Публицистика: прочее
Различные книги в жанре Публицистика: прочееThe Conjure Woman and Other Conjure Tales
Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932) was an author, essayist and political activist whose works addressed the complex issues of racial and social identity at the turn of the century. Chesnutt's early works explored political issues somewhat indirectly, with the intention of changing the attitudes of Caucasians slowly and carefully. His characters deal with difficult issues of miscegenation, illegitimacy, racial identity and social place. The stories in «The Conjure Woman and Other Conjure Tales» were Chesnutt's first great literary success. This collection of thirteen short stories is told by a former slave named Uncle Julius to a white couple who have recently moved to the South. Uncle Julius's tales feature supernatural elements such as haunting, transfiguration, and conjuring that were typical of southern folk tales. In this collection, «Po' Sandy» recounts how a woman changed her lover into a tree to try and protect him. Another story, «Sis' Becky's Pickaninny,» tells the tragic story of a slave woman who is parted from her baby when the plantation owner sells her for a race horse.
The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories
O. Henry, the pen name of William Sydney Porter, is one of the most famous short story writers of all times whose stories are known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings. O. Henry is so acknowledged as a great short story writer that his pen name is associated with a prestigious American award given to short stories of exceptional merit. Included in this collection of «The Gift of the Magi and Other Short Stories» is the title story which describes the struggles of a poor young married couple as they strive to secretly buy each other Christmas gifts. Also included in this collection are the following stories: «The Cop and the Anthem», «Springtime À La Carte», «The Green Door», «After Twenty Years», «The Furnished Room», «The Pimienta Pancakes», «The Last Leaf», «The Voice of The City», «While The Auto Waits», «A Retrieved Reformation», «A Municipal Report», «A Newspaper Story», «The Ransom of Red Chief», «A Ghost of a Chance», and «Makes the Whole World Kin».
The Queen of Spades, The Captain's Daughter and Other Stories
By the time Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837) was twenty years old, he was already being recognized in the Russian literary scene as a great talent. He was born in Moscow and educated at home and at the Lyceum, studying Latin and eighteenth century French literature. Often seen as the founder of modern Russian literature and the first important Russian Poet, Pushkin's early works spoke largely to social reform which resulted in his exile to southern Russia until 1826; however, he continued to write unabated for his entire life. His poems and plays incorporated elements of drama, romance and satire that would from then on be associated with Russian literature, and his short stories are deemed by some to be the perfect Romantic tales. This collection of short stories begins with his finest prose story, «The Queen of Spades,» and includes «The Captain's Daughter,» «The Lady Rustic,» «The Pistol-Shot,» «The Snow-Storm,» «The Undertaker,» «The Station-Master,» and «The Moor of Peter the Great.»
Civil War Stories
Popular American writer Ambrose Bierce comes alive in the magnificent collection of short stories, «Civil War Stories.» Having been no stranger to the battlefield, Bierce draws upon his experience as a soldier and the stories he heard during the American Civil War in this collection. However, his tales do not happily reminisce about the good times; instead, Bierce's dry wit and love of the macabre guide his stories to much darker places. «Civil War Stories,» includes the tale «Chickamauga», the story of a young boy who fell asleep in the woods after playing alone. When he wakes, he sees a group of soldiers marching back from a battle. In jest, the young boy begins marching with them, and even participates in burning a house to the ground. In Bierce's most famous and chronicled story «An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.» Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate sympathizer, is tricked by the Union soldiers and is hanged in front of his wife and children. Somehow, though he manages to escape his noose and is able to run far away from the frenzied scene. Regardless of which of the sixteen stories included in this collection that you read, you will be amazed at Bierce's ability to spin a short, suspenseful tale about one of the most tumultuous times in American history.
