Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Dubliners is a wonderfully engaging and accessible collection of stories by James Joyce, an author famed for being difficult to read. It contains fifteen stories, among them The Dead, made into a memorable film by John Huston. This beautiful new edition, with an introduction by John Boyne, was chosen as the One Book, One City title for Dublin in 2012.
Austen's "most wicked tale," Lady Susan is a short epistolary novel by Jane Austen, possibly written in 1794 but not published until 1871. Lady Susan is a selfish, attractive woman, who tries to trap the best possible husband while maintaining a relationship with a married man. She subverts all the standards of the romantic novel; she has an active role, she's not only beautiful but intelligent and witty, and her suitors are significantly younger than she is.Show book
"The Adventure of the Lion's Mane" (1926), one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes. It is notable for being narrated by Holmes himself, instead of by Dr. Watson (who does not appear in the story). Holmes is enjoying his retirement in Sussex when one day at the beach, he meets his friend Harold Stackhurst, the headmaster of a nearby preparatory school called The Gables. No sooner have they met than Stackhurst's science teacher, Fitzroy McPherson, staggers up to them, clearly in agony and wearing only an overcoat and trousers. He collapses, manages to say something about a "lion's mane", and then succumbs. He is observed to have red welts all over his back, possibly administered by a flexible weapon of some kind, for the marks curve over his shoulder and round his ribs.Show book
Welcome to the world of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved authors in the English language. Austen's works are known for their wit, social commentary, and romantic storylines that have captivated readers for generations. This audiobook is an introduction to the life and works of Jane Austen and will provide a glimpse into her world and the literary legacy she left behind. From her early years as a writer to the publication of her most famous novels, including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, we will explore the themes, characters, and settings that make Austen's writing so timeless. Here you will discover the nuances of Austen's prose, the subtleties of her humor, and the depth of her insight into human relationships. Whether you are a longtime fan of Austen's work or new to her writing, this audiobook is the perfect starting point for exploring the world of Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is a novel written by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The novel explores the themes of prejudice, love, and the role of women in society. The story revolves around the Bennet family, particularly the second-oldest daughter, Elizabeth. The novel explores the consequences of judging others based on appearance or reputation rather than getting to know them. The characters in Pride and Prejudice are well-developed and memorable. Elizabeth is a strong independent woman not afraid to speak her mind. She can also be stubborn and impulsive. Mr. Darcy is a wealthy and powerful man who initially comes across as arrogant and aloof. However, as the novel progresses, we learn that he is a complex and sympathetic character with a strong sense of honor and loyalty. Other important characters include Jane Bennet, Elizabeth's older sister, who is kind and gentle, and Mr. Bennet, the girl's father, who is sarcastic and witty.Show book
Our English Watering-Place and Our French Watering-Place are short stories by Charles Dickens. Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 - 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's most memorable fictional characters and is generally regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian period. During his life, his works enjoyed unprecedented fame, and by the twentieth century his literary genius was broadly acknowledged by critics and scholars. His novels and short stories continue to be widely popular.Show book
The disappearance of a majestic Thoroughbred unites a community in 1930s India in “one of the greatest horse books ever written. . . . Moving, and highly original” (Lauren St. John, author of The White Giraffe). In Calcutta, India, John Quillan cares for racehorses belonging to wealthy owners, and Mother Morag, who lives just down the road and leads a group of nuns working with Calcutta’s poor, loves to watch these beautiful animals in action. Now, a new Thoroughbred, Dark Invader, has been shipped from England, rejected after a losing season, in which he didn’t live up to his owner’s expectations. A beautiful creature with rippling muscles and satin skin, Dark Invader is gently handled with love in his new home, and before long, he is poised for victory in the Viceroy Cup, the country’s most famous race. But just days before the event, he disappears—and a desperate effort to find him begins. From Rumer Godden—the award-winning author of such classics as The Greengage Summer and Black Narcissus, as well as a number of beloved children’s books—The Dark Horse is a moving and suspenseful story set in a fascinating historical era.Show book
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British writer regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language. He came to be regarded a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature. He wrote stories and novels, many with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of what he saw as an impassive, inscrutable universe. Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others, though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim, for example, have influenced numerous authors. Many dramatic films have been adapted from and inspired by his works. Numerous writers and critics have commented that his fictional works, written largely in the first two decades of the 20th century, seem to have anticipated later world events. Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland—during nearly all his life, parceled out among three occupying empires—and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche.Show book
