John Burnet of Barns

John Buchan

John Burnet of Barns was Buchans first fully realised, full-length work of fiction. The authors third novel is story of adventure, treachery and revenge, set in the Scottish Borders in the 17th century, telling of a young nobleman who sets out to gain an education abroad, only to find himself betrayed in his absence by his cousin. Not just a romance, but adventures of a Scottish gentleman around the Netherlands and the wildest highlands of Scotland to find himself, regain his honour and save his true love. In this epic tale of a family torn asunder by a long-lasting feud, renowned action-adventure author John Buchan spins an engrossing account of two cousins locked in conflict and the horrible toll that their bad blood begets. In the wake of the ultimate betrayal, will the Burnet clan ever be able to bridge the chasm that has been created?

The Tragedie of Anthony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

With a strong spirit and body, people who are ready to endure all sorts of hardships and difficulties for the sake of the cause of their whole life, their blood, their feats inscribing their names in the history of mankind, also end up being tested, which turn out to be stronger than them. And for the sake of this, a person is able to erase his entire former life overnight. This happens with Anthony, an honorary Roman who fell in love with the proud queen of Egypt. For his sake he forgot Rome and the family, and Caesar.

The Prince and the Pauper

Mark Twain

Tom Canty is a poor boy in the London slums. His birth only brings more poverty to his already dirt poor family. Edward VI is the long awaited heir to the English throne. They are born on the same day and look so alike they cant believe it. They exchange clothes and Edward VI ends up being thrown out of the palace by guards who think he is the poor boy he looks to be. Both boys have difficulty fitting into the others lives. After many adventures, matters are set right again, with one of the boys resuming his rightful, royal position and the other boy accepting a position that recognizes his innate intelligence and good heartedness.The bulk of the books is the mad life of the poor boy during which Edward VI learns how many of his subjects live. He resolves to change things if he can get back to the palace and be restored to his rightful place.

Семейное счастье (Szczęście rodzinne)

Лев Николаевич Толстой, Lew Nikołajewicz Tołstoj

Роман Льва Толстого, посвященный теме любви и брака. Что важнее: страсть или верность любимому человеку, семейное счастье или прожигание жизни в утехах? История любви молодой девушки к другу своего покойного отца, её опекуну, их женитьбы и первых нескольких лет супружеской жизни, включающих некоторое охлаждение и ссоры.

Beatrix

Honoré de Balzac

This novel opens in the old town of Guerande which still enclosed by mighty walls and possesses moats still full of water. The houses have not changed and the streets are as they were one hundred years in the past. It is the family seat of the de Guenics. The old society of the town gather here to play cards and gossip, often about the younger generations. The son of the house, Calyste, is going to visit one of the main objects of this gossip and we learn of this persons past. While on this visit, Calyste hears of Beatrix de Rochefide who is coming to Guerande on a visit. Béatrix is an 1839 novel by French author Honoré de Balzac and included in the Scenes de la vie privée section of his novel sequence La Comédie humaine. Balzac based the characters in this novel on real figures: Félicité des Touches, a celebrated musician and writer, is based on George Sand. Béatrix de Rochefide is based on Marie dAgoult (who wrote under the pen name of Daniel Stern); Gennaro Conti is based on Franz Liszt; Claude Vignon is based on Gustave Planche.

The Lost Trooper

Talbot Mundy

How can one start a fairy tale in the beginning, when it has so many beginnings, how many people it has in it? I do not see that these critics, who make up literary laws, have done a lot different than closing two thirds of the best fairy tales without letting them say about them. Anyway, as I say it; and as no one should listen, if he does not like it, Im going to start where I enjoyed what is happening in Berlin. Germany, which I have been visiting for a long time after the Bourgeois War for men who fought for it all to show themselves there without the need for police protection.

