Maison d'édition: Short Stories
4 hot tales set in the world of free use!Free Use Fitting Room/The Free Use Couch/The Free Use Doctor/Free Use Highway Patrol
With a new introduction by Aleksandar HemonIn The Tenants (1971), Bernard Malamud brought his unerring sense of modern urban life to bear on the conflict between blacks and Jews then inflaming his native Brooklyn. The sole tenant in a rundown tenement, Henry Lesser is struggling to finish a novel, but his solitary pursuit of the sublime grows complicated when Willie Spearmint, a black writer ambivalent toward Jews, moves into the building. Henry and Willie are artistic rivals and unwilling neighbors, and their uneasy peace is disturbed by the presence of Willie's white girlfriend Irene and the landlord Levenspiel's attempts to evict both men and demolish the building. This novel's conflict, current then, is perennial now; it reveals the slippery nature of the human condition, and the human capacity for violence and undoing.Voir livre
The public think Ava’s a monster. Ava thinks she’s blameless. In prison, they called her Butcher Bird – but Ava’s not in prison anymore. Released after 25 years to a new identity and a new home, Ava finally has the quiet life she’s always wanted. But someone knows who she is. The lies she’s told are about to unravel. “Disquieting, clever and captivating – I loved it.” - KATHRYN FOXFIELD, bestselling author of GOOD GIRLS DIE FIRSTVoir livre
John Marcher lives his life haunted by the premonition of an impending, cataclysmic event destined to shatter his existence—a fate he refers to as "the beast in the jungle." As years pass, he confides in the steadfast May Bartram, who quietly observes his ceaseless anticipation. In this masterful exploration of missed opportunities and introspective despair, Henry James presents a poignant meditation on the paralyzing nature of fear and the tragic cost of a life unlived.Voir livre
"Five Children and It" by Edith Nesbit follows the adventures of the adventurous siblings who discover a magical creature, the Psammead, granting wishes with unpredictable outcomes. Each wish leads to comic misadventures, teaching valuable lessons about consequences, responsibility, and the fleeting nature of desires. Nesbit's enchanting tale explores the boundary between fantasy and reality, emphasizing the transformative power of imagination in the lives of these spirited children.Voir livre
Ulysses is a groundbreaking novel in which Irish author James Joyce explores realism through stream-of-consciousness technique and shifting narrative styles. It was published in serial form between 1918-1920 and first published in book form in 1922. The story follows Leopold Bloom through Dublin during the course of one day: June 16, 1904. The events and characters of Ulysses parallel those of Homer's Odyssey, with Bloom corresponding to Odysseus. Although the book was the subject of early obscenity prosecutions, was banned in several countries, and has been considered unreadable by many, it is nevertheless one of the most important English-language works of the 20th century and is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Modernist literature. To this day, the 16th of June is celebrated as Bloomsday by Joyce enthusiasts.Voir livre
He would bend time for her. Some love stories end in tragedy. Some refuse to end at all. Denise Walker never meant to fall for her physics professor. Markos Nadir is brilliant, intense, and strangely familiar. He speaks of space-time as though it’s fragile—bendable. Reversible. He believes the universe is not as fixed as it seems. And when he looks at Denise, it’s as though he’s already lost her once. Their connection feels inevitable. Deeper than attraction. Stronger than coincidence. He understands her grief. Her father’s depression. The loneliness she never speaks aloud. He says some bonds transcend time. As his lectures on wormholes and closed time-like curves blur into private meetings and whispered confessions, Denise begins to sense something unsettling beneath his devotion. *Formerly called The Mystery Man.Voir livre
