Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 - 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography and autobiography. His work also included two books on recreational war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and the publisher Hugo Gernsback. ABOUT CHESTERTON AND BELLOC: It has been one of the less possible dreams of my life to be a painted Pagan God and live upon a ceiling. I crown myself becomingly in stars or tendrils or with electric coruscations (as the mood takes me), and wear an easy costume free from complications and appropriate to the climate of those agreeable spaces.

About Chesterton and Belloc (Unabridged)

Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854 - 30 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. THE RISE OF HISTORICAL CRITICISM: This Essay was written for the Chancellor's English Essay Prize at Oxford in 1879, the subject being 'Historical Criticism among the Ancients.' The prize was not awarded. To Professor J. W. Mackail thanks are due for revising the proofs.

The Rise of Historical Criticism (Unabridged)

At the beginning of the story, a queen sits sewing at an open window during a winter snowfall when she pricks her finger with her needle, causing three drops of red blood to drip onto the freshly fallen white snow on the black windowsill. Then, she says to herself, "How I wish that I had a daughter that had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony." Sometime later, the queen gives birth to a baby daughter whom she names Snow White, but the queen dies in childbirth.

Story Time

Snowdrop - Story Time, Episode 23 (Unabridged)

'A Sick Collier'. Lawrence returns in this story to the scenes of his childhood and the colliers he was brought up with. The wife in the story is probably based on his mother although the husband is unlike the drinking, brutal father portrayed in 'Sons and Lovers', Lawrence's autobiographical novel. The story is a vivid portrayal of the life of a young couple when an accident strikes the husband down but  does not succeed as a short story, lacking any clear focus or message.

A Sick Collier

Published in 1925, ‘The Daughter of the House’ is the nineteenth book in the Fleming Stone mystery series by prolific American author Carolyn Wells. The owner of Langdene House is the glass-collector David Lang, who lives here with his hypochondriac wife Eleanor and daughter Mary. When all hell breaks loose on Mary’s wedding day, Detective Fleming Stone is called to help solve the mystery of three deaths. Full of intrigue, this is a classic crime thriller from author Carolyn Wells. Carolyn Wells (1862-1942) was a prolific American novelist and poet from New Jersey, best known for her children’s literature, mystery novels and humorous verse. Following school, Wells worked as a librarian where she developed her love of reading, and her first book ‘At the Sign of the Sphinx’ was published in 1896. From 1900 Wells dedicated herself to her literary career, writing over 170 novels in total across a range of genres. Some of her most loved works include the ‘Patty Fairfield’ and ‘Marjorie Maynard’ series for girls, as well as the ‘Fleming Stone’ mystery series for adults. Wells is also well-known for her humorous nonsense verse, and was a frequent contributor of verse to magazines. She published an autobiography ‘The Rest of my Life’ in 1937. Wells died in New York City in 1942.

Fleming Stone

The Daughter of the House

"It possessed a quantity of jet-black hair, a pair of extremely frank, deep-brown eyes and a laugh that rippled across the prairie like the sound of a hidden brook. The name of it was Rosita McMullen..." Though Rosita has many suitors, she ultimately chooses the young cattleman Madison Lane and the two are wed on Christmas Day. Rejected lover Jonny McRoy crashes the wedding and fires off his handgun yelling, "I'll give you a Christmas present!" But luckily he is deterred by the armed guests. It's only a matter of time, however, until Christmas time comes around once more and it's McRoy's turn to bring presents... American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain. William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact that an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.

Whirligigs

Chaparral Christmas Gift

A young woman escapes her dreary castle in Normandy to seek the sunshine of Cannes. As she encounters multiple misfortunes, she is plagued by memories of her unhappy marriage. She runs into an existential dilemma about which path to follow, influenced greatly by her unique experiences in Normandy. A tragic tale of misunderstandings, and the sacrifices that even the healthiest relationships demand, 'The First Snowfall' is perfect for fans of Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar'. Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a French writer. Famed for being a master of the short story, he also wrote travel books and occasionally dabbled in poetry. His stories mainly focus on the relationships between men and women sitting at crossroads in their lives - whether personal or professional. His dramatic flair is largely influenced by French novelist Gustave Flaubert and is perfect for fans of Anton Chekhov's short stories. The most notable of the 300 short stories that he wrote include 'Bel Ami', 'Une Vie', and 'The Dumpling'.

