A Dream of Empire; Or, The House of Blennerhassett

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Venable, William Henry, 1836-1920

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"A Dream of Empire; Or, The House of Blennerhassett" by William Henry Venable is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative centers around the Blennerhassett family and their experiences, particularly focusing on the eccentric figure of Harman Blennerhassett in the backdrop of the budding American frontier. The story unfolds in the early 1800s, incorporating themes of exploration, politics, and personal ambition set against the rich tapestry of early American life. At the start of the novel, the narrative introduces us to Peter Taylor, the overseer of Blennerhassett Island, as he supervises the labor of his slaves in a beautifully described spring landscape. Soon, an eccentric visitor named Plutarch Byle stumbles onto the scene, leading to humorous and engaging interactions as he meets Peter and then Harman Blennerhassett. This opening sets up the stage for character introductions and the interconnectedness between these individuals, hinting at the complexities of their lives and the consequences of their ambitions in a rapidly changing society. The style is rich in descriptions and offers a vivid illustration of life along the Ohio River during this transformative period in American history. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Roger Frank, Carolyn Bottomley and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 73.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2006-07-16