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  The Moonstone

  Wilkie Collins

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  Published in 1868, "The Moonstone" is often considered one of the first, if not the first, detective novels in the English language. Penned by Wilkie Collins, this engrossing tale revolves around the theft of an enormous diamond named the Moonstone. This diamond, stolen from an Indian temple and later bequeathed to Rachel Verinder on her eighteenth birthday, goes missing under mysterious circumstances. The narrative is distinguished by its shifting perspectives, with multiple characters providing their viewpoints in a series of first-person accounts. Sergeant Cuff, a famed detective, is called upon to solve the mystery. The novel delves deep into themes of colonialism, British imperialism, and the cultural repercussions of stealing treasured artifacts from colonized nations.

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  The Avignon Quintet - Monsieur...

  Lawrence Durrell

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   From the visionary author of the Alexandria Quartet comes a landmark five-part series hailed by the Sunday Times as “one of the great novels of our time.” One of the most celebrated English writers ever, Lawrence Durrell was a bestselling author whose vivid metafictions pushed the boundaries of modern literature. The cosmopolitan provocateur transcended borders, ideologies, and time in his work, and he’s at the height of his powers in the Avignon Quintet.   More formally daring than the Alexandria Quartet, these sweeping and stylish novels set before, during, and after World War II loosely center on the race to uncover a treasure buried by the Knights Templar. Each reveals a seemingly disparate piece of the puzzle. In Monsieur, it’s the bittersweet return to southern France by a British doctor; in Livia, it’s two sisters driven apart by the rise of Nazism in Europe. In Constance, a Freudian analyst struggles for clarity in a world on fire; in Sebastian, she reconnects with the charismatic cult leader she knew in the deserts of Egypt. And in Quinx, long-buried plots reemerge as the past and future are funneled into the present.   Durrell himself described the Avignon Quintet as a “quincunx,” a series of novels “roped together like climbers on a rockface, but all independent.” Together they form a powerful meditation on the search for meaning in a world of chaos and brutality.  

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  Frida or The Lover's Leap

  R.D. Blackmore

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  The short story is often viewed as an inferior relation to the Novel.  But it is an art in itself. To take a story and distil its essence into fewer pages while keeping character and plot rounded and driven is not an easy task.  Many try and many fail.   Blackmore was one to succeed as this audiobook ably demonstrates. 
   
  Richard Doddridge Blackmore was born on 7 June 1825 at Longworth in Berkshire (now part of Oxfordshire), where his father, John Blackmore, was Curate-in-charge of the parish. His mother died a few months after his birth the victim of an outbreak of typhus. With this loss, the family moved to Bushey, Hertfordshire, then on to their native Devon.  With much of his childhood spent in the lush and pastoral "Doone Country" of Exmoor, and along the Badgworthy Water, Blackmore came to love the very countryside he immortalised in Lorna Doone. In November 1853 he married his wife Lucy.  And the following year, 1854, his literary career began with a collection of Poems and for the next 15 years he would write in the winters and garden in the summers. 
   
  In 1860 with inherited money he built a house in Teddington just outside of London and established a market garden for the cultivation of fruit.  He loved horticulture but having little business experience could never really exploit it. In these short stories collected here, much of that countryside comes through to counterpoint the strong characters he creates. RD Blackmore died at Teddington on 20 January 1900 after a long and painful illness, and was buried next to his wife in Teddington cemetery.

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  The Prince and the Pauper

  Mark Twain

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  The Prince and the Pauper is a novel by Mark Twain and was published in 1881. It tells the story of two young boys (a prince and a pauper) who exchange their role temporally. They are the same age and exactly look alike. But they have a great difference: Tom Canty is a pauper who lives with his abusive, alcoholic father in Offal Court off Pudding Lane in London, Edward Tudor is Prince of Wales and son of Henry VIII of England. Prior to meeting each other, both boys have dreams of living the life of the other. Tom, dressed as Edward, tries to deal with court customs and manners. On the other hand, Edward forces to face the brutal life of a London pauper and then becomes aware of the stark class inequality in England.Mark Twain attacks upon social hypocrisy. Also, he exposes the concept that "clothes make the man" with his satiric and irresistible comedy.This version of the book is translated by Mohsen Soleimani to Persian (Farsi) and narrated by Noro-Al-Din Djavadian. The Persian version of The Prince and the Pauper’s audiobook is published by Maktub worldwide.

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  The Yellow Wallpaper

  Charlotte Perkins Gilman

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  Presented in the first person, the story is a collection of journal entries written by a woman (Jane) whose physician husband (John) has confined her to the upstairs bedroom of a house he has rented for the summer. She is forbidden from working and has to hide her journal from him, so she can recuperate from what he calls a "temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency," a diagnosis common to women in that period. The windows of the room are barred, and there is a gate across the top of the stairs, allowing her husband to control her access to the rest of the house.An Author's Republic audio production.

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  A Son At The Front

  Edith Wharton

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  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.

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