Publisher: Krill Press
Annie F. Johnston, originally from Indiana, was a noted author most famous for her Little Colonel series. "Little Colonel" , a smash film starring Shirley Temple, was based on this series.
Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature. Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something. The Irish Short Story tradition is packed with literary leviathans who take the raw ingredients of the land, it’s people and their own talents to create quite dazzling narratives in these perfectly pitched short stories. Genius has many names. 01 - The Top 10 - The Irish - An Introduction 02 - The Dead by James Joyce 03 - The Knitted Collar by Mary Anne Hoare 04 - Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter by Sheridan Le Fanu 05 - The Last of Squire Ennismore by Charlotte Riddell 06 - An Irish Problem by Somerville and Ross 07 - All Souls Eve by Dora Sigerson Shorter 13 - The Burial of the Rats by Bram Stoker 09 - A Rich Woman by Katharine Tynan 10 - The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde 11 - Dhoya by W B YeatsShow book
My French master is a short novel written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1853. The British author is considered one of the most representative of the Victorian age.Show book
"A Thousand Nights and a Night," also known as Arabian Nights, is a timeless collection of Middle Eastern folktales and stories that has captivated readers for centuries. Compiled over many centuries, the book features a rich tapestry of narratives, including adventure, romance, magic, and morality tales. The collection is framed by the story of Scheherazade, a clever and resourceful storyteller who uses her wit and storytelling skills to save herself and others from a vengeful king. The tales within "A Thousand Nights and a Night" transport readers to a captivating world of enchantment and wonder. From the legendary adventures of Aladdin and his magical lamp to the epic voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, the stories are filled with fantastical elements, larger-than-life characters, and intricate plot twists. Each story is intricately woven with vibrant descriptions of exotic settings, mythical creatures, and intricate moral lessons, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and imaginative storytelling traditions of the Middle East. One of the enduring qualities of Arabian Nights is its ability to transport readers to a world beyond their own. The tales are a window into the values, traditions, and customs of the Middle East, providing a glimpse into the region's history and cultural tapestry. Moreover, the stories explore universal themes of love, honor, bravery, and the consequences of human actions, resonating with readers from diverse backgrounds and time periods. "A Thousand Nights and a Night" continues to be celebrated for its captivating narratives and its enduring influence on world literature. Geoffrey Giuliano is a renowned audiobook narrator known for his captivating storytelling and versatile vocal talents. With a career spanning over three decades,Show book
A quartet of the British novelist’s finest works of fiction, including “Lowry’s masterpiece,” Under the Volcano (Los Angeles Times). Malcolm Lowry was an author who poured his soul into his prose, including his struggle with his own demons. Of his most famous work, Under the Volcano, Dawn Powell wrote: “You love the author for the pain of his overwhelming understanding.” In the New YorkHerald Tribune, Mark Schorer commented that few novels “convey so feelingly the agony of alienation, the infernal suffering of disintegration.” D. T. Max wrote in the New Yorker: “[Lowry’s] portrait of an unravelling drunk was unnervingly intimate.” Honored by the Modern Library as one of the one hundred best English language novels of the twentieth century, Under the Volcano is widely acknowledged as “Lowry’s masterpiece” (Los Angeles Times). In this novel and the other works of fiction gathered here, the reader follows Lowry as he confronts the abyss, but also shares in his eternal hope for transcendence. Ultramarine: Lowry’s debut novel, and the only book, other than Under the Volcano, published in his lifetime, is the coming-of-age story of Dana Hilliot, who escapes the bourgeois provincialism of his upper-class British upbringing by joining a crew of weathered, world-weary sailors on a freighter bound for South Asia. Part Moby-Dick, part A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ultramarin draws on Lowry’s own early experience on the sea. Hear Us O Lord from Heaven Thy Dwelling Place: Published posthumously, these seven stories and novellas include “Through the Panama,” in which a burned-out, alcoholic writer on a voyage from Vancouver to Europe tries to make sense of the literature that has kept him afloat, while the pulse of his life grows harder to distinguish, and “The Forest Path to Spring,” about a couple that has been through hell finding new life in the beauty and seclusion of a vast forest. “[These] stories and novellas afford glimpses of the whole toward which Lowry was striving.” —The New York Times Under the Volcano: Former British consul Geoffrey Firmin lives alone with his demons in the shadow of two active volcanoes in South Central Mexico. Drowning in alcoholism, Geoffrey makes one last effort to salvage his crumbling life when his estranged wife, Yvonne, arrives in town on the Day of the Dead, 1938. “One of the towering novels of [the twentieth] century.” —The New York Times October Ferry to Gabriola: Edited by Lowry’s widow and frequent collaborator, and released more than a decade after his untimely death, October Ferry to Gabriola is the story of a married couple striving for renewal, sanity, and transcendence in the deep seclusion of the British Columbian forest. “What awaits [the reader] is worth the effort: a species of ecstatic, lyrical prose that has all but gone out of existence.” —The New York TimesShow book
"Wressley of the Foreign Office" is an short story by Rudyard Kipling: One of the many curses of our life out here is the want of atmosphere in the painter's sense. There are no half-tints worth noticing. Men stand out all crude and raw, with nothing to tone them down, and nothing to scale them against. They do their work, and grow to think that there is nothing but their work, and nothing like their work, and that they are the real pivots on which the administration turns. Here is an instance of this feeling. A half-caste clerk was ruling forms in a Pay Office. He said to me:-"Do you know what would happen if I added or took away one single line on this sheet?" Then, with the air of a conspirator:-"It would disorganize the whole of the Treasury payments throughout the whole of the Presidency Circle! Think of that?"Show book
In the heart of London, during a chilly Christmas Eve, a tale of redemption and the transformative power of goodwill unfolds in Charles Dickens' timeless masterpiece, "A Christmas Carol." The story introduces us to Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who values wealth above all else and has long abandoned the joy and compassion of the holiday season. Scrooge is visited by the spirit of his long-deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, condemned to an eternity of torment for his own avarice in life, arrives weighed down by heavy chains made of cashboxes, ledgers, and padlocks, a grim testament to the price of a selfish existence. Marley warns Scrooge that he, too, is bound for a similar fate unless he changes his ways. To aid in this transformation, Scrooge will be visited by three more spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. The story's power lies in the journey of Ebenezer Scrooge, as he confronts his own misdeeds and awakens to the true spirit of Christmas. As he witnesses the lives of those around him, his icy heart begins to thaw. The Cratchit family's humble celebration, despite their meager means, touches him deeply, and he is especially moved by the vulnerability of Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit's ailing son. Scrooge's transformation culminates when he is confronted with the vision of his own lonely death, unloved and unmissed. Filled with remorse and newfound understanding, he implores the spirit for a second chance, a chance to change his ways and embrace the spirit of giving, love, and compassion that embodies the true essence of Christmas. "A Christmas Carol" serves as a timeless reminder that it is never too late to change, to find the joy in life's simplest pleasures, and to share the wealth of kindness and goodwill with those around us, especially during the holiday season.Show book
