Showing results by publisher "Simply Media" in Classics

An English saga centered around one family at their summer house, the goings on of one and all, written elegantly and insightfully with each word and phrase wonderful for the listener.

A parallel story to the life of Paul Gauguin leaving everything for Tahiti and his separation from the rest of the world, with remarkable portraits of those along the way, narrated in an American voice.

This is the remarkable story of a day in the life of one woman, Clarissa Dalloway, the people in her circle, and those touching upon her friends and acquaintances.

A story of an animal burrowing underground to build its own house for protection, survival, and comfort while still focused on enemies that may attack while scooping up smaller critters for his own benefit and survival in an interesting parallel with the remarkable insights of Kafka.

Willa Cather was perhaps most famous for her great novels such as My Antonia and Death Comes to the Archbishop. However, her short stories were enchanting and practical, local and cosmopolitan. Of the great American writers of the early part of the twentieth century she stood alone in her vision. No American writer ever had her breadth of experience and knowledge of people and places, relating to farmers in Nebraska, to barons in New York, and artists in Paris.

The story of a man who does not want to leave his old study for a new house.

The tragic story of two couples, one American and one English, traveling together through Europe for an extended amount of time told by a seemingly unreliable narrator John Dowell.

A novel about Soviet repression in the Russian tradition of Nikolai Gogol in Dead Souls and The Inspector General. Great fun as it explores the repression of that era.

The story centers on an impoverished clerk who is dedicated to his job as a routine copyist but not recognized for his hard work. Younger clerks mock him for his dedication. His threadbare overcoat is mocked as well. He saves up to buy a new one and wears it for one glorious evening, only to have it stolen that night. He dies soon after from his great loss. Thereafter, his ghost is reported to haunt that part of St. Petersburg where the coat was stolen.

"The Lamplighter" is ironic and iconic Dickens. A story within a story about dreams of wealth, with Dickensian wit throughout. A treat for Dickens fans who have not heard this lovely story before. (American accent narration.)

Three of Fitzgerald's early short stories: "Dalyrimple Goes Wrong", "Jemina, the Mountain Girl", and "Tarquin of Cheapside". Each story is fascinating in its own way, with roots that lead to his novels. His writing, even at this early stage in his career, is like champagne. "Dalyrimple" has some of the themes Dreiser later used in An American Tragedy; "Jemina" sounds like what would happen if Mark Twain met southwestern humor; "Tarquin" is unique and better listened to than discussed.

An historic thriller set in France with a son seeking revenge against his father for the death of his mother.

Travel back to the 17th century & experience Germany's brutal 30-year war with someone who lived through it all. Dark, dark humor, bloody, gory, evil, with witches & fantasy episodes.

A unique work of wit, humor, and insight about men, women, and the goings-on of life, including memory and more, from the author of Three Men in a Boat and the sequel, Three Men on a Bummel or Wandering.

Ambrose Bierce brings to life the heart rendering stories of divided loyalties, splitting families, states, countries, and individuals. He writes of the glory in beginning and savagery in the doing. Here is a moving anti-war series of stories if ever there was one. A must read by all students of American History and Literature, though perhaps best understood by older adults.

Kiev suffers from abandonment by the Germans and takeover by the Soviet Bolsheviks. Streamlined for narration and the American ear.

The legendary tale of romance, fishing, fiestas, and bullfighting. The remarkable Lady Brett Ashley bowls over the men, drinks heavily, and bathes continually. Jake Barnes, the Paris correspondent and impotent with a World War 1 injury, longs for Brett but can’t have her.

An early 20th century tale of a young European American immigrant who has a series of adventures in America.

A remarkable history of one man, Zeno, his psychoanalysis, smoking addiction, philandering, love, hate, meanness, business life, family, and more told candidly and not-so-candidly by himself in a unique novel set in Europe in pre-World War I and during World War I.

The story starts with the hotel owner trolling for guests at the train station and finding three: the Swede, the Cowboy, and the Easterner. As with many stories the personalities are known by their titles not their names; the two known by their names are the hotel keeper, Scully, and his son Johnny. The first major event is in a play for fun (no money) card game in which the Swede accuses Johnny of cheating. Johnny skillfully defends himself by saying he won't put up with the accusation, while side stepping the truth of the matter.