Trylogia Saska (tom 1). Hrabina Cosel

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski

Losy hrabiny Anny Cosel jednej z najsłynniejszych królewskich metres, kochanki Augusta II Mocnego. Władca zakochał się w Annie Cosel, kiedy była żoną jednego z jego ministrów. Sprawnie i bez skrupułów przeprowadził rozwód, chciał ją bowiem mieć na własność. Przez wiele lat hrabina królowała na jego dworze. Była bardzo ustosunkowana i wpływowa. Jej silna pozycja nie odpowiadała jednak wielu ludziom z najbliższego otoczenia króla. Intrygami i plotkami doprowadzili do tego, że August odsunął ją od siebie, od dworu, a nawet od wspólnych dzieci. Ponieważ hrabina nie umiała pokornie zgodzić się na nowy romans Augusta, trafiła do więzienia. Została odcięta od rodziny, przyjaciół, towarzystwa... Powieść wraz z Brühlem i Z siedmioletniej wojny tworzy tzw. Trylogię Saską Kraszewskiego i ma mocne podstawy historyczne. Na podstawie powieści powstał film i serial Hrabina Cosel w reżyserii Jerzego Antczaka, z Jadwigą Barańską w roli tytułowej.

The Ostrekoff Jewels

E. Phillips Oppenheim

This is another great novel by Edward Phillips Oppenheim, the prolific English novelist who was in his lifetime a major and successful writer of genre fiction including thrillers and spy novels, and who wrote over a 100 of them. He composed some one hundred and fifty novels, mainly of the suspense and international intrigue nature, but including romances, comedies, and parables of everyday life. The Ostrekoff Jewels is the story of a Russian prince, princess and the end of the Russian Revolution that is taking place around them and involves the smuggling out of a familys hereditary jewels. They attempt to flee, which appears to be successful, at least at first. Loosely based on the Romanovs reign in Russia.

The Queens Necklace

Alexandre Dumas

French author of famous swashbuckler novels Alexandre Dumas again chooses 18th century France for his milieu. No musketeers in this one, for it is the Queen, Marie Antoinette, who needs defending. Set a few years before the deluge of the French Revolution this plot is convoluted beyond belief; schemes, counter-measures, vicious personal agendas, love-struck young people, royal revenge and ecclesiastical machinations all are present. Fans of historical fiction will love The Queens Necklace Dumas gripping retelling of the Affair of the Necklace a suspicious incident of theft in the court of Louis XVI. This episode further spoiled the already-tarnished reputation of the Queen. Although seeming to present an idealized picture of Marie Antoinette, it also illustrates the decay and impending decline of the contemporary nobility. Some experts say set into motion a chain of events that resulted in the eventual downfall of the monarchy.

Madame Chrysantheme

Pierre Loti

Madame Chrysantheme Pierre Loti est une combinaison inhabituelle dun travail superbement écrit et dune dureté morale indescriptible. Cest lhistoire dun marin français en vacances Nagasaki, au Japon, qui arrange une épouse temporaire avec laquelle il peut passer du temps jusqu ce que son navire reparte.

The Unwilling Adventurer

R. Austin Freeman

The pioneering creator of the inverted detective story, R. Austin Freeman was a popular Edwardian author of novels and short stories featuring Dr. Thorndyke, a pathologist-detective. Freemans detective and mystery tales offered an innovative approach to the genre, selling thousands of copies on both sides of the Atlantic. Robert Hawke is a man on the run. After returning from business in London, he finds that a sworn enemy, Will Colville, has been shot dead and the murder weapon belongs to Hawke. But Hawke protests his innocence and is persuaded to go on the run until enough evidence is found to prevent his arrest and conviction. So begins an unwilling adventure where Hawke finds himself setting sail with a vibrant cast of men, casting off for unknown waters and strange islands. And as Hawke embarks on his exotic voyage, enemies abound in the most unlikely of places.

