Grappling with the Monster; Or the Curse and the Cure of Strong Drink - Confronting the Demon: A Tale of Addiction and Redemption

T. S. Arthur

Summary

In "Grappling with the Monster; Or, the Curse and the Cure of Strong Drink," T. S. Arthur navigates the perilous waters of alcohol addiction and its moral and social implications through a fiery narrative that oscillates between haunting realism and didacticism. Composed in the context of the temperance movement of the late 19th century, Arthur employs eloquent prose and compelling scenarios to illustrate the devastating impact of strong drink on individuals and families. Rich in character development and imbued with moral undertones, the book serves as both a gripping cautionary tale and a plea for reform, reflecting societal anxieties regarding vice and virtue during its time. T. S. Arthur was a prominent American author and a notable advocate for the temperance movement, widely recognized for his stories that delve into social issues of his era. His firsthand exposure to the consequences of alcohol abuse within his community fueled his passion for advocating abstinence, allowing him to infuse his narratives with both emotional depth and social critique. Drawing from his experiences as a chronicler of American morals, Arthur utilized his literary prowess to spark discussions on the urgent need for sobriety and personal responsibility. This book is highly recommended for readers interested in historical social issues, literature reflecting moral dilemmas, and those seeking to understand the roots of addiction narratives in American literature. Arthur's immersive storytelling not only entertains but also enlightens, making "Grappling with the Monster" an essential read for anyone grappling with the complexities of human vice and societal values.

Available since: 12/09/2019.

Print length: 833 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Romola

George Eliot

George Eliot's own favorite among her novels, this novel tells the story of Romola, the intelligent daughter of a blind scholar, who is falling in love with a man who is going to change her life and the politics of Florence in a way she doesn't like. Set in 15th century Florence, it is "a deep study of life in the city of Florence from an intellectual, artistic, religious, and social point of view". Summary by Stav Nisser and Wikipedia.

Show book

Mutiny

Julian Stockwin

It is 1797 and Thomas Kydd is now master's mate on Achilles. Kydd sails for England, but his joy at returning home is soon forgotten when he finds himself at the centre of one of the most extraordinary events in English history- the Mutiny at the Nore. Ten thousand men and scores of ships hold the country to ransom. Kydd is faced with a terrible choice. Abandon his friends and shipmates? Or join the rebellion?

Show book

Red Crosses

Sasha Filipenko

“Lays bare the . . . history of a ruthless Russian state with the story of an unlikely friendship between a young widower and a survivor of Stalin’s gulag.” —Publishers Weekly

Sasha Filipenko traces the arc of Russian history from Stalin’s terror to the present day, in a novel full of heart and humanity.

One struggles not to forget, while the other would like nothing better. Tatiana Alexeyevna is an old woman, over ninety, rich in lived experience, and suffering from Alzheimer’s. Every day, she loses a few more of her irreplaceable memories. Alexander is a young father whose life has been brutally torn in two by the untimely death of his wife.

Tatiana tells her young neighbor her life story, a story that encompasses the entire Russian 20th century with all its horrors and hard-won humanity.

Little by little, the old woman and the young man forge an unlikely friendship and make a pact against forgetting.

“A moving meditation on memory, forgetfulness, and the thirst for connection.” —Oprah Daily

“If you want to get inside the head of modern, young Russia, read Filipenko.” —Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel Prize–winning author of Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets

“The most interesting thing [about Red Crosses] was to hear the voice of a young writer, from a generation who barely knew the Soviet times, and to see how he grapples with the subject . . . Nothing unlocks the human soul as profoundly as a novel can.” —Los Angeles Review of Books

“A tour de force. A book full of sound and fury, but also greatness and gentleness.” —Le Figaro littéraire

Show book

The Cape Raider - An authentic...

Justin Fox

A fight to the death in foreign seas . . . 
 
 
 
1940 
 
 
 
Scarred—physically and emotionally—by the brutal warfare at Dunkirk, Jack Pembroke decides to leave his home in England to join his father, Admiral Pembroke, in the South African Cape. 
 
 
 
A fledgling naval force is preparing to fight the coming onslaught of German raiders, and Jack is soon thrust back into action when he is appointed commander of a minesweeping flotilla. Unknown to Jack, a Nazi commerce raider has left Germany for the Cape intending to wreak havoc on Allied shipping. 
 
 
 
And it's heading straight for him . . . 
 
 
 
Under Jack's command are an eclectic bunch of men who are unsure of their foreign captain. But he must unite them into a powerful fighting unit if he has any chance of defeating the dangerous enemy. 
 
 
 
Can Jack overcome his demons and lead his men to victory? Or will his first battle off the South African coast be his last . . . ?

Show book

Silver Darlings - A captivating...

LK Wilde

Island life is hard... leaving is harder. 
In 1895, a Northumbrian island welcomes two new residents. Clara and Jimmy are born on the same night, to families poles apart. Clara is an islander through and through; content to live among the rhythms and barren beauty of Holy Island. Jimmy's future is set in stone; fishing with the father he despises on the family boat. 
When tragedy forces them from their island and each other, they join the herring season in a bid to survive. 
Jimmy strikes out for Seahouses, where he joins a Scots herring crew. From Seahouses he can still see the island, his father too close for comfort. The crew’s departure for Lowestoft brings welcome relief. 
Clara is sent to North Shields, to live with her wealthy, estranged grandparents. A chance encounter with a group of herring girls offers her an escape from the grief filled luxury of her grandparents' home. 
1913 is a record-breaking year, but as Clara and Jimmy chase shoals of silver darlings to Lowestoft, their paths are dogged by war, injury and misunderstandings. Set adrift from all they know; will they ever find each other? And will they ever find their way home?

Show book

Walking West - A Novel

Noëlle Sickels

About the great migration west, Edna Ferber wrote, "I am not belittling the brave pioneer men, but the sunbonnet as well as the sombrero helped to settle this glorious land of ours."  These westering foremothers take center stage in Walking West, Noelle Sickels's remarkable first novel of women and their families on a grueling wagon train journey across the United States.In the wet spring of 1852, a small band of Indiana farm families set off for California, lured west by the promise of a better life.  The Muller party crosses treacherous rivers, slogs through mud and thunderstorms, and hauls wagons up and down mountains and over baking deserts in a seven-month journey across our raw continent.Among them is Alice Muller, a reluctant traveler forced to leave home by her husband Henry's dreams of prosperity.  But the Mullers greatly underestimate the hardships they will face, and it is ultimately Alice who must draw on the deepest reserves of body and soul to lead the little group of bone-weary emigrants through their final miles.  In doing so, Alice changes from a dutiful farm wife into a woman capable of deep commitment, strong actions, and profound self-knowledge.Noelle Sickels's novel takes readers across America--through Fort Laramie, Chimney Rock, the Black Hills, the Rockies, and the Sierras--and into the minds of her extraordinary characters.  Offering a woman's perspective on a historical period more often portrayed through the male icons of cowboys, outlaws, and gold seekers, Walking West combines history and storytelling in a novel of astonishing authenticity and emotional power.

Show book