Editorial: Carousel Books
Four tales take place in the colonial Province House, Massachusetts, where Britain's last governors and governesses exchange tales as the Empire crumbles.
"Brooksmith," a short story written by Henry James in 1891, tells the tale of Brooksmith, a retired diplomat's butler the 'narrator' had once known. Brooksmith was responsible for the preservation of the atmosphere the diplomat's salon where the guests enjoyed a high level of intellectual conversation. Brooksmith was regarded by the narrator as "the artist" who insured that the company at each gathering was the optimum number and mix of personalities to provide the highest level of conversation possible. This was partially of benefit to Brooksmith himself, who would linger in the room on some pretext or other in order to eavesdrop on the exchanges. The diplomat was well aware of this, and alluded to it on occasion with dryly humorous remarks. With the diplomat's death, Brooksmith loses his vocation, which to him was almost a calling. At the end of the story, the narrator reveals that Brooksmith, lonely and dispirited, works a few odd jobs but falls into poverty and illness, and eventually disappears.Ver libro
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The story has also been published as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" (its original title) and "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". In it, the narrator retells a story he heard from a bartender, Simon Wheeler, at the Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California, about the gambler Jim Smiley. Jim loves to gamble and will offer to bet on anything and everything, from horse races to dogfights, to the health of the local parson's wife. He catches a frog, whom he names Dan'l Webster, and spends three months training it to jump. When a stranger visits the camp, Jim shows off Dan'l and offers to bet $40 that it can out-jump any other frog in Calaveras County...Ver libro
About this book: Zimmermann, the author's fictional friend and (sympathetic) terror of his neighbourhood, never tires of trying the nerves of his fellow citizens and his unfortunate friend with ever new and always crazy ideas and deeds. Whether as a driving licence applicant, inventor, lion tamer or mere tourist, he amazes or frightens his fellow citizens and - hopefully - leaves the reader smiling and satisfied. In this volume, you will find 28 amusing and extremely exciting stories about the interesting, heavy-soldering and 'good-for-nothing' Zimmermann. Narrator: Ryan Neural (AI)Ver libro
Written by Scottish-Canadian author John Buchan (The Thirty-Nine Steps), The Runagates Club is a collection of twelve short stories focusing on members of the eponymous London dining society. The stories include: The Green Wildebeest: Sir Richard Hannay’s Story The Frying Pan and the Fire: The Duke of Burminster’s Story Dr Lartius: Mr Palliser-Yeates’s Story The Wind in the Portico: Mr. Henry Nightingale's Story ’Divus’ Johnston: Lord Lamancha's Story The Loathly Opposite: Major Oliver Pugh's Story Sing a Song of Sixpence: Sir Edward Leithen's Story Ship to Tarshish: Mr. Ralph Collatt's Story Skule Skerry: Mr. Anthony Hurrell's Story 'Tendebant Manus': Sir Arthur Warcliffe's Story The Last Crusade: Mr. Francis Martendale's Story Fullcircle: Mr. Martin Peckwether's Story Publisher's Note: The original text of the stories in The Runagates Club may themes and language that represent prejudiced and harmful beliefs regarding race and ethnicity. While these views were never legitimate nor equitable, and do not represent the beliefs or views of the publisher, they were unfortunately commonplace at the time of writing and publication. In the interest of preserving and documenting both the highlights and faults of literary history, this audiobook utilizes the text uncensored and unedited. Please proceed with discretion.Ver libro
Title: The Open Window Author: Saki (H. H. Munro) Narrator: Jonathan Dunne Original Publication: 1914 Public Domain: Yes Series Placement: Number 30 in the Timeless Terrors series Description: The Open Window by Saki is a masterful blend of subtle wit and unsettling irony — a tale where polite conversation becomes a stage for deception and the supernatural lingers just out of sight. When the nervous Mr. Nuttel visits a country home for rest and recovery, his young hostess, Vera, entertains him with a chilling story of loss, ghosts, and an open window that never closes. Deceptively light in tone, Saki’s story conceals a dark brilliance — a study in manipulation, imagination, and the thin line between truth and terror. The quiet domestic setting becomes the perfect trap for the reader’s expectations, as the tale turns from social comedy to ghostly suspense with unnerving precision. Narrated by horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance captures Saki’s sharp dialogue, dry tension, and sudden twist of fear. While the text itself is in the public domain, this narration is an original performance and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne. Part of Timeless Terrors, a series devoted to reviving the classic and uncanny, The Open Window stands as a timeless parable of storytelling itself — where every tale may open onto something far more chilling than it seems. Prepare for a story that begins with civility and ends with a shiver — a moment when laughter and fear share the same breath.Ver libro
WINNER OF THE TRANSLATION PRIZE LABORAL KUTXA – ETXEPARE 2023 'Miren Agur Meabe's poetic language shades and heightens the pulse of her writing, [adding] sensuality to the wound she writes of. Her way of looking elevates her raw, sincere voice to higher ground...' – Harkaitz Cano 'Miren Agur Meabe writes with about quiet worlds with tenderness and attention to detail, in a very sensual, almost synaesthetic way.' – Anna Blasiak, The Spanish Riveter 'a riveting and immersive read.' – Rhianon Holley, Buzz In a series of short poetic narratives Burning Bones finds the writer on a remarkable journey of imagination, discovery and emotion. We watch the gardener gather kindling to prepare a bonfire. 'So many branches,' I tell Gwen. 'They look like a pile of bones... I have a feeling that's what I'm doing too, carrying a bundle of bones from place to place. And I don't just mean the bones in my body.' From a flooded river stranding a dolphin on a sandbank to a sailor afraid to venture onto land while a first kiss is cut tragically short Meabe plays with the expectations and form of stories while offering a rhapsody of reflection and reinvention. Expertly translated into English by Amaia Gabantxo – arguably the most prestigious contemporary Basque to English translator – Burning Bones is a companion piece to Miren Agur Meabe's A Glass Eye, a collection of short stories that complement the universe of Meabe's novel about absence as an engine for creation, about what we make out of the things we lose – her eye, in the author's case, or love, or the innocence of youth.Ver libro
