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  Sherlock Holmes: The Red-Headed...

  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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  The Red-Headed League was the second of Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories to be published in Strand Magazine. 
  Doyle ranked The Red-Headed League second in his list of his twelve favorite Holmes stories. It was first published in August of 1891, and was, later, the first of the stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in 1892. 
  Public Domain (P)2015 Listen & Live Audio

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  A Little Cloud - From their pens...

  James Joyce

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  James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was born on the 2nd February 1882 in Dublin into a middle-class family, and the eldest of ten surviving siblings 
  Admired as a brilliant student he briefly attended the Christian Brothers-run O'Connell School before excelling at the Jesuit schools of Clongowes and Belvedere.  From there he went on to attend University College Dublin from 1898, studying English, French and Italian 
  In 1902, Joyce was now in his early twenties, and went to Paris to study Medicine but soon abandoned his teachings.  Back in Dublin to attend to his dying Mother he met Nora Barnacle. They bonded immediately into a life-long match. Together they decided to emigrate to Europe.  The couple lived in Trieste, Rome, Paris, and finally Zürich where Joyce pursued a variety of jobs and ventures to supplement his literary pursuits but none of these paid off.  
  After publishing a poetry volume, ‘Chamber Music’, in 1907, his short story collection ‘The Dubliners’, in 1914, helped establish his talent in the rapidly changing world.  
  Although far from home Joyce’s literary heart and works were set in his recollections of Dublin.  Characters are close resemblances of family and friends and indeed enemies.  His landmark work ‘Ulysses’, published in 1922, is set in the streets and alleyways of the city as it parallels Homer’s Odyssey in a variety of styles including its famed stream of consciousness. 
  His pen continued to produce classics of the order of ‘A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man’ and ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ together with several volumes of poetry and a play ‘The Exiles, in 1918.   
  On the 11th January 1941, Joyce underwent surgery in Zürich for a perforated duodenal ulcer. The next day he fell into a coma. On the 13th after a brief period of lucidity in which he called for his wife and son he passed.  He was 58.

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  Mac Beth

  William Shakespeare

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  "Macbeth," a timeless and intricately woven tragedy, unveils the dark, intricate layers of human ambition, fate, power, and morality. Set against the backdrop of medieval Scotland, this play serves as an exploration of the human condition, revealing the devastating consequences of unchecked ambition and the corrupting force of power. 
   
  Historical and political contexts provide a foundation for understanding "Macbeth." The play draws inspiration from Holinshed's Chronicles, which chronicle Scottish history, and it resonates with the political anxieties of the early 17th century. King James I's ascent to the English throne in 1603 adds depth to the themes of regicide and political instability. "Macbeth" can thus be seen as a reflection of the Stuart monarchy, emphasizing the questions of legitimacy and the dangers of seeking power through usurpation. Macbeth's unchecked desire for power drives him to commit heinous acts and lose his sense of self, showcasing the moral decay that ambition can bring. The interplay between "fate and free will" is another central theme. While the witches' prophecies set events in motion, it is Macbeth's choices that lead to his tragic demise. This duality raises profound questions about human agency in the face of external forces. "Power and morality" are intertwined themes in the play. As Macbeth ascends to the throne by committing regicide, the consequences of ruthless ambition become evident. The disruption of the natural order is mirrored in the play's imagery, reflecting the moral chaos of Macbeth's actions. 
  In conclusion, "Macbeth" remains a masterful work of literature, captivating and thought-provoking at the university level and beyond. With its intricate characters, rich themes, and masterful use of language, it offers a profound exploration of human nature, ambition, fate, and morality.

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  Silver Blaze

  Arthur Conan Doyle

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  The Adventure of Silver Blaze, one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle ranked "Silver Blaze" 13th in a list of his 19 favourite Sherlock Holmes stories.One of the most popular Sherlock Holmes short stories, "Silver Blaze" focuses on the disappearance of the eponymous race horse (a famous winner, owned by a Colonel Ross) on the eve of an important race and on the apparent murder of its trainer. The tale is distinguished by its atmospheric Dartmoor setting and late-Victorian sporting milieu. It also features some of Conan Doyle's most effective plotting, hingeing on the "curious incident of the dog in the night-time":Gregory (Scotland Yard detective): Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?Holmes: To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.Gregory: The dog did nothing in the night-time.Holmes: That was the curious incident.    Famous works of the author Arthur Conan Doyle: A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Valley of Fear, His Last Bow, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, Stories of Sherlock Holmes, The Lost World.

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  War and Peace

  Leo Tolstoy

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  War and Peace is a literary work by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the work mixes fictional narrative with chapters discussing history and philosophy. First published serially beginning in 1865, the work was rewritten and published in its entirety in 1869. It is regarded as Tolstoy's finest literary achievement and remains an internationally praised classic of world literature.
  The work chronicles the Napoleonic era within Russia, notably detailing the French invasion of Russia and its aftermath. The book highlights the impact of Napoleon on Tsarist society through five interlocking narratives following different Russian aristocratic families. Portions of an earlier version, titled The Year 1805, were serialized in The Russian Messenger from 1865 to 1867 before the novel was published in its entirety in 1869.
  Tolstoy said that the best Russian literature does not conform to standards and hence hesitated to classify War and Peace, saying it is "not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle". Large sections, especially the later chapters, are philosophical discussions rather than narrative. He regarded Anna Karenina as his first true novel.

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  Howards End

  E. M. Forster

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  "Howards End" is one of E.M. Forster's most celebrated novels, first published in 1910. At the heart of the story is the country house, Howards End, which becomes a symbol for the narrative's exploration of the social, economic, and class divisions in early 20th-century England. The novel intertwines the lives of three families: the idealistic, intellectual Schlegel sisters, the wealthy, pragmatic Wilcoxes, and the working-class Basts. Through their interconnected relationships, Forster scrutinizes the changing societal landscape, especially the diminishing values of the Edwardian era and the rise of modernity. Themes of inheritance, belonging, love, and betrayal are delicately interwoven, showcasing Forster's profound understanding of human nature and societal constraints.

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