New translations of the greatest stories by the Russian master of the form
Chekhov was without doubt one of the greatest observers of human nature in all its untidy complexity. His short stories, written throughout his life and newly translated for this essential collection, are exquisite masterpieces in miniature.
Here are tales offering a glimpse of beauty, the memory of a mistaken kiss, daydreams of adultery, a lifetime of marital neglect, the frailty of life, the inevitability of death, and the hilarious pomposity of ordinary men and women. They range from the lighthearted comic tales of his early years to some of the most achingly profound stories ever composed.
Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) was born in Taganrog, Russia, the son of a grocer. While training as a doctor he supported his parents and siblings with his freelance writing, working as a journalist and composing hundreds of short comic pieces under a pen name for local magazines. In his twenties he began to write major works of drama, including The Seagull, Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard, but he continued to write extraordinary short stories up until his death from tuberculosis at the age of 44. Views: 523
Three months. Three guys. One amazing summer.
Summer Smith is in for the best summer of her life. Between the cold weather and her boyfriendless existence in Minnesota, Summer is ready for sun, sand, and boys in the Florida Keys. And by the end of the first day, she has more than enough to keep her busy: Adam, the senator's son, has looks, power, and all the money in the world. Diver, the mystery man, is mellow, intriguing, and definitely unique. And Seth, the perfect guy...only he has a girlfriend. But with new friends, cute guys, and miles of hot white sand, Summer's in for more trouble than she thinks.... Views: 523
Gabriel Vincent was just a simple hardworking craftsman who lived by two little rules; never leave a job unfinished and always do your best work. But after being mauled by some mysterious monster he finds his fate forever changed. Now a man that is part machine and perhaps a little bit of a monster himself he has a job left to finish. And he won't quit until the task is done.There is no greater love than a pilot's for her star-ship. During the decades long journey woman and machine had become inextricable entwined. Vigdis survived the crash but the AI did not.Now every day Vigdis sees the mile long corpse of her lover dominating the horizon. Then a second starship arrives, with the computer brain an exact copy of her own ship. The only way she can ever reach the ship is by seducing his pilot. But Vigdis has a husband now, and children.A story about second chances and the price of taking them.This free ebook is sample from the ebook collection LOVECRAFT, MY LOVE. Views: 523
When Steve Duncan is asked to go on an archeological search on a remote Caribbean island, he never imagines the stallion he will find there. But the giant horse is unapproachable, showing nothing but fear and fury towards people. When the stallion gets caught in quicksand, can Steve get close enough to save the wild horse?
From the Trade Paperback edition. Views: 523
The Prince of Ravens has known nothing but privilege and power - until the day an attempt is made on his life. Now he must flee across the Empire he once helped to rule, searching for answers and running from those who would have him silenced forever. He, the Seventh Child and prophesied Lord of Death, has been Exiled, and the Empire will stop at nothing to keep him from his destiny.The Prince of Ravens has vanished. Word spreads quickly from the Fortress of the Empress, through the dark streets of Lucien, and to the far corners of the Empire of Ages. The Children are summoned to the Fortress, and the people talk in muffled whispers, if they dare to talk at all, of secret plots and ancient prophecies. Some say the Prince was murdered, others that he was kidnapped; but underneath it all runs a darker word, one full of terrifying possibility:Exile.Rumor begets rumor, and soon the whisper of truth is lost in the swirling winds of growing fear. For the Prince of Ravens is the prophesied Lord of Death, and on his shoulders rests the fate of the Empire. Views: 522
Alex discovers something in the woods next to his home, and no one will believe him. This is a case of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ taken to the extreme. Join him and three of his school friends as they quest to uncover the mystery at Lobo Cliff.Fourth grader Alex Davidson was used to being in trouble. If it wasn’t at home it was at school, but a chance discovery in the woods next to his home made his usual troubles seem like nothing. He saw something, and no one will believe him. This is a case of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ taken to the extreme. At the same time his best friend is dying of a mysterious disease and the only cure can be found… in the woods, in the dead of night. Employing the help of a couple of school mates, he struggles to come to grips with his discovery and hopes his family, his friends, his town and his best friend - can survive the mystery at Lobo Cliff. Views: 522
