Publisher: Charles River Editors
Edith Wharton was one of the most famous American authors of the early 20th century. Wharton’s writings were known for their witty presentation on upper class society in America. This edition of The Hermit and the Wild Woman, and Other Stories includes a table of contents.
Nineteen brilliant stories from the satirical master about talking cats, fearsome ferrets, and absurd humans . . . At a country house party, Cornelius Appin announces that he has discovered a method by which animals can be taught to speak. His latest pupil is none other than Tobermory, the ginger cat belonging to his hosts, Sir Wilfred and Lady Blemley. As the guests express astonishment and incredulity, Sir Wilfred goes off to find Tobermory, who is lounging in the smoking room waiting for his tea. What Appin claims is true, and Tobermory demonstrates his remarkable talents—with unanticipated results. With this and other witty, imaginative, and insightful stories, this collection is a delight that captures the foibles of society in Edwardian England, yet remains entertainingly timeless in its portraits of human (and animal) nature.Show book
Science, better diet, advanced medicines are all part of a process that in the modern age keep most of us going to a ripe old age. In previous times some diseases could only be slowed and not defeated. There toil of relentless attack on our physical forms brought misery and decay. Add to this that within our number some will self-destruct, demons will pursue their inner thoughts and life will be too painful to bear. Some may shuffle off the mortal coil for no discernible reason, but life will end early, they will not take up their three-score year and ten. In this collection of short stories some of our most popular and well-known authors are grouped together with an unfortunate tag: dead at 40. These authors are not run-of-the-mill or ten a penny; many are literary leviathans who left enduring works of literature and sadly may have left us many more had they lived. We will never know. Death for these authors was usually due to many health issues but primarily:— Edgar Allan Poe — Several causes have been given but, in truth, it remains a mystery. Franz Kafka — Tuberculosis Jack London — Dysentery, late-stage alcoholism, and uremia Mary Dods (writing as David Lyndsey) — Liver disease William Hope Hodgson — Killed at the Fourth Battle of Ypres in World War 1 01 - Dead at 40 - An Introduction 02 - The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe 03 - In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka 04 - To Build a Fire by Jack London 05 - The Prediction by Mary Diana Dods writing as David Lyndsey 06 - Carnacki, The Ghost Finder - No1 - The Gateway of the Monster by William Hope HodgsonShow book
Stories are one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements. Whether written down or spoken they have an ability to capture our imagination and thoughts, and take us on incredible journeys in the space of a phrase and the turn of a page. Within a few words of text or speech, new worlds and characters form, propelling a narrative to a conclusion with intricate ease. Finely crafted, perfectly formed these Miniature Masterpieces, at first thought, seem remarkably easy to conjure up. But ask any writer and they will tell you that distilling the essence of narrative and characters into a short story is one of the hardest acts of their literary craft. Many attempt, but few achieve.Show book
“Science fiction at its best, a realistic tale of exploration and danger, written by a man who knows the details of deep-sea exploration firsthand.” —Ben Bova, Hugo Award-wining author With a crew of seven, the Challenger sea lab submerges three miles below the waves for a one-year mission to study the hidden world of the deep black sea. How is it that sea animals can live and reproduce in water that should boil them on the thermal vents known as “black smokers?” Superheated water that is full of toxins and heavy metals and contains almost no oxygen should be void of life on planet Earth—and yet it is teeming with it. The answer to the puzzle lies in the bacteria. Researcher Ted Bell is a NASA scientist with his own agenda: getting humans to Mars. When he purposefully infects a member of the crew in an attempt to harness the power of the Deinococcus radiodurans bacteria, he quickly loses control and unleashes a terrifying new creature. His botched experiment quickly becomes a battle for survival—three miles below the surface. With the research vessel nearing catastrophic failure, and terrifying alien life forms running wild through the ship, the crew must figure out a way to battle something that is no longer human while trying desperately to reach the surface alive. “Crichton at his best is the main author who comes to mind as a comparable influence when reading Deep Black Sea . . . The informative and fascinating science that fills each page really elevates this book to a higher grade.” —Horror Novel ReviewsShow book
‘Daughters of the Vicar’ was written by D H Lawrence in 1911. It was the eleventh of his sixty-seven short stories, all of which will be published individually in audio book format by the Blackthorn Press. Lawrence is at his best in this story, taken from the scenes of his childhood and based on characters he knew intimately. The main themes of the story are the class system which dominated society at the time and the pressures put on the young lovers who have to overcome it and the position of women in society who have nothing to offer but their bodies. For the sake of security and position one daughter makes a loveless marriage whilst the other daughter gives all that up for love.Show book
The Galactic Delivery Company will delivery anything, to anywhere in the galaxy... Gus Valentino is finally moving up the ranks within the company. So the last thing he wants to do is fail now. But the package to-be-delivered is within a highly secured bank vault... The second of the misadventures of Gus Valentino, The Heirloom in Vault Y-723 is another fun and humorous sci-fi adventure for fans of books like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.Show book
