Admiral Guinea - Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds t
¥11.87
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.
Little Women - Conceit spoils the finest genius.
¥23.45
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is a classic of American fiction that was originally published in two consecutive books (Little Women and Good Wives). The latter were later grouped in the present volume. In a rather autobiographical fashion, Alcott tells the story of an ordinary American family living in Concord, Massachusetts. When the father leaves for war, the family's four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, along with their mother, have to take charge of their own destiny. Their financial situation worsens and Meg and Jo succeed in finding jobs while Amy goes to school and Beth stays at home. Jo is the most daring of all her sisters. In her father's absence, she acts like the man of the house. She befriends their neighbors' son, Theodore Laurence, who soon becomes like the fifth sibling of the family. The book speaks about the many adventures and pleasant activities that the girls accompanied by Theodore get involved in. When he later reveals his love to Jo, she rejects him, claiming that he is a brother to her. Theodore eventually accepts the situation and finds a new love. Meg and Amy meet the men of their lives while Jo remains more interested in the stories that she writes. However, she too seems to fall in love by the end.
Jude The Obscure, By Thomas Hardy - Every successful man is more or less a selfi
¥23.45
Thomas Hardy (2nd June 1840 - 11th January 1928), celebrated poet and writer, was born in a modest thatched cottage near Dorchester in the West country, to a builder father. His mother came from a line of intelligent, lively and ambitious women so ensured her son had the best formal education available for their modest means although this ended when he was 16. He became a draughtsman specialising in the building of churches was able to give it up to be a full time writer and poet with the publication of Far From the Madding Crown which became a bestseller and like much of his work was serialised. His writing reflects his passionate beliefs for social reform and exposes the hypocrisy of the rules of the Victorian age which constrained many freedoms with convention and restricted the transcending of class boundaries. His novels are almost entirely set in rural Wessex which although fictional is clearly rooted in the SW counties of England where he was born and lived most of his life. Hardy's writing caused controversy in his lifetime but despite this he was highly praised and showered with honorary doctorates from many universities, a knighthood, which he refused and in 1910 the prestigious Order of the Merit. Jude the Obscure is "e;the sort of man who was born to ache a good deal."e; He is desperate to study at Christminster, the fictionalised Oxford University, and whilst self educated to a sufficient standard, his humble rural background prevents admission. Furthermore, he is distracted by the sensual Arabella and falls in love with the educated. emancipated new woman, Sue creating as Hardy states "e;a deadly war waged between flesh and spirit"e;. Whilst doomed love and unfulfilled ambition are the dominant themes, the frank criticism of marriage and fearless exploration of sexuality caused so much protest for its supposed indecency and the ensuing bitter criticism, made this Hardy's final novel and many agree also his finest. The novel continues to inspire the modern mind as the recent film directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Christopher Eccleston and Kate Winslet as Jude and Sue attests.
Dead Souls - The longer and more carefully we look at a funny story, the sadder
¥25.80
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol was born on 31st March 1809 in present day Ukraine which was then the Russian Cossack village of Sorochyntsi. Nikolai's parents were relatively affluent; his mother's family were Polish landowners and his father, who wrote poetry in Ukrainian and Russian, was a descendant of Ukrainian Cossacks. Nikolai had a good education and started writing as a teenager whilst still at school although did consider becoming an actor due to his formidable talent at mimicry. On leaving school he went to St Petersburg but found it hard getting any work either in the civil service or as an actor. He self published a romantic poem but it was critically savaged to the extent that he swore never to write poetry again and also considered emigrating to the US. Fortunately, he persevered with his writing and produced a series of stories about his home in Ukraine in a colloquial and whimsical style that captured many literary admirers including the esteemed poet Pushkin. Nikolai was eventually able to abandon his work teaching and produced powerful books brilliantly and savagely satirising the inequities of the Russian system and its corrupt bureaucracy. His creative talents declined in later years and he became heavily influenced by a sadistic fanatical priest and died semi insane on 4th March 1852. He remains the father of Russian realism as evidenced here by his classic 'Dead Souls'
Bankrupt - Includes a rare poetry collection
¥35.22
Bjornstjerne Bjornson (1832 - 1910), the third man to ever win the Nobel Prize in Literature. However when considering the quality of his writing he is perhaps not as celebrated as he should be. Being also a Nobel Laureate in Literature, Bjornson has also been credited with many other impressive successes. These include writing the lyrics for the Norwegian national anthem, mastering all forms of literature; poetry, novels, short stories, essays and playwriting and being elevated to one of the Four Greats; the name for the classic Norwegian writers, others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie and Alexander Kielland. Here we look at one of his many plays. Much of his work was nearly as popular in his native Norway as Ibsen's and we now bring you these masterful works in English for you to compare. Our imprint Stage Door offers both Ibsen's and Bjornson's works in English.
