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A compendium of really weird tales written in 1885 by E.T.A. Hoffmann, who was a Prussian Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. The title of this volume ‘Weird Tales’ inspired a horror magazine to adopt the same title for it.

Wessex Tales’ is a collection of short stories by Thomas Hardy, who is known as one of Victorian era’s best English novelists. Most of these stories are set in the years before the author’s birth; hence, are written with use of many dialectic words to give it the feel of the time. These stories explores social issues around marriage and kinship in that time.

The lions, if they left not the forest, would capture no prey; and the arrow, if it quitted not the bow, would not strike the mark.
—Arabian Nights.
The precise date of my story does not matter: the world strikes a much more even average than we are apt to think; and still, as of old, “the thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done.”
Once upon a time, then, there was a boy whose name was Charlemagne Kindred.
“Magnus” was the home version. I think his two young sisters were perhaps rather proud of the royal-republican title, and would by no means let it come down to “Charley,” and so lose itself in the crowd. Once in a while, when a longer lecture than usual was called for, Mrs. Kindred would say Charlemagne: but I doubt if it had much effect, unless to give Magnus some slighting thoughts of the ancestor who had first borne his name.

“The Warden house was more impressive in appearance than its neighbors. It had “grounds,” instead of a yard or garden; it had wide pillared porches and “galleries,” showing southern antecedents; moreover, it had a cupola, giving date to the building, and proof of the continuing ambitions of the builders.
“The stately mansion was covered with heavy flowering vines, also with heavy mortgages. Mrs. Roscoe Warden and her four daughters reposed peacefully under the vines, while Roscoe Warden, Jr., struggled desperately under the mortgages.” -an excerpt

First published in the year 1922, the present book ‘What I Saw in America’ was written by famous English writer, lay theologian, poet, philosopher, dramatist and journalist G. K. Chesterton. this book is a compilation of reflections of the author from his lecture tour to New York.

“What Is Man?”, published by Mark Twain in 1906, is a dialogue between a Young Man and an Old Man regarding the nature of man. The title refers to Psalm 8:4, which begins “what is man, that you are mindful of him…”. It involves ideas of determinism and free will, as well as of psychological egoism.

The present novel ‘What Maisie Knew’ was written by the famous American-born British writer and philosopher Henry James, who was also brother of renowned psychologist William James. This classic fictional novel was first published in the year 1897. It tells the story of the sensitive daughter of divorced, irresponsible parents.

A book of modern social inquiry has a shape that is somewhat sharply defined. It begins as a rule with an analysis, with statistics, tables of population, decrease of crime among Congregationalists, growth of hysteria among policemen, and similar ascertained facts; it ends with a chapter that is generally called “The Remedy.” It is almost wholly due to this careful, solid, and scientific method that “The Remedy” is never found. For this scheme of medical question and answer is a blunder; the first great blunder of sociology. It is always called stating the disease before we find the cure. But it is the whole definition and dignity of man that in social matters we must actually find the cure before we find the disease.

It began with Jimmy Wilson and a conspiracy was helped on by a foot-square piece of yellow paper and a Japanese butler and it enmeshed and mixed up generally ten respectable members of society and a policeman.

When William Came: A Story of London Under the Hohenzollerns is a novel written by the British author Saki and published in November 1913.

They were all at Charing Cross to see Lilia off—Philip, Harriet, Irma, Mrs. Herriton herself. Even Mrs. Theobald, squired by Mr. Kingcroft, had braved the journey from Yorkshire to bid her only daughter good-bye. Miss Abbott was likewise attended by numerous relatives, and the sight of so many people talking at once and saying such different things caused Lilia to break into ungovernable peals of laughter.

“Quite an ovation,” she cried, sprawling out of her first-class carriage. “They’ll take us for royalty. Oh, Mr. Kingcroft, get us foot-warmers.”

My present subject has grown up in a very congenial atmosphere. A number of sympathetic students, who learnt to appreciate my practical work, continued to draw from me some ideas partly practical, partly theoretical, on the subject which has always been a part religion with me, whether in my working or my dreaming moments—Art and its all-permeating influence over humanity in the social and spiritual conditions. I take it that Art permeates the entire body of humanity, from the flesh-devouring savage to the asphodel-adoring æsthetic, in a greater or lesser degree, according to the sanitary conditions of their lives; and as it permeates, so it brings us closer to what we regard as human perfection.

When it was all over Mr. Sam came out to the spring-house to say good-by to me before he and Mrs. Sam left. I hated to see him go, after all we had been through together, and I suppose he saw it in my face, for he came over close and stood looking down at me, and smiling. “You saved us, Minnie,” he said, “and I needn’t tell you we’re grateful; but do you know what I think?” he asked, pointing his long forefinger at me. “I think you’ve enjoyed it even when you were suffering most. Red-haired women are born to intrigue, as the sparks fly upward.”

A favourite dodge to get your story read by the public is to assert that it is true, and then add that Truth is stranger than Fiction. I do not know if the yarn I am anxious for you to read is true; but the Spanish purser of the fruit steamer El Carrero swore to me by the shrine of Santa Guadalupe that he had the facts from the U. S. vice-consul at La Paz—a person who could not possibly have been cognizant of half of them.

Written by an American minister and author Lloyd C. Douglas, ‘White Banners’ is a novel which got published in 1936. This novel shows how the example of a housemaid changes the life of a family.

