The Psyche Zenobia


Book Description

The story follows a female narrator who, accompanied by her tiny poodle and 3-foot-tall servant, comes across a gothic cathedral whilst walking in a city. When she ascends to the top of the steeple, she attempts to look through a small opening with her servant’s aid. Pushing her head through the hole, she realises that she appears to be inside a large clock face, and that she is destined for a rather novel demise. A humorous satire of the popular Gothic tale, this short story is highly recommended or fans of Poe’s comical work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any collection. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.




A Predicament


Book Description

»A Predicament« is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, originally published in 1838. EDGAR ALLAN POE was born in Boston in 1809. After brief stints in academia and the military, he began working as a literary critic and author. He made his debut with the novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket in 1838, but it was in his short stories that Poe's peculiar style truly flourished. He died in Baltimore in 1849.




Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque


Book Description

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque is a collection of previously-published short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1840.




Ligeia


Book Description

Un anonimo narratore ci racconta del suo amore perduto Ligeia, una donna alta, dai capelli neri, estremamente intelligente, che credeva che la morte potesse essere sconfitta con la forza di volontà. Inoltre era innamorata in maniera ossessiva del marito, lo idolatrava, ricambiata. Quando lei muore lui è affranto. Qualche tempo dopo decide di andare avanti con la sua vita e si risposa. Strane cose cominciano ad accadere mentre il narratore continua a pensare sempre di più al suo primo amore, Ligeia…




Psyche Unbound


Book Description

The celebrated beauty of Roman princess Psyche has enraged Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. As punishment, Psyche is left naked on the beach to be sacrificed to a monster. When Cupid, the God of Love, swoops her up and flies her to the monster's palace, Psyche mistakenly wraps her legs around his waist, looks into his eyes, and falls in love. Blindfolded and tied to a bed, Psyche awaits the monster, vowing to be brave as she faces death. Yet when the monster arrives, he marries her on the condition she never see his face. As she grows to love her shadow husband, she can't stop thinking about the God of Love. Consumed by curiosity, Psyche breaks her promise by lighting a lamp. Awaking in a rage, and furious with her betrayal, her husband banishes her from the palace. Psyche begs Venus for another chance at love. Unmoved, Venus demands Psyche perform three impossible tasks. If Psyche succeeds, her husband will return. If she fails, she will be condemned to death. Can Psyche satisfy Venus and win back her true love?




Zenobia


Book Description

This fourth book in Garwood's Warrior Queen Series is the story of a third century Syrian queen who fights the Romans. After the Romans assassinate her husband, she marches her army against an ally turned enemy.




The Domain of Arnheim


Book Description

On the surface, "The Domain of Arnheim" is a tale of a fantastically wealthy man called "Ellison" who desires to express "the true character, the august aims, the supreme majesty and dignity of the poetic sentiment". He achieves his goal through creating "Arnheim", a castle and landscape-garden of supreme loveliness. As Ellison says, man can't affect the "general condition of man", but must be "thrown back...upon self". The first half of the story is a discussion of Ellison's philosophies concerning man and nature, and the second a detailed description of Arnheim itself. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.




The Complete Short Stories


Book Description

Surreal tales of suspense and imagination from an American master The Complete Short Stories is the ultimate collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s tales of the macabre—from the world-famous classics “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Cask of the Amontillado” to lesser-known masterpieces such as “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” and “The Devil in the Belfry.” Fans of Poe’s Gothic tales of horror will thrill to discover his brilliant French detective, C. Auguste Dupin. Readers familiar with Poe’s mysteries will find new pleasure in his dark comedy and early science fiction stories. Edgar Allan Poe was one of the most brilliant and influential authors in American history, and The Complete Short Stories is a must-have for every admirer of his work. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.




Beneath the American Renaissance


Book Description

The award-winning Beneath the American Renaissance is a classic work on American literature. It immeasurably broadens our knowledge of our most important literary period, as first identified by F.O. Matthiessen's American Renaissance. With its combination of sharp critical insight, engaging observation, and narrative drive, it represents the kind of masterful cultural history for which David Reynolds is known. Here the major works of Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, and Dickinson receive striking, original readings set against the rich backdrop of contemporary popular writing. Now back in print, the volume includes a new foreword by historian Sean Wilentz that reveals the book's impact and influence. A magisterial work of criticism and cultural history, Beneath the American Renaissance will fascinate anyone interested in the genesis of America's most significant literary epoch and the iconic figures who defined it.




Ariadne Unraveled


Book Description

Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island. The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love. Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn't abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians. From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.