Wordsworth

Moonfleet

John Meade Falkner, 2009

When fifteen-year-old orphan John Trenchard is banished by his Aunt Jane, he goes to live at the local inn with the mysterious Elzevir Block, whose son has been killed by Customs Officers. Unofficially adopted by Block, John comes to learn the reasons for the noises in the graveyard at night, of 'Blackbeard' Mohune's lost treasure and Elzevir Block's secret. This dashing tale of eighteenth-century Dorset smugglers will be enjoyed by all who love stories of derring-do written in the tradition of «Treasure Island». Подробнее

The Casebook of Sexton Blake

D.S. Davies, 2009

Welcome to the breathtaking adventures of Sexton Blake! For the greater part of the 20th century, the countless escapades of super sleuth Sexton Blake kept millions of readers on the edge of their seats. Together with his faithful sidekick, the youthful Tinker, and his intelligent bloodhound, Pedro, he stood firm against an onslaught of crime and villainy, defeating his enemies with his extraordinary powers of deduction, iron fists and unyielding determination. This thrilling collection presents seven exploits from his ‘golden age’: «The Slave Market» In the dangerous depths of Africa, Blake races to the rescue of an old school friend! «A Football Mystery» Blake and Tinker join the England team to beat the cheating opposition! «The Man From Scotland Yard» Blake has his first encounter with the greatest super-villain he would ever meet! «The Law of the Sea» Blake goes down with the ship in his own version of the sinking of the Titanic! «The Brotherhood of the Yellow Beetle» Blake grapples with oriental cunning in the form of Prince Wu Ling! «A Case of Arson» A master crook is at work but Blake is on his trail! «The Black Eagle» A wronged man is out for vengeance. Can Blake stop him before it's too late? Sexton Blake, consulting detective! Подробнее

Uncle Silas

Sheridan Le Fanu, 2009

I thought I saw a human face, about the most terrible my fancy could have called up, looking fixedly into the room. The face gazed towards the bed, and in the imperfect light looked like a livid mask, with chalky eyes’. Master of the ghost story genre M.R. James commented that the, ‘final terrific murder-scene and escape can hardly be forgotten’ by those who have read «Uncle Silas». Neither does the opening disappoint. As the November winds wail in ivied chimneys we are drawn into a Victorian Gothic atmosphere of menacing, sombre gloom and ebony shadows. Sheridan Le Fanu leaves us in no doubt that we are in for a feast of exciting drama, luring us into the intensely claustrophobic world of the nineteenth century sensational novel. Le Fanu is amongst the top-notch exponents of the creepy, the criminal and the oppressive. In this tale of the orphaned teenage heiress Maud Ruthyn, fearing for her life at the hands of her sinister uncle, he has created a rattling good plot with the depth of a social novel and the power of high romance. Подробнее

The Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allen Poe, 2009

Edgar Allan Poe received scant recognition for his efforts, until the publication of «The Raven» in 1845. The poem's popularity gave him a new visibility in literary circles. This title presents a collection of his tales and poems. Подробнее

Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales

Brothers Grimm, 2009

The Brothers Grimm rediscovered a host of fairy tales. Together with their well-known tales of «Rapunzel», «The Goose Girl», «Sleeping Beauty», «Hansel and Gretel» there are darker tales which deserve to be better known. This is a collection of their tales. Подробнее

The Castle

Franz Kafka, 2009

Kafka’s final novel was written during 1922, when the tuberculosis that was to kill him was already at an advanced stage. Fragmentary and unfinished, it perhaps never could have been finished; perhaps the tensions between K., the Castle and the village, K.’s struggle for acceptance or recognition by the mysterious Castle authorities or by the people of the village, never will and never can be resolved. Like much of Kafka’s work, The Castle is enigmatic and polyvalent. Is it an allegory of the sprawling Austro-Hungarian Empire as it disintegrates into modern nation states, or a quasi-feudal system giving way to a new freedom for the subject? Is it the search by a central European Jew for acceptance and integration into a dominant culture? Is it a spiritual quest for grace or salvation, or an individual’s struggle between his sense of independence and his need for approval? Is K. is an opportunist, a victim, or an outsider battling against an elusive authority? Is the Castle a benign source of authority or a whimsical system of control? Like K., the reader is presented with conflicting perspectives that rehearse the existential dilemmas and uncertainties of literary modernity. Подробнее

