"The Mysterious Affair at Styles" is a detective novel by Agatha Christie. It was written in the middle of the First World War, in 1916, and first published by John Lane in the United States in October 1920 and in the United Kingdom by The Bodley Head (John Lane's UK company) on 21 January 1921. The US edition retailed at $2.00 and the UK edition at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6).Styles was Christie's first published novel. It introduced Hercule Poirot, Inspector (later, Chief Inspector) Japp, and Arthur Hastings. Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in England near the home of Emily Inglethorp, who helped him to his new life. His friend Hastings arrives as a guest at her home. When the woman is killed, Poirot uses his detective skills to solve the mystery. This is also the setting of "Curtain", Poirot's last case.The book includes maps of the house, the murder scene, and a drawing of a fragment of a will. The true first publication of the novel was as a weekly serial in the "The Times", including the maps of the house and other illustrations included in the book. This novel was one of the first ten books published by Penguin Books when it began in 1935.

Tobacco millionaire John Vincent Harden has barely arrived in London when strange things start happening to him. The clerk at his hotel swears that Harden has checked out and taken his luggage with him. Then Harden receives a wire calling him home to his plantation in Kentucky - which it turns out was never sent. Finally, when a four-wheeled cab almost runs over the American, Harden knows it is time to turn to Sherlock Holmes for help. Who is behind this peculiar persecution of John Vincent Harden? Holmes solves the puzzle too late, learning in the process that indeed "e;one may smile, and smile, and be a villain."e;Praise for The Peculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden: This story originally appeared in Baker Street Beat: An Eclectic Colleciton of Sherlockian Scribblings, where it drew the attention of critics as one of the highlights of the book: "e;If you don't read any other Holmes pastiche this year, please, please read the short story The Peculiar Persecution of John Vincent Harden which has to be the closest in tone and content to a Holmes work that I have read in a long time."e; - Felicia Carparelli's Sherlock Holmes Murder Blog"e;One of the best short pastiches that I have read."e; - Ross K. Foad, "e;No Place Like Holmes"e; reviews

L'Isolée

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Le Retour de Linou

Les Hauts de Hurle-vent

The Einstein Theory of Relativity

Les chansons de Bilitis

L'Effrayante aventure

Das Zeichen der Vier

This collection of Japanese fairy tales is the outcome of a suggestion made to me indirectly through a friend by Mr. Andrew Lang. They have been translated from the modern version written by Sadanami Sanjin. These stories are not literal translations, and though the Japanese story and all quaint Japanese expressions have been faithfully preserved, they have been told more with the view to interest young readers of the West than the technical student of folk-lore. Grateful acknowledgment is due to Mr. Y. Yasuoka, Miss Fusa Okamoto, my brother Nobumori Ozaki, Dr. Yoshihiro Takaki, and Miss Kameko Yamao, who have helped me with translations. The story which I have named "The Story of the Man who did not Wish to Die" is taken from a little book written a hundred years ago by one Shinsui Tamenaga. It is named Chosei Furo, or "Longevity." "The Bamboo-cutter and the Moon-child" is taken from the classic "Taketari Monogatari," and is NOT classed by the Japanese among their fairy tales, though it really belongs to this class of literature. ? In telling these stories in English I have followed my fancy in adding such touches of local color or description as they seemed to need or as pleased me, and in one or two instances I have gathered in an incident from another version. At all times, among my friends, both young and old, English or American, I have always found eager listeners to the beautiful legends and fairy tales of Japan, and in telling them I have also found that they were still unknown to the vast majority, and this has encouraged me to write them for the children of the West. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Y. T. O. ? MY LORD BAG OF RICE ? "Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara Toda, or "My Lord Bag of Rice." His true name was Fujiwara Hidesato, and there is a very interesting story of how he came to change his name. One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and slinging his quiver on his back started out. He had not gone far when he came to the bridge of Seta-no-Karashi spanning one end of the beautiful Lake Biwa. No sooner had he set foot on the bridge than he saw lying right across his path a huge serpent-dragon. Its body was so big that it looked like the trunk of a large pine tree and it took up the whole width of the bridge. One of its huge claws rested on the parapet of one side of the bridge, while its tail lay right against the other. The monster seemed to be asleep, and as it breathed, fire and smoke came out of its nostrils. ? At first Hidesato could not help feeling alarmed at the sight of this horrible reptile lying in his path, for he must either turn back or walk right over its body. He was a brave man, however, and putting aside all fear went forward dauntlessly. Crunch, crunch! he stepped now on the dragon's body, now between its coils, and without even one glance backward he went on his way. .."