The Complete Shorter Fiction of Wilkie Collins
William Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) is best known as the innovator of the English detective novel, whose sensational novels, plays, and short stories were hugely popular in the Victorian Era. Aside from his highly successful novels, Collins' short stories were eagerly awaited as they appeared in serial form in many English and American periodicals, including those of his close friend, Charles Dickens. Today, readers enjoy Collins' intricate and suspenseful plots, and his penetrating social commentary on the plight of women and domestic issues of the time. Unfortunately Collins suffered from rheumatic gout, for which he took the opiate laudanum, and which eventually led to paranoid delusions and the deterioration of his health. This edition contains Collins' entire collection of short fiction, including: «A Terribly Strange Bed,» the dark and suspenseful tale of a young man in a precarious hotel room, «The Frozen Deep,» and «The Dream Woman,» to name a few.
Selected Stories
Because of his frank and honest portrayal of human sexuality in the controversial works for which he is best known, e.g. «Lady Chatterley’s Lover» and «Women in Love», D. H. Lawrence was not widely respected in his day. In fact at the time of his death he was considered little more than a pornographer. However E. M. Forester challenged this portrayal calling Lawrence «The greatest imaginative novelist of our generation», and with his extended reflection upon the dehumanizing effects of modernity and industrialization, Lawrence has ultimately secured his position as one of the greatest writers in the English language. This great literary talent is exhibited by the short stories collected within this volume which includes the complete contents of the individual short story volumes «The Prussian Officer and Other Stories» and «England, My England» as well as four additional stories.
The Canterville Ghost and Other Stories
Britain's most popular nineteenth century playwright Oscar Wilde was born in Ireland in 1854. He dabbled in several different forms of writing, as is exemplified in his best known work, the novel entitled «The Picture of Dorian Gray.» He also wrote in the form of short fiction stories, like «The Canterville Ghost.» In this tale, a family of proud Americans come into possession of a historic English mansion. However, the mansion is haunted by murderous ghost who despises the Americans. Yet the more the ghost tries to scare them away, the less they are afraid. Instead, they turn to cleaning products and other methods to get rid of the mess that the ghost continually makes over time. While being highly entertaining and comical, the story is also a social commentary on both Americans and the British. The Americans act boorish and unnerved by the ghost and instead view him as a pest which is trying to disrupt their idyllic country life. The ghost, however, wants to preserve his legacy as the terrifying ghost, but is instead batted down by the uninterested Americans. This story, combined with four other short tales as well as six poems, create the enjoyable collection of «The Canterville Ghost and Other Stories.»
The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Gogol, an early 19th century Ukrainian-born Russian novelist, humorist, and dramatist, created some of the most important works of world literature and is considered the father of modern Russian realism. Gogol satirized the corrupt bureaucracy of the Russian Empire through the scrupulous and scathing realism of his writing, which would ultimately lead to his exile. Among some of his finest works are his short stories. Together in this collection are collected some of the best of these stories, they include the following: Old Fashioned Farmers, How the Two Ivans Quarrelled, The Nose, The Overcoat (The Cloak), St. John's Eve, The Night of Christmas Eve, The Mantle, The Diary of a Madman, The Viy, The Mysterious Portrait, The Fair of Sorotchinetz, An Evening in May, Mid-Summer Evening, and The Carriage (The Calash).
The Complete Tales of Henry James (Volume 12 of 12)
Henry James (1843-1916) was an America-born English writer whose novels, short stories and letters established the foundation of the modernist movement in twentieth century fiction and poetry. His career, one of the most significant and influential in English literature, spanned over five decades and resulted in a body of work that has had a profound impact on generations of writers. Born in New York, but educated in France, Germany, England and Switzerland, James often explored the cultural discord between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (United States) in his writings. Included in this twelfth volume of «The Complete Tales of Henry James» are the following stories: «The Papers,» «Fordham Castle,» «Julia Bride,» «The Jolly Corner,» «The Velvet Glove,» «Mora Montravers,» «Crapy Cornella,» «The Bench of Desolation,» and «A Round of Visits.»
A Modest Proposal and Other Satires
From the master of satire, Jonathan Swift, comes a collection of his classic satirical works. «A Modest Proposal and Other Satires» includes the following works: A Tale of a Tub, The Battle of the Books, An Argument Against the Abolishment of Christianity, A Modest Proposal, A True and Faithful Narrative, A Meditation Upon a Broomstick, Predictions for the Year 1708, and The Accomplishment of the First Year of Mr. Bickerstaff’s Predictions.