Publisher: e-artnow
The Man Without a Country is a short story by Edward Everett Hale. Lieutenant Philip Nolan forsakes his nation during a court case for treachery, and is subsequently condemned to spend the rest of his life at sea.
In an atmosphere of abolition and revolution, Queen Charlotte Sophia, Britain's most famous (possibly) mixed-race Princess comes alive in this reimagined story of her life where romance, adventure and politics collide. From a German backwater to the capital city of the most prolific Empire in the world, we journey with Queen Charlotte as she tries to discover the truth of her family's secret heritage, guided by an amulet and wooden chest left to her upon her father's death. Armed with a birthmark and bearing a complexion that reveals her silenced lineage, Queen Charlotte charges through the royal court of London, seeking answers, making allies and guarding secrets. With the weight of the amulet around her neck, Queen Charlotte learns what happens when love and legacy are at odds. On one side, is her secret true love Johann Christian Bach and the passionate life he offers, and on the other, her husband King George III and the impactful life her relationship with him provides. A daughter. A lover. A fighter. A Queen. Tina Andrews's Queen Charlotte Sophia: A Royal Affair, offers a fantastic portrait of a woman, whose life continues to fascinate the world.Show book
The Picture of Dorian Gray is an acclaimed novel by Oscar Wilde, first published in 1890. It tells the story of a handsome and wealthy young man, Dorian Gray, who discovers a portrait of himself. After making a wish to stay young and beautiful forever, the painting begins to age instead of him and Dorian must keep it hidden from the world. As he lives a life of pleasure and excess, the painting continues to reveal Dorian's true self and ultimate fate. With its themes of morality, innocence, and self-destruction, The Picture of Dorian Gray remains one of the most important and influential works of literature. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and wit. He was one of the most prominent figures of the late Victorian era and a leading light of the Aesthetic Movement. Wilde is best known for his plays “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “An Ideal Husband”, as well as his novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray”. His work was heavily influenced by his Irish background, as well as his love of the theater. His witticisms and epigrams are still widely quoted today. Wilde was also an outspoken critic of Victorian morality, often challenging the conventions of the day. His personal life was also the subject of much controversy and he was imprisoned for two years for “gross indecency”. Wilde’s life and work have inspired generations of writers, artists, and thinkers. He is still regarded as one of the most influential writers in English literature.Show book
Leo Tolstoy was born in 1828 in the Russian province of Tula to a wealthy noble family. As a child, he had private tutors but he showed little interest in any formal education. When he went to the University of Kazan in 1843 to study oriental languages and law, he left without completing his courses. Life now was relaxed and idle but with some writing also taking place. Gambling debts forced an abrupt change of path and he joined the army to fight in the Crimean War. He was commended for his bravery and promoted but was appalled at the brutality and loss of life. He recorded these and other earlier experiences in his diaries which formed the basis of several of his works. In 1852 ‘Childhood’ was published to immediate success and was followed by ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Youth’. His experience in the army and the horrors he witnessed resulted in ‘The Cossacks’ in 1862 and the trilogy ‘Sevastopol Tales’. After the war he travelled around Europe, visiting London and Paris and meeting such luminaries as Victor Hugo and Charles Darwin. It was now that Tolstoy began his masterpiece, ‘War and Peace’. Published in 1869 it was an epic work that changed literature. He quickly followed this with ‘Anna Karenina’. These successes made Tolstoy rich and helped him accomplish many of his dreams but also brought problems as he grappled with his faith and the lot of the oppressed poor. These revolutionary views became so popular that the authorities now kept him under surveillance. He led a life of asceticism and vegetarianism and put his socialist ideals into practice by establishing numerous schools for the poor and food programmes. He also believed in giving away his wealth, which caused much discord with his wife. His writing continued to bring forth classics such as ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’ and many brilliant and incisive short stories such as ‘How Much Land Does A Man Need’. In 1901 Tolstoy was excommunicated from the Church and controversially deselected for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Whilst undertaking a pilgrimage by train in October 1910 with his daughter Aleksandra he caught pneumonia in the nearby town of Astapovo. Leo Tolstoy died on November 9th, 1910, he was 82. 01 - Leo Tolstoy - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction 02 - Diary of a Lunatic by Leo Tolstoy 03 - A Dialogue Among Clever People by Leo Tolstoy 04 - Aloysha The Pot by Leo Tolstoy 05 - God Sees The Truth But Waits by Leo Tolstoy 06 - How Much Land Does A Man Need by Leo TolstoyShow book
1936. Spain erupts in civil war. The Republic forms an International Brigade and calls for volunteers to combat a Nationalist uprising led by General Franco. After his best friend Jimmy is killed by a police baton on a hunger march to London, Glaswegian Robbie Gillan has a fist fight with the mortician. The police are called and sympathetic nurse Alice Sheridan gives Robbie £5 when he tells her he wants to join the battle in Spain. Alice's twin brother Simon argues with his father over Spain and leaves on the night ferry for Paris where the volunteers are gathering. In a knife fight with Franco loyalists, Robbie Gillan saves Simon's life and the two men, opposites in class and temperament, cross France and climb the Pyrenees to Spain. Alice, drawn by emotions that are not entirely clear to her, soon follows with the Red Cross. The battle cry of the Spanish Republic was No pasarán. Pasaremos. They shall not pass. We Shall Pass – the defining spirit of this gripping novel that takes us into the heart of war and reveals the enduring power of love, hope and defiance as Robbie and Alice must overcome every obstacle to be together.Show book
There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960s New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change. Bernadette Swift, a young copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, is determined to become the first female CEO in the publishing industry. But first she needs to take the next step up that ladder with a promotion that her boorish and sexist boss wants to thwart. Seeking a base of support, Bernadette joins a feminist women's book club at the New York Public Library, and soon, she's inspiring her fellow members to challenge the male gatekeepers and decades of ingrained sexism in their workplaces and pursue their personal and professional dreams. And that is precisely what Bernedette does on a daily basis: keeps her eye on the prize—equality for women in the workplace, and a promotion—while fending off the ire of her boss and the sabotaging efforts of a jealous coworker. With the support of her book club buddies and a certain charismatic editor at Lenox & Park who has completely fallen for her, maybe, just maybe, Bernadette will prove able to claim victory for herself and the young women coming after her.Show book
'The Manual For Good Wives, a fast-paced tale of courage and resilience is beautifully written and remarkably moving. An absolute masterpiece' - Mike Gayle, author of All the Lonely People'I couldn’t put this book down. Simply brilliant' - Alexandra Potter, bestselling author of Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up*****Everything about Adeline Copplefield is a lie . . .To the world Mrs Copplefield is the epitome of Victorian propriety: an exemplary society lady who writes a weekly column advising young ladies on how to be better wives.Only Adeline has never been a good wife or mother; she has no claim to the Copplefield name, nor is she an English lady . . .Now a black woman, born in Africa, who dared to pretend to be something she was not, is on trial in the English courts with all of London society baying for her blood. And she is ready to tell her story . . .From the author of The Attic Child, Lola Jaye, comes a powerful dual narrative historical novel. The Manual for Good Wives is about love, generational trauma, second chances and hope.*****'An unforgettable voice within a breathtaking story about love, lineage, and the intergenerational effect of bravery in the face of misfortune' - Jessica George, author of Diverse Book Awards winning My Name is Maame'Poignant, captivating and thoroughly enjoyable' - The Yorkshire TimesShow book
