The story is the testament of a tortured, morphine-addicted man who relates an incident that occurred during his service as an officer during World War I. In the unnamed narrator's account, his cargo ship is captured by an Imperial German sea-raider in "one of the most open and least frequented parts of the broad Pacific"

"The Crawling Chaos" is a short story by American writers H. P. Lovecraft and Winifred V. Jackson (first published April 1921 in the United Cooperative. As in their other collaboration, "The Green Meadow", the tale was credited to "Elizabeth Berkeley" (Jackson) and "Lewis Theobald, Jun" (Lovecraft). The story begins with the narrator describing the effects of opium and the fantastical vistas it can inspire. The narrator then tells of his sole experience with opium in which he was accidentally administered an overdose by a doctor during the "year of the plague".

IN ancient times, when the city of Rome was at the height of its power and splendor, it was the custom, as it is in fact now with the inhabitants of wealthy capitals, for the principal families to possess, in addition to their city residences, rural villas for summer retreats, which they built in picturesque situations, at a little distance from the city, sometimes in the interior of the country, and sometimes upon the seashore. There were many attractive places of resort of this nature in the neighborhood of Rome. Among them was Antium.??The beauty and the salubrity of Antium made it a very attractive place of summer resort for the people of Rome; and in process of time, when the city attained to an advanced stage of opulence and luxury, the Roman noblemen built villas there, choosing situations, in some instances, upon the natural terraces and esplanades of the promontory, which looked off over the sea, and in others cool and secluded retreats in the valleys, on the land. It was in one of these villas that NERO was born.??NERO's father belonged to a family which had enjoyed for several generations a considerable degree of distinction among the Roman nobility, though known by a somewhat whimsical name. The family name was Brazenbeard, or, to speak more exactly, it was Aheno-barbus, which is the Latin equivalent for that word. ?

"The Colour Out of Space" is a first-person narrative written from the perspective of an unnamed surveyor from Boston. In order to prepare for the construction of a new reservoir in Massachusetts, he surveys a rural area that is to be flooded near Lovecraft's fictional town of Arkham. He comes across a mysterious patch of land, an abandoned five-acre farmstead, which is completely devoid of all life.

YOU have heard of Homer, and of the two wonderful poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which bear his name. No one knows whether these poems were composed by Homer, or whether they are the work of many different poets. And, in fact, it matters very little about their authorship. Everybody agrees that they are the grandest poems ever sung or written or read in this world; and yet, how few persons, comparatively, have read them, or know any thing about them except at second-hand! ? Homer commences his story, not at the beginning, but "in the midst of things;" hence, when one starts out to read the Iliad without having made some special preparation beforehand, he finds it hard to understand, and is tempted, in despair, to stop at the end of the first book. Many people are, therefore, content to admire the great masterpiece of poetry and story-telling simply because others admire it, and not because they have any personal acquaintance with it.? Now, it is not my purpose to give you a "simplified version" of the Iliad or the Odyssey. There are already many such versions; but the best way for you, or any one else, to read Homer, is to read Homer. If you do not understand Greek, you can read him in one of the many English translations. You will find much of the spirit of the original in the translations by Bryant, by Lord Derby, and by old George Chapman, as well as in the admirable prose rendering by Butcher and Lang; but you can get none of it in any so-called simplified version.??My object in writing this "Story of the Golden Age" has been to pave the way, if I dare say it, to an enjoyable reading of Homer, either in translations or in the original. I have ta-ken the various legends relating to the causes of the Trojan war, and, by assuming certain privileges never yet denied to story-tellers, have woven all into one continuous narrative, ending where Homer's story begins. The hero of the Odyssey—a character not always to be admired or commended—is my hero. And, in telling the story of his boyhood and youth, I have taken the opportunity to repeat, for your enjoyment, some of the most beautiful of the old Greek myths. If I have, now and then, given them a coloring slightly different from the original, you will remember that such is the right of the story-teller, the poet, and the artist. The essential features of the stories remain unchanged. I have, all along, drawn freely from the old tragedians, and now and then from Homer himself; nor have I thought it necessary in every instance to mention authorities, or to apologize for an occasional close imitation of some of the best translations. The pictures of old Greek life have, in the main, been derived from the Iliad and the Odyssey, and will, I hope, help you to a better understanding of those poems when you come to make acquaintance directly with them.??Should you become interested in the "Story of the Golden Age," as it is here related, do not be disappointed by its somewhat abrupt ending; for you will find it continued by the master-poet of all ages, in a manner both inimitable and unapproachable. If you are pleased with the discourse of the porter at the gate, how much greater shall be your delight when you stand in the palace of the king, and hearken to the song of the royal minstrel! ?

