The Book by Hilaire Belloc (1906)
The story revolves around a young boy who lives with his parents and siblings on a farm. The family's fortunes change when the father dies, leaving them in financial difficulties. The mother struggles to manage the farm and provide for her children. As the family's situation worsens, they are forced to make difficult decisions about their future. The story explores themes of poverty, hardship, and the resilience of the human spirit. The narrative is told from the perspective of the young boy, who observes the changes in his family's circumstances with a mix of sadness and determination.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1906 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Literary Fiction · 2,694 words
First lines
This is written to dissuade all rich men from queering the pitch of us poor litteratoors, who have to write or starve. It is about a Mr. Foley: a Mr. Charles Foley, a banker and the son of a banker, who in middle life, that is at forty, saw no more use in coming to his office every day, but began to lead the life of a man of leisure. Next, being exceedingly rich he was prompted, of course, to write a book. The thing that prompted him to write a book was a thought, an idea. It took him suddenly as ideas will, one Saturday evening as he was walking home from his Club. It was a fine night and the idea seemed to come upon him out of the sky. This was the idea: that men produce such and such art in architecture and society and so forth, on account of the kind of climate they live in. Such a thought had never come to him before and very probably to no other man. It was simple like a seed -- and yet, as he turned it over, what enormous possibilities.
What this Textopian page supports
The Book is listed on Textopian as a novel by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Comedy, Literary Fiction, Social Commentary
- Length: 2,694 words
- Structure: 1 section, 44 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Book 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Book?
- How does this novel by Hilaire Belloc fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Blue Book by Hilaire Belloc
- The Hungry Student by Hilaire Belloc
- The Obituary Notice by Hilaire Belloc
- The Cads Encyclopaedia by Hilaire Belloc
- One The Illness Of My Muse by Hilaire Belloc
- Pernicious Peaches by Oliver Herford
Genres
- Satire — The narrative uses humor and irony to critique the publishing industry and the pretensions of wealthy amateur writers.
- Comedy — The story is filled with humorous situations and character interactions, particularly highlighting the absurdities faced by the protagonist.
- Literary Fiction — The work explores themes of art, ambition, and societal norms through a well-crafted narrative and character development.
- Social Commentary — The text provides insights into the social dynamics and class distinctions of the time, particularly focusing on the relationship between wealth and cultural production.
Tags
Satirical · Poetic · Humorous · Social Commentary · Criticique · Literary Fiction · Verse Novel · Nonsense Verse · Absurdist · Playful · Witty · Intellectual