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  Top 10 Short Stories The -...

  George Eliot, Jerome K. Jerome,...

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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. 
   
  In the heartlands of England, in its gritty and grimy industrial landscape, literary talent abounds.  Experiences learnt and observed here have found their way into many of the finest literary works this country has produced.  Genius has many names. 
   
  1 - The Top 10 - English Authors of the West Midlands - An Introduction 
  2 - The Lifted Veil - Part 1 by George Eliot 
  3 - The Lifted Veil - Part 2 by George Eliot 
  4 - The Absent Minded Man by Jerome K Jerome 
  5 - The Matador of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett 
  6 - The Last House in C Street by Mrs Craik 
  7 - Reality or Delusion by Mrs Ellen Wood 
  8 - The Ghost in the Clock Room by Hesba Stretton 
  9 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb 
  10 - The Dust of Death by Fred M White 
  11 - Alexander the Ratcatcher by Richard Garnett 
  12 - Her Murderer by Mary Cholmondeley

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  The Last Kingdom

  Anonymous

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  The first installment of Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (The Observer, London)—the basis for The Last Kingdom, the hit BBC America television series. 
  This is the exciting—yet little known—story of the making of England in the 9th and 10th centuries, the years in which King Alfred the Great, his son and grandson defeated the Danish Vikings who had invaded and occupied three of England’s four kingdoms. 
  The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex (Alfred’s kingdom and the last territory in English hands) Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane. He certainly has no love for Alfred, whom he considers a pious weakling and no match for Viking savagery, yet when Alfred unexpectedly defeats the Danes and the Danes themselves turn on Uhtred, he is finally forced to choose sides. By now he is a young man, in love, trained to fight and ready to take his place in the dreaded shield wall. Above all, though, he wishes to recover his father’s land, the enchanting fort of Bebbanburg by the wild northern sea. 
  This thrilling adventure—based on existing records of Bernard Cornwell’s ancestors—depicts a time when law and order were ripped violently apart by a pagan assault on Christian England, an assault that came very close to destroying England.

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  A Scandalous Match - The...

  Jane Dunn

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  Perfect for fans of Jane Austen, Janice Hadlow, Gill Hornby, and anyone with a Bridgerton-shaped hole in their lives. 
  ‘Angelica had always known her lack of high birth, fortune or influence debarred her from being presented as an eligible young woman worthy of marriage. To cap it all, being an actress assured she was utterly beyond the pale of respectability.' 
  Nightly at the Covent Garden Theatre in London, an enchanting actress is wowing the crowds with her affecting portrayal of Ophelia. Preyed on by rakes and opportunistic young bucks, feted by dukes and earls, even the Prince Regent himself, Angelica Leigh is a sensation. 
  But in Regency England, beauty and talent are not enough to be considered marriage material, so when the eminently eligible Lord Charles Latimer sets his heart on Angelica, his uncle is sent to intervene. 
  As a highly respected, hard-working and wealthy lawmaker, The Honourable Ivor Asprey, is himself seen as desirable husband material, but widowed with an eleven-year-old daughter Elinor, he has forsaken all thoughts of romance. Lord Latimer’s mother, the Duchess of Arlington, despairs of her son, despite being reassured by Ivor that his infatuation with the actress will pass. But there is something about Angelica Leigh that demands attention, and even the austere and upstanding Mr Asprey isn’t immune to her charms. 
  Sunday Times bestselling author Jane Dunn brings the Regency period irresistibly to life. 
  Praise for Jane Dunn: 
  'Brilliant, sparkling and very clever.' Elizabeth Buchan 
  'Jane Dunn’s THE MARRIAGE SEASON gives all the immersive pleasure of Georgette Heyer’s brilliantly confected Regency novels, in a sublime alternative world of joy. Bridgerton look out!' Melanie Reid, The Times 
  ‘Outstanding, perceptive and delightfully readable.’ Sunday Times Books of the Year ‘Jane Dunn has written a splendid piece of popular history with the ready-pen of a highly skilled writer, endowed with remarkable insight.’ Roy Strong, Daily Mail 
  ‘Jane Dunn is one of our best biographers.’ Miranda Seymour, Sunday Times 
  Readers love Jane Dunn: 
  ‘All the characters were so alive, I wasn’t ready for the book to end and longed to know more of what happens to them…** This is the Regency era come to vivid, believable, exciting life.** I can’t wait for the next book from this author.’ 
  ‘I can not rate this book high enough! As a lover as Georgette Heyer I've always looked for books that give as much historical detail as hers and I'm often disappointed, but not with this book! The characters are spirited and loveable and I can honestly say I didn't want to put it down.’ 
  ‘Without a shadow of doubt, this is the best novel I have read in ages. Regency addicts won't find many heaving bosoms or tumbling ringlets. What they will find is an ingeniously plotted story with the emphasis on the men, with all their wit and cynicisms. This is underpinned by strong women whose story it really is, who cleverly manage these men with perfection... I am recommending this book to everyone, and have bought two more as gifts.’ 
  ‘Jane has Dunn it again, reassuring us that this is how life really was – for the fortunate – when the boys came home from the Napoleonic wars, and making us feel at home then, nonetheless. Eat your heart out, Bridgerton!’ 
  ‘A beautifully written story full of twists and turns that transports you straight into Regency England.’

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  Much Ado About Dukes

  Eva Devon

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  As far as William Easton—the Duke of Blackheath—is concerned, love can go to the devil. Why would a man need passion when he has wealth, a stately home, and work to occupy his mind? But no one warned the duke that a fiery and frustratingly strong-willed activist like Lady Beatrice Haven can also be a stunning dark-haired siren who tempts a man’s mind, body, and soul. Lady Beatrice is determined to never marry—ever. She would much rather fight for the rights of women and provoke the darkly handsome Duke of Blackheath, even if he does claim to be forward-thinking. After all, dukes—even gorgeous ones—are the enemy. So why does she feel such enjoyment from their heated exchanges? But everything changes when Beatrice finds herself suddenly without fortune, a husband, or even a home. Now her future depends on the very man who sets her blood boiling. Because in order to protect his esteemed rival, the Duke of Blackheath has asked for Beatrice’s hand, inviting his once-enemy into his home... and his bed. Each book in the Never a Wallflower series is standalone.

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  The White Company

  Conan Doyle

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  The White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle is a vivid historical adventure set during the Hundred Years’ War. The story follows Alleyne Edricson, a young novice leaving his sheltered life at a monastery to explore the world. He joins the White Company, a band of mercenaries led by the chivalrous Sir Nigel Loring, alongside the skilled archer Samkin Aylward. Together, they embark on daring exploits in France and Spain, battling enemies while upholding knightly ideals. Alleyne matures through trials of courage, loyalty, and love, as the group encounters treachery, heroism, and medieval pageantry. Doyle masterfully blends action, humor, and romance, painting a rich tapestry of 14th-century life. Part coming-of-age tale, part swashbuckling epic, The White Company celebrates honor, camaraderie, and the timeless allure of adventure, cementing its place as a classic tale of valor and humanity.

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  The Imperialists

  Vivian Stuart

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  The twenty-third book in the dramatic and intriguing story about the colonisation of Australia: a country made of blood, passion, and dreams.
   
  A new century has dawned as Australia forms their country. 
   
  New hopes characterise the lives of the young Australians. Some had to the Outback in search of gold and glory. Others find their fulfilment in politics and seize power in the newly-formed country. Some are even moving north to conquer new lands.

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