A Rambler's Lease

Torrey, Bradford, 1843-1912Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 252K words
Chapters: 26

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 Rambler's lease by Bradford TorreyAuthor: Torrey, Bradford, 1843-1912,Language: English, Class: QL: Science: Zoology, Release Date: May 20, 2011

Editor's review

A Rambler's Lease is a work by the nineteenth-century American nature essayist Bradford Torrey, a collection of natural history sketches falling under zoology (QL). A longtime observer of birds and rural scenery, Torrey writes with composure and restraint, drawing from a walk, a patch of woodland, or a bird's movement a sense of the turning seasons and the rhythms of life. The book's strength lies not in accumulated facts but in patience of observation and clarity of prose; it suits slow reading at quiet dawns and dusks, following the author's steps to relearn the art of seeing. For readers used to reading nature writing in Chinese, it offers a sample of the nineteenth-century American natural history tradition, to be read alongside the Thoreau line; the English original is short and loosely structured, and also works as light English prose for a section or two on the commute or before sleep, with no need for plot momentum.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who love nature essays and natural history sketches and are willing to read slowly and attentively
Chinese readers interested in the nineteenth-century American tradition of nature writing
Advanced learners who wish to practice English reading with short essays
Walkers and birdwatchers seeking a kindred spirit

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting tight plotting or strong dramatic conflict
Readers seeking systematic zoological knowledge
Those who prefer Chinese translations and would rather not read the English original

Reading tips

Read by season or by section, one or two at a time, savoring the observed details afterward.
Carry it outdoors and, after a walk, jot brief notes comparing your own observations.
Read alongside Thoreau and other nature writers, noting differences in perspective and style.
English learners can read a section straight through, then look up new words and read it aloud once.

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 a novel? Does it need to be read in order?

No, it is not a novel but a collection of nature essays; there is no continuous plot between sections, so you can start with any piece, choosing by interest or season.

How difficult is the English, and what level is it suited to?

It is nineteenth-century English prose with a leisurely, measured syntax and vocabulary touching on natural history and rural life; it suits readers with college-level English reading ability who are willing to look up words.

Will I gain concrete zoological knowledge from this book?

The factual content is limited; its value lies mainly in observation method and literary pleasure. If systematic zoology is your goal, choose a dedicated textbook or field guide.

Comments

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About the author

Torrey, Bradford, 1843-1912 Author

Bradford Torrey (1843-1912) was an American writer of nature essays known for his observations of birds and the outdoors. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are largely unknown; however, six of his works are held in the collection, including Birds in the Bush, A Florida Sketch-Book, A Rambler's lease, Spring notes from Tennessee, and The Foot-path Way. These works mostly draw on birdwatching in the woods and seasonal travels in Florida and Tennessee. His tone is calm and attentive, favoring careful record over moralizing, and his writing belongs to the American nature-essay tradition of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His close, everyday field observations remain of interest to readers of nature writing.