Those Other Animals

Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 342K 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.Those Other Animals by G. A. HentyAuthor: Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902,Language: English, Class: QL: Science: Zoology, Release Date: Mar 17, 2018

Editor's review

Those Other Animals comes from G. A. Henty, best known for historical adventure novels, yet is classified under zoology (QL)—a mismatch worth noting in itself. The materials indicate it is not fiction but natural-history writing about animals, best understood in the context of late nineteenth-century popular science and imperial-era nature writing. Its value lies in showing how the English-speaking world of the time presented animals to general readers: the observational stance, classificatory habits, and narrative tone all bear clear period marks. As you read, note which descriptions come from field observation and which from hearsay or imagination, and how the narrator uses animals to discuss human nature and moral instruction. The text is a public-domain ebook, easy to obtain, but lacks modern annotation, so some species names and ideas require the reader's own verification. It is better read as a sample of the history of natural-history writing than as a reliable modern zoological reference.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century popular natural-history writing
Scholars studying Henty's nonfiction and period views of nature
Readers who enjoy English animal essays and are willing to weigh historical sources

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking accurate modern zoological knowledge and taxonomy
Readers expecting a Henty-style historical adventure novel
Young readers hoping for a systematic introductory science book

Reading tips

Read piece by piece, noting the species and observational methods in each.
When encountering species names, compare them with modern names and taxonomy, marking what may be outdated.
Set aside anthropomorphic descriptions of animals and analyze the period ideas behind them.
Read alongside other natural-history essays of the same period to compare narrative tone and sources of knowledge.

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 novel or zoological popular science?

The materials classify it under QL (zoology), indicating it is natural-history writing about animals rather than the historical adventure fiction Henty is known for. Read it as nonfiction natural-history essays, without expecting plot or character development.

Is the animal knowledge in the book still accurate today?

It cannot be used directly as a basis for modern zoology. Late nineteenth-century species classification, behavioral descriptions, and ideas differ from contemporary research, and some content may come from hearsay or conjecture. Read it as a historical source and verify specific knowledge with modern materials.

Why would Henty write a book about animals?

The materials show only that the author is G. A. Henty and the classification is zoology; they do not explain the origin of the work. What is certain is that popular natural-history writing was widespread in the nineteenth-century English-speaking world, and it was not unusual for prolific authors to take up such subjects, but the specific background requires other sources and should not be guessed.

What English level is needed to read this book?

It is in the essay style of late nineteenth-century English, with syntax more complex than modern English and no annotations. Strong English reading ability will make it smoother; if you only want the gist, read slowly with a dictionary and need not aim for sentence-by-sentence precision.

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About the author

Henty, G. A. (George Alfred), 1832-1902 Author

George Alfred Henty (1832–1902) was a well-known British writer of historical adventure novels for young readers in the nineteenth century. The collection here contains 107 of his works, most of them drawn from major historical events in Europe and the Americas: By Right of Conquest is set during Cortez's conquest of Mexico, Under Wellington's Command takes the Peninsular War as its background, and For the Temple deals with the fall of Jerusalem. He typically placed a young hero at the centre of real historical scenes, weaving military campaigns and political struggles together with personal adventure. The plots are tightly paced and rich in detail, and they reflect a distinctly British outlook and the moral tastes of the Victorian age. His output was considerable, and his books had a lasting influence on later historical adventure fiction. Public information about his family, education and career is limited, so no speculation is offered here.