Master Humphreys Clock

Charles Dickens

Originally a regular magazine written entirely by Charles Dickens from April 4, 1840-December 4, 1841, Master Humphreys Clock uses an elderly gentleman named Master Humphrey as a frame for a number of stories. He is a lonely, crippled old man who lives in London. He keeps manuscripts in an antique clock by the chimney. He decides to start a little club, Master Humphreys Clock, at which the members eventually six in total, including Mr. Pickwick would write and read out their manuscripts to the others. A mirror club in the kitchen, Mr. Wellers Watch, includes Master Humphreys maid, the barber, and Sam Weller. Ultimately, the periodical included the complete novels The Old Curiosity Club and Barnaby Rudge. These two novels are, however, referenced in the recording, when Master Humphrey and his friends refer to them. This recording presents all the published material except for the two novels.

Dorothée, danseuse de corde

Maurice Leblanc

Maurice Leblanc, pere dArsene Lupin, raconte nous les mystérieuses et extraordinaires histoires. Cette fois laction se déroule autour de formidable héritage et des quelques familles. Une chasse au trésor fabuleux, une mort (ou un meurtre?) mystérieux, les secrets interminables... Et bien sr, il y a un peu damour dans ce roman. Ce livre est vraiment part dans lunivers de lauteur et réellement attachant.

The Girl at Bullet Lake

H.A. Cody

For the main character, his daily work became a real torment. That he told his doctor. He had to drag himself to the office every morning, and always left him tired at the end of the day. He had never experienced anything like it before. His old friend Dr. Bradbury, in whom he was sure, would give him something to build him, and in a short time he would be as good as ever. But this order to leave the forest was something that he did not expect.....

Du côté de chez Swann

Marcel Proust

Du côté de chez Swann est le premier des sept volumes de la saga la recherche du temps perdu, lun des textes clés de la littérature française, mais aussi mondiale, de lere moderne. Cet ouvrage na probablement pas danalogue en termes déchelle et de fudtalisme. Du côté de chez Swann se compose de trois parties. La premiere et la troisieme sont les souvenirs de Marcel de sa propre enfance, des moments et des impressions qui lont le plus fortement influencé.

The Forger

Edgar Wallace

Forged notes have started to appear everywhere. Mr. Cheyne Wells of Harley Street has been given one. So has Porter. Peter Clifton is rich, but no one is quite certain how he acquired his money not even his new wife, the beautiful Jane Leith. Jane, newly married to this man she does not love, is plunged into a nightmare of murder and madness. What is the secret of her husbands immense fortune? Is he The Clever One who has baffled the police, the banks and the world with his clever forgeries? Or is he a homicidal maniac? Inspector Rouper and Superintendent Bourke are both involved in trying to solve the mystery.

Trzaska i Zbroja

Antonina Domańska

Powieść historyczna Antoniny Domańskiej rozgrywająca się w końcu XIV wieku za panowania Kazimierza Wielkiego. Powieść ukazuje mądrą politykę zagraniczną i sprawiedliwe rządy wewnętrzne ostatniego z Piastów, któremu wdzięczna pamięć ludu nadała miano króla chłopów. Pisarka w sposób bardzo interesujący i trafiający do wyobraźni opisuje historyczną rzeczywistość i łączy ją z fikcyjnymi zdarzeniami. Dzięki wartkiej akcji, starannie odtwarzającej przeszłość, mamy wrażenie niejako przeniesienia się do tamtych odległych czasów. Zasługą pisarki jest też wzbogacanie utworu wątkami sensacyjnymi.

The Eye of Osiris

R. Austin Freeman

The Eye of Osiris, published in 1911, was the second of R. Austin Freemans many Dr. Thorndyke mystery novels. Here the great expert in medical jurisprudence will encounter the mysteries of ancient Egypt without ever leaving London. The cast of characters is rich in Egyptologists. A wealthy old man, John Bellingham, collector of Egyptian antiquities, has disappeared without a trace. His brother is also an Egyptologist, as is his niece and the lawyer who executed his will. Circumstances strongly suggest that the old man is dead, and innocent people may be accused of murder. Happily Dr. Thorndyke gets involved quite by chance. The plot is tremendously clever, and the denouement a total surprise. The great strength of the novel lies in the plotting which is ingenious enough and complicated enough to satisfy any fan of the puzzle-style of mystery story.

