Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Candide

  Voltaire

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  Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious bildungsroman, it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously.    Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism. Voltaire's men and women point his case against optimism by starting high and falling low. A modern could not go about it after this fashion. He would not plunge his people into an unfamiliar misery. He would just keep them in the misery they were born to. But such an account of Voltaire's procedure is as misleading as the plaster cast of a dance.    Look at his procedure again. Mademoiselle Cunégonde, the illustrious Westphalian, sprung from a family that could prove seventy-one quarterings, descends and descends until we find her earning her keep by washing dishes in the Propontis. The aged faithful attendant, victim of a hundred acts of rape by negro pirates, remembers that she is the daughter of a pope, and that in honor of her approaching marriage with a Prince of Massa-Carrara all Italy wrote sonnets of which not one was passable. We do not need to know French literature before Voltaire in order to feel, although the lurking parody may escape us, that he is poking fun at us and at himself. His laughter at his own methods grows more unmistakable at the last, when he caricatures them by casually assembling six fallen monarchs in an inn at Venice.    A modern assailant of optimism would arm himself with social pity. There is no social pity in "Candide." Voltaire, whose light touch on familiar institutions opens them and reveals their absurdity, likes to remind us that the slaughter and pillage and murder which Candide witnessed among the Bulgarians was perfectly regular, having been conducted according to the laws and usages of war. Had Voltaire lived today he would have done to poverty what he did to war. Pitying the poor, he would have shown us poverty as a ridiculous anachronism, and both the ridicule and the pity would have expressed his indignation.

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  The Complete Short Stories of A...

  A. A. Milne, Gyles Brandreth

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  A new collection of A. A. Milne’s short stories for grown-ups. Gathered in full for the first time, they include several never published before. They show Milne’s renowned charm, concision and whimsical flair in all their brilliance. 
   
  He paints memorable scenes – from a children’s birthday party, to an accidental encounter with murder, and a case of blackmail – often with an unexpected twist. But he also deals in poignancy, from the girl who pulls the wool over her boyfriend’s eyes, to a first dance and first disappointment or family reunion and domestic dissonance. 
   
  Beguiling and evocative, Milne’s thought-provoking stories for adults will make you see his works for children in a whole new light.

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  Count of Monte Cristo The -...

  Alexandre Dumas, Classic...

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  The Count of Monte Cristo is a gripping story of revenge, justice, and transformation set in 19th-century France. It follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor whose promising future is destroyed by betrayal. Wrongfully imprisoned for years in the Château d'If, he escapes, uncovers a hidden treasure, and returns to society with a new identity: the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo.With patience, brilliance, and immense wealth, Dantès carefully orchestrates the downfall of those who wronged him. But as his plan unfolds, he must face the consequences of vengeance and decide whether redemption is still possible.Rich in suspense, emotion, and philosophical depth, this timeless novel explores the human thirst for justice and the power of forgiveness.

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  The House at Pooh Corner

  Alan Alexander Milne

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  The House at Pooh Corner is a 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne and illustrated by E. H. Shepard. This book is the second novel, and final one by Milne, to feature Winnie-the-Pooh and his world. The book is also notable for introducing the character Tigger. The book's exact date of publication is unknown beyond the year 1928, although several sources indicate the date of October 11.

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  Remarkable Case of Davidson's...

  H. G. Wells

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  The transitory mental aberration of Sidney Davidson, remarkable enough in itself, is still more remarkable if Wade's explanation is to be credited. It sets one dreaming of the oddest possibilities of intercommunication in the future, of spending an intercalary five minutes on the other side of the world, or being watched in our most secret operations by unsuspected eyes. It happened that I was the immediate witness of Davidson's seizure, and so it falls naturally to me to put the story upon paper.

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  Life on the Mississippi

  Mark Twain

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  Life on the Mississippi, written by the renowned American author Mark Twain, is a captivating memoir that takes readers on an unforgettable journey along the iconic Mississippi River. With his trademark wit and storytelling prowess, Twain weaves together a fascinating narrative that blends his personal experiences, historical anecdotes, and reflections on the ever-changing landscape of America's greatest river. The story begins with Twain's vivid recollections of his own youthful days as a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. Through his keen observations and richly detailed descriptions, readers are transported to a bygone era, where steamboats reigned supreme and the river served as a bustling thoroughfare for trade, transportation, and adventure. As Twain shares his intimate knowledge of the river, he delves into the intricacies of steamboat navigation, regaling readers with tales of treacherous shoals, perilous bends, and the unique challenges faced by pilots. Alongside these captivating stories, Twain introduces a colorful cast of characters he encountered during his time on the river, including fellow pilots, deckhands, passengers, and gamblers, each with their own captivating stories to tell.

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