Publisher: Charles River Editors
Edgar Allan Poe (19 January 1809 7 October 1849) was an American writer best known for stories of mystery and horror. Poe also wrote poetry, including the well known poem The Raven. Not much is known about Poes untimely death, but it cannot be debated that he has had a great influence on American literature.
Elizabeth Gaskell is equally well known as Mrs Gaskell. When her mother died, she was three months old and she was sent to live in Knutsford, Cheshire with her Aunt Hannah, this setting would become the basis for her novel Cranford. At 22 she married and settled in Manchester to raise her family. Friends with Charlotte Bronte she went on to write her biography and was also highly regarded by a certain Charles Dickens who published her ghost stories in his magazine. Much of her work views the emerging industrial society of Victorian England through her own moral and religious values and has an uncanny ability to look at and report on the many strata of society.Show book
One of the most celebrated and popular historical romances ever written, The Three Musketeers tells the story of the early adventures of the young Gascon gentleman, D'Artagnan and his three friends from the regiment of the King's Musketeers - Athos, Porthos and Aramis.Under the watchful eye of their patron M. de Treville, the four defend the honour of the regiment against the guards of Cardinal Richelieu, and the honour of the queen against the machinations of the Cardinal himself as the power struggles of seventeenth century France are vividly played out in the background.But their most dangerous encounter is with the Cardinal's spy, Milady, one of literature's most memorable female villains, and Alexandre Dumas employs all his fast-paced narrative skills to bring this enthralling novel to a breathtakingly gripping and dramatic conclusion.Show book
More of Daniel Stern’s celebrated updates to classic talesThe stories of One Day’s Perfect Weather are original, but they flirt enchantingly with classic prose, poetry, and music. Inspired by sources as diverse as Robert Frost and Johann Sebastian Bach, Stern spins luminous short fiction that honors and expands upon its inspirations.Show book
A son tries to mourn the death of the father who abandoned him. A family rages against the murder of their gay son in war-torn Raqqa. Brilliance turns to madness in the fickle and unforgiving world of theatre. And in the titular story, the world of an operatic tenor violently collides with that of a homeless couple on the streets of New York. In the first collection of stories by Frank McGuinness, this award-winning master storyteller writes above all about freedom: freedom to love, freedom from hate, freedom to speak, freedom to silence. In hypnotic, spellbinding prose, Frank McGuinness hears the voices and sees the visions of his own troubled times. Authentic, shocking, and always and ever bearing the unique ring of truth, Paprika is a collection to cherish.Show book
Washington Irving's name is synonymous with such classics as "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." He established himself as one of early America's most treasured writers. His wit and satirical voice are the hallmark of his writing. Irving had the extraordinary ability to paint a picture in words on the canvas of the printed page. Although an American, he spent a good deal of time traveling in England and memorializing his experiences in some of the essays chosen for this collection. With an emphasis on his time spent in London, the works include his observations on such diverse subjects as Westminster Abbey, British antiques and how one spends a Sunday in London. This collection brings to life the London of a bygone era as seen through the eyes of a keen writer and observer of life. - Summary by Greg GiordanoShow book
When Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother go digging in the gravel pit, the last thing they expect to find is a Psammead – an ancient Sand-fairy! Having a Sand-fairy for a pet means having one wish granted each day. But the children don't realize all the trouble wishes can cause . . The five children find a cantankerous sand fairy, a psammead, in a gravel pit. Every day 'It' will grant each of them a wish that lasts until sunset, often with disastrous consequences.Show book
