DescriptionThe Delaneys have the reputation of being difficult guests. When they arrive, order departs, chaos reigns. Maria, Niall, and Celia have grown up in the shadow of their famous parents: their father a flamboyant singer and their mother a talented dancer. Now pursuing their own creative dreams, all three siblings feel an undeniable bond, but it is Maria and Niall who share the secrets of their parents' pasts. Alternately comic and poignant, The Parasites is based on the artistic milieu its author knew best, and draws the reader effortlessly into that magical world.
DescriptionWilliam Somerset Maugham's remarkable first novel was such an instant success that the 23-year-old medical student left school to become a full-time author. Liza, a vibrant but poverty-stricken London girl, is the most graceful and daring dancer that anyone has ever seen, wildly moving to the music of the Italian organ player on Old Kent Road. But her bright light begins to dim as the tragic effects of illness and poverty overtake her body, if not her spirit. Maugham's expert storytelling, economy of expression, and effective use of irony helped him create one of literature's most memorable heroines. (Microsoft Bookshelf '95)…
DescriptionAlthough he is best known for his speculative novels, H.G. Wells also wrote engaging works of short fiction, most dealing with the strange, the unsettling, and the unknown. In this performance, Ralph Cosham brings 4 of Wells's stories to vivid life. "The Cone" is a shocking tale of revenge, "The Diamond Maker" tells of a fortune that might have been, "The Country of the Blind" tells of a man with sight who tries unsuccessfully to be king in a valley where everyone is blind, and the haunting classic "The Door in the Wall" captures the pathos of lost youth.
DescriptionSpeculative novelist H.G. Wells wrote engaging short fiction dealing with the strange, the unsettling, and the unknown. Here, Ralph Cosham lends his narrative expertise to 5 classic tales. "The Strange Orchid" concerns a horticulturist who must contend with the macabre appetites of an exotic orchid. "The Truth About Pyecraft" explains why an overbearing fat man wears lead underwear. "The Man Who Could Work Miracles" recounts the problems with defying nature. "The Purple Pileus" deals with a life-altering fungus. Finally, in "Aepyornis Island, " a man has a special relationship with a prehistoric bird.
DescriptionH.G. Wells' classic tale of a man who renders himself invisible is brought to vivid life in this recording. From the eerie arrival at an inn of a mysterious stranger swathed in bandages to the man's final, tragic reappearance, this classic science fiction tale will hold the listener spellbound with its imagination, psychological insight, and scientific inspiration.
DescriptionH.G. Wells' visionary novel is credited with creating the science fiction genre because of its tantalizing glimpses into our distant future. Wells presents the exciting diary of the Time Traveler, whose machine crash-lands in the year 802, 701. He encounters lush landscapes and a small, highly civilized group of people known as the Eloi, who live in blissful peace. The Traveler attempts to go back in time to share their secrets with his troubled society, but his machine disappears when the sun sets - and the fearsome Morlocks arrive to attack the cowering Eloi. The Time Machine is an astonishing odyssey into the future, and this thrilling presentation brilliantly captures Wells's unlimited imagination and sense of adventure.
DescriptionFollowing years of lonely political exile in Western Europe, Ka, a middle-aged poet, returns to Istanbul to attend his mother's funeral. Only partly recognizing this place of his cultured, middle-class youth, he is even more disoriented by news of strange…
DescriptionThe intrigue continues in this fourth volume of great mysteries. Here are 9 stylish, suspenseful short stories by the genre's finest authors, both past and present. Compiled and edited by legendary mystery connoisseur Otto Penzler, this unforgettable collection contains chilling, exciting tales including "The Case of the Pietro Andromache" by Sara Paretsky, "By the Dawn's Early Light" by Lawrence Block, "The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Two Bottles of Relish" by Lord Dunsany, "The Long Way Down" by Edward D. Hoch, "The Killers" by Ernest Hemingway, "Nearly Perfect" by A.A. Milne, and "The Absent-minded Coterie" by Robert Barr.
DescriptionStructured to mirror the seasons of the year, this bright, cheerful story recounts the adventures of the Mellstock rustics - Dick Dewy and Fancy Day, Leaf the simpleton, Penney the shoemaker, the lovers, and others - with an Arcadian, tranquil, timelessness. This was the author's second novel, and is the only Hardy novel whose story is not touched by tragedy.
DescriptionSarah Crewe is treated like a princess at Miss Minchin's boarding school - until her father dies, leaving her peniless. Now she must struggle as a servant to evil Miss Minchin, but the intellgent, kind-hearted girl never loses hope. From her garrett, she soon makes friends and finds incredible adventures. And good will and imagination ultimately triumph by this book's glorious ending. This beloved classic has been continuously in publication since 1905. Experienced Shakespearean actress Wanda McCaddon captures all the drama of Sarah Crewe's adventures as well as the accents of Miss Minchin, the scullery maid, and Sarah herself.