"The Book" is an unfinished short story by American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft, believed to have been written in late 1933. It was first published in the journal Leaves in 1938, after Lovecraft's death. In the story fragment, the narrator is given an ancient book by a strange bookseller, and when he takes it home and examines it, weird and sinister events ensue.

WHEN children advance beyond the nursery age, no story is so wonderful as a true story. Fiction to them is never as appealing as fact. I have often been faced with the inquiry: whether or not a story is a true one. The look of gratification, when told that "it actually happened," was most satisfying to me as a story-teller.??The nearer a story is to the life and traditions of the child, the more eagerly it is attended. True stories about our own people, about our neighbors and friends, and about our own country at large, are more interesting than true stories of remote places and people. We naturally are interested in our own affairs, and the nearer they are to us the greater the interest we feel.??That history is just a long, thrilling story of the trials and triumphs of pioneers and patriots is well known to those who have had to do with the teaching of history to youthful minds. That the dry recital of political and governmental history does not interest children is also well known. History should be made vital, vibrant, and personal if we expect children to be stirred by its study.?To gratify the love of children for the dramatic and picturesque, to satisfy them with stories that are true, and to make them familiar with the great characters in the history of their own country, is the purpose of this volume.??It is hoped that through appeal to youthful love of adventure, this collection of stories, covering the entire range of American history, will stimulate the ambition and strengthen the patriotism of those young citizens whose education has been the constant concern of the author for many years.

The longer stories in this book are called Fairy Stories, because that is the name by which such tales are always known to children; and yet only a very few contain any direct reference to fairies. The most of them have to do with talking animals and with strange incidents and transformations such as have always delighted the childish fancy. They have been drawn from a variety of sources; and liberty has been taken to make such changes in the narratives as seemed most necessary to adapt them to the understanding and needs of the children of our own time and country. ??Free renderings, they may be called, of some of the most popular folktales of foreign lands. The Three Bears, Tom Thumb, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Tom Tit Tot are old English favorites dressed in modern garb; Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Princet and the Golden Blackbird, and Drakesbill and his Friends are variants of the well-known French versions by Perrault, Marelles, and Sebillot; Little Tuppen and The Three Goats named Bruse are from Norwegian sources; and the rest are founded upon German originals. In the retelling of these tales care has been taken to avoid whatever might distress the most sensitive child as well as everything that could give a wrong bias to his moral nature or distort his perception of the beautiful and the true.

ONE of the best things to be said of the stories in this volume is that, although they are not biographical, they are about real persons who actually lived and performed their parts in the great drama of the world's history. Some of these persons were more famous than others, yet all have left enduring "footprints on the sands of time" and their names will not cease to be remembered. ??In each of the stories there is a basis of truth and an ethical lesson which cannot fail to have a wholesome influence; and each possesses elements of interest which, it is believed, will go far towards proving the fallibility of the doctrine that children find delight only in tales of the imaginative and unreal. The fact that there are a few more than fifty famous people mentioned in the volume may be credited to the author's wish to give good measure.??SAVING THE BIRDS?ONE day in spring four men were riding on horseback along a country road. These men were lawyers, and they were going to the next town to attend court.?There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft. Water was dripping from the trees, and the grass was wet.?The four lawyers rode along, one behind another; for the pathway was narrow, and the mud on each side of it was deep. They rode slowly, and talked and laughed and were very jolly.?As they were passing through a grove of small trees, they heard a great fluttering over their heads and a feeble chirping in the grass by the roadside.? "Stith! stith! stith!" came from the leafy branches above them.?"Cheep! cheep! cheep!" came from the wet grass.?"What is the matter here?" asked the first lawyer, whose name was Speed.?"Oh, it's only some old robins!" said the second lawyer, whose name was Hardin. "The storm has blown two of the little ones out of the nest. They are too young to fly, and the mother bird is making a great fuss about it."?"What a pity! They'll die down there in the grass," said the third lawyer, whose name I forget.?"Oh, well! They're nothing but birds," said Mr. Hardin. "Why should we bother?"? "Yes, why should we?" said Mr. Speed.?The three men, as they passed, looked down and saw the little birds fluttering in the cold, wet grass. They saw the mother robin flying about, and crying to her mate.?Then they rode on, talking and laughing as before. In a few minutes they had forgotten about the birds.?But the fourth lawyer, whose name was Abraham Lincoln, stopped. He got down from his horse and very gently took the little ones up in his big warm hands.

