Acté
Alexandre Dumas
Publisher: Classica Libris
Summary
A novel about Rome, Nero, and early Christianity...
Publisher: Classica Libris
A novel about Rome, Nero, and early Christianity...
The story takes place during the day in the market square. Two ordinary people walking along it, the treasurer Pocheshikhin and the correspondent of "Son of the Fatherland" Optimov, drew attention to a flock of starlings flying past. The flock sat down in the garden of the archpriest's father. During the discussion about where the flock finally sat down, in the garden of the father of the archpriest or the father of the deacon Vratoadov, passers-by began to gather around them: three old pilgrims, the father himself, Archpriest Vosmistishiev, deacon Evstigney, local vacationers, clerks. People began to worry whether there was a fire somewhere. Gradually a crowd gathered. They called the mayor Akim Danilych, who began to disperse the crowd. Firefighters appeared and came without water or equipment. During the excitement of the gathered crowd, a new organ received from Moscow began to sound in a nearby tavern. Hearing the organ, the crowd flocked to the tavern. In the evening, Akim Danilych, at the grocery store, wrote a letter about this event, in which he thanked "with tears the One who did not allow bloodshed."Show book
Lucy Maud Montgomery (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning in 1908 with Anne of Green Gables. The book was an immediate success. The title character, orphan Anne Shirley, made Montgomery famous in her lifetime and gave her an international following. Matthew Insists on Puffed Sleeves: Matthew was having a bad ten minutes of it. He had come into the kitchen, in the twilight of a cold, grey December evening, and had sat down in the wood-box corner to take off his heavy boots, unconscious of the fact that Anne and a bevy of her schoolmates were having a practice of "The Fairy Queen" in the sitting-room.Show book
One of William Shakespeare's most beloved and whimsical comedies. This enchanting play weaves together the stories of several groups of characters as they navigate the magical and mischievous world of the fairy kingdom and the Athenian woods. The play opens in the court of Athens, where Duke Theseus is preparing for his upcoming marriage to Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. The young lovers, Hermia and Lysander, are also introduced. However, Hermia's father, Egeus, insists that she marry Demetrius, whom she does not love. Faced with the choice of marrying Demetrius, facing execution, or a life of chastity in a nunnery, Hermia and Lysander plan to escape to the nearby woods. They are pursued by Demetrius, who is himself pursued by Helena, Hermia's friend, who is infatuated with him. In the forest, a group of bumbling and amateurish actors led by the comical Bottom are preparing a play for the upcoming wedding of Duke Theseus and Hippolyta. Unbeknownst to them, the forest is also home to the fairy king Oberon, his queen Titania, and their mischievous servant, Puck. Oberon and Puck, with the help of a magic flower, create a web of love and mischief in the forest. Puck mistakenly causes both Demetrius and Lysander to fall in love with Helena, leading to comical and chaotic misunderstandings. Titania, under the influence of Oberon's magic, falls in love with Bottom, who has been given the head of an ass. As the night unfolds, the characters' romantic entanglements and conflicts are resolved. Oberon releases Titania from her enchantment, and Demetrius and Lysander are restored to their proper loves. The lovers and the amateur actors return to the court, where their antics are performed as humorous entertainment.Show book
"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is considered one of the great American novels, an entertaining combination of coming-of-age story and adventure yarn that provides a humorous yet critical commentary on the social issues of its day. Tom Sawyer – full of mischief but pure of heart – lives with his aunt and half-brother in small-town Missouri on the banks of the Mississippi river. His days are filled with treasure hunts and adventure, often in company with his friend, Huck Finn, the son of the town drunk. But Tom and Huck's carefree lives are changed when they witness a murder and the darkness of the adult world impinges upon Tom's harmless childhood adventures. More than just a tale of youthful adventure, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer presents a vivid portrait of friendship, freedom, and the joys of discovery as we follow its young protagonist on his journey from childhood to maturity. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain (1835–1910), grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River, and his early experiences inspired many of his most famous works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Widely celebrated as America's greatest humorist, Twain captured the spirit of a rapidly changing nation, and his sharp wit, keen eye for human nature, and gift for storytelling made him not only a beloved novelist but also a popular lecturer and essayist. Twain's innovative style, character-driven storytelling and ability to interweave humour with profound social critique laid the groundwork for modern American literature and has inspired countless authors, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Indeed, Hemingway famously declared that "all modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn." Please note that this story includes language and stereotypical character portrayals that reflect the time at which it was written.Show book
“Their Ethiop wives—sleek wineskins of black silk, Jellied and huge from drinking asses’ milk Through years of tropical idleness, to pray For offspring (whom he ever sent away With prayers unanswered, lest their ebon race Might breed and blacken the earth’s comely face.”? Aldous Huxley, LedaThough he gained recognition for his later essays and novels, Aldous Huxley started his writing career as a poet. Published in 1920, Leda is his fourth compilation of poetry. It begins with the passionate and slightly erotic poem "Leda", which recalls the love affair between Queen Leda, the mother of Helen of Troy, and her swan, Zeus in disguise. Some short poems follow. The book ends with two long sections. The first, "Beauty," is a short collection of vignettes where the author reflects on the concept of beauty through an ideal model of physical desire, Helen of Troy. The second, "Soles Occidere et Redire Possunt," or "Suns Can Set, and Suns Can Rise Again," is another long poem that reflects a day in the life of John Ridley, a deceased friend of Huxley's, who was mentally challenged throughout his entire life. Author Aldous Huxley was an English writer and philosopher. He wrote nearly fifty books, both novels and non-fiction works—as well as wide-ranging essays, narratives, and poems.Born into the prominent Huxley family, he graduated from Oxford, with an undergraduate degree in English literature. Early in his career, he published short stories and poetry and edited the literary magazine Oxford Poetry, before going on to publish travel writing, satire, and screenplays. Huxley spent the latter part of his life in the United States, living in Los Angeles from 1937 until his death. By the end of his life, Huxley was widely acknowledged as one of the foremost intellectuals of his time.Show book
White Fang is a powerful tale of survival, transformation, and the relationship between man and nature. The story follows the journey of a wild wolf-dog hybrid born in the harsh wilderness of the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush. Through brutal experiences and cruel masters, White Fang learns to survive by fear and violence, until he encounters a kind man who offers him love, patience, and trust.This novel explores the contrast between savagery and civilization, and the possibility of redemption through kindness. Jack London masterfully portrays the inner life of the animal, making White Fang a moving, thought-provoking reflection on instinct, loyalty, and what it means to belong.Show book