Newly-Married Couple - Includes a rare poetry collection
¥35.22
Bjornstjerne Bjornson (1832 - 1910), the third man to ever win the Nobel Prize in Literature. However when considering the quality of his writing he is perhaps not as celebrated as he should be. Being also a Nobel Laureate in Literature, Bjornson has also been credited with many other impressive successes. These include writing the lyrics for the Norwegian national anthem, mastering all forms of literature; poetry, novels, short stories, essays and playwriting and being elevated to one of the Four Greats; the name for the classic Norwegian writers, others being Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie and Alexander Kielland. Here we look at one of his many plays. Much of his work was nearly as popular in his native Norway as Ibsen's and we now bring you these masterful works in English for you to compare. Our imprint Stage Door offers both Ibsen's and Bjornson's works in English.
Emma - Better be without sense than misapply it as you do.
¥23.45
Jane Austen's Emma (1815) explores the life of women in Regency England, combining romance with some aspects of the comedy of manners. The story centers around the eponymous character who, unlike Austen's other popular heroines, is an upper middle-class young woman with no pecuniary concerns. Emma Woodhouse is rather a strong-headed, beautiful young woman who lives with her father and who has resolved not to marry. Yet, she spends considerable time and energy trying to make matches for the other people around her and tends to draw amusement and satisfaction from such practice. After one successful experience, Emma tries to match her friend Harriet to a man named Mr. Elton. Her earnest and honest friend George Knightley warns her of Mr. Elton's snobbish nature. Nonetheless, Emma starts by making her friend Harriet reject a marriage proposal. Surprisingly, while she believes Mr. Elton's attention is drawn towards Harriet, the man ends up declaring his love for the match-maker herself. When Emma informs Mr. Elton of her intention to match him to her friend, he feels insulted, considering Harriet's inferior social class. He leaves the town while Emma keeps on trying to find a husband for Harriet. By the end of the novel, Emma marries Mr. Knightley to finally give up her favorite hobby while Harriet marries Robert Martin. We've also included a concise and informative biography of Jane's works and life at the end of the book. We hope it helps to give a little context and colour about how her life interacted with her art.
MR. ROBOT: Red Wheelbarrow - (eps1.91_redwheelbarr0w.txt)
¥211.41
The only tie-in book for USA's award-winning series MR. ROBOT, Elliot's journalRed Wheelbarrowis written by show creator Sam Esmail and show writer Courtney Looney. Before and during the events of season two, Elliot recorded his most private thoughts in this journaland now you can hold this piece of the series in your hands. Experience Elliot's battles to gain control of his life and his struggles to survive increasingly dangerous circumstances, in a brand-new story rendered in his own words. The notebook also holds seven removable artifactsa ripped-out page, a newspaper clipping, a mysterious envelope, and morealong with sketches throughout the book. You'll discover the story behind MR. ROBOT season two and hints of what is to come. This book is the ultimate journey into the world of the showand a key to hacking the mind of its main character. MR. ROBOT is a psychological thriller that follows Elliot (Rami Malek, The Pacific), a young programmer, who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night. Elliot finds himself at a crossroads when the mysterious leader (Christian Slater, Adderall Diaries) of an underground hacker group recruits him to destroy the firm he is paid to protect.Praise for MR. ROBOT: ';Relentless, sensational, and unabashedly suspenseful' TheNew York Times ';. . . most narratively and visually daring drama series on television . . .' Entertainment Weekly ';Terrific' The New Yorker ';Sam Esmail is one of the most innovative creators to make his mark on television in a long time.' Rolling Stone ';A modern classic' Forbes ';MR. ROBOT has the potential to be one of the defining shows of our age.' TIME ';Brilliant' The Huffington Post Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series, Drama, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Christian Slater) Critics' Choice(R) Awards for Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series (Rami Malek), and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Christian Slater) Emmy Award(R) for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Rami Malek) Five Emmy(R) nominations, including for Outstanding Drama Series
Theft - The function of man is to live, not to exist.
