Fantastic Fiction
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A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Come and hear the strange tale of The Boss Hank Morgan, a modern day (at the time of publication) Connecticut Yankee who inexplicably finds himself transported to the court of the legendary King Arthur (as the title of the book implies). Hank, or simply, The Boss, as he comes to be most frequently known, quickly uses his modern day knowledge and education to pass himself off as a great magician, to get himself out of all sorts of surprising, (and frequently amusing) situations, as well as to advance the technological and cultural status of the nation in which he finds himself. In the rather un-subtle sub-text of the story, Twain uses The Boss to express a surprisingly pragmatic and frequently contradictory philosophy. The Boss explores the relative merits of Democracy, and Monarchy, he expresses his views on the ?Nature v. Nurture? debate, he frequently speaks forcefully against an established Church, but just as strongly advocates for religion and a variety of churches (just not a compulsory one) and he devotes at least one afternoon to introducing his companions to the concept of inflation. In a far more subtle, yet no less forceful manner, the Boss shares with the reader some views about taxation, slavery (both literal and wage slavery), trade unions, the origins of the German language, the nature of marriage, and probably most powerfully, death. It is a tall order for a relatively brief text, but Twain manages it all with surprising clarity. No one will agree fully with the Boss on all of these matters, and I would be surprised if Twain himself would. In fact the Boss?s views are so pragmatic, and often contradictory, the reader is left to wonder if Twain himself is alternately speaking through the Boss, and setting him up as a straw man. Either way it is a delightful story and a great piece of American Literature, to say nothing of an excellent argument for education. (Review written by Steve Andersen)
Adventures of a Brownie as Told to my Child
Adventures of a Brownie follows the life of a brownie who lives in a family’s coal cellar and the adventures he gets into with the members of the household. Written by Ancilla
After London, or Wild England
Jefferies’ novel can be seen as an early example of “post-apocalyptic fiction.” After some sudden and unspecified catastrophe has depopulated England, the countryside reverts to nature, and the few survivors to a quasi-medieval way of life. The first part of the book, “The Relapse into Barbarism”, is the account by some later historian of the fall of civilisation and its consequences, with a loving description of nature reclaiming England. The second part, “Wild England”, is an adventure set many years later in the wild landscape and society. The book is not without its flaws (notably the abrupt and unsatisfying ending) but is redeemed by the quality of the writing, particularly the unnervingly prophetic descriptions of the post-apocalyptic city and countryside. (Summary by Ruth Golding and Wikipedia)
Aleriel; or, A Voyage to Other Worlds
When an Oxford undergraduate meets by chance, a mysterious stranger, during a walking tour of France, he does not know that the unusual charismatic being he has made the acquaintance of, is in fact a disguised alien being, named Aleriel. Coming from the planet of peace, Venus, this space traveler claims to be visiting Earth for the first time. Thus begins an unusual interplanetary friendship, that takes our Oxford graduate on an amazing adventure, first into the war-torn streets of Paris, then across the English Channel, to busy London and finally on to tranquil Oxford. Aleriel then leaves his friend and explores many parts of the earth, to discover the state of mankind and humanity, before departing in his ‘ether car’ for the Moon, then returning to his home planet to report all his findings to advanced beings there. Aleriel next experiences, with two Venusian companions, an perilous, exciting and illuminating tour, of the solar system, visiting first Mars, the asteroids and planetary moons and finally, mighty and mysterious Saturn and Jupiter. All this extra-terrestrial experience, Aleriel records in a fantastic journal, which arrives mysteriously at our now-married undergraduate’s home. It is an incredible story. But is it really the truth or just a very clever hoax? Our young couple travel to meet Aleriel in the mountains of Switzerland, determined to find out. A contemporary of both Jules Verne, the fantasy Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and later the futuristic writer HG Wells, This 1883 novel by Polish-English curate, author and historian: Wladislav Lach-Szyrma, is an extraordinary, futuristic and visionary tale, will entertain, enlighten and intrigue every listener. Nigel C.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