Epigrams of Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde, 2007

'There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about', said Oscar Wilde more than a hundred years ago. But this remark seems perhaps even more relevant to our present world where so many seek publicity at any cost. Wilde's well-turned phrases and spontaneous insults still cause much amusement and admiration. Most of us miss the opportunities for bon mots, finding them long after the moments have passed, but Wilde seems never to have been short of suitable words — flattering, witty and on occasions savagely cruel. Many of the quotes in this book are taken from Wilde's plays, novels and essays which were also packed with witticisms amounting to an outrageous philosophy. Wilde's extravagance and unconventional behaviour earned him loyal friends but also bitter enemies and in 1895 after a series of unfortunate events and court cases he was gaoled for two years with hard labour for indecent behaviour. Though from prison came a few last brilliant works, Wilde was never to recover his health or standing in society. He died in Paris bankrupt, broken and alone. He is buried at Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise — one of Paris' finest cemeteries — where today many pilgrims from all parts of the world come to pay their respects and leave tokens in recognition of his genius. Подробнее

What Katy Did at School and What Katy Did Next

Susan Coolidge, 1994

»What Katy Did at School and What Katy Did Next» continue the story of the high-spirited and rebellious American girl, Katy Carr, and her family, who first appeared in «What Katy Did». «What Katy Did at Schoo»l is a compelling tale of the intrigues of life at the New England girls’ boarding school which Katy attends. Her trials and adventures are all interwoven with a sense of fun and gently ironic good humour. «What Katy Did Next» describes a tour by Katy of Europe as she evolves from the child of earlier books into a spirited young woman, and brings to a satisfying close this delightful trilogy. Подробнее

The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Other Stories

Leo Tolstoy, 2004

Count Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) is best known for «War and Peace» and «Anna Karenina», commonly regarded as amongst the greatest novels ever written. He also, however, wrote many masterly short stories, and this volume contains four of the longest and best in distinguished translations that have stood the test of time. In the early story 'Family Happiness', Tolstoy explores courtship and marriage from the point of view of a young wife. In 'The Kreutzer Sonata' he gives us a terrifying study of marital breakdown, in 'The Devil' a powerful depiction of the power of sexual temptation, and, in perhaps the finest of all, 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich', he portrays the long agony of a man gradually coming to terms with his own mortality. Подробнее

Irish Ghost Stories With a word of warning to those of nervous a disposition, Wordsworth presents this spellbinding collection of chilling Celtic tales of the macabre, all drawn from the rich and varied literary tradition of a culture long enchanted by things supernatural, 'a land where ghosts and ghost-seers are so common'. Featuring the imaginative writing of such towering masters of the genre as Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Patrick Kennedy, Thomas Crofton Croker and George Moore, this volume of ghoulish masterpieces from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is an encapsulation of the arcane lore, magical landscape and fantastic creativity of the Irish. Don't attempt to read these horrifying tales alone in an empty house. Your blood will run cold as the unreal becomes real and the impossible all too possible. Indelible images will possess your imagination and haunt your dreams. Make sure all the lights are on and the doors are bolted. Подробнее

Thesaurus Do you know the difference between «stubborn» and «obstinate», between «cackle» and «chortle»? Learners of English often find it difficult to know which word to use. Or you may have used a particular word several times already in an essay or email, and so you want to use a different expression. This dictionary adopts a fresh approach by going beyond the mere listing of words as in an ordinary thesaurus. Differences between similar words are highlighted to show the various shades of meaning so that you will never be at a loss for the right word on the right occasion. Подробнее

