Maison d'édition: Muhammad
British author Arnold Bennett's most acclaimed and enduring works are a series of novels set around the Potteries district of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, his native region. This volume of short stories delves further into the lives of the residents of the fictional "Five Towns" that Bennett explores in novels like Anna of the Five Towns and Clayhanger.
The Perfect Wagnerite is a philosophical commentary on Richard Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen. According to Shaw: "I write this pamphlet for the assistance of those who wish to be introduced to the work on equal terms with that inner circle of adepts... The reason is that its dramatic moments lie quite outside the consciousness of people whose joys and sorrows are all domestic and personal, and whose religions and political ideas are purely conventional and superstitious. To them it is a struggle between half a dozen fairytale personages for a ring, involving hours of scolding and cheating, and one long scene in a dark gruesome mine, with gloomy, ugly music... Only those of wider consciousness can follow it breathlessly, seeing in it the whole tragedy of human history and the whole horror of the dilemmas from which the world is shrinking today." Shaw interprets the Ring in Marxian terms as an allegory of the collapse of capitalism from its internal contradictions.Voir livre
Sarrasine is a novella written by Honoré de Balzac. It was published in 1830, and is part of his Human Comedy . Around midnight during a ball the narrator is sitting at a window, out of sight, admiring the garden. He overhears the conversations of passers-by regarding the origins of the wealth of the mansion's owner, Monsieur de Lanty. There is also the presence of an unknown old man around the house, whom the family was oddly devoted to, and who frightened and intrigued the partygoers. When the man sits next to the narrator's guest, Beatrix Rochefide, she touches him, and the narrator rushes her out of the room. The narrator says he knows who the man is and says he will tell her his story the next evening....Voir livre
Downton Abbey - PG Wodehouse style!Here we have a glorious ensemble of Wodehousian characters knocking elbows to foreheads in the elegant and grand Blandings Castle. Meet Freddy Threepwood, the vagrant son of doddering old Lord Emsworth of Blandings Castle. Freddy has recently become engaged to Aline Peters, the American heiress of an irascible father. The snag is that Freddy seems to have at one point become enamored of a struggling actress, Joan Valentine, and written some impetuous and imprudent letters to her. Joan has now moved on and is currently employed as a writer for a magazine’s society column. Freddy has employed a certain R. Jones, a man of portly and dubious character, to attempt to buy back Freddy’s letters, and keep his engagement safe. We also meet Ache Marson, an athlete who writes the Gridley Quayle series of pulp mystery stories, and also lives in the flat just below the actress/writer Joan Valentine. Got that strait? Sound confusing? Wait till we get going.Narrated by B.J. Harrison of The Classic Tales Podcast who brings each whimsical Wodehouse character to life with his usual, wonderful gusto.Voir livre
"The Painted Veil" is a literary gem by W. Somerset Maugham, first published in 1925 and later adapted into a successful film. The novel is set against the backdrop of British colonialism in 1920s China and revolves around the complex life of Kitty Fane. She is a young woman who, driven by societal expectations and her own restless spirit, marries Walter, a bacteriologist. However, her marriage quickly becomes a source of unhappiness, and she seeks solace in an extramarital affair. The discovery of Kitty's infidelity by Walter leads to a pivotal turning point in the narrative. Walter, a man of principle, decides to take his wife with him to a remote village in China, where he works to combat a cholera epidemic. It's a form of punishment for Kitty, who must now confront the consequences of her choices and the harsh realities of a foreign and isolated environment. As the couple grapples with their strained relationship and the challenges of the epidemic, Kitty undergoes a profound transformation. She evolves from a self-absorbed and shallow young woman into someone who discovers the depths of her own character and the true meaning of love and sacrifice. "The Painted Veil" is a poignant exploration of themes such as love, redemption, and personal growth amidst adversity. It delves into the complexities of human relationships, the consequences of one's actions, and the potential for redemption and self-discovery. Maugham's narrative is richly layered, his characters are beautifully developed, and the novel masterfully captures the emotional struggles and evolution of the central characters. Ultimately, "The Painted Veil" is a timeless work that continues to resonate with readers, inviting them to contemplate the intricate nuances of human nature and the transformative power of love and self-reflection.Voir livre
"The Old Man and the Sea" is one of Ernest Hemingway's most enduring works, earning him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 and contributing to his Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. The novella tells the tale of Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman who has not caught a fish for 84 days. In his relentless pursuit of a great marlin, Santiago embarks on a solitary journey that becomes as much about his internal struggle and resilience as it is about the physical battle with the fish. The narrative delves into themes of man versus nature, pride, aging, and the eternal struggle for personal triumph against odds.Voir livre
Hearth & Home Audio are proud to present this new abridged audiobook of Charles Dickens' classic 'A Christmas Carol' Performed by Callum Hale with Music by Dylan Allcock. Ebenezer Scrooge is infamous throughout London as a cruel miser, but one Christmas evening; he is visited by the spectre of an old acquaintance, an acquaintance who urges Scrooge to repent his penny pinching ways, and seek redemption. Experience this classic, uplifting fable anew with this fresh production by Hearth & Home Audio.Voir livre
