Publisher: Krill Press
Frank Norris was a 19th century American writer known for producing stories about the Wild West, and despite his death at a young age, some of his Westerns are still popular today.
Witchbroom is a visionary history of a Caribbean Spanish/French Creole family and an island over four centuries – to 20th-century independence. With an innovative tone and content, its carnival tales of crime and passion are told by the narrator Lavren, who is both male and female. First published in 1992, Witchbroom is a Caribbean classic. The following year it became a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime, broadcast over eight nights and read by the author. It was shortlisted for a Commonwealth Writers' Prize Best First Book. A pioneering work, it heralded a new generation of modernist Caribbean writers who, like Scott, broke away from a predominantly realist literary tradition; Witchbroom identifies more with magic realism. A richly entertaining and many layered read, its hermaphrodite narrator brings a contemporary flavour to the novel. The title Witchbroom refers to a fungus that attacks cocoa trees, and is also used as a metaphor for the decline of the island's plantocracy.Show book
A novel of Paris in the 1930s from the eyes of the Vietnamese cook employed by Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas, by the author of The Sweetest Fruits.Viewing his famous mesdames and their entourage from the kitchen of their rue de Fleurus home, Binh observes their domestic entanglements while seeking his own place in the world. In a mesmerizing tale of yearning and betrayal, Monique Truong explores Paris from the salons of its artists to the dark nightlife of its outsiders and exiles. She takes us back to Binh's youthful servitude in Saigon under colonial rule, to his life as a galley hand at sea, to his brief, fateful encounters in Paris with Paul Robeson and the young Ho Chi Minh.Winner of the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award A Best Book of the Year: New York Times, Village Voice, Seattle Times, Miami Herald, San Jose Mercury News, and others“An irresistible, scrupulously engineered confection that weaves together history, art, and human nature…a veritable feast.”—Los Angeles Times “A debut novel of pungent sensuousness and intricate, inspired imagination…a marvelous tale.”—Elle“Addictive…Deliciously written…Both eloquent and original.”—Entertainment Weekly“A mesmerizing narrative voice, an insider's view of a fabled literary household and the slow revelation of heartbreaking secrets contribute to the visceral impact of this first novel.”—Publishers Weekly, starred reviewShow book
An enlightening timeless story for people of all ages and all times. In this story of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege to seek spiritual fulfillment. Hesse synthesizes disparate philosophies--Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism--into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man's search for meaning. Herman Hesse's classic novel has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers.Show book
Can she unlock the mysteries of the past? A country at war It’s the summer of 1919 and Ellen O’Brien has her whole life ahead of her. Young, in love and leaving home for her first job, the future seems full of shining possibility. But war is brewing and before long, Ellen and everyone around her are swept up by it. As Ireland is torn apart by the turmoil, Ellen finds herself facing the ultimate test of love and loyalty. A long-buried secret A hundred years later and Clare Farrell has inherited a dilapidated old farmhouse in County Meath. Seizing the chance to escape her unhappy marriage she strikes out on her own for the first time, hoping the old building might also provide clues to her family’s shadowy history. As she sets out to put the place – and herself – back to rights, she stumbles across a long-forgotten hiding place, with a clue to a secret that has lain buried for decades. For fans of Kate Morton and Gill Paul comes an unforgettable novel about two women fighting for independence.Readers LOVE The Forgotten Secret! ‘WOW! I can’t begin to find the right words to describe just how much I adored this… Had me hooked from the first few pages… Unputdownable.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘A story you really live, wonderfully told… Absolutely compelling.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘A compelling and gripping story that will hook you from the very first page… I highly recommend it.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I cannot say how much I loved this book! It was wonderful… I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Just so delightful… Such a wonderful book and easily the best book I’ve read so far this year.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘I am totally lost for words… I can’t praise this book enough and will be telling family and friends to read this ROLLER COASTER EXTRAVAGANZA OF A BOOK.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars Kathleen McGurl's The Forgotten Secret is a top-tier fiction novel that beautifully captures the essence of romance in a rural town. The small town sagas and holiday traditions that are woven into the narrative make the story even more engaging. For fans of Amanda Geard (The Moon Gate), Lucinda Riley (The Shadow Sister), Tracy Rees (The Little Christmas House), Dinah Jefferies (The Missing Sister), and Louise Douglas (The House by the Sea).Show book
Ryūnosuke Niihara was born in Kyōbashi, Tokyo in Japan on the 1st March 1892. Sadly, his mother suffered severe mental illness after his birth and so, at only eight months old, he was sent to be raised by his maternal uncle and aunt, from whom he received the Akutagawa family name. He was fascinated by classical Chinese literature from his early years and began writing after entering what was then the Tokyo Imperial University in 1913 to study English Literature. The following year Akutagawa and his friends revived the literary journal ‘New Currents of Thought’ which published their own works and translations of such icons as W B Yeats and Anatole France. Akutagawa published "Rashōmon" in 1915 and whilst it was disliked by his friends everyone else knew better. As other short stories followed so did his growing literary reputation as the father of the Japanese short story. Much of his work reinterpreted former classical works and incidents and this, melded with his strong dislike of naturalism, produced a writer of rare and genuine quality. His character palette featured strong and domineering women, mainly based on his mother and the aunt who helped raise him. In 1921, he spent four months in China as a reporter. Whilst there his health was compromised by several illnesses and both his physical and mental health spiralled downwards. He began to suffer from hallucinations and dreaded that he might have inherited his mother’s mental disorders. Although he survived one suicide attempt Ryūnosuke Akutagawa died on the 24th July 1927 in Tokyo from an overdose of Veronal, a barbiturate. He was 35. 1 - Ryunosuke Akutagawa - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction 2 - In A Grove by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 3 - Rashomon by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 4 - The Cold by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 5 - The Mine Cart by Ryunosuke Akutagawa 6 - The Socialist by Ryunosuke AkutagawaShow book
The Antiquary is a novel by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1816, and is part of his Waverley series. The story unfolds in the fictional coastal town of Fairport, Scotland, and centers around Jonathan Oldbuck, an antiquary and collector of historical artifacts, who embodies both eccentricity and a deep appreciation for the past. The narrative begins with Oldbuck encountering William Lovel, a mysterious young man with a questionable background. As they form a friendship, Lovel's romantic interest in Isabella Wardour, the daughter of the financially troubled Sir Arthur Wardour, complicates matters. Isabella loves Lovel but is deterred by her father's disdain for Lovel's illegitimacy and uncertain lineage. As the plot progresses, Sir Arthur's financial woes lead him to consider dubious schemes to recover his wealth, including a treasure hunt prompted by the conman Dousterswivel.Show book
