Showing results by author "Mentor New York" in All Categories

The story of Richard Mahony, a doctor trained in Edinburgh who comes to Ballarat in the gold rush of the 1850s. At first he runs a shop but later he marries and returns to medical practice. His story is interwoven with that of his wife's brothers and sister. Even after his medical practice becomes successful he is still unhappy living in the colony and decides to return home to Britain. Richard is a restless irritable man whose character is said to be based on the author's own father. This book is the first of the trilogy 'The Fortunes of Richard Mahony', but stands well on its own. The other ...

'The Beast in the Jungle' is a 1903 novella by Henry James, first published as part of the collection, The Better Sort. Almost universally considered one of James' finest short narratives, this story treats appropriately universal themes: loneliness, fate, love and death. The parable of John Marcher and his peculiar destiny has spoken to many readers who have speculated on the worth and meaning of human life.

Originally written in Sanskrit by Somdev Bhatt, the Vetala Panchavimshati or Baitâl Pachchisi, also popularly known as Vikram Betal is a collection of tales and legends from India. Set in the 11th century, the tales intend to impart moral/social lessons. The practices may not be viable anymore to the letter but the basic message may still act as a guide to help live good lives. - Summary by dc

Anna Estcourt, twenty-five and beautiful, is the penniless ward of her distant brother and his exasperating wife. Turning down all offers of marriage, scornful at the thought of leaning on a man for help and comfort, she thinks only of the independence which seems an impossible dream. But out of the blue Uncle Joachim, her mother's brother, leaves her a handsome property in Germany. Her longed for independence is within her grasp, and though it's a rocky beginning with the locals, she loves her new home. Keen to use her new-found wealth for the benefit of others, she embarks on a plan to throw...

Thornton Chase is commonly recognized as the first convert to the Bahá’í Faith of Occidental background. During his life he organized many Bahá’í activities in Chicago and Los Angeles and was considered a prominent Bahá’í. In 1894, Chase met Ibrahim Kheiralla, a Bahá’í from Beirut who had recently come to the United States. Chase and a small group of Chicagoans began to study the Bahá’í Faith with him. By 1895 he had completed the class and become a Bahá’í. In 1907 Chase was able to go on pilgrimage. Though Chase was able to be with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Akka for only ...

This how-to book includes chapters on getting ready, mapping the garden, planting, seeds, early work, house plants, fruits, hot beds and cold frames, and small gardens. There is even a chapter "expressly for women." - Summary by Bill Boerst

Against Celsus, preserved entirely in Greek, is a major apologetics work by the Church Father Origen of Alexandria, written in around 248 AD, countering the writings of Celsus, a pagan philosopher and controversialist who had written a scathing attack on Christianity in his treatise "The True Word". Among a variety of other charges, Celsus had denounced many Christian doctrines as irrational and criticized Christians themselves as uneducated, deluded, unpatriotic, close-minded towards reason, and too accepting of sinners. He had accused Jesus of performing his miracles using black magic rather...

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a self-reflective narrative detailing Franklin’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming a successful statesman, inventor, and influential figure in American history. Divided into four parts, it explores his early life, pursuit of knowledge, and dedication to self-improvement through virtues. He emphasizes industry, frugality, and education while sharing insights on personal growth and civic duty. Franklin’s work also highlights his role in shaping American society, making it an enduring guide to self-discipline and public service. (Summary ...

William Booth, together with his wife Catherine founded a small mission in London which eventually expanded to become a global movement, carrying the Christian gospel message of salvation and holiness under the banner of the Salvation Army. While never losing his sharp focus on personal transformation that saved men and women from the depths of despair, Booth put faith into action by caring for the temporal needs of society wherever the Army gained a foothold. George Scott Railton was the first Commissioner in the Salvation Army and second in command, working closely and intimately with Booth,...

The English Romantic Period in literature featured a towering group of excellent poets: Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley and Keats. If we add in forerunners Burns and Blake, we have perhaps an unmatchable collection of writers for any era. Of these, Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the brightest and best, coupling a giant intellect with a highly emotional and impetuous nature. He was always a champion of liberty, but was largely ignored when he tried to promote political and social reform. He was wise enough, however, to realize that his efforts were ineffective, and he chose instead, not ...

This two volume work is the autobiography of Lord Cochrane, a naval captain of the Napoleonic period. His adventures are seminal to the development of naval fiction as a genre. Marryat sailed with Cochrane, while later writers borrowed incidents from this biography for their fictions. Most notable among these is Patrick O'Brian, three of whose novels have clear parallels to incidents in the life of Cochrane. This first volume covers Cochrane's earlier life, during which he is most active militarily. (Introduction by Timothy Ferguson)

The Benson Murder Case – A Philo Vance Story is the first of a series of twelve popular mysteries set in New York during the Jazz Age. S. S. Van Dine is the nom de plume of prominent art critic, and member of New York’s avant-garde, W. H. Wright. He rapidly became one of the country’s best-selling authors and the series remained immensely popular for decades, as Philo Vance was featured in dozens of movies, plays and radio shows. Van Dine’s novels marked a sharp departure from earlier detective fiction. To begin with, the hero represents the antithesis of the familiar hard-boiled ...

A relatively brief history of the life and conquests of Alexander the Great.

One of James's last great stories, it is not actually a ghost story but has every claim to be considered such with its mysterious spectral essences surviving death and summoning the central character towards - well, what, exactly? That query is of the very essence of the story; and when the Beast finally does pounce out of the hidden Jungle in which it had hitherto so spectrally lurked, you (and he, the central male) might well find yourself startled by its name. - Summary by Tony Addison

The Battle of Marathon is a rhymed, dramatic, narrative-poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Written in 1820, it retells powerfully The Battle of Marathon: during which the Athenian state defeated the much larger invading force during the first Persian invasion of Greece. (Summary from Wikipedia)

As the title indicates, here are three SF stories by Frank Herbert, Missing LInk, originaly purlished in Astounding SF, 1959; Operation Haystack, also published in Astounding SF 1959; and Old Rambling House, published in Galaxy SF 1958. - Summary by Phil chenevert

Italy from 1409 to 1530 is synonymous with the Renaissance, but this was also the age of the condottieri, Italian captains of mercenary companies and multinational armies who fought in the service of city states, monarchs, and the Pope. Some like Ludovico Sforza in Milan seized power and founded dynasties in their own right. The merchant princes of the Medici family reached their apogee in Lorenzo the Magnificent in Florence, but faltered in the Papacy; Leo X proved no match for Martin Luther and Clement VII was powerless to avert the sack of Rome in 1527. Venice lost her overseas empire to ...

They had been captured, but by whom? And why where they allowed to build anything they wanted to escape? The space cruiser was powerful and built to fight anything in the galaxy, but somehow, in the empty rift between galaxies, they had been rendered helpless and brought to this prison. Even stranger was that their captors had not harmed any of them at all, used no weapons and allowed them to use all equipment brought from their ship inside the prison. And did not utter a sound. Stranger and stranger. Where were they, and how could they escape? And where could they go if they did? Follow these...

The Best Man by Grace Livingston Hill is a Christian romance novel that follows Cyril Gordon, a young, upright lawyer who unexpectedly becomes entangled in a thrilling mystery on the day of his best friend’s wedding. When the groom vanishes under suspicious circumstances, Cyril steps in to uncover the truth. In the process, he meets and falls for a beautiful, strong-willed woman who plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama. Through danger, deception, and divine providence, the story highlights faith, integrity, and love. As Cyril navigates unexpected twists, he ultimately finds both ...

Thirteen short stories by the master.