Phyllis

Maria Thompson DaviessProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 253K words
Chapters: 26

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. Phyllis by Maria Thompson Daviess. Author: Daviess, Maria Thompson, 1872–1924. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Feb 17, 2005

Editor's review

Phyllis is a novel by Maria Thompson Daviess, falling under the category of American and Canadian literature. Daviess's novels are mostly written in a light, brisk style depicting life in the American South or in small towns, and she excels at creating lively, independent-minded female characters; this work follows the same vein. Its readability comes mainly from dialogue and character interaction in everyday scenes, with gentle plot progression, making it suitable for reading in segments during commutes or before bed. As a public-domain ebook provided by Project Gutenberg, it also serves as an entry point for understanding the landscape of early 20th-century American popular fiction. It should be noted that, given the book's early date, its narrative pace and some social attitudes are distant from contemporary readers; it is best read with a historical perspective, focusing on character relationships and details of local life, rather than judging its suspense by the standards of modern genre fiction.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy early 20th-century American popular fiction
Casual readers interested in short public-domain English novels
Readers studying early American women's writing and popular literature
Learners who want to practice extensive reading in English through original ebooks

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking strong plots and fast-paced suspense
Those hoping for deep social critique or discussion of modern issues
Readers impatient with old-fashioned language habits and attitudes

Reading tips

Read a chapter or two first to get a feel for the language rhythm, then decide whether to read it through or selectively.
Proceed by extensive reading; there is no need to look up every word—just grasp the character relationships.
While reading, pay attention to the female characters' words and actions in the context of the era, and make brief notes.
Read it alongside other American popular fiction of the same period to compare themes and techniques.

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

What kind of novel is this book?

It belongs to early 20th-century American popular fiction, focusing on emotions and character interaction in everyday life, with a gentle plot that does not rely on strong suspense. Readers may treat it as a work for understanding the popular literary landscape and the portrayal of women at the time, rather than as a modern genre novel.

Is the English difficult, and is it suitable for reading practice?

Overall it is moderately easy old-style English, with fairly colloquial sentences, though there are occasional period expressions and dialect. It is feasible as extensive reading material; it is recommended to focus on understanding the plot rather than checking every word. If used for intensive reading, select dialogue passages and note the differences between old usage and contemporary usage.

Why is the recommended version the Project Gutenberg ebook?

Project Gutenberg provides free public-domain ebooks that are easy to obtain and search, suitable for readers who want low-cost access to the original text. This edition has plain formatting and no modern annotations, so readers should prepare their own background materials; for citation or research, it is still advisable to consult other reliable editions.

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About the author

Maria Thompson Daviess Author · American · 1872–1924

Maria Thompson Daviess (1872–1924) was an American novelist, painter, and suffragist. She was born in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, in 1872 and died in New York in 1924. From 1909 onward she published a number of optimistic novels, among which The Melting of Molly is her best-known work; titles such as Phyllis, Rose of Old Harpeth, and Blue-grass and Broadway generally depict Southern life and human relationships in a light, cheerful tone. Beyond writing, she helped found the Nashville Equal Suffrage League and took an active part in the campaign for women's right to vote. Twelve of her works are held in this collection, though common classification information is currently unavailable and public sources are limited, so further biographical detail cannot be given. Her fiction and her suffrage work together reflect the participation of American women in literature and public affairs in the early twentieth century.