Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Middlemarch (Book 4: Three Love...

  George Eliot

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  Middlemarch (Book 4: Three Love Problems), A Study of Provincial Life is a novel by English author George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans. It appeared in eight installments (volumes) in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midlands town, from 1829 to 1832, it follows distinct, intersecting stories with many characters. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education. Leavened with comic elements, Middlemarch approaches significant historical events in a realist mode: the Reform Act 1832, early railways, and the accession of King William IV. It looks at medicine of the time and reactionary views in a settled community facing unwelcome change. Eliot began writing the two pieces that formed the novel in 1869–1870 and completed it in 1871. Initial reviews were mixed, but it is now seen widely as her best work and one of the great English novels.

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  Whose Body? - The Lord Peter...

  Dorothy L. Sayers

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  Lord Peter Wimsey investigates the sudden appearance of a naked body in the bath of an architect at the same time a noted financier goes missing under strange circumstances. As the case progresses it becomes clear that the two events are linked in some way.

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  At Christmas Time - From their...

  Anton Chekhov

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  Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was born on 29th January 1860 in Taganrog, on the south coast of Russia.  
  His family life was difficult; his father was strict and over-bearing but his mother was a passionate story-teller, a subject Chekhov warmed to. As he later said; ‘our talents we got from our father, but our soul from our mother’.  
  At school Chekhov was distinctly average. At 16 his father mis-managed his finances and was declared bankrupt. His family fled to Moscow. Chekhov remained and eked out a living by various means, including writing and selling short sketches to newspapers, to finish his schooling. That completed and with a scholarship to Moscow University obtained he rejoined his family. 
  He was able to help support them by selling satirical sketches and vignettes of Russian lifestyles and gradually obtained further commissions. In 1884, he qualified as a physician and, although it earned him little, he often treated the poor for free, he was fond of saying ‘Medicine is my lawful wife, and literature is my mistress.’ 
  His own health was now an issue as he began to cough up blood, a symptom of tuberculosis.  Despite this his writing success enabled him to move the family into more comfortable accommodation.  
  Chekhov wrote over 500 short stories which included many, many classics including ‘The Kiss’ and ‘The Lady with a Dog’.  His collection ‘At Dusk’ won him the coveted Pushkin Prize when was only 26.  
  He was also a major playwright beginning with the huge success of ‘Ivanov’ in 1887.   
  In 1892 Chekhov bought a country estate north of Moscow. Here his medical skills and money helped the peasants tackle outbreaks of cholera and bouts of famine. He also built three schools, a fire station and a clinic.  It left him with less time for writing but the interactions with real people gained him detailed knowledge about the peasantry and their living conditions for his stories.  
  His most famous work, ‘The Seagull’ was received disastrously at its premiere in St Petersburg. It was later restaged in Moscow to highlight its psychological aspects and was a huge success. It led to ‘Uncle Vanya’, ‘The Three Sisters’ and ‘The Cherry Orchard’.  
  Chekhov suffered a major lung hemorrhage in 1897 while visiting Moscow. A formal diagnosis confirmed tuberculosis and the doctors ordered changes to his lifestyle.  
  Despite a dread of weddings the elusive literary bachelor quietly married the actress Olga Knipper, whom he had met at rehearsals for ‘The Seagull’, on 25th May 1901. 
  By May 1904 with his tuberculosis worsening and death imminent he set off for the German town of Badenweiler writing cheerful, witty letters to his family and assuring them his health was improving.  
  On 15th July 1904 Anton Chekhov died at Badenweiler.  He was 44.

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  A Dreamer - From their pens to...

  Barbara Baynton

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  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 Barbara Baynton.

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  In Exile

  Anton Chekhov

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  "In Exile" was first published in  May 1892 issue of the Vsemirnaya Illustratsiya magazine.
  The story was inspired by Chekhov's journey through Siberia and his stay in Sakhalin and, in particular, two episodes of this trip.
  While on Sakhalin,  Anton Chekhov met a boatman nicknamed Krasivy, a self-professed 'happy man' who struck him with his own peculiar brand of Tolstovian philosophy. It was Krasivy, apparently, who became a prototype for Semyon Tolkovy, the story's hero.

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  Childhood

  Leo Tolstoy

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  "Childhood, Boyhood, Youth, a trilogy by Leo Tolstoy, provides a vivid account of a young person's emerging awareness of the world, self, and the people around them. The trilogy is narrated by the main character, Nikolai, and unfolds in three distinct parts:      Childhood    Childhood: In this section, Nikolai describes his upbringing on the family estate. He portrays himself as a shy, sensitive child who constantly strives for self-improvement. The narrative captures scenes from his early years, including relationships with family members, servants, and serfs. Tragedy strikes when his mother dies, leaving a lasting impact on Nikolai .  Boyhood: As Nikolai transitions into boyhood, he leaves the estate for Moscow. Along the way, he encounters poverty, witnessing the stark contrast between his family's wealth and the struggles of others. His friendship with Dmitri Nekhyudov revolves around righting the world's wrongs. Youthful idealism and intellectual discussions shape this phase .    Youth    Youth: Nikolai develops his own set of morals and pens his "Rules of Life." Despite increasing religious influence, maintaining ideals becomes challenging. His father's remarriage and academic struggles at university test his resolve. The trilogy concludes with Nikolai's determination to revise his life's rules .  Tolstoy's exploration of shyness, self-improvement, and the complexities of growing up resonates across generations. Through Nikolai's eyes, readers witness the universal journey from innocence to experience, making Childhood, Boyhood, Youth a timeless literary treasure "

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