Project Gutenberg 2004-09-29 Public domain in the USA. 1166 Holmes, Oliver Wendell 1809 1894 The Poet at the Breakfast-Table Produced by David Widger "The Poet at the Breakfast-Table" by Oliver Wendell Holmes is a collection of essays written during the late 19th century. This work serves as the third installment in a series of reflections born from conversations at a boarding house table, featuring a mix of characters who represent various facets of intellectual life and society. Through a blend of humor and keen observation, the narrative delves into themes such as the nature of thought, communication, and the evolving landscape of knowledge and specialization in modern life. At the start of the narrative, the protagonist reflects on the nature of self-interviewing as a means to unearth one's thoughts, drawing comparisons to the act of rummaging through a library of ideas stored in one's mind. The initial exchanges at the breakfast table introduce an array of characters, including the "Member of the Haouse," a whimsical political figure, and the "Scarabaeist," a dedicated entomologist, who exemplifies the trend of specialization in knowledge. Holmes's writing captures the playful banter and insightful commentary exchanged among the boarders, setting the tone for a series of introspective discussions about identity, societal roles, and the human experience. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 69.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Poetry American fiction -- 19th century Conversation -- Fiction PS Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: American Literature 698824 2025-08-02T03:51:42.333823 text/html 708227 2021-01-27T13:42:01 text/html 336304 2025-08-02T03:51:51.859804 application/epub+zip 351069 2025-08-02T03:51:45.447825 application/epub+zip 336534 2025-08-02T03:51:44.143823 application/epub+zip 580485 2025-08-02T03:51:56.517769 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 568068 2025-08-02T03:51:51.154826 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 528418 2022-09-02T05:24:03.719936 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 628442 2025-08-02T03:51:41.644842 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 628526 2021-01-01T00:41:26 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18646 2025-08-02T03:51:56.654775 application/rdf+xml 14767 2025-08-02T03:51:44.671813 image/jpeg 3718 2025-08-02T03:51:44.390842 image/jpeg 250343 2021-01-01T00:41:26 application/octet-stream application/zip 259277 2021-01-27T13:42:01 application/octet-stream application/zip 329819 2025-08-02T03:51:42.386892 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 en.wikipedia