Death in Venice and Other Tales

Death in Venice and Other Tales

Thomas Mann

Classics / Fiction / Philosophy

Featuring his world-famous masterpiece, "Death in Venice," this new collection of Nobel laureate Thomas Mann's stories and novellas reveals his artistic evolution. In this new, widely acclaimed translation that restores the controversial passages that were cut out of the original English version, "Death in Venice" tells about a ruinous quest for love and beauty amid degenerating splendor. Gustav von Aschenbach, a successful but lonely author, travels to the Queen of the Adriatic in search of an elusive spiritual fulfillment that turns into his erotic doom. Spellbound by a beautiful Polish boy, he finds himself fettered to this hypnotic city of sun-drenched sensuality and eerie physical decay. Also included in this volume are eleven other stories by Mann: "Tonio Kroger," "Gladius Dei," "The Blood of the Walsungs," "The Will for Happiness," "Little Herr Friedmann," "Tobias Mindernickel," "Little Lizzy," "Tristan," "The Starvelings," "The Wunderkind," and "Harsh Hour." All of the stories collected here display Mann's inimitable use of irony, his subtle characterizations, and superb, complex plots.
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The Darkest Summer

The Darkest Summer

Unknown

Classics / Poetry / Fiction

One hot summer, Dee disappeared. Now she's back...but she's not the girl you knew. Sera and Dee were the best of friends.Until the day that Dee and her brother Leo vanished from Sera's life, during a long hot summer fifteen years ago.Now Sera is an adult, with her own child, five-year-old Katie, and has returned to her childhood home after her husband's death.While she grieves, the past haunts Sera at every turn ... and then Dee and Leo return to their small Hampshire village, along with Dee's young daughter.But Dee is silent and haunted by her demons; no longer the fun-loving girl that Sera loved. And when Sera uncovers the shocking secret that Dee is hiding, it's clear that the girl she knew is long gone – and that the adult she has grown into might put all of them in danger...A gripping, twisty and unputdownable thriller – perfect reading for long summer days. Fans of K.L Slater, Liane Moriarty and Rachel...
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The Treasure Trail

The Treasure Trail

Marah Ellis Ryan

Westerns / Classics

Combining thrills of Mexican-American border life, German-Mexican plots, the adventures of a cowpuncher-miner and the happy termination of his quest for love and wealth, this tale holds the reader's attention from beginning to end.
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The Valley of Silent Men

The Valley of Silent Men

James Oliver Curwood

Animals / Fiction / Classics

This adventure-packed romp is chock-full of the classic elements that made James Oliver Curwood one of the world\'s most popular writers in the early twentieth century. The protagonist, Sergeant Kent, is a Canadian Mountie known for his world-class trapping skills. Torn between loyalty to a friend and love for famous beauty Marette, Kent is forced into action. Come along for the ride and imagine frontier life on the range in The Valley of Silent Men.
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The Mystery of the Hidden Room

The Mystery of the Hidden Room

Marion Harvey

Mystery / Classics / Fiction

Carlton Davies is convinced the beautiful Ruth Darwin isn’t guilty of murder, so he hires the clever detective Graydon McKelvie to prove her innocent. But it’s a tangled web of deceit and double-dealing that involves a kidnapping, missing funds, and a hidden room that is the key to family secrets. A classic mystery/detective story in the Sherlock Holmes tradition, ripe with twists and turns and surprises that will keep the reader riveted and enthralled. “The deductive work done by Graydon McKelvie is at times extremely clever.” -SS Van Dine, “The Great Detective Stories” CONTENTS I. The Note II. The Shot III. The Police IV. The Inquest V. The Secretary VI. Corroborative Evidence VII. The Lawyer VIII. Lee Darwin IX. The Verdict X. Jenkins\' Advice XI. Arthur Trenton XII. An Explanation XIII. The Suicide XIV. Graydon McKelvie XV. The Interview XVI. The Exhibits XVII. The Lamp XVIII. The Secret Entrance XIX. The Lawyer Again XX. Deductions XXI. The Steward XXII. Orton\'s Alibi XXIII. Gramercy Park XXIV. The Signet Ring XXV. The Deception XXVI. James Gilmore XXVII. The Strong Box XXVIII. Gold and Blue XXIX. The Reward XXX. The Curio Shop XXXI. The Rescue XXXII. Lee\'s Story XXXIII. The Second Bullet XXXIV. The Woman in the Case XXXV. A Strange Account XXXVI. The Trap XXXVII. McKelvie\'s Triumph XXXVIII. The Motive XXXIX. Conclusion
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The Boy Spies of Philadelphia

The Boy Spies of Philadelphia

Joanna H. Mathews

Fiction / Childrens / Classics

On the morning of April 2, 1778, three boys, the eldest of whom was not more than sixteen years of age and the youngest hardly a year his junior, were standing on that side of the town-house nearest the pillory, in the city of Philadelphia.They were not engaged in sportive conversation, nor occupied with schemes for pleasure, as is usually the case with boys of such age; but wore a graver look than seemed suitable to youth under ordinary circumstances.These boys were witnessing and taking part in events decidedly startling—events well calculated to impress themselves upon the minds even of children.It is hardly necessary, because such fact is familiar to all Americans, to say that on the 26th of September, 1777, General Howe took possession of the city of Philadelphia, and it was yet occupied by the British forces on this 2d day of April, 1778.The past winter had been one of gayety for the wealthy Tory inhabitants of the city, since the English officers were pleased to spend their time in every form of revelry, and ever ready to accept the more than generous hospitality which was extended by such of the citizens as were desirous of remaining under British rule.The officers of the army indulged to the utmost their love for luxury and ease while serving in the command of the indolent Howe, and the privates had so far followed the example set by their superiors that the king\'s troops had become more demoralized by this winter of idleness than could have been possible under almost any other circumstances.So great was this demoralization that Benjamin Franklin was able to say with truth, when taunted with the fact that the enemy had captured the city:"General Howe has not taken Philadelphia; Philadelphia has taken General Howe."It was at about the time of which this story treats that the British government decided to give command of the forces under General Howe to Sir Henry Clinton, and those of the population loyal to the cause of freedom were considerably exercised in mind as to how this change of officers might effect them.
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Richard III (Modern Library Classics)

