Maison d'édition: Bu Classics Books
A mysterious benefactor lifts an orphan from poverty, setting him on a path of snobbery and unrequited love for a cold-hearted beauty. But the source of his fortune holds a dark secret that shatters his illusions of gentility. A masterclass in character study, exploring the true cost of ambition and the definition of a gentleman.
Mary Frances Butts was born on 13th December 1890 in Poole, Dorset. Her early years were spent at Salterns, an 18th-century house overlooking Poole Harbour. Sadly in 1905 her father died, and she was sent for boarding at St Leonard's school for girls in St Andrews. Her mother remarried and, from 1909, Mary studied at Westfield College in London, and here, first became aware of her bisexual feelings. She was sent down for organising a trip to Epsom races and only completed her degree in 1914 when she graduated from the London School of Economics. By then Mary had become an admirer of the occultist Aleister Crowley and she was given a co-authorship credit on his ‘Magick (Book 4)’. In 1916, she began the diary which would now detail her future life and be a constant reference point for her observations and her absorbing experiences. During World War I, she was doing social work for the London County Council in Hackney Wick, and involved in a lesbian relationship. Life changed after meeting the modernist poet, John Rodker and they married in 1918. In 1921 she spent 3 months at Aleister Crowley's Abbey of Thelema in Sicily; she found the practices dreadful and also acquired a drug habit. Mary now spent time writing in Dorset, including her celebrated book of short stories ‘Speed the Plough’ which saw fully develop her unique Modernist prose style. Europe now beckoned and several years were spent in Paris befriending many artists and writing further extraordinary stories. She was continually sought after by literary magazines and also published several short story collections as books. Although a Modernist writer she worked in other genres but is essentially only known for her short stories. Mary was deeply committed to nature conservation and wrote several pamphlets attacking the growing pollution of the countryside. In 1927, she divorced and the following year her novel ‘Armed with Madness’ was published. A further marriage followed in 1930 and time was spent attempting to settle in London and Newcastle before setting up home on the western tip of Cornwall. By 1934 the marriage had failed. Mary Butts died on 5th March 1937, at the West Cornwall Hospital, Penzance, after an operation for a perforated gastric ulcer. She was 46.Voir livre
Experience Jane Austen's timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice, as you drift off to sleep. This book has been edited, narrated, and produced especially to help you fall asleep. Narrated by Elizabeth Grace for Slumber Studios. Do you find yourself struggling to fall asleep? Perhaps you have insomnia or a racing mind after a long day. No matter what is keeping you up at night, soothing audio stories are one of the most effective ways to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. And that's exactly what we do at Slumber Studios. So close your eyes, relax, and let the soothing voice of Elizabeth Grace guide you through the romantic tale of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. As you listen to the gentle and melodic tone of the narration, let your mind wander and immerse yourself in the world of Georgian England. Follow Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates the social norms of her time, deals with family drama, and ultimately falls in love. Our audiobooks are expertly crafted to help you relax and drift off to sleep. Each episode is designed to instill calm, with a slower pace and soothing background music, ensuring that you will be lulled into a peaceful slumber. So if you're looking for a way to unwind after a long day, you've come to the right place. Simply press play, lay down in bed, and let Elizabeth Grace's calming voice transport you into a world of dreams. You'll wake up feeling refreshed and recharged in the morning.Voir livre
William Pett Ridge was born at Chartham, near Canterbury, Kent, on 22nd April 1859. His family’s resources were certainly limited. His father was a railway porter, and the young Pett Ridge, after schooling in Marden, Kent became a clerk in a railway clearing-house. The hours were long and arduous, but self-improvement was Pett Ridge’s goal. After working from nine until seven o’clock he would attend evening classes at Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institute and then to follow his passion; the ambition to write. He was heavily influenced by Dickens and several critics thought he had the capability to be his successor. From 1891 many of his humourous sketches were published in the St James's Gazette, the Idler, Windsor Magazine and other literary periodicals of the day. Pett Ridge published his first novel in 1895, A Clever Wife. By the advent of his fifth novel, Mord Em'ly, a mere three years later in 1898, his success was obvious. His writing was written from the perspective of those born with no privilege and relied on his great talent to find humour and sympathy in his portrayal of working class life. Today Pett Ridge and other East End novelists including Arthur Nevinson, Arthur Morrison and Edwin Pugh are being grouped together as the Cockney Novelists. In 1924, Pugh set out his