The Canadian

D. TorbettProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.6

Word count: 350K words
Chapters: 35

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.The Canadian by W. Somerset Maugham and D. TorbettAuthor: Torbett, D.,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: May 17, 2006

Editor's review

This book is a work by Maugham in collaboration with D. Torbett, included by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book and classified under American and Canadian literature. The available information suggests that it is not long and is clearly narrative in character, making it suitable as supplementary reading for understanding a lesser-mentioned side of Maugham's oeuvre. In terms of reading experience, it is not as widely known as The Moon and Sixpence, and for that very reason it suits readers who have already read Maugham's major works and want to see how he handled other subjects and collaborative writing. The text is in English and generally fluent, but it involves a Canadian setting and the context of its time, so some details require readers to supply historical background on their own. It is best treated as a short excursion: read through once to grasp the direction of the story, then return to observe how dialogue and scene transitions are handled. Given the limited material, one should not approach it with overly high expectations of a classic; reading in a spirit of discovery and comparison is more likely to be rewarding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read Maugham's major works and want to explore his lesser-known writing
Lovers of foreign literature interested in early twentieth-century English, American, and Canadian literature
Advanced English learners who need short English texts for reading practice
Literary researchers and students interested in the phenomenon of collaborative authorship

Not a good fit for

First-time readers expecting Maugham's most mature major works
Beginners who need detailed notes and introductions to read English originals
Readers of popular fiction who prefer strong plots and fast-paced narrative

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the main storyline, then on a second pass focus on how dialogue and scene transitions are written.
Look up the background of the work and the circumstances of its collaboration beforehand; this helps in understanding possible stylistic differences in the text.
Keep a simple chart of character relationships and note entries as you read, to avoid losing the thread through confusion over English names.
After finishing, compare it with other works by Maugham and note similarities and differences in subject and style.

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 difficult is this book compared with Maugham's major works?

The language difficulty is broadly comparable; the writing consists mainly of narrative and dialogue and is not obscure. The difference lies more in fame and maturity: it is less discussed and does not represent Maugham's highest achievement. Readers already familiar with his major works will find it easy to enter; those encountering him for the first time are advised to start with better-known works.

Why does this book have two authors?

According to the available information, the book was written by Maugham in collaboration with D. Torbett, and the Project Gutenberg record lists both. Collaborative writing was not uncommon in the literary world of the time; readers may note whether differences in narrative voice and structure suggest stylistic variation, but should not infer specific divisions of labor from this.

The e-book has no notes; what should I do when background details get in the way?

First skip details that do not affect the main thread, so as to keep reading smoothly; after finishing a chapter, look up the place names, institutions, or historical background involved. Literary histories and chronologies of the period can also help supply context. For public-domain e-books, making your own notes is often more practical than waiting for ready-made annotations.

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

D. Torbett Author

D. Torbett is an author about whom very limited public information is available; only one work, The Canadian, is currently known. No records exist in our database regarding nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background, or writing career, and further clues are difficult to find in public sources, so this introduction can only center on that single surviving work. Judging by its title, The Canadian very likely takes Canada or a Canadian figure as its subject, carrying a distinct regional flavor and perhaps touching on immigration, identity, or some aspect of North American life. Lacking a synopsis, however, its precise subject matter, narrative approach, and genre remain uncertain. On the available evidence, Torbett's profile as a writer stays rather obscure, and the influence of the work cannot be assessed. Readers wishing to learn about this author should treat The Canadian as the sole entry point and watch for any bibliographic material that may emerge later.