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  Gods in Exile - Heine pulls at...

  Heinrich Heine

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  Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was born in Düsseldorf, Germany on 13th December 1797 to assimilated Jewish parents. 
   
  Heine studied law at the universities of Bonn, Göttingen, and Berlin but his greater commitment was to studying poetry and literature.   
   
  He converted to Protestantism in order to obtain work as there were draconian anti-Jewish laws in force at the time.   
   
  He was part of the German Romantic movement but also responsible in part for ushering in the post-Romantic crisis and the presumed failure of art as unable to overcome or explain the growing traumas of modernity.  However, his literary reputation was cemented in the second half of the 1820’s with his poetry collection ‘The Book of Songs’ together with his collection of ‘Pictures of Travel’ stories that blended fact and fiction together into commercial and critical successes. 
   
  After the July 1830 Revolution in France, he went to live in Paris, where he remained until his death.  
   
  Here he wrote much in the way of essays discussing the political and cultural scene in France together with volumes of social criticism on Germany. 
   
  By 1835, his works had been banned by the German government.  His lifelong subsidised lifestyle ended in 1844 when his uncle died leaving him nothing.  He turned once more to lyric poetry and created perhaps his finest poetical works.  A trip to Germany resulted in the long satirical poem ‘Germany. A Winter's Tale’. His second volume of poetry, ‘New Poems’ in 1844, included poems that had originally appeared in Karl Marx’s newspaper ‘Forward’ and continued the satirical style he now preferred.   
   
  In May 1848, Heine, in poor health, fell and was paralyzed and confined to his bed.  He called it his ‘mattress-grave’ and only death would remove him from it.  He was also experiencing eye problems and suffering from chronic lead poisoning. 
   
  Heinrich Heine died on 17th February 1856.  He was 58.   
   
  ‘Gods in Exile’ is perhaps a prophetic piece on his own life.  The old gods are overthrown by the new novelty of Christianity.  What will be their role now?  Is there life after for them?

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  Little Women

  Louisa May Alcott

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  Discover the timeless charm of "Little Women," Louisa May Alcott's beloved novel that has captivated readers for generations. This heartwarming tale follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—as they navigate the complexities of growing up, pursuing dreams, and experiencing the bonds of sisterhood during the American Civil War.Each sister is distinctively portrayed with their aspirations and personality, making them relatable figures for readers of all ages. From Jo's ambitious literary dreams to Amy's artistic pursuits, the novel beautifully illustrates the resilience and courage of young women facing societal expectations. Alcott's rich narrative invites readers into the intimate world of the March family, offering a blend of romance, adversity, and growth, all underscored by the power of unity and familial love.Ideal for fans of classic literature and stories of personal development, "Little Women" promises to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought about the roles of women in society and the importance of family.

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  A Somewhat Improbable Story -...

  G K Chesterton

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  G K Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was a poet, novelist, playwright, literary commentator, editor, biographer, journalist, orator and theologian.  He was often dubbed as the “prince of paradox” for his light whimsical style that often addressed serious issues such as politics and religion.  The latter was as a member and defender of the Christian faith and the former was shaped by a distrust of concentrated wealth and power.  He advocated Distributionism and said that every man should be allowed to own "three acres and a cow."  These political views have spread round the world, crediting Chesterton as the father of the “small is beautiful” movement.  It is also said to have influenced Gandhi in seeking a genuine nationalism for India rather than imitating the British state.   
  Chesterton was remarkably prolific but perhaps his most famous creation is Father Brown.  Within this character Chesterton’s clever writing and profound ideas reveal truths, often with humour as the detective priest pursues the answers to his cases.

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  Araby - From their pens to your...

  James Joyce

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  James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was born on the 2nd February 1882 in Dublin into a middle-class family, and the eldest of ten surviving siblings 
  Admired as a brilliant student he briefly attended the Christian Brothers-run O'Connell School before excelling at the Jesuit schools of Clongowes and Belvedere.  From there he went on to attend University College Dublin from 1898, studying English, French and Italian 
  In 1902, Joyce was now in his early twenties, and went to Paris to study Medicine but soon abandoned his teachings.  Back in Dublin to attend to his dying Mother he met Nora Barnacle. They bonded immediately into a life-long match. Together they decided to emigrate to Europe.  The couple lived in Trieste, Rome, Paris, and finally Zürich where Joyce pursued a variety of jobs and ventures to supplement his literary pursuits but none of these paid off.  
  After publishing a poetry volume, ‘Chamber Music’, in 1907, his short story collection ‘The Dubliners’, in 1914, helped establish his talent in the rapidly changing world.  
  Although far from home Joyce’s literary heart and works were set in his recollections of Dublin.  Characters are close resemblances of family and friends and indeed enemies.  His landmark work ‘Ulysses’, published in 1922, is set in the streets and alleyways of the city as it parallels Homer’s Odyssey in a variety of styles including its famed stream of consciousness. 
  His pen continued to produce classics of the order of ‘A Portrait of the Artist as A Young Man’ and ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ together with several volumes of poetry and a play ‘The Exiles, in 1918.   
  On the 11th January 1941, Joyce underwent surgery in Zürich for a perforated duodenal ulcer. The next day he fell into a coma. On the 13th after a brief period of lucidity in which he called for his wife and son he passed.  He was 58.

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  Top 10 Short Stories The - The...

  Edgar Allan Poe

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  Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart.  A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. 
   
  In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?  
   
  The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme.  Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature. 
   
  Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made.  If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something. 
   
  Some of our earliest thrills – and fears – dwell within us because of a ghost story heard in childhood.  Whether fearful or giggling in delight it carries through with us till adult times.  These dark, foreboding works may raise many a goosebump, an unexpected laugh, or, a tinge or two of real fear but then, in these authors hands that may be just the beginning. 
   
  01 - The Top 10 - The Ghost Story 
  2 - The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe 
  3 - The Body Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson 
  4 - The Signalman by Charles Dickens 
  5 - The Phantom Rickshaw by Rudyard Kipling 
  6 - The Horla by Guy de Maupassant 
  7 - Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter by Sheridan Le Fanu 
  8 - The Empty House by Algernon Blackwood 
  9 - Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad by M R James 
  10 - The Eyes by Edith Wharton 
  11 - The Case of Vincent Pyrwhit by Barry Pain

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  Rise of a Pirate - A High Seas...

  Nellie H. Steele

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  When two sibling’s worlds are shattered by a single bullet, will they choose a path that leads to danger? 
  Henrietta longs for independence, seeking it by marrying into Savannah’s elite society. But when her love interest is a philandering scoundrel, her protective brother, Clifton, vows to stop her. And when emotions run high, an accidental murder threatens to rip their worlds apart. 
  A shattered and heartbroken Henrietta mourns for the life she’s lost. Meanwhile Clifton, alone and devastated, escapes the reality of his tragedy through a series of dangerous choices. Physically and emotionally separated, the siblings find themselves on paths of reckless abandon. 
  Will their lives on water create a powerful pirate duo, or will the rough seas of their past make the waves that lead to death? 
  Rise of the Pirate is the thrilling first book in the pirate adventure series Clif and Ri on the Sea. If you like redemption arcs, take-charge females, and treacherous waters, then you’ll love Nellie H. Steele’s ride across the ocean. 
  Buy Clif and Ri on the Sea now to walk the plank today!

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