Engelske bøger

Luigi went out one morning and never came back. Without him, Anna feels worthless, losing all sense of all she is. Only the fear of the darkness closing in drives her to attempt some kind of normality. But Gigi's unseen presence is powerful and inhibits Anna from making a new life. Even her attraction to musician Greg feels like a betrayal.An encounter with a friend leads to a new teaching job, offering a chance to find herself. But the school is driven by fear and unsuspecting Anna is exploited by the manipulative headmaster and at the same time cruelly undermined by a jealous colleague. Now the fragile new life she's building threatens to collapse. It is a chance meeting with a stranger who helps her to see that there are lights on dark water.Perfect for fans of fans of Alice Munro, Lorrie Moore, and Irish Murdoch.

"Should we not laugh to see a horse in corsets? The time is coming when we shall so laugh to see a woman." - The Forerunner Volume 1 (1909-1910) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.In this anthology collection of key writings by prominent humanitarian and pro-equality writer, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the reader is afforded a fascinating insight into the lives and societal challenges of women in the early 20th century.Through a selection of expertly written poems, essays, and fictional stories as well as non-fiction narratives, the monthly magazine excerpts include lesser-known works such as ‘Our Androcentric Culture; or, The Man-Made World’, the poem ‘Then This’, and an essay entitled ‘A Small God And a Large Goddess’.The original writing showcases a progressive thinker with a strong female voice, who was ahead of her time in terms of feminism and women’s rights, in this selection of politically-inspired pieces from 1909.Charlotte Perkins Gilman, also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was born on 3rd July 1860 in Connecticut, USA. Her early family life was troubled, with her father abandoning his wife and family; a move which strongly influenced her feminist political leanings and advocator of women’s rights.After working as a tutor and painter, Perkins – a self-declared humanist and tomboy – began to work as a writer of short stories, novels, non-fiction pieces, and poetry. Her best-known work is her semi-autobiographical short story, inspired by her post-natal depression, entitled ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, which was published in 1892 and made into a film in 2011.Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a member of the American National Women's Hall of Fame and strongly believed that "the domestic environment oppressed women through the patriarchal beliefs upheld by society". A believer in euthanasia, she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in January 1932 and subsequently took her own life in August 1935, writing in her suicide note that she "chose chloroform over cancer".

Packed with twists and turns, ‘The Four Stragglers’ by Frank L. Packard is a mystery novel in which the reader meets four allied soldiers lost behind enemy lines during the Great War.As the story progresses, three of the soldiers realise that they all played parts in a daring jewel heist just two years earlier. The three soldiers set up a criminal organization running scams in England and France which eventually leads them on a complex and thrilling journey to America.This novel will be greatly enjoyed by fans of ´The Great Train Robbery´ and ´Hatton Garden the Heist´.Frank L. Packard was a Canadian novelist born in Quebec. As a young man, he worked as a civil engineer for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and this experience led him to write many railroad stories. Packard also wrote a series of mystery novels, the most well-known of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale.

What would you do if you accidentally killed someone at the age of 18 and had to become an outlaw? In the classic ‘The Merry Adventures of Robinhood’ by Howard Pyle, young Robin finds himself in this exact predicament and forms a group of other outlaws as they trek through the medieval English forest fighting their way out of trouble and conflicts with the law. Join Robin and his hood along in their great adventures as they discover what it means to be an outlaw, and how they can fight for the poor and their world’s many injustices.American author Howard Pyle, well known for his writing of ‘The Merry Adventures of Robinhood’ and ‘King Arthur’ is also a very well respected illustrator, gaining recognition for his drawings of pirates and attributed with the creation of the modern pirate look. His illustrations were featured in Harper’s Weekly where they quickly became fan favorites. Robinhood is a classic tale, which has been adapted for the classic Disney film, and the newer 2018 movie featuring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx.

Pishi was a huge manta ray fish. Normally he would swim in the Indian Ocean, but one day he was caught in a big storm. Wounded and far from home, help came from an unexpected corner. Dive into this book for a dramatic story of the day the storm raged in the Indian Ocean.'Pishi Caught in a Storm' is written by Manisha Chaudhry and Mala Kumar. © Pratham Books, 2015. Some rights reserved. Released under CC BY 4.0 license.This story has been inspired by an entry to the #6FrameStoryChallenge, an illustration campaign conducted by Pratham Books.

