Peter Binney: A Novel

Archibald MarshallProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 368K words
Chapters: 37

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.Peter Binney: A Novel by Archibald MarshallAuthor: Marshall, Archibald, 1866-1934,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 27, 2012

Editor's review

This novel comes from the British writer Archibald Marshall and belongs to the social-fiction vein he excelled in. A title named after a character usually means the work revolves around one man's circumstances, choices and relationships, using his personal experience to reflect the social environment around him. Marshall's narration is generally unhurried and detailed, dwelling on scenes and dialogue, so that character and class differences emerge through everyday interaction, with a mild satirical touch. For today's readers its value lies in offering a window onto early twentieth-century English middle-class life and in serving as a sample of the fiction style of the period. Note that the pace is slow and the plot does not advance through strong suspense; readers need patience to enter into the relationships. The public-domain electronic text suits selected reading in English literature courses or as supplementary leisure reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy English social novels and group portraits of characters
Literature students and scholars studying early twentieth-century English fiction
Leisure readers who prefer unhurried narration and do not seek strong plot
Teachers and students who need a public-domain English novel as course material

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting suspense, twists or a fast-paced plot
Those unfamiliar with the English social background who are unwilling to fill in the context
Readers who want only major classics and have limited interest in minor writers

Reading tips

Sort out the main character relationships first, then move into individual chapters to avoid confusing forms of address.
Pay attention to class hints in dialogue and social scenes; this is where the pleasure of reading the book lies.
Pair it with background material on English social history to help understand the logic of the characters' behaviour.
If the pace feels slow, read in segments, concentrating on one or two scenes at a time.

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

How fast does the plot move?

Judging by the author's style and the subject, it is an unhurried social novel that emphasizes relationships and everyday scenes rather than suspense. Readers should read it scene by scene and not expect rapid turns.

Can I read it without knowing English background?

You can, but it will go more smoothly if you understand the class and etiquette implications of what the characters say and do. It helps to learn first about early twentieth-century English middle-class social habits, or to look up background as you read.

Is it suitable for English learners?

The text is a public-domain English novel with both narration and dialogue, suitable as extensive reading for intermediate and advanced learners. But it contains much social language and period background, so an annotated or guided edition is advisable.

Why choose the public-domain electronic edition?

A public-domain electronic text is easy to obtain and to search, suiting course selection and excerpting. Layout may differ between editions, so cite the edition and paragraph location you used.

Comments

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About the author

Archibald Marshall Author · English · 1866–1934

Archibald Marshall (1866–1934) was a British novelist, journalist and humorist, born Arthur Hammond Marshall in Hampstead, London, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He wrote more than fifty works, known for his delicate portrayal of English country life and once regarded as an heir to the Tolstoyan tradition. His novels mostly centre on gentry families and the routines of country houses, written in a gentle and often humorous tone. Representative works include The Squire's Daughter, Peter Binney, The Graftons, The Hall and the Grange, Abington Abbey, and The Honour of the Clintons from the Chronicles of the Clintons. Nine of his works are held in this collection, commonly classified under inspirational growth. He served as literary editor of the Daily Mail and founded the publishing house Alston Rivers.