Other books that might interest you

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  Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens...

  James M. Barrie

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  Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J.M. Barrie. Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up, is one of the immortals of children's literature. J.M. Barrie first created Peter Pan as a baby, living in secret with the birds and fairies in the middle of London, but as the children for whom he invented the stories grew older, so too did Peter, reappearing in Neverland, where he was aided in his epic battles with Red Indians and pirates by the motherly and resourceful Wendy Darling. With their contrary lures of home and escape, childhood and maturity, safety and high adventure, these unforgettable tales are equally popular with children and adults.

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  Memoirs of a Madman

  Nikolai Gogol

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  Memoirs of a Madman or Diary of a Madman is a farcical short story by Nikolai Gogol. Along with The Overcoat and The Nose, Diary of a Madman is considered to be one of Gogol's greatest short stories. 
  The tale centers on the life of a minor civil servant during the repressive era of Nicholas I. Following the format of a diary, the story shows the descent of the protagonist, Poprishchin, into insanity. Diary of a Madman, the only one of Gogol's works written in first person, follows diary-entry format. 
  Diary of a Madman centres on the life of Poprishchin, a low-ranking civil servant and titular counsellor who yearns to be noticed by a beautiful woman, the daughter of a senior official, with whom he has fallen in love. Sophie, the daughter of his boss, with whom he has fallen in love. As he said in his first sight of her, just after being a beast of a civil servant himself, "A footman opened the carriage door and out she fluttered, just like a little bird." Nothing comes of this love he feels for her; Sophie is effectively unaware of him. His diary records his gradual slide into insanity.

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  Aristocratic Education - From...

  Stephen Leacock

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  Stephen P H Butler Leacock FRSC was born on the 30th December 1869 in Swanmore, near Southampton, England, the third of eleven children. 
  The family emigrated to Canada in 1876 to live on a 100-acre farm in Sutton, Ontario.  There Leacock was home-schooled and later enrolled into the elite private school Upper Canada College in Toronto.  Academically he was very strong and enrolled at the University of Toronto to study languages and literature.  He left there after his alcoholic father abandoned the family and finances were too stretched to continue his attendance.  He now enrolled in a three-month course at Strathroy Collegiate Institute to become a qualified high school teacher and with it a regular income. 
  Leacock published humorous articles in many Canadian and US magazines but his real passion was economics and political theory.  In 1899 he enrolled for postgraduate studies at the University of Chicago and earned his PhD in 1903. 
  His marriage to Beatrix Hamilton produced a single child 15 years later.  Over time father and son developed a love-hate relationship, partially caused by his son’s diminutive stature of only four feet.  
  He accepted a post at McGill University and kept it until he retired in 1936.  His work ‘Elements of Political Science’, was adopted as a standard textbook for two decades and was also his most profitable.  He now also began public speaking and lecturing.  
  In 1910, he privately printed some articles as ‘Literary Lapses’.  It was then released by a recognised publisher, and he became a commercially successful writer.  His collections of light-hearted whimsy, parody, nonsense, and satire were now frequently published along with biographies and several award-winning volumes on Canada. 
  Politically Leacock was a difficult creature.  He opposed women’s right to vote, was a champion of Empire but advocated social welfare legislation and wealth redistribution, but he often caused friction with his racist views. 
  Leacock has been forgotten as an economist, but it’s often said that in 1911 more people had heard of him than had heard of Canada.  For the decade after 1915 Leacock was the most popular humorist in the English-speaking world. 
  Stephen Leacock died on 28th March 1944 of throat cancer in Toronto, Canada.  He was 74.

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  My Lady Ludlow

  Elizabeth Gaskell

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  Enter the serene yet socially complex world of "My Lady Ludlow" by Elizabeth Gaskell. This captivating novella centers around the aristocratic Lady Ludlow, who governs her rural estate with grace and a strong adherence to tradition. As she navigates the challenges of changing societal norms and the impact of industrialization, Lady Ludlow's interactions with her diverse tenants reveal her steadfast beliefs and underlying compassion. Through rich character development and poignant storytelling, Gaskell illuminates themes of social class, duty, and transformation, presenting a moving portrait of a bygone era.

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  Aesop's Fables - New Translation

  Aesop

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  "Aesop's Fables have been cherished for generations, imparting timeless wisdom through delightful animal tales. Let me share a couple of these fables with you:    The Tortoise and the Hare:  In this classic fable, a speedy hare challenges a slow-moving tortoise to a race. Overconfident, the hare takes a nap during the race, while the persistent tortoise keeps plodding along. To everyone's surprise, the tortoise wins the race, teaching us that steady effort often triumphs over reckless speed.  The Boy Who Cried Wolf:  A young shepherd boy amuses himself by falsely shouting, "Wolf!" to trick the villagers. When a real wolf appears and threatens the sheep, the boy cries for help, but the villagers no longer believe him. The moral? Honesty and integrity matter, and false alarms erode trust.  Remember, these fables hold valuable lessons that resonate across cultures and time."

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  Something to Think Of

  P. O. Dixon

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  When Elizabeth returns to London from Kent and meets Jane’s new suitor, her hasty refusal of Mr. Darcy’s marriage proposal gives her something to think of—especially when Mr. Darcy follows her to Hertfordshire, determined to make amends. He means to court her properly, win her heart, and marry her. 
  Likewise, Mr. Bingley vows to pursue Jane, hoping to reclaim her affection. Jane’s new suitor has other ideas about her future felicity, and his identical twin brother has more than a passing interest in Elizabeth’s love life as well. 
  All is fair in the game of love, even if fate leaves one or more of the gentlemen in question behind. Elizabeth encourages her sister to follow her heart, but will she heed her own advice?

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