Other books that might interest you

• 

  Count Magnus - From their pens...

  M R James

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Montague Rhodes James is cited as perhaps the greatest English writer of ghost stories, an opinion few would disagree with. 
  James was born on 1st August 1862 at Goodnestone Parsonage in Kent, where his father was Curate but at age 3 the family went to live at Livermere, near Bury St Edmunds in East Anglia.  
  From early childhood he had a passion for mediaeval books and antiques. He was educated initially as a boarder at Temple Grove School in East Sheen, west London, before gaining a scholarship to Eton and thence Cambridge where he gained a double first, becoming a distinguished linguist and mediaevalist.  
  Before the Great War vacations were usually spent touring Europe absorbing cultures and references for his later writing. 
  A man of enormous knowledge it was said he timed his breakfast egg whilst he completed the Times crossword.  
  Many of his elegant yet terrifying tales were created by discarding the prevailing gothic cliches and placing his characters and narrative in a realistic setting.  Thereby the stories gained atmosphere and menace on a grand scale and he was famed as the originator of the antiquarian ghost story. 
  Although story-telling and writing these 30 or so tales was a hobby, when published their effect transformed the genre and still chill the bones in our more modern times. 
  James was also a medievalist scholar and translator whose work remains highly respected. He was also Provost of Eton College between 1918 and 1936. 
  M R James died on 12th June 1936 at Eton in Buckinghamshire.  He was 73.

  Show book

• 

  The Sorrows of Young Werther

  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Enter the tormented heart of a young man overwhelmed by passion, beauty, and the crushing pain of unreturned love. In The Sorrows of Young Werther, Goethe presents the personal letters of Werther, a tender, idealistic artist who falls deeply for Charlotte—an alluring woman already engaged to someone else. 
  As Werther’s admiration turns into fixation, his thoughts on love, nature, art, and suffering become more intense and consuming. Framed by the scenic beauty of the German countryside, his emotional journey unfolds into a moving exploration of yearning, heartbreak, and the blurry boundary between romantic idealism and emotional collapse. 
  A defining work of the Sturm und Drang era and a seminal piece of Romantic literature, The Sorrows of Young Werther is far more than a love story—it’s a raw, lyrical outpouring from a soul in turmoil. It moved a generation and shocked Europe with its emotional candor and heartbreaking conclusion. 
  Whether you see it as a tragic love story or a reflection of your own quiet desires, Werther’s voice will linger long after you’ve turned the last page.

  Show book

• 

  The Last Of The Mohicans

  James Fenimore Cooper

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Set during the French and Indian War, "The Last of The Mohicans" is one of James Fenimore Cooper's most enduring works, part of his Leatherstocking Tales series. The novel follows Natty Bumppo, known as Hawkeye, and his Mohican companions Chingachgook and Uncas as they navigate the dangers of a war-torn wilderness. Their journey intertwines with the fates of two British sisters, Alice and Cora Munro, leading to thrilling adventures, battles, and acts of heroism. Through rich and vivid descriptions of the American frontier, Cooper explores complex themes of cultural conflict, love, loyalty, and identity.

  Show book

• 

  The Border Line

  D H Lawrence

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  'The Border Line' is unusual in that Lawrence dabbles in the supernatural (as he was to do again in 'The Rocking-Horse Winner' two years later) and that this is less a story in the traditional sense and more an exploration of the mind of a particular woman, based on his own wife, Frieda. Katherine, in the story, realises that her real love was her first husband whom she should, according to Lawrence, have submitted to to gain real happiness. As Lawrence says in the story, thinking of his German wife perhaps, 'Beyond all race is the problem of man and woman'.

  Show book

• 

  The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of short stories by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, first published on 14 October 1892. It contains the earliest short stories featuring the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes, which had been published in twelve monthly issues of The Strand Magazine from July 1891 to June 1892. The stories are collected in the same sequence, which is not supported by any fictional chronology. The only characters common to all twelve are Holmes and Dr. Watson, and all are related in first-person narrative from Watson's point of view.    In general, the stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes identify, and try to correct, social injustices. Holmes is portrayed as offering a new, fairer sense of justice. The stories were well received and boosted the subscription figures of The Strand Magazine, prompting Doyle to be able to demand more money for his next set of stories. "

  Show book

• 

  After London

  Richard Jefferies

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Jefferies' novel can be seen as an early example of "post-apocalyptic fiction." After some sudden and unspecified catastrophe has depopulated England, the countryside reverts to nature, and the few survivors to a quasi-medieval way of life.The first part of the book, "The Relapse into Barbarism", is the account by some later historian of the fall of civilisation and its consequences, with a loving description of nature reclaiming England. The second part, "Wild England", is an adventure set many years later in the wild landscape and society.The book is not without its flaws (notably the abrupt and unsatisfying ending) but is redeemed by the quality of the writing, particularly the unnervingly prophetic descriptions of the post-apocalyptic city and countrysideProduced by Macc KayProduction executive Avalon GiulianoICON Intern Eden Garret Giuliano©2021 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) 2021 Eden Garret GiulianoGeoffrey Giuliano is the author of over thirty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller 'Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney' and 'Dark Horse: The Private Life of George Harrison'. He can be heard on the Westwood One Radio Network and has written and produced over seven hundred original spoken word albums and video documentaries on various aspects of popular culture. In addition, Giuliano is an occasional lecturer at Northwestern University. He is also a well-known movie actor in such films as 'Mechanic Resurrection and the 'Scorpion King' series, among many.  Geoffrey is a near lifelong student of Bhakti (Devotional) Yoga and an ardent animal rights advocate. He makes his home with his son Eden in Bangkok and Vrndavana, and Jaipur India.

  Show book