Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was born on May 6th, 1868, in Paris, France. Leroux was schooled in Normandy and went to Paris to study Law where he graduated in 1889. As a young man he inherited a fortune, valued even then in the millions of francs, and lived excessively until it was almost all quickly spent. In 1890, he began working as a court reporter and theater critic for L'Echo de Paris. He became an international correspondent for Le Matin and covered perhaps his most important story in 1905 when he witnessed and wrote about the Russian Revolution. Lerouxs' reporting instincts were also used for in-depth coverage of the former Paris Opera being used as cells to house prisoners of the Paris Commune in the basement. He abruptly switched careers in 1907 to write fiction. His first effort was the Mystery of the Yellow Room. This was the first in a series of the Adventures of Rouletabillet. From then until the mid-1920s he wrote prolifically, becoming a firm favourite to his French audience and increasingly to a growing market abroad thanks to the numerous translations and his growing reputation. By 1919, Leroux had seen the potential in the growing film industry and together with Arthur Bernede they formed a film company, Societe des Cineromans, to publish novels and simultaneously turn them into films. As an author Leroux works are placed alongside Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's in the United Kingdom and Edgar Allan Poe's in the United States. His Phantom of the Opera is one of the world's classic treasures and is constantly being adapted into other media; from films and TV to radio as well as an audiobook. Leroux was honoured by the French State with a Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur in 1902. Gaston Leroux died in Nice, in Southern France, on April 15th, 1927.

John Galsworthy was born at Kingston Upon Thames in Surrey, England, on August 14th 1867 to a wealthy and well established family. His schooling was at Harrow and New College, Oxford before training as a barrister and being called to the bar in 1890. However, Law was not attractive to him and he travelled abroad becoming great friends with the novelist Joseph Conrad, then a first mate on a sailing ship. In 1895 Galsworthy began an affair with Ada Nemesis Pearson Cooper, the wife of his cousin Major Arthur Galsworthy. The affair was kept a secret for 10 years till she at last divorced and they married on 23rd September 1905. Galsworthy first published in 1897 with a collection of short stories entitled "e;The Four Winds"e;. For the next 7 years he published these and all works under his pen name John Sinjohn. It was only upon the death of his father and the publication of "e;The Island Pharisees"e; in 1904 that he published as John Galsworthy. His first play, The Silver Box in 1906 was a success and was followed by "e;The Man of Property"e; later that same year and was the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Whilst today he is far more well know as a Nobel Prize winning novelist then he was considered a playwright dealing with social issues and the class system. Here we publish Villa Rubein, a very fine story that captures Galsworthy's unique narrative and take on life of the time. He is now far better known for his novels, particularly The Forsyte Saga, his trilogy about the eponymous family of the same name. These books, as with many of his other works, deal with social class, upper-middle class lives in particular. Although always sympathetic to his characters, he reveals their insular, snobbish, and somewhat greedy attitudes and suffocating moral codes. He is now viewed as one of the first from the Edwardian era to challenge some of the ideals of society depicted in the literature of Victorian England. In his writings he campaigns for a variety of causes, including prison reform, women's rights, animal welfare, and the opposition of censorship as well as a recurring theme of an unhappy marriage from the women's side. During World War I he worked in a hospital in France as an orderly after being passed over for military service. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1929, after earlier turning down a knighthood, and awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932 though he was too ill to attend. John Galsworthy died from a brain tumour at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead on January 31st 1933. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking with his ashes then being scattered over the South Downs from an aeroplane.

The life of William Shakespeare, arguably the most significant figure in the Western literary canon, is relatively unknown. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1565, possibly on the 23rd April, St. George's Day, and baptised there on 26th April. Little is known of his education and the first firm facts to his life relate to his marriage, aged 18, to Anne Hathaway, who was 26 and from the nearby village of Shottery. Anne gave birth to their first son six months later. Shakespeare's first play, The Comedy of Errors began a procession of real heavyweights that were to emanate from his pen in a career of just over twenty years in which 37 plays were written and his reputation forever established. This early skill was recognised by many and by 1594 the Lord Chamberlain's Men were performing his works. With the advantage of Shakespeare's progressive writing they rapidly became London's leading company of players, affording him more exposure and, following the death of Queen Elizabeth in 1603, a royal patent by the new king, James I, at which point they changed their name to the King's Men. By 1598, and despite efforts to pirate his work, Shakespeare's name was well known and had become a selling point in its own right on title pages. No plays are attributed to Shakespeare after 1613, and the last few plays he wrote before this time were in collaboration with other writers, one of whom is likely to be John Fletcher who succeeded him as the house playwright for the King's Men. William Shakespeare died two months later on April 23rd, 1616, survived by his wife, two daughters and a legacy of writing that none have since yet eclipsed.

