D'autres livres qui pourraient vous intéresser

• 

  The Lottery Ticket and Other...

  Henry Van Dyke, Anton Chekhov,...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Immerse yourself in timeless tales of the human experience with The Lottery Ticket and Other Stories, an exclusive digital audiobook collection featuring masterful works of fiction. From the existential depths of Herman Melville’s "Bartleby, the Scrivener" to Leo Tolstoy’s inspiring exploration of life’s purpose in "What Men Live By," this collection brings you unforgettable stories that probe the soul and spark reflection.
   
  
   
  Highlights include:
   
  
   
  Bartleby, the Scrivener – Melville’s thought-provoking tale of passive resistance and modern alienation set on Wall Street.
   
  What Men Live By – Tolstoy’s moving parable about love, compassion, and the true meaning of life.
   
  The Mansion – Henry van Dyke’s profound story about wealth, morality, and the legacy we leave behind.
   
  The Lottery Ticket – Anton Chekhov’s gripping and ironic tale about greed, dreams, and the cruel twists of fate.
   
  Whether you’re a long-time lover of classic literature or new to these timeless works, this beautifully narrated collection invites you to explore the richness of the human condition. Perfect for anyone seeking deep, meaningful stories, The Lottery Ticket and Other Stories offers wisdom and entertainment that resonate across generations.

  Voir livre

• 

  The Lady or The Tiger - From...

  Frank R. Stockton

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Frank Richard Stockton was born in Philadelphia on 5th April 1834.  
  His father, a Methodist minister, discouraged Stockton’s literary career from an early age.  Feeling unable to go against those wishes it was for many years that Stockton’s income was maintained as a wood engraver.   
  His first work was published in 1867 and his first collection only appeared in 1870.  Despite this late arrival Stockton’s innovative and often far-fetched stories, with a gentle ‘poking fun’ humour were very popular.  Like his contemporary Mark Twain he avoided the scolding, hectoring and moral tones of many other authors and instead gently teased and cajoled his reader to open their eyes to the ills, the greed and the ambitions of the world around them.  His sci-fi stories in particular were far-seeing and inventive including a tale of negative gravity and a bloodless Anglo-US war won by technological feats.  
  Perhaps his most enduring tale though is ‘The Lady, or the Tiger?’ from 1882.  A condemned man is given a choice of being eaten alive or marrying his princess lover.  But he has to choose which door each is behind. 
  Frank R Stockton died in Washington, DC, on 20th April 1902, of a cerebral haemorrhage.  He is buried at The Woodlands in Philadelphia.

  Voir livre

• 

  The Great Wall of China

  Franz Kafka

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "The Great Wall of China" is a short story by Franz Kafka. While written in 1917, it was not published until 1930, seven years after his death. Its first publication occurred in Der Morgen, a German literary magazine. A year later, Max Brod included it in Beim Bau der Chinesischen Mauer, the first posthumous collection of short stories by Franz Kafka.Contained within the story is a parable that was separately published as "A Message from the Emperor" ("Eine kaiserliche Botschaft") in 1919 in the collection Ein Landarzt (A Country Doctor). Some sub-themes of the story include why the wall was built piecemeal (in small sections in many different places), the relationship of the Chinese with the past and the present and the emperor's imperceptible presence. The story is told in the first person by an older man from a southern province.The first English translation, by Willa and Edwin Muir, was published by Martin Secker in London in 1933. It appeared in The Great Wall of China. Stories and Reflections (New York City: Schocken Books, 1946).

  Voir livre

• 

  A Son At The Front

  Edith Wharton

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  In the realm of classic literature, there exists a treasure trove of stories that capture the essence of human emotions and experiences during times of conflict. One such masterpiece is "A Son at the Front," a novel written by Edith Wharton and published in 1923. This poignant work of fiction delves into the lives of its characters against the backdrop of World War I, weaving a narrative that explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the unrelenting toll of war. 
   
  The story primarily revolves around the protagonist, John Campton, an American painter residing in Paris. John is a devoted father, and his world revolves around his beloved son, George. The novel traces John's inner turmoil as he wrestles with his desire to protect his son from the horrors of war while also coming to terms with his own artistic ambitions. 
   
  As the novel unfolds, we witness the complex interplay of personal and societal forces on the characters. John Campton's internal conflict reflects the broader dilemma faced by countless individuals during the Great War. The choice between pursuing one's creative aspirations and succumbing to the overwhelming demands of duty and patriotism is a recurring theme that resonates with readers even today. 
   
  Edith Wharton, celebrated for her incisive social commentary and keen insight into human nature, portrays the characters in "A Son at the Front" with depth and nuance. John's struggles are a testament to the emotional turmoil experienced by parents who see their children heading to the frontlines of battle. The fear, anxiety, and helplessness that John grapples with are emotions that transcend time and place, making his character all the more relatable to modern readers.

  Voir livre

• 

  The Song of Justice - From their...

  Rainer Maria Rilke

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke was born into a troubled marriage on the 4th December 1875 in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  His mother, having previously lost a baby girl, would dress the young boy up in girl’s clothing.   
  Later his father dispatched him to a military academy at age 10 but after a miserable 5 years the young Rilke left due to illness and instead entered first Prague and then Munich and finally Berlin university to study art history, philosophy and literature. 
  His initial forays into literature was in poetry.  His intense, mystical and lyrical style was much admired and over time inspired many in succeeding generations.    
  His short prose collection ‘Stories of God’, written in an impassioned burst over several nights was published in 1900 and offers a beguiling view of much of Rilke’s influences and outlook.  
  The following year he married the pioneering sculptor and artist Clara Westhoff.  The union produced one child, a daughter Ruth.   
  He lived in Paris for most of the Century’s first decade where he mixed with many great minds of the time.  Although he continued to write he also worked as a secretary to the sculptor, Rodin.   
  It was only after they settled in Switzerland in 1919 that his writing output was in full flow.  Here he wrote profusely in both German and French, which included much on his previous travels, his left-wing sympathies, his religious and existential thoughts, all part of a unique and consummate style. 
  From 1923 on, Rilke increasingly struggled with his health which was now in constant decline and often spent time rehabilitating at a sanatorium.   
  Rainer Maria Rilke died of leukaemia on the 29th December 1926 in Montreux, Switzerland.  He was 51.

  Voir livre

• 

  Amy Levy - Six of the Best -...

  Amy Levy

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Six has always been a number we group things around – Six of the best, six of one half a dozen of another, six feet under, six pack, six degrees of separation and a sixth sense are but a few of the ways we use this number. 
   
  Such is its popularity that we thought it is also a very good way of challenging and investigating an author’s work to give width, brevity, humour and depth across six of their very best. 
   
  In this series we gather together authors whose short stories both rivet the attention and inspire the imagination to visit their gems in a series of six, to roam across an author’s legacy in a few short hours and gain a greater understanding of their writing and, of course, to be lavishly entertained by their ideas, their narrative and their way with words. 
   
  These stories can be surprising and sometimes at a tangent to what we expected, but each is fully formed and a marvellous adventure into the world and words of a literary master.

  Voir livre