The Lonesome Trail

John Gneisenau NeihardtProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 387K words
Chapters: 39

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 Lonesome Trail by John G. NeihardtAuthor: Neihardt, John G., 1881-1973,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Nov 16, 2015

Editor's review

The Lonesome Trail is a literary work by John G. Neihardt, categorized under American and Canadian literature and now released as a free eBook by Project Gutenberg. Neihardt's writing often centers on the American West and Native American themes, and this book is no exception, weaving its narrative around loneliness, journeying, and frontier experience. As a public-domain eBook, its value lies in giving readers zero-cost access to a less mainstream strain of early twentieth-century American literature—a Western voice distinct from conventional cowboy tales. Its depictions of wilderness and inner life make it a useful supplementary read for understanding the diversity of American Western literature. While reading, pay attention to how narrative perspective and landscape description serve the theme of loneliness. Since the text is in English and carries period language features, non-native readers may wish to use a dictionary or a parallel translation. Overall, the book suits readers interested in Western literature or Neihardt's work rather than general readers seeking fast-paced plots.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-speaking readers interested in American Western literature and Native American themes
researchers and students studying early twentieth-century American literature
readers looking for free public-domain classic e-books
readers who enjoy lyrical landscape description and introspective narrative

Not a good fit for

readers with limited English proficiency who need a Chinese translation
readers of popular fiction who prefer fast-paced, plot-driven stories
beginners completely unfamiliar with American Western history and literary background

Reading tips

Begin with the preface or publisher's note to learn about Neihardt's background and the book's place in Western literature.
Mark passages of landscape description while reading and consider how they heighten the themes of loneliness and journey.
When encountering strongly period-specific English expressions, read through the whole paragraph first and look up words afterward, so as not to interrupt the reading rhythm.
After finishing, compare it with other Western literary works to see how narrative perspective and characterization differ.

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?

This is the original English edition, published by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book. Chinese readers need some English reading ability, or a dictionary and other aids.

What is The Lonesome Trail mainly about?

This is a literary work by Neihardt in the American and Canadian literature category, narrating around Western frontier experience and the theme of loneliness. For specific plot details, refer to the original text; readers can regard it as part of the Western literary tradition.

What are the features of the Project Gutenberg edition?

Project Gutenberg provides free e-books, and this is its public-domain edition, easy for readers to obtain at no cost. The text is in the original English, mainly in plain text, and suitable for reading on electronic devices.

What background knowledge is needed to read this book?

Some knowledge of the history of American westward expansion and early twentieth-century literary style will help. If you only want to enjoy the narrative and landscape description, you can read it directly without first mastering a large amount of historical material.

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

John Gneisenau Neihardt Author · American · 1881–1973

John Gneisenau Neihardt (1881–1973) was an American poet and writer. He was born near Sharpsburg, Illinois, and died in Missouri. In 1921 he became Poet Laureate of Nebraska and taught poetry at the University of Nebraska. His work drew heavily on the life of the American West and on Native American culture. His representative works include The Song of Hugh Glass, The River and I, The Lonesome Trail, and Two Mothers, which often use narrative poetry and prose to depict frontier landscapes and human fates. Published in 1932, Black Elk Speaks recounts the visions of the Lakota holy man Black Elk and brought him wide recognition. Public information is limited; his plain style, attentive to oral tradition and local experience, has influenced later Native American literary writing.