Other books that might interest you

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  Barry Pain - Six of the Best -...

  Barry Pain

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  Six has always been a number we group things around – Six of the best, six of one half a dozen of another, six feet under, six pack, six degrees of separation and a sixth sense are but a few of the ways we use this number. 
   
  Such is its popularity that we thought it is also a very good way of challenging and investigating an author’s work to give width, brevity, humour and depth across six of their very best. 
   
  In this series we gather together authors whose short stories both rivet the attention and inspire the imagination to visit their gems in a series of six, to roam across an author’s legacy in a few short hours and gain a greater understanding of their writing and, of course, to be lavishly entertained by their ideas, their narrative and their way with words. 
   
  These stories can be surprising and sometimes at a tangent to what we expected, but each is fully formed and a marvellous adventure into the world and words of a literary master. 
   
  1 - Six of the Best - Barry Pain - An Introduction 
  2 - Barry Pain - An Introduction  
  3 - The Extermination by Barry Pain 
  4 - The Diary of a God by Barry Pain 
  5 - The Act of Heroism by Barry Pain 
  6 - The Bet by Barry Pain 
  7 - Murder, from The Memoirs of Constantine Dix by Barry Pain 
  8 - Post Mortem by Barry Pain

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  A Blaze

  Katherine Mansfield

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  A Blaze is a short story by Katherine Mansfield: “Max, you silly devil, you’ll break your neck if you go careering down the slide that way. Drop it, and come to the Club House with me and get some coffee.” - “I’ve had enough for to-day. I’m damp all through. There, give us a cigarette, Victor, old man. When are you going home?”

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  Far from the Madding Crowd

  Thomas Hardy

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  "Far from the Madding Crowd," published in 1874, is one of Thomas Hardy's most celebrated novels and the first to introduce readers to the fictional county of Wessex. The story follows the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene, who inherits her uncle's farm and decides to manage it herself, which was unusual for a woman of her time. Throughout the narrative, Bathsheba attracts three very different suitors: the loyal shepherd Gabriel Oak, the mature and prosperous farmer Mr. Boldwood, and the dashing but reckless Sergeant Troy. As the story unfolds, it delves deep into themes of love, honor, and betrayal against the backdrop of the pastoral English countryside.

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  The Gods of Mars

  Anonymous

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  The story is set in the fictional world of Barsoom, which is based on the planet Mars. The novel tells the story of John Carter, a Civil War veteran who is transported to Barsoom, where he becomes embroiled in a conflict between the Tharks and the humanoid red Martian race. Carter finds himself with superhuman strength and abilities due to the lower gravity of Mars, and he uses these abilities to help the Tharks defeat their enemies.

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  Eve's Ransom

  George Gissing

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  In Eve's Ransom , George Gissing weaves a poignant and ironic tale of love, loss, and economic desperation in Victorian England. The novel follows Harold Transome, a struggling schoolteacher who returns to London after years abroad, only to find himself entangled with Eve Mayfield, a beautiful young woman trapped in poverty. Drawn into a relationship that blurs duty and desire, Harold sacrifices his modest livelihood to support Eve, believing he is rescuing her from hardship. But as their bond deepens, so too does the complexity of their emotional and financial dependence. Gissing masterfully critiques romantic idealism and gender dynamics, exposing the harsh realities beneath sentimental illusions. A quiet tragedy of misplaced devotion and social constraint, Eve's Ransom explores the cost of love when it becomes an obligation rather than a choice.

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  History of England

  Jane Austen

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  Jane Austen's existence embodies a profound juxtaposition of her illustrious literary endeavors and an ostensibly mundane public persona. Born in the quaint environs of Steventon, Hampshire, she was the product of a domestically-conducted education under the tutelage of her clerical father. Her life was marked by an unwavering familial devotion. Following a brief sojourn in the cosmopolitan city of Bath, Austen's family circumstances necessitated a return to their ancestral abode in Steventon, where she remained until her demise at the relatively young age of 41. Despite the apparent banality of her daily existence, her literary prowess burgeoned in this very setting, shrouded in secrecy. 
  Austen's nascent fascination with the art of novel-writing manifested early in her life, as she penned narratives that offered a satirical commentary on both the contemporary authors and the social mores of the late 18th century. Her novels, suffused with wit and incisive observation, served as a scathing yet engaging critique of the era's literary landscape. Her corpus is replete with masterpieces such as "Pride and Prejudice" (1813), "Mansfield Park" (1814), and "Emma" (1816), which masterfully dissect the social interactions and foibles of the 19th-century middle class. Her acuity for capturing the absurdities of human conduct is particularly evident in these works, which have endured as timeless reflections of societal norms. 
  In the annals of British letters, Austen stands as an adored and venerated figure, celebrated for her astute social commentary and her unparalleled contribution to the novel form. Her enduring popularity is a testament to the universal appeal of her narratives, which transcend temporal and cultural boundaries to resonate with readers across generations.

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