The Man on the Box

MacGrath, Harold, 1871-1932Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 377K words
Chapters: 38

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 Man on the Box by Harold MacGrathAuthor: MacGrath, Harold, 1871-1932,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 1, 2004

Editor's review

This popular novel by Harold MacGrath moves at a brisk pace through a story built on mistaken identity and coincidence; the "box" of the title is both a plot device and a hint at the absurdity and humor of the characters' predicaments. MacGrath excels at arranging misunderstandings and reversals within a framework of romantic adventure; the narrative is clear and the dialogue lively, making the book a good introductory read for getting a sense of early twentieth-century American popular fiction. Released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book, it is easy to obtain and well suited to fragmented reading time on commutes or trips, and also serves as light material for English learners encountering early modern English narrative. Note that the work bears clear marks of its era, and some social attitudes and narrative conventions are distant from contemporary readers; it is best read as a document of popular culture rather than as serious literature aiming at depth.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy light romantic adventure stories
English learners hoping to improve their feel for the language through light reading in the original English
Literature enthusiasts interested in early twentieth-century American popular fiction
Readers who need light reading for commutes or travel

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting the depth and social critique of serious literature
Readers sensitive to outdated gender attitudes and narrative conventions
Beginner English readers who need a Chinese translation or annotations

Reading tips

Read a chapter or two first to get a feel for the narrative pace and character relationships, then decide whether to read the whole book.
When you hit unfamiliar expressions, skip them for now to keep reading smoothly, and revisit key passages after finishing.
You may consult background material on early twentieth-century American popular fiction to understand the plot conventions in the book.
If time is limited, prioritize the middle and later chapters, where the plot turns are concentrated.

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, released by Project Gutenberg. It is a public-domain e-book in English, suitable for readers with some grounding in English reading, and can also serve as English material for getting to know early American popular fiction.

Can I read this book without any English foundation?

Not really. This is the original English edition and carries early twentieth-century habits of expression, so beginner English readers will face clear obstacles in understanding it. If you want to follow the story, look for a Chinese translation or introductory material first, then decide whether to take on the original.

Is this book suitable as material for literary research?

It is better suited as supporting material for the history of popular literature and publishing than as a core object of study. The book shows the romantic-adventure narrative conventions and period attitudes popular at the time, and has some reference value for studying early twentieth-century American popular reading tastes, but one should not expect the depth of classic literature.

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

MacGrath, Harold, 1871-1932 Author

Harold MacGrath (1871–1932) was an American novelist known for tightly plotted, adventure-filled popular fiction. His stories often feature princesses, royal courts, and mistaken identities, moving at a brisk pace with strong dramatic and romantic flavor suited to a broad readership. The library holds twenty-two of his works, including The Goose Girl, The Princess Elopes, Arms and the Woman, Hearts and Masks, The Puppet Crown, The Adventures of Kathlyn, The Best Man, and The Drums of Jeopardy; even the titles suggest his taste for exotic settings, suspense, and adventure. Because public information is limited, details of his life cannot be given in depth, but his works were popular with readers in the early twentieth century, and some were adapted into early films, showing his influence in popular storytelling.