The Living Present

Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn, 1857-1948Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 437K words
Chapters: 44

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 Living Present by Gertrude Franklin Horn AthertonAuthor: Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn, 1857-1948,Language: English, Class: D501: History: General and Eastern Hemisphere: World War I (1914-1918), Release Date: Nov 28, 2004

Editor's review

The Living Present is by the American writer Gertrude Atherton and is classified by Project Gutenberg under World War I history, indicating that its contents are closely tied to observations of the 1914–1918 period. Atherton was known for fiction and character writing, which may lead her to emphasize immediacy and personal perspective rather than a purely military chronicle when addressing wartime subjects. For today's readers, the book's value lies in offering an immediate sample of wartime intellectual observation: it records the feelings and judgments of "the present" rather than conclusions reached in hindsight. Readers should note the relationship between the time of writing and the course of events, and distinguish the author's subjective stance from factual statements. As a public-domain English ebook, it is suitable as supplementary reading for research on wartime social attitudes and wartime writing, rather than as core introductory material on WWI military history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying social attitudes and writing during World War I
English-language readers interested in Atherton's work and wartime nonfiction
Students who need public-domain English historical sources to supplement coursework
Readers who enjoy experiencing the immediacy of the historical moment through contemporary texts

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic WWI military history, battle details, and military analysis
Readers with limited English proficiency who rely on Chinese translations
Readers expecting objective, neutral historical conclusions that have stood the test of time

Reading tips

Before reading, review a timeline of major events from 1914 to 1918 to situate the "present" the author describes.
Compare the book's judgments with later historical accounts, noting which observations were confirmed and which reflect period bias.
Read in order of composition to appreciate how judgments formed under wartime information constraints.
With the English original, take notes on shifts in the author's stance and recurring themes.

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 a military history monograph?

Judging from its classification and the author's background, it is closer to wartime observation and commentary than to a systematic military history. For battle details and military analysis, consult specialized military histories.

Why is it classified under World War I history?

Project Gutenberg assigns it to category D501, World War I history. This indicates that the content relates to the 1914–1918 period, but the specific approach and emphasis should be judged from the text itself.

What does Atherton mainly write?

Atherton was an American novelist known for fiction and character writing, often addressing social and gender issues. This book is her wartime nonfiction; readers may note how her fictional technique informs the commentary.

Is this book suitable as an introduction to WWI?

Not really. It offers an immediate wartime perspective without systematic background. It is better to first read a general WWI history to establish a framework, then use this book as supplementary material for understanding how people of the time felt and judged.

Comments

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About the author

Atherton, Gertrude Franklin Horn, 1857-1948 Author

Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton (1857–1948) was an American novelist, with twenty-six of her works held in this collection. Public information about her life is limited, and biographical details are difficult to verify. Judging from the works available, she excelled in both historical fiction and novels of social manners. The former includes The Conqueror: Being the True and Romantic Story of Alexander Hamilton, which reimagines a founding figure of the United States in a biographical mode. The latter, such as Patience Sparhawk and Her Times, The Californians, The Sisters-in-Law, Mrs. Balfame, and Black Oxen, draw on California life and contemporary urban society, with a sharp edge that often engages marriage, women's circumstances, and social class. The story collection The Bell in the Fog and Other Stories shows her command of Gothic and psychological suspense. Her narrative combines realism with romance and vivid characterization, making her a noteworthy figure in the study of American women's writing from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century.