A Blackwater napjaink legrejtélyesebb és legellentmondásosabb vállalata. A korábban a SEAL-nél, az amerikai haditengerészet elit alakulatánál szolgáló Eric Prince által 1997-ben alapított vállalkozás olyan, kül?nleges katonai alakulatoktól leszerelt veteránok és civilek toborzásával és kiképzésével foglalkozott, akik elég képzettek és bátrak voltak ahhoz, hogy elvállalják a világ legveszélyesebb ?rz?-véd? feladatait. A cég hírnevével együtt n?tt a szolgáltatásai iránti kereslet, olyannyira, hogy a Blackwater emberei ?sszesen k?zel százezer küldetést hajtottak végre Irakban és Afganisztánban. A cég a Bush- és az Obama-kormányzat számára is nélkül?zhetetlennek bizonyult. Ezek alapján klasszikus üzleti sikert?rténetnek is t?nhetne a Blackwater sorsának alakulása, csakhogy volt valami, ami beárnyékolta a sikert: a cég ellen zajló világméret? lejárató hadjárat. Az egy kaptafára íródott híradásokban és a valóságot durván elferdít? regényekben és filmekben a Blackwater alkalmazottait hol zsoldosoknak, hol gátlástalan profitvadászoknak, hol pedig primitív, er?szakos vadállatoknak állították be. Mivel a Pentagonnal, a Külügyminisztériummal és a CIA-val k?t?tt szerz?dései titoktartásra k?telezték, Prince kénytelen volt csendben t?rni, ahogy ellenfelei zavartalanul terjesztik a téves információkat róla és a vállalkozásáról. Most azonban végre elmondhatja a cég felemelkedésének és bukásának teljes és gyakran megd?bbent? t?rténetét. Az Amerika szolgálatában Prince kíméletlen ?szinteséggel meséli el a Blackwater-sztori minden részletét. Prince nem próbálja hibátlannak beállítani magát, és nem hallgatja el magánélete néha fájdalmas részleteit sem, ugyanakkor nagy szolgálatot tesz a k?zvéleménynek azzal, hogy tiszta vizet ?nt a pohárba. Az Amerika szolgálatában t?rténete izgalmas, akár egy thrilleré, de valószer?tlenebb, mint amit a képzelet alkothat.

L'épopée d'amour

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 play was originally attributed to John Fletcher & Francis Beaumont and printed in their early folios. However, though there is some minor work by Fletcher the play, in modern times, has been now attributed to Middleton & Rowley.Thomas Middleton was born in London in April 1580 and baptised on 18th April. Middleton was aged only five when his father died. His mother remarried but this unfortunately fell apart into a fifteen year legal dispute regarding the inheritance due Thomas and his younger sister.By the time he left Oxford, at the turn of the Century, Middleton had and published Microcynicon: Six Snarling Satirese which was denounced by the Archbishop of Canterbury and publicly burned. In the early years of the 17th century, Middleton wrote topical pamphlets. One - Penniless Parliament of Threadbare Poets was reprinted several times and the subject of a parliamentary inquiry.These early years writing plays continued to attract controversy. His writing partnership with Thomas Dekker brought him into conflict with Ben Jonson and George Chapman in the so-called War of the Theatres. His finest work with Dekker was undoubtedly The Roaring Girl, a biography of the notorious Mary Frith.In the 1610s, Middleton began another playwriting partnership, this time with the actor William Rowley, producing another slew of plays including Wit at Several Weapons and A Fair Quarrel. The ever adaptable Middleton seemed at ease working with others or by himself. His solo writing credits include the comic masterpiece, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, in 1613.In 1620 he was officially appointed as chronologer of the City of London, a post he held until his death. The 1620s saw the production of his and Rowley's tragedy, and continual favourite, The Changeling, and of several other tragicomedies. However in 1624, he reached a peak of notoriety when his dramatic allegory A Game at Chess was staged by the King's Men. Though Middleton's approach was strongly patriotic, the Privy Council silenced the play after only nine performances at the Globe theatre, having received a complaint from the Spanish ambassador.Middleton for his part was exonerated but it is the last play recorded as having been written by Middleton.Thomas Middleton died at his home at Newington Butts in Southwark in the summer of 1627, and was buried on July 4th, in St Mary's churchyard which today survives as a public park in Elephant and Castle.William Rowley is thought to have been born around 1585 but an exact date is not known.As an actor his early forte was playing 'clown characters' thus helping to carry the low comedy of the play. He began his career working for Queen Anne's Men at the Red Bull Theatre. In 1609. Along with several other actors he founded the Duke of York's Men, which, in 1612, became known as Prince Charles's Men.From here on Rowley's career was spent almost exclusively writing and clowning for this company. It was located, in its time, at several playhouses, including the Curtain, the Hope, and the Red Bull. Although when writing one of his main contributions was to provide the comic sub-plot on several other plays, including The Changeling, A Fair Quarrel, and The Maid in the Mill, he wrote substantial portions of the main narrative as well.Only two surviving plays are generally accepted as solo works by Rowley: A Shoemaker, a Gentleman (circa 1607-9) and All's Lost by Lust (1619). Evidence exists that three other works were authored solely by Rowley: Hymen's Holidays or Cupid's Vagaries (1612), A Knave in Print (1613), and The Fool Without Book (also 1613) but unfortunately none have survived to be further examined. In conjunction with other writers including Thomas Middleton and John Fletcher he wrote several other plays.The exact time and nature of his death is unknown but records show that William Rowley was buried on 11th February 1626 in the graveyard of St James's, Clerkenwell in London.

L'Héritage Mystérieux

Les portes de l'Enfer

L'Ami Fritz

L'amant de Genevieve

L'Inutile Beauté

L'Italien - Le Confessionnal des pénitents noirs