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  History of Herodotus The - Book...

  Herodotus, George Rawlinson

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  One of the masterpieces of classical literature, the "Histories" describes how a small and quarrelsome band of Greek city states united to repel the might of the Persian empire. But while this epic struggle forms the core of his work, Herodotus' natural curiosity frequently gives rise to colorful digressions - a description of the natural wonders of Egypt; an account of European lake-dwellers; and far-fetched accounts of dog-headed men and gold-digging ants. With its kaleidoscopic blend of fact and legend, the "Histories" offers a compelling Greek view of the world of the fifth century BC.
  BOOK 5: TERPSICHORE: The Persians left behind by King Darius in Europe, who had Megabazus for their general, reduced, before any other Hellespontine state, the people of Perinthus, who had no mind to become subjects of the king.

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  The Cenci

  Alexandre Dumas

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  "The Cenci" by Alexandre Dumas is a tragic and haunting tale of abuse, revenge, and justice set in 16th-century Italy. The story follows the Cenci family, particularly Beatrice Cenci, who endures the tyrannical cruelty of her father, Count Francesco Cenci. Pushed to their limits, the family conspires to murder him, seeking freedom from his oppression. Dumas masterfully explores themes of morality, corruption, and the consequences of vengeance, painting a vivid picture of a society rife with hypocrisy and injustice. Beatrice’s plight becomes a powerful symbol of resistance against tyranny. A blend of historical drama and emotional intensity, this work reflects the timeless struggle between power and innocence, leaving readers to ponder the true meaning of justice.

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  Dickon the Devil - From their...

  Sheridan Le Fanu

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  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu was born on 28th August 1814 in Dublin into a literary family with Huguenot, Irish and English roots.   
  For a time he and his siblings were tutored but Le Fanu would often immerse himself in the books of his father’s library. 
  In 1833 Le Fanu began his Law studies at Trinity College, Dublin and graduated in 1839. Although called to the bar he instead began a career in journalism.   
  He was also writing. His first fiction story ‘The Ghost and the Bonesetter’ was published in 1838.  In 1843 came the novella ‘Spalatro: From the Notes of Fra Giacomo’, a hero with a particular necrophiliac passion for an undead blood-drinking beauty, a forerunner to his later female vampire ‘Carmilla’.  
  In 1844 Le Fanu married Susanna Bennett with whom he had 4 children. The following year his first novel ‘The C'ock and Anchor’ was published. Works now flowed from his pen and with a rapid increase in family finances they moved, in 1851, to Merrion Square, Dublin, where he remained until his death.  
  In 1858 Susanna died and Le Fanu became reclusive. It was during this period that he produced some of his best work.  Working only by candlelight he wrote through the night, burnishing his reputation as a major figure of 19th Century supernaturalism with many classics including; ‘Green Tea’, ‘Mr Justice Harbottle’, and ‘In a Glass Darkly’.  
  Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu died in Merrion Square in his native Dublin on February 7th, 1873, at the age of 58.

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  Bobok - From their pens to your...

  Fyodor Dostoyevsky

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  Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky was born in Moscow on 11th November, 1821 to distinguished multi-ethnic parents from a Lithuanian background.  
  His childhood years were at the family home in hospital grounds which also contained an orphanage, an insane asylum and a cemetery for criminals.  The young Fyodor often disobeyed his father by talking to the ill in the hospital gardens.   
  His health was compromised at age 9 when he experienced his first epileptic fit. By the time he was a teenager both parents had died and he was now enrolled in a military academy where he graduated and eventually became a Lieutenant in 1842.  He left military service the next year. 
  In 1846 he published his first novel ‘Poor Cow’ to great literary acclaim.  His next was unable to emulate that success but his short stories helped provide an income.  Life as an author was definitely difficult. As he began his next work he was arrested and incarcerated for treason and participation in the political and literary Petrashevsky Circle. Although the case was weak and unjustified he was sentenced to 4 years of hard labour followed by 5 years of military service in a Siberian regiment.  
  Despite the undoubted hardships and setbacks in his life, and whether they helped or hindered his writing, his talents produced many exceptional works of literature including ‘Crime and Punishment’, ‘The Idiot’ and ‘The Brothers Karamazov’.   
  Dostoevsky’s ability to get under the skin of his characters and show the inner workings of their mind was hugely influential and ahead of its time.  Interwoven with this was the influence of the broader social, spiritual and political forces at work in a person's psyche.   
  Fyodor Dostoevsky struggled financially and remained in poor health for much of his adult life.  He died from a lung haemorrhage on 9th February, 1881.

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  History of Tom Jones a Foundling...

  Henry Fielding

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  A foundling of mysterious parentage brought up by Mr. Allworthy on his country estate, Tom Jones is deeply in love with the seemingly unattainable Sophia Western, the beautiful daughter of the neighboring squire though he sometimes succumbs to the charms of the local girls. When Tom is banished to make his own fortune and Sophia follows him to London to escape an arranged marriage, the adventure begins. A vivid Hogarthian panorama of eighteenth-century life, spiced with danger and intrigue, bawdy exuberance and good-natured authorial interjections, Tom Jones is one of the greatest and most ambitious comic novels in English literature.
  BOOK 15: There are a set of religious, or rather moral writers, who teach that virtue is the certain road to happiness, and vice to misery, in this world. A very wholesome and comfortable doctrine, and to which we have but one objection, namely, that it is not true.

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  The Ernest Hemingway Collection...

  Ernest Hemingway

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  The Ernest Hemingway Collection brings together three of Hemingway's classic novels—A Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, and The Torrents of Spring—in an illustrated edition that highlights the emotional depth, iconic style, and thematic resonance of his work. Each novel captures Hemingway's unique approach to storytelling, balancing simplicity and poignancy in narratives that explore themes of love, identity, and the search for purpose in an often chaotic world.
  In A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway tells a story of love and sacrifice during World War I. The novel follows the relationship between Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American in the Italian army, and Catherine Barkley, a British nurse. Their romance provides a fleeting refuge from the surrounding devastation, but the couple is ultimately challenged by the unrelenting realities of war, fate, and loss. With minimalistic prose and powerful imagery, Hemingway crafts a haunting portrayal of the human cost of conflict.
  The Sun Also Rises, one of Hemingway's most famous works, delves into the lives of disillusioned expatriates in post-World War I Europe. The story centers on Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley, whose unrequited love is complicated by a sense of existential detachment common among the "Lost Generation." Set in Paris and Spain, the novel explores the characters' pursuit of pleasure, purpose, and identity amid a world struggling to find meaning after the horrors of war. Hemingway's sharp, descriptive prose captures both the glamour and emptiness of their lives.
  Finally, The Torrents of Spring, a satirical work, reveals Hemingway's humorous side while serving as a parody of the romanticism that often permeated American literature of the time. Through witty characterization and exaggerated situations, Hemingway critiques the literary norms of his era, particularly the style of Sherwood Anderson.
  Illustrated with carefully selected imagery, this collection provides visual depth to Hemingway's layered storytelling, enriching readers' experience of each novel's setting and tone. This collection is ideal for those seeking to understand Hemingway's diverse styles and narrative power across romance, existential exploration, and literary satire.
   
  A Farewell to Arms
  The Sun Also Rises
  The Torrents of Spring

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