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Something About Eve
by James Branch CabellA COMEDY OF FIG-LEAVESThe story of of a Southern gentleman's out of body experience where, during his adventure, he meets God, Nero, Solomon, Merlin, Odyseus, Eve, and others."I suggest that you read SOMETHING ABOUT EVE. It is perhaps the crowning achievement of a man who is undoubtedly the ablest writer of the present age" - Robert E. Howard
Beethoven Confidential & Brahms Gets Laid
by Ken RussellBeethoven Confidential started life as a play that was developed into a screenplay for a film starring Jodie Foster and Glenda Jackson, with Anthony Hopkins as the deaf musical genius Ludwig von Beethoven. It tells the story of the rivalry between two would-be biographers in the quest for the so-called "Immortal Beloved"--Beethoven's secret love. Personal friends of Beethoven, the biographers become pitted against each other in a race to reveal the mysterious lover. The film was never made but the mystery is solved in this novel about the great composer. It is a story that Ken Russell considers to be one of the most bizarre and compelling detective yarns of all time. Johannes Brahms was renowned for his three B's--beer, beard, and belly. Tradition has it that Brahms died a confirmed bachelor and a respected pillar of society who liked nothing better than a pint in the evening and a walk through the Black Forest at weekends. But what of his sex life? According to Ken Russell, "Brahms probably knew more about sex than any composer before or since." The evidence is in the music: for sheer sensuality try the inner movements of his Third Symphony, or the opening of his First Symphony ("tell me if that doesn't have balls") or a section in the Fourth that can only be described as "the sex act set to music." But the composer's early life tells us more. Born in the red-light district of Hamburg, Brahms spent his formative years playing piano in city brothels. Brahms Gets Laid investigates his close association with insane genius Robert Schumann and his even closer relationship with the psychologically disturbed Clara Schumann and her daughters.
Lucia in London & Mapp and Lucia
by E. F. BensonE. F. Benson's beloved Mapp and Lucia novels are sparkling, classic comedies of manners set against the petty snobberies and competitive maneuverings of English village society in the 1920s and 1930s.The third and fourth novels in the series, Lucia in London (1927) and Mapp and Lucia (1931) continue the adventures of Benson's famously irrepressible characters, and bring them into hilarious conflict. Both Mrs. Lucia Lucas and Miss Elizabeth Mapp are accustomed to complete social supremacy, and when one intrudes on the other's territory, war ensues. Lucia sees herself as a benevolent--if ruthless--dictator, while Miss Mapp is driven by an insatiable desire for vengeance against the presumptuous interloper. Their skirmishes--played out on a battlefield composed of dinner parties, council meetings, and art exhibits--enliven the plots of Benson's maliciously witty comedies.
All the Conspirators
by Christopher IsherwoodParents and children are still just as deadly but they are no longer invariably polite and restrained, and there are no longer (as Cyril Connolly once put it) "atrocities witnessed at tea in the drawing-room." Christopher Isherwood was only twenty-one when he began his first novel, All the Conspirators, in 1926; it was published in England two years later. In his introduction to the first American edition (published by New Directions in 1958), the author explained: "[All the Conspirators] records a minor engagement in what Shelley calls 'the great war between the old and young.'" In many ways this novel (like the classic Berlin Stories) is a "period piece" growing out of a particular historical situation--clashes between parents and children are still just as deadly but they are no longer invariably polite and restrained, and there are no longer (as Cyril Connolly once put it) "atrocities witnessed at tea in the drawing-room." But Isherwood's singular perceptions of the older generation holding on and the younger trying to wrench free are as valid today as they were half a century ago.
Crewe Train (Virago Modern Classics #16)
by Rose MacaulayDenham Dobie has been brought up in Andorra by her father, a retired clergyman. On his death, she is snatched from this reclusive life and thrown into the social whirl of London by her sophisticated relatives. Denham, however, provides a candid response to the niceties of 'civilised' behaviour. Crewe Train is Macaulay's wittiest social satire. The reactions of Denham to the manners and modes of the highbrow circle in which she finds herself provide a devastating - and very funny - social commentary as well as a moving story.This bitingly funny, elegantly written comedy of manners is as absorbing and entertaining today as on the book's first publication in 1926.
