Other books that might interest you

• 

  The American

  Henry James

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  "The American" by Henry James follows Christopher Newman, a wealthy and confident American businessman, as he ventures to Europe seeking adventure and romance. In Paris, he becomes infatuated with the beautiful and enigmatic Claire de Cintré, a young widow from a noble French family. Driven by his passion, Newman pursues Claire despite her family's disapproval. As their relationship develops, cultural disparities, social expectations, and financial considerations complicate their love. Claire's aristocratic relatives, particularly her controlling mother, present formidable obstacles, and Newman's American directness clashes with European subtleties.

  Show book

• 

  A Confession

  Leo Tolstoy

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Leo Tolstoy's "A Confession," written in 1882 shortly after a life-altering spiritual crisis, is a brutally sincere reflection on life, morality, and the nature of faith. Tolstoy describes in great detail the process by which he lost his faith in established Christian churches, the meaninglessness of wealth and fame, the agony of acute depression, and how he overcame misery and dread through personal study of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Along the way, he contrasts the artificial faith and arrogance of educated people with the genuine faith and humility of the Russian peasant. This work, and others of its ilk, were aggressively censored by the Tsarist regime and directly led to Tolstoy being excommunicated by the Russian Orthodox Church. 
   
  Produced by Macc Kay 
  Production executive Avalon Giuliano 
  ICON Intern Eden Garret Giuliano 
   
  ©2022 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) 2022 Eden Garret Giuliano

  Show book

• 

  Vision of Paradise The - The...

  Dante Alighieri

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Durante degli Alighieri, usually referred to simply as Dante was born in Italy, and lived from c. 1265 to c. 1321. He was a major poet during the Middle Ages. He wrote the famouse Divine Comedy, which was originally called Comedìa (modern Italian: Commedia). The work was later christened Divina by Boccaccio. It is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature. In the late Middle Ages, the overwhelming majority of poetry was written in Latin, and therefore accessible only to affluent and educated audiences.

  Show book

• 

  Some Recollections of Mortality...

  Charles Dickens

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Charles Dickens was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.
  SOME RECOLLECTIONS OF MORTALITY: I Had parted from the small bird at somewhere about four o'clock in the morning, when he had got out at Arras, and had been received by two shovel-hats in waiting at the station, who presented an appropriately ornithological and crow-like appearance.

  Show book

• 

  Pride and Prejudice

  Jane Austen

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Pride and Prejudice is a timeless novel by Jane Austen that delves into themes of love, class, and societal expectations. Set in early 19th-century England, the story revolves around the Bennet family, particularly the five unmarried daughters. Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest, is known for her sharp wit and independent spirit. When the wealthy and handsome Mr. Darcy arrives in the neighborhood, he immediately takes a dislike to Elizabeth, while she finds him arrogant and aloof. 
  As the narrative unfolds, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy encounter a series of misunderstandings and preconceived notions that hinder their potential connection. Elizabeth's initial prejudice against Mr. Darcy is fueled by his pride and sense of entitlement, while his pride prevents him from recognizing Elizabeth's true worth. Through a series of events, including a misunderstanding involving Mr. Darcy's friend, Mr. Bingley, and a letter revealing Mr. Darcy's true feelings, both characters undergo significant personal growth and come to appreciate each other's qualities.

  Show book

• 

  Aloysha the Pot - From their...

  Leo Tolstoy

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Leo Tolstoy was born in 1828 in the Russian province of Tula to a wealthy noble family. As a child, he had private tutors but he showed little interest in any formal education. When he went to the University of Kazan in 1843 to study oriental languages and law, he left without completing his courses.  Life now was relaxed and idle but with some writing also taking place.  Gambling debts forced an abrupt change of path and he joined the army to fight in the Crimean War.  He was commended for his bravery and promoted but was appalled at the brutality and loss of life.  He recorded these and other earlier experiences in his diaries which formed the basis of several of his works. 
  In 1852 ‘Childhood’ was published to immediate success and was followed by ‘Boyhood’ and ‘Youth’. 
  His experience in the army and the horrors he witnessed resulted in ‘The Cossacks’ in 1862 and the trilogy ‘Sevastopol Tales’. After the war he travelled around Europe, visiting London and Paris and meeting such luminaries as Victor Hugo and Charles Darwin.  
  It was now that Tolstoy began his masterpiece, ‘War and Peace’. Published in 1869 it was an epic work that changed literature. He quickly followed this with ‘Anna Karenina’.  
  These successes made Tolstoy rich and helped him accomplish many of his dreams but also brought problems as he grappled with his faith and the lot of the oppressed poor. These revolutionary views became so popular that the authorities now kept him under surveillance.  
  He led a life of asceticism and vegetarianism and put his socialist ideals into practice by establishing numerous schools for the poor and food programmes. He also believed in giving away his wealth, which caused much discord with his wife.  
  His writing continued to bring forth classics such as ‘The Death of Ivan Ilyich’ and many brilliant and incisive short stories such as ‘How Much Land Does A Man Need’.  
  In 1901 Tolstoy was excommunicated from the Church and controversially deselected for the Nobel Prize for Literature. 
  Whilst undertaking a pilgrimage by train in October 1910 with his daughter Aleksandra he caught pneumonia in the nearby town of Astapovo.  Leo Tolstoy died on November 9th, 1910, he was 82.

  Show book