The Delectable Mountains

Name: The Delectable Mountains
Author: Arthur Willis Colton

The Delectable Mountains is a novel written by Arthur Willis Colton, first published in 1894. The story follows the journey of a young man named Edgar as he travels to the Himalayas in search of spiritual enlightenment and adventure. Along the way, he encounters various characters who teach him valuable lessons about life, love, and the nature of reality. The novel is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayan mountains, which serve as a symbol of the sublime and the mysterious. Through Edgar's experiences, Colton explores themes of self-discovery, growth, and transformation, ultimately revealing the true nature of existence. The Delectable Mountains is a thought-provoking and deeply moving work that continues to captivate readers with its timeless message and poetic prose.

By Arthur Willis Colton · First published 1923 · Genre: Adventure, Nature, Historical Fiction · 13 chapters · 51,252 words

First lines

The hut was built two sides and the roof of sodded poles; the roof had new clapboards of birch bark, but the rest had once belonged to a charcoal burner; the front side was partly poled and partly open, the back was the under-slope of a rock. For it stood by a cliff, one of the many that show their lonely faces all over the Cattle Ridge, except that this was more tumultuous than most, and full of caves made by the clumsy leaning bowlders; and all about were slim young birch trees in white and green, like the demoiselles at Camelot. Old pines stood above the cliff, making a soft, sad noise in the wind. In one of the caves above the leafage of the birches we kept the idols, especially Baal, whom we thought the most energetic; and in front of the cave was the altar-stone that served them all, a great flat rock and thick with moss, where ears of com were sacrificed, or peas or turnips, the first-fruits of the field; or of course, if you shot a chipmunk or a rabbit, you could have a burnt offering of that kind. Also the altar-stone was a council chamber and an outlook.

What this Textopian page supports

The Delectable Mountains is listed on Textopian as a novel by Arthur Willis Colton, dated 1923 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Arthur Willis Colton
Date: 1923 CE
Language: English
Genres: Adventure, Nature, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Spiritual
Length: 51,252 words
Structure: 13 chapters, 955 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Adventure — The book revolves around the protagonist's adventurous journey through the mountains.
Nature — The setting of the book is deeply rooted in nature, specifically mountainous terrains.
Historical Fiction — The book depicts a time period and societal norms from the past
Literary Fiction — The novel prioritizes character development and stylistic devices over plot specificity.