Poet's Pub
by Eric LinklaterA literary Cheers—filled with British charm and wit Comprised of an entertaining series of vignettes that occur at the Pelican Pub in Downish, England, Poet's Pub is a humor-filled collection of stories by award winner Eric Linklater—one of the original titles commissioned by Penguin Classics founder Allen Lane—and again available to American readers. When an Oxford poet named Saturday Keith assumes control of the Pelican Pub, what he desires most is the peace and freedom to craft his poems without being disturbed. This is the least of what happens, for the local watering hole soon becomes an out-and-out attraction for various eccentric characters ranging from uncouth rogues to members of academia. .
Summer Lightning
by P. G. Wodehouse"[Blandings] is an entire world unto itself and, one senses, Wodehouse pours into it his deepest feelings for England."--Stephen Fry The Honourable Galahad Threepwood has decided to write his memoir--a tell-all that could destroy polite society. Everyone wants this manuscript gone, particularly Lord Emsworth's neighbor Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe, who would do anything to keep the story of the prawns buried in the past. But the memoir isn't the only problem. A chorus girl disguised as an heiress, a double-dealing detective, a stolen prize-winning sow, and a crazy ex-secretary are only a few of the complications that must be dealt with before everyone can have their happy ending.
Archy and Mehitabel
by Don MarquisThe now classic tale of Archy the cockroach and Mehitabel the cat in her ninth life. First published in 1927, this free verse poem has become an essential part of American literature.
Freddy Goes to the North Pole (Freddy the Pig #2)
by Walter R. BrooksOriginally published between 1927 and 1958, the 26 classic books about Freddy the Pig are going on to delight a sixth generation of children. Freddy the Pig, the &“Renaissance Pig&” (The New York Times Book Review) of Bean Farm, is back to thrill his fans of all ages in these all-American children&’s classics. As you surely know, the Bean Farm animals are great travelers. The heroic events of Freddy Goes to the North Pole begin with the establishment of Barnyard Tours, Inc., with Freddy as founder-president. Arctic adventures are famously dangerous and exciting, and this one is no exception. It is fortunate that Freddy and his entourage reach the Pole when they do, as they arrive just in time to be of service to Santa Claus himself.
Freddy Goes to the North Pole (Freddy the Pig #2)
by Walter R. BrooksOriginally published between 1927 and 1958, the 26 classic books about Freddy the Pig are going on to delight a sixth generation of children. Freddy the Pig, the &“Renaissance Pig&” (The New York Times Book Review) of Bean Farm, is back to thrill his fans of all ages in these all-American children&’s classics. As you surely know, the Bean Farm animals are great travelers. The heroic events of Freddy Goes to the North Pole begin with the establishment of Barnyard Tours, Inc., with Freddy as founder-president. Arctic adventures are famously dangerous and exciting, and this one is no exception. It is fortunate that Freddy and his entourage reach the Pole when they do, as they arrive just in time to be of service to Santa Claus himself.
Little Me
by Patrick DennisBack in print at last! From the author of Auntie Mame: the bawdy, bestselling, bountifully illustrated autobiography of an imaginary diva whose life is one hilarious mishap after another.For Belle Poitrine, née Mayble Schlumpfert, all the world's a stage and she's the most important player on it. At once coy and coercive, with a name that means "beautiful bosom" in French, she claws her way from Striver's Row to the silver screen. Recalling Belle's career, which ranged from portraying Anne Boleyn in Oh, Henry to roles in both Sodom and its sequel Gomorrah (not to mention the classic Papaya Paradise), Little Me serves up copious quanitites of husbands, couture, and Pink Lady cocktails, with international adventures and a murder trial to boot.A runaway bestseller that made its way to Broadway, starring Sid Caesar in 1962 and Martin Short in 1998, Little Me is now reprinted--with all of the 150 historic, hysterical photographs depicting the funniest scenes from Belle's sordid life, including cameo appearances by the author and Rosalind Russell. Considered a collector's item, the first edition of Little Me was like a performance in book form. Now this glittering spoof of celebrity is gloriously reincarnated for connoisseurs of all things chick and cheeky.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Very Good, Jeeves!