¥38.75
John Griffith "e;Jack"e; London was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12th, 1876 in San Francisco. His father, William Chaney, was living with his mother Flora Wellman when she became pregnant. Chaney insisted she have an abortion. Flora's response was to turn a gun on herself. Although her wounds were not severe the trauma made her temporarily deranged. In late 1876 his mother married John London and the young child was brought to live with them as they moved around the Bay area, eventually settling in Oakland where Jack completed grade school. Jack also worked hard at several jobs, sometimes 12-18 hours a day, but his dream was university. He was lent money for that and after intense studying enrolled in the summer of 1896 at the University of California in Berkeley. In 1897, at 21 , Jack searched out newspaper accounts of his mother's suicide attempt and the name of his biological father. He wrote to William Chaney, then living in Chicago. Chaney said he could not be London's father because he was impotent; and casually asserted that London's mother had relations with other men. Jack, devastated by the response, quit Berkeley and went to the Klondike. Though equally because of his continuing dire finances Jack might have taken that as the excuse he needed to leave. In the Klondike Jack began to gather material for his writing but also accumulated many health problems, including scurvy, hip and leg problems many of which he then carried for life. By the late 1890's Jack was regularly publishing short stories and by the turn of the century full blown novels. By 1904 Jack had married, fathered two children and was now in the process of divorcing. A stint as a reporter on the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 was equal amounts trouble and experience. But that experience was always put to good use in a remarkable output of work. Twelve years later Jack had amassed a wealth of writings many of which remain world classics. He had a reputation as a social activist and a tireless friend of the workers. And yet on November 22nd 1916 Jack London died in a cottage on his ranch at the age of only 40. Here we present Theft.
Notes From The Underground - To love is to suffer and there can be no love other
¥15.21
Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Notes from the Underground is both a fictional and philosophical work. It is considered by many critics as an early existentialist novella. The narrative takes the form of notes written by an unnamed narrator and is divided into two parts. In the first part entitled "e;Underground,"e; the protagonist is presented as a pessimist misanthrope who comments on a number of philosophical concepts such as the duality between determinism and free will. Basing his criticism on the work of Nikolay Chernyshevsky, he attacks modern schools of thought that purport to be founded solely on logical reasoning, namely utilitarianism and positivism. The second part of the book, entitled "e;Apropos of the Wet Snow,"e; is closer to fiction than to philosophical analysis. It rather seems to serve as a practical part for the theories exposed in the former through relating some events that happened to the narrator when he was a young man. The narrator often finds difficulty in socializing and even in interacting with the different people around him. Total misunderstanding and mistrust make him feel alienated in society. His feeling of indecision keeps on haunting him until the very end of the narrative when it is revealed that he has even been hesitating to conclude his notes.
Hard Times, By Charles Dickens
¥41.10
Hard Times is Charles Dickens's tenth novel that has been considered most seriously by literary critics and historians. It concentrates on the portrayal of the English society of the nineteenth century as well as on its different cultural and economic aspects. The story, which is set in a fictional Victorian town, is divided into three parts which are respectively entitled "e;Sowing,"e; "e;Reaping,"e; and "e;Garnering."e; The central character of the first part is Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, a wealthy man, a school headmaster and a father to 5 children. Generally, Mr. Gradgrind is a man of reason and thought, but also of strict rules and codes of behavior. The narrative gives minute details of his daily activities and habits as well as of the way he brings up his children, teaching them principles of rationalism and self-interest. The story then follows the existence of his children and family in the remaining parts of the novel. Dickens mainly deals with the much-debated social issues of the time such as the importance of professional careers, love and marriage. By the end of the narrative, Mr. Gradgrind eventually seems to become less categorical as to his strict principles of rationalism and utilitarianism.
