[First Project] The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies

[W. David Porter]

I'd like to make an ebook for you and I'd like to start with this one, which is on your wanted list. The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp by W.H. Davies, 1917.

There is only one copy on Project Gutenberg. The one you link to on your wanted list

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425

This scan on archive.org

https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/n13/mode/2up has the same cover as the transcript on project gutenberg, so I suspect they are the same publication. 

Are you interested? May I begin?

[Alex Cabal]

Great, that one would be a good start.

This book has a preface so you'll have to add a half title page, see the
manual for that. Otherwise this will be pretty straightforward.

Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
and typography sections:

https://standardebooks.org/manual

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-patterns

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography

The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step

This page on common issues in older books may be useful:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks

Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
whatever problem you've encountered.

When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.

Have fun! :)

> --
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> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Jim Nelson]

Hello,

I too wanted to propose this as a first project for me, but don't want to step on any toes.

Has there been progress on this book?  Is there any way I can help?

Cheers,

-- Jim

[Alex Cabal]

Hi Jim, sure, you can start on this one as the previous attempt was
abandoned. See my previous email which you replied to for notes and how
to get started, and then send me a link to your Github repo once you
start so we can assign you a manager and reviewier.

On 3/8/26 6:45 PM, Jim Nelson wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I too wanted to propose this as a first project for me, but don't want
> to step on any toes.
>
> Has there been progress on this book?  Is there any way I can help?
>
> Cheers,
>
> -- Jim
>
> On Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 11:16:59 AM UTC-8 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Great, that one would be a good start.
>
> This book has a preface so you'll have to add a half title page, see
> the
> manual for that. Otherwise this will be pretty straightforward.
>
> Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
> as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
> particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
> and typography sections:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/manual>
>

> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-
> patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>

>
> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-

> step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-
> by-step>

>
> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-

> working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://standardebooks.org/
> contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks>

>
> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
> that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 1/16/26 10:30 PM, W. David Porter wrote:
> > I'd like to make an ebook for you and I'd like to start with this
> one,
> > which is on your wanted list. The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
> by W.H.
> > Davies, 1917.
> >
> > There is only one copy on Project Gutenberg. The one you link to
> on your
> > wanted list

> > https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425 <https://
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425>
> >
> > This scan on archive.org <http://archive.org>
> > https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/n13/
> mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/
> n13/mode/2up> has

> > the same cover as the transcript on project gutenberg, so I
> suspect they
> > are the same publication.
> >
> > Are you interested? May I begin?
> >
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/

> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/67c8f5ab-
> ea0a-441a-89fb-2ed0cc4dac90n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab-
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab->
> > ea0a-441a-89fb-2ed0cc4dac90n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

>
> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
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> standardebooks/0661b68e-c997-46d5-b60b-dadc28a9055en%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/0661b68e-c997-46d5-
> b60b-dadc28a9055en%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Jim Nelson]

I worked through the "Producing an ebook step by step" guide down to the "Modernize spelling" step.  My progress so far is here:

https://github.com/jimbonator/w-h-davies_the-autobiography-of-a-super-tramp

-- Jim

[Alex Cabal]

OK, Robin will manage with Weijia reviewing.

> manual> <https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://

> standardebooks.org/manual>>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics> <https://

> > standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <http://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-

> <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural->
> > patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level->
> > structural-patterns>
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://

> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography> <https://
> > standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <http://

> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>>
> >
> > The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-

> <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by->
> > step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-
> step- <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step->

> > by-step>
> >
> > This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
> >
> > https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when->
> > working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://standardebooks.org/

> <https://standardebooks.org/>
> > contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-

> ebooks>
> >
> > Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our
> standards are
> > well-established so there is probably already a standard for
> formatting
> > whatever problem you've encountered.
> >
> > When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github
> repository so
> > that I can assign you a manager and reviewer.
> >
> > Have fun! :)
> >
> >
> > On 1/16/26 10:30 PM, W. David Porter wrote:
> > > I'd like to make an ebook for you and I'd like to start with this
> > one,
> > > which is on your wanted list. The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp
> > by W.H.
> > > Davies, 1917.
> > >
> > > There is only one copy on Project Gutenberg. The one you link to
> > on your
> > > wanted list
> > > https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425 <https://

> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425> <https://
> > www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51425 <http://www.gutenberg.org/
> ebooks/51425>>
> > >
> > > This scan on archive.org <http://archive.org> <http://

> archive.org <http://archive.org>>
> > > https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/n13/

> <https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/n13/>
> > mode/2up <https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/
> page/ <https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofs00davi/page/>

> > n13/mode/2up> has
> > > the same cover as the transcript on project gutenberg, so I
> > suspect they
> > > are the same publication.
> > >
> > > Are you interested? May I begin?
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> > send
> > > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>

> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/>>
> > > standardebooks/67c8f5ab-
> > ea0a-441a-89fb-2ed0cc4dac90n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>

> > > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab-
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab->
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab-
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/67c8f5ab->>
> > > ea0a-441a-89fb-2ed0cc4dac90n%40googlegroups.com
> <http://40googlegroups.com>

> > <http://40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>>?

> > > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
> send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/

> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> > standardebooks/0661b68e-c997-46d5-b60b-
> dadc28a9055en%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/0661b68e-
> c997-46d5- <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/0661b68e-c997-46d5->
> > b60b-dadc28a9055en%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer <http://40googlegroups.com?

> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>>.
>
> --
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> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/4fd5e1f2-
> f646-4099-86c5-4c9008b708ccn%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Weijia Cheng]

Ok, noted.

[Jim Nelson]

Hi all,

Alex asked me to update the status of this book.

I reached the "Proofreading" stage.  I've done so, making edits in a notebook rather than direct to my computer.  (It's more convenient for me that way.)  I need to get back to the project and enter those edits into the files.  When that's finished, I'll post a message here.

In the meantime, two more questions popped up for me:

1. Although the style guide says chapter numbers are discouraged if chapter titles are present, the original book has both (with chapter numbers in Roman numerals), such as here: https://archive.org/details/bwb_KU-774-725/page/182/mode/2up  Is there a preference in this case?

2. Is there any special formatting I should know about for prefaces?  I've currently formatted it as though it's another chapter (although without a chapter number).

Thanks,

-- Jim

[Robin Whittleton]

I think that’s a misunderstanding of the manual, but by all means point me at where it says that? Either way, for the example you gave, I’d go with:

<hgroup>

<h2 epub:type="ordinal z3998:roman">XXII</h2>

<p epub:type="title">The Ark</p>

</hgroup>

For prefaces, yes, mostly as per chapters. You’ll want z3998:non-fiction, and the signature / dateline at the end would be in a footer which would be styled with https://standardebooks.org/manual/1.8.7/single-page#7.7.4.2. As you’ve got frontmatter you’ll need a half title page. You can add that with:

se add-file halftitlepage .

-Robin

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[Jim Nelson]

Ah, I should have double-checked the manual before asking about chapter titles.  What I saw in the manual some time back (at https://standardebooks.org/manual/1.8.7/8-typography#8.1.4) was this:

> Chapter titles omit the word Chapter, unless the word used is a stylistic choice for prose style purposes.

I mixed that up with numbering.  I'll follow the example you gave me, as well add the half title page.

-- Jim