In this children’s classic, a girl named Alice follows falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy realm full of talking creatures. She attends a never-ending tea party and plays croquet at the court of the anthropomorphic playing cards. (Summary written by Gesine) “I loved all the voices in this project and probably wouldn?t have put the time into checking into this book without this LibriVox version of it. Great project and well done by all. What people can do really amazes me from time to time. This reminds me of how beautiful the world can be.” ? skinned mink
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (abridged, version 2)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world (Wonderland) populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre, and its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. (Summary by Wikipedia) NOTE: This version of Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland is heavily abridged.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (abridged)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a work of children’s literature by the English mathematician and author, the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, written under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy realm populated by grotesque figures like talking playing cards and anthropomorphic creatures. The Wonderland described in the tale plays with logic in ways that have made the story of lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the most characteristic examples of the genre of literary nonsense. (Wikipedia)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Version 8)
In this classic novel, a young girl named Alice chases after a white rabbit down a rabbit hole. She discovers a place that rejects traditional reason, and only follows its own mad logic. Join Alice as she meets iconic characters like The Mad Hatter while she tries to navigate this strange new world. (Summary by Vin Cramer)
Alice’s Adventures Underground
This is the handwritten book that Carroll wrote for private use before being urged to develop it later into Alice in Wonderland. It was generously illustrated by Carrol and meant to entertain his family and friends. When a sick child in a hospital enjoyed it so much, the mother wrote him saying it had distracted her for a bit from her pain and led eventually to Carroll expanding the story. The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and the Reverend Robinson Duckworth rowed in a boat, on 4 July 1862, up the Isis with the three young daughters of Henry Liddell, (the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Christ Church) : Lorina Charlotte Liddell (aged 13, born 1849); Alice Pleasance Liddell (aged 10, born 1852); Edith Mary Liddell (aged 8, born 1853). The journey began at Folly Bridge near Oxford and ended five miles away in the village of Godstow. During the trip the Reverend Dodgson told the girls a story that featured a bored little girl named Alice who goes looking for an adventure. The girls loved it, and Alice Liddell asked Dodgson to write it down for her. He began writing the manuscript of the story the next day, although that earliest version no longer exists. The girls and Dodgson took another boat trip a month later when he elaborated the plot to the story of Alice, and in November he began working on the manuscript in earnest. To add the finishing touches he researched natural history for the animals presented in the book, and then had the book examined by other children?particularly the MacDonald children. He added his own illustrations but approached John Tenniel to illustrate the book for publication, telling him that the story had been well liked by children. On 26 November 1864 he gave Alice the handwritten manuscript of Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, with illustrations by Dodgson himself, dedicating it as “A Christmas Gift to a Dear Child in Memory of a Summer’s Day”. Some, including Martin Gardner, speculate there was an earlier version that was destroyed later by Dodgson when he printed a more elaborate copy by hand. (Summary by Wikipedia and Phil Chenevert)
Amadis of Gaul
