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  Uncomfortable Bed An - From...

  Guy de Maupassant

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  Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was born on August 5th, 1850 near Dieppe in France.  
  Maupassant’s early life was badly torn when at age 11 (his younger brother Hervé was then five) his mother, Laure, a headstrong and independent-minded woman, risked social disgrace in order to obtain a legal separation from her husband. 
  After the separation, Laure kept custody of her two boys. With the father now forcibly absent, Laure became the most influential and important figure in the young boy's life.   
  Maupassant’s education was such that he rebelled against religion and other societal norms but a developing friendship with Gustave Flaubert began to turn his mind towards creativity and writing. 
  After graduation he volunteered for the Franco-Prussian war. With its end he moved to Paris to work as a clerk in the Navy Department.  Gustave Flaubert now took him under his wing.  Acting as a literary guardian to him, he guided the eager Maupassant to debuts in journalism and literature.  For Maupassant these were exciting times and the awakening of his creative talents and ambitions. 
  In 1880 he published what is considered his first great work, ‘Boule de Suif’, (translated as ‘Dumpling’, ‘Butterball’, ‘Ball of Fat’, or ‘Ball of Lard’) which met with a success that was both instant and overwhelming.  Flaubert at once acknowledged that it was ‘a masterpiece that will endure.’ Maupassant had used his talents and experiences in the war to create something unique.  
  This decade from 1880 to 1891 was to be the most pivotal of his career.  With an audience now made available by the success of ‘Boule de Suif’ Maupassant organised himself to work methodically and relentlessly to produce between two and four volumes of work a year.  The melding of his talents and business sense and the continual hunger of sources for his works made him wealthy. 
  In his later years he developed a desire for solitude, an obsession for self-preservation, and a fear of death as well as a paranoia of persecution caused by the syphilis he had contracted in his youth.  
  On January 2nd, 1892, Maupassant tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat.  Unsuccessful he was committed to the private asylum of Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris.  It was here on July 6th, 1893 that Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant died at the age of only 42.

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  Rip Van Winkle and Other Stories

  Thomas H. Knight, Washington...

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  Introducing "Rip Van Winkle and Other Stories," a captivating collection of timeless tales brought to life in digital audio book format. Immerse yourself in the rich narratives and vivid imagery of these classic stories, perfect for listeners of all ages. 
   
  First in this anthology is "Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving, a beloved American classic that transports listeners to the mysterious Catskill Mountains, where the unforgettable Rip Van Winkle awakens to find himself in a world vastly different from the one he left behind. 
   
  But the adventure doesn't stop there. Journey deeper into the realms of fantasy and wonder with Algernon Blackwood's "The Glamour of the Snow," a mesmerizing tale of love and the supernatural set against the backdrop of a winter wonderland. 
   
  Next, brace yourself for the suspense and drama of Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch's "The Roll Call of the Reef," a gripping maritime adventure filled with danger, courage, and the haunting call of the sea. 
   
  And finally, experience the chilling thrill of Thomas H. Knight's "The Man Who Was Dead," a gripping mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

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  Napoleon of Notting Hill The -...

  G. K. Chesterton

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  In a London of the future, the drudgery of capitalism and bureaucracy have worn the human spirit down to the point where it can barely stand. When a pint-sized clerk named Auberon Quinn is randomly selected as head of state, he decides to turn London into a medieval carnival for his own amusement. One man, Adam Wayne, takes the new order of things seriously, organizing a Notting Hill army to fight invaders from other neighborhoods. At first his project baffles everyone, but eventually his dedication proves infectious, with delightful results. First published in 1904, The Napoleon of Notting Hill was Chesterton's first novel. It has been called the best first novel by any author in the twentieth century. Newly designed and typeset by Waking Lion Press.
  THE NAPOLEON OF NOTTING HILL BOOK 1: The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children's games from the beginning, and will probably do it till the end, which is a nuisance for the few people who grow up.

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  Candide

  Voltaire

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  Candide is characterised by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel with a story similar to that of a more serious bildungsroman, it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously.    Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism. Voltaire's men and women point his case against optimism by starting high and falling low. A modern could not go about it after this fashion. He would not plunge his people into an unfamiliar misery. He would just keep them in the misery they were born to. But such an account of Voltaire's procedure is as misleading as the plaster cast of a dance.    Look at his procedure again. Mademoiselle Cunégonde, the illustrious Westphalian, sprung from a family that could prove seventy-one quarterings, descends and descends until we find her earning her keep by washing dishes in the Propontis. The aged faithful attendant, victim of a hundred acts of rape by negro pirates, remembers that she is the daughter of a pope, and that in honor of her approaching marriage with a Prince of Massa-Carrara all Italy wrote sonnets of which not one was passable. We do not need to know French literature before Voltaire in order to feel, although the lurking parody may escape us, that he is poking fun at us and at himself. His laughter at his own methods grows more unmistakable at the last, when he caricatures them by casually assembling six fallen monarchs in an inn at Venice.    A modern assailant of optimism would arm himself with social pity. There is no social pity in "Candide." Voltaire, whose light touch on familiar institutions opens them and reveals their absurdity, likes to remind us that the slaughter and pillage and murder which Candide witnessed among the Bulgarians was perfectly regular, having been conducted according to the laws and usages of war. Had Voltaire lived today he would have done to poverty what he did to war. Pitying the poor, he would have shown us poverty as a ridiculous anachronism, and both the ridicule and the pity would have expressed his indignation.

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  Strange High House in the Mist...

  H. P. Lovecraft

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  Thomas Olney, a "philosopher" visiting the town of Kingsport, Massachusetts with his family, is intrigued by a strange house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It is unaccountably high and old and the locals have a generations-long dread of the place which no one is known to have visited. With great difficulty, Olney climbs the crag, approaches the house, and meets the mysterious man who lives there. The only door opens directly onto a sheer cliff, giving access only to mist and "the abyss". The transmittal of archaic lore and a life-altering encounter with the supernatural ensue, as Olney is not the only visitor that day. He returns to Kingsport the next day, but seems to have left his spirit behind in the strange, remote dwelling.

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  Short Stories for Seniors - 51...

  Phillip Willis

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  If you're looking for a heartwarming collection of stories to bring joy and inspiration to the lives of seniors, then keep reading... 
   "Short Stories for Seniors" is a heartwarming collection of fifty stories that are specifically tailored to bring joy and inspiration to the lives of seniors. Written with the unique perspective of those who have lived a long and fulfilling life, this audiobook offers a poignant look at the human experience through stories that are relatable, engaging, and uplifting. 
  Each of the ten chapters focuses on a specific theme, ranging from family to friendship, love to loss, and even funny and uplifting stories. The stories are carefully curated to provide seniors with a sense of nostalgia, a reminder of the good times and memories they have made throughout their lives. 
  Whether readers are looking for a comforting story about the warmth of family, a touching tale of friendship, or an uplifting anecdote that reminds them of the simple joys of life, "Short Stories for Seniors" has something for everyone. The stories are easy to read and will evoke a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, while reminding seniors of the many reasons to cherish their lives and the people around them. 
  Overall, "Short Stories for Seniors" is a delightful and heartwarming audiobook that will resonate with readers of all ages. It is a perfect gift for seniors, as well as anyone who wants to be reminded of the beauty and value of life.

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