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  Frankenstein; or The Modern...

  Mary Shelley

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  Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a ground-breaking work of gothic fiction and one of the earliest science fiction novels. This original 1818 text tells the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein, a driven scientist whose unrelenting ambition leads him to create life from death. But his triumph gives rise to horror as his creature, abandoned and shunned, turns to vengeance. 
  Exploring themes of ambition, responsibility, and the consequences of playing God, Frankenstein is a timeless masterpiece that raises profound questions about humanity, morality, and the pursuit of knowledge. A cornerstone of literature, the 1818 text retains its raw power and chilling relevance to this day.

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  The Facts in the Case of...

  Edgar Allan Poe

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  Edgar Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts on 19th January 1809. His father abandoned his family the following year and within a year his mother had died leaving him an orphan.   
  He was taken in by the Allan family but never formally adopted although he now referred to himself as Edgar Allan Poe.  His father alternatively spoiled or chastised him and tension was frequent over gambling debts and monies for his education.  His university years to study ancient and modern languages was cut short by lack of money and he enlisted as a private in the army claiming he was 22, it is more probable he was 18. After 2 years he obtained a discharge in order to take up an appointment at the military academy, West Point, where he failed to become an officer. 
  Poe had released his 1st poetry volume in 1827 and after his 3rd turned to prose and placing short stories in several magazines and journals.  At age 26 he obtained a licence to marry his cousin.  She was a mere 13 but they stayed together until her death from tuberculosis 11 years after. 
  In January 1845 ‘The Raven’ was published and became an instant classic.  Thereafter followed the prose works for which he is now so rightly famed as a master of the mysterious and the macabre. 
  Edgar Allan Poe died at the tragically early age of 40 on 7th October 1849 in Baltimore, Maryland. Newspapers at the time reported Poe's death as ‘congestion of the brain’ or ‘cerebral inflammation’, common euphemisms for death from disreputable causes such as alcoholism but the actual cause of death remains a mystery.

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  Cabbages and Kings

  O. Henry

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  "Cabbages and Kings" by O. Henry is a collection of short stories set in the fictional country of Anchuria, reflecting on human nature, love, and life's unpredictability. Through vivid characters and witty narratives, it explores themes of ambition, romance, and societal contrasts with O. Henry's signature twist endings.

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  A Christmas Carol - Full Cast Drama

  Charles Dickens

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  In the heart of London, during a chilly Christmas Eve, a tale of redemption and the transformative power of goodwill unfolds in Charles Dickens' timeless masterpiece, "A Christmas Carol." The story introduces us to Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who values wealth above all else and has long abandoned the joy and compassion of the holiday season. 
   
  Scrooge is visited by the spirit of his long-deceased business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley, condemned to an eternity of torment for his own avarice in life, arrives weighed down by heavy chains made of cashboxes, ledgers, and padlocks, a grim testament to the price of a selfish existence. Marley warns Scrooge that he, too, is bound for a similar fate unless he changes his ways. To aid in this transformation, Scrooge will be visited by three more spirits: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. 
   
  The story's power lies in the journey of Ebenezer Scrooge, as he confronts his own misdeeds and awakens to the true spirit of Christmas. As he witnesses the lives of those around him, his icy heart begins to thaw. The Cratchit family's humble celebration, despite their meager means, touches him deeply, and he is especially moved by the vulnerability of Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit's ailing son. Scrooge's transformation culminates when he is confronted with the vision of his own lonely death, unloved and unmissed. Filled with remorse and newfound understanding, he implores the spirit for a second chance, a chance to change his ways and embrace the spirit of giving, love, and compassion that embodies the true essence of Christmas. 
   
  "A Christmas Carol" serves as a timeless reminder that it is never too late to change, to find the joy in life's simplest pleasures, and to share the wealth of kindness and goodwill with those around us, especially during the holiday season.

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  The Blazing World

  Margaret Cavendish

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  'I had rather die in the adventure of noble achievements, than live in obscure and sluggish security.'
  
  Part romance, part adventure story, The Blazing World is a seventeenth century classic, and a prime example of proto-science fiction.
  
  Often considered an early feminist work, Cavendish compellingly chronicles how a young Lady became a powerful empress of a fantastical parallel kingdom. Captured by a lustful merchant in the hope of marrying the young woman, we first find our protagonist travelling towards the North Pole, unsure of her future. But soon the merchant and his crew freeze to death, allowing the young Lady to escape and discover a pole to an alternative land: the Blazing World. Here, the laws of science and nature are upturned: peculiar hybrid creatures – with animal bodies but minds like humans – inhabit the kingdom. Believed to be a goddess by the Emperor of Paradise city, the young woman soon becomes betrothed to the leader of the strange land, and is able to rule and govern the world as she pleases. This audiobook edition is brilliantly brought to life by Karen Cass.
  Margaret Cavendish (1632 – 1673), Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was a successful poet, playwright, scientist and philosopher. She was one of the first women of her time to publish extensively under her own name, and used her work to explore topics such as gender, marriage and courtship.

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  A Dog's Tale

  Mark Twain

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  "A Dog's Tale" is a short story, written by Mark Twain, told from the standpoint of a loyal household pet. It first appeared in the December 1903 issue of Harper's magazine. In January of the following year it was extracted into a stand-alone pamphlet published for the National Anti-Vivisection Society. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835—April 21, 1910), better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, lecturer, and writer.

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