Amadis of Gaul (Amad?s de Gaula, in Spanish) was not the first, but certainly one of the best known knight-errantry tales of the 16th century. Not only is its authorship doubtful, but even the language in which it was first written – Portuguese or Spanish. It is imagined to have been composed in the 14th century, but the known first printed edition came to light in Zaragoza in 1508, and the oldest extant version is in Spanish. The plot is the story of the brave knight Amadis, and starts with the forbidden love of his parents and his secret birth, followed by his abandonment near water. He is found and raised as the son of a knight. Upon reaching adulthood, he goes in a quest for his own identity, and investigates his origins through fantastic adventures: plenty of wizards, princesses, damsels in distress and other knights people the world of Amadis. Amadis of Gaul, together with Palmerin of England and Tirante the White, are the only books saved from the fire by Quixote’s curate, when purging the knight’s library: Tirante, for its quaintness; Palmerin, because he thought it had been written by the king himself; and Amadis, for being the best of its kind. Even if Cervante’s praise works more as censure, it’s a fact that Amadis represents the style as no other, and was the father of a numerous flock, becoming a landmark work among the knight-errantry tales and marking the story of European literature. (Summary by Leni) Dedicated Proof-Listeners: Miss Stav, Becky Cook, & Rapunzelina
Cubs of the Wolf
The Markovian Nucleus was once an existential threat to the council worlds, but then, in the space of only 70-80 years, their culture completely changed. They became model galactic citizens and everyone was too relieved to question their good fortune. Now, Doctoral Candidate Cameron Wilder and his new bride, Joyce Wilder, are on the case. What actually happened to the Markovians? – Summary by Katzsteinz
Extract from Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven (version 3)
This was the last story published by Twain, a few months before he died. The story follows Captain Elias Stormfield on his extremely long cosmic journey to heaven. It deals with the obsession of souls with the “celebrities” of heaven, like Adam and Moses, who according to Twain become as distant to most people in heaven as living celebrities are on Earth. Twain uses this story to show his view that the common conception of heaven is ludicrous and points out the incongruities of such beliefs. A lot of the description of Heaven is given by the character Sandy McWilliams, a cranberry farmer who is very experienced in the ways of heaven. The heaven described by him is similar to the conventional Christian heaven, but includes a larger version of all the locations on Earth, as well as of everywhere in the universe. Once in heaven, the person spends eternity living as he thinks best, usually according to his true (sometimes undiscovered) talent. According to one of the characters, a cobbler who “has the soul of a poet in him won’t have to make shoes here”, implying that he would instead turn to poetry and achieve perfection in it. As Stormfield proceeds through heaven, he learns that his pre-conceptions of “heaven” are all wrong and a good part of the fun of the tale comes from Twain’s revealing the “true facts” about what heaven is and how it works. (Introduction by Wikipedia and John Greenman)
Short Science Fiction Collection 054
Science fiction is a genre encompassing imaginative works that take place in this world or that of the author?s creation where anything is possible. The only rules are those set forth by the author. The speculative nature of the genre inspires thought and plants seeds that have led to advances in science. The genre can spark an interest in the sciences and is cited as the impetus for the career choice of many scientists. It is a playing field to explore social perspectives, predictions of the future, and engage in adventures unbound into the richness of the human mind. – Summary by Amy Gramour
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 01 October 1895
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the very first issue, offering the following 7 stories: “In gold time”, by Roberta Littlehale: in wild-west days, when two rivals love the same woman, tragedy ensues “The unturned trump”, by Barnes MacGreggor, pseudonym of H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): to while away the time, a simple card game gets spiced up by a traveller’s horrifying story “The secret of the white castle”, by Julia Magruder (1854-1907): what is the mystery behind the uncanny life-like stare of the portrait hanging on the wall ? “Miss Wood,–stenographer”, by Granville Sharpe: a young stenographer is called in to witness a deaf-mute’s final revelations on his death-bed “Her hoodoo”, by Harold Kinsabby, pseudonym of H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): a pet-calf, even if brought up with love and care, may still turn wild and dangerous “In a tiger trap”, by Charles Edward Barns (1862-1937): a breath-taking encounter of a young girl with the king of the jungle “The red-hot dollar”, by H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): find out why a seemingly ordinary silver dollar sets a newly-married man on a quest to find the original owner – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 02 November 1895
