Wake-Robin

Burroughs, John, 1837-1921Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.1

Word count: 336K words
Chapters: 34

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.Wake-Robin by John BurroughsAuthor: Burroughs, John, 1837-1921,Language: English, Class: QL: Science: Zoology, Release Date: Mar 30, 2011

Editor's review

Wake-Robin is an early representative work by the nineteenth-century American nature writer John Burroughs, recording woodland birds and the seasons in fine observation and an unhurried tone. The book offers both precise descriptions of the form and habits of particular bird species and the author's reflections on his rambles through the countryside, in prose that is plain yet never without poetry. As a public-domain ebook, it serves well as an introduction to the nature essay and lets readers compare against the English original to feel the tone of nineteenth-century natural-history writing. It need not be read for plot; better to dip into an essay or two at dawn, dusk, or on a weekend, alongside a field guide or nature journal, gaining both natural-history knowledge and a slower way of looking.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy nature writing and natural-history essays
English learners who want to practice slow reading with an English original
Birdwatchers curious about early writing on bird observation
Readers who prefer short pieces they can pick up and put down at will

Not a good fit for

Readers of fiction who expect a strong plot or character-driven story
Beginning researchers who need a systematic ornithology textbook or field guide

Reading tips

Read essay by essay, one or two at a time, and note the birds and seasonal details you observe in a journal afterward.
Consult a modern field guide for the species mentioned, making up for the lack of illustrations in the early text.
Start with Chinese nature essays to build interest, then return to the English original to feel its rhythm and phrasing.

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 a complete Chinese translation?

No. This entry comes from Project Gutenberg; the text is a public-domain English ebook, listed under Language: English. It is meant for reading the English original, not a Chinese translation.

Can I understand it without a background in ornithology?

Yes. The book records observations and impressions in essay form and does not depend on a body of technical terminology. Look up specific bird names in a field guide as needed; the point is to follow the author's way of looking.

Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?

Not really. The essays are self-contained and leisurely in pace; reading them in installments lets you savor the details and pair them with your own outdoor observations.

Comments

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About the author

Burroughs, John, 1837-1921 Author

John Burroughs (1837-1921) was an American nature writer. A lifelong observer of rural plants, birds, and animals, he recorded the changing seasons and his experiences in the field in essays and sketches. His style is plain and delicate, combining the accuracy of natural history with literary readability. The library holds 25 of his works, including Wake-Robin, A Year in the Fields, Riverby, Ways of Nature, Fresh Fields, Birds and Bees, Sharp Eyes, and Other Papers, and Camping with President Roosevelt. These works mostly concern birds, insects, country life, and nature observation. He often begins with ordinary natural scenes and blends personal experience with reflection on nature, in language that is simple yet warm. His writing has influenced later nature essays and ecological writing. Public information on his education, posts, and specific experiences is limited, so no speculation is offered here.