‘Pearl-Fishing – Second Series’ is a second collection of short stories written by the renowned author of ‘Great Expectations’, Charles Dickens. First published in ‘Household Words’, Pearl-Fishing – Second Series’ follows Dickens’ first anthology of short stories ‘Pearl-Fishing – First Series’. Featuring titles such as ‘The Young Advocate’, ‘The Last of a Long Line’, ‘Evil is Wrought by Want of Thought’ and ‘The Home of Woodruffe the Gardener’, amongst others. These tales were very popular amongst readers of the magazine when they were first published and are still classic reads to be enjoyed by any modern-day fan of Charles Dickens.Regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens is best known for creating some of the world’s best known fictional characters who feature in his most popular novels, including The Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist’, Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, and Miss Havisham in ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens’ timeless novels and short stories are still widely read today and many have been adapted into countless TV programmes and films including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’, and 'A Christmas Carol' which well known worldwide and is a huge favourite movie for families to watch together at Christmas time.

"The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" is a work of fiction by the Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf. It was originally published in two books, "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" in 1906 and "Further Adventures of Nils" in 1907. The background for its publication was a commission from the National Teachers Association in 1902, which asked Lagerlöf to write a geography reader for the public schools. She devoted three years to Nature study and to familiarizing herself with animal and bird life. She also sought out hitherto unpublished folklore and legends of the different provinces, which she then ingeniously wove into this story.The story is about Nils Holgersson, a boy who is transformed into a leprechaun and who travels around Sweden on the back of a goose. The journey begins on the 20th of March 1898 and ends on the 8th of November of that same year, when Nils returns to Västra Vemmenhög. The story has been translated into more the 60 languages and appeals to readers of all ages. With superb storytelling, it beautifully unites the story's fantasy with its purpose of providing knowledge about Sweden.Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) has written a series of novels and short stories about peasant life in Sweden. Her first novel "Gösta Berling's Saga" was made into the 1924 eponymous silent film featuring Greta Garbo, as well as into the 1925 Zandonai opera "I Cavalieri di Ekebù". Lagerlöf was the first female writer to win the Nobel Prize in literature, which was awarded to her in 1909. She was also the first female member of the Swedish Academy, which she entered in 1914.

The majority of the poems in this collection ‘The Poems and Verses’ are a classic collection of poetic works by Charles Dickens. They are brought together in this anthology after appearing in Dickens' other works, including ‘The Pickwick Papers’ and several plays that he wrote together with Wilkie Collins.Regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens is best known for creating some of the world’s best known fictional characters who feature in his most popular novels, including The Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist’, Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, and Miss Havisham in ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens’ timeless novels and short stories are still widely read today and many have been adapted into countless TV programmes and films including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’, and 'A Christmas Carol' which is well known worldwide and is a huge favourite movie for families to watch together at Christmas time.

It’s Budapest, early 20th century. Oswold is spending the summer at a language school, whilst Imre, a Hungarian calvary officer, is on leave. In the hustle and bustle of a café nestled deep in the city, the two men meet. As their companionship grows in the most unlikely of circumstances, their story is about to carve its own ending...At a time when society was less than kind to the gay community, Edward Prime-Stevenson’s psychological romance weaves a beautifully unexpected tale. Written under the pseudonym of Xavier Mayne, ‘Imre’ marks a turning point in LGBTQ+ literature. The openly gay love story is perfect for fans of ‘Call Me by Your Name’ with of Timothée Chalamet.Edward Prime-Stevenson, pseudonym of Xavier Mayne (1858-1942), was an American writer, journalist and author. Celebrated today as having written the first openly gay novel with a happy ending, his work spans early YA novels such as ‘The White Cockades: An Incident in the "Forty-five"' and ‘Left to Themselves: Being the Ordeal of Philip and Gerald.’ In 1908, Prime-Stevenson published the nonfiction book ‘The Intersexes’; a comprehensive analysis and defence of homosexuality to date. Today, he is remembered as having marked a turning point in English literature and remains an outstanding observer of the early 20th century LGBT scene.