recollections of Pett Ridge from the 1890s: “I see him most clearly, as he was in those days, through a blue haze of tobacco smoke. We used sometimes to travel together from Waterloo to Worcester Park on our way to spend a Saturday afternoon and evening with H. G. Wells. Pett Ridge does not know it, but it was through watching him fill his pipe, as he sat opposite me in a stuffy little railway compartment, that I completed my own education as a smoker... Pett Ridge had a small, dark, rather spiky moustache in those days, and thick, dark, sleek hair which is perhaps not quite so thick or dark, though hardly less sleek nowadays than it was then”. With his success, on the back of his prolific output and commercial success, Pett Ridge gave generously of both time and money to charity. In 1907 he founded the Babies Home at Hoxton. This was one of several organisations that he supported that had the welfare of children as their mission. His circle considered Pett Ridge to be one of life's natural bachelors. In 1909 they were rather surprised therefore when he married Olga Hentschel. As the 1920’s arrived Pett Ridge added to his popularity with the movies. Four of his books were adapted into films. Pett Ridge now found the peak of his fame had passed. Although he still managed to produce a book a year he was falling out of fashion and favour with the reading public and his popularity declined rapidly. His canon runs to over sixty novels and short-story collections as well as many pieces for magazines and periodicals. William Pett Ridge died, on 29th September 1930, at his home, Ampthill, Willow Grove, Chislehurst, at the age of 71. He was cremated at West Norwood on 2nd October 1930.Voir livre
Clotilde Augusta Inez Mary Graves was born on the 3rd June 1863 at Buttevant Castle, Co. Cork, to parents with military backgrounds. At age nine, the family moved to Southsea in England for yet another military posting. Her father’s postings gave her valuable experiences that would be put to good use in later years in some of her literary works. She was educated at a Catholic convent in Lourdes before returning to London in 1884 to study art in Bloomsbury. She worked part-time at the British Museum and the Royal Female School of Art and generated further income by drawing little pen-and-ink grotesques for the comic papers. A few years later a chance meeting found her writing extra lyrics for a pantomime version of Puss in Boots. She followed up with several financially successful plays, both in London and New York, and gained a measure of notoriety in one with the comparison of marriage and prostitution. Despite her dramatic success she published her first novel in 1911 under the pseudonym of Richard Dehan which she continued to use for later works. As well as novels and plays she published collections of short stories which glow with talent and invention. She was an unusual figure in London society, wearing her hair short, taking on a masculine manner and cut of clothing, and smoking cigarettes in public when such traits were considered eccentric at best. Add to this her admired collection of Chinese and Japanese trophies, her enthusiasm for fly-fishing and her riding of a tricycle and you have a perfect image of this fascinating writer. Clotilde Graves died at the convent of Our Lady of Lourdes at Hatch End in Middlesex, on the 3rd December 1932. She was 69.Voir livre
A hungry pythoness on the prowl for Eternal Truth ... Why you should choose me over my competition is because I write from my experience that comes from being exposed to both the eastern and western style of living, where in the first half of my life it was east while the other half of my life in the west, which means it puts the burden of being that missing link that is needed to unite the east and the west!Voir livre
Some questions have no easy answers—and the greatest novels dare to ask them anyway. In The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky delivers an extraordinary literary masterpiece that explores the deepest questions of faith, morality, justice, and the human soul. Through the lives of an unforgettable family, this epic novel weaves together emotional drama, philosophical inquiry, and psychological depth into a story that has captivated readers for generations. Renowned for its profound insight into human nature, Dostoevsky masterfully blends philosophical fiction with compelling storytelling. Richly developed characters, powerful dialogue, and unforgettable moments invite readers to reflect on timeless themes of love, free will, forgiveness, responsibility, and the enduring search for meaning. Epic in scope yet deeply personal, The Brothers Karamazov stands as one of the greatest achievements in world literature. Its emotional intensity, intellectual richness, and moral complexity continue to inspire readers, scholars, philosophers, and writers, making it an essential classic for anyone who appreciates thought-provoking fiction. Widely regarded as Fyodor Dostoevsky's crowning achievement, The Brothers Karamazov has shaped literature, philosophy, psychology, and theology for more than a century. Its enduring influence and universal themes have secured its place among the finest novels ever written. Discover one of literature's greatest masterpieces. Download The Brothers Karamazov today and experience a timeless novel that will challenge your mind, move your heart, and stay with you long after the final page.Voir livre