Martin Eden - But I am I. And I won't subordinate my taste to the unanimous judg
¥41.10
John Griffith "e;Jack"e; London was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12th, 1876 in San Francisco. His father, William Chaney, was living with his mother Flora Wellman when she became pregnant. Chaney insisted she have an abortion. Flora's response was to turn a gun on herself. Although her wounds were not severe the trauma made her temporarily deranged. In late 1876 his mother married John London and the young child was brought to live with them as they moved around the Bay area, eventually settling in Oakland where Jack completed grade school. Jack also worked hard at several jobs, sometimes 12-18 hours a day, but his dream was university. He was lent money for that and after intense studying enrolled in the summer of 1896 at the University of California in Berkeley. In 1897, at 21 , Jack searched out newspaper accounts of his mother's suicide attempt and the name of his biological father. He wrote to William Chaney, then living in Chicago. Chaney said he could not be London's father because he was impotent; and casually asserted that London's mother had relations with other men. Jack, devastated by the response, quit Berkeley and went to the Klondike. Though equally because of his continuing dire finances Jack might have taken that as the excuse he needed to leave. In the Klondike Jack began to gather material for his writing but also accumulated many health problems, including scurvy, hip and leg problems many of which he then carried for life. By the late 1890's Jack was regularly publishing short stories and by the turn of the century full blown novels. By 1904 Jack had married, fathered two children and was now in the process of divorcing. A stint as a reporter on the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 was equal amounts trouble and experience. But that experience was always put to good use in a remarkable output of work. Twelve years later Jack had amassed a wealth of writings many of which remain world classics. He had a reputation as a social activist and a tireless friend of the workers. And yet on November 22nd 1916 Jack London died in a cottage on his ranch at the age of only 40. Here we present Martin Eden.
Post Office - We read the world wrong and say the it deceives us.
¥14.03
In this volume we venture to the East. To met a writer who speaks a common language of love and mysticism which continues to convey valuable insights into universal themes in contemporary society. Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) who was a gifted Bengali Renaissance man, distinguishing himself as a philosopher, social and political reformer and a popular author in all literary genres. He was instrumental in an increased freedom for the press and influenced Gandhi and the founders of modern India. He composed hundreds of songs which are still sung today as they include the Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems. His prolific literary life has left a legacy of quality novels, essays, poems and in this volume one of his plays. He earned the distinction of being the first Asian writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. Many of his poems are also available as an audiobook from our sister company Portable Poetry as well as ebooks of stories and essays. Many samples are at our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PortablePoetry?feature=mhee The full volume of poems can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores. Among our readers are Shyama Perera and Ghizela Rowe
Breaking Bad 101 - The Complete Critical Companion
¥138.52
AMC's Breaking Bad is among the most beloved, critically acclaimed American television series of our time. Created by Vince Gilligan, the series charts the transformation of high school science teacher Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston) into a cold, calculating meth kingpin. Breaking Bad 101 collects esteemed critic Alan Sepinwall's (Uproxx) popular Breaking Bad recaps in book form, featuring new, exclusive essays and completely revised and updated commentary-as well as insights from and interviews with the creative masterminds behind Breaking Bad. The ultimate critical companion for one of the greatest television dramas of all time, Breaking Bad 101 offers fans Sepinwall's smart, funny, and incisive analysis of the psychology and filmmaking craft behind each episode and celebrates the series' unique place in pop-culture history.
Scarlet Letter - She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom.
¥14.03
Set in 17th-century New England, Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, is a novel that combines the romantic style with the historical genre and a number of Gothic conventions and themes, namely the themes of sin, guilt, repentance and mortification. The book tells the tragic story of Hester Prynne who has to wear the letter "e;A"e; on her breast as a token of shame for having committed adultery and given birth to an illegitimate child that she named Pearl . Furthermore, Prynne is doubly punished for not accepting to reveal the identity of her lover. As her stigmatization by the conservative community intensifies, a highly respected minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, intervenes with local authorities to prevent her separation from her child. The narrative then focuses on the character of the churchman who appears to be suffering from poor physical and psychological health. It is only later in the story that readers understand the secret behind Dimmesdale's self-inflicted tortures. Being Pearl's biological father, he lacks the courage to publically assume his responsibilities the way Prynne does. As the narrative approaches its end, one its most emotional climactic scenes shows the three members of the cursed family together on the public scaffold where Dimmesdale finally recognizes his sin and passes away on the spot.
Professor - That to begin with; let respect be the foundation
¥15.21
The Professor is Charlotte Bronte's first novel, even though it was only published posthumously. The novel's protagonist and first-person narrator is the orphan William Crimsworth, a young educated man who rejects the career of a clergyman proposed by his adoptive uncle. He first decides to work as a clerk for his wealthy brother who owns a mill in the north of the country. However, his brother's jealousy of his superior education and intelligence eventually pushes him to quit the job and travel to Brussels where he is hired as a professor of English at a girls' school. In Brussels, he falls in love with a younger colleague, Frances Henri, yet he has to endure the wickedness of the Catholic headmistress, Mr. Reuter. Coveting their nascent love, the latter ends up dismissing Frances from her school and hiding her whereabouts from William. The professor leaves the establishment and luckily comes across her beloved in a graveyard. Thanks to a new job with a very high wage, the couple are eventually allowed to open their own school, marry and have a child. The narrative closes as they succeed in making a little fortune and decide to settle in the English countryside.
