Spirit of the Border

Zane Grey

This is an early novel by the phenomenally successful author of frontier, western and sports stories, the novel is the second in a trilogy. It deals with historical characters and incidents in the Ohio Valley in the late 18th century, especially with the foundation of Gnaddenhutten, a missionary village intended to bring Christianity to the Indians of Ohio, despite the violent opposition of both Indians and white renegades. The story deals with the attempt by Moravian Church missionaries to Christianize Indians and how two brothers lives take different paths upon their arrival on the border, s the two brothers make very different choices, as one woman loves them both, they will both learn, win, and lose in the presence of a man larger than life fighting a war all his own.

Tales of Lonely Trails

Zane Grey

The next day, having restored our journey, it was a pleasure for me to try to find the track to Betatakin, the most famous and, most certainly, the most beautiful and beautiful destroyed place in the whole of the West. In many places, there was no trace at all, and I was faced with difficulties, but in the end, without much loss of time, I entered a narrow, heavy entrance to the canyon, which I described as a surprise valley. Amazement in the big dark cave worried me. My dreams of romance really lived there once. I climbed to a height above the huge stones, and along the smooth red walls, where I once swam Larkin, quickly moving, I entered the shaded rock, and wandered through thickets that were never free from the history that I conceived nature itself...

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Amazingly conveyed the characters of the era and characters, suffering and atonement, sin and clogging of society. The plot of the story is simple a married woman, whose husband has been absent for two years, gives birth to a child. In Puritan society, where the concept of "personal life" does not exist, the people are in deep shock from what happened, but mercifully decides not to kill the woman, but to punish with shame. The letter "A" now shines on her chest.

Ranching for Sylvia

Harold Bindloss

George is a brave guy. The one for whom everyone experiences in this story. He does not think twice about doing the right thing. George takes and does. He did his best to cope with the difficulties in the open prairie. This is a story about a brave fight on a ranch and farm in the Canadian prairie.

The Mysterious Rider

Zane Grey

Readers with a taste for classic Westerns will appreciate this storys spirited, well-drawn characters and its evocative descriptions of the frontiers natural beauty. Hell-Bent Wade arrives at a Colorado homestead where a young woman is being pressured into matrimony. The plot centers around this young woman, an orphan named Columbine, who is entrapped by her allegiances into considering marriage to the drunkard son of her adopted father. Columbine is torn between her feelings of duty and affection for the old man, who raised her as his own child, and her blossoming love for a young ranch hand, Wilson Moore. Columbines dilemma seems impossible to resolve until tragedy, fate, and the mysterious rider intervene.

The Chinese Parrot

Earl Derr Biggers

Earl Derr Biggers second Charlie Chan novel took the detective to the California desert where he uncovers the reason for the mysterious disappearance of a millionaire. Biggers was always a great romance writer who simply incorporated mystery into his books to propel the story forward. The story concerns a valuable string of pearls which is purchased by a wealthy and eccentric financier. Charlie Chan embarks on an incognito journey across the desert to find the answer to a question a question posed by a dead parrot who spoke in Chinese. Chan goes undercover to solve a complex triple intrigue of fake identity, kidnapping and murder. Charlies first trip to the mainland is a sparkling adventure full of mystery and old-fashioned romance.

The Hillman

E. Phillips Oppenheim

John Strangeways lives the life of a country Gentleman farmer with his puritan brother in the hills of Cumberland. Far from the world of cities and noise he lived the clean, healthy, out-of-door life. When actress Louise Maurels car breaks down near their farm, she is forced to seek refuge with the misogynist brothers. Love ensues. Life no longer was quite the same to him, and in a short time he followed her to London. The coming of an unsophisticated though well educated, handsome young man into the semi-Bohemian circle brings about dramatic situations which the author knows well how to handle. Some wonderful minor characters aid the story also.

The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde

A family of flag-flaunting United States acquire an historic English mansion from the thoroughly prim, thoroughly British Lord Canterville. Throw in a murderous, aesthetically-minded ghost with a penchant for high drama and theater, and you have a classic, joy-inducing tale of clashing cultures, progress vs. tradition, and Wildes self-mockery of his own philosophy of decadent aestheticism. Wilde emphasized differences in culture by creating special characters and then pitting the unsophisticated tastes of the patriotic Americans patriotic as their children are named Washington and Virginia against the Brittish esteem of traditions. More telling, given the storys ending and that the events are closely placed within the historical context of conflicting views and several wars, the overall theme of forgiveness reads surprisingly fresh, even in todays time.