Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Rediscover Jack London’s beloved classic in this unique hardbound edition. White Fang has been called “one of London’s most interesting and ambitious works.” Follow the wolfdog White Fang in a story of violence and hardship, morality and redemption, and finding home during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. Truly a must-have for London fans.
"In the Penal Colony" is a short story by Franz Kafka written in German in October 1914, revised in November 1918, and first published in October 1919. As in some of Kafka's other writings, the narrator in this story seems detached from, or perhaps numbed by, events that one would normally expect to be registered with horror. Internal clues and the setting on an island suggest Octave Mirbeau's The Torture Garden as an influence. The story is set in an unnamed penal colony and describes the last use of an elaborate torture and execution device that carves the commandment that the condemned prisoner has transgressed on his skin as he slowly dies over the course of twelve hours. As the plot unfolds, the reader learns more and more about the machine, including its origin and original justification.Show book
Selected Short Stories is a collection of some of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most memorable and thought-provoking works. Published in 1931, the collection includes several of his best-known stories, such as "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." These stories explore themes of social class, love, loss, and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. Fitzgerald's writing style is characterized by its elegance, wit, and poetic language, making his stories both engaging and thought-provoking. One of the recurring themes in Fitzgerald's stories is the tension between the individual and society. In many of his stories, the characters are struggling to find their place in a society that values wealth, status, and conformity. This is particularly evident in "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," in which the protagonist, Bernice, must decide whether to conform to the expectations of her wealthy cousin or to follow her own desires. Similarly, in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," the protagonist must come to terms with his unusual condition, which sets him apart from the rest of society. Another important theme in Fitzgerald's stories is the fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitability of change. Many of his characters are searching for love, success, or fulfillment, but find that these things are elusive and ultimately fleeting. This is particularly evident in "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," in which the protagonist discovers a hidden mountain of diamonds, only to realize that his wealth is meaningless in the face of the vastness of the universe. Fitzgerald's stories remind us that life is both beautiful and fragile and that the pursuit of happiness can be both exhilarating and heartbreaking. Overall, Selected Short Stories is a testament to Fitzgerald's talent as a writer and his ability to capture the spirit of his time.Show book
The Way Things Were is a collection of stories and novellas by Ukrainian writer Marko Vovchok (Maria Alexandrona Vilinskaya-Markevich) focused around the lives of Russian and Ukrainian serfs during the last decade of slavery in the Russian Empire. These works were instrumental to the abolitionist movement, whose members - writers, poets, artists, and political activists - eventually succeeded in bringing about the Emancipation reform of 1861 and ending six centuries of serfdom. Marko Vovchok's stories are not epic, historically significant episodes, but rather small, everyday vignettes from the lives of serfs and their masters, made all the more powerful by their serene, conversational style bringing the reality of the era into stark relief. This collection includes the following works:The Merchant's DaughterSashaMischief MakerThe SchoolgirlKaterinaNine Brothers and Their Sister GalyaThe Tulle BabaLazy BonesLittle ToyThe King of HeartsLemerivnaMashaShow book
"Hypnos" is a first-person narrative, written from the perspective of an unnamed character living in Kent and later London, England. The narrator writes that he fears sleep, and is resolved to write his story down lest it drive him further mad, regardless of what people think after reading it. The narrator, a sculptor, recounts meeting a mysterious man in a railway station. The moment the man opened his "immense, sunken, and widely luminous eyes", the narrator knew that the stranger would become his friend--"the only friend of one who had never possessed a friend before." In the eyes of the stranger, he witnessed important knowledge of the mysteries he always sought to learn. From this point on, he would touch his friend and sculpt him daily. At night they would commence their adventures, exploring worlds beyond human comprehension. Over time, the narrator's companion begins to speak of using their ability to transcend into the unknown as a way to rule the universe (via a set of drugs). The narrator is frightened by the prospect and disavows such hubris to the reader. Soon the narrator is off on a foray with his friend, travelling through a void that he explains is beyond human sensation. Passing through several barriers, eventually the narrator comes to one he cannot cross, though his friend does. Opening his "physical eyes", the narrator wakes up and awaits the return of his friend, who awakes severely shaken and reticent, warning only that they must avoid sleep at all cost. From then on, with the aid of drugs, the two avoid sleep, as each time they succumb, they both seem to rapidly age and are plagued by nightmares that the narrator refuses to explain. The story ends with the narrator explaining that one night, his friend fell into a "deep-breathing sleep" and was impossible to arouse. The narrator shrieks, faints, and awakes surrounded by police and neighbors, who inform him that his friend was not real. There is only a bust of his friend in his room, engraved with the Greek word: _____ (Hypnos).Show book
"Why can't a man learn to speak the language of the beasts?" John Dolittle, MD, is a respected physician in the quiet town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh—until his growing collection of pets frightens away his human patients. Armed with the secret knowledge passed down by his wise parrot, Polynesia, the Doctor learns to speak the languages of the animal kingdom. From the smallest mouse to the largest elephant, Dolittle becomes the world's first "animal doctor." When a dire message arrives about an epidemic among the monkeys in Africa, the Doctor sets sail on a perilous journey that introduces him to the rarest creatures on Earth, including the two-headed Pushmi-pullyu. A Legacy of Compassion: Hugh Lofting famously began writing these stories in letters to his children from the trenches of World War I. Seeking an alternative to the violence he witnessed, he created a hero whose greatest weapons are empathy, linguistics, and a deep respect for all living things. The Doctor's house becomes a sanctuary where the "Animal Family"—including Jip the dog, Gub-Gub the pig, and Dab-Dab the duck—live in harmony. The Grand Adventure: The voyage to Africa is a masterclass in early 20th-century adventure. From escaping the King of the Jolliginki to crossing the "Precipice of the Barbary Coast," Lofting blends high-seas drama with the gentle humor of the Doctor's eccentric personality. It is a story that celebrates the idea that the "wild" world is not a place to be conquered, but a community to be understood. Discover the magic of communication. Purchase "The Story of Doctor Dolittle" today and start listening to the world around you.Show book
As a child being read to was one of the greatest joys imaginable. A loved one would start a tale whilst you were all cosy warm in bed with the lights nodding off. Anything could happen but sleep would come and dreams would start and all was good with the world. Adults too long for reassurance, for comfort, for calm. Sometimes they may get that. But with classic authors such as Oscar Wilde, O Henry, Saki, Rabindranath Tagore and many others they may not. Expect the unexpected. 1 - Bedtime Stories for Adults - An Introduction 2 - Kabuliwallah by Rabindranath Tagore 3 - Springtime a la Carte by O Henry 4 - Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf 5 - Speed by Sinclair Lewis 6 - Tobermory by Saki 7 - The Ransom of Red Chief by O Henry 8 - The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde 9 - The Burglar's Christmas by Willa Cather 10 - Transients in Arcadia by O Henry 11 - An Angel in Disguise by T S Arthur 12 - The Skylight Room by O Henry 13 - The Magic Shop by H G Wells 14 - The Gift of the Magi by O Henry 15 - The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde 16 - The Great Good Place by Henry JamesShow book
