Verlag: Salt
'This new short story collection from Clare Fisher explores of feelings of failure around gender, sexuality, and work, that arise in a success-obsessed capitalist culture. Dazzling, playful, and experimental, it veers between the real, the surreal and the absurd.'
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on 4th July 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, a town synonymous with the earlier Salem Witch Trials. It was instrumental in Hawthorne’s later use of American Gothic and dark romanticism in his writing. He was a mere four years old when his father died and his mother took him and his two sisters to live with her family and then on to their own home in Raymond, Maine. The young Hawthorne had a passion for fiction and poetry and voraciously read the works of Ann Radcliffe, Henry Fielding and Lord Byron. He was sent to college at his maternal uncle’s insistence. During these years he met and befriended Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and future U S president Franklin Pierce. These friendships were lifelong and to have a crucial impact on his writings and career. At college Hawthorne had made attempts at writing short stories and essays but without opportunities to publish. It was only in 1828 that he finally published his novel ‘Franshawe’ to little success and so he began work as editor for the American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. Hawthorne’s short stories were first published in magazines but in 1837 were collected and published as ‘Twice-Told Tales’. A steady literary career still did not come his way and so he worked in a good position at Salem’s port and married the love of his life Sophia Peabody. They moved to live in ‘The Old Manse’ at Concord, Massachusetts. Finally. in 1850 came spectacular literary and commercial success with ‘The Scarlet Letter’ followed by ‘The House of the Seven Gables’ the following year. In 1852, Hawthorne published a biography of presidential candidate Franklin Pierce. After Pierce’s victory he was appointed consul in Liverpool, a position that offered prestige, money and fame. At the end of this appointment he returned several times to Europe before settling in Massachusetts and resuming writing and publication. During the early 1860’s his health declined and on 19th May 1864 during a trip to Plymouth, New Hampshire. He was 59 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts.Zum Buch
Stefan Zweig's "Obligation" is a riveting narrative that delves into the depths of human conscience, honor, and the moral quandaries that shape our destinies. Set in the early 20th century, this masterful work captures the essence of internal struggle through the life of its protagonist, a man ensnared by a promise made in a moment of desperation. The story unfolds as the protagonist, a respected individual within his community, faces an unexpected moral dilemma. Years ago, he made a vow under circumstances that he believed would never resurface to challenge the integrity of his word. However, when the past comes knocking in an unforeseen manner, he is thrust into a vortex of ethical introspection and societal judgment. Zweig, with his unparalleled ability to explore the psychological landscapes of his characters, crafts a tale that is not only about the weight of a promise but also about the complex interplay of duty, societal expectations, and personal integrity. The protagonist's journey is a compelling exploration of how one's sense of obligation can dictate the course of one's life, often leading to unforeseen consequences and internal conflicts. "Obligation" is a testament to Zweig's genius in portraying the nuanced battles that rage within the human soul. It is a story that resonates with the timeless theme of how personal honor and the sense of duty can lead to a crucible of decision-making, where every choice comes with its own set of repercussions. This novel is a must-read for anyone who appreciates the art of psychological narrative and the exploration of moral dilemmas in the human experience.Zum Buch
Robert Barr was born in Glasgow, Scotland on the 16th September 1849. Five years later the family emigrated to a farm near Muirkirk in Upper Canada. His early years were uneventful as the family settled into their new lives and Barr began his education. A career path as a teacher opened up for him and, by 1874, he had been appointed as headmaster at the Central School at Windsor. Concurrently he also wrote travel and humourous articles for magazines. Within two years their success in the regional periodicals encouraged him to change careers to become a reporter and columnist. In August 1876, at age 27, he married Eva Bennett and they began a family. A half decade later he was the exchange editor of the ‘Free Press’ but decided to relocate to London to establish an English edition and to write fiction, which both met with much success. Over the years he was a prolific writer and in 1892, along with Jerome K Jerome, he established ‘The Idler’ magazine and, just after the turn of the century, became its sole proprietor. Although a number of his crime novels and short stories are parodies on Sherlock Holmes and other best-selling detectives of the time, he also wrote short stories across a whole range of subjects and genres usually with intriguing ideas and many laced with wit and humour. Robert Barr died at his home in Woldingham, Surrey of heart disease on the 21st October 1912. He was 63.Zum Buch
In this stunning debut from one of Nigeria's most exciting young writers, the stakes of love meet a society in flux. These nine stories of queer male intimacy brim with simmering secrecy, ecstasy, loneliness, and love in their depictions of what it means to be gay in contemporary Nigeria. A man revisits the university campus where he lost his first love, aware now of what he couldn't understand then. A daughter returns home to Lagos after the death of her father, where she must face her past—and future—relationship with his longtime partner. A young musician rises to fame at the price of pieces of himself, and the man who loves him. The audiobook edition of God's Children Are Little Broken Things includes an exclusive introduction voiced by the author."Surprisingly hopeful…[Arinze's Ifeakandu's] understated style encourages close reading and elicits a strong sense of what it is like for the characters to endure the perils of being gay in Nigeria. The author leaves readers with a painful and powerful group portrait."—Publishers WeeklyContemporary love stories with moments of real surprise and revelation. —Brandon Taylor, author of Filthy AnimalsGenerations collide, families break and are remade, languages and cultures intertwine, and lovers find their ways to futures. From childhood through adulthood, on university campuses, city centers, and neighborhoods where church bells mingle with the morning call to prayer, love is consistent even in the presence of loss. God's Children Are Little Broken Things from Caine Prize finalist Arinze Ifeakandu is a debut of emotional charge, with the touch of grace and the compassionate signature of an important new voice."The nine stories are best enjoyed at a slow and savored pace as they are often presented like scenes from a play with little to no context at the beginning. Nevertheless, the vague beginnings and endings of each story enhance the overall haunting and evocative effect of the lush writing. " - BooklistIn these gorgeous stories, Ifeakandu takes on big, untidy emotions—love, loneliness, yearning, grief—and writes about them with extraordinary deftness and grace. This is a hugely impressive collection, full of subtlety, wisdom and heart.—Sarah Waters, author of The Paying GuestsZum Buch
Are you inspired by the lives of ordinary people around you? Read about how ordinary people have led extraordinary lives through grit and determination. The book aims to communicate that the road to success is always under construction. It requires consistent effort, adaptability, patience, and unbreakable belief that, no matter the obstacles, there is always a path forward. Have you heard about a Jungian? Follow Anita as she pursues her passion and travels to New York. Read about Sampat, a journalist who seizes the opportunity of a lifetime to create the dream newspaper envisioned by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. These stories of ordinary people will motivate you to live with passion, achieve your dreams, and most importantly, live your life with purpose.Zum Buch
"Dream Life and Real Life" is a haunting short story about a little orphan girl in servitude to a cruel Boer family. One night, following a beating, she runs away and hides in a cave. But there she overhears three men plotting to rob and burn down the Boer's farm and kill the family. What should she do? Warn them, or let them burn to death? Olive Schreiner (March 24, 1855 - December 11, 1920) was a South African author, anti-war campaigner and intellectual. She is remembered today for her 1883 novel, The Story of an African Farm, which has been highly acclaimed. It deals boldly with such contemporary issues as agnosticism, existential independence, individualism, the professional aspirations of women, and the elemental nature of life on the colonial frontier.Zum Buch
