” The Fall of the House of Usher & Other Writings” is a collection that displays the full force of Edgar Allen Poe`s mastery of both Gothic horror & the short story form. This ” Penguin Classics” edition is edited with an introduction & notes by David Galloway. This selection of Poe`s critical writings, short fiction & poetry demonstrates his intense interest in aesthetic issues, & the astonishing power & imagination with which he probed the darkest corners of the human mind. ” The Fall of the House of Usher” is a slow-burning Gothic horror, describing the final hours of a family tormented by tragedy & the legacy of the past. In ” The Tell-Tale Heart”, a murderer`s insane delusions threaten to betray him, while stories such as ” The Pit & the Pendulum”, ” The Raven” & ” The Cask of Amontillado” explore extreme states of decadence, fear & hate. In his introduction David Galloway re-examines the myths surrounding Poe`s life & reputation. This edition

Includes:: a new chronology & suggestions for further reading. Although dissipated in his youth & plagued by mental instability towards the end of his life, Boston-born Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) had a variety of occupations, including service in the US army & magazine editor, as well as his remarkable literary output. If you enjoyed ” The Fall of the House of Usher”, you might like Horace Walpole`s ” The Castle of Otranto”, also available in ” Penguin Classics”. ” The most original genius that America has produced”. (Alfred, Lord Tennyson). ” Poe has entered our popular consciousness as no other American writer”. (” The New York Times Book Review”).

...

Oscar Wilde owed his most outstanding characteristics
- his precocious intellectualism, his flamboyance, his hedonism, his recklessness,
...

Sunday Times Top Ten Best-seller. The final destruction of the Ottoman Empire
- one of the great epics of the First World War,
...

In September 1943, German soldiers advance on the ancient gates of Gjirokaster, Albania. It is the first step in a carefully planned invasion. But once at the mouth of the city, the troops are taken aback by a surprising act of rebellion that leaves the citizens fearful of a bloody counter-attack. Soon rumours circulate, in cafes, houses & alleyways, that the Nazi Colonel in command of the German Army was once a school acquaintance of a local dignitary, Doctor Gurameto. In the town square, Colonel von Schwabe greets his former classmate warmly; in return, Doctor Gurameto invites him to dinner. The very next day, the Colonel & his army disappear from the city. The dinner at Gurameto's house changes the course of events in twentieth-century Europe. But as the citizens celebrate their hero, a conspiracy surfaces which leads some to place Gurameto
- & the stone city
- at the heart of a plot to undermine Socialism. Enigmatic & compelling, The Fall of the Stone City displays Ismail Kadare at the height of his considerable powers.

...

This is shortlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2013. In September 1943, Nazi troops advance on the ancient gates of Gjirokaster, Albania. The very next day, the Germans vanish without a trace. As the townsfolk wonder if they might have dreamt the events of the previous night, rumours circulate of a childhood friendship between a local dignitary & the invading Nazi Colonel, a reunion in the town square & a fateful dinner party that would transform twentieth-century Europe. A captivating novel of resistance in a dictatorship, & steeped in Albanian folklore, The Fall of the Stone City shows Kadare at the height of his powers. ...

“ The Famished Road” was not only the first book in Ben Okri’s hugely acclaimed trilogy, it also won the 1991 Booker Prize; the novel itself was also inspiration for Radiohead’s “ Street Spirit (Fade Out)”. And what a novel it is, mixing the ‘spirit’ world & the real world, we follow Azaro
- a spirit child who is born only to live for a short while before returning to the idyllic world of his spirit companions. Now he has chosen to stay in the world of the living, & this is his story.
...

`I`m so famishing I`m vanishing!` The famishing vanishing mahoosive mammoth is a hairy beast who simply can`t think of anything but his tummy. So how, then, can his friend Bug distract him? Find out in this hilarious rhyming picture book about one hairy mammoth with a ridiculously large appetite, & one loyal friend with a clever plan. With oodles of fun & laughter, it`s the perfect picture book for all fans of Julia Donaldson, Neal Layton, Alex T. Smith & Lauren Child. ...

Explore the fascinating family histories of Ada Lovelace, Charlotte Bronte, John F Kennedy & many more with 30 family trees from around the world. This accessible, visually-stunning compendium of family trees features some of history`s most loved
- & loathed
- famous faces & is great fun for the whole family to explore. Genealogy & history combine to make a fascinating, fact-filled treasury of family trees belonging to famous people throughout the ages.

...

Drinks companion meets cookbook in this charming package. Discover the history of Scotch whisky & the part Famous Grouse has played in its development while also learning how to mix a perfect Famous Honey & Marmalade Sour. Compiled by renowned whisky writer Ian Buxton, this captivating miscellany is packed with intriguing facts & trivia, from the story of an iconic brand
- its unconventional start named after a Scottish bird & its rise in popularity
- to a fascinating insight into how whisky is distilled & bottled. With over 45 recipes for whisky-based dishes & cocktails, including Famous Grouse Rack of Lamb, Mackerel with Snow Grouse Pickled Rhubarb & Apple Tarte Tatin with Whisky Ice Cream, this book belongs on every whisky enthusiast`s shelf.

...

Morris Lessmore loved words. He loved stories. He loved books. But every story has its upsets... Everything in Morris Lessmore`s life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds. But the power of story will save the day. Stunningly brought to life by William Joyce, one of the preeminent creators in children`s literature, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore is a modern masterpiece, showing that in today`s world of traditional books, e Books, & apps, it`s the story that we truly celebrate ~ & this story, no matter how you tell it, begs to be read again & again. ...