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Все книги издательства IngramThe Wind in the Willows - The Original Classic Edition
Continues to stand the test of time…When I was very young (about six thousand years ago), our school master used to read to us from Wind in the Willows. The stories had a magical quality and, as a somewhat older person, I got to wondering whether they would still have that sense of enchantment that held us so captivated all those years ago. <p> I was NOT disappointed. Toad was just as cantankerous and difficult as ever. Badger, Rat and Mole were just as supportive – just as memorable. Badger is unpredictable but protective (and sometimes mean). Mole is timid and shy. Rat is courageous and romantic. And who could ever forget those dreadful gun-toting weasels, ferrets and stoats glorying in their take-over of Toad Hall? Wind in the Willows is a true masterpiece of allegory with endless moral lessons disguised as a childrens story. It is also a lesson in things long-forgotten… the glory of floating noiselessly down a river at dawn, past loosestrife, willowherb, bulrushes and meadowsweet. How many of us have even heard of these meadow plants, never mind seen them. But it doesnt matter, because it evokes nostalgia either for things long-forgotten or for things never-known. <p> At a childs level, Wind in the Willows is about friendship and about life in an imagined world centered around the river. At a less innocent level, Wind in the Willows draws many parallels with life, though Kenneth Grahame managed to avoid preaching his lessons. Not the least of Grahams parables is that the bigger they are, the harder they fall because Toad is as egotistical and as self-important as they come until being thrown in jail for borrowing a car. After that, its all downhill for Toad, and it is only thanks to the loyalty of his friends that he regains some of his position in society – though not before learning a little humility first. <p> Though, at an older age, we pretend to be more sophisticated, at heart we always hold out the hope of a return to innocence and simple adventures. We are still (most of us) perfectly capable of identifying with the animals and the idea, as one reviewer put it, of two school-aged hedgehogs frying ham for a mole and a water rat, in a badgers kitchen does my imagination no harm whatsoever! <p> If youre looking for laser guns and hi-tech wars, W-i-t-W is NOT the book to buy. If youre after something a little more gentle (and a little more intelligent) Wind in the Willows is an outstanding example of a Classic that continues to withstand the test of time.
Poems Published in 1820 - The Original Classic Edition
The miniscule and sickly John Keats may not have been long for this world but he is an immortal of English language poetry. The accesibility of Keatss great poems is the reason he continues to be read while those who dismissed him in his own day have been swept into the ashcan of literary history. <p> Whats great about this book is that its complete, allowing the Keats enthusiast to travel through all of Keatss romantic attempts, ranging from great to mediocre to poetic fumbles… The Keats novice can start with the major poems and odes and marvel how one so young created such a vast quantity of work.
The Gods of Mars - The Original Classic Edition
This classic tale of high adventure from Edgar Rice Burroughs made him into one of the best pulp fantasy writers of the time. His writing introduced many concepts, techniques and plotting which are still used to this day. <p> This of course is the story of John Carters return to Mars in search of the incomparable Dejah Thoris and hopefully save her again from a fate worse than death. John Carter who is the greatest swordsman on two planets lands in the wrong place. He ends up in Mars Heaven, so to speak, which is far from that he soon learns. And the adventure begins. <p> He is reunited with his friend the mighty Jeddak of Thark, the great green, four armed warrior and of course a plethora of bad guys and good guys. The action never stops and the sword play is never ending. Strange creatures abound and of course our hero overcomes all odds. <p> This is wonderful, action packed fantasy at its best. And does John Carter, greatest swordsman of two planets find and save the love of his life? Well, no spoilers here, so you have to read it for yourself.
The Pickwick Papers - The Original Classic Edition
Charles Dickens wrote The Pickwick Papers in his early 20s, but the writing is first rate and as witty as any seasoned author could have done in his place! Like many of Dickenss works, Pickwick was published in monthly installments, or numbers as they were called then. Although Dickens originally intended to end the story at the twentieth number, the popularity of the series (and the resultant income) convinced Dickens to double the length to forty numbers. The end result is a large offering thatll take you a while to get through. <p> Despite its length, Pickwick never tries your patience. Its delightfully humorous from beginning to end. Samuel Pickwick is the bumbling, middle-aged, wealthy namesake of this novel. Hes the leader of a small group of single men that gets into all sorts of mischief, both physical and social. Booze is rampant. Apparently liquor back then was much more a part of daily life than today; everywhere these guys go they party and get drunk. They get into trouble with the law, women, unsavory characters, and more. <p> Characterization is superb. This is one of the few novels youll read for which you can actually say that you got to know the characters. In most books the characters remain two-dimensional and the plot is what carries the story. In Pickwick, the *characters* are the essence of the story and the novel wouldnt be memorable at all if a lesser author were attempting to breathe life into these people. <p> Highly recommended, particularly if you enjoy classic literature! Dickenss later works overshadow this gem due to their maturity, but Pickwick beats them all in enthusiasm, humor, and wit.