The Selected Works of D: H. Lawrence

D.H. Lawrence, 2006

This selection of Lawrence's work underlines the intensity and innovation that made him one of the most distinctive and important of twentieth-century writers. «Sons and Lovers» — semi-autobiographical, is a powerful exploration of family, class, sexuality and the suffocating relationships of a man with a demanding mother and two very different lovers. «Women in Love» — perhaps Lawrence's most mature novel, was met with disgust by the critics, seeing only a sorry tale of sexual depravity in the love of the sisters, Ursula and Gudrun, for Rupert and Gerald. «Lady Chatterley's Lover» — Lawrence's novel, written in poetic and sexually explicit language, deals with the passionate relationship between Lady Constance Chatterley and Oliver Mellors, her emotionally and physically crippled husband's forthright and powerfully masculine gamekeeper. A watershed in twentieth-century literary fiction, its sensational content has earned the novel an enduring readership and notoriety. Other stories featured in this volume include «The Captain's Dol»l, «The Fox», «The Ladybird», «St Mawr», «The Princess», «The Virgin and the Gypsy» and «The Escaped Cock». Подробнее

Terror by Night: Classic Ghost and Horror Stories

Ambrose Bierce, 2006

'Nothing is so improbable as what is true' Of all the writers of ghost and horror stories, Ambrose Bierce is perhaps the most colourful. He was a dark, cynical and pessimistic soul who had a grim vision of fate and the unfairness of life, which he channelled into his fiction. And in his death, or rather his disappearance, he created a mystery as strange and unresolved as any that he penned himself. But more of that later. Ambrose Gwinett Bierce was born in a log cabin on 21st June 1842, in Horse Creek, Meigs County, Ohio, USA. He was the tenth of thirteen children, ten of whom survived infancy. His father, an unsuccessful farmer with an unseemly love of literature, had given all the Bierce children names beginning with 'A'. There was Abigail, the eldest; then Amelia, Ann, Addison, Aurelius etc. So oddness was a part of Bierce's life from the beginning. Poverty and religion of the extreme variety were the two chief influences on young Ambrose's childhood. He not only hated this period of his life, he also developed a deep hatred for his family and this is reflected in some of his stories which depict families preying on and murdering one another. For example the unforgettable opening sentence of «An Imperfect Conflagration» seems to sum up his bitter attitude: 'Early in 1872 I murdered my father — an act that made a deep impression on me at the time'. Подробнее

Aylmer Vance: Ghost-Seer The Aylmer Vance stories date from the Edwardian period, and there are echoes in them of the Sherlock Holmes adventures which had proved so popular in the preceding decade. The friendship between Aylmer Vance and Dexter is not unlike that between Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and the two investigators approach the world of the supernatural in the same fearless and enquiring spirit in which Conan Doyle's heroes approach the world of crime. The parallel is not exact: Dexter, with his clairvoyant powers, is a more useful (and intelligent) ally than Watson, and Vance for the most part does not 'solve' mysteries the way Holmes does. What we get instead is a loosely-connected series of stories in which surprise is the major element, a world where not all ghosts are bad, where it is not always clear whether they are ghosts, and where being dead may for some be better than being alive. Подробнее

The Bell in the Fog and Other Stories

Gertrude Atherton, 2006

Gertrude Atherton was born in San Francisco in 1857, and died in 1948. She eloped at the age of nineteen, took up writing against her husband's wishes, and after his death became a protegee of Ambrose Bierce, whose influence can be seen here in those stories, «The Dead and the Countess», «Death and the Woman» and «The Striding Place», which have an overtly supernatural element.»The Striding Place» was rejected by one editor as 'far too gruesome', but was in Atherton's view 'the best short story I ever wrote'. Elsewhere, «The Greatest Good of the Greatest Number», «The Tragedy of a Snob», and «A Monarch of a Small Survey» the psychological takes precedence over the supernatural. And in «The Bell in the Fog» (reminiscent of «The Turn of the Screw», and dedicated to Henry James) the supernatural and psychological combine to brilliant effect: an angelic child bears a striking resemblance to an old portrait. Is she a reincarnation of her ancestor? And will she turn out as unangelic in adulthood as that distant ancestor turned out before her? Подробнее