by P. G. Wodehouse"To dive into a Wodehouse novel is to swim in some of the most elegantly turned phrases in the English language."--Ben Schott Follow the adventures of Bertie Wooster and his gentleman's gentleman, Jeeves, in this stunning new edition of one of the greatest comic short story collections in the English language. Whoever or whatever the cause of Bertie Wooster's consternation--Bobbie Wickham giving away his fierce Aunt Agatha's dog; getting into the bad books of Sir Roderick Glossop; attempting to scupper the unfortunate infatuation of his friend Tuppy for a robust opera singer--Jeeves can always be relied on tyo untangle the most ferocious of muddles. Even Bertie's.
CAUTIONARY VERSES
by Hilaire BellocThe Chief Defect of Henry King Was chewing little bits of String. At last he swallowed some which tied Itself in ugly Knots inside . . . A much-loved classic for children and adults alike since its first publication in 1939, this collection of poems is a truly unforgettable book of moral instruction. Take heed from the lessons learnt by Matilda, Who told lies and was Burned to Death, Jim, Who ran away from his nurse wand was eaten by a Lion, and Rebecca, Who slammed doors for Fun and Perished Miserably. . .
Highland Fling
by Nancy MitfordIn Highland Fling--Nancy Mitford's first novel, published in 1931--a set of completely incompatible and hilariously eccentric characters collide in a Scottish castle, where bright young things play pranks on their stodgy elders until the frothy plot climaxes in ghost sightings and a dramatic fire. Inspired in part by Mitford's youthful infatuation with a Scottish aristocrat, her story follows young Jane Dacre to a shooting party at Dulloch Castle, where she tramps around a damp and chilly moor on a hunting expedition with formidable Lady Prague, xenophobic General Murgatroyd, one-eyed Admiral Wenceslaus, and an assortment of other ancient and gouty peers of the realm, while falling in love with Albert, a surrealist painter with a mischievous sense of humor. Lighthearted and sparkling with witty banter, Highland Fling was Mitford's first foray into the delightful fictional world for which the author of The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate later became so celebrated.With an Introduction by Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey.
James Thurber: Writings & Drawings (including The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)
by Garrison Keillor James ThurberJames Thurber, whimsical fantasist and deadpan chronicler of everyday absurdities, brought American humor into the 20th century. His comic persona, a modern citydweller whose zaniest flights of free association are tinged with anxiety, remains hilarious, subtly disturbing, and instantly recognizable. Here, in over 1000 pages, editor Garrison Keillor presents the best and most extensive collection ever assembled. Over 100 pieces include "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Catbird Seat," the brilliantly satirical Fables for Our Time, the classic My Life and Hard Times, and the best of The Owl in the Attic, Let Your Mind Alone!, My World--And Welcome to It, and the other famous books. Plus 500 wonderful drawings, including The Seal in the Bedroom and celebrated sequences like "The Masculine Approach" and "The War Between Men and Women." Rounding out the volume is a selection from The Years with Ross, a memoir of the New Yorker publisher, and a number of wonderful early pieces never collected by Thurber.