World Classics

The First Snowfall

This classic Dickens novel has been enjoyed around the world for over 150 years. Like much of Dickens' work, Little Dorrit is a social criticism, focusing on the injustices of the debtors' prisons, and of the bureaucracy of the British Treasury.

Little Dorrit

"Through a Microscope: Some Moral Reflections" by H. G. Wells is a short essay. H. G. Wells once different, humorous social satire and ironic. This dabbler person has recently disposed of his camera and obtained a microscope-a short, complacent-looking implement it is, of brass-and he goes about everywhere now with little glass bottles in his pocket, ready to jump upon any stray polly-woggle he may find, and hale it home and pry into its affairs.

Through a Microscope: Some Moral Reflections (Unabridged)

Dmitri Gurov is a nearly forty-year-old man, who is married and has three children. He is unhappy with his marriage and regrets this big mistake every single day. While on a vacation, Dmitri meets Anna Sergeyevna – a young lady, who just like him is unhappily married. Very soon a love affair enfolds between the two and they start secretly meeting at different places. Unfortunately, Anna must go back to Moscow because her husband is having some health issues. Dmitri cannot live with the thought of never seeing her again and sets off to find her. Why is Gurov not happy with his marriage? What exactly is he missing? How long is the affair going to last and can it evolve into something greater? Will Dmitri be able to find Anna in the big city? You can find all the answers in Chekhov’s short story "The Lady with the Dog". B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was a Russian playwright and a master of the short novel. Besides literature, Chekhov was also practicing as a medical doctor for a large part of his life. Some of his most popular works are the plays "The Seagull", "Uncle Vanya" and "The Three Sisters", and the short stories "Ward No. 6" and "The Lady with the Dog".

The Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison

B. J. Harrison Reads The Lady With The Dog

If our readers, tempted by the Italian proverb about seeing Naples and then dying, were to ask us what the most favourable moment is for visiting the enchanted city, we should advise them to land at the mole, or at Mergellina, on a fine summer day and at the hour when some solemn procession is moving out of the cathedral. Nothing can give an idea of the profound and simple-hearted emotion of this populace, which has enough poetry in its soul to believe in its own happiness. The whole town adorns herself and attires herself like a bride for her wedding; the dark facades of marble and granite disappear beneath hangings of silk and festoons of flowers; the wealthy display their dazzling luxury, the poor drape themselves proudly in their rags. Everything is light, harmony, and perfume; the sound is like the hum of an immense hive, interrupted by a thousandfold outcry of joy impossible to describe...

Celebrated Crimes series

Nisida

Plato (428/427–348/347 BCE) was a Greek philosopher and mathematician of the Classic Age who founded the Academy of Athens. Noted as a student of Socrates, Plato has distinguished himself as one of the founders of Western philosophy by recording the teachings of his master and his own philosophies in 35 dialogues and 13 letters (some are disputed as spurious). This collection contains the following works by Plato: All books translated by Benjamin Jowett Part 1: Early Dialogues The Apology Crito Charmides Laches Lysis Euthyphro Menexenus Ion Gorgias Protagoras Meno Part 2: Middle Dialogues Euthydemus Cratylus Phaedo Phaedrus The Symposium Theaetetus Parmenides Part 3: Late Dialogues Sophist Statesman Philebus Timaeus Critias Part 4: The Republic I: Of Wealth, Justice, Moderation, and their Opposites II: The Individual, the State, and Education III: The Arts in Education IV: Wealth, Poverty, and Virtue V: On Matrimony and Philosophy VI: The Philosophy of Government VII: On Shadows and Realities in Education VIII: Four Forms of Government IX: On Wrong or Right Government, and the Pleasures of Each X: The Recompense of Life Part 5: The Laws Books I–XII

Plato: The Complete Works (31 Books)

A fascinating look at Canada under the control of the United Kingdom in the years 1760-1900, written by Canadian journalist, historian, and civil servant John George Bourinot.

Canada under British Rule

A fantastic collection of writings by cleric and writer Augustus Jessop that take a look at, amongst other topics, monastic life in the early days of the friars.

