The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table by Oliver Wendell Holmes

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About this eBook

Author Holmes, Oliver Wendell, 1809-1894
Title The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table
Note Reading ease score: 65.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Note Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Autocrat_of_the_Breakfast-Table
Credits Transcribed from the 1873 James R. Osgood and Company edition by David Price
Summary "The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table" by Oliver Wendell Holmes is a philosophical and comedic collection of essays written during the mid-19th century. The book is presented as a series of delightful dinner-table conversations, primarily featuring an engaging narrator whose reflections touch on a variety of topics including human nature, society, and the art of conversation itself. Holmes utilizes wit and keen observation to explore intellectual thoughts, social dynamics, and the quirks of humanity amidst the everyday setting of a boarding house. The opening of the book introduces the narrator, possibly a representation of Holmes himself, who reflects on conversations that revolve around classification of minds and the nature of discussion. It features a lively dialogue among the boarders, including a divinity student and an old gentleman, which reveals the eccentricities of their personalities and the humorous dynamics at play. The narrator elaborates on the concept of “Mutual Admiration Societies” among intellectuals, humorously critiquing how public perceptions influence the admiration of men of talent. Through detailed observations, the protagonist's light-hearted yet insightful comments set the stage for a blending of humor, philosophy, and social commentary that characterizes the rest of the work. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Poetry
Subject American fiction -- 19th century
Subject Conversation -- Fiction
Subject Boardinghouses -- Fiction
Category Text
EBook-No. 751
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Dec 29, 2014
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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