Other books that might interest you

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  A Piece of Steak - American...

  Jack London

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  John Griffith Chaney was born on January 12th, 1876 in San Francisco.   
   
  His father, William Chaney, was living with Flora Wellman when she became pregnant.  Chaney insisted she have an abortion.  Flora's response was to turn a gun on herself.  Although her wounds were not severe the trauma made her temporarily deranged. 
   
  In late 1876 his mother married John London and the young child was brought to live with them as they moved around the Bay area, eventually settling in Oakland where now, calling himself Jack, he completed grade school. 
   
  Jack worked hard at several jobs, sometimes 12-18 hours a day, but his dream was university.  He studied hard and borrowed the money to enrol in the summer of 1896 at the University of California in Berkeley. 
   
  In 1897, at 21, Jack searched out newspaper accounts of his mother's suicide attempt and for the name of his biological father. He wrote to Chaney, then living in Chicago, who claimed he could not be Jack’s father because he was impotent and casually asserted that London's mother had relations with other men.  Jack, devastated by the response, quit Berkeley and went to the Klondike. Other accounts suggest that his dire finances presented Jack with the excuse he needed to leave. 
   
  In the Klondike Jack began to gather material for his writing but also accumulated many health problems, including scurvy, which together with hip and leg problems he would carry for the rest of his life. 
   
  During the late 1890's Jack was regularly publishing short stories and by the turn of the century full blown novels. 
   
  By 1904 Jack had married, fathered two children and was now in the process of divorcing.  A stint as a reporter on the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 was equal amounts trouble and experience. But that experience was always put to good use in a continuing and remarkable output of work. 
   
  In 1905 he married Charmian Kittredge who at last was a soul and companion who brought him some semblance of peace despite his advancing alcoholism and his incurable wanderlust. 
   
  Twelve years later Jack had amassed both wealth and a literary reputation through such classics as ‘The Call of the Wild’, ‘White Fang’ and many others. He had a reputation as a social activist and was a tireless friend of the workers.   
   
  Jack London died suffering from dysentery, late-stage alcoholism and uremia, aged only 40, on November 22nd 1916 at his property in Glen Elen in California 
   
  In ‘A piece of Steak’ an ageing prizefighter seeks one last win. Not for glory, or to revisit fame, but simply to put food on the table and keep his family together.  But to do that he must beat a highly rated up and coming adversary.

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  W F Harvey - Six of the Best -...

  W F Harvey

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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.

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  Alice Adams

  Booth Tarkington

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  "Alice Adams" is a novel written by Booth Tarkington and published in 1921. This captivating work received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel1. Let's explore the world of Alice Adams:    Plot Summary:  The story revolves around the character of Alice Adams, a young woman with aspirations to climb the social ladder.  Set in a lower-middle-class household in an unnamed Midwest town shortly after World War I, the narrative follows Alice's journey.  She longs to win the affections of the wealthy young man Arthur Russell.  The novel delves into themes of social status, love, and personal transformation.  Key Moments:  Alice's attempts to fit in with the upper class lead to both humorous and poignant situations.  Her interactions with Arthur Russell become central to the plot.  The dance scene, where Alice faces embarrassment and tries to maintain appearances, highlights her struggle.  Adaptations:  Film Versions: "Alice Adams" was adapted into films in 1923 by Rowland V. Lee and more famously in 1935 by George Stevens.  Pulitzer Prize: The novel's recognition with the Pulitzer Prize solidified its place in literary history.  "Alice Adams" captures the complexities of social mobility and the human desire for acceptance. "

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  Little Wars

  H. G. Wells

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  Little Wars is a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers, written by English novelist H. G. Wells in 1913. The book, which had a full title of Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys' games and books, provided simple rules for miniature wargaming. Although first printed in 1913.

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  Conversation On Conversation -...

  Harriet Beecher Stowe

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  The bookshelves of American literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From this continent their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Harriet Beecher Stowe.

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  Christmas Stories - The...

  Tchaikovsky, Charles Dickens

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  Step into a world where timeless classics intertwine with the elements of nature! Introducing our exclusive digital audio collection: "The Nutcracker Suite" and "A Christmas Carol," paired with captivating thunderstorms in the backdrop. Dive into an unparalleled sensory experience that redefines the way you enjoy these beloved works. 
   
  The Nutcracker Suite: 
   
  Experience Tchaikovsky's enchanting melodies like never before. As the graceful notes of the Nutcracker's dance echo through the air, immerse yourself in the atmospheric embrace of distant thunder rumbling in the background. This fusion of classical music and the raw power of thunderstorms transports you into a realm of both magic and nature's awe. 
   
  A Christmas Carol: 
   
  Let Charles Dickens' timeless tale of redemption and the spirit of Christmas weave its narrative magic around you. Feel the chill of Scrooge's journey thaw as the story unfolds amidst the evocative backdrop of thunderstorms. The contrasting ambiance elevates the emotional depth of the narrative, adding an extra dimension to the already rich storytelling. 
   
  Playing Santa Claus from “Playing Santa Claus and Other Christmas Tales.” 
  By Mrs. S. P. Doughty. 
    
  The Coming of the Prince from “A Little Book of Profitable Tales” 3 parts 
  By Eugene Field 
   
  The Night Before Christmas

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