Showing titles in Linguistics

L. Frank Baum called this and The Wizard of Oz his two best books! A magic umbrella transports Trot, Buttonbright, and Cap'n Bill to an island in the sky inhabited by the Blues, the Pinks, and the evil Boolooroo.

One of Canada's most cherished writers, British-born Stephen Leacock was probably best known and loved for his works of light humor. First published in 1912, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town is one of his most popular and enduring pieces of fiction. This collection of short stories describes the people that comprise a typical but fictional small town in Ontario - Mariposa. The book's appeal lies in the universality of the characters Leacock describes so eloquently, they live out their 'large' lives in the little town.

A party of friends exchange ghost stories on Christmas Eve; but everything may not be quite as it seems....

This novella, first published in 1907, is very unusual as far as vampire stories go. It is one of the first psychic vampire stories, where a vampire feeds off more than just blood. A young writer visits an older master to help him hone his craft but ends up succumbing to the powerful influence of the mysterious old man. We soon find that he has left a trail of ruined protégés in his wake. It is a chilling tale with an unusual twist.

Jennie Gerhardt is the tragic story of an innocent, caring, beautiful young girl from an extremely poor family who throughout her life is drawn into affairs with two different men from a much higher social class. How members of her family, the family of one of the wealthy men, and society in general react to her situation is the basis of this classic story.

A squire's mansion is mistaken for an inn. His daughter, pretending to be a barmaid, tries to win the love of the bashful Marlowe. Havoc ensues.

Was that dear little lady Emily Benton guilty of murder, or was the written confession discovered by her tenant actually trumped up? This one will keep you guessing!

A British lady seeks "the cure" among an assorted group of Germans in such tragic-comedic tales as "Germans at Meat", "The Sister of the Baroness", "Frau Fischer", "Frau Brechmacher Attends a Wedding", "The Modern Soul", "At Lehman's", "The Luft Bad", "A Birthday", "The-Child-Who-Was-Tired", "The Advanced Lady", "The Swing of the Pendulum", and "A Blaze".

During a high society party set in New York City in the early 1900s, a beautiful woman is murdered and her precious diamond stolen. A young woman attending the party had just accepted a marriage proposal from a handsome young man. Unfortunately, the young man is the prime suspect in the murder due to circumstantial evidence. From there, the story takes many twists and turns before the identity of the killer is finally revealed.

Sketches New and Old is a compilation of fictional stories written by Mark Twain. Among them is "A Ghost Story". In each story, one can catch a great sense of Twain's humor and creativity. These classic sketches from Twain are no longer than 10 minutes, but all show his quick witted humor in response to the events of the day.

George and Weedon Grossmith were born in London into a theatrical family, and it was natural that they should both take up careers on the stage. Weedon initially studied art but later joined his brother, George, in the theatre.

Brothers Greg and Tom Hunter are shocked at the news that their father Roger had died in an accident while prospecting for ore in the Asteroid Belt, but a too-generous buy-out offer from the powerful but unethical Jupiter Equilateral Corporation suggests it may not have been an accident at all. Roger had hit something big - really big - and Greg and Tom want to find out what. But will they live long enough to solve the mystery out in the lawless Belt with an evil corporation poised to jump their claim?

Pericles, prince of Tyre, sets out to woo a princess and sails headlong into harrowing adventure. Pursued by an evil king, Pericles is blown from port to exotic port. Along the way he finds the love of his life, then loses her and their infant daughter in a storm-tossed sea. Happily, this is a romance - Shakespeare's first - where, in true storybook fashion, miracles reunite the lost with those who love them, bringing joy and safe harbor at last.

New York socialite Kit McNair decides to host an impromptu dinner party at the home of her friend, Jimmy Wilson, to cheer him up following his divorce. What could possibly go wrong?

In The Aspern Papers, a cold and ruthless literary biographer travels to Venice on the trail of personal letters belonging to the deceased American poet Jeffrey Aspern. His journey takes him to a dilapidated, rambling house belonging to an elderly woman named Juliana Bordereau and her lonely niece, Miss Tina. Just how far will he go to get what he wants? Will morality confront his personal ambition and literary curiosity?

Ann Eliza and Evelina Bunner are two unmarried sisters who own a small notions shop in a shabby section of New York City circa 1900. The older sister, Ann Eliza, buys a small clock for her sister's birthday from a tiny shop and meets the owner, a German immigrant named Herman Ramy. Once Mr. Ramy enters their lives, things begin to change in ways that neither sister could have imagined.

Mr. Jonathan Chambers senses that something is very wrong. The walk he takes every night is suddenly, slightly shorter. All around him things are vanishing. Is it because of the recent war or famine in the world? Does the scandalous theory that cost him his job hold the key? Or is it just the slowly unhinging mind of a recluse?

The Chronicles of Clovis, which was published in 1911, was the third of Saki's collections of short stories. The character of Clovis Sangrail is, like Saki's earlier hero, Reginald, vain, sarcastic, and self-regarding and another vehicle for Saki's delicious, biting wit satirizing Edwardian high society in some of the funniest exquisite literary miniatures.

Machen's novella The Great God Pan is often cited as one of Lovecraft's most notable influences. In it, Dr. Raymond's ultimate goal is to devise a way to open the mind of man so that he may experience all the world has to offer. He calls this "seeing the great god Pan". After much study of the human mind, he devises an experiment that involves minor brain surgery. He performs this experiment on a young woman named Mary, but when she awakens she is terrified and mentally crippled.

"Kogda bogi smejutsja" - sbornik rasskazov amerikanskogo pisatelja Dzheka Londona. Opublikovan v 1911 godu. Geroi rasskazov - sil'nye i muzhestvennye ljudi, kotorym v zhizni vypadaet nemalo ispytanij, no nesgibaemaja volja, ostroe zhelanie borot'sja za svoju zhizn' i svoe mesto "pod solncem" ne pokidajut ih. Zdes' net mesta miloserdiju, nereshitel'nost' pochitaetsja za trusost' i vedet k gibeli.