Love for unavailable men, regret, unhappy marriages, priests and an old woman losing her memory, these stories cover many issues we still face today.A young woman tired of marriage resolves to leave her husband, making her way to New Orleans alone. Finished with work for the day, Telèsphore decides to take the train into town. A woman content with spinsterhood unexpectedly finds herself responsible for her neighbour’s four young children.'A Night in Acadie' is a collection of short stories by Kate Chopin and a fantastic read for any classics fan.Kate Chopin (1850-1904), born Katherine O’Flaherty, was an American writer of novels and short stories mostly set in the 19th-century American South. Her works deal with themes of the female psyche and women's limited life opportunities in the Victorian era, often in a naturalist style. She was considered controversial in her time, but is now praised as a pioneer of 20th-century feminist American literature.Her most famous works include the novel ‘The Awakening’ (1899), which explores themes of rebellion against femininity and motherhood at the turn of the 20th century. Adaptations of this title include Grand Isle (1991) starring Kelly McGillis and Adrian Pasdar, and The End of August (1981).

Charles Dickens is renowned as one of the best writers of the Victorian era, and his after-dinner speeches were very much in demand during his lifetime. Dickens spoke on public occasions as a literature representative, and in sympathy with humanitarian movements. He even delivered a speech at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, London on Wednesday, 27th June 1855. On one occasion, Dickens became critical of the administrative costs of running a charity and certainly didn't hold back in saying so. "I say openly, and plainly, that this fund is pompously and unnaturally administered at great expense, instead of being quietly administered at small expense."Can you imagine enjoying a meal in the 19th century and suddenly Charles Dickens stands up to deliver a speech? This collection of speeches from Charles Dickens allows readers to experience that moment for themselves.Regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens is best known for creating some of the world’s best known fictional characters who feature in his most popular novels, including The Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist’, Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, and Miss Havisham in ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens’ timeless novels and short stories are still widely read today and many have been adapted into countless TV programmes and films including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’, and 'A Christmas Carol' which well known worldwide and is a huge favourite movie for families to watch together at Christmas time.

Therese, a socialite tired of her loveless marriage, strikes up an affair with a man who cherishes her. Still discontent, she begins another affair, slipping further into depression and jealousy as all her loves come to see their undoing.Through this simple yet riveting plot, Anatole France paints vivid portraits of Paris and Venice, two of his most treasured cities. A love letter to city life and cynicism, ‘The Red Lily’ (1894) represents France at his best.Fans of Anatole France’s work will be delighted with ‘The Red Lily’, but it also will appeal to wider readers of literary fiction for its bold writing and simple, meaningful plot.Anyone who enjoys effective love stories tinged with cynicism like Joseph Gordon Levitt’s ‘500 Days of Summer’ will also find something to love in this beautifully crafted story.François-Anatole Thibault (1844 – 1924), better known as Anatole France, was a French journalist, poet, novelist, and Nobel laureate for literature. Spending much of his early life in his father’s bookshop, France quickly rose to prominence as a respected author of over 25 works.A French Classicist writer with a style reminiscent of Voltaire and Fénélon, France’s work has a strong preoccupation with scepticism and hedonism. He is best remembered for his classic French novels ‘La Rôtisserie de la Reine Pédauque’ (1893) and ‘Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard’ (1881). France’s works have had a historic legacy, and he is recognised today as one of France’s most prominent authors.

'Like a chaotic magic-lantern show, fascinated both by the spectacle it offers and by himself as spectator.'Pictures from Italy is a travelogue by Charles Dickens.In 1844 Charles Dickens took a break from writing novels and travelled through Italy. While there he visited the sites of Rome, Naples, Venice and Florence, however, it was the Italians themselves and their streets and lifestyle that caught Dickens' imagination.This book is a treasure for anyone wanting to dig a little more into the life of Charles Dickens and find out about the man behind the famous stories.Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was a widely popular English author and social critic. Among his most famous novels are ‘Oliver Twist’, ‘A Christmas Carol’, and ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens is best known for his depictions of poor Victorian living conditions and his unforgettable characters, some compassionate and others grotesquely malicious.Dickens’ timeless tales are still as celebrated today as when they were written, and his literary style is so influential that the term Dickensian was coined to describe the literature he inspired.Many of Dickens’ novels have been adapted for movies and television, including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’. 'A Christmas Carol' is well known worldwide and is a huge favourite movie for families to watch together at Christmas time. The most famous movie was from Disney in 2009 starring Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman and Colin Firth.