The Coming of the Friars

A fascinating series of 7 lectures on philology (written language) given by 19th century Anglican archbishop and poet Richard Chenevix Trench, looking at, amongst other topics, the poetry of words, the history of words and the rise of new words.

The Study of Words

"The Oval Portrait" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe involving the disturbing circumstances surrounding a portrait in a chateau. It is one of his shortest stories, filling only two pages in its initial publication in 1842. Plot summary: The tale begins with an injured narrator (the story offers no further explanation of his or her impairment) seeking refuge in an abandoned mansion in the Apennines. The narrator spends his or her time admiring the paintings that decorate the strangely shaped room and perusing a volume, found upon a pillow, that describes them. Upon moving the candle closer to the book, the narrator immediately discovers a before-unnoticed painting depicting the head and shoulders of a young girl. The picture inexplicably enthralls the narrator "for an hour perhaps". After steady reflection, he or she realizes that the painting's "absolute life-likeliness' of expression is the captivating feature. The narrator eagerly consults the book for an explanation of the picture. The remainder of the story henceforth is a quote from this book - a story within a story. The book describes a tragic story involving a young maiden of "the rarest beauty". She loved and wedded an eccentric painter who cared more about his work than anything else in the world, including his wife. The painter eventually asked his wife to sit for him, and she obediently consented, sitting "meekly for many weeks" in his turret chamber. The painter worked so diligently at his task that he did not recognize his wife's fading health, as she, being a loving wife, continually "smiled on and still on, uncomplainingly". As the painter neared the end of his work, he let no one enter the turret chamber and rarely took his eyes off the canvas, even to watch his wife. After "many weeks had passed," he finally finished his work. As he looked on the completed image, however, he felt appalled, as he exclaimed, "This is indeed Life itself!" Thereafter, he turned suddenly to regard his bride and discovered that she had died.

The Oval Portrait (Unabridged)

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson (13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer. His most famous works are Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. A literary celebrity during his lifetime, Stevenson now ranks among the 26 most translated authors in the world. His works have been admired by many other writers, including Jorge Luis Borges, Bertolt Brecht, Marcel Proust, Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry James, Cesare Pavese, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Vladimir Nabokov, J. M. Barrie, and G. K. Chesterton, who said of him that he "seemed to pick the right word up on the point of his pen, like a man playing spillikins." .

Essays of Travel

'The Beautiful Suit' is a haunting allegorical tale of a man who has a beautiful suit of clothes which he is never allowed to wear. But one night he decides to put on the suit and wear it as it should be worn...

The Beautiful Suit (Unabridged)

"Lily and the Lion" There is a man with three daughters. One day, he must leave on a journey and asks each of his daughters what they would like him to bring back. The oldest wants diamonds, the second pearls, and the youngest a singing, springing lark. The man is able to find diamonds and pearls, but he fails to find a lark. On his journey home, the man sees a lark in a tall tree, and orders his servant to catch it.

Lily and the Lion - Story Time, Episode 16 (Unabridged)

Snow-White and Rose-Red are two little girls living with their mother, a poor widow, in a small cottage by the woods. Snow-White is quiet and shy and prefers to spend her time indoors, doing housework and reading. Rose-Red is outspoken, lively and cheerful, and prefers to be outside.

Snow-White and Rose-Red - Story Time, Episode 22 (Unabridged)

In the Avu Observatory" is a short story by H. G. Wells (1866-1946), first published in the Pall Mall Budget on 9 August 1894, and subsequently included in The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents (1895) and The Country of the Blind and Other Stories (1911).[1] It describes an attack by a large bat-like creature on an assistant at a remote observatory in Borneo.

In the Avu Observatory (Unabridged)

Parents are poor and want to leave Tom Thumb in forest. But Tom Thumb is clever and marks his way by stones. Second time he is unsuccessful - he has only bread-crumbs and birds eat them. Tom Thumb finds a Giant and a beautiful princess in his entrapment, and is determined to free the princess.

