Ernst Toller war mit seinen Dramen einer der maßgeblichen Vertreter des literarischen Expressionismus in der Weimarer Republik. Wegen seinem Mitwirken an der Münchner Räterepublik wurde er zu einer Haftstrafe verurteilt. Während der Haft war Ernst Toller schriftstellerisch sehr produktiv und verfasste, unter anderem, diesen Sonetten-Band, in welchem er seinen Gefängnisaufenthalt verarbeitete. (Zusammenfassung von lorda) [chương_files]
A guide to hikes around Sydney, Australia, from the early years of the twentieth century. In 1895, Henry J. Tompkins and William Mogford Hamlet, two friends with literary inclinations and a taste for romantic scenery, formed the Warragamba Walking Club. Although the strength of their membership is unknown (Tompkins expresses his preference for parties of two, and no more than four), the Warragambas also counted John Le Gay Brereton, poet and professor of literature, among their number. Published by the Government Tourist Bureau, With Swag and Billy ran to three editions (1906, 1910 and 1914). The second edition included shorter walks in present-day suburban Sydney and longer routes in the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands and Hunter Valley. As there were few walking paths at the time, most of the routes follow what are now main roads, but they give a flavour of what it was like to walk the roads of New South Wales when the only hazards were the occasional bicycle or horse-drawn coach. Carrying their gear in a swag and a billy to boil tea ‘on the track’, Tompkins and his friends created a distinctively Australian style of recreational walking that affected the style of the swagman tramping the highways and byways in search of occasional work. But the trio were stout walkers. Hamlet undertook several walks of 400 miles or more and published accounts of them in the Sydney Morning Herald, while Le Gay Brereton published his account of a 400 mile walk around New South […]
Risque for its time, but tame by today’s standards, The Devil’s Garden is a story of passion and mystery. William Dale, the main character of the story is Postmaster of Rodhaven. He is introduced as an honest peasant of uncompromising temper, whose rough nature is ever softened by his pretty wife Mavis. Mavis is an orphan raised by her Aunt Petherick. Known as Will, and referred to as Dale throughout the story, he gets into trouble at the post office but thanks to the intervention of the local magnet of Rodhaven, he is cleared and reinstated. At the height of his joy, his wife meets him in London. Together they dine at a good restaurant and attend a music hall performance. Dale’s evening in London is transformed into a catastrophe when he learns a past secret about Mavis that threatens his marriage. Confronted with this secret, Will and Mavis struggle to make their marriage work and become successful. Ironically, Dale is eventually confronted by the same scenario. The novel was a top ten Publisher’s Weekly Best Seller in 1914. The book was banned in London. At times, the book seems slow and the listener may wonder what point the author is trying to make. Then suddenly, Maxwell sends you into a frenzy with something unexpected. (Tom Weiss) [chương_files]
Maud Ruthyn, the young, naive heroine, has a governess who is an enigmatic older woman, a liar, bully, and spy, who takes a dark secret with her when she leaves. Maud is then orphaned and moves in with her Uncle Silas, her father’s mysterious brother and a man with a scandalous-even murderous-past. She is horrified to find her former governess appears in her life again, in this Gothic Victorian psychological thriller, with a touch of the occult – Summary by Lynne Thompson [chương_files]
Cordelia Marlowe carries a high society name but no fortune. She has to make ends meet, but what kind of work can a young lady do whose main education has been social manners and tennis? Her acts lead her in the courtships of three completely different men, but in the end, fate chooses for her, and Cordelia emerges a changed person. A tale of mystery, blackmail and love, written in just 23 days by Leroy Scott, a reporter familiar with the intrigues and social scandals the public enjoys, as the story was also made into a silent film in 1923. – Summary by Rapunzelina [chương_files]
Guides to the Belle Vue Zoological Gardens from the Chetham’s Library Virtual Belle Vue Collection. The Belle Vue gardens opened in 1836 as a place of genteel entertainment for the middle classes of industrial Manchester, but soon became one the most popular attractions in the north of England. The 1891 guide details the animals on view and the features of the amusement park. The 1917 guide notes the addition of new snake and ape houses, attractions such as Laughterland and a Figure of 8 Toboggan, and the Kings Hall, which hosted major concerts and sporting events through to the 1970s. The addition of a car park to the stabling for visitors who arrived with their own horse and carriage marked the passing of the years, yet the price of a cup of tea remained the same. Evening entertainments, featuring tableaux and firework displays against the backdrop of a painting erected on a 60 by 100 foot frame on the Picture Lake, were a popular feature. In the 1890s these entertainments documented military exploits from the heyday of British imperialism. In 1917 war was closer at hand. The evening entertainment of that year, commemorating the tank battle of the Ancre, was evidently a sombre affair that reflected the uncertainties of popular entertainment in the final years of the 1914-18 war. (Phil Benson) [chương_files]
In early 1907 the world of Australian rugby was rocked by the news that a professional New Zealand All Blacks team was set to tour the northern counties of Engliand, where professional rugby had been a reality for more than a decade. The professionalization of Australian rugby was unthinkable, but within a few months the unthinkable had come to pass. The professional All Blacks had played a hastily formed New South Wales team, the great Dally Messenger had joined the New Zealand tour of England, and by 1908 a professional league was formed in Sydney, with several of the teams that play in the NRL today. This selection from the Sydney Morning Herald’s coverage of the fierce debate that ensued, shows how concerns for the welfare of the game and players were mingled with class-interest, colonial ideologies and greed for profit. – Summary by Phil Benson [chương_files]
Ever wondered how football has changed over the years? Look no further! This selection of rules, positions, and explanations of how football was played in the late 1800s is sure to leave you with a greater knowledge of the evolution of the sport. (Summary by Campbell Schelp) [chương_files]
“The Man with the Clubfoot” is one of the most ingenious and sinister secret agents in Europe. It is to him that the task is assigned of regaining possession of an indiscreet letter written by the Kaiser. Desmond Okewood, a young British officer with a genius for secret service work, sets out to thwart this man and, incidentally, discover the whereabouts of his brother. He penetrates into Germany disguised, and meets with many thrilling adventures before he finally achieves his mission. In “The Man with the Clubfoot,” Valentine Williams has written a thrilling romance of mystery, love and intrigue, that in every sense of the word may be described as “breathless.” – Summary by from original text [chương_files]
There have been a series of assaults at the manor house, one sending the mistress of the house insane with fear, another escalating to murder. There are reports of a tread on the stairs and shady figures disappearing from view. The servants blame the supernatural, but Quintus Oakes gets to the bottom of the mystery. [chương_files]
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