Публицистика: прочее
Различные книги в жанре Публицистика: прочееSelected Short Stories
Honore de Balzac is widely considered as one of the most influential writers in the history of French literature. His multi-volume collection of interlinked novels and short stories entitled «The Human Comedy» is his magnum opus. It is an examination of the human experience depicting French society in the period of the Restoration and the July Monarchy. Thirteen of the short stories of Balzac's masterpiece makeup this collection. They include the following tales: «El Verdugo», «Domestic Peace», «Study of a Woman», "Another Study of Woman, «An Episode Under the Terror», «The Conscript», «The Red Inn», «The Purse», «La Grande Bretêche», «A Seaside Tragedy», «The Atheist's Mass», «Facino Cane», and «Pierre Grassou».
The Complete Tales of Henry James (Volume 4 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 fourth volume of «The Complete Tales of Henry James» are the stories published between 1876 and 1882, at the beginning of James' rise to popularity: «Crawford's Consistency,» «The Ghostly Rental,» «Four Meetings,» «Rose-Agathe,» the popular «Daisy Miller: A Study,» «Longstaff's Marriage,» «An International Episode,» «The Pension Beaurepas,» «The Diary of a Man of Fifty,» «A Bundle of Letters,» and «The Point of View.»
The Sherlock Holmes Mysteries
There is no greater detective in fictitious London than Sherlock Holmes. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1880's, the nimble-minded detective was known for his logical reasoning and early forensic science skills to solve England's most gruesome crimes. Along with his trusted sidekick Dr. John H. Watson, Holmes proves his ability as a gumshoe and a master of disguise. Stories like «The Adventure of the Speckled Band» require inventive and creative measures for Doyle's intelligent detective to solve a murder. The crime took place in a locked room with no way in or out, and it is only when Holmes locks himself in the room that he able to solve the mystery and reveal the true killer. In another story, Holmes is outsmarted by a woman in «A Scandal in Bohemia,» though he looks upon the case with fond memories because he was dazzled by the woman and her wit and charms. The stories do not all focus on mere intelligence, though. Holmes faces a great deal of action, fighting, and gun play in his line of work. He was also one of the first fictitious characters to use forensic evidence to help solve crimes. Most of the forensic sciences had not been developed at the time of Doyle's writing; thus, Sherlock Holmes' stories actually helped create and shape forensics. This collection, «The Sherlock Holmes Mysteries», is a wonderful addition to any book collection, and it is an exciting read for audiences of all ages.
Father Brown: Essential Tales
Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer who lived at the turn of the 20th century. His works explored a number of subjects such as philosophy, poetry, journalism, lectures, criticism, and theatrical plays. However, his best-known stories feature the character of an English priest and detective named Father Brown. While the character was based on a real priest who was involved in Chesterton's own conversion of faith, the adventures and mysteries that Father Brown solves are purely fictional. Included in the collection «Father Brown: Essential Tales» are «The Blue Cross,» «The Invisible Man,» «The Strange Crime of John Boulnois,» and twelve other thrilling stories. What is interesting about Father Brown is that he does not rely on deductive reasoning like other famous detectives, namely Sherlock Holmes. Instead, Father Brown relies on intuition. He puts himself into the mind of the perpetrator and figures out the criminal's steps along the way. Part of what makes him a great detective is that Father Brown is never shocked by the atrocities that he sees. As a priest, he says that he has already heard about all the awful things people do and think; nothing surprises him anymore. He also refuses to believe in any supernatural explanations and instead focuses on a case's reasonable explanation. Anyone wanting a fun and entertaining read with a great character to lead the way should add «Father Brown: Essential Tales» to their reading list.
The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Stories (The Best Short Stories of Bret Harte)
Bret Harte (1836-1902) was born in New York but moved to California at a young age, following the death of his father and his mother's remarriage. He is best known for his short stories of the West, but he spent many years as a typesetter, school teacher, editor, and journalist, working for such well known publications as the «Overland Monthly» in San Francisco and «The Atlantic Monthly». As a child he was an avid reader, and took a strong liking to Charles Dickens. Many of Harte's stories and characters later served as models for thousands of Western novels and films. This collection contains the most popular stories of Bret Harte, such as «The Luck of Roaring Camp,» «The Outcasts of Poker Flat,» «M'liss,» and «An Ingénue of the Sierras.» The title story of this book was almost not published because it contained a prostitute character and some profanity, however Harte was adamant in its publication, and as a result, he played a significant part in further realism in American literature.
