Typhoon

Joseph Conrad

First published in 1902, Typhoon can be easily passed as pre-twentieth century literature. Its a short story depicting a ship experiencing a terribly destructive typhoon and coming out of it, but not without coming inch-close to death. Typhoon is a classic sea yarn, possibly based upon Conrads actual experience of seamans life, and probably on a real incident aboard of the real steamer John P. Best. One of the major themes of the novella is the contrast between Conrads characters who are imaginative men aware of the larger issues of life and conscious of the potential for disaster and the literal minded and relatively unaware Captain MacWhirr. MacWhirr is a hard working captain devoted to routine and loyal to the needs of the Nan-Shan and the interests of her owners. The novella classically evokes the seafaring life at the turn of the century. While Macwhirr, who, according to Conrad, never walked on this Earth is emotionally estranged from his family and crew, and though he refuses to consider an alternate course to skirt the typhoon, his indomitable will in the face of a superior natural force elicits grudging admiration.

The Golden Web

E. Phillips Oppenheim

Stirling Deane has sold the Little Anna Gold Mine which he discovered in South Africa early in his career. The sale has made him a rich man and the head of the company to which he sold the mine. His is engaged to Lady Olive Nunnelly, and is the envy of all of society. Deane is threatened with ruin when a old enemy Richard Sinclair- shows up in London with what appears to be a legitimate prior deed to the mine. After a meeting with Deane, the man is found murdered and the deed he claims to have had is missing. Another man which Deane hired to negotiate the return of the deed to Deane is accused of the murder, tried, and sentenced to death. What has become of the lost deed?

George Sand. Kobieta nieposkromionych namiętności. Ostatnia miłość w życiu Chopina

Stanisław Antoni Wotowski

Historia życia George Sand ekscentrycznej kochanki Fryderyka Chopina. Autor opisuje jej relacje z kompozytorem. Obrazuje też dziwactwa, z których zasłynęła tytułowa postać. Barwnie opisane losy niezwykłej kobiety.

Double Dan

Edgar Wallace

Various people had tried, and failed, to break the strong will of Diana Ford. Her lawyers, for instance, thought they could dissuade her from coming to England. Her cousin, Gordon Salisbury, found she had moved in as a permanent houseguest, uninvited and defiant of convention. So, it was not surprising that when she suspected Gordon of being the victim of a clever impersonation, Diana should take charge. Recommended for Edgar Wallace fans and fans of old-time, classic crime thrillers. Edgar Wallace was one of the most popular and prolific authors of his era.

Son of the White Wolf

Robert E. Howard

Francis Xavier Gordon was a living legend in the Middle and Far East. The boars called him El Borac, Swift, the title earned by his awkward abilities with a gun, a knife and a sword. Now, the mighty El Borak must stretch its forces to prevent the Turkish uprising, protect the hermits from murders and stop the dangerous amir without allowing him to seize control over India.

The Rustlers of Pecos County

Zane Grey

The Rustlers of Pecos County is another fantastic example of Western fiction by the master of the genre, American Author Zane Grey. The town of Linrock, located in Pecos Couty is south Texas has fallen under the control of a gang of rustlers. Two Texas Rangers, one undercover as a reckless cowboy, the other right out in the open, drawing the fire and wrath of outlaws, have been sent to bring law to a rustler gangs town. In order to do it they risk losing the love of the women theyve fallen for. These ladies are, unknowingly, daughter and niece to the rustler chief. There seems to be no good choice for these two dedicated lawmen.

The House in the Mist

Anna Katharine Green

In The House in the Mist, weary traveler Hugh Austin happens upon a house in a village whilst seeking shelter on a misty night. The house is open, and initially the reception he gets is quite strange to him, he then realizes that he was taken for the relative of a dead man and that the gathering he encounters is a meeting of relatives regarding an inheritance that was left. By the time they find out the deceased had long-held vengeance on his mind, it is too late. The House in the Mist is a short story by Anna Katharine Green which is included in her collection Room Number 3 and Other Detective Stories. She is credited with shaping detective fiction into its classic form, and developing the series detective.

The Heritage of the Sioux

B.M. Bower

Pioneering Western writer Bertha Muzzy Bower gained critical acclaim by bringing a unique female perspective to her tales of ranch life. In The Heritage of the Sioux, Bower brings a similarly empathic perspective to her fictionalized account of one of the most storied Native American tribes. It is widely considered to be one of the top 100 greatest books of all time. This great novel will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. The Heritage Of The Sioux by B.M. Bower was a much loved American author who wrote novels, fictional short stories, and screenplays about the American Old West. A great addition to any collection.