Jocelyn Pierston wants above all to find the ideal woman, but perfection is elusive as ever. A masterful sculptor, he starts to grow obsessed with the idea of capturing beauty in stone - and the statue he calls his "well-beloved".But when he falls in love with two women from the same family, three generations apart, his thirst for perfection soon escalates into an uncontrollable desire.With its unique approach to love and marking a shift in Hardy’s emotional and psychological portrayal of his characters, ‘The Well-Beloved’ is a compelling journey through an artist’s erotic obsession and the labyrinthine world of Victorian society.A nightmare version of ´Pygmalion´, ´The Well-Beloved´ matches up to Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ and Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ with the ultimate tale of tragic love and the pursuit of art.Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was an English writer of poetry, novels, and short stories. He belonged to the Victorian realist tradition in English literature and was influenced by the writings of Romanticism.His novels strongly criticise Victorian society for constraining individuals in regard to marriage, education, and religion: shunning happiness in the name of social propriety.Hardy’s works explore themes of love, class, and poverty with a painstaking devotion to realism. His best-known works include ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’, and ‘Jude the Obscure’.

When his wife is murdered and his daughter abducted, Dmitri is drawn into a life of violence and crime. Alone in the Albanian mountains, Dmitri becomes a skilled criminal but his actions uncover a secret that force him to kidnap another man’s child.Set in Albania and Greece, this Gothic tale of love and revenge is perfect for readers of crime stories like the ‘The Godfather’. ‘The Evil Eye’ (1829) is a classic short story by the English writer Mary Shelley, famous for her best-selling novel ‘Frankenstein’.Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was an English author and travel writer best known for her ground-breaking Gothic novel ‘Frankenstein’ (1818). Considered one of the first true works of science-fiction, the book became an instant bestseller.It has been adapted for TV, stage, and film on many occasions, with Boris Karloff famously playing Frankenstein’s monster on screen in 1933. Other adaptations include ‘Mary Shelley's Frankenstein’ (1994) starring Kenneth Branagh and Robert De Niro and ‘Viktor Frankenstein’ (2015) starring Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.Shelley’s other novels include Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835), Falkner (1837) and the posthumously published Mathilde (1959). However, she will always be remembered as the creator of Frankenstein.The book continues to influence filmmakers, writers and popular culture to this day, inspiring and terrifying new audiences the world over.

´The Crux´, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a fictional novel about an entrepreneurial group of women in North America. First published as part of a series in the feminist journal ´The Forerunner´ in 1910, ´The Crux´ tells the story of Vivian Lane and her female associates, who move away to start a boarding house for men in Denver, Colorado.Often cited as an important early feminist work, the novel metaphorically and directly examines social issues relating to gender, the role of women, politics, marriage, and stereotypes. The fictional leading character, Vivian Lane, meets and falls in love with Morton Elder who carries the diseases gonorrhoea and syphilis – which becomes a barrier to marriage and having a family more due to the utopian notion that it would harm the ‘national stock’, rather than the concern of being a risk to Lane’s health.The book was originally written, in Gilman’s words, as a "story for young women to read in order that they may protect themselves and their children to come."Charlotte Perkins Gilman, also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was born on 3rd July 1860 in Connecticut, USA. Her early family life was troubled, with her father abandoning his wife and family; a move which strongly influenced her feminist political leanings and advocator of women’s rights.After working as a tutor and painter, Perkins – a self-declared humanist and tomboy – began to work as a writer of short stories, novels, non-fiction pieces and poetry. Her best-known work is her semi-autobiographical short story, inspired by her post-natal depression, entitled ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, which was published in 1892 and made into a film in 2011.Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a member of the American National Women's Hall of Fame and strongly believed that "the domestic environment oppressed women through the patriarchal beliefs upheld by society". A believer in euthanasia, she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in January 1932 and subsequently took her own life in August 1935, writing in her suicide note that she "chose chloroform over cancer".