His Last Bow
"His Last Bow" is a collection of eight detective stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous literary creation, Sherlock Holmes. Contained within this collection are the following tales: The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, The Adventure of the Red Circle, The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans, The Adventure of the Dying Detective, The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax, The Adventure of the Devil's Foot, and His Last Bow.
The Selected Stories of O. Henry
O. Henry, the pen name of William Sydney Porter, is known for short stories with surprise endings. In this collection you will find the following beloved O. Henry stories: «The Plutonian Fire», «The Princess and the Puma», «By Courier», «The Gift of the Magi», «The Love-Philtre of Ikey Schoenstein», «Mammon and the Archer», «The Memento», «Springtime À La Carte», «The Last Leaf», «The Skylight Room», «The Caliph, Cupid and the Clock», «The Count And The Wedding Guest», «The Romance of a Busy Broker», «The Higher Pragmatism», «While the Auto Waits», «The Social Triangle», «After Twenty Years», «The Green Door», «A Lickpenny Lover», «Lost on Dress Parade», «Transients in Arcadia», «Brickdust Row», «The Furnished Room», «Schools And Schools», «The Defeat of the City», «Madame Bo-Peep, of the Ranches», «From Each According to his Ability», «The Cabellero's Way», «Hygeia at the Solito», «The Higher Abdication», «A Double-Dyed Deceiver», «Friends in San Rosario», «The Hiding of Black Bill», «Jeff Peters as a Personal Magnet», «The Man Higher Up», «The Handbook of Hymen», «Telemachus, Friend», «The Lonesome Road», «A Retrieved Reformation», «The Renaissance at Charleroi», «The Thing's the Play», «Tobin's Palm», «A Newspaper Story», «Proof of the Pudding», and «Confessions Of A Humorist».
Rain and Other South Sea Stories
While most of W. Somerset Maugham's novels achieved high commercial sales and critical acclaim at the turn of the 20th century, Maugham was also an accomplished short story writer. His stories compiled in «Rain and Other South Sea Stories» describe the beauty and feelings of the South Pacific at a time of British colonization. The most popular short story, «Rain», describes the futile attempts of an English missionary to convert a certain prostitute on the Pacific isles. The prostitute's immorality bothers the missionary, but Maugham refused to «punish» his more depraved characters. He was less concerned about satisfying the principles of his time period and more interested in allowing his characters to live their lives free of judgment. Maugham's prose style in the stories varies; as he was writing during the conversion to modernism, Maugham tried his hand at both the typical prose style and the more avant-garde style. «Rain» falls under the first category, while the stories «Honolulu» and «Mackintosh» are more experimental in nature. Regardless, Maugham's works are a welcome addition to the early 20th century literature canon because of their inclusive nature, strong female characters, and well-rounded plot arcs. The tales combined within «Rain and Other South Sea Stories» tell more than their own stories, but they also tell the story of the changing world views of the time.
Ethan Frome and Selected Stories
Edith Wharton was born in 1862 into an aristocratic New York family. Educated by the best governesses and tutors, Wharton profited from an exceptional education. She began her writing career with short stories before moving to novels. Collected in «Ethan Frome and Selected Stories,» are the best of both. In her 1911 novel «Ethan Frome» a young engineer on assignment in a small New England town becomes fascinated by the deformed and troubled local Ethan Frome. This fascination leads him on a quest to unravel Frome's unique history while discovering a great deal about the society around him. In the short story «Afterward,» a dirty business transaction comes back to haunt one family in this dynamic ghost story. The humorous short story «Xingu» follows a group of posh pseudo-intellectuals who host literary luncheons when one day one of their favorite authors pays a visit. Also included are «The Pretext» and «The Legend.» Edith Wharton may be most recognized for her novels but it is in her short stories that her panache, spirit, and intellect come shining through with unavoidable delight.
Lilacs and Other Stories
Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was an American writer of novels and short stories. She is now considered to have been a forerunner of the feminist literature of the 20th century. Throughout her career, Chopin gained inspiration from a trip to the South in Louisiana and much of her fiction was set there. She valued its vague, less structured and more sensual atmosphere. Although she was pigeonholed as a regional writer, she wanted badly to reach a national audience. She tried to consign with her collection of Creole stories and finally succeeded with «Lilacs and Other Stories». «Lilacs» is the tale of a worldly Parisian actress, Adrienne Farival, who inspired every spring by the scent of the first lilac blossom, visits the convent where she spent her youth to find one day, she is banished forever. This collection includes 23 other distinctive tales of Southern Life including «Beyond the Bayou,» a story of a middle-aged black woman named La Folle who lives on an abandoned field next to the bayou from which she has never ventured to the lands beyond her home.