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. In this second issue are included the following 8 stories: “A Calaveras hold-up”, by Roberta Littlehale: can love make a man mend his ways or are some relationships doomed from the start ? “From a trolley post”, by Margaret Dodge: a boring bus-stop wait is interrupted by a young boy’s favourite pastime of hunting animals “An andenken”, by Julia Magruder (1854-1907): the story of a young artist’s budding love in the romantic, yet wild landscape of the Tyrolian Alps “The man from Maine”, by J. D. Ellsworth: a chance encounter in a train shows the resourcefulness of some people to get what they most want “A wedding tombstone”, by Clarice Irene Clinghan: wouldn’t a tombstone be a macabre wedding gift from a husband to his newly-wed bride ? “The other one”, by A. H. Gibson (1858-1929): in his dark wine-cellar, an old man makes a chilling confession to his bank-clerk “Stateroom six”, by William Albert Lewis (1856-??): the bad luck of a gambler proves the good fortune of a young girl “Her eyes, your honor”, by H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): a resourceful lawyer stops at nothing to save a woman from the gallows – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 03 December 1895
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The following 6 stories are included in this third issue: “The great star ruby”, by Barnes MacGreggor, pseud. of H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): a man tells the thrilling story of the theft of a very valuable ruby “The interrupted banquet”, by Ren? Bache (1861-1933): at this strange dinner party, a young man is told some shocking news by the other guests “The archangel”, by James Q. Hyatt: brides from organized wedding agencies sometimes don’t turn out what the groom expects “Asleep at Lone Mountain”, by H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): a toddler wins the hearts of his fellow passengers during a long train journey cross-country “Kootchie”, by Harold Kinsabby, pseud. of H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): a mean-spirited dog finally finds its match in fierceness “Frazer’s find”, by Roberta Littlehale: the life of a gold-digger changes unexpectedly the day he rescues a young boy – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 04 January 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the fourth issue, containing the following 7 stories: “In Solomon’s Caverns”, by Charles Edward Barns: lost in a huge cavern, a man struggles to survive and find his way back to civilization “An angel of Tenderfoot Hill”, by Frederick Bradford: can two years of absence make a man worthy of the woman he loves ? “In Miggles’ Alley”, by Herman Brownson: how can a baby dangling by a rope from a rooftop be saved from falling to his death ? “The missing link”, by James Buckham (1858-1908): a man is torn between cowardice and duty after witnessing a violent murder “Unchallenged”, by Katherine Morrow: a thrilling dare has been set and two girls try to accomplish the challenge “Aidu”, by Hero Despard: a man seeks to know the secret of his beloved woman, at a terrible cost “Mrs Emory’s boarder”, by C. Marie Mott: the neighbour’s young lodger becomes the best companion of a lonely woman – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 05 February 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The fifth issue has the following 6 stories: “The mysterious card”, by Cleveland Moffet (1863-1926): a man desperately tries to understand the horrible message which utterly destroyed his life “Tang-u”, by Lawrence E. Adams: through excellent eyesight, a young boy saves the lives of a battleship-crew “The little brown mole”, by Clarice Irene Clinghan: after several years of separation, a man comes home and finds his wife quite a changed person “A telepathic wooing”, by James Buckham (1858-1908): too shy to approach the woman he loves, a young doctor tries out an unusual method to propose to her “The Prince ward”, by Claude M. Girardeau: a dead woman’s ghost takes revenge on the woman who took away her husband “A meeting of royalty”, by Margaret Dodge: a chance encounter with a young girl sets a man down memory lane – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 06 March 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the sixth issue, offering the following 5 stories: “Eleanor Stevens’ will”, by Isabel Scott Stone: a rich woman’s final will creates a stir among fortune hunters ”To let”, by Alice Turner Curtis: midnight screams scare away new residents in a cottage with a terrible history “Of course – Of course not”, by Harry M. Peck: sometimes an unexpected visit on a quiet evening at home can turn out life-changing “The Marchburn mystery”, by A. Maurice Low: was the