A Christmas Story: Man in His Element: or, A New Way to Keep House: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
A Christmas Story: Man in His Element: or, A New Way to Keep House: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
A Christmas Story: Man in His Element: or, A New Way to Keep House is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Francis, Samuel W. (Samuel Ward) (1835–1886).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"A Christmas Story" by Samuel W. Francis is a humorous narrative published in the mid-19th century. This book blends elements of comedy and domestic life as it explores the themes of housekeeping and gender roles during a time when such responsibilities were traditionally assigned to women. The story revolves around the contrasts between a bachelor’s views and the challenges faced by a woman managing a household. The narrative follows two main characters, William d'Aubrey and his widowed sister, Mary. The plot begins with Mary expressing her frustration over the difficulties of managing the household and the unpredictable nature of their servants. In a playful agreement, William proposes to take over the housekeeping duties for a brief period, believing he can simplify their domestic life. As he implements his own methods, he finds humor in the peculiarities of servant dynamics and the domestic sphere, leading to a series of amusing interactions and revelations. The story ultimately examines the social expectations of the time, showcasing the absurdities of both male and female approaches to domestic management.
Book and edition facts
- Title: A Christmas Story: Man in His Element: or, A New Way to Keep House
- Author credits: Francis, Samuel W. (Samuel Ward) (1835–1886)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Housekeeping -- Fiction
- Short stories
- Siblings -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: British Literature
- Category: Humour
- Category: Novels
- Christmas
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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