Novedades

As the Century draws to a close it shows no sign of its literary talents diminishing. Authors stride into stories with a confidence and knowledge that now speak of a gilded age. We are challenged on many levels but always, always the story delivers a literary triumph.

Author Abraham "Bram" Stoker, born on November 8, 1847 was an Irish civil servant prolific writer, critic, journalist and theatre producer. He was a sickly child and spent a lot of time in bed. Growing up, his mother told him a lot of horror stories which may have influenced his later writings. He is of course most famous for creating one of the most memorable monsters in literary history. The gothic masterpiece, Dracula, was published by Archibald Constable in 1897. The book has continued to grip the public's imagination ever since, and it has never been out of print since its publication.

Guy de Maupassant is justly revered as one of the strongest proponents of the short story. The miniature gems he created are woven from the many worlds and strata of society that surrounded him. From feuds and revenge to tales of avarice and friendship de Maupassant is the master of all and second to none.

The American literary tradition has, in a far shorter span of time than others throughout history, achieved a glowing and glittering reputation. From its transatlantic roots it has absorbed the sons and daughters of other cultures, other lands and made them part of her own. Within this melting pot of styles, genres and wordplay one fact stands out: In the American short story, literary tradition has a strong, vibrant and almost inclusive history, if you know where to look.

In this collection of short stories some of our most popular and well-known authors are grouped together with an unfortunate tag: dead at 46. These authors are not run-of-the-mill or ten a penny; many are literary leviathans who left enduring works of literature and sadly may have left us many more had they lived. We will never know.

Little Women, a literary treasure written by Louisa May Alcott, gives listeners a glimpse into early 19th-century America. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March navigate childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood under the oppressive shadow of the Civil War. The March family endures heartache, illness, and poverty, all the while engaging listeners with their antics and moments of pure delight.

Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantes is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration. Dumas’ epic tale of suffering and retribution, inspired by a real-life case of wrongful imprisonment, was a huge popular success when it was first serialized in the 1840s.

Charles John Huffam Dickens (February 7, 1812-June 9, 1870) enjoyed a wider popularity during his lifetime than had any previous author. A Christmas Carol was conceived and written in a few weeks in late 1843. His many volumes include such works as David Copperfield, Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, and Our Mutual Friend. His popularity has never ceased. The most abundantly comic of English authors, he was much more than a great entertainer.

This audiobook, read by Audie award-winning narrators, includes unabridged recordings of all Mark Twains's greatest works: 12 novels; over 120 of his beloved short stories; Chapters From My Autobiography; 5 pieces of short non-fiction; and 6 pieces of his groundbreaking, wide-ranging travel writing.

John Carter, a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War, goes prospecting in Arizona immediately after the war's end. Having struck a rich vein of gold, he runs afoul of the Apaches. While attempting to evade pursuit by hiding in a sacred cave, he is mysteriously transported to Mars, called "Barsoom" by its inhabitants. Carter finds that he has great strength and superhuman agility in this new environment as a result of its lesser gravity. He soon falls in with a nomadic tribe of Green Martians, or Tharks, as the planet's warlike, six-limbed, green-skinned inhabitants are known.

The classic and influential horror story by Mary Shelley tells the tale of a young scientist named Victor Frankenstein who successfully creates a living creature in the exaggerated image of man through his experimentation. Frankenstein must face the consequences of his actions, and so too must the now sapient and lonely creature. The story deals with themes of life and death, fear and longing, duty and vengeance.

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832-1899) wrote over 100 ‘rags-to-riches’ novels, often about teenage boys forced by circumstances to earn their own living selling newspapers, blacking boots, carrying luggage, or tending store. Alger’s heroes are honest, temperate, generous, and brave, good in a fight and ready to protect a weaker boy from a bully. Alger stresses work, study, and thrift as ways to escape poverty. Alger’s villains, on the other hand, are usually dishonest, sometimes alcoholic or brutal.

Ernest Lismore is in financial difficulties. In return for a token marriage, he is offered help by the elderly Mrs. Callender whom he had saved from a fire some years earlier. Lismore eventually agrees and they live abroad as mother and son until he meets an attractive girl in an art gallery.

These novelists burst with a literary energy that is hard to contain. They cover a myriad of styles and themes, narratives packed full of fully-formed characters in powerful tales that have become an essential and integral part of our literary heritage.

Helena, Arkansas, in den 1840er-Jahren. Das Ufer des Mississippi ist Treffpunkt für Händler und Farmer. Mit Flatbooten wird wertvolle Ware flussabwärts transportiert. Doch viele Boote und deren Ladung verschwinden spurlos. Anfang ahnt niemand, dass eine gefährliche Bande dahinter streckt. Bei den Verbrechern steht Raub und Mord an der Tagesordnung. Die Einwohner organisieren sich schließlich selbst, um die Flusspiraten vom Mississippi zu bekämpfen... Der Roman von Friedrich Gerstäcker, bei dem sich Karl May Ideen holte, zählt als Klassiker der Abenteuerliteratur.

Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832-1899) wrote over 100 ‘rags-to-riches’ novels, often about teenage boys forced by circumstances to earn their own living selling newspapers, blacking boots, carrying luggage, or tending store.

“How do you plan to get past the city walls?” Baz asked. “Easy," she replied. "We’ll fly.” Baz has found the fabled Declaimer’s Transcendence, the prophecy that promises to lead Oration’s slaves to freedom. But Baz and his companions are battered and on the run, danger at every turn and no aid in sight. Worse still, no one believes Baz when he says he knows where to find the prophesied savior. In an ironic twist of fate, Baz finds his closest ally is none other than his one-time master, a member of the ruling class against whom the rebels are fighting. When Baz returns to ...

A damaged survivor of the First World War, Tom Birkin finds refuge in the quiet village church of Oxgodby where he is to spend the summer uncovering a huge medieval wall-painting. Immersed in the peace and beauty of the countryside and the unchanging rhythms of village life he experiences a sense of renewal and belief in the future. Now an old man, Birkin looks back on the idyllic summer of 1920, remembering a vanished place of blissful calm, untouched by change, a precious moment he has carried with him through the disappointments of the years.

New York heiress Catherine Sloper accepted the sad truth that her lover Morris Townsend cared only for her fortune. Morris jilted her after learning she was to be disinherited by her cold, unbending father. Twenty years later, Catherine is a confirmed spinster. Her life is centered on her charities and gardening. She has no intention of letting Morris Townsend or any other despicable rake into her life or her heart. Morris is back in antebellum War New York. His presence will test her resolve.

"The Wilderness Collection" presents a captivating anthology that brings together two timeless classics by Jack London: "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild." These stories delve into the primal instincts and struggles for survival in the harsh landscapes of the North American wilderness. Each tale offers a unique perspective on the bond between humans and animals, exploring themes of loyalty, courage, and the untamed spirit of the wild. Through White Fang's journey, London portrays the brutality and beauty of nature, and the transformative power of kindness.