A girl from a wealthy family. A boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Mahala and Jason's love is star-crossed from the beginning - not helped by the petty prejudices of people in small-town USA.In this twisting, turning melodrama, Gene Stratton-Porter throws everything into the story as the would-be lovers yearn to be together. Bigamy, adultery, typhoid fever, a riot, insanity - you name it!This is a book with a surprise on every page: but the biggest shock is reserved for the end. Will Mahala and Jason's love triumph?This is perfect reading for fans of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'North and South' and the works of George Eliot.Geneva Grace (Gene) Stratton-Porter (1863-1924) was an American author, photographer and naturalist. She also produced films during the silent movie era via the company Gene Stratton Porter Productions.A true polymath, she was most famous for her best-selling novels, which were read by 50 million people in the 1910s. Eight of her books have been made into movies, while two of her old houses in Indiana are now state historic sites.Stratton-Porter's novels include 'Freckles', 'A Girl of the Limberlost' and 'The Harvester'.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate..."It is one of the most memorable and memorised lines of poetry of all time. But there is no need to stop here because the beginning of one of William Shakespeare's sonnets is the entry point to a treasury of his great verse.'The Sonnets' contains 154 examples of the one-stanza, 14-line poems written by The Bard.They take you on a sweeping journey through themes including love, infidelity, mortality and destruction - and the previously barely-touched areas of homoeroticism and misogyny.As with his peerless plays, Shakespeare shows his unique gift for touching hearts and challenging minds.This is perfect for fans of T.S. Eliot's 'The Waste Land' and 'The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats'.William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor who is considered to be the world's greatest dramatist.He wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets and three narrative poems. His plays are still performed more often than those of any other writer, living or dead.He invented more than 1,700 words that are in common use today, including frugal, gnarled, obscene and sanctimonious.Among his best-known plays are the comedies 'As You Like It' and 'Much Ado About Nothing', the histories 'Richard III' and 'Henry V' and the tragedies 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet' which Baz Luhrmann brought to the big screen in the blockbuster hit starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

The Four Musketeers embark on their final adventures in "Ten Years Later". This multi-part epic is set during a crucial time in the reign of King Louis XIV, as he transitions from hesitant teen to the beloved Sun King. And of course D’Artagnan, Porthos, Aramis and Athos all play their part. Our heroes’ exploits also feature the exiled King Charles II of England and the Bastille’s most infamous prisoner—The Man in the Iron Mask!Brimming with romance and action "Ten Years Later" is a fitting send off to literature’s greatest swashbucklers.Alexandre Dumas (1802 - 1870) was a hugely popular 19th century French writer. Born of mixed French and Haitian heritage, Dumas first rose to prominence in Paris as a playwright, but later gained international fame with his historical fiction.Often co-authored with other writers, these stories wove together swashbuckling adventure, romance, and real events from France’s past. Among the best known are "The Three Musketeers", and its sequels "Twenty Years After", and "Le Vicomte de Bragelonne: Ten Years Later". Set across four decades, this trilogy follows the rise of the dashing D’Artagnan—from hot-headed soldier to trusted captain under Louis XIV.Dumas’ other novels include "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Black Tulip". His works have been adapted into more than 200 movies, including The Man in the Iron Mask starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

´Concerning Children´, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, was first published in 1900 and focuses on how society can be improved through better nurturing of the younger generations.Reminiscent of Supernanny Jo Frost and Dr. Spock, Charlotte Perkins Gilman offers a surprisingly modern take on child-rearing in this influential parenting handbook, which still resonates with feminist readers today. Gilman echoes the old African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child", and considers this in the context of a patriarchal US society.From discussions of building resilience in children to gender and obedience, Gilman manages to encompass politics, economic, and societal arguments as well as gender, sexism, and new motherhood all in one fascinating book which aims to improve the community at large.´Concerning Children´ will delight fans of Gilman's other works such as ‘The Home, Its Work and Influence’.Charlotte Perkins Gilman, also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was born on 3rd July 1860 in Connecticut, USA. Her early family life was troubled, with her father abandoning his wife and family; a move which strongly influenced her feminist political leanings and advocator of women’s rights.After working as a tutor and painter, Perkins – a self-declared humanist and ‘tom boy’ – began to work as a writer of short stories, novels, non-fiction pieces and poetry. Her best-known work is her semi-autobiographical short story, inspired by her post-natal depression, entitled ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, which was published in 1892 and made into a film in 2011.Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a member of the American National Women's Hall of Fame and strongly believed that "the domestic environment oppressed women through the patriarchal beliefs upheld by society". A believer in euthanasia, she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in January 1932 and subsequently took her own life in August 1935, writing in her suicide note that she "chose chloroform over cancer".

