King Solomon's Goat

Bartlett, George Willard, 1857-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.0

Word count: 224K words
Chapters: 23

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.King Solomon's Goat by George Willard BartlettAuthor: Bartlett, George Willard, 1857-,Language: English, Class: BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism, Release Date: Nov 2, 2015

Editor's review

This work belongs to religious philosophy and essayistic discussion, unfolding around the title “King Solomon's Goat,” which carries an allusion. It is short, yet serves well as a sample of late nineteenth-century American popular religious writing. The author, George Willard Bartlett, writes with the marks of his era, arguing by citation and reflective digression rather than in the manner of a strict academic treatise. Its value for readers lies not in systematic theological conclusions but in the pleasure of a style that mixes biblical imagery, everyday observation, and moral reflection. As a public-domain ebook from Project Gutenberg, it is easily accessible and suits short reading sessions on a commute or before sleep. Readers interested in religious metaphor, classical essays, or the preservation of public-domain texts will find a light and engaging textual experience; those expecting rigorous argument or modern scholarly annotation should adjust their expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in religious allusions and biblical imagery
Literary enthusiasts who enjoy nineteenth-century essay style and are willing to read slowly
Readers studying public-domain ebooks and early popular religious writing
Beginners who want to approach philosophical and religious topics in short form

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic theology textbooks or strict academic argument
Readers who prefer modern vernacular and fast-paced narrative
Readers uninterested in religious topics who only want fiction

Reading tips

Read the title and opening first to grasp what “King Solomon's Goat” specifically refers to before continuing.
Read one or two sections a day and treat it as essays rather than a continuous treatise; do not expect plot momentum.
Look up biblical citations as they appear to better follow the author's line of argument.
After finishing, note your objections in a few sentences; this is more rewarding than passively accepting the conclusions.

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 an academic work?

It is neither a novel nor a strict academic monograph. It is closer to essayistic discussion under the heading of religious philosophy, marked by nineteenth-century citation and moral reflection; its argument does not aim at modern academic standards and suits light reading.

How difficult is the English, and is it suitable for English learners?

The original is in English, with nineteenth-century sentence structure and diction and with biblical names and allusions, posing a barrier for learners below intermediate level. With some religious vocabulary and a willingness to look up words, it can serve as extensive reading; otherwise, begin with a Chinese translation or introductory material.

What background knowledge is helpful before reading?

It helps to have a general impression of the basic biblical stories about King Solomon and to know common uses of religious metaphors such as the scapegoat. With this background, it is easier to follow the direction of the author's reflections; otherwise the discussion may seem disjointed.

Why can this book be read for free on Project Gutenberg?

Project Gutenberg specializes in ebooks whose copyright has entered the public domain, edited and proofread by volunteers. The author lived in the nineteenth century and the work is no longer under copyright, so it can be legally obtained free of charge and downloaded without payment.

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About the author

Bartlett, George Willard, 1857- Author · 1857

George Willard Bartlett (born 1857) is an author about whom very little public information is available. Only his birth year can be confirmed; his nationality, education, and professional career cannot be verified. A single work by him is held in the collection, King Solomon's Goat. From the title alone it is difficult to determine the book's genre or subject, though its allusion suggests it may carry an allegorical or narrative quality, using the biblical reference to develop a plot or argument. In the absence of biographical materials and reviews, his writing style, the full range of his work, and his later influence cannot be described, and no speculative details are offered here. Readers wishing to learn more should consult the original book and rely on its bibliographic information.