Potts's Painless Cure

Edward BellamyProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 48K words
Chapters: 5

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. Potts's Painless Cure by Edward Bellamy. Author: Bellamy, Edward, 1850-1898. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Sep 21, 2007

Editor's review

Potts's Painless Cure is a short humorous piece by Edward Bellamy, circulated as a free eBook through Project Gutenberg. The title itself carries a light ironic tone; the story centers on a "painless cure" and is suited to a short reading session in which to savor Bellamy's wit and exaggeration in handling everyday material. Compared with his utopian novels, short pieces like this sit closer to the tradition of magazine entertainment: brisk in pace and focused in situation, they can be read as a sample of late nineteenth-century American popular literary taste. Since the text is a public-domain English eBook with brief version information and no additional introduction, it is advisable to learn a little about the author's background before reading and to watch for the humor in dialogue and exaggerated character reactions. For a book club, discussion can center on the absurdity of the promise of "painless"; the brevity makes close reading and retelling easy.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy nineteenth-century English humorous short stories and satirical sketches
Literature enthusiasts who want a quick look at Bellamy's non-utopian work
Hosts needing a short English text for book-club or classroom discussion
English readers who want a light, complete story in spare moments

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer serious social themes and deep intellectual inquiry
Beginning readers who need detailed notes, introductions, or a Chinese translation
Short-story readers expecting complex plots and multiple narrative threads

Reading tips

Read through once for plot, then again for exaggeration and irony in dialogue.
Spend a few minutes before reading learning about the popular-magazine humor tradition of Bellamy's time.
For a book club, first retell the setup of the "painless cure," then discuss what it satirizes.

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 related to Bellamy's utopian works?

The available information indicates this is an independent short story, humorous and satirical in subject, not a chapter or sequel of his utopian novels. Readers need not read other works first, but knowing Bellamy's overall background helps in appreciating the contrast between such short pieces and his serious works.

Is it suitable for English beginners?

The text is late nineteenth-century American English, with period vocabulary and syntax, and public-domain eBooks usually have no notes. Readers with general reading ability can manage with a dictionary; beginners are better advised to choose an edition with a translation or notes, or to read a Chinese introduction before attempting the original.

About how long is it, and how long does it take to read?

This is a short work; the exact page count varies with eBook formatting, and it can usually be finished in one or two sittings. It suits commuting or bedtime reading and is easy to read quickly before a book club and select passages for discussion.

Comments

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About the author

Edward Bellamy Author · American · 1850–1898

Edward Bellamy (1850–1898) was an American novelist and journalist, best known for his utopian novel Looking Backward: 2000–1887. The book imagines a future society based on nationalization and cooperation; it became a bestseller of its time and gave rise to the Nationalist Club movement, influencing social reform debates. His other works include Equality, Dr. Heidenhoff's Process, Miss Ludington's Sister, and The Blindman's World. Twenty-two of his works are held in the collection. His writing often centers on social ideals, future visions, and human nature, combining narrative drive with speculative reflection. Public information on the details of his life is limited, so this introduction focuses on the themes and influence of his works.