mysterious stranger in the elevator really the killer of Mr Marchburn ? “Their colonial villa”, by Charles Barnard (1838-1920): a young wife thinks she is losing her mind after her husband made new housing arrangements – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 07 April 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The seventh issue, offers the following 6 stories: “The mystery of the thirty millions”, by T. F. Anderson and H. D. Umbstaetter (1851-1913): what happened to the large ocean-steamer that inexplicably vanished in mid-Atlantic ? “The man at Solitaria”, by Geik Turner: after 15 years of solitary work, a man is finally going postal “The compass of Fortune”, by Eugene Shade Bisbee (1864-1933): the eyes of a mysterious skull seem to be looking into one specific direction “A surgical love-cure”, by James Buckham (1858-1908): a patient asks his doctor to have love surgically removed from him “The Williamson safe mystery”, by F. S. Hesseltine: what horrible discovery did the men make on opening the safe ? “How small the World”, by E. H. Mayde: an exchange of a series of letters finally leads to two people finding together – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 08 May 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the eighth issue with the following 5 stories: “For fame, money, or love ?” by Rodrigues Ottolengui (1861-1937): a piano composition reveals the final thoughts of a musician ”A No Account Niggah”, by Leonard M. Prince: a clumsy new recruit proves his worth when it matters most “A hundred thousand dollar trance”, by Eugene Shade Bisbee (1864-1933): a renowned hypnotist proposes a rather shocking experiment at a club meeting “The misfit gown”, by Elmer Cook Rice: witness the heated voting campaign for the presidency of a woman’s charity club “The shifting sand”, by C. C. van Orsdall: the tragic story of man’s life-long obsession to find back a treasure chamber – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 09 June 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The ninth issue offers the following 5 stories: “The House across the Way”, by Leo Gale: after measuring the length of two adjacent rooms, the horrible mystery of a walled-up space is revealed “Mrs Sloan’s Curiosity”, by Mabell Shippie Clarke: what unusual name is hidden behind the initials G. F. S. ? “The Seaweed Room”, by Clarice Irene Clinghan: a night-time vision of two lovers united in death “The Second Edition”, by Geik Turner: a newspaper editor receives a late-night visit from a very desperate man with a mission “The Luck of Killing Day”, by McPherson Fraser: two men make a daring bet to win the girl they love – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 10 July 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the tenth issue, offering 5 more stories: “On the last trail”, by H. W. Phillips and Rupert Hughes: witness the final showdown between the marshall and his friend ”A message from where ?”, by L. Francis Bishop: a boy’s imagination is kindled by a mysterious beautiful woman in an old picture “The man with the box”, by George W. Tripp: find out what happens when you don’t heed the warning and press the “snake” button “What the moon saw”, by Isabelle Meredith: a careless young man finds out why one should not disturb the rest of the dead “In Miss Polly’s pew”, by Ellen Frizzell Wycoff: it is never too late to claim your true love – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 11 August 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The eleventh issue offers the following 5 stories: “The Mysterious Card Unveiled”, by Cleveland Moffett: the long-awaited sequel has arrived and a man’s dark soul is finally revealed “Mrs. Bilger’s Victory”, by Emma S. Jones and Geik Turner: a woman fights for justice against a big corporation “A Defender of the Faith”, by John D. Barry: witness how standing up against injustice wins a man the respect of the girl he loves “Tim’s Vacation”, by L. E. Shattuck: tragically, the young man’s first vacation does not turn out as expected “Wet Horses”, by Alice MacGowan: in jail, a smuggler realizes that the most important thing in life is freedom – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 01 No. 12 September 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. The twelfth issue offers the following 6 stories: “The Reapers”, by Ly Batterman Lindsay: eager to start a new life, a young couple learns that they cannot run from their past “A Kindergarten Hold-Up”, by Mabell Shippie Clarke: a good-for-nothing tramp finds empathy while watching the innocent play of children “The Guardian of Mystery Island”, by Dr. Edmond Nolcini: while trying to disprove a superstition, an adventurer encounters a strange old woman and some very dangerous plants “A Mental Mischance”, by Thomas