The Adventures of Solomon Kane

Robert E. Howard

Before Robert E. Howard wrote of Conan the Cimmerian, he wrote of the swashbuckler Solomon Kane. The Adventures of Solomon Kane takes you through Howards horrific and fantastic world of swords and sorcery, the world of ancient secrets and the monsters that live in the jungles of Africa where Kane vanquishes evil. Here are shudder-inducing tales of vengeful ghosts and bloodthirsty demons, of dark sorceries wielded by evil men and women, all opposed by a grim avenger armed with a fanatics faith and a warriors savage heart. Whether it be a witch-cursed monstrosity, hell-spawned vampire, mutant throw-back, or just a wicked wretch of humankind, Solomon Kane will fight with equal determination and enthusiasm to see good triumph. Collected in this volume are all of the stories and poems that make up the thrilling saga of the dour and deadly Puritan, Solomon Kane.

Colonel Quaritch, V.C. A Tale of Country Life

H. Rider Haggard

Colonel Quaritch left the English army and moved to live at Honham Cottage. This is a quiet, calm and old place, which is located near the castle of the de la Molle family. He falls in love with Ida de la Molle, the only child of the squire, who has mortgaged his possessions to their full value. The young girl without wealth, but she promised her hand and help to the young banker.

Nad Niemnem

Eliza Orzeszkowa

Akcja powieści Nad Niemnem rozgrywa się około roku 1885. Jednym z głównych wątków jest historia miłości Justyny Orzelskiej i Janka Bohatyrowicza, przedstawiona jest na tle dziejów dwóch szlacheckich rodów Korczyńskich i Bohatyrowiczów. Czy wyrosłe ponad podziałami uczucie młodych pozwoli pokonać problemy społeczno-ekonomiczne, a także polityczne i historyczne? Autorka zawarła w powieści zróżnicowany obraz nadniemeńskiej szlachty w obliczu nowych, popowstaniowych warunków politycznych i społeczno-ekonomicznych. Powieść wzywała do wierności ziemi i przeszłości, gloryfikowała patriotyczną ofiarność i ideowe dziedzictwo minionych lat, głosiła niezachwianą wiarę w siłę i wartość człowieka.

All Aboard for Ararat

Herbert George Wells

Short story told as an allegory set in the future, in form of narrative, with some trenchant remarks on the current situation, and a brilliant introduction to which the balance fails to measure up. Dialogs between God and Mr. Noah Lammock planning a new Ark in which the best of mankind may be rescued from the new flood of war and horror. Wells-Lammock querying of Biblical history is irreverent but amusing, but the plans which follow, for the rk and its voyaging, bog down considerably. All Aboard for Ararat is a 1940 allegorical novella by H. G. Wells that tells a modernized version of the story of Noah and the Flood. Wells was 74 when it was published, and it is the last of his utopian writings.

The Real Thing and Other Tales

Henry James

The main character, an aspiring artist, hires a faded noble couple, Monarchs, as models after they have lost most of their money and need to find some kind of work. They are real in the sense that they are beautifully of the aristocratic type, but they turn out to be inappropriate for the artists work. The artist must finally get rid of the monarchs, especially after his friend and colleague, artist Jack Hawley, criticized the work in which monarchs are represented.

Mr. Polton Explains

R. Austin Freeman

R. Austin Freemans character Dr. Thorndyke is considered the first modern forensic scientist in literature. This is one of the oddities of detective fiction. The first part of this story is an autobiography of Thorrndykes lab assistant Polton. Polton, Dr. Thorndykes lab assistant and a servant has graced every Thorndyke mystery with his mechanical ingenuity, his sumptuous meals and teas, and his crinkly smile. The second part is a mystery tale, which builds on some of the characters we first saw in the earlier portion. Polton and Dr. Thorndyke faced with a mystery involving a mysterious fire in a Soho house filled with supposedly inflammable objects and a body charred beyond recognition by the fire. Poltons understanding of the mechanisms of clocks leads to a breakthrough in the case.