The Enchanted Typewriter

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bangs, John Kendrick, 1862-1922

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Enchanted Typewriter" by John Kendrick Bangs is a novel written during the late 19th century, blending elements of fantasy and humor. The narrative centers on an unnamed narrator who discovers an enchanted typewriter that operates autonomously, producing works dictated by the spirits of notable figures, particularly one Jim Boswell, an editor from Hades. The book's premise revolves around the whimsical interactions between the narrator and the supernatural, exploring themes of creativity and the blurred lines between reality and fiction. At the start of the novel, the narrator describes his serendipitous discovery of a typewriting machine in his attic, which ends up being a conduit for musings from Jim Boswell, who claims to be using it from the underworld. The excitement of encountering a sentient machine unfolds as Boswell reveals its magical properties, allowing him not only to type but to share news and stories from Hades. The opening portion features a humorous dialogue between the narrator and the typewriter, capturing the narrator's wonder and trepidation at the strange occurrences during the witching hour, culminating in the revelation that Boswell seeks to publish various literary works, including tales of noteworthy historical figures and current events in Hades, all while addressing the ridiculousness of everyday bureaucratic challenges in the afterlife. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

The discovery

Mr. Boswell imparts some late news of Hades

From advance sheets of Baron Munchausen's further recollections

A chat with Xanthippe

The editing of Xanthippe

The Boswell tours: Personally conducted

An important decision

A hand-book to Hades

Sherlock Holmes again

Golf in Hades.

Credits:

Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger

Notes:

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

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Enchanted_Type-Writer

Release date is 2002-04-01