Project Gutenberg 2004-05-01 Public domain in the USA. 422 Bouton, John Bell 1830 1902 Round the Block: An American Novel E-text prepared by Curtis Weyant, Charlie Kirschner, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team "Round the Block: An American Novel" by John Bell Bouton is a fictional work likely written in the mid-19th century. The narrative begins by vividly depicting a neighborhood characterized by contrasting settings—posh, seemingly empty brownstone houses on one side and lively, bustling shops and homes for working-class families on the opposite. The story primarily revolves around three bachelors, Marcus Wilkeson, Fayette Overtop, and Matthew Maltboy, who embark on a series of social interactions within their block, exploring themes of neighborliness and community amidst their varied daily lives. The opening of the novel introduces readers to the ornate yet lifeless dwellings on the east side of the block and the contrasting vibrancy on the west side. As the three bachelors settle into their shared home, Overtop proposes an experiment in socializing, advocating for engaging with their neighbors to better understand their community. This leads to humorous exchanges and the deepening relationships between the protagonists as they navigate social calls, interactions with their eccentric neighbors, and the pursuit of companionship, all while their personal quirks and backgrounds unfold. The narrative sets a lively tone that promises both comedic moments and reflections on human interaction in a densely populated urban setting. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 70.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- Fiction City and town life -- Fiction Male friendship -- Fiction PS Text Category: Humour Category: Novels Category: American Literature 960217 2025-10-05T13:52:28.003888 text/html 916996 2024-10-28T19:18:39 text/html 598603 2025-10-05T13:52:41.531823 application/epub+zip 615860 2025-10-05T13:52:31.894954 application/epub+zip 450001 2025-10-05T13:52:30.270940 application/epub+zip 1983476 2025-10-05T13:52:49.266351 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1904240 2025-10-05T13:52:40.178867 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 712430 2022-09-06T19:31:43.845501 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 906397 2025-10-05T13:52:25.642944 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 886525 2024-10-28T19:18:39 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16779 2025-10-05T13:52:49.405320 application/rdf+xml 15723 2025-10-05T13:52:30.797884 image/jpeg 3821 2025-10-05T13:52:30.533918 image/jpeg 583397 2025-10-05T13:52:28.084944 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog