Ranson's Folly

Davis, Richard Harding, 1864-1916Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 404K words
Chapters: 41

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. Ranson's Folly by Richard Harding Davis. Author: Davis, Richard Harding, 1864-1916. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: May 1, 2004

Editor's review

This is a short work by Davis, continuing his gift for brisk narration and scene-setting. The story revolves around a seemingly absurd engineering project or plan, and the characters carry a reporter's quick wit and adventurous spirit. Davis's writing is clean and efficient, the dialogue moves fast, and the scene changes are clear, making it suitable for reading in segments during a commute or short break. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies not in deep philosophical inquiry but in offering a sample of early twentieth-century American popular fiction's tastes: distinct character types, light conflict, and a tidy resolution. For readers studying Davis's work or the tradition of American magazine fiction, this small book can serve as an entry point; for readers seeking complex characters and heavy themes, it may feel thin.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy early twentieth-century American popular fiction and short-form narratives
English learners looking for a light public-domain English short read for extensive reading
Literature enthusiasts studying Davis's work or the magazine fiction tradition
Readers who need lightweight reading for commutes or short breaks

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting profound social critique or complex psychological portrayal
Heavy novel readers who prefer long-form structures and multi-threaded narratives
Beginners with weak English who need detailed annotations for support

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting at a short-story pace, and notice how dialogue drives the plot turns
Before reading, learn that Davis came from a reporter background; this helps in understanding the narrative perspective
Compare it with American magazine short stories of the same period to observe popular fiction conventions
When reading the original English, skip unfamiliar expressions first and return to key passages after finishing

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 book long? Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?

According to the information, this is a short work by Davis, modest in length and focused in narrative, suitable for finishing in one or two readings. If reading the original English, you can first read through for the plot, then revisit dialogue and scene descriptions without looking up every word.

Who is Davis? Do I need to know about him before reading?

Richard Harding Davis was an American writer and journalist from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, and his works often carry a reporter's sense of immediacy and brisk pace. You don't need to study his life specially before this book, but knowing his journalistic background helps in understanding the quick sketching of scenes and characters in the narrative.

Is this book the same genre as adventure novels?

According to the information, this book belongs to Davis's popular fiction, carrying an air of adventure and quick-witted characters, but it is closer to a short story than a full-length adventure novel. Its conflicts are light and its resolution tidy, so expectations should rest on character interest and narrative pace rather than a grand adventure journey.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Davis, Richard Harding, 1864-1916 Author

Richard Harding Davis (1864–1916) was an American writer and war correspondent, with 49 works held in this collection. Public information is limited, yet the range of his writing can be seen from the titles listed here: he wrote both war reportage and fiction and character sketches. Notes of a War Correspondent records a reporter's firsthand experiences in the field, Real Soldiers of Fortune tells of adventurous soldiers, while Gallegher and Other Stories and Van Bibber and Others show his skill in the short story, with a light touch and a gift for portraying city life and a variety of characters. His works are often classed as inspirational coming-of-age reading and have circulated among young readers, combining the immediacy of journalism with the readability of fiction; they have influenced later war reporting and popular narrative.