Fiddle oDreams and More

Arthur Morrison

Morrisons literary reputation is mostly based on his realistic novels and short stories about slum life in London. In addition, he wrote detective fiction that is openly derivative of Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes stories. Possessed with a wide and free-ranging curiosity, Morrison wrote both fiction and nonfiction works on diverse subjects, from Japanese art to occultism, and participated in English literary life well into World War II. In 1930 Arthur Morrison moved to Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire. In 1933 he published the short story collection Fiddle o Dreams and More. This collection of mystery and detective fiction contains: Billy Blenkins Radium, Frenzied Finance, Infantry at the Double, Sports of Mugby, The Thing in the Upper Room and others. Highly recommended!

Collected Short Stories (Vol. 2). Collected Short Stories. Volume 2

Arthur Conan Doyle

In this second volume of all the collected works that feature Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. John Watson, the reader gets reacquainted with the great detective and his friend through 33 short stories and 2 novels with the added bonus of two Doyle written parodies as well as two essays by the author. Volume 2 begins with The Hound of the Baskervilles, a haunting novel of murder on eerie Grimpen Moor, which has rightly earned its reputation as the finest murder mystery ever written. Also in the collection is The Return of Sherlock Holmes which is a collection of 13 Sherlock Holmes short stories and includes The Adventure of the Norwood Builder and a dozen other enthralling tales. His Last Bow is a collection of eight stories. The Valley of Fear matches Holmes against his archenemy, the master of imaginative crime, Professor Moriarty. In addition, in Volume II, we have another collection of superb short stories (12 in all) The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes. The book is based on various crimes occurring in England, big and small. Each of them have an unusual aspect to them that catches Holmes fantasy.

The Mystery of the Sea

Bram Stoker

Archibald Hunter was spending his annual vacation in Cruden Bay, Scotland when he sees two women and a man walking abreast. Suddenly, he has a vision of the man carrying a coffin and the two women walking behind. Just as suddenly, he sees the three walking normal again. As this was happening, Archie was being watched by an old woman, Gormala. She had seen Archies shocked look at what he had just seen and tells him that he has the gift of Second Sight. According to Gormala, both he and she are Seers, and she proposes an alliance to solve the centuries-old Mystery of the Sea. Archie discovers a chest full of old documents he believes contain a coded message revealing the location of a lost treasure of the Spanish Armada. And then there is Marjory, the beautiful American girl Archie saves from drowning. Who is she, and why is she being pursued by a vicious gang of criminals and the American Secret Service?

Those Extraordinary Twins

Mark Twain

Siamese twins twins Chang and Eng Bunker, who were born with fused bodies. They lived 63 years, had good health, were married, had normal children. In 1829 they were brought to America, then they were taken and shown in Europe. Knowing the twins personally, the author took the liberty of telling about the curious details of their private life, which never penetrated the press.

The Last Days of Pompeii

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

The Last Days of Pompeii is a love story set in that Roman town just before the famous eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried it and most of its citizens in ash. It draws a vivid portrait of the lifestyle of the Imperial Romans, their daily baths, symposia, and gladiatorial entertainments, their religious practices and their homes while presenting a busy plot full of decadent, diabolical seducers, religious fanatics, and glutinous parasites.The novel itself tells the story of the Athenian Glaucus, his love, the beautiful Ione, and a blind flower-girl Nydia, who is secretly in love with Glaucus. Threatening the love of Glaucus and Ione is Iones guardian, the decadent and deceitful Egyptian Arbaces, who lusts after Ione himself. An amazing historical-fiction novel, set out in a highly elaborate exquisite language.

The Agony Column

Earl Derr Biggers

Geoffrey West falls in love at first sight with a girl in a hotel breakfasting with her father. Theyre all Americans, but the scene is London on the eve of the Great War. Both Geoffrey and his ladylove Marian are reading the personals (The Agony Column) of the Daily Mail. Later that day he has an idea to place an ad to catch her attention, and vows to send her a letter each day for a week to win her heart. Each letter becomes more interesting than the previous because West finds himself entangled in a murder mystery with new twists each day. To say more about what transpires would spoil the fun. The lightness of the story contrasts interestingly with the grim mood of England as Germany mobilizes.

Bealby. A Holiday

Herbert George Wells

A charming tale of a young recalcitrant boys wanderings through England. Full of humour. It is a light tale, and one of Wells that holds up the best. Though young Bealby is determined to rise above his mothers servant status, no amount of struggle helps him to prevail. He reluctantly leaves his home for Shonts, a big country house, to work as a stewards boy. But a fateful weekend visit by distinguished personages, including the strange yet captivating Lord Chancellor, may give Bealby the opportunity to change his fate in this social comedy. What follows is an adventure that Bealby will not soon forget. First published in 1915 Bealby was originally entitled Bealby a Holiday.

Masks Off at Midnight

Valentine Williams

Trevor Dene and his wife are looking forward to attending a masked ball in Lavra, a Long Island mansion owned by the wealthy Tallifer family. But the problem is brewing in the form of a prolonged feud with local businessman Brent Hordern. Resenting the way Tallifers use their new money, and decided to marry their daughter Jenny, Horder swore to attend the ball at all costs.