Tom Thumb - Story Time, Episode 62 (Unabridged)

The collection, brings together the works that inspired the original NETFLIX series, directed by Louis Leterrier as well as the Hero, Assane Diop, performed by OMAR SY. Slender, elegant, refined, seductive, Arsène Lupine, gentleman-burglar by trade, is the model of the "Belle Epoque" dandy. His intelligence, his culture, his talents as an illusionist between Fregoli and Robert-Houdin are at the service of an astonishing nerve. But this accomplished man of the world is also an anarchist at heart who plays with social conventions with marvelous insolence. Arsène Lupine, gentleman-burglar is a collection of short stories written by Maurice Leblanc and recounting the adventures of Arsène Lupine. The first short story of this collection was published in July 1905 in the newspaper Je sais tout. It was the first short story featuring Arsène Lupine. This one having success, Maurice Leblanc is encouraged to write the continuation, in several short stories. What will be done until 1907. Content : Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar Arsène Lupin Versus Herlock Sholmes The Hollow Needle 813 The Arsène Lupin The Crystal Stopper The Confessions Of Arsène Lupin The Teeth Of The Tiger The Woman Of Mystery The Golden Triangle The Secret Of Sarek Eight Strokes Of The Clock The Secret Tomb

Arsène Lupin: The Collection

Contains Active Table of Contents (HTML) This book contains the complete novels of the Brontë Sisters: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë Shirley by Charlotte Brontë Villette by Charlotte Brontë The Professor by Charlotte Brontë

The Brontë Sisters: The Complete Novels

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 - 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography and autobiography. His work also included two books on recreational war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and the publisher Hugo Gernsback. MY FIRST FLIGHT: (EASTBOURNE, August 5, 1912-three years later.) Hitherto my only flights have been flights of imagination but this morning I flew. I spent about ten or fifteen minutes in the air; we went out to sea, soared up, came back over the land, circled higher, planed steeply down to the water, and I landed with the conviction that I had had only the foretaste of a great store of hitherto unsuspected pleasures.

My First Flight (Unabridged)

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 - 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography and autobiography. His work also included two books on recreational war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and the publisher Hugo Gernsback. SOCIAL PANACEAS: To have followed the frequent discussions of the Labour Unrest in the Press is to have learnt quite a lot about the methods of popular thought. And among other things I see now much better than I did why patent medicines are so popular. It is clear that as a community we are far too impatient of detail and complexity, we want overmuch to simplify, we clamour for panaceas, we are a collective invitation to quacks.

Social Panaceas (Unabridged)

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 - 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography and autobiography. His work also included two books on recreational war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and the publisher Hugo Gernsback. THE LABOUR UNREST: Our country is, I think, in a dangerous state of social disturbance. The discontent of the labouring mass of the community is deep and increasing. It may be that we are in the opening phase of a real and irreparable class war.

The Labour Unrest (Unabridged)

Everyone begins life's journey as a child. From one of the world's most beloved writers comes this memorable parable of life's transitions. Originally published by Charles Dickens in the mid-1800s, The Child's Story is a timeless account of the journey we all take, from carefree childhood and spontaneous youth, through adulthood and marriage, and into our golden years. Now, almost 150 years after its original publication, acclaimed artist Harvey Chan adds his stirring images to Dickens's classic words, creating a unique and powerful reading experience that's ideal for children of all ages.

The Child's Story (Unabridged)

‘A Fly in the Ointment’ was written by D H Lawrence in 1908. It was the fourth of his sixty-seven short stories, all of which will be published individually in audio book format by the Blackthorn Press. The story is set in lodgings in Croydon and the incident may be autobiographical but the story is full of yearning for the life and loves he left behind in Nottinghamshire.

