Showing results by publisher "Spoken Realms" in World Literature

Auguste Groner is a woman who wrote short detective novels in the early 20th century in Austria—these stories have been translated well and they fit in with an interesting group of early detectives. These stories capture the beginnings of the stereotypical detective who appears to be too humble and unintelligent to solve complicated mysteries.

Here are the best-loved poems from the final phase of Robert Browning's long and ever-productive career—sharp-eyed and quick-witted, brimming with zest and verve and sparkle, yet equally keen to probe the "bad dreams," the dim-seen, sinister crannies within the human soul.

The two major characters in this crime novel are Doctor Izard, a reclusive and unconventional physician, and Polly Earle, a beautiful young woman who has been raised by her adoptive parents. Polly is engaged to be married and appears to be set for a happy and secure future. However, the unexplained death of her birth mother and the subsequent disappearance of her father, continue to cast a shadow over Polly's life. When a murder occurs on Doctor Izard's estate the characters are drawn into a complex web of mystery from which life-changing secrets emerge.

"The Mermaid's Husband" is a poetic short story by Lord Dunsany, a writer known for his contributions to fantasy literature in the early 20th century. The story revolves around a mermaid and her husband, exploring themes of love, longing, and the complexities of relationships across different worlds. The narrative presents the mermaid as a creature of beauty and the sea, caught between her oceanic home and the world of humans. The husband, who is a human, represents the terrestrial life that clashes with the enchanting but perilous allure of the ocean.

Step into the electrifying world of "The Five White Mice," where chance and fortune collide in the streets of 19th-century New York. This gripping tale follows a group of young men whose lives revolve around the thrill of a dice game steeped in risk and reward. As they toast to their luck with five white mice of chance, the night unfolds into an adventure filled with audacity and reckless abandon.

Written by Hermann Hesse in 1922, Siddhartha is a timeless tale of a man’s quest for self-discovery and enlightenment. The story follows Siddhartha from youth to old age, chronicling his profound journey to understand himself and the world around him.

The dramatic romance was a poetic form particularly favored by Robert Browning. This collection of 25 poems includes many of the poet's most celebrated efforts in this genre. Each of these poems is essentially a monologue or imagined conversation by a character recalling a life-changing event. The particular occurrence may be related to war (Incident of the French Camp), love (The Last Ride Together), murder (Porphyria's Lover), or even a humorous fable (The Pied Piper of Hamelin.)

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552 - 1618) was one of the most prominent political figures in the Elizabethan era. He was also a soldier, explorer, and prolific author. Although, like John Donne, Raleigh did not primarily consider himself a poet, he left a small collection of verse, notable for its pithiness and mordant wit. This collection includes 21 of the most popular poems attributed to Raleigh.

Two junior naval officers, Cosway and Stone, have led too indulgent a lifestyle while awaiting the recall to their ship, whose sailing has been delayed by the severe illness of the captain. When the orders to board finally come, the two friends find they have insufficient money to pay their bills. Their landlady, Mrs Pounce, suggests a surprising way to settle their debt: one of them must marry her.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the poem "Brahma" in 1856, synthesizing the essence of spirituality and Hinduism; exploring the mysteries of life and death. Robert Sheckley in his short story, "If The Red Slayer", a line taken from Emerson's poem takes us to a battlefield of the future where dead men can be brought back to life seen from the eyes of a soldier who has been killed three times and brought back to life three times.

Pope's mastery of the heroic couplet and his perceptive wit are apparent in the many epigrams and epitaphs that he composed. The subjects of these snippets of verse are widely varied, ranging from encomiums to great celebrities like Sir Isaac Newton to witty soupçons, like that attached to the collar of a dog that the poet gave to Prince George (later King George II).

This collection contains 201 lively little poems by the most playful of English Golden Age writers, Robert Herrick.

Alexander Pope was the most influential and most admired writer of his time, famous for satirical and reflective poems such as The Rape of the Lock and the Essay on Man. His lyrical poems are tantalizingly few in number but predictably high in quality, with all the beauty of sound and incisiveness of sense familiar from his other works.

Step into the nostalgic world of a young boy's adventurous spirit with Hunting the Deceitful Turkey. Join him and his cousin Fred as they embark on a day-long pursuit of a cunning wild turkey, armed with nothing but a small single-barreled shotgun and boundless determination. Through the dense forests and changing landscapes, experience the humor, challenges, and unexpected lessons of their journey.

Set against the glamorous backdrop of 1924 New York City, Patricia's marriage is a mirror of the era—fast-paced, boozy and free of restrictions that bound previous generations. But when her husband, Peter, fresh off his own one-night stand, demands a divorce due to her behavior, Patricia is left reeling. Ex-Wife is her story of reinvention—a journey into the wild, uncertain world of the "modern woman," rife with boozy nights, fleeting love affairs and fabulous fashion.

What does it mean to be "just good people?" That is how the two couples—one British and one American—in this story are described. But what happens when you look deeper, peeling back the layers of politeness and civility? It is a tale of love, of disappointment, of miscommunication, and missed opportunities.

Step into a world where the boundaries between reality and enchantment blur, and the whispers of the forest hold ancient secrets. In "The Woman of the Wood," A. Merritt weaves a mesmerizing tale of a war-weary soldier, McKay, who seeks solace in a secluded inn nestled among the Vosges mountains. As he immerses himself in the tranquil embrace of the trees, he discovers that the forest is alive with more than just natural beauty--it harbors a mystical presence that calls out to him.

The Prairie Mother is a powerful tale of love, endurance, and survival set against the raw and untamed frontier. Tabbie, a spirited and determined woman, finds herself at a crossroads as she navigates the joys and burdens of motherhood while grappling with the emotional distance of her ambitious husband, Duncan. When she gives birth to twins—a boy and a girl—her world is forever changed, filled with both profound wonder and the weight of overwhelming responsibility.