“It appeared to me,” said the mother, “that the old musket was not very willing to tell his story. He had a sort of old republican pride, and felt himself superior to the rest of the company in character and importance. When he had made himself heard in the world hitherto, it had always been by one short, but very decided and emphatic word; he despised any thing like a palaver; so he began very abruptly, and as if he had half a mind not to speak at all, because he could not speak in his own way.

“Oh, damn!” said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. “Hi, driver!”
The taxi man, irritated at receiving this appeal while negotiating the intricacies of turning into Lower Regent Street across the route of a 19 ’bus, a 38-B and a bicycle, bent an unwilling ear.
“I’ve left the catalogue behind,” said Lord Peter deprecatingly. “Uncommonly careless of me. D’you mind puttin’ back to where we came from?”
“To the Savile Club, sir?”
“No—110 Piccadilly—just beyond—thank you.”
“Thought you was in a hurry,” said the man, overcome with a sense of injury.

Eminent physicians and dietetic reformers of the present day are deeply interested in solving the great problem of wholesome food for human beings, and in introducing food reform in western countries.

First published in the year 2000, the present book ‘The Mary Frances First Aid Book’ by Jane Eayre Fryer consists of ready references of ordinary accidents and illnesses with their cures and home remedies. The home remedies suggested in this book are approved by experts.

The present book ‘Wild Apples’ was written by famous American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, and historian – Henry David Thoreau. It was first published in the year 1862.

A high, rocky shore of the lake of Lucerne opposite Schwytz.
The lake makes a bend into the land; a hut stands at a short
distance from the shore; the fisher boy is rowing about in his
boat. Beyond the lake are seen the green meadows, the hamlets,
and arms of Schwytz, lying in the clear sunshine. On the left
are observed the peaks of the Hacken, surrounded with clouds; to
the right, and in the remote distance, appear the Glaciers. The
Ranz des Vaches, and the tinkling of cattle-bells, continue for
some time after the rising of the curtain.

In attempting to write a life of William the Conqueror, one is confronted, at the outset, by a question of considerable urgency. The mere details of the King’s history, if full discussion were given to all matters which have been the subjects of controversy, would far exceed the possible limits of a volume to be included in the series to which the present book belongs. On the other hand, a life of William the Conqueror which ignored the changes in constitutional organisation and social life which followed the events of 1066 would obviously be a very imperfect thing. Accordingly, I have reserved the last three chapters of the book for some examination of these questions; and I hope that the footnotes to the text may serve as, in some sort, a guide to the more difficult problems arising out of the Conqueror’s life and reign.

Great Stories and poems for children is a collection of most delightful childrens stories.

And the evening drew on over the straggling village, weary with its long day’s work. The last loaded waggon had passed down the lane by the farm; the last troop of tired hay-makers had trudged gaily homewards; and with the deepening dusk the winds grew cooler, blowing in fresh, along the valley, from the sea.

The cry, taken up by a score of youthful voices, echoed and re-echoed along the concrete-paved corridors of the Averleigh T.D.S.—such being the official designation of the Training and Disciplinary School—one of those mushroom-growth establishments that bid fair to blossom into permanent instruction schools under the aegis of the juvenile but virile Royal Air Force.

Winter India is a very good travel-book of the lighter kind. It is the work of an experienced traveler and writer of travels, a book of the pleasant, fluent, chattering variety, written frankly from the tourist’s point of view. The author cares little for foreigners, and less for foreign problems; she simply likes to see things, and is clever in describing them. A good illustration of her style, which is always animated and often amusing, is afforded by the account of her first impression of Nautch dancing….

Wintersmoon’ is a 1928 horror novel by the English novelist Hugh Walpole. of his other novels of the 1920s, ‘Wintersmoon’, his first attempt at a full-length love story, portrays a clash between traditionalism and modernism; his own sympathies, though not spelled out, were clearly with the traditionalists.

A library in a city house. A dining-room opens beyond a portière. The dinner-table is set. The library is furnished in red leather and dark wood. Books run to the ceiling. The carpet is indeterminate in tone. The heavy curtains are of a rich, dark crimson. A window is to be seen. The library is littered a little with the signs of feminine occupation. At one of the tables sits Mrs. Thorne. She is a young and beautiful woman, of stately presence and modest, high-bred manner. She is well-dressed—but not over-dressed—in a tea-gown such as a lady might wear in her own home when guests are not expected. The dress is cream-white; it falls open over a crimson skirt. The lamps are shaded with lace of red or of white. One with a white shade is on the table by which she sits. Her sewing materials are lying about, among books and magazines half-cut. She tries to sew upon a little boy’s lace collar, but throws her work down restlessly. Her face wears a troubled expression.

“At nine o’clock of a gusty winter night I stood on the lower stages of one of the G. P. O. outward mail towers. My purpose was a run to Quebec in “Postal Packet 162 or such other as may be appointed”; and the Postmaster-General himself countersigned the order. This talisman opened all doors, even those in the despatching-caisson at the foot of the tower, where they were delivering the sorted Continental mail. The bags lay packed close as herrings in the long gray under-bodies which our G. P. O. still calls “coaches.” Five such coaches were filled as I watched, and were shot up the guides to be locked on to their waiting packets three hundred feet nearer the stars.” -an excerpt

Historical work detailing experiences of early Jewish settlers in Palestine while still under Turkish rule from perspective of a well known Zionist political figure. Despite Aaronsohn’s ties to the United States, he was pushed into serving in the Turkish Army with the start of the first World War as the Ottoman Empire controlled Palestine.