A Fly in the Ointment

‘Josiah Allen on the Woman Question’ (1914) was written by best-selling American writer and humourist Marietta Holley and is a short story featuring her well-known characters, Samantha and Josiah Allen. Concerned about the rise of women's suffrage, Josiah Allen plans to write a book, detailing all the reasons women are no match for men but his hilarious arguments only have the opposite effect. Holley’s hugely successful series of Samantha books focus on the character of the sage, small-town woman, Samantha Allen, and her satirical escapades across America with her half-witted husband, Josiah Allen. Fans of Holley's work and those interested in reading a story with a Twainesque style will surely love this short story. Marietta Holley (1836–1926) was an American best-selling author and humourist who used satire to comment on U.S. society and politics. She began her literary career writing for newspapers and women’s magazines before publishing her first novel, ‘My Opinions and Betsy Bobbet's’ in 1873. Holley went on to write over 20 novels, including ‘Round the World with Samantha at the Centennial’ (1876), ‘My Wayward Pardner’ (1880), ‘Miss Richard's Boy’ (1882), and ‘Josiah Allen's Wife’ (1899). Her works popularised women’s rights and criticised sexual double standards and the exploitation of labour. Often compared to Mark Twain, Seba Smith, Benjamin Shillaber, and Frances M. Whitcher, she is one of America's great female humourists.

Josiah Allen on the Woman Question

Contains Active Table of Contents (HTML) This book contains the complete novels of the Brontë Sisters: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë Shirley by Charlotte Brontë Villette by Charlotte Brontë The Professor by Charlotte Brontë

Is it possible to get away with a fraud or the lies will catch up on you eventually? Jeff Peters and Andy Tucker are two swindlers who want to make money the easy way. Peters however wants to give something back in return in order to calm his guilty conscience. Will they get caught after one of their "smart" plans to trick and rob a Pittsburg Millionaire? Will Peters find the truth about Tucker? O. Henry’s "Conscience in Art" has the answers. William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry, was an American writer who lived in the late 19th century. He gains wide popularity with his short stories which often take place either in New York or some small American towns. The plot twists and the surprise endings are a typical and integral part of O. Henry’s short stories. Some of his best known works are "The Gift of the Magi", "The Cop and the Anthem", "A Retrieved Reformation". His stories often deal with ordinary people and the individual aspects of life. As a result of the outstanding literature legacy that O. Henry left behind, there is an American annual award after his name, given to exceptional short stories.

Conscience in Art

Nicknamed ‘Burning Daylight’, Harnish is a decent, hard-working, and honest man. One of the few men to ever make a fortune in Yukon, Canada, his life is comfortable and safe. However, as his attraction to the world of business grows and he moves to California, he begins to wonder if he made the right decision. Could a miner ever survive the cruel world of business, money, and corruption? Inspired by the life of miner Francis Marion Smith, ‘Burning Daylight’ is one of Jack London’s most successful novels. Jack London (1876–1916) was an American writer and social activist. He grew up in the working class, but his unflinching realism eventually earned him the status of one of the highest-paid authors of his time. Many of his novels are considered classics today, his most notable being ‘Call of the Wild’, ‘Sea Wolf’, and ‘White Fang’. Fans of Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, and Charles Dickens will enjoy his ability to make the mundane captivating.

Burning Daylight

D. H. Lawrence's classic two-part story, originally published as 'The Escaped Cock', is a re-imagining of the Biblical story of the Resurrection. The author himself described the story in a letter to his friend Earl Brewster thusly: 'I wrote a story of the Resurrection, where Jesus gets up and feels very sick bout everything, and can't stand the old crowd any more - so cuts out - and as he heals up, he begins to find what an astonishing place the phenomenal world is, far more marvellous than any salvation or heaven - and thanks his stars he needn't have a mission any more.'

The Man Who Died

Written by 17th century Sulpician missionary François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, this lays out the proofs for the existence of the Christian God.

The Existence of God

Set in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony, during the years 1642 to 1649, The scarlet letter tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. As she tries to raise her rambunctious daughter, Pearl, on her own, the father of her child is revealed and is shown to be experiencing severe guilt. Through the scorn and judgment of the citizens and Roger Chillingworth - Hester's husband -, the two decide to remain together. Throughout the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. Henry James once said of this novel, "It is beautiful, admirable, extraordinary; it has in the highest degree that merit which I have spoken of as the mark of Hawthorne's best things—an indefinable purity and lightness of conception...One can often return to it; it supports familiarity and has the inexhaustible charm and mystery of great works of art. Complete edition with an interactive table of contents.

The scarlet letter

A fascinating biography of the British Army officer Major-General Charles George Gordon, CB, written by Lieutenant-Colonel Seton Churchill.

