Naples, Past and Present

Norway, Arthur H. (Arthur Hamilton), 1859-1938Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 631K words
Chapters: 64

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.Naples, Past and Present by Arthur H. NorwayAuthor: Norway, Arthur H. (Arthur Hamilton), 1859-1938,Language: English, Class: DG: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: Italy, Vatican City, Malta, Release Date: Mar 11, 2012

Editor's review

This book is a collection of essays on the history and culture of Naples by the British writer Arthur H. Norway, belonging to the public-domain tradition of travel literature and urban history writing. From a wanderer's perspective, the author links together the monuments, streets, churches and bay scenery of this southern Italian port city, discussing both its historical development and its urban character, in prose that is unhurried and observation finely detailed, carrying the leisurely, humanistic charm typical of early twentieth-century travel writing. Its value lies not in offering the latest travel tips but in letting readers understand Naples' layered historical sediments through the eyes of a century ago—the transformations from classical times to the modern city. When reading, one may treat it as a "paper city guide": start with the chapters on the bay, castles and churches, then compare them with maps or photographs of the actual sites to feel the changes in urban space more directly. For readers who enjoy urban history, Italian culture or old-fashioned travel literature, this is a small book suited to slow reading and casual browsing; if you want only practical tourist information, you will need a modern guidebook as well.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Italian urban history and Neapolitan culture
Those who enjoy old-fashioned travel literature and city-walk writing
Travelers planning an in-depth visit to Naples who want historical background
Literature enthusiasts studying early twentieth-century English travel writing

Not a good fit for

Tourists needing up-to-date practical tips on transport, accommodation and ticket prices
General fiction readers who prefer fast-paced narratives or fictional stories
Researchers seeking systematic academic argumentation and detailed annotations

Reading tips

Begin with the chapters on the bay and castles to build an overall impression of the city's geography.
Read alongside maps or photographs of actual sites, grounding the descriptions in specific spaces.
Skip around according to interest; there is no need to proceed linearly from start to finish.
After reading, note down the place names and buildings mentioned as a checklist of clues for an on-site visit.

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 travel guide?

Not in the modern sense. It is closer to essays on urban history and culture, focusing on Naples' historical development, landmarks and urban character, and offers no practical information such as transport, accommodation or ticket prices. It is suitable as background reading before a trip.

Can I read it without any background in Italian history?

Yes. The author mainly wanders and observes, in plain narration that does not rely on specialized terminology. When you encounter unfamiliar historical figures or events, consulting maps and concise reference works on Italian history is enough and will not affect the overall reading experience.

What is the reading experience of the electronic edition like?

This is a public-domain e-book, with the text presented in its original English and a rather plain layout, suitable for reading on an e-reader or tablet. It is advisable to enlarge the font and use the bookmark function so you can easily look back at place names and chapters.

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About the author

Norway, Arthur H. (Arthur Hamilton), 1859-1938 Author

Arthur H. Norway (1859–1938) was a British author. Public information on his life is limited, and his reputation rests chiefly on two substantial historical works. He was concerned with the historical development of specific institutions and local societies. His representative work, History of the Post-Office Packet Service between the years 1793–1815, examines the operation and transformation of Britain's maritime mail service against the background of the Anglo-French wars; its precise and uncommon subject has kept it a reference for scholars in the field. Naples, Past and Present turns to the southern Italian city, combining its historical development with its urban character. His writing emphasizes factual narrative and institutional detail, in a plain style, and retains documentary value. Two of his works are held in this collection.