What Peace Means

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 38K words
Chapters: 4

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.What Peace Means by Henry Van DykeAuthor: Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933,Language: English, Class: BX: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Churches, Church movements, Release Date: Mar 5, 2005

Editor's review

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933) was an American writer and clergyman. This book revolves around the question of what peace means and is classified under Christianity and church movements, with a clear moral and faith-based reflective character. The style leans toward essay and sermon-like discourse, emphasizing reflection over narrative, and suits slow reading in a quiet setting. Its value lies not in offering concrete plans but in guiding readers to understand peace at the level of inner attitude and ethics: peace is not merely the absence of conflict but also concerns the heart, responsibility, and ways of living together. As a public-domain e-book, it is easy to obtain and suitable for personal contemplation or for book-club discussions on peace and faith. The original English is somewhat challenging for non-native readers, so reading with a dictionary is recommended.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Christian ethics and peace issues
Readers who enjoy essay-style reflection and are willing to read slowly and reflect
Group organizers seeking discussion material for book clubs

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for concrete peace-movement plans or policy analysis
Readers who prefer plot-driven narratives and fast-paced reading

Reading tips

Read only a short section at a time and write down your own questions and associations afterward
Use “the meaning of peace in daily life” as a book-club discussion theme
For the original English, use a dictionary, read through once, then revisit key passages

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

What is this book mainly about?

The book revolves around the theme of what peace means, discussing the meaning of peace from the perspectives of faith and ethics. Its style is essayistic and sermon-like reflection, and it belongs to works under Christianity and church movements.

Do I need a religious background to read this book?

Not strictly, but readers with a Christian background will find it easier to enter the context. General readers can treat it as reflective essays on peace and ethics and focus on the moral reflection.

How difficult is the English?

The author was an American writer of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, and the language is somewhat formal and sermon-like. It is somewhat challenging for non-native readers; reading with a dictionary and at a slower pace is recommended.

Comments

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About the author

Van Dyke, Henry, 1852-1933 Author

Henry Van Dyke (1852–1933) was an American author best known for his essays and Christmas stories. Public information about him is limited, and the details of his life are not further documented in this collection. Judging from the works available here, he wrote in a clear, quietly poetic style, dealing with themes of faith, goodwill, and inner growth; his narratives are gentle and carry a strong sense of festival and reflection. The Story of the Other Wise Man, his most widely read short work, follows the journey of a fourth Magi and is often regarded as a classic of Christmas literature; The Lost Word: A Christmas Legend of Long Ago continues in this legendary vein. The Mansion uses allegory to explore life and the world to come, brief in length but lingering in meaning. The essay collection Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness turns to nature and leisurely pleasure in an unhurried tone, reflecting his love of outdoor life. Thirty-three of his works are held here, showing that his writing spans fiction, parable, and essay, and that he earned a place in early twentieth-century American popular and holiday reading.