Other editions of book Hans Brinker: The Silver Skates A Story of Life in Holland

Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates was written by Mary Mapes Dodge in 1865. It is the story of a Dutch boy and his family and friends as they strive to overcome economic and personal hardships in early 19th Century Netherlands. The novel’s title refers to the silver skates to be awarded to winner of the ice-skating race Hans is determined to enter.This eBook edition is illustrated by French illustrator Théophile Schuler (1821-1878). His etchings were used to illustrate the 1899 edition. Mary Mapes Dodge was born in 1831 in New York City. In 1859, after the death of her husband she started writing and editing two magazines “Working Farmer” and the “United States Journal”. She published a collection of short stories “The Irvington Stories” in 1864. A year later, she completed Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates which became an instant bestseller. She died in 1905.

Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (full title: Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland) is a novel by American author Mary Mapes Dodge, first published in 1865. The novel takes place in the Netherlands and is a colorful fictional portrait of early 19th-century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor. The book's title refers to the beautiful silver skates to be awarded to the winner of the ice-skating race Hans Brinker hopes to enter. The novel introduced the sport of Dutch speed skating to Americans, and in U.S. media Hans Brinker is still considered the prototypical speed skater. The book is also notable for popularizing the story of the little Dutch boy who plugs a dike with his finger. Dodge, who never visited the Netherlands until after the novel was published, wrote the novel at age 34. She was inspired by her reading of John L. Motley's lengthy, multi-volume history works: The Rise of the Dutch Republic (1856), and History of the United Netherlands (1860-1867), Dodge subsequently did further bibliographical research into the country. She also received much firsthand information about Dutch life from her immigrant Dutch neighbors, the Scharffs, and Dodge noted in her preface to the 1875 edition of the book that the story of Hans Brinker's father was "founded strictly upon fact". Full of Dutch cultural and historical information, the book became an instant bestseller, outselling all other books in its first year of publication except Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. The novel has since been continuously in print, most often in multiple editions and formats, and remains a children's classic. This one is part of the Educator Classics Library.

Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates is a classic story by Mary Mapes Dodge of life in the Netherlands. Hans Brinker enters an ice skating race in the hopes of winning the silver skates. "Hans is ahead! Young Madame van Gend almost crushes the flowers in her hand; she had been quite sure that Peter would be first. Carl Schummel is next, then Ben, and the youth with the red cap. A tall figure darts from among them. He passes the red cap, he passes Ben, then Carl. Now it is an even race between him and Hans. Madame van Gend catches her breath. It is Peter! He is ahead! Hans shoots past him. Hilda's eyes fill with tears. Peter MUST beat. Annie's eyes flash proudly. Gretel gazes with clasped hands—four strokes more will take her brother to the columns. He is there! Yes, but so was young Schummel just a second before. At the last instant Carl, gathering his powers, had whizzed between them and passed the goal. "Carl Schummel, one mile!" shouts the crier. "Beautifully Illustrated

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