The Enchanted Burro

Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 359K words
Chapters: 36

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 Enchanted Burro by Charles Fletcher LummisAuthor: Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Feb 24, 2019

Editor's review

The Enchanted Burro is an English-language work by Charles Fletcher Loomis, set against the backdrop of the American Southwest and Latin American cultures. Loomis himself long took an interest in Native American cultures and the Spanish colonial legacy, and his writing often carries the flavor of travel observations and local legends; this book follows that vein. For Chinese readers, its value lies more in offering a window onto the customs and landscapes of the American Southwest from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century than in being a tightly plotted modern novel. The language is English, the length is short, making it suitable as light practice material for reading in the original English, and also suitable for readers interested in regional culture and folklore to dip into at leisure. When reading, one may treat it as a collection of cultural essays, paying attention to its local color and narrative tone rather than seeking a strong sense of plot momentum. As it is a public-domain e-book, the version is presented in the original text without modern annotations; when encountering unfamiliar place names or cultural allusions, readers may consult maps and background materials.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate English readers who want to practice reading original English texts and prefer short narratives
Readers interested in the folklore and cultures of the American Southwest and Latin America
Readers who enjoy travel-observation-style essays and do not seek strong plot
Self-learners who need public-domain English materials for language study

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for tightly plotted modern novels with strong suspense
Readers whose English reading ability is still at the beginning stage and who need Chinese annotations for support
Readers expecting systematic historical research or academic reference materials

Reading tips

First read through once to grasp the overall tone, then on the second pass look up unfamiliar words and place names, avoiding frequent interruptions to the reading rhythm.
While reading, use a map of the American Southwest and mark the places mentioned in the book to help understand the spatial background.
It can be used as short reading for bedtime or commuting, reading one or two sections at a time without chasing speed.
After finishing, write a few sentences about the local-color descriptions that left the deepest impression, to check whether you have grasped the cultural tone.

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 in Chinese or English?

The original text is in English, from a public-domain e-book on Project Gutenberg, with no Chinese translation included. Chinese readers need some English reading ability, or can use dictionaries and translation tools for support.

Without annotations or an introduction, will it be very hard to read?

It is true that modern annotations are lacking. It is suggested to first learn about the historical background of Loomis's time and the geography of the American Southwest, and to look up unfamiliar place names or cultural allusions as you go; this can noticeably reduce the difficulty of understanding.

Is it suitable for learning English?

It is suitable for intermediate and above readers as extensive reading practice. The language has a period flavor; sentence structures are not very complex, but there are many cultural terms. It is suggested to focus on understanding the general meaning rather than reading word by word.

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About the author

Lummis, Charles Fletcher, 1859-1928 Author

Charles Fletcher Lummis (1859–1928) was an American writer and editor who long devoted attention to the history and culture of the American Southwest and the Spanish colonial period. Two of his works are included here: The Enchanted Burro and The Spanish Pioneers. The former draws largely on Southwestern local legends and folk tales, with a lively, folksy tone; the latter recounts the pioneering experiences of Spanish frontiersmen in the Americas, presenting historical figures and events through accessible narrative. Lummis's writing often blends local color, anecdote, and historical narrative for general readers, in clear and readable prose. Because public information is limited, his specific biography, education, and positions are not detailed here; judged from the two works at hand, he was both a collector and teller of Southwestern folk tales and a popular recorder of Spanish colonial history, and his works offer readable material for understanding the cultural roots of the American Southwest.