Project Gutenberg 2020-02-08 Public domain in the USA. 260 Van Dyke, Henry 1852 1933 Dyke, Henry Van Dyke, Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Henry I. Van 23005812 Companionable Books The Book of books -- Poetry in the Psalms -- The good enchantment of Dickens -- Thackeray and real men -- George Eliot and real women -- The poet of immortal youth (Keats) -- The recovery of joy (Wordsworth) -- "The glory of the imperfect" (Browning) -- A quaint comrade by quiet streams (Walton) -- A sturdy believer (Samuel Johnson) -- A Puritan plus poetry (Emerson) -- An adventurer in a velvet jacket (Stevenson). Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) "Companionable Books" by Henry Van Dyke is a collection of literary appreciations written in the early 20th century. In this work, the author reflects on books that provide lasting companionship and joy, emphasizing those that interpret nature and life in a beautiful and powerful manner. The text is structured as a series of essays that delve into the experiences and insights gained through reading these impactful works. At the start of this collection, the author sets the stage by discussing the concept of "companionable books," which he contrasts with those that are dull or quickly forgotten. He offers a personal perspective on literature’s ability to enrich our lives, encouraging readers to choose books that resonate deeply and can be revisited over time. The opening portion introduces the metaphoric tale of a prince and a tree that embodies life's nourishing qualities, drawing parallels to the Bible and its immense literary influence. Van Dyke expresses a passion for the written word, defining literature as a vital source of inspiration and human connection. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 65.0 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Literature -- History and criticism English literature -- History and criticism PN Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches 502311 2025-07-24T10:13:19.185874 text/html 486158 2024-10-17T16:13:45 text/html 863500 2025-07-24T10:13:27.578843 application/epub+zip 867503 2025-07-24T10:13:20.806901 application/epub+zip 257146 2025-07-24T10:13:19.942875 application/epub+zip 1020136 2025-07-24T10:13:32.480792 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 959863 2025-07-24T10:13:26.781847 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 350764 2022-09-27T17:43:33.234070 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 416748 2025-07-24T10:13:18.037927 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 396920 2024-10-17T16:13:44 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16757 2025-07-24T10:13:32.646780 application/rdf+xml 28756 2025-07-24T10:13:20.093858 image/jpeg 4015 2025-07-24T10:13:20.025857 image/jpeg 781926 2025-07-24T10:13:19.246865 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