When George Washington was a boy there was no United States. The land was here, just as it is now, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific; but nearly all of it was wild and unknown.??Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Allegheny Mo-untains there were thirteen colonies, or great settlements. The most of the people who lived in these colonies were English people, or the children of English people; and so the King of England made their laws and appointed their governors.??The newest of the colonies was Georgia, which was settled the year after George Washington was born.?The oldest colony was Virginia, which had been settled one hundred and twenty-five years. It was also the richest colony, and more people were living in it than in any other.??There were only two or three towns in Virginia at that time, and they were quite small.?Most of the people lived on farms or on big plantations, where they raised whatever they needed to eat. They also raised tobacco, which they sent to England to be sold.??The farms, or plantations, were often far apart, with stretches of thick woods between them. Nearly every one was close to a river, or some other large body of water; for there are many rivers in Virginia..

Jean Bodel a minstrel of the thirteenth century, wrote, "There are but three subjects which interest men,—the tales of France, of Britain, and of Rome the great; and to these subjects there is nothing like. The tales of Britain are so light and pleasant, those of Rome are wise and of teachful sense; those of France, truly every day of greater appearance."??In this story of Roland as I propose telling it, I shall intro-duce you to some of the most pleasing of those "tales of France" The poems and legends which embody them were written in various languages, and at widely different times; but in them two names, Charlemagne and Roland are of very frequent occurrence. Charlemagne, as you know, was a real historical personage, the greatest monarch of medieval times. His empire included France, the greater part of Germany and Italy; and his power and influence were felt all over the Christian world. The fame of his achievements in war was heralded and sung in every country of Europe; his name was in the mouth of every story-teller and wandering bard; and it finally became customary to ascribe all the heroic deeds and wonderful events of three centuries to the time of Charlemagne. ??The songs and stories in which these events were related were dressed up with every kind of embellishment to suit the circumstances of their recital. Wild myths of the Pagan ages, legends and traditions of the Christian Church, superstitious notions of magic and witchcraft, fantastic stories derived from the Arabs of Spain and the East,—all these were blended in one strange mass, and grafted upon a slender core of historical truth. The result was a curious mixture of fact and fiction, of the real and the marvellous, of the beautiful and the impure, of Christian devotion and heathen superstition. And it was thus that "the tales of France", which we may term the legendary history of Charlemagne, came into being ..

