VELMORA ACADEMY

Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies

Menu Close

Fanny Herself

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Fanny Herself is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Edna Ferber • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Fanny Herself

English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5

It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

Narrator

Speed 0.75x

AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English

LEARNER DICTIONARY

Archivist

/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/

Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Chapter I Reading 1/44

Fanny Herself Edna Ferber

Cover illustration for Fanny Herself

Chapter I

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Fanny Herself is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails. Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve. Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae. In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons. The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

Fanny Herself

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Fanny Herself is here in full — 221 sentences across 45 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/44 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

Line 2

Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

Line 3

Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

Line 4

In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

Line 5

The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

All words in this reading · 92

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

about

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

among

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

are

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

as

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

at

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

become

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

been

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

cases

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

clothes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

cradle

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

dresses

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

English

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

Etons

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

evolution

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

extreme

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

fashion

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

five

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

for

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

from

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

get

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

grubby

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

has

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

have

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

he

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

her

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

hero

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

heroine

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

him

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

his

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

intimate

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

introduce

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

invited

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

is

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

It

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

jumps

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

knee

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

lady

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

led

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

man

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

marries

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

met

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

minutiae

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

novelists

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

Now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

obliged

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

often

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

on

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

our

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

over

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

page

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

pains

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

pants

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

pigtails

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

pinafore

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

pivot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

plot

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

presented

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

protesting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

revolve

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

rushed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

shorts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

so

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

stalwart

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

swaddling

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

the

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

their

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

thrill

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

through

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

Time

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

to

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It has become the fashion among novelists to introduce their hero in knee pants, their heroine in pinafore and pigtails.

traces

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

twenty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

twenty-five

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

twenty-four

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

two

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The thrill we get for our pains is when, at twenty-five, he jumps over the traces and marries the young lady we met in her cradle on page two.

up

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

urchin

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

watch

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

we

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

were

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

when

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

who

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

whom

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

witness

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In extreme cases we have been obliged to witness his evolution from swaddling clothes to dresses, from dresses to shorts (he is so often English), from shorts to Etons.

would

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

years

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Now we are led, protesting, up to a grubby urchin of five and are invited to watch him through twenty years of intimate minutiae.

young

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time was when we were rushed up to a stalwart young man of twenty-four, who was presented as the pivot about whom the plot would revolve.

Chapter 1 of Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber holds 221 sentences, grouped into 45 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Fanny Herself contain?

Chapter 1 holds 221 sentences of Fanny Herself, unabridged, divided into 45 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 221 sentences, grouped into 45 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Fanny Herself?

Work through the 45 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 45 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Fanny Herself

Common questions about reading Fanny Herself by Edna Ferber on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Fanny Herself?

Yes. All 8320 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #350 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Fanny Herself is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #350, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Fanny Herself take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1664 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Fanny Herself section by section

How to work through Fanny Herself section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

Open a chapter

Choose one of the 37 chapters of Fanny Herself to begin.
Read one section

Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Listen and tap

Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Fanny Herself

Words and structures a reader meets early in Fanny Herself, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Become: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fanny Herself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Fashion: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fanny Herself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Among: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fanny Herself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Novelists: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Fanny Herself; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.