twentieth-century American narrative
Readers who want to learn about Indiana society through fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer tight plots and fast-paced narrative
Readers unfamiliar with early American society who are unwilling to look things up
Beginners who need extensive modern annotation to understand the text

Reading tips

Learn a little about Indiana's geography and the period before starting.
Keep pen and paper to track characters and avoid confusion in a long book.
Read chapter by chapter, briefly reviewing main events and character changes after each.
Look up unfamiliar place names or institutional terms as you go to aid understanding.

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 similar in style to the author's other works?

Available information confirms only the author and title, so specific stylistic comparisons cannot be made. What is certain is that this is an American literary novel with a strong regional flavor. Readers familiar with the author's other works can note how scenes and relationships are handled here.

Can I understand it without a background in American history?

You can, but some support helps. The novel involves local society and period context, and complete unfamiliarity may hinder understanding of characters' motives. Skim a brief introduction to the era and region first, and look up unfamiliar institutions or place names as you read.

Is the electronic edition suitable for academic citation?

As a Project Gutenberg public-domain eBook, it preserves the original text and can be used for general reading and preliminary research. For formal academic citation, verify edition information and rely on authoritative print or scholarly editions, using the electronic version as a convenient tool for comparison and searching.

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About the author

Meredith Nicholson Author · American · 1866–1947

Meredith Nicholson (1866–1947) was an American author, political figure, and diplomat from Indiana. He is best known as a novelist who, together with Booth Tarkington and others, helped create a golden age of Indiana literature. His representative works include The House of a Thousand Candles, The Port of Missing Men, and A Hoosier Chronicle, all of which were national bestsellers. His fiction often blends mystery, social manners, and local life, with engaging plots and fluent prose that won him a wide readership. Beyond literature, he served as U.S. minister to Paraguay, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, achieving distinction in diplomacy as well. The library holds twelve of his works, including The Madness of May, Blacksheep! Blacksheep!, The Siege of the Seven Suitors, Lady Larkspur, and Otherwise Phyllis. Public information is limited, and further details of his life and full body of work remain to be studied.