General Gordon

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 - 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote dozens of novels, short stories, and works of social commentary, history, satire, biography and autobiography. His work also included two books on recreational war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is often called the "father of science fiction", along with Jules Verne and the publisher Hugo Gernsback. OFF THE CHAIN: (December, 1910) I was ill in bed, reading Samuel Warren's "Ten Thousand a Year," and noting how much the world can change in seventy years.

Off the Chain (Unabridged)

A widowed queen sends her daughter to a faraway land to marry. Accompanying the princess are her magical horse Falada, who can speak, and a waiting maid. The queen gives the princess a special charm that will protect her as long as she wears it.

The Goose-Girl - Story Time, Episode 36 (Unabridged)

The Red Shoes" (Danish: De røde sko) is a fairy tale by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen first published by C.A. Reitzel in Copenhagen 7 April 1845 in New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Third Collection. 1845. (Nye Eventyr. Første Bind. Tredie Samling. 1845.). Other tales in the volume include "The Elf Mound" (Elverhøi), "The Jumpers" (Springfyrene), "The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep" (Hyrdinden og Skorstensfejeren), and "Holger Danske" (Holger Danske). The tale was republished 18 December 1849 as a part of Fairy Tales. 1850. (Eventyr. 1850.) and again on 30 March 1863 as a part of Fairy Tales and Stories. Second Volume. 1863. (Eventyr og Historier. Andet Bind. 1863.). The story is about a girl forced to dance continually in her red shoes. "The Red Shoes" has seen adaptations in various media including film... A peasant girl named Karen is adopted by a rich old lady after her mother's death and grows up vain and spoiled. Before her adoption, Karen had a rough pair of red shoes; now she has her adoptive mother buy her a pair of red shoes fit for a princess. Karen is so enamored of her new shoes that she wears them to church, but the old lady scolds her: it's highly improper and she must only wear black shoes in church from now on. But next Sunday, Karen cannot resist the urge to put the red shoes on again. As she is about to enter the church, she meets a mysterious old soldier with a red beard. "Oh, what beautiful shoes for dancing," the soldier says. "Never come off when you dance," he tells the shoes, and he taps the sole of each with his hand...

The Red Shoes - Story Time, Episode 75 (Unabridged)

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story, written by O. Henry (a pen name for William Sydney Porter), about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been a popular one for adaptation, especially for presentation at Christmas time. The plot and its "twist ending" are well-known, and the ending is generally considered an example of comic irony. It was allegedly written at Pete's Tavernon Irving Place in New York City. in "35 Best Christmas Books to Snuggle Up With This Holiday Season" of The Oprah Magazine

The Gift  of the Magi

Berry Hamilton was living a pretty good life—up until he was accused of stealing money from his employer. Despite having worked for the family for twenty years, Berry is found guilty of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to prison. As his wife and children turn to the community, they find themselves shunned. Left with no other choice, Fannie Hamilton and her two children, Joe and Kitty, pick everything up and move to Harlem. As the city begins to take its toll on the Hamiltons, Berry's case begins to spark some attention back in their hometown in the South. Will he ever be able to return to his once treasured family? Or will the city turn them into something they never anticipated? Written in 1902, The Sport of the Gods was one of the first novels to examine the harsh conditions that African Americans faced when they moved into New York City.

The Sport of the Gods

Dukes aren’t meant to be Texas Cowboys. But the Duc de Montevillier is just that. Having made his fortune in silver, he relocates to the leafy London suburb of Kymott Crescent—much to the dismay of his new middle-class neighbours. Hijinks ensue as the Duke falls in love, does battle with enemies from back out west, and gets to grip with polite society. Edgar Wallace is best known for his thrillers, but this comedy shows off his incredible range as a writer. Droll and fizzy, "The Duke of the Suburbs" has the flavour of a P.G. Wodehouse story. Edgar Wallace (1875–1932) was a hugely prolific English author, best known for thrillers and crime fiction. Born into poverty in London, he joined the army as a teenager. On a posting to South Africa he met Rudyard Kipling, and was inspired to take up writing. Wallace’s productivity was unmatched. He was capable of writing tens of thousands of words a day. In his thirty year career, he produced hundreds of novels, short stories, articles, and stage plays. In his later years, he moved to Hollywood and became a screenwriter. He died working on the project which would become his most famous—the script for "King Kong".

