Other books that might interest you

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  The Maltese Cat - Celebrated...

  Rudyard Kipling

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  Joseph Rudyard Kipling was born in Mumbai, India on 30th December 1865.   
   
  As was the custom in those days, he and his sister were sent back to England when he was 5.  The ill-treatment and cruelty by the Portsmouth couple they boarded with Kipling said contributed to the onset of his literary life.  
   
  At 16 he returned to India to work on a local paper where he was soon contributing and writing.  It also exposed him to the issues of identity and national allegiance which pervade much of his work.  
   
  In 1886, his ‘Departmental Ditties’, collection of verse appeared in print followed by 39 short stories for his newspaper over only 8 months.  These were then published as ‘Plain Tales from the Hills’, shortly after his 22nd birthday.  
   
  He continued his prolific pace of writing before being dismissed in a dispute and, taking his pay-off and the profits from the sale of some publishing rights, decided to return to London, travelling via Rangoon, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States, all the while writing articles, and arriving at Liverpool in October 1889. 
   
  Over the next two years he saw further works published as books and in magazines, as well as a nervous breakdown for which he was prescribed a sea voyage, to South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and India.  
   
  Happier times came with marriage to Caroline Starr Balestier in January 1892.  The honeymoon began in Vermont and ended in Yokahama where they heard their bank had failed.  They returned to Vermont and settled.  Caroline was now pregnant and he was planning the ‘Jungle Books’.  
   
  A failed arbitration between the US and England resulted in an argument between Caroline’s brother and Kipling, and then his arrest.  At the hearing he was mortified by the exposure of his private life and after settling the matter they returned to England and life in Torquay.  ‘Kim’ was published in 1902, and ‘Just So Stories for Little Children’, a year later.  
   
  In 1907 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature with the citation “in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterise the creations of this world-famous author”.   
   
  When the Great War erupted, he scorned those who refused conscription.  His son enlisted and was killed at the Battle of Loos in September 1915, at 18, an exploding shell had ripped his face apart.  This death inspired Kipling’s writing thereafter, but the tragedy broke his life and by 1930 his prolific pen had almost ceased. 
   
  Rudyard Kipling died on 18th January 1936 from a perforated duodenal ulcer.  He was 70.  His ashes are buried at Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. 
   
  In the Maltese Cat Kipling returns once more to India and the British Empire.  A polo match is being played.  The fierce competitive instincts of two social classes are fighting for dominance.  All told through the voice of the Maltese Cat, the most cunning of the horses.

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  West-Running Brook

  Robert Frost

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  "West-Running Brook" is a collection of poetry by the renowned American poet Robert Frost, first published in 1928. The title poem serves as the centerpiece of the collection, with the overarching theme of the flow of time and the interconnectedness of past, present, and future. 
  In "West-Running Brook," Frost uses the metaphor of a brook that flows contrary to the usual direction, symbolizing the poet's own journey against the current of conventional wisdom and tradition. The brook becomes a powerful symbol of resilience and individuality, as well as a reflection of the poet's own introspection and exploration of the human experience. 
  Throughout the collection, Frost's signature style of writing in accessible yet profound language is evident. His poetry often explores themes of nature, rural life, and the complexities of human existence. With vivid imagery and keen observation, Frost invites readers to contemplate the beauty and mystery of the natural world, as well as the deeper truths and universal truths that lie beneath the surface. 
  Among the notable poems in the collection are "Spring Pools," which reflects on the cyclical nature of life and the passage of time; "The Silken Tent," a metaphor for the delicate balance between strength and flexibility in human relationships; and "Desert Places," which explores themes of isolation and existential despair amidst the vastness of the natural world. 
  "West-Running Brook" showcases Frost's mastery of form and language, as well as his ability to capture the complexities of the human condition with depth and nuance. Through its exploration of timeless themes and its lyrical beauty, the collection remains a testament to Frost's enduring legacy as one of America's most beloved poets.

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  Babbitt

  Sinclair Lewis

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  Babbitt is a satirical novel about American culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle class life and the social pressure toward conformity. The controversy provoked by Babbitt was influential in the decision to award the Nobel Prize in Literature to Lewis in 1930.

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  The Great God Pan

  Arthur Machen

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  "one of the best horror stories ever written. Maybe the best in the English language." - Stephen KingA tense and creepy horror story, The Great God Pan revolves around the mysterious "Mrs Vaughan" and the tide of death she leaves in her wake. Can she be stopped? What connection does she have to a certain illegal experiment performed some twenty years earlier? Or horrendous goings on at a sleepy welsh rural village? Inspired  by his experiences at the ruins of a pagan temple in Wales. "The Great God Pan" received positive approval from Oscar Wilde, Lovecraft and others, and is considered a Horror Masterpiece.Narrated by Michael Ward.

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  Rex

  D H Lawrence

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  'Rex' is a riotous story of the turmoil caused in a household by the arrival of a puppy. The setting is similar to the one found in 'Sons and Lovers' but Lawrence thought this scene deserved the fuller treatment of a short story. The question of the destructive force of unconditional love is left open.

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  Middlemarch Volume 4

  George Eliot

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  Middlemarch, Volume 4 brings George Eliot's epic to its culmination. Dorothea, having faced disillusionment, finds a path towards personal growth and a more authentic life. Lydgate's story reaches a poignant conclusion, exploring the consequences of his choices. The complex web of Middlemarch's society is untangled as the fates of its diverse characters converge. This final volume explores themes of redemption, acceptance, and the enduring power of human connection amidst life's inevitable disappointments.

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