Project Gutenberg 2003-10-01 Public domain in the USA. 330 Wharton, Edith 1862 1937 Wharton, Edith Newbold Jones Olivieri, David The Descent of Man and Other Stories The Descent of Man -- The Other Two -- Expiation -- The Lady's Maid's Bell -- The Mission of Jane -- The Reckoning -- The Letter -- The Dilettante -- The Quicksand -- A Venetian Night's Entertainment. Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. "The Descent of Man and Other Stories" by Edith Wharton is a collection of short stories written during the late 19th century. The opening story, "The Descent of Man," introduces Professor Linyard, a biologist returning from a holiday in the Maine woods, who is enlivened not by nature alone but by an exhilarating new idea he has embraced. This collection explores themes of societal norms, personal relationships, and the tension between scientific thought and popular misconceptions. At the start of the text, Professor Linyard's character unfolds, revealing his complex domestic life, including a doting wife and children, as well as his internal struggle with the constraints of marriage and the vibrant ideas that inspire him. After his return from vacation, he contemplates a satirical work aimed at critiquing the pseudoscientific literature that has captivated the public. Linyard is drawn into a world where his intellectual pursuits clash with the mundane expectations of society, setting the stage for the tension between his domestic obligations and creative ambitions as he prepares to navigate the publishing landscape. His idea serves as both a comedic outlet and a serious critique, highlighting Wharton's deft handling of irony and social commentary. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 72.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Short stories New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- Fiction PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: American Literature 451049 2025-07-02T11:17:49.276211 text/html 445220 2020-12-28T02:42:41 text/html 251825 2025-07-02T11:17:57.204180 application/epub+zip 258138 2025-07-02T11:17:52.174241 application/epub+zip 241229 2025-07-02T11:17:51.012263 application/epub+zip 460225 2025-07-02T11:18:00.991151 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 443757 2025-07-02T11:17:56.458218 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 416033 2022-09-02T15:05:49.483590 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 419561 2025-07-02T11:17:48.293229 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 419490 2020-12-28T02:42:41 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19407 2025-07-02T11:18:01.116202 application/rdf+xml 14682 2025-07-02T11:17:51.514238 image/jpeg 3459 2025-07-02T11:17:51.260239 image/jpeg 164871 2020-12-28T02:42:41 application/octet-stream application/zip 161282 2020-12-28T02:42:41 application/octet-stream application/zip 247979 2025-07-02T11:17:49.311224 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 fr.wikipedia