My Novel — Complete

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 2.5M words
Chapters: 254

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."My Novel" — Complete by Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton LyttonAuthor: Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 26, 2004

Editor's review

"My Novel — Complete" is a long novel of manners by Baron Edward Bulwer-Lytton set against English society; the complete edition preserves the author's multi-volume elaboration of country-gentry families, political life, and literary tastes. Its value lies not in strongly charged plot but in its unhurried portrayal of nineteenth-century English social strata and its gallery of characters; the narrator frequently intervenes with commentary, bringing the discussion and humor characteristic of the fiction of that era. For today's readers it is more like a window onto the tastes of early Victorian fiction: dialogue is measured, scene changes are leisurely, and the details reveal the author's continuing attention to education, class, and marriage. It is best read as a slow text, attending to the interplay between the narrator's voice and the characters' fates rather than seeking compact momentum. Suitable for readers interested in English literary history and nineteenth-century social customs, to be read in installments over a longer period; it can also serve as a reference text for studying Bulwer-Lytton's narrative style.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century English fiction and social customs
Literary scholars seeking to understand Bulwer-Lytton's narrative style
Readers accustomed to slow reading of long novels who can accept a commentator narrator
Students and teachers who need the original English text as reading or research material

Not a good fit for

Readers of popular fiction who prefer fast pacing and strong conflict
Beginners with little patience for long English sentences and a commentator narrator
Readers who want a condensed edition rather than the complete original text

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to become familiar with the narrator's tone and manner of commentary, then decide on a reading pace.
Read in groups by volume or chapter, and after each session note the characters' relationships and class backgrounds.
When the narrator interjects, pause briefly and consider how it relates to the advancement of the plot.
Can be read alongside materials on nineteenth-century English social history to deepen understanding of the scenes.

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 the complete text or an abridged edition?

According to the information provided, this is the complete text of "My Novel", published by Project Gutenberg in English. It is not a condensed edition; it is quite long and is best read in planned installments rather than straight through in one sitting.

Can someone without a background in English literature read it?

Yes, but it requires some patience with long English sentences. The novel contains many social scenes and narrator's commentaries, and without background knowledge the pace may feel slow. It is advisable to first learn some basics about nineteenth-century English country gentry and political life before entering the main text.

What should be noted when reading the electronic edition?

This edition comes from Project Gutenberg and is a free electronic text. When reading, it is advisable to use a reader with adjustable fonts and to pay attention to chapter divisions; if quoting for research, verify the specific passages and edition information to avoid confusing electronic texts from different sources.

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About the author

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron, 1803-1873 Author

Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron Lytton (1803–1873) was an English novelist, playwright and politician. The library holds 220 of his works, spanning a wide range of subjects: the historical novel The Last Days of Pompeii, set against the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79; Rienzi, the Last of the Roman Tribunes, on the Roman tribune Cola di Rienzo; and Eugene Aram, a narrative drawn from a criminal case. He also wrote society novels such as Pelham, the family portrait The Caxtons, and the historical study Athens: Its Rise and Fall; the short tale The Haunted and the Haunters, or The House and the Brain reflects his interest in the supernatural. His style is ornate and his plots elaborate, combining romantic colouring with social satire. Public information is limited, and systematic Chinese-language appraisal of his life and work remains scarce.