When founding the Pilawin preserve in 1901 my intention was limited to the breeding of elk, which still have their native haunts not very far away to the north, but have for many years ceased to inhabit these forests. No one, to my knowledge, has hitherto attempted to naturalise these splendid deer in enclosed parks; but the fact that Pilawin forms a part of their original habitat induced me to try the experiment, which has thus far proved an unqualified success. The first big game introduced in Pilawin were thus elk; but soon after their introduction I had the opportunity when in England of visiting the famous park of the Duke of Bedford at Woburn, and the wonders there seen enlarged my ideas with regard to Pilawin. Without any thought of rivalling the marvels of Woburn, I accordingly decided to add to the Pilawin park such of the deer of North America and Asia as appeared likely to thrive in Russia. Consequently I lost no time in obtaining specimens of American and Siberian wapiti, as well as of Caucasian red deer and the Manchurian Dybowski’s deer, after which I continued to add other new inhabitants to the park as opportunity occurred. In 1905, thanks to the kind intervention of Prince Victor Kotchoubey, who is at the head of the Imperial estates, I received from H.M. the Emperor of Russia the valuable gift of three bison from the Imperial preserves of Bielowicz; while in the following year a pair of their American relations, imported by Hagenbeck, was added to the herd.Much work still remains to be done before Pilawin is placed on such a level that will make it of real interest and importance to the study of natural history. If possible, I should like to make it the home of all such species of big game to which the climate and other local conditions prove suitable. And when established, I want them to live practically in their wild and natural state, breeding freely, and lacking any sense of confinement and limitation. I want, in fact, to see Pilawin, not a zoological garden, but a wild forest, where the noblest kinds of game may enjoy the largest possible amount of freedom, and where the sportsman may find the enjoyment of real sport and the naturalist a great field for study.Before concluding, I may avail myself of the opportunity of tendering my best thanks to all who have so kindly assisted me in the enterprise. My first thanks are due to H.M. the Emperor; and I have next to thank the Duke of Bedford for the promise of a young American bison, which I hope will reach Pilawin during the spring. To the Princes A. S. and F. Radziwill, to Count Constantin Potocki, and to Mr. Zalenski I am indebted for elk. To Mr. Poklewski-Roziell my acknowledgments are due for Siberian roe; while I have to thank Madame Ouwaroff for the valuable gift of a couple of beavers. I have likewise the pleasure of acknowledging the valuable services of the firm of Hagenbeck of Hamburg, who carried out to my entire satisfaction all orders regarding the importation of living animals into Pilawin.To the author of this little volume I desire to express my deepest gratitude and warmest thanks; and I am both proud and pleased that the first description of Pilawin should come from the pen of such a well-known naturalist as Mr. Lydekker. Last, but not least, my gratitude is due to the publisher for the man-ner in which this account of Pilawin is presented to the world. JOSEPH POTOCKI. Antoniny, January 1908.

The speaker had just pushed his horse over the brow of a slope which he and his servant had for some time been mounting, through the steamy warmth of a foggy May morning. The thick haze which lay heavy in this region of marshy ground had hidden the surrounding country from them hitherto; but as they reached the summit of the gradual rise they had been ascending, the cloud wreaths suddenly drifted away, and the sun began to shine out upon the undulating plain stretched before their eyes; and lo, the plain was alive with squadrons of soldiers—infantry, cavalry, artillery—drawn up in battle array; and the note of the bugle rang through the air, whilst away in the distance, on the opposite side of the plain, there was a movement which told that already the battle had begun. A sullen roar from the guns boomed forth, and the whole plain shook with the reverberation. Great masses of smoke rolled along and slowly dispersed after each salvo; but it was upon the evolutions of the bodies of horsemen and footmen that the keen eyes of the youthful traveller were intently fixed. "Dicon," he cried, "this is in all sooth a battle; and where the battle rages, there will the great victor of Blenheim be. We have not chanced upon this route in vain. Men warned us of the perils of seeking passage through a country which has become the theatre of war; but fortune's star has befriended us thus far, and now, if I mistake me not, we stand within sight of the greatest warrior of the age. For greatly shall I be astonished if the Duke of Marlborough himself be not conducting the evolutions of yonder squadrons."The brilliant dark eyes of the young man lighted with a great glow of excitement and admiration. He shaded them with his hand, and intently followed the evolutions of the moving masses in the plain stretched before his eyes. He was looking upon the village of Tavières and the mound of Ottomond, and the waters of the Mehaign rolled below at his feet. The right wing of the French army rested here, as he quickly saw; but for the moment the main activity lay over in the distance beyond Ramillies and Offuz, in the direction of Anderkirk. Yet as the traveller stood intently gazing, he saw a movement in the line of the allied army on this nearer side, and he exclaimed aloud in his excitement,— "See, Dicon, see! That attack yonder is but a feint. The key of the position lies here beneath us at Tavières, with its Tomb of Ottomond. See yonder those regiments of marching soldiers creeping round beneath the shelter of that rising ground! They will fling themselves upon the enemy's right, whilst the French general is diverting his available forces to protect his left. Villeroi, my friend, you did not well to dispose your forces in concave lines. You lose time in passing from place to place; and with such a general as our English Duke pitted against you, you cannot afford to lose any point in the game. Ha! See that? The Dutch and English soldiers are charging down upon Tavières! Watch how they come on—a great resistless tide of well-drilled veterans. See how they sweep all before them! See how the French fly forth! Ha, Villeroi, what think you now? Yes, you see your error; fain would you hurry back your reserves from left to right. But the time has gone by. They are miles away, and here are the Allies carrying all before them! Hurrah for old England! hurrah for the great Duke! Dicon, have you stomach for the fight? Do you remember Barcelona and Mountjuich? If we were men enough to help there, why not here too?"