F. Anderson: reading people’s minds is not always a blessing “The Barber of the Alpena”, by J. Harwood: a suggestible man has a horrible experience at a barber-shop “Which was like a Woman”, by William Albert Lewis: a woman is confronted by a man from her past she did not expect to ever see again – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 01 October 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. Volume 2 starts off with the following 6 stories in the first issue: “The house that Jack built”, by Harold Donovan Hilton: a young man learns the intriguing story of an uncanny old house “In the garden of a villa”, by R. George Smith Jr.: a female lark sees her tragic love life reflected in the life of a duchess “A peg-leg ghost”, by Wellington Vandiver: strange events finally make a sceptical man believe in the supernatural “How the run was stopped”, by Richard Stillman Powell: to save the bank from bankruptcy, a clerk resorts to an ingenious ruse “My friend, Walker”, by Geraldine Meyrick: a man achieves the impossible of communicating with horses, but at an awful price “In an hour”, by Warwick James Price: in his last hour, a dying scholar muses about his life – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 02 November 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the second issue of volume 2 with the following five short stories: “Silas F. Quigley – To Arrive”, by Lewis Hopkins Rogers: a puzzling letter incites Mr Quigley to explore an unusual way to secure a job “The Polar Magnet”, by Philip Verrill Mighels: discover the terrible technique a sculptor uses to create very life-like casts for his art “Fitzhugh”, by W. MacPherson Wiltbank: an untalented man tries his utmost to have his five minutes of fame, with an unexpected outcome “The Passionate Snake”, by Ella Higginson: how a snake learnt about the treachery of man “Professor Whirlwind”, by Allen Quinan: the shocking account of a man’s experience inside a tornado – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 03 December 1896
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the third issue of volume 2 with the following six short stories: “The Lost Brook Trail”, by Bert Leston Taylor: a man recruits a guide to a fishing expedition for an unusual catch “A modern de Pompadour”, by Jennie Bullard Waterbury: a talented and creative wigmaker finally meets his rival “The Parchment Diary”, by Willis B. Lloyd: a traveller writes down a hermit’s story of atonement “A Honeymoon Eclipse”, by George C. Gardner: the odyssee of a newly-wed man who forgot the address of their honeymoon lodgings “The Captain’s Last Cruise”, by Stanley Edwards Johnson: find out what the old captain planned to do with the mysterious mahogany lumber “The Blow-Out at Jenkins’s Grocery”, by Ella Higginson: unfortunately, Christmas is not a time of happiness for all alike – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 04 January 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the fourth issue of volume 2 with the following five short stories: “The purloining of Ruth Allen”, by Elizabeth Flint Wade: an old spinster realizes that it’s never too late for true love “The scoop of the scarlet tanager”, by Edward B. Clark: find out how a birdwatcher makes his fortune with a gruesome discovery “The honeymoon at Candlestand Mountain”, by Grace MacGowan Cooke: a ranch-aid hatches an ingenious plot to marry the girl he loves “The man without a name”, by Frances M. Butler: a man is desperately trying to recover his memory and life “Denny”, by Landis Mills: poor Denny’s Saint-Patrick’s-celebration had a tragic outcome – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 05 February 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This fifth issue of volume 2 presents the following six short stories: “The Lost Paradise”, by Geik Turner and T. F. Anderson: a floating island gets its owner into political troubles “My Invisible Friend”, by Katharine Kip: witness the tragic outcome of an ingenious invention “Pendarvis, the Cracker”, by Allen Chamberlain: some people go to great lengths to avoid their daily work “Le Bretagne”, by W. A. Fraser: will the drowned sailor keep his promise to return to his wife by Christmas ? “Carmen Gutierrez”, by Edward Sylvestre: a tragic love in the times of the Cuban war for independance “Regina”, by Grace Frances Bird: the young seeds of budding love still bloom after many long years – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 06 March 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This sixth issue of volume 2 presents the following five short stories: “The Stolen Melody”, by Constance Fauntleroy Runcie: a ruthless pianist tries to win the music award through evil manipulation “The Bramble Gift Trust”, by Zollie Luther Jones: Nannie Burns has assembled a very unusual