The Happy Prince and Other Tales - The Original Classic Edition
Nine lovely, tragic tales, the nine magically airy yarns in this collection are definitely enchanting stories. <p> The Happy Prince and The Selfish Giant are perhaps the most famous of the nine. In the first story, the golden statue of a prince weeps for all the suffering people he sees and begs a swallow to strip him of his riches and distribute them to the masses. In the second tale, a giant builds a wall around his beautiful garden to keep out the noisy children, only to find out that he has also locked out the Spring. <p> The Young King is a variation on the theme of A Happy Prince. When a young monarch learns of the suffering and misery caused by his requirement for a robe, a crown, and a sceptre, he refuses to handle any of these riches and is given a more fitting raiment by a Divine Power. Keeping with the royal theme is The Star-Child, about a beautiful but horrible young boy whose physical appearance grows to match his ugly spirit. Another little bird appears in The Nightingale and the Rose, to help a young man win the heart of the woman he loves. <p> The stories themes include beauty, tragedy, agony, compassion, innocence, and (Platonic) love. Some characters give their lives, or sell their souls, in the name of love. There are also the same archetypes that appear in dreams: the Divine Child, the Trickster, the Wise Old Man or Woman, the Number 3, and more. Add all this to Wildes delicate writing and gilded imagination, and you get some of the most original tales ever written. <p> Though most of these stories end happily, all end tragically. That is to say, even when the endings are happy, someone always dies. Each story manages to associate everything thrilling and exquisite about beauty with the starkness of death. Accordingly, not all of these tales are suitable for children. For example, one scene in The Fisherman and His Soul features witches dancing before the devil and the princess in The Birthday of the Infanta is a heartless child whose mockery leads to the death of a little dwarf. <p> The keening, poignant loveliness shines through, making you want to read each story again and again and again.
White Fang - The Original Classic Edition
This is really good literature on a fascinating time in Western history. <p> This is the story of White Fang – 3/4 wolf and 1/4 dog. It tells of White Fangs parentage, his birth, his early days in the wild, his meeting with men and learning to live with them, of his meeting with white men and learning to live with them. Along the way, he learns some terribly hard lessons, and also learns some great joys as well. <p> Once you sit down and read this book, you will clearly see why it is considered a classic! The story is very well-written, filled with action and adventure, and presents a strangely compelling world – the world of the Arctic Circle at the beginning of the 20th century. Now, this is no happy-happy book written for the more sensitive reader. Indeed, the story is filled with violence and conflict and death, much as the Yukon was back then. <p> You will really find this book to be compelling reading, one that you can not put down. Indeed, one of the most interesting facts is how much this story is the mirror opposite of The Call of the Wild, in which a dog moves from the company of men to living in the wild. Anyway, if you want to read some really good literature on a fascinating time in Western history, then get this book. You wont be disappointed!
Forbidden Fruit - The Original Classic Edition
An Edwardian Style Treatment Of An Erotic Education. <p> This book is a treatment, in the Victorian/Edwardian style, of a young mans erotic education at the hands of the several female relatives and staff who live where he does. <p> His aunt begins the process, followed by both of the available domestic staff, who are initially encumbered by their virginal state. A wide range of activities is included in the curriculm, including the birch. His mother then takes a particularly close interest, having developed an earlier taste for such family affairs along with her brother and sister. <p> Our hero also becomes involved with a local woman and her daughters, ensuring that he is well supplied with willing partners. It is a promising overall scenario, well developed in a classic Victorian erotic novel. <p> It contains graphic sexual descriptions and themes.
The Arabian Nights - The Original Classic Edition
The Arabian Nights is a great collection of exotic fantasy stories. There are some magical elements to the stories that make it seem like youre in another place completely while reading it. You will like that. Youll enjoy stories where you can feel like you are getting away or exploring a new place. Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves is a favorite story in the book, right next to how cool it is to see the original Aladdin story too. <p> The tales in The Arabian Nights have been told for centuries. Countless generations have had their imaginations sparked by magic lamps, flying carpets, having wishes granted, and the pursuit of gold and treasure. All this time later many still enjoy reading these adventurous stories. Its an escape to a world of magic. <p> The Arabian Nights is full of exciting stories told through a frame story of an Arabian woman telling tales to save her life. The stories include the adventures of Sinbad, Aladdin, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. <p> It is fun to read these stories, especially the story of Aladdin without the Disney twist on it. Very interesting reading.