The Gentle Reader

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Crothers, Samuel McChord, 1857-1927

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Gentle Reader" by Samuel McChord Crothers is a reflective essay written in the early 20th century. This work explores the relationship between authors and readers, emphasizing the importance of a leisurely, thoughtful engagement with literature. Crothers discusses the decline of the "Gentle Reader," a figure characterized by appreciation for the nuances of literary discourse, as the modern world shifts toward quicker, more transactional forms of reading. The opening of the text introduces the concept of the Gentleman Reader through a conversation about literary styles, invoking the spirit of Don Quixote to highlight the sometimes whimsical, yet profound nature of engaging with a text. Crothers reflects on the historical context where authors would engage directly with their readers, sharing personal thoughts and inviting discourse. The author laments the shift towards a more efficiency-driven approach to reading, arguing for a return to the days when literature served as a comforting companion, rather than merely a source of information. This sets up the premise for further explorations into topics like poetry, humor, and philosophy as integral parts of the reading experience. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

The gentle reader

The enjoyment of poetry

The mission of humor

Cases of conscience concerning witchcraft

The honorable points of ignorance

That history should be readable

The evolution of the gentleman

The hinter-land of science

The gentle reader's friends among the clergy

Quixotism

Intimate knowledge and delight.

Credits:

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

Notes:

Reading ease score: 68.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2012-02-14