collection of souvenirs “The Parchment Slave”, by A. M. Barnes: find out what really happened to the last will of Mr Boise “Monsieur Angot”, by Charles F. Bourke: let yourself be instructed by the musings and philosophies of a French parrot “The Ivory Bells”, by James Buckham: a young woman hopes to find out that Love is not only attracted by lovely baubles – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 07 April 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This seventh issue of volume 2 presents the following five short stories: “The Peacock and the Copper Moon”, by Frances Aymar Mathews: a sculptor’s plan to save her lover suddenly receives a dramatic twist “Westward Ho !”, by J. Wesley Glover: don’t launch the party before the guests arrive ! “The Captain’s Gray”, by Ella F. Mosby: a war-horse and its dead master save the day in a battle “M’Goulighan”, by Frances Lynde: a sheriff’s deputy finds out that there’s some good even in the most hardened prisoner “The Man with the Iron Arm”, by Geik Turner: watch a weak-looking runt win against the best fighters in a wrestling match – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 08 May 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the eighth issue of volume 2 with the following five short stories: “The Passing of the Polly Ann”, by Collins Shackelford: the survivor of a drifting ship testifies to a startling revelation “The Obsequies of Ole Miss Jug”, by Jean Ross Irvine: these children know how to bury a faithful dog in style “A Modern Goliath”, by J. C. W. Brooks, U.S.A.: witness a spectacular court-martial trial, trying to prove a soldier’s innocence “The Colby Girls”, by Charles Bryant Howard: two sturdy spinsters battle through a storm at sea “Trans-Saharan Station 15-M”, by J. E. Pember: three men are struggling to stay alive in the stifling heat of the Sahara Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 09 June 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the ninth issue of volume 2 with the following five short stories: “The Man-Hunt of Mendocino”, by Frank Bailey Millard: no one can stop the revenge of a mother for the murder of her son “Silas Bartle’s Snake-Bite Cure”, by Winthrop Packard: witness young Norris’ dramatic struggle to survive a deadly snake bite “Tunnel Number Six”, by Eugene C. Derby: learn all about the startling explanation of a seemingly haunted mine-tunnel “An Old Maid’s Wedding Trip”, by Juliet Wilbor Tompkins: let’s join a spinster’s honeymoon with an unexpected outcome “The Official Report”, by Thaddeus M. Lakewood: love sometimes can ruin even a brilliant officer’s career – Summary by Sonia
The Black Cat Vol. 02 No. 10 July 1897
The Black Cat (1895-1922) was a monthly literary magazine, publishing original short stories, often about uncanny or fantastical topics. Many writers were largely unknown, but some famous authors also wrote original material for this magazine. This is the tenth issue of volume 2 with the following five short stories: > For Dear Old Yale, by James Langston: a game of cards will decide the fate of these six men > The Casket of Pandora, by Margaret Dodge: a young woman is tempted to choose between her family and her career > A Romance of the Palisades, by E. O. Weeks: what is the secret behind the scared expression in a young girl’s portrait ? > A Postponed Arrest, by Leland Ingersoll: the sheriff takes a merciful decision to ease a dying man’s final hours > A Geometrical Design, by Mary Foote Arnold: a mysterious will starts three sisters off on a treasure hunt – Summary by Sonia
The Book of Wonder
“Come with me, ladies and gentlemen who are in any wise weary of London: come with me: and those that tire at all of the world we know: for we have new worlds here.” – Lord Dunsany, the preface to “The Book of Wonder”
The Fearsome Island
No ordinary sailor’s tale, this. Based allegedly on the real experiences of Silas Fordred, Master Mariner of Hythe, this is a story of shipwreck on an uncharted island and his supernatural adventures there with a witch, a hairy man, and various devilish devices and traps. The author, Kinross, adds an appendix purporting to explain the marvels which Fordred encountered. Kinross claims to have stolen the sailor’s original account from Hythe Town Hall while helping the Town Clerk to sort newly discovered old papers. This is credible, as it is well-known that there were many such documents rescued from destruction in the late nineteenth century. The names of Fordred and his shipmate Snoad are also old-established Hythe families. However, even if Fordred’s account is mentioned in the annals of Hythe Borough, it is impossible to know how much was invented by Kinross. “Believe or doubt!” the author says. Much as I would like to believe, I know which way I incline. (Introduction by Ruth Golding)