A Night on the Moor and Other Tales of Dread

Robert Murray Gilchrist, 2008

Robert Murray Gilchrist (1868-1917) is perhaps best known for his interest in topography, and for his stories set in Derbyshire's Peak District. But he was also a master of mystery and horror, as this richly varied collection shows. If you are looking for a conventional horror story, in which the supernatural element is paramount, try «The Crimson Weaver», «Dame Inowslad», «Witch In-Grain», or «A Night on the Moor». If you are more taken with the psychology of the participants, often allied to a fascination with the killing of friends or lovers, then «Francis Shackerley», «The Noble Courtesan», «Althea Swathmore», and «My Friend» will be right up your street. For humour we are offered the Peakland comedy of «The Panicle» or «A Witch in the Peak». And when it comes to love, there are the tragic and poignant tales we might expect («The Return», «The Lost Mistress. The Madness of Betty Hooton»), but also the engaging and unusual «Bubble Magic» — a story of romantic betrayal which hints at a happy ending. Подробнее

Dictionary of Homonyms

David Rothwell, 2007

Many of us don’t know what a homonym is, yet we use them every day. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Homonyms, the first of its type published in Britain, will bring enlightenment. Do you get confused between ‘to’, ‘too’ and ‘two’? Do you need to know the five definitions of ‘fluke’? If so, then this is the book for you. A boon for crossword addicts, a treasure trove for punsters and an endless source of fascination for anyone interested in the English language. Подробнее

To The Devil A Daughter

Dennis Wheatley, 2007

Why did the solitary girl leave her rented house on the French Riviera only for short walks at night? Why was she so frightened? Why did animals shrink away from her? The girl herself didn’t know, and was certainly not aware of the terrible appointment which had been made for her long ago and was now drawing close. Molly Fountain, the tough-minded Englishwoman living next door, was determined to find the answer. She sent for a wartime secret service colleague to come and help. What they discovered was horrifying beyond anything they could have imagined. Dennis Wheatley returned in this book to his black magic theme which he had made so much his own with his famous best seller «The Devil Rides Out». In the cumulative shock of its revelations, the use of arcane knowledge, the mounting suspense and acceleration to a fearful climax, he out-does even that earlier achievement. This is, by any standards, a terrific story. Подробнее

The Haunting of Toby Jugg

Dennis Wheatley, 2007

Night after night, out there in the moonlight, Something was trying to get in at the bedroom window. A huge malevolent Something. Something not of this world. Inside, Toby Jugg, a wounded Battle of Britain pilot, thought first that he was hallucinating, then that he must be going mad, finally that this evil Something was real and striving to reach him. So begins what is probably Dennis Wheatley's most terrifying story of the supernatural. The struggle which ensues brought Toby unexpected help but also ungues treachery as it moves inexorably towards an appalling confrontation and seemingly inevitable catastrophe. No wonder Dennis Wheatley was called «The Prince of Thriller Writers». Подробнее

The Temple of Death and Other Stories 'The great oaken gate heaved and splintered, and a monstrous beast as huge as a horse appeared at the mouth of the den; his small head was laid back on his hairy shoulders, his little eyes gleamed wickedly, and his red mouth opened snarling fiercely'. Undeservedly, the weird and chilling ghost stories of Arthur Christopher Benson and Robert Hugh Benson have been neglected for far too long. This volume attempts to rectify that situation. This dark banquet of tales take us to strange, unworldly and often archaic environments, far removed from the manic pace and pressures of the twenty-first century, but as exercises in the art of luring the reader into a state of unease, they are as potent as they were when the ink was barely dry on the page. Подробнее

Wordsworth

Книги

Художественная литература

Фантастика

Детектив

Детская литература

Юмор. Комиксы.

Кулинария

Эротика и секс (18+)

Семья