A centuries-old book is found in Florence in this novel with "a sympathetic heroine, a suspenseful plot . . . and illuminating meditations on life, art, and love" (Chicago Tribune). Margot Harrington, an American volunteer in Florence, is an expert at book conservancy. While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library after the devastating Arno flood of 1966, she comes across a fabulous volume of sixteen erotic drawings by Giulio Romano, accompanying sixteen steamy sonnets by Pietro Aretino. When it was first published over four centuries ago, the Vatican ordered all copies destroyed. This single—now unique—volume has survived. The abbess needs to save the order's finances—so she prevails upon Margot to find a buyer for the magnificently illustrated erotica. But of course, she must accomplish this discreetly—meaning without the bishop's knowledge. But this is not Margot's only clandestine project.... Views: 522
'No one ever sees me write. One of the triumphs of fiction is that it is created in the dark. It leaves my house in a plain wrapper, with no bloodstains. Unlike me, my stories are whole and indestructible.' In The Collected Stories, Paul Theroux's canvas stretches from London to South-East Asia, from Boston to Paris, from Africa to Eastern Europe and from Moscow to the tropics in this vibrant collection. Full of suspense and the unexpected, these stories by the acclaimed author of The Old Patagonian Express and Dark Star Safari delve into the worlds of a vast spectrum of characters and display throughout a flair that shows Theroux to be a master of the form. Praise for Paul Theroux: 'A shimmering, kaleidoscopic and very entertaining collection' Sunday Telegraph 'You close the book feeling you have read a single big narrative rather than a series of short ones . . . As a short-story... Views: 522
Enjoy the first adventure of The Toler Kid, Book 1 of a short story revolving around the story of Johnny Fortune, an eight year old boy and his friend Marie Christine, and his dog Houdini as they seek a lost golden treasure mask. A fun, educational, family friendly story.Enjoy the first adventure of The Toler Kid, Book 1 of a short story revolving around the story of Johnny Fortune, an eight year old boy and his friend Marie Christine, and his dog Houdini as they seek a lost golden treasure mask. A fun, educational, family friendly story.This book and the following stories are written for educational purposes and are completely free for your enjoyment. Views: 522
Kipling may be best known as a commentator on the British Empire, but he was also a vivid observer and chronicler of the sea - and of ships and all who sailed in them. For him the sea was the glue which bound the British Empire together. To reach distant lands, you needed to sail. So Kipling wrote copiously about his own voyages - to India, across the Pacific and Atlantic, down to South Africa and Australia - and about the voyages of others. Sailors were particular heroes of his, as adventurers who braved every kind of element and danger in order to reach distant lands. In writing about them, he was enthralled by the romance of the sea, touching on everything from pirates to technical changes in ships. Views: 522
With House Of Glass comes the final chapter of Pramoedya's epic quartet, set in the Dutch East Indies at the turn of the century. A novel of heroism, passion, and betrayal, it provides a spectacular conclusion to a series hailed as one of the great works of modern literature. At the start of House of Glass, Minke, writer and leader of the dissident movement, is now imprisoned - and the narrative has switched to Pangemanann, a former policeman, who has the task of spying and reporting on those who continue the struggle for independence. But the hunter is becoming the hunted. Pangemanann is a victim of his own conscience and has come to admire his adversaries. He must decide whether the law is to safeguard the rights of the people or to control the people. He fears the loss of his position, his family, and his self-respect. At last Pangemanann sees that his true opponents are not Minke and his followers, but rather the dynamism and energy of a society awakened. Views: 522
From the author of the wizard of Oz, the adventures of the little girl Dot and the little boy Tot as they travel in the land of Merryland - a fairyland made up of Seven Valleys inhabited by clowns, candy people, hapless babies, dolls, cats, wind-up toys and the Valley of Lost Things where all that is lost outside of Merryland ends up. Join the young Dot and Tot as they continue their magical voyage through the enchanting valleys with a troubling question hangs over their heads - Can the Queen allow Dot and Tot to leave her enchanted realm and risk the outside world discovering her secret land? Views: 522
