Showing results by author "Barry Pain" in All Categories

The diary is that most intimate of journals, of records. Within its pages the writer records and gives expression to their thoughts, their feelings, their emotional state on all the things that make up and surround them in this world. With authors of the calibre of Bulgakov, Woolf, Tolstoy, Twain and many others this volume explores characters whose lives seem dominated by these diaries, and the events that unfold are both compelling and literary journeys into the very personal and intimate side of their characters’ lives.

A gripping collection of over 50 of the greatest short stories written by great British writers. 1."The Missing Years" by Barry Pain, 2. "His Brother's Keeper" by W. W. Jacobs, 3. "A Madman's Manuscript" by Charles Dickens, 4. "The House of Cobwebs" by Barry Pain, 5. "Old Fags" by Stacy Aumonier, 6. "A Long-Ago Affair" by John Galsworthy, 7. "August Heat" by W. F. Harvey, 8. "The Dabblers" by W. F. Harvey, 9. "Rose Rose" by Barry Pain

A glittering collection of classic short stories. 1. "The Hoop" by Fedor Sologub; 2. "Miracles" by Barry Pain; 3. "In a Far-off World" by Olive Schreiner; 4. "The House of Cobwebs" by George Gissing; 5. "A Dream of Wild Bees" by Olive Schreiner; 6. "A Very Black Business" by Ernest Bramah; 7. "The Missing Years" by Barry Pain; 8. "The Pig and Whistle" by George Gissing; 9. "A Soothing Dream" by Fedor Sologub; 10. "Life’s Gifts" by Olive Schreiner...and many more.

A colourful palette of short stories featuring artists and their love of paintings. "Rose Rose" by Barry Pain, "The Cat" by E. F. Benson, "The Model Millionaire" by Oscar Wilde, "A Queer Night in Paris" by Guy de Maupassant, "Portrait of a Lady" by Jerome K. Jerome, "Miss Harriet" by Guy de Maupassant, "The Oval Portrait" by Edgar Allan Poe, "My Adventure at Chislehurst" by A. J. Alan, "The Stalled Ox" by Saki, "The Room in the Tower" by E. F. Benson.

Fifty of the greatest classic horror stories ever written: 1. "The Beast with Five Fingers" by W. F. Harvey 2. "The Well" by W. W. Jacobs 3. "The Nightmare Room" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 4. "The End of a Show" by Barry Pain 5. "Bagnell Terrace" by E. F. Benson 6. "Fingers of a Hand" by H. D. Everett 7. "The Interruption" by W. W. Jacobs 8. "Gavon’s Eve" by E. F. Benson 9. "The Ring of Thoth" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 10. "Moon’s Gibbet" by Egerton Castle 11. "The Mystery of Sasassa Valley" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

A wonderful selection of some of the most bizarre and unsettling stories ever written.

Join the intriguing world of the Problem Club, a notorious gathering in London that meets monthly to tackle unconventional social dilemmas. Each session presents a unique challenge that stretches the imagination and tests the wit of its members. For example, how can one manage to kiss ten young ladies on the cheek in just one hour without causing any offense? Are you up for the challenge? Tune in to witness the lively competition as members devise their clever solutions to these perplexing problems. - Summary by Carolin

Dive into Barry Pains witty parody that cleverly dissects ASM Hutchinsons acclaimed novel If Winter Comes. Join us as we navigate the tumultuous life of Luke Sharper, whose professional and marital woes take center stage. As his relationship with Mabel deteriorates, an unexpected romance with Jona blossoms, leading to a conclusion that promises to be anything but ordinary. Will it all end in heartbreak, or is there a twist in store? (Summary by Nigel Boydell)

Barry Pain was noted for his humorous tales of "Eliza" and her husband, but his tales of the weird and supernatural are equally noteworthy. This volume contains seven of them.

A train seems a very reliable mode to bring out the best in authors and sometimes the worst in their fictional characters. In this volume our narratives are usually set inside the carriage compartment where they are really up close and personal with each other. All our authors need to do is to light the touchpaper and stand well back.

Join us for a delightful journey through the whims and woes of our hilariously pompous protagonist and his ever-patient wife, Eliza. This charming series of brief anecdotes explores their everyday lives, filled with unexpected twists and comical hazards that keep listeners laughing and engaged. (Summary by Nigel Boydell)

Murder is that most heinous of crimes. But some murderers simply can’t get enough of it. Beneath the well-known monsters such as Lecter there lurk those other evil-doers who are the vivid confessions of our classic authors.

In the English language ‘bittersweet’ is that most pivotal of words. The mixture of sadness and happiness that suggest both but often bringing us smartly to earth, smack dab in-between them both, with little of either.

Step into the haunting world of Shadow of the Unseen, a supernatural melodrama unfolding in the enchanting Fens and Marshlands of Cambridgeshire. At the heart of the tale is Linda Pettingill Merle, a young woman celebrating her twenty-first birthday. As she inherits a grand Manor house and its sprawling lands in Merelsfleet, Linda grapples with the fleeting nature of life and her quest for identity. What secrets lie within her new domain? Will it provide the answers she yearns for about her origins and destiny? Join her on this captivating journey steeped in the rich tapestry of witchcraft ...

Dive into a captivating collection of stories by Barry Pain, where the line between reality and the supernatural blurs. While not every tale fits neatly into the realm of ghost stories or horror, many will undoubtedly send shivers down your spine. Each story is a testament to Pains exceptional storytelling, promising an engaging experience for both readers and listeners alike. - Summary by Carolin

In An Exchange of Souls, Barry Pain, known for his horror tales, takes a bold departure from his usual themes. This gripping novel follows the story of Dr. Daniel Myas, a respected scientist who invents a machine capable of exchanging personalities. However, when he attempts this exchange with someone he holds dear, the consequences spiral into a chilling descent into horror. Published in 1911, this work is said to have influenced H.P. Lovecrafts The Thing on the Doorstep, revealing the dark complexities of immortality and identity through a scientific lens. What happens when souls are swapped...

Dive into a whimsical parody of the Margot Asquith memoirs with Marge Askinforit. In this delightful tale, Pains character, Marge, captivates us with her candid and often outrageous anecdotes about her dysfunctional family. With a flair for exaggeration and a knack for the entertainingly awkward, Marge shares the intriguing, if not entirely accurate, details of her thrilling private life. Join us for a rollercoaster ride of laughter and reflection! (Summary by Nigel Boydell)

A pompous and pooterish city clerk with social pretensions relates anecdotes of suburban life in Edwardian England, as he and his patient and long-suffering wife, Eliza, deal with various crises and contretemps—including the vexed question of visiting cards; a malfunctioning music player; the mistreatment of the narrator’s hat; a mushroom (or toadstool) in the front garden; and the ongoing struggle to balance the household accounts …

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge, on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children. It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It’s an apt comparison. Pain was also a master of disturbing prose but able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness as many of these short stories demonstrate.

Loss in any form seems to burden us with more weight than anything that can possibly be gained or learnt from. The loss of a person, a loved one, is often overwhelming. Lives so interwoven that the severing or loss of one life leaves the other weakened, unable to function for some time. Recovery comes in a myriad of forms but is usually debilitating, slow and, in the end, we are not as whole as we once were.It is a subject that authors return to again and again.