The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft is a semi-fictional autobiographical work by George Gissing in which the author casts himself as the editor of the diary of a deceased acquaintance, selecting essays for posthumous publication. Observing "how suitable many of the reflections were to the month with which they were dated", he explains that he "hit upon the thought of dividing the little book into four chapters, named after the seasons". It was partly because of the seasonal arrangement, and Ryecroft's obvious love of the natural world, that the book gained widespread popularity in Japan, being introduced as early as 1908 by the scholar of English literature Tokuboku Hirata (1873-1943). Other contributing factors were the classic unaffected style, which made the text suitable for educational and examination purposes, and Ryecroft's frank assessments of society and politics, which may have endeared him to the young academics of the country in the early part of the 20th century.
George Robert Gissing 22 November 1857 - 28 December 1903) was an English novelist who published 23 novels between 1880 and 1903. Gissing also worked as a teacher and tutor throughout his life. He published his first novel, Workers in the Dawn, in 1880. His best known novels, which are published in modern editions, include The Nether World (1889), New Grub Street (1891), and The Odd Women (1893).Gissing was born on 22 November 1857 in Wakefield, Yorkshire, the eldest of five children of Thomas Waller Gissing, who ran a chemist's shop, and Margaret n e Bedford. His siblings were: William, who died aged twenty; Algernon, who became a writer; Margaret; and Ellen. 1] His childhood home in Thompson's Yard, Wakefield, is maintained by The Gissing Trust. 2] Gissing was educated at Back Lane School in Wakefield, where he was a diligent and enthusiastic student. 1] His serious interest in books began at the age of ten when he read The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens and subsequently, encouraged by his father and inspired by the family library, his literary interest grew. 3] Juvenilia written at this time was published in 1995 in The Poetry of George Gissing. 1] He was also skilled at drawing. Gissing's father died when he was 12 years old, and he and his brothers were sent to Lindow Grove School at Alderley Edge in Cheshire, where he was a solitary student who studied hard
The Paying Guest is a satirical novella by George Gissing, first published in 1895 by Cassell, as part of their Pocket Library series. It recounts the experiences of the Mumfords, a middle-class family who invite a "paying guest" into their home to supplement their income. Written in an unusually comic tone compared with Gissing's earlier works, 1] The Paying Guest was generally received well by critics. Gissing himself, however, was not satisfied with the work. Clarence and Emmeline Mumford are a middle-class couple, living in suburban Sutton on the outskirts of London with their two-year-old son. Reading the newspaper, they become aware of a young woman seeking a place as a "paying guest", or lodger. To supplement their income they respond to the advertisement and meet the prospective tenant, named Louise Derrick, who is in need of a place to live due to disagreements with her immediate family. Louise, who is poorly educated and bad-tempered, is being romantically pursued by two men: Mr Bowling, who is courting Louise's stepsister Cecily, and Tom Cobb.
Between 1880 and 1903 George Gissing wrote 23 novels. His early works were naturalistic and later he wrote in a realistic style. Gissing it considered to be a late Victorian author. Gissing tells the story of the martyrdom of Thyrza Tennant. She is pregnant by Andy McAdam; who not only refuses to marry her, but also marries her sister Laura instead. Thyrza never reveals the identity of the father. Barton Gorse loves Thyrza and wants to marry her, but she refuses believing that if she does marry him everyone will think Barton is the father. Thyrza is a woman of strength and high character.The late Victorian novelist George Gissing (1857 -- 1905) is best known for "New Grub Street" and "The Odd Women", two books that he wrote in mid-life. Other that these two novels, Gissing's works frequently are difficult to find. Interested readers frequently must search for dubious offprint editions. This is particularly the case for Gissing's earlier books which have a strongly personal, autobiographical component. Of his first seven novels, six are set among the working class poor of London. A small English publisher called Victorian Secrets has assumed the role of publishing Victorian novels that tend to be forgotten, including several novels of Gissing. In 2010, Victorian Secrets published Gissing's rare first novel, "Workers in the Dawn", followed in 2011 by Gissing's third novel, "Demos". Victorian Secrets has now published Gissing's fifth novel, "Thyrza", written in 1887 and published in a revised edition in 1891. As does its companions, the Victorian Secrets edition of "Thyrza" is beautifully produced with a readable, reliable version of the text. Pierre Coustillas, the distinguished Gissing scholar and the author of a recent three-volume biography, edited the volume, as well as the earlier two volumes, prepared the endnotes, and wrote an insightful introduction to the book. The introductionincludes as well a short biography of Gissing and a bibliography of studies of "Thyrza". The edition includes as well an essay by David Gryllis, Kellogg College, Oxford, discussing the changes Gissing made in the book between the first version in 1887 and the revised version of 1891. Finally, the book includes maps of the two "worlds" inhabited by the primary characters of the book, Thyrza Trent and Walter Egremont. Thyrza's world centers upon the working class community of Lambeth while Egremont is more at home in the Lake District and in Eastbourne. While this edition makes "Thyrza" accessible to new readers, it offers something new to those who already know the book. Virtually every edition and reprint of the book uses Gissing's 1891 revision. In this edition, Coustillas opts to use Gissing's original 1887 text. He thus takes an already long text and makes it somewhat longer. In the revised version, Gissing eliminated some narrative editorializing and also cut an extensive sub-plot that occurs in the final third of the novel. Readers familiar with other editions of "Thyrza" will be able to compare the two versions. Those new to the book will have a longer read than otherwise, but they will get to know "Thyrza". It is valuable for readers devoted to Gissing to have the original version available.
The Paying Guest (1895) NOVEL By George Gissing (Classics) The Paying Guest is a satirical novella by George Gissing, first published in 1895 by Cassell, as part of their Pocket Library series. It recounts the experiences of the Mumfords, a middle-class family who invite a "paying guest" into their home to supplement their income. Written in an unusually comic tone compared with Gissing's earlier works, 1] The Paying Guest was generally received well by critics. Gissing himself, however, was not satisfied with the work. Clarence and Emmeline Mumford are a middle-class couple, living in suburban Sutton on the outskirts of London with their two-year-old son. Reading the newspaper, they become aware of a young woman seeking a place as a "paying guest", or lodger. To supplement their income they respond to the advertisement and meet the prospective tenant, named Louise Derrick, who is in need of a place to live due to disagreements with her immediate family. Louise, who is poorly educated and bad-tempered, is being romantically pursued by two men: Mr Bowling, who is courting Louise's stepsister Cecily, and Tom Cobb. Gissing was commissioned to write The Paying Guest by Cassell, as part of their Pocket Library series. Gissing wrote the manuscript in the first half of July 1895. 3] It was one of three one-volume works by Gissing published in 1895, the other two being Eve's Ransom and Sleeping Fires; the latter of these was published in Unwin's Autonym Library series. Gissing was not satisfied with The Paying Guest, describing it in a private letter as "a poor little book" and a "frothy trifle". His experience persuaded him, according to his diary, to "have no more to do with these series of little books".
