Post-Prandial Philosophy

Allen, Grant, 1848-1899Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 227K words
Chapters: 23

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.Post-Prandial Philosophy by Grant AllenAuthor: Allen, Grant, 1848-1899,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jul 8, 2006

Editor's review

Post-Prandial Philosophy is an essay collection by the British writer Grant Allen; the title may be understood as "after-dinner philosophy," suggesting a conversational, speculative flavor. Allen was known for nature writing and popular science, and this book continues his blending of knowledge with literary style, offering commentary on everyday phenomena, social customs, and ideas in a relaxed manner. As a public-domain ebook, it preserves the feel and rhythm of late nineteenth-century English essays and suits readers who want to encounter late Victorian nonfiction prose. There is no need to seek systematic coverage; treating it as short after-dinner reading better matches the book's character. For readers studying popular science writing or the English essay tradition, it can also serve as an entry point to Allen's style. Note that its views bear clear marks of their era and should be read today with critical distance.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy nineteenth-century English essays and conversational prose
Those interested in Victorian popular science and cultural topics
Learners who want short nonfiction material for English reading practice
Readers studying Grant Allen's writing style and public-domain texts

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting systematic philosophical treatises or rigorous argumentation
Researchers needing contemporary social-science analysis
General readers who prefer plot-driven narrative or fiction

Reading tips

Read piecemeal, taking one or two essays at a time; no need to read straight through in order.
Annotate era-specific views as you go, distinguishing historical context from universal questions.
Alongside Allen's background in nature writing, note his technique of popularizing knowledge.
English learners can read one essay through first, then revisit long sentences and rhetoric.

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 a philosophical work in the strict sense?

No. The "philosophy" in the title is closer to essayistic speculation and conversation; the content is mostly commentary on everyday topics and cultural phenomena rather than systematic philosophical argument. Readers should not expect the structure of a philosophy textbook.

Can I read it without background knowledge of nineteenth-century Britain?

Yes, though some topics involve the social customs and scientific ideas of the time, and without background they may feel remote. Treat it as a text within its historical context; skip unfamiliar references at first, and overall understanding will not be greatly affected.

Why is piecemeal reading recommended over reading straight through?

Such after-dinner essays were written as short conversational pieces, and the entries do not necessarily build rigorously on one another. Piecemeal reading better matches the book's rhythm and avoids the fatigue that continuous reading can bring due to the gap between eras.

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About the author

Allen, Grant, 1848-1899 Author

Grant Allen (1848–1899) was a late nineteenth-century British writer known both for science writing and fiction. Thirty of his works are held in the collection, spanning science fiction, detective stories, social novels, and popular science essays. His novel The Woman Who Did stirred controversy for its treatment of female independence and marriage morality; An African Millionaire presents humorous satire through the serial exploits of the swindler Colonel Clay; Hilda Wade and Miss Cayley's Adventures create determined female protagonists. In popular science, Falling in Love With Other Essays on More Exact Branches of Science and Anglo-Saxon Britain show his skill in making science accessible, while Biographies of Working Men focuses on ordinary laborers. Public information on his life is limited, but his works reveal a gift for combining scientific reason with popular narrative, giving him a place in late Victorian popular literature.