When Professor Serebrakoff and his younger wife, Helena, return to his rural estate, they find themselves less than welcome. Despite the smiles and formality, there is tension in the air and all roads lead to Helena. A family friend, Dr. Astrov quickly falls in love with her, as does the eponymous uncle. ‘Uncle Vanya: Scenes from Country Life’ is one of Chekhov’s greatest plays, and expertly demonstrates the power of subtext. What most of the characters say in this play, is not necessarily mean. It has been performed countless times across the world, most notably starring Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds, Cate Blanchett, Peter Dinklage and Ian McKellen.Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860 – 1904) was born in Taganrog, in Southern Russia. The son of a grocer, and the third of six children, he was educated at the local Greek School. After Chekhov’s father became bankrupt, the family lived in poverty, before fleeing to Moscow to avoid debtor’s prison.After writing a series of tales for various publications, Chekhov started to gain critical attention. However, it was a trip to the Ukraine that put the literary wheels in motion. After the publication of his novella, ‘The Steppe,’ he was commissioned to write a play, resulting in ‘Ivanov.’Over the course of his career, Chekhov wrote more than 200 short stories, and 14 plays. Works, such as ‘The Seagull,’ ‘The Cherry Orchard,’ and ‘Uncle Vanya,’ have been performed on stages across the world.

In this witty and charming French play, the audience follows Madame Pernelle, whose self-importance leads her to leave her son Orgon's house because no one pays any attention to her. The only person who happens to meet her high expectations is Tartuffe.While Tartuffe's true character of being 'the Hypocrite' is slowly revealed to the audience, Madame Pernelle remains blissfully unaware of the fraud who exploits his victims by pretending to be pious.Madame Pernelle is on the point of leaving many times, but can't leave without having the last word and finds herself coming back to admonish or criticize one more person.Molière's ´Tartuffe, or The Hypocrite´ puts a satirical spin on religious hypocrisy and will delight fans of Shakespeare's ´The Taming of the Shrew´.Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright, actor, and poet. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers in the French language and world literature.Molière wrote comedies, farces, tragicomedies, and comédie-ballets. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed at the Comédie-Française more often than those of any other playwright today.He was born into a prosperous family and studied at the Collège de Clermont which made him well-suited for a life in the theatre. Molière spent thirteen years as an itinerant actor, which helped him polish his comedic abilities. While acting, he began writing, combining Commedia dell'arte elements with the more refined French comedy.

Enwrapped in indescribable mysteriousness, ‘The Figure in the Carpet’ (1896) is a short story by the American-born British writer Henry James. It explores the meaning of art and how it is found in what other people see.Hugh Vereker is a famous author who says the secret to his greatness and skill is hidden in his works ‘like a complex figure in a Persian carpet’. When the narrator of the story meets Vereker, he becomes obsessed with discovering the secret meaning of his favourite author's works.Those who enjoy Henry James' short story will likely find ´Eureka´ by Anthony Quinn interesting as The Figure is an important part of the plot.Henry James (1843-1916) was an American-born, British author, and one of the founders of the school of realism in fiction. His inventive use of interior monologues and unreliable narrators, brought a complexity and depth to his work that made him hugely popular.A prolific writer, he published numerous novels, articles, travel books, biographies and plays. Many of his stories have been adapted for TV and film, such as ‘What Maisie Knew’ (2012) starring Steve Coogan and Julianne Moore.However, it is his celebrated Gothic novella ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (1898), regarded as one of the greatest ghost stories ever written, that has been adapted more than any other. Most recently, the eponymous 2009 BBC TV series starring Michelle Dockery, and the Netflix series, ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020).James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911, 1912, and 1916.

