Other books that might interest you

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  Don't Be Discouraged (Unabridged)

  Booker T. Washington

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  Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 - November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African American community and of the contemporary black elite. Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. They were newly oppressed in the South by disenfranchisement and the Jim Crow discriminatory laws enacted in the post-Reconstruction Southern states in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  DON'T BE DISCOURAGED: Last Sunday evening I spoke to you for a few minutes regarding the importance of determining to do the right thing in every phase of your school life. There are a few things that enter into student life which, in a very large degree, cause the untrue to fall by the wayside, and which prevent students from doing their very best. Among these things is the disposition to grow discouraged. Very many people, very many students, who otherwise would succeed, who would go through school creditably, graduating with honours, have failed to succeed because they became discouraged.

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  Benediction - From their pens to...

  F. Scott Fitzgerald

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  Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on 24th September 1896 in Saint Paul, Minnesota into an upper-middle class family. Whilst his mother was pregnant with him, his two young sisters tragically died.  Fitzgerald once said this was when his destiny as a writer was ordained. 
  His intelligence and talent was recognised from an early age, with his first story, about a detective being published in the school magazine when he was just 13.   
  In 1913 he enrolled at Princeton but his devotion to his own literary pursuits resulted in him leaving and, rather bizarrely, joining the Army.  In 1918, stationed at Fort Sheridan near Montgomery, Alabama he met and became infatuated and then inseparable from Zelda Sayre.  Initially though she refused to marry him but with the success of ‘This Side of Paradise’, the fame and the flow of money enabled them both to begin a gilded life.  For them this was The Jazz Age.  For Fitzgerald he was already an alcoholic. 
  He continued to write with great mastery and the titles of his novels and many of his 164 short stories are household names.  The Great Gatsby, often cited as The Great American Novel was published to mixed reviews.  As America moved from the Great Depression to the slaughter of the Second World War his works and himself were seen as far too entwined with the decadent twenties. The world had moved on and he hadn’t.   
  Further tragedy was never far from his life. Zelda after years of erratic and now intolerable behaviour was committed to an institution in 1936.  His own sales began to decline and he became a hack for hire in Hollywood, dependent on increasing amounts of booze and the weekly pay check.  His drunken state had often resulted in arrest or hospitalisation, further imperiling his talents.   Despite his contribution to many MGM films he received only one credit. 
  The end came all too soon for one of America’s greatest ever writers.  On 21st December 1940, at only 44 years of age in Hollywood, F Scott Fitzgerald succumbed to a heart attack.

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  Metropolis - A City Divided A...

  Thea von Harbou

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  "Metropolis," penned by Thea von Harbou in the late 1920s, is a gripping science fiction novel that transports readers to a dazzling yet dystopian urban expanse in the year 2026 A.D. Within this sprawling cityscape, themes of class struggle, the relentless march of technology, and humanity's intricate bond with machinery resonate profoundly.  
  The narrative centers on Freder, the young heir of a powerful industrial ruler, who finds himself ensnared in the throes of unrequited longing for a captivating woman who embodies the indomitable spirit of the downtrodden working class. From the very beginning, "Metropolis" plunges readers into a riotous tapestry of sights and sounds, opening with Freder playing an ornate grand organ that reverberates through the vast halls, echoing amidst the cosmic ballet of twinkling stars. He is enveloped in an overwhelming sense of yearning for an elusive figure whose presence haunts his dreams. 
  However, the veneer of his privileged existence is soon shattered by a harrowing vision of the laborers toiling in the depths of the city—a stark, bitter reminder of the human toll exacted by the glorified machine age. As Freder descends from his lofty perch in the opulent workshop, the harsh realities of his father's iron-fisted industrial regime come into sharp focus. Thrust into a tumultuous clash of ideals, he begins to question the very foundations of the oppressive systems that sustain the metropolis. 
  This intricate interplay between man, machine, and society unfurls with rich, evocative symbolism, prompting deep moral inquiries about the nature of progress and the heavy sacrifices it demands. Each scene pulsates with life, as the stark contrasts within the city illuminate the struggles rooted in its core, inviting readers to contemplate the cost of ambition in a rapidly mechanized world.

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  Samson and Delilah

  D H Lawrence

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  'Samson and Delilah' is set against a Cornish backdrop. Lawrence and his wife tried to settle in Cornwall during the First World War but were hounded by the authorities and forced to leave. Lawrence pointedly describes the local people as' mindless' in this story. It is almost a Homeric story of a husband returning home after a long absence, having to fight to regain his wife. But in this story it is the wife who is the obstacle. But she succumbs to the man's physical presence as Lawrence demanded all women should if they were to attain happiness.

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  Emma

  Jane Austen

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  Emma is a witty and perceptive novel that explores love, social class, and the dangers of self-deception in early 19th-century England. Set in the quiet village of Highbury, the story follows Emma Woodhouse, a clever, confident, and well-meaning young woman who prides herself on her ability to manage the lives of others—especially when it comes to matchmaking.
  
  Convinced she understands the hearts of those around her better than they understand themselves, Emma enthusiastically arranges romances for her friends and neighbors. Yet her good intentions often lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and unexpected consequences. As Emma navigates friendships, gossip, and social expectations, she is forced to confront her own flaws, assumptions, and emotional blind spots.
  
  With sharp humor, memorable characters, and keen social observation, Jane Austen crafts a timeless coming-of-age story about growth, humility, and self-knowledge. Emma is both a delightful romantic comedy and a thoughtful examination of how maturity comes not from controlling others, but from learning to see oneself clearly.

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  The Lady or the Tiger? and Other...

  Frank R. Stockton, Washington...

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  Embark on a captivating journey through the realms of mystery, suspense, and imagination with our exclusive digital audiobook collection featuring timeless tales by some of literature's greatest storytellers. 
   
  "The Lady or the Tiger" by Frank R. Stockton: Dive into this enigmatic classic that leaves readers pondering the ultimate choice between love and jealousy. 
   
  "The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving: Join Tom Walker on a Faustian journey through New England's eerie forests as he encounters the sinister figure of the Devil himself. 
   
  "Markheim" by Robert Louis Stevenson: Explore the depths of human nature and morality in this haunting tale of a man's encounter with his own conscience on a fateful Christmas Eve. 
   
  "Marjorie Daw" by Thomas Bailey Aldrich: Delve into the world of mistaken identity and whimsical romance as a chance encounter sets off a chain of delightful events.

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