Loongunis need constant changes to thrive, while the strange-haired Earthmen hate the endless moving around. When a sabotage impairs the shift engines of their traveling Box, the forced immobility might drive all Loongunis mad… unless their translator can work out a solution!?? Science fiction adventure at its best, told by multiple award-winning author Michèle Laframboise.?? ?? If you like first-contact situations featuring an alien POV, this one is for you! A chunky 7000-word SF story.?? ? * "The author does a good job narrating from the point of view of an alien who thinks in very different ways from a human." --Tangent Online "...the psychological and mathematical elements of the tale come even more to the fore and they are quite interesting." -- Featured Futures

Can mere clouds threaten their now home?? Blanche, a young paraplegic girl, watches the clouds dancing in the Phoenix sky.? She wonders if their coordinated figures signal a threat. But the adults are too busy to listen, even her big sister Lupianne worries more about the air production’s failing quotas than? some weird clouds. Then, as the dances grow complex and temperatures rise, the sisters must hurry to prevent the annihilation of their budding settlement. A clever planet-opera featuring a disabled heroine, told by multi-award winning author Michèle Laframboise.?The French version of this novel received the 2001 Cecile Gagnon Award for best first YA novel. "We can only be fascinated by the powerful images?born from the descriptions, by the originality?and coherence of her universe (...)"?-- Le Devoir ?An excellent introduction to science fiction?and to a number of questions about the environment,?social relations and communication.? --Hélène Marchetto,?Les vagabonds du rêve

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards (1850 – 1943) was an American writer. She born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a high-profile family. During her life, she wrote over 90 books, including children's, biographies,poetry, and others. A well-known children's poem for which she is noted is theliterary nonsense verse Eletelephony. Her father was Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe, an abolitionist and the founder of thePerkins Institution and Massachusetts School for the Blind. Samuel Gridley Howe's famous pupil Laura Bridgman was Laura's namesake.Julia Ward Howe, Laura's mother, was famous for writing the words to The Battle Hymn of the Republic. In 1871 Laura married Henry Richards. He would accept a management position in 1876 at his family's paper mill at Gardiner, Maine, where the couple moved with their three children.In 1917 Laura won a Pulitzer Prize for Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, a biography, which she co-authored with her sister, Maud Howe Elliott. Her children's book Tirra Lirra won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1959. A pre-kindergarten to second grade Elementary School in Gardiner, Mainehonors her name. Works:? St. Nicholas Magazine (contributed poetry)? Baby's Rhyme Book (1878)? Babyhood: Rhymes and Stories, Pictures and Silhouettes for Our Little Ones (1878)? Baby's Story Book (1878)? Five Mice in a Mouse Trap (1880)? The Little Tyrant (1880)? Our Baby's Favorite (1881)? Sketches and Scraps (1881)? Baby Ways (1881)? The Joyous Story of Toto (1885)? Beauty and the Beast (retelling, 1886)? Four Feet, Two Feet, and No Feet (1886)? Hop o' My Thumb (retelling, 1886)? Kaspar Kroak's Kaleidoscope (1886)? L.E.R. (privately printed, 1886)? Tell-Tale from Hill and Dale (1886)? Toto's Merry Winter (1887)? Julia Ward Howe Birthday-Book (1889)? In My Nursery (1890)? Captain January (later made into a movie with Shirley Temple, 1891)? Star Bright (Captain January sequel, 1927)? The Hildegarde Series? Queen Hildegarde (1889)? Hildegarde's Holiday (1891)? Hildegarde's Home (1892)? Hildegarde's Neighbors (1895)? Hildegarde's Harvest (1897)? The Melody Series? Melody (1893)? Marie (1894)? Bethsada Pool (1895)? Rosin the Beau (1898)? The Margaret Series? Three Margarets (1897)? Margaret Montfort (1898)? Peggy (1899)? Rita (1900)? Fernley House (1901)? The Merryweathers (1904)? Glimpses of the French Court (1893)? When I Was Your Age (1893)? Narcissa, or the Road to Rome (1894)? Five Minute Stories (1895)? Jim of Hellas, or In Durance Vile (1895)? Nautilus (1895)? Isla Heron (1896)? "Some Say" and Neighbors in Cyrus (1896)? The Social Possibilities of a Country Town (1897)? Love and Rocks (1898)? Chop-Chin and the Golden Dragon (1899)? Quicksilver Sue (1899)? The Golden-Breasted Kootoo (1899)? Sundown Songs (1899)? For Tommy and Other Stories (1900)? Snow-White, or The House in the Wood (1900)? Geoffrey Strong (1901)? Mrs. Tree (1902)? The Hurdy-Gurdy (1902)? More Five Minute Stories (1903)? The Green Satin Gown (1903)? The Tree in the City (1903)? Mrs. Tree's Will (1905)? The Armstrongs (1905)? The Piccolo (1906)? The Silver Crown, Another Book of Fables (1906)? At Gregory's House (1907)? Grandmother, the Story of a Life that Never was Lived (1907)? Ten Ghost Stories (1907)? The Pig Brother, and Other Fables and Stories (1908)? The Wooing of Calvin Parks (1908)? A Happy Little Time (1910)? Up to Calvin's (1910)? On Board the Mary Sands (1911)? Jolly Jingles (1912)? Miss Jimmy (1913)? The Little Master (1913)? Three Minute Stories (1914)? The Pig Brother Play-Book (1915)? Fairy Operettas (1916)? Pippin, a Wandering Flame (1917)? A Daughter of Jehu (1918)? To Arms! Songs of the Great War (1918)? Honor Bright: A Story for Girls (1920)? In Blessed Cyrus (1921)? The Squire (1923)? Acting Charades (1924)? Seven Oriental Operettas (1924)? Honor Bright's New Adventure (1925)? Biographies

