
A Word, Only a Word (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Historical NovelBy Georg EbersLength11h 42m
About this audiobook
Georg Ebers's A Word, Only a Word is a historical novel of conscience and vocation, set against the turbulent religious and social atmosphere of early modern Europe. Its title signals the book's central moral inquiry: how a single utterance—promise, command, confession, or refusal—may alter a life. Written in the cultivated, documentary style characteristic of nineteenth-century historical fiction, the novel combines romantic plotting with careful period detail, placing private feeling within the larger pressures of faith, class, artistry, and political unrest. Ebers was not merely a popular novelist but a distinguished German Egyptologist and scholar, famed for his association with the ancient medical manuscript now known as the Ebers Papyrus. His fiction often reflects the habits of the historian: attention to costume, setting, social custom, and the shaping force of inherited institutions. Though best known for novels of antiquity, he brought the same learned imagination to European subjects, using the past to examine ethical decision and human development. Readers who value historical fiction with intellectual substance will find A Word, Only a Word rewarding. It is especially suited to those interested in moral psychology, the Bildungsroman, and the nineteenth-century effort to make history emotionally vivid without abandoning scholarly seriousness.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreHistorical Fiction, General Fiction
Length11 hrs 42 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 20, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Michael Kohlhaas (Annotated)
20Chapter XVI.
2Introduction
21Chapter XVII.
3Synopsis
22Chapter XVIII.
4Historical Context
23Chapter XIX.
5Chapter I.
24Chapter XX.
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6Chapter II.
25Chapter XXI.
7Chapter III.
26Chapter XXII.
8Chapter IV.
27Chapter XXIII.
9Chapter V.
28Chapter XXIV.
10Chapter VI.
29Chapter XXV.
11Chapter VII.
30Chapter XXVI.
12Chapter VIII.
31Chapter XXVII.
13Chapter IX.
32Chapter XXVIII.
14Chapter X.
33Chapter XXIX.
15Chapter XI.
34Chapter XXX.
16Chapter XII.
35Chapter XXXI.
17Chapter XIII.
36Analysis
18Chapter XIV.
37Reflection
19Chapter XV.
38Memorable Quotes