The Half-Hearted

John Buchan

Summary

The Half-Hearted tells the story of Lewis Haystoun, a young Scottish aristocrat who struggles to find purpose and meaning. In the first part of the novel, set in late 19th century Scotland, Haystoun drifts through the privileged world of the upper class, unable to commit to relationships or a vocation. However, when duty calls in the second half, set in colonial India, Haystoun finds himself embroiled in a dangerous military campaign. This new setting awakens his sense of honor and masculine identity. Yet a dissonance remains between Haystoun's inner world and external circumstances. Throughout, the novel explores how societal expectations and conventions shape, constrain, and conflict with personal growth and fulfillment.

Available since: 11/07/2023.

Print length: 159 pages.

Other books that might interest you

A Stirring Incident

Edward S. Ellis

A Stirring Incident by Edward S. Ellis is offered here in a clean English digital edition prepared for fluent ebook reading. The work stands within classics and gives modern readers direct access to a public-domain classic with navigable structure and a restrained typographic presentation. The opening pages establish the book's atmosphere with this first movement: India is the home of the deadliest serpents and fiercest wild beasts on the globe. When it is stated that more than twenty thousand persons are killed annually by the snakes and animals of that country, some idea may be formed of its attractions in the way of a residence. To this should be added the This edition is suited to readers who want a reliable, uncluttered version of the text for study, rediscovery, and sustained reading.

Show book

The Festival

H. P. Lovecraft

Title: The Festival 
Author: H. P. Lovecraft 
Narrator: Jonathan Dunne 
Original Publication: 1925 
Public Domain: Yes 
Series Placement: Number 40 in the Timeless Terrors series 
Description: 
The Festival by H. P. Lovecraft is a descent into ancestral nightmare — a tale where ancient rites and cosmic dread intertwine beneath the surface of New England’s winter calm. Written during Lovecraft’s mature period, the story evokes a world in which the past is never truly dead, and the living are bound to its monstrous inheritance. 
When a traveler returns to the town of his forebears to attend an ancient Yuletide festival, he finds a celebration not of light, but of the abyss. Beneath the candlelit decay of a medieval church, he witnesses a ceremony older than mankind — a revelation that shatters the boundary between life, death, and the unspeakable beyond. 
Narrated by Amazon bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance captures the story’s cold, ritualistic terror and dreamlike descent into the subterranean unknown. While the text is in the public domain, this narration is an original performance and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne. 
Part of Timeless Terrors, a series devoted to resurrecting the masters of the macabre, The Festival stands as one of Lovecraft’s most haunting invocations of inherited horror — a chilling reminder that the blood of the past still calls across the centuries.

Show book

The Occupant of the Room

Algernon Blackwood

More classic horror narrations on Jonathan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunneHorrorAudiobooks 
Title: The Occupant of the Room 
Author: Algernon Blackwood 
Narrator: Jonathan Dunne 
Original Publication: 1906 
Public Domain: Yes 
Series Placement: Timeless Terrors No. 77 
Description: 
The Occupant of the Room is one of Algernon Blackwood’s most unnerving tales — a masterful exploration of unseen dread, isolation, and the subtle encroachment of the supernatural. A man begins to sense an unseen presence in his room, and the story gradually blurs the line between reality and imagination, creating an atmosphere of relentless, psychological tension. 
Told with Blackwood’s trademark sensitivity to the unseen and narrated with deliberate suspense, the story examines how fear can inhabit the ordinary and how the unknown can claim dominion over the familiar. Its horror is quiet, creeping, and inevitable, relying on suggestion, atmosphere, and the terror of anticipation rather than overt spectacle. 
Narrated by Amazon-bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance captures the chilling subtlety and immersive dread that have made Blackwood a lasting figure in supernatural fiction. 
Part of Timeless Terrors, The Occupant of the Room endures as a haunting reminder that the most unsettling presences are often the ones we cannot see.

Show book

The Whist Players - From their...

Mary Wilkins E Freeman

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was born in Randolph, Massachusetts on the 31st October 1852 to parents who were strict and orthodox Congregationalists.
When she was a teenager the family moved to Brattleboro, Vermont and it was there she finished her education and began writing verse and stories for children.
When the family’s dry-goods store closed in 1873 the family, now impoverished, returned to Randolph where her mother was to die mother three years later.
She published ‘The Ghost Story’ in 1881 after it won a short story competition. With elements of the supernatural and domestic realism she had hit upon a solid formula for success.
Two years later her father died and with no immediate family and only a small estate she now committed to writing full-time to secure an income. For the times it was a brave move but her undoubted talent meant success would follow.
Over her career she published more than two dozen volumes of short stories and novels and is most well-known for ‘A New England Nun’. Her works were mainly set in New England and many of her female characters are strong and assertive, challenging contemporary stereotypes over their then roles, values and relationships in society. As a feminist she was keen to engage her audience in a discussion about the lack of control women had over many issues including the family finances.
A meeting with the younger Dr. Charles Manning Freeman began a slow, decade long, courtship that endured many obstacles and delays until they eventually married on New Years Day, 1902.
They built a home in Metuchen, where Mary was something of a local celebrity. Sadly her husband suffered from alcoholism and addiction to sleeping powders, fast horses and was also prone to womanizing. He was committed to the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane and with that the couple separated. After his death in 1923, he left his estate to his chauffeur and one dollar to Mary.
On 13th March 1930, Mary E Wilkins Freeman suffered a fatal heart attack in Metuchen. She was 77.

Show book

Living or dead - From their pens...

Rabindranath Tagore

The bookshelves of World literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From their countries and continents their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Rabindranath Tagore.

Show book

Dick Hamilton's Cadet Days

Howard Roger Garis

Dick Hamilton's Cadet Days by Howard Roger Garis is an exciting classic adventure that follows Dick Hamilton as he begins a new chapter of his life filled with discipline, friendship, challenges, and personal growth. Set against the backdrop of cadet life, the story explores the experiences of a young man learning the importance of responsibility, teamwork, courage, and perseverance.

As Dick adapts to the demands of his new environment, he faces demanding situations, spirited rivalries, and unexpected obstacles that test his judgment and determination. Through hard work, loyalty, and a willingness to do what is right, he develops the qualities needed to overcome difficulties and earn the respect of those around him.

Howard Roger Garis combines action, humor, and wholesome lessons in a story that captures the excitement and challenges of structured youth training. With memorable characters, engaging situations, and themes of honor, friendship, and self-improvement, the novel offers readers an inspiring glimpse into the values and experiences that shape a young person's character.

Perfect for readers who enjoy classic juvenile fiction, school adventures, and coming-of-age stories, Dick Hamilton's Cadet Days remains a timeless tale of determination, leadership, and personal development that continues to entertain and inspire generations of readers.

Show book