An Amiable Charlatan

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 346K words
Chapters: 35

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.An Amiable Charlatan by E. Phillips OppenheimAuthor: Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-1946,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2006

Editor's review

This work comes from the British popular novelist Oppenheim and belongs to his light, witty vein of adventure and mystery. The title's "amiable charlatan" is itself a telling paradox, and the story turns on the ambiguous boundary between high society and trickery, offering both the playfulness of social comedy and the suspense of crime narrative. Oppenheim excels at setting gentlemanly manners alongside shady methods, inviting readers to smile while pondering the line between respectability and deceit. As a free Project Gutenberg eBook, this edition is easy to open on a phone, tablet, or computer, making it especially suited to fragmented reading time on commutes or trips. The English original is moderate in length, and its language carries the elegance and humor of the early twentieth century, making it quite friendly to readers who want to build their English reading through light fiction. Overall, it is an entertaining, accessible diversion that also offers a glimpse of the social mindset of its era.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Adult readers who enjoy light suspense and social comedy and want easy entertainment
Learners hoping to improve their English reading through popular fiction
Readers interested in early twentieth-century British social life
Commuters accustomed to fragmented reading on electronic devices

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting serious literary depth or complex psychological portrayal
Readers not comfortable with the English original who need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read a chapter or two first to get a feel for the narrative pace, then decide whether to continue straight through
Skip unfamiliar period expressions for now and focus on following the plot
Treat each con-artist episode as a standalone little story; reading in segments is easier

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 suitable for English beginners?

Not really for absolute beginners. The original is early twentieth-century English with rather elegant syntax and requires an intermediate or higher vocabulary. Readers at college English level or used to English novels will find it smoother; beginners might start with a simplified version or a parallel translation.

Is this a detective novel or a comedy?

Both. The story centers on trickery and social maneuvering, with suspense carried along by clear humor and satire; it is closer to a light-suspense adventure comedy than to strict formal detective fiction.

Anything to note about reading the electronic edition?

This is a free public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, mainly in plain text with few notes or introductions. A reading app that supports font resizing and bookmarks is recommended, making it easy to revisit character relationships.

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About the author

Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips), 1866-194 Author

E. Phillips Oppenheim (Edward Phillips Oppenheim, 1866–194) was a writer known for mystery and espionage fiction. Public information about him is limited, and the biographical details in our records are incomplete. The existing catalogue shows that he was a prolific author, with 61 of his works held on this site, including The Great Impersonation, The Double Traitor, The Governors, The Lost Ambassador, The Yellow House, and Stolen Idols. These works generally centre on disguise and false identity, political intrigue, detective pursuit, and adventure; their plots are tightly paced and full of suspense, and he was skilled at advancing the narrative through complex relationships among characters. His works are often classified under inspirational growth, reflecting readers' interest in the choices and turning points of fate faced by his characters.