Time is running out. Alice only has one year left to win her bet with the Bandersnatch, or be trapped as a prisoner in his garden forever. And Alice isn’t the only one losing heart. The Queen continues to steal peoples hearts, and the refugees from Neverland are the latest victims. For some reason, Alice can’t put them back and Adam refuses to leave Wonderland until they stop her. The pressure is on for Alice to keep the magic books from falling into the wrong hands. The clock is ticking and failure means none of the stolen hearts will be returned, Adam will remain trapped behind the mirror, and Alice will be forgotten in the Bandersnatch’s garden. Forever.

The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream. Fitzgerald—inspired by the parties he had attended while visiting Long Island's north shore—began planning the novel in 1923, desiring to produce, in his words, "something new—something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." Progress was slow, with Fitzgerald completing his first draft following a move to the French Riviera in 1924. The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews and sold poorly; in its first year, the book sold only 20,000 copies. Fitzgerald died in 1940, believing himself to be a failure and his work forgotten. However, the novel experienced a revival during World War II, and became a part of American high school curricula and numerous stage and film adaptations in the following decades. Today, The Great Gatsby is widely considered to be a literary classic and a contender for the title "Great American Novel". In 1998 the Modern Library editorial board voted it the 20th century's best American novel and second best English-language novel of the same time period.

The Scarlet Letter is an 1850 romantic work of fiction in a historical setting, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and is considered to be his magnum opus. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The experience of Hester and Dimmesdale recalls the story of Adam and Eve because, in both cases, sin results in expulsion and suffering. But it also results in knowledge – specifically, in knowledge of what it means to be immoral. For Hester, the Scarlet Letter is a physical manifestation of her sin and reminder of her painful solitude. She contemplates casting it off to obtain her freedom from an oppressive society and a checkered past as well as the absence of God. Because the society excludes her, she considers the possibility that many of the traditions held up by the Puritan culture are untrue and are not designed to bring her happiness.As for Dimmesdale, the "cheating minister", his sin gives him "sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind, so that his chest vibrate[s] in unison with theirs." His eloquent and powerful sermons derive from this sense of empathy. The narrative of the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is quite in keeping with the oldest and most fully authorized principles in Christian thought. His "Fall" is a descent from apparent grace to his own damnation; he appears to begin in purity but he ends in corruption. The subtlety is that the minister's belief is his own cheating, convincing himself at every stage of his spiritual pilgrimage that he is saved. The rose bush's beauty forms a striking contrast to all that surrounds it – as later the beautifully embroidered scarlet "A" will be held out in part as an invitation to find "some sweet moral blossom" in the ensuing, tragic tale and in part as an image that "the deep heart of nature" (perhaps God) may look more kind on the errant Hester and her child than her Puritan neighbors do. Throughout the work, the nature images contrast with the stark darkness of the Puritans and their systems.Chillingworth's misshapen body reflects (or symbolizes) the anger in his soul, which builds as the novel progresses, similar to the way Dimmesdale's illness reveals his inner turmoil. The outward man reflects the condition of the heart; an observation thought to be inspired by the deterioration of Edgar Allan Poe, whom Hawthorne "much admired".

