A collection of the newspaper columns/essays written by G.K. Chesterton for “The New Witness”, under the heading “At the Sign of the World’s End”. This project compiles articles from 1922. (Summary by Maria Therese) [chương_files]
The county of Kent, situated in the south eastern corner of England is ideally placed for the smugglers’ trade. Close to London, with its market for contraband, with the English Channel separating it from France by just 21 miles and the North Sea to the east it was a smugglers’ haven. Unlike Cornwall, where smugglers relied on shipwrecks… either caused by inclement weather, or human intervention, the trade in Kent was fueled by gentleman smugglers, who had the wherewithal to fund an import business, but chose to evade customs. They made their fortunes off the hard and dangerous work of others, while they enjoyed their lives of leisure. Mr. Zachary Croyland is an interesting old man, who seems to know about the business and is critical of it… but what is his place in it? Is he an interested observer, who occasionally enjoys illicit brandy-soaked cherries, or is his role more central? And what of his brother, Sir Robert, with his two charming daughters? Whatever their roles, their neighbors, the Radfords, are definitely bad news. The Smuggler was originally published in three volumes. – Summary by Lynne T. [chương_files]
Novel set in the shabby world of British (third-rate) theaters circa 1900. Christopher Tatham tries to survive by going from bit part to bit part, and by his uncle’s charity, while hoping for a leading-man role. He meets Peggy Harper, who is in a similar situation. We follow them in their attempts to carve out a life for themselves and to attain fame and success. Leonard Merrick had worked as actor and actor-manager in the theater himself, and used his experiences in this novel (Summary by Anna Simon). [chương_files]
Dick Coverdale is secretly betrothed to his neighbor, the beautiful Bessie Saunders. When a visitor to the area named Margaret Ellwood appears on the scene, however, Dick starts to regret his decision to marry Bessie. After Dick confides his troubles to Margaret, she attempts to guide him down the right path. But Margaret herself is unsure of how to advise him. On the one hand, she knows that it would be unfair to Bessie if Dick were to marry her despite not loving her. On the other hand, Margaret fears that if Dick breaks things off with Bessie, the latter’s heartbreak could last a lifetime. Events come to a head when Dick’s busybody aunts set out to manufacture a scandal involving the young betrothed couple. What will be the right paths for Dick, Bessie, and Margaret? (Summary by Scarbo) [chương_files]
Set in the Limberlost swamp of Indiana, A Girl of the Limberlost follows Elnora Comstock through struggles and triumphs as she seeks education and the mother love she has always been denied. – Summary by Patience Charles [chương_files]
“How various is man! How multiplied his experience, his outlook, his conclusions!”—H. Belloc. “And every single one of them is right.”—R. Kipling. Written while Macaulay worked in the Propaganda Department of the War Office, and reflecting her own mysticism and skepticism of organized religion, The Making of a Bigot follows young Eddy Oliver from Cambridge University as he meets people whose stronger personalities influence his weaker one, with their persuasive arguments. ( Lynne Thompson) Thompson [chương_files]
This work of fiction by Herbert Jenkins (1876-1923) features one of his best-loved comic characters, the affable Cockney, Joseph Bindle. It was Bindle who conceived the idea of forming ”The Night Club”, where people from different walks of London life would gather on Sunday evenings “for a smoke, a drink and a yarn” to socialize, reflect on their lives, and share tales and reminiscences. It was improbably chaired by Bindle and faithfully reported to us by a member of the club. –Lee Smalley [chương_files]
Всеволод Михайлович Гаршин (1855-1888). Его первый опубликованный рассказ «Четыре дня» сразу принес ему известность. В его творчестве драматизм действия заменён драматизмом мысли, драматизмом переживаний, которые и являются основным материалом для Гаршина. Писатель страдал приступами нервного расстройства и в возрасте 33 лет совершил самоубийство. Первые пять сказок адресованы детям, “Сигнал” подросткам, остальные для зрелой аудитории. Vsevolod Garshin (1855-1888). His short stories were an immediate success, but he suffered from periodical bouts of mental illness. At the age of 33 he committed suicide. His stories are characterized by a spirit of compassion and pity comparable to Dostoevsky’s and Chekhov’s. His story Signal appears in English translation in LibriVox “Best Russian Short Stories” collection here. (Mark Chulsky and Wikipedia) [chương_files]
Fred King is a young man who has been working in the coal industry for years, but it hasn’t soiled his positive, helpful attitude nor his ambitious spirit to succeed. He shows courage whether he or another is in peril, and uses his strength in defense of what is right against some awful characters in his mining town. (Summary by Keith Salis) [chương_files]
Soporific dullness is in the ear of the listener, and what’s tedium incarnate to one person will be another person’s passion and delight. However, it is hoped that at least one from the range of topics here presented will lull the busy mind to a state of sweet sleep. Introduction by Cori Samuel. [chương_files]
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