An Original Belle

Edward Payson RoeProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 905K words
Chapters: 91

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 Original Belle by Edward Payson RoeAuthor: Roe, Edward Payson, 1838-1888,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 1, 2004

Editor's review

An Original Belle is a nineteenth-century American popular novel by Edward Payson Roe. The "belle" in the title points to a striking female figure in social settings; the story revolves around character, family relations, and emotional choices, bearing the moral admonition and warm narrative flavor popular in that era. Roe's works were known in their day for closeness to daily life and attention to ordinary people's feelings and conduct, and this book continues that vein: the plot advances plainly, characterization leans toward contrasts of good and evil, and it reads with the sincerity and directness of an old-fashioned novel. Its value lies in offering a window onto nineteenth-century American social customs, gender attitudes, and popular literary taste, especially useful for readers studying the reading culture of the time. Its highlights are natural dialogue and lifelike scenes, making it a suitable introductory sample for understanding English fiction of the period. It can be read in leisure in segments, without striving to finish in one sitting. Note that its narrative pace and values bear obvious marks of the era; modern readers should view them with historical perspective.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century American popular fiction and social customs
Researchers of English literary history who want to know works by popular writers like Roe
English readers who like old-fashioned warm narratives and can accept a slower pace

Not a good fit for

Readers used to modern fast-paced narrative who seek suspense and twists
Readers sensitive to old-era gender attitudes and moral preaching
Beginners who need a Chinese translation and find the original English difficult

Reading tips

Learn the common patterns of nineteenth-century American popular fiction first; the characters' motives will then be easier to understand.
Read in segments by chapter, and after each chapter briefly sort out the character relationships and the advance of conflict.
Note the descriptions of social occasions and family life as material on social customs.
After finishing, compare with other American popular novels of the same period to observe similarities and differences in themes and character types.

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 kind of writer is Roe, the author of this book?

Edward Payson Roe was a nineteenth-century American popular novelist whose works mostly concern daily life, emotions, and moral issues, and he was fairly popular with ordinary readers of his time. This book continues his plain, warm narrative style and is a suitable sample for understanding his work.

What does "belle" in the title mean?

In nineteenth-century English, "belle" often refers to a striking, popular woman in social settings. The title suggests the story revolves around such a female character, involving her character, circumstances, and emotional choices; the specific plot should be judged from the text.

Is this book suitable for intensive reading by English learners?

It can serve as extensive reading material. The original is nineteenth-century English with period features in sentence patterns and vocabulary, of moderately high difficulty. If studying, read extensively first to grasp the plot, then select dialogue passages for intensive reading; don't obsess over every new word.

What is the reading experience of the Project Gutenberg edition?

This edition is a free public-domain electronic text with simple formatting, convenient for reading and searching on electronic devices, but without a modern introduction or annotations. Readers who need background knowledge can consult materials on nineteenth-century American literature and society.

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About the author

Edward Payson Roe Author · American · 1838–1888

Edward Payson Roe (1838–1888) was an American novelist, Presbyterian minister, and horticultural writer, born in Moodna, New York, who served as a chaplain during the Civil War. His fiction is known for its moral instruction and themes of personal growth, and his strongly moralistic works were once bestsellers in the late nineteenth century. His representative works include Barriers Burned Away, He Fell in Love with His Wife, and The Face Illumined, as well as A Knight of the Nineteenth Century, Miss Lou, Nature's Serial Story, and Success with Small Fruits. Nineteen of his works are included in the collection, commonly classified under inspirational growth. Public information is limited, and details of his life are largely unavailable; scholarship relies mainly on his novels and gardening essays to understand his ideas and style.