My Miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 2)

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Collins, Wilkie, 1824-1889

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"My Miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 2)" by Wilkie Collins is a collection of essays and sketches written in the mid-19th century. The work encompasses a variety of topics, including character studies, historical accounts, and fictional narratives, showcasing the author's keen observations on society, human behavior, and history. The opening portion introduces a whimsical tale about a mysterious fisherman linked to supernatural events, setting the tone for an exploration of unique anecdotes and social commentary. At the start of the collection, the story "Memoirs of an Adopted Son" unfolds in a fishing village in Brittany, where a stranger known as the Fiend-Fisherman moves into a haunted tower. He captures the villagers' curiosity and superstition due to his mysterious fishing methods and peculiar habits. The narrative follows the young fisherman Poulailler, who becomes entangled with the Fiend-Fisherman after his marriage, leading to unusual circumstances around his first-born son, highlighting a blend of humor and dark folklore. This portion effectively establishes Collins's narrative style, characterized by its blend of the macabre and the comic, while foreshadowing the intriguing characters and plots that will populate the rest of the volume. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Cases worth looking at: I. Memoirs of an adopted son

Sketches of character: IV. The bachelor bedroom

Nooks and corners of history: III. A remarkable revolution

Douglas Jerrold

Sketches of character: V. Pray employ Major Namby!

Cases worth looking at: II. The poisoned meal

Sketches of character: VI. My spinsters

Dramatic Grub Street (explored in two letters)

To think, or be thought for?

Social grievances: IV. Save me from my friends

Cases worth looking at: III. The cauldron of oil

Bold words by a bachelor

Social grievances: V. Mrs. Bullwinkle.

Credits:

Produced by Melissa McDaniel and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 65.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2013-12-05