Richard III (Modern Library Classics)

William Shakespeare

Theatre / Classics / Poetry

The dramatic concluding months of The Wars of the Roses provide the setting for Shakespeare’s incomparable saga of power and intrigue. Under the editorial supervision of Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen, two of today’s most accomplished Shakespearean scholars, this Modern Library series incorporates definitive texts and authoritative notes from *William Shakespeare: Complete Works.* Each play includes an Introduction as well as an overview of Shakespeare’s theatrical career; commentary on past and current productions based on interviews with leading directors, actors, and designers; scene-by-scene analysis; key facts about the work; a chronology of Shakespeare’s life and times; and black-and-white illustrations. Ideal for students, theater professionals, and general readers, these modern and accessible editions set a new standard in Shakespearean literature for the twenty-first century. Praise for *William Shakespeare: Complete Works* “A remarkable edition, one that makes Shakespeare’s extraordinary accomplishment more vivid than ever.” –James Shapiro, professor, Columbia University, bestselling author of *A Year in the Life of Shakespeare: 1599* “Two eminent Shakespeareans . . . have applied modern editing techniques and recent scholarship to correct and update the First Folio. . . . Superb.” *–The New York Times* “A feast of literary and historical information.” *–The Wall Street Journal* “I look forward to using it over many years, enjoying Bate’s perceptive comments, trusting Rasmussen’s textual scholarship.” –Peter Holland, president of the Shakespeare Association of America and editor of *Shakespeare Survey* **
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The Legend of The “Grau Kiefer” Inn

The Legend of The “Grau Kiefer” Inn

Karlis Kadegis

Crime / Mystery / Classics

Seven blistered corpses are found in a derelict hogweed field. Seventy-four years prior, a family of seven suddenly vanished and left their establishment - the "Grau Kiefer" inn - in the hands of fate. Are these cases related? Or the killer just wants everyone to believe they are? Those are the questions the detectives are asking.Seven people, two adults and five children, found dead in a hogweed field. A video of the grueling crime scene is leaked online and becomes a viral sensation, thus putting even more pressure on the police to find the killer. As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that this is not the only shady business local residents are involved in. On top of that, a question that looms over everyone's head is: Why did the killer try to relate these murders to the disappearances of the owners of the "Grau Kiefer" inn and their five children seventy-four years ago?Rebecca tries to indulge Albert by discussing the case with him. Yet the former assassin questions his motivation for helping her and the police in general.
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Solomons Orbit

Solomon's Orbit

William Carroll

Classics / Mythology / Arthurian

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
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The Rose of Old St. Louis

The Rose of Old St. Louis

Mary Dillon

Classics / Fiction

"A thoroughly joyous romance....A vivid story whose combination of truth and charm will win for it great popularity." -Montgomery Advertiser "It is a genuine love story....Full of incident....The author has done her work in a delightful fashion, blending the historical and the romantic so deftly that each helps the other to the working out of a complete and satisfying impression." -The Examiner "A love story, strong, thrilling, and fine; and the dainty Pelagie, with the hero whose name she whispers, will be found sufficient to the interest of any reader with a heart for wooings and winnings." -New York World "Centers about a young gentleman of Philadelphia and a French maiden of surpassing loveliness. Many historical personalities appear, and the details are given with accuracy....The love story goes on amid the intricacies of French and Indian intrigue, and concludes in a glow of happiness for all." -The Christian Advocate "In the novel \'The Rose of Old St. Louis,\' frequent mention is made of the hospitality that prevailed in these homes. Feasts and dances are described, and from these the rude pioneer inhabitant was rigidly excluded. Men and women, attired in Parisian style, participated. Many of the guests were military officers. The only living thing now extant connecting the present era and the past, of the chivalrous times, are the lilies on the Sweet Springs grounds." -Centennial History of Missouri "The characters are people who were famous at the time of the Louisiana purchase." -Cambridge Public Library Bulletin "Mary Dillon\'s book is a romance of the time of the Louisiana Purchase, that event in the history of our country the importance of which we are just beginning to appreciate. A young American soldier and a daughter of the old French family are the hero and heroine of the love story, and this is made to exhibit incidentally made interesting characters - Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, Black Hawk and the heads of those families whose names are still preserved in the streets of St. Louis, and at the other side of the water Napoleon, Talleyrand, Marbois and Le Moyne. There could be no better piece of history for the purpose of such a story, and Mrs. Dillon has proved her skill equal to her materials." -The Literary News "With sufficient knowledge and access to trustworthy authorities the author has woven into the story veritable history. The reader of this book will...easily and with pleasure absorb the history of the great event which doubled the territory of the United States and changed the whole course of its progress....From beginning to end the story is fresh and clean as a May morning, and may be safely put in the hands of the young with the double purpose of furnishing them with amusement and instruction." -The Unitarian Register
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