Gossip in a Library

Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 312K words
Chapters: 32

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.Gossip in a Library by Edmund GosseAuthor: Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Mar 1, 2004

Editor's review

Gossip in a Library is a collection of essays by the English writer and critic Edmund Gosse, a public-domain work of English literature distributed free by Project Gutenberg. The word "gossip" in the title signals a style of casual, broad-minded talk about books rather than a systematic work of bibliography. Gosse was long immersed in English literature and bibliophile circles, and such writing typically revolves around old books, authors' anecdotes, stories about editions, and reading impressions; it is suitable as literary essays and also as evidence for understanding the bookish tastes of late nineteenth-century English men of letters. There is no need to press through chapter by chapter: take one or two essays at a time and notice how the author slips judgments and anecdotes into the talk; look up unfamiliar titles and names as you go. Note that the language and topics bear the marks of their era; readers expecting modern-style book reviews or rigorous textual scholarship may find it discursive.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy English literary essays and bibliophilic topics
Scholars and students studying late nineteenth-century English literary taste
English learners needing public-domain English essays for extensive reading
Book collectors interested in old editions and literary anecdotes

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic textbook on bibliography or textual scholarship
Readers who prefer tightly plotted novels or modern book reviews
Those with limited stamina for English reading who are unwilling to look up names and titles

Reading tips

Choose essays at random, one or two at a time; no need to read straight through in order.
Mark unfamiliar names and titles first, then look them up together after finishing.
Keep a notebook recording the authors and edition information mentioned for easy reference.
Read alongside other English literary essays to appreciate stylistic differences.

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 a professional book about library management?

No. According to the available information, this is a collection of English literary essays by Edmund Gosse; although the title contains "library," "gossip" points to casual writing on book topics rather than a monograph on library management or bibliography. Read it as literary essays, not as a professional manual.

Do I need to know English literary history before reading this book?

You need not study it systematically first, but some general knowledge of English literature will make reading smoother. The book often touches on authors, old books, and edition anecdotes; without background you may miss the judgments behind the talk. Read while looking things up, note unfamiliar names and titles, and fill in the background afterward.

Is this book suitable as English extensive reading material?

Yes, but pay attention to the style. Gosse's essays have long sentences and many allusions and are not easy graded readers. English learners should choose short essays and read slowly, grasping the main idea first and then dealing with vocabulary and allusions; if you only want a smooth experience, start with shorter pieces on more focused topics.

Comments

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About the author

Gosse, Edmund, 1849-1928 Author

Edmund Gosse (1849–1928) was an English writer and literary critic, with nine works held in this collection. His best-known book, Father and Son, is a memoir that examines the clash of temperament and belief between two generations; restrained yet tense in style, it is an important text for understanding family and religious life in the Victorian era. He also wrote Henrik Ibsen, introducing the Norwegian playwright to English readers, while Gossip in a Library, Three French Moralists and The Gallantry of France, Some Diversions of a Man of Letters and Aspects and Impressions display the wide range of his essays and criticism. The Future of English Poetry and the fantasy Hypolympia show his ventures into poetics and imaginative writing. His prose is clear and elegant, learned yet readable. As public information is limited, biographical details are omitted here.