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  Elective Affinities

  Johan Wolfgang Von Goethe

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  Goethe as a novelist is best known for two earlier novels, The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774) and Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship (1796). But Elective Affinities, which was published in 1809, is widely regarded as his mature masterpiece, not least because of its unusual provenance, which brings together Goethe the scientist as well as Goethe the writer. Baron Eduard and his second wife Charlotte enjoy a quiet, humdrum existence in their opulent castle, but when he invites his friend the Captain and she invites her niece Ottilie to stay with them, their lives are turned inside out as both hosts begin to feel attracted to their guests. Using one of the chemistry theories of the time (the term ‘elective affinities’ was used by Robert Boyle and Isaac Newton) as a metaphor throughout the novel, Goethe juxtaposes social interactions with scientific principles, while illustrating the typically Romantic concern of the individual coming to terms with society. Controversial when first published and still much critically debated today, Goethe s Elective Affinities is an early model for the modern novel.

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  Kāwai - For Such a Time as This

  Monty Soutar

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  This epic historical adventure tells the story of pre-colonial Aotearoa New Zealand like it's never been told before. A young Māori man, compelled to learn the stories of his ancestors, returns to his family marae on the east coast of the North Island to speak to his elderly grand-uncle, the keeper of the stories. What follows is an enthralling account of the young man's tipuna, the legendary warrior Kaitanga, after whom his marae's whare puni has been named. Tracing the author's own ancestral line, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This reveals a picture of an indigenous Aotearoa in the mid-18th century, through to the first encounters between Māori and Europeans. It describes a culture that is highly sophisticated with an immense knowledge of science, medicine and religion; proud tribes who live harmoniously within the natural world; a highly capable and adaptable people to whom family and legacy are paramount. However, it is also a culture illuminated by a brutal undercurrent of inter-generational vengeance, witchcraft and cannibalism.

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  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

  F. Scott Fitzgerald

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  Enter the surreal and thought-provoking world of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald, narrated by Richard Salem. This timeless story follows the extraordinary life of Benjamin Button, a man who is born old and ages backward, becoming younger as the years pass. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century America, Fitzgerald’s masterful tale explores themes of time, identity, and the fleeting nature of life. 
  Richard Salem’s evocative narration brings this literary classic to life, immersing listeners in the whimsical and poignant journey of Benjamin Button. Both fantastical and deeply human, this story challenges perceptions of age, destiny, and the inevitable passage of time. 
  Perfect for fans of classic literature and thought-provoking storytelling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button remains a fascinating exploration of life’s mysteries and the meaning of growing up… or growing young.

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  Chess Story

  Stefan Zweig, Peter Gay

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  Chess Story, also known as The Royal Game, is the Austrian master Stefan Zweig's final achievement, completed in Brazilian exile and sent off to his American publisher only days before his suicide in 1942. It is the only story in which Zweig looks at Nazism, and he does so with characteristic emphasis on the psychological.Travelers by ship from New York to Buenos Aires find that on board with them is the world champion of chess, an arrogant and unfriendly man. They come together to try their skills against him and are soundly defeated. Then a mysterious passenger steps forward to advise them and their fortunes change. How he came to possess his extraordinary grasp of the game of chess and at what cost lie at the heart of Zweig's story.This new translation of Chess Story brings out the work's unusual mixture of high suspense and poignant reflection.

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  The Africa Hand

  Andrew Wareham

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  Bloody Nick Turnhouse is in fine fettle, a frigate captain and respected by those who know him. He has taken a ship twice to the Bight of Benin and survived both occasions, falling to none of the fevers. Unfortunately, this has made him one of the few naval captains with a close knowledge of the fatal shores and Their Lordships are inclined to see him as their sole expert in sailing waters that have previously only been familiar to slavers and the few Guineamen. 
   
   
   
  Returning from the Bight, Nick is currently in Spanish waters, seeking glory and prizes and uncertain which might be more important to a farm boy made good.

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  Teak Lord

  Ron Emmons

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  A tale of piety, greed, debauchery and equanimity in a remote Asian kingdom. 
  It’s 1875 and Chiang Mai, capital of Lanna, is a cultural crossroads of Buddhist monks and Christian missionaries, of spirit doctors and opium smokers, of seductive dancers and Western adventurers. 
  A sharp rise in teak prices sets off a mad rush for logging concessions, and the forests of Lanna resound to the thwack of axes and the trumpeting of elephants as the mighty trees are felled. 
  Enter Doctor Marion Cheek, a medical missionary and teak trader, whose exploits in this exotic realm – saving the life of the ruler’s wife, setting up a harem of local beauties and standing triumphant at the kingdom’s highest point – make him a legend in his lifetime.

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