For fans of Bridgerton, this classical gossip novel follows the lives of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley as they deal with relationships with both friends and family.Set during the Napoleonic Wars, 'Vanity Fair' satires British society and how the upper classes worship money and social standing. Thackeray also explores illusion versus reality - are the affluent lives these people live really a normal reality for everyone?Known worldwide and sure to captivate you with its representation of 19th century high society in England, this classic will leave you questioning your own opinions of yourself and how you rank others' opinions of you.William Makepeace Thackeray was a British novelist, author and illustrator, best known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel Vanity Fair which gave a panoramic portrait of British society.Born in British India in 1811, Thackeray was sent to England in 1815. He went to Cambridge University before leaving early to go travelling in Europe. When he turned 21, he got his inheritance from his father who died when he was only four but lost most of it due to gambling and the collapse of two Indian banks.In order to support himself, he turned to art, which he studied in Paris, but did not pursue fully; only using it in later years as the illustrator of some of his own novels and other writings. He died of a stroke in 1863.

Suffrage Songs and Verses, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, is a collection of 25 poems which advocates the suffragette movement and women’s rights. Published in 1911, the poetry anthology includes both famous and lesser-known works such as ‘Women of To-day’, ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ and ‘The Socialist and the Suffragist’, and is a clear inspiration for modern feminist writers and pro-women’s rights campaigners. Now seen as a classic selection of American female poetry and inspirational literature, this forward-thinking anthology examines the role of women in a pre-WW1 patriarchal society – and was one of many works to inspire the 2015 British historical drama film ‘Suffragette’ which starred Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne‑Marie Duff. A selection of Perkins’ work featured in this book were originally published in the book ‘In this our World’ in 1898. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s best known work was her autobiographical-inspired short story ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’, written about her experience of severe postnatal depression, which was made into a 2011 gothic thriller film by Logan Thomas.Charlotte Perkins Gilman, also known as Charlotte Perkins Stetson, was born on 3rd July 1860 in Connecticut, USA. Her early family life was troubled, with her father abandoning his wife and family; a move which strongly influenced her feminist political leanings and advocator of women’s rights. After jobs as a tutor and painter, Perkins – a self-declared humanist and ‘tom boy’ – began to work as a writer of short stories, novels, non-fiction pieces and poetry. Her best-known work is her semi-autobiographical short story, inspired by her post-natal depression, entitled ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ which was published in 1892 and made into a film in 2011. A member of the American National Women's Hall of Fame, Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a strong believer that "the domestic environment oppressed women through the patriarchal beliefs upheld by society". A believer in euthanasia, she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer in January 1932 and chose to take her own life in August 1935, writing in her suicide note that she "chose chloroform over cancer".

While out walking with his fiancé Juliet in Virginia Waters, a young Neville stumbles across the unmarked grave of his childhood friend, Ellen. Juliet demands to know the truth and Neville is forced to reveal a long held secret and face up to his heart-breaking past. ‘The Mourner (1829) is a classic, short story by the English writer Mary Shelley, famous for her best-selling novel ‘Frankenstein’. This tale is a reflection of the grief and guilt experienced by Shelley after her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley drowned at sea.Mary Shelley (1797–1851) was an English author and travel writer best known for her ground-breaking Gothic novel ‘Frankenstein’ (1818). Considered one of the first true works of science-fiction, the book became an instant bestseller.It has been adapted for TV, stage and film on many occasions, with Boris Karloff famously playing Frankenstein’s monster on screen in 1933. Other adaptations include ‘Mary Shelley's Frankenstein’ (1994) starring Kenneth Branagh and Robert De Niro and ‘Viktor Frankenstein’ (2015) starring Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy.Shelley’s other novels include Valperga (1823), The Last Man (1826), Perkin Warbeck (1830), Lodore (1835), Falkner (1837) and the posthumously published Mathilde (1959). However, she will always be remembered as the creator of Frankenstein.The book continues to influence filmmakers, writers and popular culture to this day, inspiring and terrifying new audiences the world over.

Jude Fawley is a simple working-class man who dreams of one day becoming something more. Yet after the failure of his first marriage, a loveless entrapment built upon lies, Jude starts to have feelings for his cousin, Sue Bridehead, and soon sacrifices all that he has to pursue a life together with her.A dark and pessimistic story of how man's unfettered desire may lead to the ruin of everyone around him, ‘Jude the Obscure’ led to a scandalous outcry amongst its Victorian readership. It is the final novel written by Thomas Hardy, and one of his most powerful in its unabashed exploration of class, religion, and sexuality.‘Jude the Obscure’ is a perfect tragedy for readers of Brontë’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ or du Maurier's ‘Rebecca’.Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was an English writer of poetry, novels, and short stories. He belonged to the Victorian realist tradition in English literature and was influenced by the writings of Romanticism.His novels strongly criticise Victorian society for constraining individuals in regard to marriage, education, and religion: shunning happiness in the name of social propriety.Hardy’s works explore themes of love, class, and poverty with a painstaking devotion to realism. His best-known works include ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’, and ‘Jude the Obscure’.

