Collections and Recollections

George William Erskine RussellProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.0

Word count: 662K words
Chapters: 67

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.Collections and Recollections by George William Erskine RussellAuthor: Russell, George William Erskine, 1853-1919,Language: English, Class: DA: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Great Britain, Ireland, Central Europe, Release Date: Mar 1, 2004

Editor's review

This book is a collection of recollections by the British politician and man of letters George William Erskine Russell, a record of observations on nineteenth-century British political and social life. Its value lies not in systematic historical argument but in the vivid character sketches, parliamentary anecdotes, and period atmosphere left by an eyewitness; readers can sense the tone and tastes of upper-class British society from the late Victorian to the Edwardian era. The style is unhurried and mildly humorous, suitable as corroborative material for modern British history and parliamentary history, and equally suitable for readers who enjoy literary essays to dip into at leisure. Note that this is a public-domain eBook in the original English, lacking notes and an introduction; it involves many figures and events of the period, so first-time readers may need reference works. For reading settings, it suits segmented reading during commutes or before bed; it should not be strictly cited as a primary source, but is better used as a source of historical leads and reading pleasure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in late Victorian British politics and social life
Researchers of British parliamentary history and political anecdotes seeking corroborative material
Readers who enjoy English essays and memoirs and are willing to read slowly
English learners who wish to encounter nineteenth-century British literary language in the original

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking a systematic textbook-style account of modern British history
Readers with limited English reading ability who need Chinese annotation as support
Readers expecting a coherent, strongly narrative work of fiction

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and chapter titles, and start with a figure or event that interests you; there is no need to read straight through.
Prepare an index of people and events or an encyclopedic reference, and look up unfamiliar names as you go to lower the barrier to understanding.
After each chapter, write two or three sentences summarizing it and noting relationships among figures and the historical background, for later reference.
Read alongside contemporary British memoirs or works of parliamentary history to distinguish personal perspective from historical fact.

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 a novel or a memoir?

It is a collection of recollections recording the people, events, and observations of the author's time, not a work of fiction. Read it as a record of observations from a personal perspective, not as a systematic history.

Is the original English difficult, and what background is needed?

The style is that of nineteenth-century British literary essays, with long sentences and many allusions to people. University-level English reading ability is enough to attempt it, but reference works and background material are recommended; look up names and places before relying on them.

Can it be used as a cited source for historical research?

It can serve as a source of historical leads and as corroboration of period atmosphere, but the author has personal positions and memory biases, so it should not be used alone as factual evidence. Cross-check with other sources before citing.

How can it be read more easily?

There is no need to read straight through; skip by figure or theme, read one or two chapters at a time, and take notes and look things up, treating the reading as like browsing old newspapers.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

George William Erskine Russell Author · British · 1853–1919

George William Erskine Russell (1853–1919) was a British biographer, memoirist and Liberal politician. Born in London and educated at University College, Oxford, he sat in the House of Commons for Aylesbury and Biggleswade, served as Under-Secretary at the India Office and the Home Office under Gladstone and Rosebery, and was made a Privy Counsellor in 1907. His writings combine political observation with character portraiture. He is the author of a life of Gladstone, Matthew Arnold and Sydney Smith, as well as several volumes of reminiscence, including Collections and Recollections, Fifteen Chapters of Autobiography, Seeing and Hearing and Prime Ministers and Some Others. His graceful style and first-hand knowledge vividly evoke Victorian public life.