Heartbreak House (Nobel Prize)
¥23.45
Heartbreak House is a play written by George Bernard Shaw one of the truly great literary figures of our age. First published in 1919 and first played at the New York's Garrick Theatre in 1920. It is not often performed due to its complex structure. Based around a dinner party it's a mixture of farce, social manners and British Society's sad decline with their indifferent self-indulgent attitude. As the play progresses Shaw reveals each character as somewhat different to their starting position.
Pride And Prejudice
¥23.45
Pride and Prejudice (1813) is one of the most popular novels of the English tongue in which Jane Austen tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet, a beautiful twenty-year-old woman whose liveliness and intelligence do not prevent her from having false impressions and prejudgments about the people surrounding her. The young woman lives with her middle-class family and her best friend Charlotte Lucas. As the plot unfolds, Elizabeth develops a romantic relationship with a man from a higher social rank and a much wealthier background named Mr. Darcy. The latter gentleman is intelligent, handsome and well-mannered. Nonetheless, he generally leaves a negative impression on strangers who do not know his true nature by showing a proud and haughty attitude, refusing to dance at balls and behaving in a reserved manner. Austen gradually elucidates, nonetheless, that what is often seen by strangers as a condescending behavior is just the awkward appearance of a kind and virtuous gentleman. After numerous bursts of rather childish big-headedness and misunderstanding, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy eventually overcome their pride and prejudice. By the very end of the narrative, Elizabeth accepts Mr. Darcy's proposal when their love for each other succeeds in vanquishing their self-love. We've also included a concise and informative biography of Jane's works and life at the end of the book. We hope it helps to give a little context and colour about how her life interacted with her art.
Midummer Nights Dream
¥17.56
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in late April 1565 and baptised there on 26th April. He was one of eight children. Little is known about his life but what is evident is the enormous contribution he has made to world literature. His writing was progressive, magnificent in scope and breathtaking in execution. His plays and sonnets helped enable the English language to speak with a voice unmatched by any other. William Shakespeare died on April 23rd 1616, survived by his wife and two daughters. He was buried two days after his death in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church. The epitaph on the slab which covers his grave includes the following passage, Good friend, for Jesus's sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed me the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones. Here we publish his comedy from 1595 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.
Black Beauty - We call them dumb animals, and so they are
¥16.38
Anna Sewell's only published novel, Black Beauty, is an extraordinary classic that deals with animal life and focuses on the importance of good animal treatment. The idea of writing a book about animal rights has been inspired by Sewell's own physical disability which has made her dependent on horse-drawn transportation. The narrator in Black Beauty is himself a personified horse who tells his life story and describes the world through his own lenses. Sewell says that the objective of writing the novel is to sensitize people to the sufferings of "e;working animals"e; and she has actually succeeded in fostering legislation protecting horses and in influencing public attitudes towards animal pain. Black Beauty's life crucially changes when he is taken from a country farm to pull cabs in the city of London. The different ordeals that he has to go through often contain a moral lesson that teaches kindness and sympathy not only for the poor animals, but also between human beings themselves. Indeed, the novel does not miss to cover the hardships of London taxi drivers either. Generally, Sewell's seminal classic has had a great influence on other writers of animal stories and has opened up new windows of discovering animal life.
Taming of The Shrew
¥17.56
William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in late April 1565 and baptised there on 26th April. He was one of eight children. Little is known about his life but what is evident is the enormous contribution he has made to world literature. His writing was progressive, magnificent in scope and breathtaking in execution. His plays and sonnets helped enable the English language to speak with a voice unmatched by any other. William Shakespeare died on April 23rd 1616, survived by his wife and two daughters. He was buried two days after his death in the chancel of the Holy Trinity Church. The epitaph on the slab which covers his grave includes the following passage, Good friend, for Jesus's sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here. Blessed me the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones. Here we publish his comedy from 1593 'The Taming of the Shrew'.