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  Hall of Mirrors

  Fredric Brown

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  Step into a mind-bending reality with Fredric Brown's thought-provoking short story, "Hall of Mirrors". In just a few moments, a man finds himself trapped in a strange paradox, where time and space fold in on themselves in an unexpected twist. As he navigates this surreal experience, he faces a question that challenges the very nature of reality. Known for his sharp, concise storytelling, Brown masterfully blends science fiction with philosophical intrigue, leaving listeners contemplating the boundaries of perception and existence. A must-listen for fans of classic speculative fiction and clever, mind-twisting tales.

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  Transactions with the Fallen

  Michael Elcock

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  In this new collection of short stories, author Michael Elcock explores a variety of inner worlds and lived experiences: survival and betrayal in Germany after World War II ... life in the Scottish highlands ... trouble with army ants ... 
  ADVANCE PRAISE FOR TRANSACTIONS WITH THE FALLEN 
  "Michael Elcock's stories enchant, disturb and remind us of the many worlds we inhabit. Touching on intimate moments and interactions, not a lot happens in these intertwined tales, and that is precisely their strength. A young man sits with an older woman one evening and learns about love. A soldier coaxes music out of a battered piano in an attempt to stay alive. Transactions with the Fallen is a study of human relationships told with an exacting eye for detail and the resonant moment." ---Eve Joseph, Griffin Poetry Prize Winner, 2019 
  "There's a lot to be learned from other people's childhoods---and from other people's adulthoods too, if they've been lucky enough to have one. When they're luckier still, there's a lot to be learned from other people's imaginations. In this remarkable book of stories, Michael Elcock offers us the fruits of all three: a rich, multifaceted childhood, a robust, thoughtful adulthood, and a lively, athletic imagination." ---Robert Bringhurst, author, poet, and recipient of the British Columbia Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence 
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
  Born in Scotland, Michael Elcock emigrated to Canada at age twenty-one and now lives on Vancouver Island. A memoir about his travels to Belfast, Malta, Hawaii, Prague, Paris, Oman, and Andalusia, entitled A Perfectly Beautiful Place, was published in 2004. Other books include Writing on Stone (2006), a novel, The Gate (2012), and a fictionalized memoir, Eyes of Rain and Ragged Dreams: Coming of Age in Edinburgh (2017).

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  Evening Guest An - From their...

  Alexander Kuprin

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  Alexander Kuprin was born in Narovchat, Penza in Russia on 7th September 1870. 
  At 3 his Father died and he and mother moved to Moscow. By 10 he was enrolled at the Second Moscow Military High School and there his interest in literature began. The Alexander Military Academy followed and two years later he was a sub-lieutenant and posted to an Infantry Regiment for a further four years. 
  Despite his duties he was a now a keen writer and published his first short story at this time. His military duties also garnered him experiences for his breakthrough work ‘The Duel’.  Leaving the military he left for Kiev to work for local newspapers.  He continued to publish both stories and novels and by 1901 he was in St Petersburg becoming part of a group that included Chekhov, Ivan Bunin, Maxim Gorky and Leonid Andreyev.  
  In the years that followed further controversial works and acclaim followed.  His comments on the regime meant he was also put under secret police surveillance.   
  As World War I erupted, Kuprin opened a military hospital but was then given command of an infantry company in Finland. He was soon discharged on grounds of ill health.  
  The October Revolution saw him praise Lenin, but he warned that the Bolsheviks threatened Russian culture and might cause further widespread suffering to the peasants.  As Civil War raged he took his family to Helsinki and then on to Paris. 
  Exile saw his talents decline further and his succumbing to alcoholism. He became lonely and withdrawn. The family's poverty increased his malaise.   
  In May 1937, the Kuprin’s returned to Moscow.  He now saw his work published but wrote almost nothing new.  In 1938 his health rapidly deteriorated.  Already suffering from a kidney problems and sclerosis, he had now developed cancer of the oesophagus.  
  Alexander Kuprin died on 25th August 1938.

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  The Sin of Monsieur Pettipon

  Richard Edward Connell

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  "The Sin of Monsieur Pettipon" by Richard Edward Connell is a humorous short story set in post-World War I France. Monsieur Pettipon, a modest and diligent clerk in a small French town, becomes the focus of the tale when he unintentionally misplaces an important government document. Fearing disgrace, he embarks on a journey of deception and lies to cover up his mistake. His innocent nature contrasts with the escalating absurdity of his actions, leading to a series of comical misunderstandings. The story highlights the pitfalls of dishonesty and the humorous consequences of even the smallest transgressions.

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  The Gift of the Magi

  O. Henry

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  Destitute but deeply in love, young Della and Jim face the challenge of finding perfect Christmas gifts for each other. In a heartbreaking act of sacrifice, they sell their most prized possessions to buy the other a cherished item.

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  The Blue Moccasins

  D H Lawrence

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  'The Blue Moccasins' has the charm of looking at some eternal human problems such as unequal marriage, the waning of sexual desire and a woman who cannot give herself wholly to her husband in a thoroughly English and local setting; the stage of an amateur dramatic society where all the passions and delusions come to a head.

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