The partnership between William Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Seymour Sullivan and their canon of Savoy Operas is rightly lauded by all lovers of comic opera the world over. Gilbert's sharp, funny words and Sullivan's deliciously lively and hummable tunes create a world that is distinctly British in view but has the world as its audience. Both men were exceptionally talented and gifted in their own right and wrote much, often with other partners, that still stands the test of time. However, together as a team they created Light or Comic Operas of a standard that have had no rivals equal to their standard, before or since. That's quite an achievement. To be recognised by the critics is one thing but their commercial success was incredible. The profits were astronomical, allowing for the building of their own purpose built theatre - The Savoy Theatre. Beginning with the first of their fourteen collaborations, Thespis in 1871 and travelling through many classics including The Sorcerer (1877), H.M.S. Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1879), The Mikado (1885), The Gondoliers (1889) to their finale in 1896 with The Grand Duke, Gilbert & Sullivan created a legacy that is constantly revived and admired in theatres and other media to this very day.

Robert Louis Stevenson. In the Scottish canon to be placed alongside Burns for your poems is high praise indeed but it's a rightful place for one of Scotland's finest novelists. Born in 1850 he managed to cram much into his 44 years travelling widely to France, the United States, Samoa and the South Seas. Of course he is widely feted for his classics Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hyde, Treasure Island and poetry volumes such as A Child's Garden Of Verses and short storeis such The Body Snatchers. All offer compelling examples of narration superbly reduced to their essence. This volume 'Admiral Guinea' is another distinctive facet to his works. And yes, superbly written.

Aphra Behn was a prolific and well established writer but facts about her remain scant and difficult to confirm. What can safely be said though is that Aphra Behn is now regarded as a key English playwright and a major figure in Restoration theatre. Aphra was born into the rising tensions to the English Civil War. Obviously a time of much division and difficulty as the King and Parliament, and their respective forces, came ever closer to conflict. There are claims she was a spy, that she travelled abroad, possibly as far as Surinam. By 1664 her marriage was over (though by death or separation is not known but presumably the former as it occurred in the year of their marriage) and she now used Mrs Behn as her professional name. Aphra now moved towards pursuing a more sustainable and substantial career and began work for the King's Company and the Duke's Company players as a scribe. Previously her only writing had been poetry but now she would become a playwright. Her first, "e;The Forc'd Marriage"e;, was staged in 1670, followed by "e;The Amorous Prince"e; (1671). After her third play, "e;The Dutch Lover"e;, Aphra had a three year lull in her writing career. Again it is speculated that she went travelling again, possibly once again as a spy. After this sojourn her writing moves towards comic works, which prove commercially more successful. Her most popular works included "e;The Rover"e; and "e;Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister"e; (1684-87). With her growing reputation Aphra became friends with many of the most notable writers of the day. This is The Age of Dryden and his literary dominance. From the mid 1680's Aphra's health began to decline. This was exacerbated by her continual state of debt and descent into poverty. Aphra Behn died on April 16th 1689, and is buried in the East Cloister of Westminster Abbey. The inscription on her tombstone reads: "e;Here lies a Proof that Wit can never be Defence enough against Mortality."e; She was quoted as stating that she had led a "e;life dedicated to pleasure and poetry."e;

Alices Adventures in Wonderland (also known as Alice in Wonderland) by Lewis Carroll - aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832 1898) is an 1865 childrens fantasy novel portraying a young girl named Alice who spots a rabbit with a pocket watch and follows him until she falls down a rabbit hole. The rabbit hole leads her to a fantasy world called Wonderland where she meets many anthropomorphic creatures. Illustrations within this novel are the original illustrations by John Tenniel.Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of classic literature to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format.

Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen is a romantic fiction novel about the Dashwood sisters Elinor and Marianne who go through love, romance, hardship and heartbreak. The scene is set in Southwest England between the years 1792 and 1797 and it follows the story how the two sisters are forced to live in a relatives estate due to the death of their father who leaves them with an inadequate inheritance. The novel was originally published in 1811 under the pseudonym A Lady and was Jane Austens first novel.This digital edition is beautifully formatted with an active Table of Contents that goes directly to each chapter. Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old book classics to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format.

The Confessions of St Augustine (AD 401) is an autobiography of St Augustine. It consists of thirteen books and essentially outlines his deep regret in living an immoral youth and how he converted to Christianity. The book was also considered to be written as prayers to God.Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old classic literature to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format. All of the Mermaids Classics epublications are reproductions of classic antique books that were originally published in print format, mostly over a century ago and are now republished in digital format as ebooks. Begin to build your collection of digital books by looking for more literary gems from Mermaids Classics.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1660 - 1731) includes Volume 1: The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe and Volume 2: The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Robinson Crusoe is a classic childrens novel based on a fictional autobiography of Robinson who sets sailing and becomes shipwrecked. He encounters pirates, cannibals and spends years as a castaway on a tropical island. The novel was first published in 1719 and is considered today as one of the worlds best classics! This Mermaids Classics edition also includes the sequel to Robinson Crusoe which is titled The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe where Robinson returns to the island where he was shipwrecked, adventures in Madagascar, Southeast Asia, China and Siberia.Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old classic literature to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format. All of the Mermaids Classics epublications are reproductions of classic antique books that were originally published in print format, mostly over a century ago and are now republished in digital format as ebooks. Begin to build your collection of digital books by looking for more literary gems from Mermaids Classics.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1859 - 1932) is a childrens novel based on four anthropomorphised animals. The story begins with a Mole who adventures outside of his underground world. The book was first published in 1908 as an un-illustrated (plain text) edition. Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old classic literature to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format. All of the Mermaids Classics epublications are reproductions of classic antique books that were originally published in print format, mostly over a century ago and are now republished in digital format as ebooks. Begin to build your collection of digital books by looking for more literary gems from Mermaids Classics.

Through the Looking Glass (also known as What Alice Found There) by Lewis Carroll - aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832 1898) is an 1871 childrens fantasy novel which is also the sequel to Alices Adventures in Wonderland (also known as Alice in Wonderland).Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of classic literature to a modern era of digital reading.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens) (1835 1910) is a childrens novel based on a young teenage boy called Huckleberry Finn who is raised by an alcoholic father and has difficulties in socialising with society. It was first published in 1884. This book is also the sequel to the book called The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old book classics to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format.

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) by Charles Dickens (1812-1870) is a novel set during the French Revolution. With well over 200 million copies sold, it ranks among the most famous works in the history of fictional literature. The novel depicts the plight of the French peasantry demoralized by the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats in the early years of the revolution, and many unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time period. (Citation from Wikipedia: The free Encyclopaedia)Mermaids Classics, an imprint of Mermaids Publishing brings the very best of old classic literature to a modern era of digital reading by producing high quality books in ebook format. All of the Mermaids Classics epublications are reproductions of classic antique books that were originally published in print format, mostly over a century ago and are now republished in digital format as ebooks. Begin to build your collection of digital books by looking for more literary gems from Mermaids Classics.