By day a restaurant owner and by night a self-styled ‘Prince of Bohemia’, Margrave Quigg is a man who longs for excitement. One evening, whilst roaming the streets seeking people to help, Quigg encounters a distressed young man called Simmons. Hopelessly in love, Simmons must solve a riddle in order to turn his life around and win the hand of the woman he loves. This is just the sort of quest that Quigg has been waiting for, and before long, his own life is also turned upside-down by the mysterious riddle. A delightful, mysterious short story by the much-loved author William Sidney Porter – also known as O. Henry.William Sidney Porter (1862-1910) was an American writer best-known for his short stories. Born in North Carolina, Porter moved to Texas in his early twenties where he began his literary career contributing to newspapers and magazines such as ‘The Houston Post’. During this period he also began work at a bank where he was accused of embezzlement, lost his job and was arrested a year later. Growing fearful of his upcoming trial, Porter escaped to New Orleans and then Honduras while on bail, where he hid for several months. It was here that he was inspired to write one of his famous short story collections ‘Cabbages and Kings’. In 1897 Porter returned to the US and was sentenced to five years in prison. He continued to write and had several stories published from prison under various pseudonyms, the most famous of which was ‘O. Henry’ – a name by which he is better known. Upon release Porter moved to New York where his most intense period of writing began, authoring hundreds of short stories mostly for the New York World Sunday Magazine. His witty narration and plot twists made his stories a huge hit with readers, a legacy which endures to this day. Some of his most popular short stories include, ‘The Gift of the Magi’, ‘The Cop and the Anthem’ and ‘The Caballero’s Way’. 1952 film ‘O. Henry’s Full House’ featured five of his short stories and starred Marilyn Monroe and Charles Laughton. Annual American literary prize ‘The O. Henry Award’ was established in his honour in 1919.

Upon returning to her humble village life in Dorset after years of schooling, Grace Melbury discovers that her family have new plans for her, as her childhood sweetheart, the woodsman Giles Winterborne, is now considered beneath her.When a new suitor, the charming Doctor Edred Fitzpiers, notices Grace, her father decides the two must marry. Will Grace find a way to choose a future for herself, or will she be doomed to a loveless marriage?A tale of adultery, lies, and betrayal, ‘The Woodlanders’ follows the scandal of Grace Melbury as it consumes the town of Little Hintock. A classic Thomas Hardy affair, readers of ‘Wuthering Heights’ or ‘Jane Eyre’ will fall in love with ‘The Woodlanders’.Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was an English writer of poetry, novels, and short stories. He belonged to the Victorian realist tradition in English literature and was influenced by the writings of Romanticism.His novels strongly criticise Victorian society for constraining individuals in regard to marriage, education, and religion: shunning happiness in the name of social propriety.Hardy’s works explore themes of love, class, and poverty with a painstaking devotion to realism. His best-known works include ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’, and ‘Jude the Obscure’.

‘Pearl-Fishing – First Series’ by Charles Dickens is a collection of short stories which were first published in ‘Household Words’. Featuring titles such as ‘Loaded Dice’, ‘My Wonderful Adventures in Skitzland,’ ‘The Old Churchyard Tree’, ‘Father and Son', and 'The Ghost of the Late Mr. James Barber’ amongst others. These tales were very popular amongst readers of the magazine when they were first published and are still classic reads to be enjoyed by any modern-day fan of Charles Dickens. When you’ve read them all, re-live them all over again or read even more of the author's short stories in ‘Pearl-Fishing – Second Series’.Regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Charles Dickens is best known for creating some of the world’s best known fictional characters who feature in his most popular novels, including The Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist’, Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’, and Miss Havisham in ‘Great Expectations’. Dickens’ timeless novels and short stories are still widely read today and many have been adapted into countless TV programmes and films including the Academy Award-winning musical ‘Oliver’, and 'A Christmas Carol' which well known worldwide and is a huge favourite movie for families to watch together at Christmas time.