Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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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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  Terrible Old Man The (Unabridged)

  H. P. Lovecraft

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  A strange old man, "so old that no one can remember when he was young, and so taciturn that few know his real name," lives alone in an ancient house on Water Street in the town of Kingsport. Even among the locals, few know the details of the old man's life, but it is believed that he once captained East Indian clipper ships in his youth and accumulated great riches throughout his life. Those who had visited the property had seen bizarre collections of stones in the front yard and observed the old man carrying on conversations with mysterious bottles on his table, which make "certain definite vibrations as if in answer." Most locals take care to avoid the man and his house. Angelo Ricci, Joe Czanek and Manuel Silva, three robbers, learn about the old man's supposed hoard of treasure and resolve to take it. Ricci and Silva go inside to "interview" the old man about the treasure, while Czanek waits outside in the getaway car. After waiting impatiently for a long time, Czanek is startled by an outburst of horrific screaming from the house but assumes that his colleagues have been too rough with the old man during their interrogation. However, the gate of the house opens, revealing the old man "smiling hideously" at him. For the first time, Czanek takes note of the man's unsettling yellow eyes. The mutilated bodies of the three robbers are later found by the seaside, "horribly slashed as with many cutlasses, and horribly mangled as by the tread of many cruel boot-heels." The people of Kingsport talk about the discovery, as well as about the abandoned car and the screams heard in the night, but the old man shows no interest in their gossip.

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  Laura Silver Bell

  Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

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  "She heard the chiming of the silver bells, and she knew the hills were calling her home."
  
  In a secluded village nestled beneath the shadow of ancient, brooding hills, dwells the beautiful and ethereal Laura Silver Bell. Unlike the other village girls, Laura feels a strange, magnetic pull toward the wild, unpeopled places of the moor. But in the world of Le Fanu, the hills have eyes, and the "Good People" (the Sidhe) are not the whimsical fairies of nursery rhymes—they are ancient, predatory, and possessive. When a mysterious and charismatic stranger appears, Laura finds herself caught between the warmth of human love and a chilling supernatural inheritance. It is a tale of enchantment that warns: once you hear the silver bells, you can never truly belong to the world of men again.
  
  The "Dark" Fairy Tale: Le Fanu strips away the Victorian "flower fairy" imagery to return to the roots of Celtic myth. His fairies are tall, silent, and dangerous beings who exist in the "liminal" spaces of the world. The story explores the "Changeling" myth through a sophisticated Gothic lens, making the supernatural feel like a physical, inevitable force of nature.
  
  A Heroine of Two Worlds: Laura is one of Le Fanu's most complex female characters. Her "silver" beauty is both a blessing and a curse, marking her as someone who doesn't quite fit into the mundane life of her village. Her struggle is a poignant metaphor for the outsider—the person who hears a music that no one else can.
  
  The Master of the Eerie: Laura Silver Bell showcases Le Fanu's ability to weave a sense of "wrongness" into the natural landscape. The rustle of the grass, the shifting shadows of the hills, and the sudden silence of the birds all build toward a climax that is as beautiful as it is devastating.
  
  Follow the music into the mist. Purchase "Laura Silver Bell" today.

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  The Autobiography of an...

  James Weldon Johnson

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  "I buried my past... but at what cost to my soul?"
  
  Our narrator is a man of dual heritage—gifted, light-skinned, and acutely observant. Born into a world defined by the "color line," he possesses the unique and dangerous ability to move between the Black and White worlds. From the smoking rooms of high-society New York to the gambling dens of the South, and from the birth of Ragtime to the horrific reality of a public lynching, his journey is a panoramic view of the American racial landscape at the turn of the century. Ultimately, he chooses to "pass" as a white man for the sake of safety and success, but he finds that his "great secret" is a burden that leaves him feeling like an unfaithful witness to his own life.
  
  A Masterclass in Irony and Ambiguity: James Weldon Johnson's narrator is not a typical hero. He is a "flâneur"—a detached observer who often prioritizes self-preservation over solidarity. This narrative choice allows the reader to see the subtle, insidious ways that systemic racism forces individuals to fragment their own identities just to survive.
  
  The Soundtrack of a Changing Nation: The novel is famous for its early and insightful treatment of Ragtime. The narrator, a talented pianist, views the music as a profound contribution to world culture, yet he eventually abandons his dream of elevating Black folk music into classical forms, choosing instead a life of quiet, white-collar invisibility.
  
  Why It Is a Revolutionary Classic: Published before the height of the Harlem Renaissance, this novel shattered the sentimental stereotypes of its time. It is a cold-eyed look at the "privilege" of whiteness and the profound sense of loss that comes with abandoning one's heritage. It remains a vital text for understanding the "double consciousness" of the American experience.
  
  Step behind the mask. Purchase "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man" today.

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  Five Weeks in a Balloon - The...

  Jules Verne

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  What if you could be the first to cross the uncharted heart of Africa... by air?Join the intrepid Dr. Samuel Ferguson and his loyal companions as they embark on a daring expedition to traverse the African continent in a hydrogen balloon. In this groundbreaking adventure—Verne's first published novel—our heroes soar above unexplored territories, facing dangers both natural and man-made.From the sun-scorched Sahara to the lush jungles of central Africa, experience the thrill of discovery and the perils of the unknown. Watch as Ferguson and his crew navigate treacherous weather, dwindling resources, and hostile tribes, all while dangling thousands of feet above the earth in their fragile craft.Verne's vivid imagination brings 19th-century Africa to life, blending real geography with speculative science in a tale that's part travelogue, part scientific romance. As our aeronauts push the boundaries of exploration, they'll challenge the limits of their balloon, their supplies, and their own courage.LibriVox recording of this public domain work, bringing timeless adventures to your ears. Perfect for fans of classic adventure stories, early science fiction, and tales of exploration, "Five Weeks in a Balloon" offers a unique glimpse into the African continent as seen through the eyes of one of literature's greatest visionaries.Prepare for takeoff on an unforgettable journey across the skies of Africa!

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  A Princess's Vengeance - From...

  Catherine Louisa Pirkis

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  The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Catherine Louisa Pirkis.

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