Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  About Love - From their pens to...

  Anton Chekhov

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  Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born on 29th January 1860 in Taganrog, on the south coast of Russia.  
  His family life was difficult; his father was strict and over-bearing but his mother was a passionate story-teller, a subject Chekhov warmed to. As he later said; ‘our talents we got from our father, but our soul from our mother’.  
  At school Chekhov was distinctly average. At 16 his father mis-managed his finances and was declared bankrupt. His family fled to Moscow. Chekhov remained and eked out a living by various means, including writing and selling short sketches to newspapers, to finish his schooling. That completed and with a scholarship to Moscow University obtained he rejoined his family. 
  He was able to help support them by selling satirical sketches and vignettes of Russian lifestyles and gradually obtained further commissions. In 1884, he qualified as a physician and, although it earned him little, he often treated the poor for free, he was fond of saying ‘Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.’ 
  His own health was now an issue as he began to cough up blood, a symptom of tuberculosis.  Despite this his writing success enabled him to move the family into more comfortable accommodation.  
  Chekhov wrote over 500 short stories which included many, many classics including ‘The Kiss’ and ‘The Lady with a Dog’.  His collection ‘At Dusk’ won him the coveted Pushkin Prize when was only 26.  
  He was also a major playwright beginning with the huge success of ‘Ivanov’ in 1887.   
  In 1892 Chekhov bought a country estate north of Moscow. Here his medical skills and money helped the peasants tackle outbreaks of cholera and bouts of famine. He also built three schools, a fire station and a clinic.  It left him with less time for writing but the interactions with real people gained him detailed knowledge about the peasantry and their living conditions for his stories.  
  His most famous work, ‘The Seagull’ was received disastrously at its premiere in St Petersburg. It was later restaged in Moscow to highlight its psychological aspects and was a huge success. It led to ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Three Sisters’ and ‘The Cherry Orchard’.  
  Chekhov suffered a major lung hemorrhage in 1897 while visiting Moscow. A formal diagnosis confirmed tuberculosis and the doctors ordered changes to his lifestyle.  
  Despite a dread of weddings the elusive literary bachelor quietly married the actress Olga Knipper, whom he had met at rehearsals for ‘The Seagull’, on 25th May 1901. 
  By May 1904 with his tuberculosis worsening and death imminent he set off for the German town of Badenweiler writing cheerful, witty letters to his family and assuring them his health was improving.  
  On 15th July 1904 Anton Chekhov died at Badenweiler.  He was 44.

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  The Maltese Falcon

  Samuel Dashiell Hammett

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  What is everyone willing to kill for?
  
  First published in 1930, The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett is the novel that reshaped detective fiction forever. Set in a shadowy world of deception and greed, the story follows private investigator Sam Spade as he is drawn into a dangerous hunt for a legendary jeweled statue—and the truth behind it.
  
  With sharp dialogue, moral ambiguity, and relentless tension, Hammett strips the detective story down to its toughest elements. Sam Spade is neither hero nor villain, but a man navigating lies, betrayal, and violence with cold intelligence and personal code.
  
  This landmark novel established the hard-boiled style and laid the foundation for modern crime fiction and film noir.
  
  Inside this eBook, you'll experience:
  
  One of the most influential detective novels ever written
  
  The iconic character of Sam Spade
  
  Fast-paced action and razor-sharp dialogue
  
  A defining work of American noir fiction
  
  Adapted into one of the most famous films in cinema history and studied worldwide, The Maltese Falcon remains essential reading for fans of classic mysteries and crime literature.
  
  Enter the world where trust is deadly and truth has a price. Buy now and experience the novel that defined noir.

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  Catriona

  Robert Louis Stevenson

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  "Catriona, also known as David Balfour, is an 1893 novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson as a sequel to his earlier work, Kidnapped (1886) 1. The novel continues the story of the central character, David Balfour.    The plot unfolds in two distinct parts:      Edinburgh    Edinburgh, Scotland (1751): The book begins precisely where Kidnapped ends, at 2 pm on August 25, 1751, outside the British Linen Company in Edinburgh, Scotland. David Balfour endeavors to seek justice for James Stewart (James of the Glens), who has been arrested and charged with complicity in the Appin Murder. Despite his efforts, David is once again kidnapped and confined on the Bass Rock, an island in the Firth of Forth, until James' trial concludes, resulting in James being condemned to death. During this time, David falls in love with Catriona MacGregor Drummond, the daughter of James More, also held in prison. Catriona engineers her father's escape 1.    Holland    Holland: In the second part, David and Catriona travel to Holland, where David studies law at the University of Leyden. Catriona, having no money, is under David's protection. James More eventually arrives but proves to be a disappointment, living off David's largesse. David learns of his uncle Ebenezer's death and discovers that he has inherited a substantial fortune. Despite misunderstandings, David and Catriona remain fast friends. James and Catriona eventually find their way to Dunkirk in northern France. Meanwhile, Alan Breck joins David in Leyden and imparts his wisdom on understanding women 1.  Catriona weaves together adventure, romance, and the complexities of human relationships, making it a captivating continuation of David Balfour's journey"

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  Tom Sawyer Detective (Unabridged)

  Mark Twain

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  om Sawyer, Detective is an 1896 novel by Mark Twain. It is a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), and Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894). Tom Sawyer attempts to solve a mysterious murder in this burlesque of the immensely popular detective novels of the time. Like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the story is told using the first-person narrative voice of Huck Finn.

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  The Duplicity of Hargraves

  O. Henry

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  Narrated with charm and nuance, this classic short story from master storyteller O. Henry delivers wit, warmth, and a clever twist that’s both surprising and heartwarming. 
  Colonel Escombe, a proud but impoverished Southern gentleman, finds himself reluctantly living in a Washington boarding house with his daughter, facing the quiet indignities of reduced circumstances. There, they meet the flamboyant and theatrical Hargraves, a vaudeville actor with an eye for character—and opportunity. What unfolds is a tale of mistaken identities, sly performances, and unexpected generosity, told with O. Henry’s trademark irony and affection for human nature. 
  Perfect for fans of clever storytelling and classic American literature, this short story delivers a satisfying blend of humor and heart in just a few well-crafted pages. 
  Cover Photo by Mustafa ŞİMŞEK: https://www.pexels.com/photo/spooky-abandoned-hallway-with-dim-lighting-30299504/

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  Cousin Mary - From their pens to...

  Mary Russell Mitford

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  The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Mary Russell Mitford.

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