Publisher: Bu Classics Books
Sallie McBride takes charge of a grim orphanage, determined to transform the lives of its inhabitants through reform and sheer force of will. Amidst the challenges of administration and a grumpy Scottish doctor, she discovers a sense of purpose she never expected. This epistolary sequel is a spirited look at social activism and the power of compassion.
"Kaa's Hunting" is an 1893 short story by Rudyard Kipling featuring Mowgli. Chronologically the story falls between the first and second halves of Mowgli's Brothers, and is the second story in The Jungle Book (1894) where it is accompanied by the poem "Road Song of the Bandar-log". During the time Mowgli was with the wolf pack, he is abducted by the Bandar-log monkeys to the ruined city. Baloo and Bagheera set out to rescue him with Kaa the python. Kaa defeats the Bandar-log, frees Mowgli, and hypnotises the monkeys and the other animals with his dance. Mowgli rescues Baloo and Bagheera from the spell.Show book
Ryūnosuke Niihara was born in Kyōbashi, Tokyo in Japan on the 1st March 1892. Sadly, his mother suffered severe mental illness after his birth and so, at only eight months old, he was sent to be raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, from whom he received the Akutagawa family name. He was fascinated by classical Chinese literature from his early years and began writing after entering what was then the Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 to study English Literature. The following year Akutagawa and his friends revived the literary journal ‘New Currents of Thought’ which published their own works and translations of such icons as W B Yeats and Anatole France. Akutagawa published "Rashōmon" in 1915 and whilst it was disliked by his friends everyone else knew better. As other short stories followed so did his growing literary reputation as the father of the Japanese short story. Much of his work reinterpreted former classical works and incidents and this, melded with his strong dislike of naturalism, produced a writer of rare and genuine quality. His character palette featured strong and domineering women, mainly based on his mother and the aunt who helped raise him. In 1921, he spent four months in China as a reporter. Whilst there his health was compromised by several illnesses and both his physical and mental health spiralled downwards. He began to suffer from hallucinations and dreaded that he might have inherited his mother’s mental disorders. Although he survived one suicide attempt Ryūnosuke Akutagawa died on the 24th July 1927 in Tokyo from an overdose of Veronal, a barbiturate. He was 35.Show book
Charles Sheldon's In His Steps poses a powerful question: "What would Jesus do?" A pastor challenges his congregation to commit for a year to making every decision based on that principle. The novel follows the lives of various characters – a singer, a businessman, a newspaper editor – as they grapple with the implications of living by this radical standard. The story explores themes of social justice, faith in action, and the transformative power of selfless living.Show book
The Baron and his friend Bunker, having escaped the asylum in an earlier volume, descend on an English country house under invented titles and proceed to court, duel and dine their way through it. Clouston was an Orkney barrister who turned to farce; the machine is a Wodehouse machine ten years early, and the Baron's German gravity in the face of English nonsense is the whole joke.Show book
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is a sweeping historical novel that explores the lives of several Russian families during the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Set against the backdrop of war and social change, the story follows characters such as Pierre Bezukhov, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, and Natasha Rostova as they search for meaning, love, and identity. Through their personal struggles and relationships, Tolstoy examines themes of fate, free will, and the impact of history on individual lives. Blending fiction with real historical events, the novel offers a rich and detailed portrayal of Russian society, from aristocratic salons to the battlefield. It reflects on the chaos of war contrasted with the pursuit of peace, both in the world and within the human soul. Widely regarded as one of the greatest novels ever written, War and Peace is a profound and philosophical masterpiece that captures the complexity of life, history, and human nature.Show book
The Real Thing by Henry James is presented in a clean English digital edition with active navigation. The book belongs to classics and preserves the character of the source text for sustained ebook reading. The opening pages establish the work's atmosphere with this first movement: When the porter's wife (she used to answer the house-bell), announced "A gentleman — with a lady, sir," I had, as I often had in those days, for the wish was father to the thought, an immediate vision of sitters. Sitters my visitors in this case proved to be; but not in the sense I should have preferred. However, there. Detected sections include: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4. This edition is prepared for a fluent reading experience with clear typography and no extraneous promotional material.Show book
