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  The Tragedy Of Macbeth - The...

  William Shakespeare

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  "What’s done cannot be undone." 
   
  The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatizes the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power. Of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of James I, Macbeth most clearly reflects his relationship with King James, patron of Shakespeare's acting company. It was first published in the Folio of 1623, possibly from a prompt book, and is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy. 
   
  A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia. Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler. The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death. 
   
  Shakespeare's source for the story is the account of Macbeth, King of Scotland, Macduff, and Duncan in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), a history of England, Scotland, and Ireland familiar to Shakespeare and his contemporaries, although the events in the play differ extensively from the history of the real Macbeth. The events of the tragedy are usually associated with the execution of Henry Garnet for complicity in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. 
   
  In the backstage world of theatre, some believe that the play is cursed, and will not mention its title aloud, referring to it instead as "The Scottish Play". The play has attracted some of the most renowned actors to the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.

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  Dog and the Sparrow The - Story...

  Brothers Grimm

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  A dog owner lets his shepherd dog starve from hunger, causing it to leave home. The dog meets a sparrow and accompanies it to the city. The bird captures meat and bread for the dog as a sign of gratitude. When they leave town, night falls, and they decide to go to sleep. During the night, a man in a horse carriage approaches the dog and sparrow. The sparrow alerts the man that he is going to run over the dog who is in the road, but he ignores the sparrow and runs over the dog nevertheless. The sparrow curses the man, announcing that he will turn into a poor man. It pecks the wine barrels the man was transporting open, so that the precious wine leaks out.

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  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

  Washington Irving

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  Washington Irvine’s tale of an awkward and lanky schoolmaster who comes to Sleepy Hollow is brought to life with sound effects and original thematic music. 
  Written in 1819, the short story is set in about 1790 and describes the events that unfold when Ichabod Crane comes to Sleepy Hollow to teach school in the small Dutch settlement. Ichabod is a firm believer of the tales of ghosts and witchcraft he has heard and read, including the local legend of the Headless Horseman who haunts the area. 
  As Ichabod begins to court Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a wealthy farmer, he incurs the rath of Brom Bones, a jealous rival for Katrina’s affections who often plays cruel tricks on the awkward schoolmaster. 
  Late one night as Ichabod rides home after a party at Katrina’s home, he comes face to face with the headless horseman and is never seen again.

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  Running Wolf - Set in the...

  Algernon Blackwood

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  Algernon Blackwood was born on 14th March 1869 in Shooter’s Hill, South East London, to a religious middle-class family. His mother was a widowed Duchess and his father was a Post Office administrator.  
   
  Blackwood was interested in the paranormal and the supernatural at an early age, and had a thirst for anything on Buddhism, other Oriental philosophies, mysticism and occultism.  In his writings the weaving of the supernatural into his various works, from ghost stories and children’s stories to plays and long novels is clearly seen, his writings beautifully enriched by his long and diversified life experience.  
   
  After leaving university and visiting parts of Europe, mainly Switzerland, the young writer went to Canada and the United States where he took on jobs including work as a farmer, a bartender, a secretary, a journalist, a reporter, running a hotel and teaching the violin.  He was voracious in meeting new people and absorbing new ideas.  
   
  In his late thirties, he returned to England where he published two of his supernatural stories in Pall Mall Magazine. As more of his highly entertaining stories were published so did his reputation and his bank balance.  All those years of curiosity and experiences were starting to emerge from his writing. 
   
  In 1906, ‘The Empty House & Other Ghost Stories’ was published with tremendous success.  Further volumes of short stories followed and with it a larger audience and bigger paydays. He also published children’s stories. 
   
  Blackwood also had ideas for novels and to explore on a larger canvas the paranormal world and the relationship between man and metaphysical powers including, in 1911, ‘The Centaur’.  
   
  With the outbreak of the First World War, Blackwood was assigned to British intelligence to write propaganda to support the war effort. 
   
  He was a prolific author with a quite staggering output which was also to include many plays. The exact number of his works is unknown as he would frequently write a story for a newspaper or periodical at very short notice.  
   
  In 1949, Blackwood was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his literary talents and his services during the First World War.  
   
  Algernon Blackwood died on 10th December 1951 after a series of strokes.  
   
  The mysteries of the natural world are enhanced by those of the Native American spirit world in this wonderfully descriptive short story of a man’s fishing expedition to Medicine Lake.

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  Lady of the Shroud The (Unabridged)

  Bram Stoker

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  The Lady of the Shroud is a novel by Bram Stoker, published by William Heinemann in 1909.
  The book is an epistolary novel, narrated in the first person via letters and diary extracts from various characters, but mainly Rupert. The initial sections, leading up to the reading of the uncle's will, told by other characters, suggest that Rupert is the black sheep of the family, and the conditions of having to live in the castle in the Blue Mountains for a year before he can permanently inherit the unexpectedly large million-pound estate suggest the uncle is somehow testing the heir.

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  Oedipus Rex (unabridged)

  Sophocles

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  Rediscover an enduring classic in a transformative new light. "Oedipus Rex," the remarkable tragedy penned by Sophocles, has been masterfully revitalized in this riveting and immersive audiobook experience.Regarded as a cornerstone of Western literature, Oedipus Rex's timeless tale of fate, power, and the relentless pursuit of truth continues to captivate audiences millennia after its initial conception. Delve into the heart of Thebes, navigating the winding paths of power, prophecy, and self-discovery alongside the tragic figure of Oedipus, the King who must grapple with the devastating consequences of his past actions.This meticulously crafted audiobook takes the immersive nature of this tragic masterpiece to new heights. Brought to life through a vibrant, dynamic narration, each character springs forth in brilliant clarity, their complexities and inner turmoil echoing in every inflection, every pause.Our talented narrator breathes life into ancient Thebes, with a performance rich in passion and authenticity. From the anguished cries of Oedipus to the sage wisdom of Tiresias, every dialogue and soliloquy is delivered with a precision that captures the spirit of the original text.What sets this version of Oedipus Rex apart is not only the emotive narration but also the crisp and clear audio quality. Our top-notch production team has endeavored to ensure that every word, every pause, every breath is captured with utmost clarity. Rigorously edited to remove any distractions, the audio quality is pristine, heightening your immersion in the tragic narrative.The seamless integration of an emotionally charged performance with expert audio editing creates an auditory experience that is as captivating as it is transformative. This polished rendition of Oedipus Rex does more than recount a tale—it resonates, it echoes, it transforms.

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