Old News

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 57K words
Chapters: 6

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.Old News by Nathaniel HawthorneAuthor: Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 1, 2005

Editor's review

Old News is a prose work by Hawthorne built from old newspapers and local historical records, reflecting his enduring interest in historical fragments, rumor, and collective memory. By sorting and retelling old news, the text draws readers into the everyday texture of New England's past, combining the patience of antiquarian research with a novelist's keen eye for human detail. For readers studying Hawthorne's view of history, nineteenth-century American historical writing, and non-fiction prose, this is a rewarding text. As a public-domain Project Gutenberg ebook, it is easy to access and search, making it suitable as supporting material alongside Hawthorne's major novels, and equally suited to readers who enjoy the atmosphere of old newspapers and are willing to wander between historical sources and imagination, reading in sections. It is best read slowly, noting how the author selects and colors old news.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Literary scholars studying Hawthorne's view of history and nineteenth-century American prose
Readers interested in old newspapers, local historical records, and writing about historical memory
University teachers and students needing a public-domain English text for supplementary course reading
Mature readers who enjoy the essay form and can accept the pace of source-based narrative

Not a good fit for

General fiction readers seeking a complete plot and character arcs
Beginning readers with weak English who rely on translations and detailed annotations
Readers with little interest in early American history and newspaper style

Reading tips

Read in sections by piece, taking one small portion at a time to avoid fatigue from the density of historical material.
Before reading, learn the basic historical outline of the colonial New England period for smoother comprehension.
Read alongside Hawthorne's other historical works to compare how he handles source material and fiction differently.
When taking notes, distinguish quoted historical material from the author's commentary to better grasp his narrative stance.

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 Old News a novel or prose?

It is closer to prose writing based on old newspapers and local historical records, with the character of an essay and historical notes rather than a novel with a complete plot. When reading, focus on the author's narrative perspective and selection of material rather than expecting story progression.

Can I understand it without a background in American history?

You can read it, but depth of understanding will be limited. The text involves colonial-era figures, events, and newspaper style, so it is advisable to first acquire basic knowledge of early New England history, or read with an introduction and annotations, to enter the text more easily.

Is it suitable as classroom teaching material?

It is suitable as supplementary material for courses on Hawthorne or American historical writing, especially for discussing how literature retells historical sources. Because it is a public-domain English electronic text, teachers need to prepare their own background introductions and discussion questions.

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About the author

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 1804-1864 Author

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was an American novelist known for his engagement with Puritan tradition and moral allegory. He wrote about sin, guilt, confession, and social prejudice in a restrained style with vivid imagery, often using historical settings and legendary tales to reveal the subtleties of human nature. The collection here holds 98 of his works, including the frequently translated novel The Scarlet Letter, the short-story collection Twice-Told Tales, and children's books drawn from myth and legend such as A Wonder Book for Girls & Boys, Tanglewood Tales, The Gorgon's Head, and The Three Golden Apples, showing his dual interest in New England history and classical myth. His writing has had a lasting influence on American literature's treatment of conscience and identity. Publicly available details of his life are limited, so they are not elaborated here.