English Literature for Boys and Girls: Enriched edition. A Timeless Classic of Literary Education for Young Readers

by H.E. Marshall

"English Literature for Boys and Girls" by H. E. Marshall. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

Genres: School, History, Nonfiction, Classics, Literature, Childrens, Education

529 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1909

About the author

Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall (usually credited as H.E. Marshall) was a Scottish author, particularly well known for her works of popular national history for children.

H.E. Marshall is famous for her 1905 children's history of England, Our Island Story: A History of England for Boys and Girls, illustrated by A. S. Forrest. In the USA the book was entitled An Island Story. The book was a bestseller, was printed in numerous editions, and for fifty years was the standard and much-loved book by which children learned the history of England. However a lot of this book is historically inaccurate and much of it uses Shakespeare's plays for historical sources; for example, the section of Richard III is really a summary of the play. The book is still to be found in schools and homes, but the last printing was in 1953 and it went out of print in the 1960s. In 2005, an alliance of the Civitas think-tank and various national newspapers brought the book back into print, with the aim of sending a free copy to each of the UK's primary schools. Readers of The Daily Telegraph contributed £25,000 to the cost of the reprint.

She was educated at a girls' boarding school called Laurel Bank, in Melrose. Between 1901 and 1904 she was the superintendent of a hall of residence for female students at the University of Glasgow, but, otherwise, she appears to have made her living throughout her life by writing. She never married.

As is made clear by the Prefaces of her books from time to time, she travelled extensively after 1904, including to Melbourne, California and China, although her obituary in The Times stated that she spent most of her life in Oxford and in London, where she died.

Reviews

[Hannah Mozingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over the course of 4 years of high school English classes. This is a wonderfully written book - a great introduction to English lit! It's accessible to a wide age range, and I personally can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading it. I learnt so much and have come away feeling inspired to read more great literature.

[Kerianne Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

We probably started this a wee bit on the early side and finished too quickly, but my student grew into it and there was plenty to delight in even if this never truly aligned with much of our school reading. 2.5 years later we've finally finished it (the student in question having done so months ahead of me. More post-reading than pre-reading was happening in this case.) I continue to be a huge HE Marshall fan.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with Miriam over 3.5 years. Good author sketches and introductions to some of the greatest works that have shaped English literature.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book! The chapters got really long at the end... Four years of school later, it's hard to believe there is really nothing left in this book.

[Lisa]

This was a book recommended by Ambleside Online curriculum. I am learning a lot about how English literature got it's start, and little details about the authors that I didn't know. It's kind of a chronological review of English lit, only written with a child in mind (like me!!). After this, I want to read another title on English Literature by Wm J. Long. It is a very old book, I have it on my shelf, but don't feel like getting up to see what the copyright is! It is written with probably a late middle school, to high school youngster in mind, but will teach an adult a lot they don't know! It is probably more in depth than this book I am currently reading. YOu can access both books online at many of the online e-book sites, just type in the title.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book but I was disappointed that I had to skip some sections because of poor narration.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for children (probably intelligent upper primary - KS3), blends a life of each author with a description of his major works, comment on his contribution to English literature, and frequent quotations. A very useful format, and engagingly written, but be prepared for Marshall’s mythologising and rather odd takes. Compare, for instance, the following comment on Dicken’s “Pickwick Papers”:

“There is a good deal of eating, and far too much drinking. But when the fun is rather rough, we must remember that Dickens wrote of the England of seventy years ago and more, when life was tougher than it is now, and people did not see that drinking was the sordid sin we know it is now.”

One point of view, certainly. But then we compare it to this comment on Byron:

“Now he married. At first all went well. Then troubles came, troubles which have never been explained, and for which we need not seek an explanation now, and one day Lady Byron left her husband never to return. The world which had petted and spoiled the man now turned from him. He was abused and derided; instead of being courted he was shunned.”

Which is a truly BIZARRE take on so much adultery that his wife thought he must be mad, and rumours of incest with his half-sister.

A very useful resource, but it’s helpful if you have some knowledge of your own to temper Marshall’s wilder flights of fancy.

[Jack Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

muy interestante

[Lily Bliss]

Reading for school, started october 2023?

[Micah Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be completely honest, I haven't actually read all of this book. Just around the first third. However, I wanted to try and cut down my 'currently reading' shelf, as quite a few are books that I have started but never finished. The part of this book that I did read was really good, with lots of short stories which gave a brief yet in detail account of English literature. I read this alongside an English course, and it fit very well with that.

[raam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Self Explanatory and Simple Worded Book that is as good for the learned as for the young!

The book renders the true beauty of literature, arousing the curiosity and interest of young readers along with providing the information that serves to fill the missing links for the experienced reader. Students of literature must read it.

[Neil Mcleod]

Without question one of the finest introductions to English Literature free from the encumbrances of politically corrected editing.

[LitMom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology of English Lit from "the listening time" to Alfred, Lord Tennyson, appears to be intended for middle school. Would be a nice resource for an English teacher, and was certainly interesting, although the author clearly demonstrated her strong bias with some rather biting commentary on certain famous authors. I actually prefer reading prose and poetry to reading about the writers of said prose and poetry, but thought I should acquire a more informed mind. And, indeed, I have. If only the info will stick to the mind, alack a day.

[Annie Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second time through, and it's even better than the first time.

I read one chapter a week for Miss 12's school work, and each week I marvel that we are able to enjoy such a beautiful book...and that so few people know about it.

Highly recommended for anyone 12 and over. (The age limit is not because of restricted content but because of reading level.)

Here's a link to an old review of mine: http://anniekateshomeschoolreviews.co...

[Tana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summaries of the major works of English literature. Great for developing a working knowledge of English literature without having read EVERYTHING.

[Lauren Noel Ottwell]

Reading with Caleb