Other books that might interest you

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  The Adventures of Peregrine...

  Tobias Smollett

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  The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle is a rollicking 18th-century picaresque novel chronicling the reckless life of its eponymous anti-hero, a hot-headed and impulsive young gentleman. Born to a wealthy family but disinherited after a quarrel, Peregrine embarks on a turbulent journey through the brothels, gambling dens, and naval ships of Britain and continental Europe. Alongside vivid depictions of debauchery and misadventure, the novel features the unforgettable character of Commodore Trunnion, a comically eccentric naval veteran. Smollett blends satire, bawdy humor, and sharp social critique to expose the vices and follies of the age. A foundational work in the development of the English novel, it captures the wild spirit of youth, rebellion, and self-destruction.

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  Scenes of Clerical Life

  George Eliot

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  Three novellas that brilliantly portray English country and clergy life at the turn of the nineteenth century from the author of Middlemarch.   Initially appearing in Blackwood’s Magazine, this trio of linked stories comprises George Eliot’s first published work. Together they form a portrait of small-town life in Midlands, England, where changes are affecting both society at large and religious beliefs and institutions.   In “The Sad Fortunes of Reverend Amos Barton,” the clergyman struggles to raise funds for church repairs and perform his parochial duties, while a target of gossip—both good and bad. Meanwhile, few in Shepperton can find fault with his shy and hardworking wife, who cares for their six children, stretching Barton’s meager salary—and herself—to the limit.   Set before the arrival of Amos Barton, “Mr. Gilfil’s Love Story” features well-liked parish priest Maynard Gifil, who is known for smoking long pipes and preaching short sermons. Shockingly tumultuous events lead up to his marriage—including a love triangle, deception, and a murder plot.   An argument over religious doctrine splits the market town of Milby into two factions in “Janet’s Repentance.” With the arrival of Reverend Tryan, a rumor spreads that Evangelicalism has invaded the parish, angering local lawyer Robert Dempster. But his long-suffering wife finds in Tryan a kindred spirit, leading her to embark on a new life.  “The exquisite truth and delicacy, both of the humour and the pathos of those stories, I have never seen the like of.” —Charles Dickens “A first-rate novel, and its author takes rank at once among the masters of the art.” —The Times

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  Cousin Mary - From their pens to...

  Mary Russell Mitford

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  The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Mary Russell Mitford.

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  Unwritten Novel An - From their...

  Virginia Woolf

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  Adeline Virginia Woolf was born on the 25th January 1882 in South Kensington in London. 
  Although lauded as a founder of modernist writing with such classics as ‘Orlando’, ‘Mrs Dalloway’ and ‘To the Lighthouse’ and, of course, many classic short stories, her background is filled with elements of tragedy that she somehow overcame to become such a revered writer.   Her mother died when she was 13, her half-sister Stella two years later and with it her first of several nervous breakdowns.  Appallingly it was later found that three of her half-brothers had sexually abused her so darkness must have seemed ever present.   
  She began writing professionally at age 20 but her father’s death two years later brought a complete mental collapse and she was briefly institutionalised.  Somehow she found within herself a literary career and with it great innovations in writing; she was a pioneer of “stream of consciousness”.    
  Her tight circle of friends were the founders of the Bloomsbury Group, a movement whose legacy still influences across the arts and society in many way to this day.   
  Whilst the dark periods continued to interrupt her emotional state her rate of work never ceased.  Until, on 28th March 1941, Woolf put on her overcoat, filled up its pockets with stones, and walked into the River Ouse, in Lewes, East Sussex and drowned herself.  Her body was not recovered until the 18th April.  She was 59. 
  She left behind a note which read in part “Dearest, I feel certain that I am going mad again.  I feel we can't go through another of those terrible times.  And I shan't recover this time.  I begin to hear voices, and I can't concentrate.  So I am doing what seems the best thing to do”.

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  The Adventure of the Speckled Band

  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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  The Adventure of the Speckled Band is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the eighth story of twelve in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Originally published in Strand Magazine in February 1892, "The Speckled Band" is a classic locked-room mystery that deals with themes of parental greed, inheritance, and freedom. Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story.

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  Clarissa Harlowe Volume 1

  Samuel Richardson

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  In "Clarissa Harlowe," Samuel Richardson unfolds the intricate narrative of Clarissa, a virtuous young woman facing societal constraints. Imprisoned by familial expectations, Clarissa navigates love, betrayal, and societal scrutiny, revealing a poignant portrayal of 18th-century England's moral complexities and gender dynamics.

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