Showing results by author "Edith Nesbit" in All Categories

As a rather sinister twist on the literary and social tradition of sense and sensibility first introduced a century before, Nesbit tells the story of two cousins representing two very different character traits. With Jane focusing on the practical sides of love and Mattie losing herself in sentiment, Nesbit very ably combines these traits with a moral code befitting each woman.

Shakespeare often uses expressive language in his portrayal of jealousy. It is a 'green-eyed monster', an object that 'one might fight and conquer', 'an infection which strikes as quickly as the plague'. In this selection of Shakespeare stories, jealousy plays a prominent role, offering us a wonderful opportunity to learn how Shakespeare's characters are dealing with this vice.

This collection of Shakespeare's tales focuses on themes of friendship and betrayal. Included in this volume: 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona', 'The Comedy of Errors' and 'The Winter's Tale'. Read in English, unabridged.

Bassanio, a young Venetian of noble rank, wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont. Having squandered his estate, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor. Bassanio approaches his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant of Venice who has previously and repeatedly bailed him out. This edition of The Merchant of Venice is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

This collection of Shakespeare tales focuses on themes of revenge, opening with Hamlet, the greatest revenge play of all time, one of the finest examples of revenge that a young man plans for the murder of his father. This collection of Shakespeare adaptations also includes Macbeth and The Merchant of Venice, each offering a unique perspective on the psychology of revenge.

In Shakespeare plays the tragic and the comic often fade into each other, turning into a harmonious blending of these two elements. Shakespeare takes a special delight in the employment of such harmonies. His tragedies never fail having their comic interludes, and his comedies often have a serious undertone. Still, the comic is not the tragic, and in this collection we offer some of the more humorous and witty tales from Shakespeare. The following Shakespeare adaptations are included here: A Midsummer Night's Dream, As You Like It and Measure for Measure.

Justice, mortality, mercy in Vienna, dichotomy between corruption and purity. Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall. Mercy and virtue prevail, as the play does not end tragically, with virtues such as compassion and forgiveness being exercised at the end of the production. This edition of Measure for Measure is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

Valentine is preparing to leave Verona for Milan so as to broaden his horizons. He begs his best friend, Proteus, to come with him, but Proteus is in love with Julia and refuses to leave. The play deals with the themes of friendship and infidelity, the conflict between friendship and love, and the foolish behaviour of people in love. This edition of The Two Gentlemen of Verona is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

In the beginning, Timon is a wealthy and generous Athenian gentleman. He hosts a large banquet, attended by nearly all the main characters. Timon gives away money wastefully, and everyone wants to please him to get more, except for Apemantus, a churlish philosopher whose cynicism Timon cannot yet appreciate. This edition of Timon of Athens is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

Petruchio tames Katherina, an unwilling participant in the relationship, with various psychological torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant and obedient bride. This edition of The Taming of the Shrew is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

Helena, the low-born ward of a French countess, is in love with the countess' son, Bertram, who is indifferent to her. Bertram goes to Paris to replace his late father as attendant to the ailing King of France. Helena, the daughter of a recently deceased doctor, follows Bertram, ostensibly to offer the King her services as a healer. The King is sceptical, and she guarantees the cure with her life: if he dies, she will be put to death, but if he lives, she may choose a husband from the court.

A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia. Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler.

The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. This edition of The Comedy of Errors is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare's work.

In this volume we enter the hidden world of cats and discover their ways of life and how cat mothers teach their kittens important wisdom and lessons of life. The humorous tales are told through the eyes of the animal and reveal a great deal about human people as well as cat people. In the second half of this volume we meet a mysterious countryman who lives in deep forest and is able to talk to birds in their own language. We follow him on his meditative journey and learn more about animal life, nature, and Gamayune, a prophetic bird of Russian folklore. Read in English, unabridged.

We continue to explore the world of our feral friends and learn about some of their darker secrets, some of the naughty episodes of their hidden lives, and some of the most revealing confessions of what cats think about their human masters. It may come as a surprise, but cats often do watch humans and attempt to imitate their behaviour, albeit not always very successfully. And in the second half of this collection we meet humans who don't seem to know how to handle their pets without embarrassment and even those humans who try to be a bit too close to nature for their own good.

A selection of stories about very naughty cats and their adventures. Cats confess in their conversations what it is like to live with humans of different ranks and professions. Some of the very dark secrets are also revealed here. Cats aren't always friendly with each other, apparently. And of course these delightful tales told through the eyes of the animal are full of wit and humour which only cats know how to express best. Read in English, unabridged.

Dolly asked her kitten to explain why he was white and all his brothers were tabby. Dolly was not surprised to hear the kitten speak, for she had read her fairy books, as all good children should, and she knew that all creatures answer if one only speaks to them properly. So she held the kitten more comfortably, and the tale began. Read in English, unabridged.

A rare opportunity to hear two seasoned cats share their experiences of life. One spent her entire life hopping from one house to another seeking better conditions for herself. The other simply loved her one poor owner and stayed with her for life. Which would you prefer? Read in English, unabridged.

Cats aren't always nice to each other. A handsome, discreet, middle-aged, respectable, responsible, domesticated tabby cat reveals his darkest secrets. There was nothing to trouble him until some thoughtless person gave his human master the white Persian cat. Read in English, unabridged.

Pussy Tales offers unique insight into hidden lives of our feral friends. Adventures, misadventures and even darkest secrets are revealed in this collection of tales told through the eyes of the animal. Mother cats share their life wisdom and tricks with their kittens. We learn how cats observe humans and try to imitate them. Cats share their observations about human people and offer humorous remarks about human manners. Read in English, unabridged.