This companion to the New York Times bestselling bookThe Wes Anderson Collectiontakes readers behind the scenes of the Oscar(R)-winning filmThe Grand Budapest Hotelwith a series of interviews between writer/director Wes Anderson and movie/television critic Matt Zoller Seitz. Learn all about the films conception, hear personal anecdotes from the set, and explore the wide variety of sources that inspired the screenplay and imageryfrom author Stefan Zweig to filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch to photochrom landscapes of turn-of-the-century Middle Europe. Also inside are interviews with costume designer Milena Canonero, composer Alexandre Desplat, lead actor Ralph Fiennes, production designer Adam Stockhausen, and cinematographer Robert Yeoman;essays by film critics Ali Arikan and Steven Boone, film theorist and historian David Bordwell, music critic Olivia Collette, and style and costume consultant Christopher Laverty; and an introduction by playwright Anne Washburn.Previously unpublished production photos, artwork, and ephemera illustrate each essay and interview.The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel stays true to Seitzs previous book on Andersons first seven feature films,The Wes Anderson Collection,with an artful, meticulous design and playful, original illustrations that capture the spirit of Andersons inimitable aesthetic. Together, they offer a complete overview of Andersons filmography to date.Praise for the film,The Grand Budapest Hotel: Four Academy Awards(R), including Costume Design, Music - Original Score, and Production Design;Nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Directing, and Writing - Original Screenplay; Best Film - Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Awards; Best Original Screenplay, BAFTA, WGA, NYFCC, and LAFCA AwardsPraise for the book,The Wes Anderson Collection: ';The Wes Anderson Collectioncomes as close as a book can to reading like a Wes Anderson film. The design is meticulously crafted, with gorgeous full-page photos and touches . . .' Eric Thurm,The A.V. Club Also available from Matt Zoller Seitz: Mad Men Carousel, The Oliver Stone Experience, The Wes Anderson Collection: Bad Dads, andThe Wes Anderson Collection.

ThisNew York Timesbestselling overview of Wes Andersons filmography features previously unpublished behind-the-scenes photos, artwork, and ephemera, with an introduction by Michael Chabon. Writer/director Wes Anderson guides movie/television critic Matt Zoller Seitz through Andersons life and career in a hardcover book-length conversation, woven together with original illustrations and production images fromBottle Rocket,Rushmore,The Royal Tenenbaums,The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,The Darjeeling Limited,Fantastic Mr. Fox, andMoonrise Kingdom. The result is a meticulously designed book that captures and reflects the spirit of Wes Andersons movies: melancholy, playful, wise, and wonderfully unique. Also available from Matt Zoller Seitz: The Oliver Stone Experience, The Wes Anderson Collection: Bad Dads, The Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Mad Men Carousel.

The highly anticipated sequel to the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling book! Secrets have a way of getting out, especially when a diary is involved. Whatever you do, don't ask Greg Heffley how he spent his summer vacation, because he definitely doesn't want to talk about it. As Greg enters the new school year, he's eager to put the past three months behind him . . . and one event in particular. Unfortunately for Greg, his older brother, Rodrick, knows all about the incident Greg wants to keep under wraps. But secrets have a way of getting out . . . especially when a diary is involved. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules chronicles Greg's attempts to navigate the hazards of middle school, impress the girls, steer clear of the school talent show, and most important, keep his secret safe.?F&P level: T

Et tu, Heffley? Thats right, international superstar Greg Heffley is now poised to conquer the classical world with this new Latin edition of the first book in Jeff Kinneys bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid seriesatranslated by Monsignor Daniel Gallagher, a Vatican specialistA who translates Pope Franciss Tweets into Latin. The Wimpy Kid joins beloved characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter, the Little Prince, Bilbo Baggins, and the Grinch as the latest in an elite pantheon of childrens books selected for Latin translation. Commentarii de Inepto Puero is sure to appeal to fans of the international bestselling series as well as to readers of all ages studying Latin, either for school credit or for fun.

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BY OSCAR-WINNING DIRECTOR ANG LEEBilly Lynn is home from Iraq. And he's a YouTube sensation. Tonight, with the nation's eyes on him, Billy steps out onto the field at the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving football game. Tomorrow, he must go back to war.

Disney's newest animated feature, Zootropolis, is a comedy-adventure starring Officer Judy Hopps, a rookie bunny cop who has to team up with fast-talking scam-artist fox Nick Wilde to crack her first case in the all-animal city of Zootropolis. This lushly illustrated book offers a behind-the-scenes view of the elaborate artistry involved in creating the film.

While Pixar Animation Studios was creating beloved feature-length films such as Monsters Inc., Ratatouille, and WALLE, it was simultaneously testing animation and storytelling techniques in dozens of memorable short films. Andre and Wally B proved that computer animation was possible; Tin Toy laid the groundwork for what would become Toy Story; and Mike's New Car exposed Pixar's finely tuned funny bone. In The Art of Pixar Short Films, animation expert and short film devotee Amid Amidi shines a spotlight on these and many more memorable vignettes from the Pixar archive. Essays and interviews illuminate more than 250 full-color pastels, pencil sketches, storyboards, and final rendered frames that were the foundation of Pixar's creative process.