Crime Classics

The Duke in the Suburbs

CONTENTS: The Nameless City The Festival The Colour Out of Space The Call of Cthulhu The Dunwich Horror The Whisperer in Darkness The Dreams in the Witch House The Haunter of the Dark The Shadow Over Innsmouth Discarded Draft of "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" The Shadow Out of Time At the Mountains of Madness The Case of Charles Dexter Ward Azathoth Beyond the Wall of Sleep Celephaïs Cool Air Dagon Ex Oblivione Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family From Beyond He Herbert West-Reanimator Hypnos In the Vault Memory Nyarlathotep Pickman's Model The Book The Cats of Ulthar The Descendant The Doom That Came to Sarnath The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath The Evil Clergyman The Horror at Red Hook The Hound The Lurking Fear The Moon-Bog The Music of Erich Zann The Other Gods The Outsider The Picture in the House The Quest of Iranon The Rats in the Walls The Shunned House The Silver Key The Statement of Randolph Carter The Strange High House in the Mist The Street The Temple The Terrible Old Man The Thing on the Doorstep The Tomb The Transition of Juan Romero The Tree The Unnamable The White Ship What the Moon Brings Polaris The Very Old Folk Ibid Old Bugs Sweet Ermengarde, or, The Heart of a Country Girl A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson The History of the Necronomicon

H. P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction (EverGreen Classics)

Guy de Maupassant's short story "The Night: A Nightmare" depicts a vivid portrayal of the streets of Paris. Our narrator roams the streets of the city after hours, embracing and explaining his love of night as he goes. Yet this time, the night takes a more a menacing turn and soon becomes a living nightmare for him. Maupassant 's story plunges into the darker places of the human psyche with colorful storytelling, taking the reader on a nocturnal and personal tour of historical 19th-century Paris landmarks. Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a prolific French writer considered a pioneer in modern short story writing. Maupassant was a protégé of French writer Gustave Flaubert and is known for novels such as A Woman's Life and short stories including "The Horla" and "The Dumpling." Maupassant's stories fall into the Naturalist movement, often depicting social entanglements and complex human fates. They have inspired countless film adaptations including the French-Belgian drama called A Woman's Life (2016).

The Night: A Nightmare

Barzai the Wise, a high priest and prophet greatly learned in the lore of the "gods of earth", or Great Ones, attempts to scale the mountain of Hatheg-Kla in order to look upon their faces, accompanied by his young disciple Atal. Upon reaching the peak, Barzai at first seems overjoyed until he finds that the "gods of the earth" are not there alone, but rather are overseen by the "other gods, the gods of the outer hells that guard the feeble gods of earth!" Atal flees, and Barzai is never seen again.

The Other Gods (Unabridged)

Herbert George "H. G." Wells (1866 - 1946) was an English writer. He was prolific in many genres, including the novel, history, politics, social commentary, and textbooks and rules for war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is called a "father of science fiction" BOOK THE FIRST: THE MAKING OF A MAN: Since I came to this place I have been very restless, wasting my energies in the futile beginning of ill-conceived books. One does not settle down very readily at two and forty to a new way of living, and I have found myself with the teeming interests of the life I have abandoned still buzzing like a swarm of homeless bees in my head.

The New Machiavelli - Book the First: The Making of a Man (Unabridged)

Charles Dickens was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity. OUR HONOURABLE FRIEND: We are delighted to find that he has got in! Our honourable friend is triumphantly returned to serve in the next Parliament. He is the honourable member for Verbosity-the best represented place in England.

Our Honourable Friend (Unabridged)

Herbert George "H. G." Wells (1866 - 1946) was an English writer. He was prolific in many genres, including the novel, history, politics, social commentary, and textbooks and rules for war games. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and is called a "father of science fiction" THE ART OF BEING PHOTOGRAPHED: "An album," said my uncle, as he sat and turned over my collection of physiognomy, "is, I think, the best reading in the world. You get such sidelights on the owner's heredity, George; distant cousins caricature his features and point the moral of his nose, and ancestral faces prophesy his fate.

The Art of Being Photographed (Unabridged)

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