A Norfolk Man by Hilaire Belloc
The story revolves around a young man from Norfolk who travels to London and becomes embroiled in the city's underworld. He gets involved with a group of thieves and con artists, but ultimately decides to leave the life behind and return home. Along the way, he reflects on his experiences and the people he has met, leading him to re-evaluate his own identity and sense of belonging.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1904 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography, Adventure · 2,800 words
First lines
Among the delights of historical study which makes it so curiously / similar to travel, and therefore so fatally attractive to men who cannot / afford it, is the element of discovery and surprise: notably in little / details.
When in travel one goes along a way one has never been before one often / comes upon something odd, which one could not dream was there: for / instance, once I was in a room in a little house in the south and thought / there must be machinery somewhere from the noise I heard, until a man in / the house quietly lifted up a trapdoor in the floor, and there, running / under and through the house a long way below, was a river: the River / Garonne.
What this Textopian page supports
A Norfolk Man is listed on Textopian as an essay by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1904 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Biography, Adventure, War, Satire
- Length: 2,800 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Norfolk Man by Hilaire Belloc
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is centered around historical events, specifically the French Revolution and the Battle of Valmy, with a fictionalized account of a Norfolk man's involvement.
- Biography — The story provides a detailed account of the life and military career of John Money, blending historical facts with narrative elements.
- Adventure — The protagonist's experiences in various military campaigns and his passion for ballooning add elements of adventure and exploration.
- War — The book focuses on military strategies, battles, and the protagonist's role in the French Revolutionary Wars.
Tags
Autobiographical · Biographical · Memoir · Travelogue · Humorous · Satirical · Social Commentary · Regionalism · English Literature · 20th Century Literature · Classical Education · Catholicism