Publisher: Franz Kafka
The Metamorphosis (German: Die Verwandlung) is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915. The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a "monstrous vermin".
In this collection of fourteen short stories, you will meet people you know in your own family or from down the street where you live. They all find themselves involved in things they did not expect or want or even dream about. In one story, savor the moment as a son watches his traveling-salesman father create a unique exchange for sandwiches and cokes. In another story, a volunteer soccer coach/dad receives a compliment that makes him reflect on his life. In other stories, you will watch a son find a way to shape his own life, a major league catcher who may finally get caught, two stories about soldiers who discover that the end result of a firefight is not always as it appears on the silver screen, and another story about a soldier who passes along his family’s perfect use for eggs. Then there is the killer with a soft spot. You didn’t know he was out there, did you? As you read these stories, you may smile, you may get angry, you may shed a tear, but one thing is for certain, you will remember these characters.Show book
"Rinkitink in Oz: Wherein is Recorded the Perilous Quest of Prince Inga of Pingaree and King Rinkitink in the Magical Isles that Lie Beyond the Borderland of Oz." is the tenth book in the Land of Oz series written by L. Frank Baum. Published on June 20, 1916, with full-color and black-and-white illustrations by artist John R. Neill, it is significant that no one from Oz appears in the book until its climax; this is due to Baum's having originally written most of the book as an original fantasy novel over ten years earlier, in 1905. Most of the action takes place on three islands – Pingaree, Regos, and Coregos – and within the Nome King's caverns. Since the original ruler of the nomes, Roquat – who later renamed himself Ruggedo, was deposed in 1914's "Tik-Tok of Oz", Baum had to cleverly rework the tale to accommodate his successor, the well-intentioned – but politically motivated – Kaliko.Show book
John Galsworthy (1867-1933) was an English playwright and novelist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932.'Quality' is a poignant tale of a master boot maker whose quest for perfection leads to his own tragic downfall.Show book
Christmas may come but once a year but human emotions, the driving force of our characters are with us every day. Yet, somehow these same emotions when they happen at Christmas, seem amplified, we seem more tender to their touch, their words. Whether it’s a long-lost returning soldier wondering how best to return to the arms of his family without too great a risk of shock ……. Or a prodigal son whose taken path has driven pain into his own and others hearts….. Or a murderer carrying out his thoughtless deed but then enmeshed in a dialogue for salvation….. These stories reveal much about the human condition. The landscape of our lives reveals that we all have choices, and how we use those choices influences, nourishes, or decays those around us. These stories are tidings of both joy and of terror . 1 - Christmas Short Stories. Tales of Joy and Terror - An Introduction 2 - The Beggar Boy at Christ's Christmas Tree by Fyodor Dostoevsky 3 - The Gift of the Magi by O Henry 4 - What the Bells Saw and Said by Louisa May Alcott 5 - The Burglar's Christmas by Willa Cather 6 - Vanka by Anton Chekhov 7 - The Dead by James Joyce 8 - Christmas Eve in War Times by Edward Payson Roe 9 - Markheim by Robert Louis StevensonShow book
A wise man once said ‘The safest place for a child is in the arms of his mother’s voice’. This is a perfect place to start our anthology of female short stories. Some of our earliest memories are of our mothers telling us bedtime stories. This is not to demote the value of fathers but more to promote the often-overshadowed talents of the gentler sex. Perhaps ‘gentler’ is a word that we should re-evaluate. In the course of literary history it is men who dominated by opportunity and with their stranglehold on the resources, both financial and technological, who brought their words to a wider audience. Men often placed women on a pedestal from where their talented words would not threaten their own. In these stories we begin with the original disrupter and renegade author Aphra Behn. A peek at her c.v. shows an astounding capacity and leaves us wondering at just how she did all that. In those less modern days to be a woman, even ennobled, was to be seen as second class. You literally were chattel and had almost no rights in marriage. As Charlotte Smith famously said your role as wife was little more than ‘legal prostitute’. From such a despicable place these authors have used their talents and ideas and helped redress that situation. Slowly at first. Privately printed, often anonymously or under the cloak of a male pseudonym their words spread. Their stories admired and, usually, their role still obscured from rightful acknowledgement. Aided by more advanced technology, the 1700’s began to see a steady stream of female writers until by the 1900’s mass market publishing saw short stories by female authors from all the strata of society being avidly read by everyone. Their names are a rollcall of talent and ‘can do’ spirit and society is richer for their works. In literature at least women are now acknowledged as equals, true behind the scenes little has changed but if (and to mis-quote Jane Austen) there is one universal truth, it is that ideas change society. These women’s most certainly did and will continue to do so as they easily write across genres, from horror and ghost stories to tender tales of love and making your way in society’s often grueling rut. They will not be silenced, their ideas and passion move emotions, thoughts and perhaps more importantly our ingrained view of what every individual human being is capable of. It is because of their desire to speak out, their desire to add their talents to the bias around them that we perhaps live in more enlightened, almost equal, times. Within these stories you will also find very occasional examples of historical prejudice. A few words here and there which in today’s world some may find inappropriate or even offensive. It is not our intention to make anyone uncomfortable but to show that the world in order to change must reconcile itself to the actual truth rather than put it out of sight. Context is everything, both to understand and to illuminate the path forward. The author’s words are set, our reaction to them encourages our change. 01 - The Female Short Story. A Chronological History - An Introduction - Volume 5 02 - The Death Mask by H D Everett writing as Theo Parker 03 - The Story of 'The Spaniards', Hammersmith by Kate and Hesketh Pritchard 04 - A New England Nun by Mary E Wilkins Freeman 05 - A Dream of Wild Bees by Olive Schreiner 06 - The Hired Baby, A Romance of the London Streets by Mary Mackay writing as Marie Corelli 07 - The Runaway by Marion Hepworth-Dixon 08 - Amour Dure by Violet Paget writing as Vernon Lee 09 - My Flirtations by Ella Hepworth Dixon writing as Margaret Wynham 10 - Irremediable by Ella D'Arcy 11 - When the Devil Was Well by Gertrude AtherShow book
This enchanting collection of stories gathers together legends from across Scotland in one special volume. Drawn from The History Press' popular Folk Tales series, herein lies a treasure trove of tales from a wealth of talented storytellers. From the Spaeman's peculiar advice and a laird who is transformed into a frog, to a fugitive hiding in a dark cave and the stoor worm battling with Assipattle, this book celebrates the distinct character of Scotland's different customs, beliefs, and dialects, and is a treat for all who enjoy a well-told story.Show book
