In Our Town

William Allen WhiteProject Gutenberg · United StatesMar 2023

3.0

Word count: 400K words
Chapters: 40

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.In Our Town by William Allen WhiteAuthor: White, William Allen, 1868-1944,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Aug 7, 2008

Editor's review

In Our Town is a work by William Allen White, belonging to American literature and now available as a free electronic edition from Project Gutenberg. White was a newspaper editor whose writing often carries a local flavor and the feel of character sketches; this book is a narrative text set against small-town life, suitable as an introductory read for understanding early twentieth-century Midwestern American society and literary style. The electronic edition is easy to obtain and may be freely copied and distributed. Readers can dip into it during a commute or a leisurely afternoon and take in the human warmth and rhythm of an old-time small town. Note that this is the original English edition, with language bearing the marks of its era, so it suits readers with some foundation in English reading; those expecting a full-length plot or a modern narrative pace may need to adjust their expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers interested in American small-town literature and local narrative
Readers who want to understand early twentieth-century American society through the original text
Readers accustomed to reading in English who prefer short sketches
Readers who need public-domain English texts for language study or source material

Not a good fit for

Ordinary readers with weak English who prefer Chinese translations
Readers expecting tight plotting and strong dramatic conflict
Researchers seeking a systematic account of White's life and works

Reading tips

Read the table of contents and opening first to grasp the overall tone of the small-town narrative, then read piece by piece
Mark period expressions as you go and look them up after finishing a chapter, so as not to break the rhythm
Read alongside background material on Midwestern American history to deepen understanding of the context
Use the search function of the electronic edition to organize characters and scenes into your own reading notes

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 complete full-length work or a collection of short pieces?

The information only identifies it as a work by White in the American literature category and does not specify its genre or structure. Readers should rely on the actual table of contents of the electronic edition, browsing the chapter arrangement before deciding whether to read it through or selectively.

How difficult is the original English edition?

The text belongs to early twentieth-century American literature, with period vocabulary and local expressions; it is not especially difficult overall but requires a certain vocabulary. Readers with intermediate English reading ability are advised to try it, using a dictionary for unfamiliar expressions.

Can the electronic edition be used freely?

This book is released by Project Gutenberg, a project known for providing free ebooks. For the specific scope of use, please refer to the license statement attached to the Project Gutenberg page, and read the relevant terms before reposting or redistributing.

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About the author

William Allen White Author · American · 1868–1944

William Allen White (1868–1944) was an American journalist and writer, known as the "Sage of Emporia." In 1895 he bought the Emporia Gazette, and his editorial "What's the Matter with Kansas?" deeply influenced the 1896 presidential election; his 1922 editorial "To an Anxious Friend" won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize, and he also wrote several novels. His works include In the Heart of a Fool, A Certain Rich Man, The Martial Adventures of Henry and Me, In Our Town, and The Court of Boyville, and are often classed as inspirational and coming-of-age writing. Public information is limited, and this introduction relies mainly on the facts above. White combined newspaper editorials with novel writing; his plain yet evocative style drew universal meaning from local life and ordinary experience, and his editorials and novels had wide influence in the social debates of the American Progressive Era, so his works are still regarded as important texts for observing Midwestern American society and values.