Virginia Woolf was an English writer, and one of the foremost modernists of the twentieth century. Woolf was a significant figure in London literary society and a central figure in the influential Bloomsbury Group of intellectuals. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs Dalloway, To the Lighthouse and Orlando. Rachel Vinrace leaves on her father's ship for South America and her journey of self-discovery begins. The eclectic group of passengers provides Woolf with an opportunity to poke fun at Edwardian life. The novel is the first published by Woolf and introduces Clarissa Dalloway, the central character of Woolf's later novel, Mrs. Dalloway During the interwar period, Woolf was a signifi-cant figure in London literary society and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Her most famous works include the novels Mrs Dalloway (1925), To the Lighthouse (1927), and Orlando (1928), and the book-length essay A Room of One's Own (1929) with its famous dictum, "a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction". Other Books of V. Woolf: To the Lighthouse (1927)Mrs Dalloway (1925)A Haunted House (1921)Orlando (1928)Mrs Dalloway in Bond Street (1923)Between the Acts (1941)The Duchess and the Jeweller (1938)The New Dress (1927)The Mark on the Wall (1917)The Years (1937)

Super Cheap Japan is the ultimate budget travel guide to Japan, full of the most useful, up-to-date information for a cheap holiday in Japan. With extensive tax-free shopping, crazily discounted train passes and an unbelievable exchange rate, there has never been a better time to visit. Unlike other guides, this book shows you exactly how, where and when you can save money. Go shopping for $4 clothes in Tokyo, enjoy inexpensive hikes in Nikko, or visit Kyoto’s beautiful shrines and gardens on the cheap; all with this super helpful guide. Inside the Super Cheap Japan guide book: Budget food - eat for only a few dollars with comprehensive listings of low-cost restaurants, takeouts, supermarkets and more Budget shopping - 100 yen ($1) shops, free sample hotspots, tax-free shopping, discount passes and coupons Color maps for budget travelers, making it super easy to get around Highlights and itineraries based on discount train or bus passes, so you can keep your wallet happy while still having an amazing holiday Train and bus passes - local, regional and national passes, and info on how to use them for additional savings at tourist hotspots Hidden treasures - walking and cycling routes to cut down on train fares, cheap side trips and free alternatives to crowded, overpriced spots Essential help for budget travelers - expert travel tips, free tours, simple to understand directions, translations for places that don’t have English support Cheap accommodation - the best and cheapest capsule hotels, net cafes, overnight spas, hostels, campsites and more Guides to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima, Mt Fuji, Miyajima, Himeji Castle, Kobe, Yokohama, Kamakura, Nikko, Hakone, Kansai, Kanto, as well as great off-the-beaten-track places nearby This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and those who are new to Japan. Get the most out of this amazing country, without burning a hole in your wallet! Editorial Reviews "In Super Cheap Japan the author fulfils his mission to keep Japan both affordable and authentically enjoyable for tourists. There is a good balance between an overview of the usual tourist spots and quirkier recommendations that allows travellers to maximise their enjoyment of a singular country while minimising their budget."?- Japan Visitor?"Lots of great tips and tricks for saving money on your Japan visit! The book covers many areas in great detail, and it is certainly a very useful book for anybody planning a trip to Japan"?- Abby Denson, author of the bestselling Cool Japan Guide?"Want to travel to Japan but on a budget? Then check out Super Cheap Japan for great money saving ideas"?- Doki Doki"A must have book if you are traveling to Japan, it has all the essential information that you might need"?- Hector Garciao, author of the bestselling A Geek in Japan