Eden: An Episode

Saltus, Edgar, 1855-1921Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 215K words
Chapters: 22

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.Eden: An Episode by Edgar SaltusAuthor: Saltus, Edgar, 1855-1921,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 8, 2010

Editor's review

This book is a novella by the American writer Edgar Saltus, classified under American and Canadian literature. Saltus is known for his ornate style and strong speculative bent; this work continues his finely wrought language, interweaving narrative and philosophical reflection—short in length but rewarding to ponder. It is better treated as a sample of the diversity of late-nineteenth-century American literature than as a plot-driven popular read. Its value for readers lies in experiencing the density of literary language of the period and the author's literary treatment of human nature, desire, and fate. Attend to its rhetoric and narrative rhythm; treat it as a short journey through language and thought, suited to slow, careful reading in a quiet setting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in late-nineteenth-century American literature
Readers who enjoy ornate style and philosophical narrative
Readers seeking to broaden their reading of public-domain English literature
Readers who prefer short works for slow, careful reading

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong plots and fast-paced stories
Readers with weak English who are unused to nineteenth-century style
Readers seeking systematic literary-historical explanation

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the narrative outline, then revisit key passages to savor the language.
Keep a notebook of striking rhetorical and reflective sentences for review.
Read alongside background materials on late-nineteenth-century American literature.
The work is short; read it in two or three sittings, allowing time to digest.

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 work long, and is it suitable for beginners?

The record indicates a novella-length work, not long, but with high language density. It can be an entry point if you accept late-nineteenth-century style; if you want light entertainment, it may not be the first choice.

What characterizes Saltus's writing style?

The record does not elaborate, but based on its classification and general literary knowledge, Saltus is known for an ornate style and strong speculative bent. In this book, attend to rhetorical density and narrative rhythm, which matter more than plot progression.

What background knowledge is needed to read this book?

Some familiarity with the atmosphere of late-nineteenth-century American literature helps but is not essential. The work is short; readers can enter the text directly and look up unfamiliar allusions or expressions without losing overall understanding.

Comments

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About the author

Saltus, Edgar, 1855-1921 Author

Edgar Saltus (1855–1921) was an American writer whose life and education are poorly documented in publicly available sources; the library currently holds fifteen of his works. His subject matter is notably varied. He produced popular cultural histories built around broad themes, such as Historia Amoris: A History of Love, Ancient and Modern and The Lords of the Ghostland: A History of the Ideal, as well as Imperial Purple, a work centered on the Roman Empire, and essays with a speculative, pessimistic bent in The Philosophy of Disenchantment. His novels, including The Truth About Tristrem Varick, Eden: An Episode and Mr. Incoul's Misadventure, often draw on upper-class society and combine satire with sensational incident in an ornate, faintly decadent style. The library classifies him under inspirational and personal growth, but his work is in fact a blend of popular history, reflective essay and plot-driven fiction, suited to readers interested in late nineteenth-century American popular genres.