The Walk

Walser, Robert, 1878-1956Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.6

Word count: 122K words
Chapters: 13

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.Der Spaziergang by Robert WalserAuthor: Walser, Robert, 1878-1956,Language: German, Class: PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures, Release Date: Mar 24, 2012

Editor's review

Der Spaziergang is a major prose work by the Swiss writer Robert Walser, written in German and part of the Project Gutenberg free eBook collection. Walser's style is known for its delicacy, composure, and a walking-like rhythm. The work centers on the everyday act of walking, unfolding observations, associations, and inner monologue through seemingly casual movement, with a light and musical language. For readers familiar with German literature or interested in German-language prose of the early 20th century, this is a text to read slowly and savor: it does not rely on strong plot but wins through the flow of language and thought. The electronic edition is easy to search and carry, suitable for reading in segments on commutes, in the afternoon, or before bed, and also useful as supplementary material for studying the language of German literature. Readers need patience for loose structure and appreciation for everyday observation; it is not to be approached with the expectation of following a story.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Lovers of German literature who want to encounter Walser's prose style
Intermediate and advanced learners of German seeking to feel the rhythm of literary language
Slow readers who enjoy everyday observation and essayistic narration
Literature students studying German-language prose of the early 20th century

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong plot and fast-paced stories
Readers with no German at all who do not accept the aid of a translation
Readers hoping for a clear plotline and character conflict

Reading tips

Read through once to feel the language, then choose favorite passages and read them closely sentence by sentence to appreciate Walser's rhythms.
If German is difficult, read alongside a reliable translation, paying attention to the original wording and tone.
Read only a small section at a time, ideally while walking or in a quiet setting, to match the text's character.
After finishing, try writing a walking observation of your own to set against the text.

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 level of German is needed to read this book?

Intermediate to advanced German reading ability is recommended, enough to handle literary long sentences and fairly abstract description. Beginners can first use a translation to understand the content, then return to the original to feel the language.

Is Der Spaziergang a novel or a prose essay?

It is closer to essayistic narrative, centered on observations, associations, and inner thoughts during a walk rather than driven by tight plot; it is best read slowly.

What reading situations suit the electronic edition?

It suits segmented reading on commutes, in the afternoon, or before bed, and is easy to search for words. Because the text's pace is gentle, it is best to read a small section at a time rather than all at once.

Comments

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About the author

Walser, Robert, 1878-1956 Author

Robert Walser (1878–1956) was a Swiss German-language writer. Publicly available information about him in Chinese is relatively limited, and some details of his life and dates still need to be completed. Nine of his works are held in the collection, covering novels, essays and short prose pieces. Representative works include Der Spaziergang, Geschwister Tanner, Jakob von Gunten: Ein Tagebuch, Der Gehülfe, Prosastücke and Kleine Dichtungen. His writing often focuses on the everyday situations of ordinary and marginal people. His tone is light yet subtly ironic, and his walk-like narratives unfold delicate observations of the self, society and solitude. His works are short, spare and attentive to detail and rhythm, giving him a distinctive place in modern German-language literature and a lasting influence on later writers. His works are commonly categorized as inspirational and personal-growth reading.