Other books that might interest you

• 

  A Midsummer Night's Dream

  William Shakespeare

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Сomedy A Midsummer's Night Dream is a wonderful piece of work written by a genius English playwright William Shakespeare. Three very amusing stories tightly connected with each other fascinate the reader with a numerous love adventures. The reason for that is a potion of a forest spirit Puck. William Shakespeare is the author of the world famous sonnets and plays Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello, as well as comedies Twelfth Night, A Midsummer's Night Dream, Love's Labour's Lost, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and As You Like It. William Shakespeare is the most performed playwright, the works of the great English poet have been on top of the world theatre stages for some centuries already.

  Show book

• 

  A Dead Woman's Secret - From...

  Guy de Maupassant

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was born on August 5th, 1850 near Dieppe in France.  
  Maupassant’s early life was badly torn when at age 11 (his younger brother Hervé was then five) his mother, Laure, a headstrong and independent-minded woman, risked social disgrace in order to obtain a legal separation from her husband. 
  After the separation, Laure kept custody of her two boys. With the father now forcibly absent, Laure became the most influential and important figure in the young boy's life.   
  Maupassant’s education was such that he rebelled against religion and other societal norms but a developing friendship with Gustave Flaubert began to turn his mind towards creativity and writing. 
  After graduation he volunteered for the Franco-Prussian war. With its end he moved to Paris to work as a clerk in the Navy Department.  Gustave Flaubert now took him under his wing.  Acting as a literary guardian to him, he guided the eager Maupassant to debuts in journalism and literature.  For Maupassant these were exciting times and the awakening of his creative talents and ambitions. 
  In 1880 he published what is considered his first great work, ‘Boule de Suif’, (translated as as ‘Dumpling’, ‘Butterball’, ‘Ball of Fat’, or ‘Ball of Lard’) which met with a success that was both instant and overwhelming.  Flaubert at once acknowledged that it was ‘a masterpiece that will endure.’ Maupassant had used his talents and experiences in the war to create something unique.  
  This decade from 1880 to 1891 was to be the most pivotal of his career.  With an audience now made available by the success of ‘Boule de Suif’ Maupassant organised himself to work methodically and relentlessly to produce between two and four volumes of work a year.  The melding of his talents and business sense and the continual hunger of sources for his works made him wealthy. 
  In his later years he developed a desire for solitude, an obsession for self-preservation, and a fear of death as well as a paranoia of persecution caused by the syphilis he had contracted in his youth.  
  On January 2nd, 1892, Maupassant tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat.  Unsuccessful he was committed to the private asylum of Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris.  It was here on July 6th, 1893 that Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant died at the age of only 42.

  Show book

• 

  A Girl of the Limberlost

  Gene Stratton-Porter

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  What began with the discovery of a glass negative—a teenage boy in a rocking chair, captivated by a story—became the spark that led me to retell and narrate this classic coming-of-age story. 
  A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter published in 1909, is set in the lush, untamed Limberlost Swamp of northeastern Indiana. Gene Stratton-Porter drew inspiration from her childhood experiences in the Limberlost Swamp for her novels, including A Girl of the Limberlost. The book's vivid descriptions of the swamp's beauty and the challenges faced by its inhabitants have captivated readers for over a century. 
  A Girl of the Limberlost tells the story of Elnora Comstock, a young woman fighting against poverty and a difficult home life to claim an education. She finds solace, inspiration and literally funds her future by venturing into the swamp to collect rare moths and butterflies to sell to collectors. 
  More than just a classic coming-of-age tale, this novel is a powerful tribute to human resilience and the restorative beauty of nature.

  Show book

• 

  A Wagner Matinee - From their...

  Willa Cather

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Willa Sibert Cather had Welsh ancestry but like her parents Charles and Mary, was born in Virginia, on 7th December 1873.  Despite strong roots in the community, Willa was 9, when the family moved to Nebraska, to work the rich soil and avoid TB of which there were numerous outbreaks in Virginia.   
  The vastness and drama of the Nebraska prairie and its’ extreme weather conditions as well as the many diverse cultures of the local families proved to be a major influence on her and can be evidenced in much of her later writing.   
  Her first writing was for the local journal when she was at the University of Nebraska and later became the managing editor of the student newspaper.    
  In 1896 she obtained work for a woman’s magazine in Pittsburgh and soon after became a regular contributor to the Pittsburgh Leader and wrote poetry and short stories for the Library, another local publication.   
  Her first collection of short stories, ‘The Troll Garden’, was published in 1905 and contains several of her most famous including ‘A Wagner Matinee’ and ‘Paul's Case.’ As a writer Cather was now taking immense strides forward.   
  Between 1913 and 1918 Cather wrote her Prairie Trilogy: ‘O Pioneers!’, ‘The Song of the Lark’, and ‘My Ántonia’ and in 1922 the Pulitizer Prize was hers for her novel ‘One of Ours’ set during WWI.  
  Acknowledged as one of America's greatest writers’ further honours flowed. In 1943 she was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The following year Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters.  
  A determinedly private person, Cather destroyed many old drafts, personal papers, and letters. Her will would also restrict the ability of scholars to quote from personal papers that remained. 
  On 24th April 1947, Willa Siebert Cather died of a cerebral haemorrhage at her Manhattan home. She was 73.

  Show book

• 

  The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook

  Laura Lee Hope

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "Fresh air, green fields, and a brand new mystery—the Bobbsey twins have arrived at Meadow Brook!"
  
  The Bobbsey family is packing their trunks once again! In The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook, Nan, Bert, Flossie, and Freddie leave the paved streets of Lakeport behind for a summer stay at a sprawling country estate. For the twins, Meadow Brook is a paradise of new experiences—from learning how to milk cows and gather eggs to exploring the mysterious "deep woods" nearby. But where the Bobbseys go, excitement is sure to follow. Between a missing farm animal and a strange encounter at the old swimming hole, the twins find that life on a farm is every bit as thrilling as the big city.
  
  The Magic of the Countryside: This volume captures the idyllic charm of rural America at the turn of the century. Readers join the twins as they discover the rhythms of nature, the hard work of harvest time, and the simple joy of a hayride. It's a story that celebrates the outdoors and the curiosity of children when placed in a brand-new environment.
  
  New Friends and Familiar Faces: While the story features the beloved Bobbsey quartet, it also introduces a cast of colorful country characters. The twins learn valuable lessons about community and cooperation as they interact with the farmhands and neighbors of Meadow Brook.
  
  A Mystery in the Meadows: True to the series' formula, a gentle mystery keeps the pages turning. Whether it's investigating strange noises in the barn or tracking down a lost treasure, Nan and Bert use their growing detective skills to solve the puzzles of the countryside, proving that a sharp mind is useful no matter where you are.
  
  Escape to the country with a classic family favorite. Purchase "The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook" today.

  Show book

• 

  The Peterkins Decide to Learn...

  Lucretia Peabody Hale

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The bookshelves of American literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From this continent their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Lucretia Peabody Hale.

  Show book