Cold Comfort Farm (Penguin Modern Classics)
by Stella GibbonsOne of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World''Brilliant ... very probably the funniest book ever written' Sunday TimesWhen sensible, sophisticated Flora Poste is orphaned at nineteen, she decides her only choice is to descend upon relatives in deepest Sussex. At the aptly-named Cold Comfort Farm, she meets the doomed Starkadders: cousin Judith, heaving with remorse for unspoken wickedness; Amos, preaching fire and damnation; their sons, lustful Seth and despairing Reuben; child of nature Elfine; and crazed old Aunt Ada Doom, who has kept to her bedroom for the last twenty years. But Flora loves nothing better than to organise other people. Armed with common sense and a strong will, she resolves to take each of the family in hand. A hilarious and ruthless parody of rural melodramas and purple prose, Cold Comfort Farm is one of the best-loved comic novels of all time.'Screamingly funny and wildly subversive' Marian Keyes, GuardianThe Penguin Classics edition of Stella Gibbons's Cold Comfort Farm is introduced by Lynne Truss, author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves.If you enjoyed Cold Comfort Farm you might like George and Weedon Grossmith's Diary of a Nobody, also available in Penguin Classics.
Freddy the Detective (Freddy the Pig #3)
by Walter R. BrooksThe delightful detective story about the beloved animal characters on Mr. Bean&’s farm, whose adventures have entertained so many children. Freddy the Pig, stimulated by reading Sherlock Holmes, sets up in a business as a detective.
Tobacco Road: A Novel (Brown Thrasher Books Ser.)
by Erskine CaldwellThe classic novel of a Georgia family undone by the Great Depression: &“[A] story of force and beauty&” (New York Post). Even before the Great Depression struck, Jeeter Lester and his family were desperately poor sharecroppers. But when hard times begin to affect the families that once helped support them, the Lesters slip completely into the abyss. Rather than hold on to each other for support, Jeeter, his wife Ada, and their twelve children are overcome by the fractured and violent society around them. Banned and burned when first released in 1932, Tobacco Road is a brutal examination of poverty&’s dehumanizing influence by one of America&’s great masters of political fiction. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erskine Caldwell including rare photos and never-before-seen documents courtesy of the Dartmouth College Library.
From a View to a Death: A Novel
by Anthony PowellUnsavory artists, titled boobs, and charlatans with an affinity for Freud such are the oddballs whose antics animate the early novels of the late British master Anthony Powell. A genius of social satire delivered with a very dry wit, Powell builds his comedies on the foibles of British high society between the wars, delving into subjects as various as psychoanalysis, the film industry, publishing, and (of course) sex. More explorations of relationships and vanity than plot-driven narratives, these slim novels reveal the early stirrings of the unequaled style, ear for dialogue, and eye for irony that would reach their caustic peak in Powell s epic "A Dance to the Music of Time. " "From a View to a Death" takes us to a dilapidated country estate where an ambitious artist of questionable talent, a family of landed aristocrats wondering where the money has gone, and a secretly cross-dressing squire all commingle among the ruins. Written from a vantage point both high and necessarily narrow, Powell s early novels nevertheless deal in the universal themes that would become a substantial part of his oeuvre: pride, greed, and what makes people behave as they do. Filled with eccentric characters and piercing insights, Powell s work is achingly hilarious, human, and true. "
God's Little Acre: A Novel (Brown Thrasher Books Ser.)
by Erskine CaldwellIn the Depression-era Deep South, a destitute farmer struggles to raise a family on his own: The bestselling classic by the author of Tobacco Road. Single father and poor Southern farmer Ty Ty Walden has a plan to save his farm and his family: He will tear his fields apart until he finds gold. While Ty Ty obsesses over his fool&’s quest, his sons and daughters search in vain for their own dreams of instant happiness—whether from money, violence, or sex. God&’s Little Acre is a classic dark comedy, a satire that lampoons a broken South while holding a light to the toll that poverty takes on the hopes and dreams of the poor themselves. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Erskine Caldwell including rare photos and never-before-seen documents courtesy of the Dartmouth College Library.
Heavy Weather
by P. G. Wodehouse"The gardens of Blandings Castle are that original garden from which we are all exiled. All those who know them long to return." --Evelyn Waugh When Lord Tilbury receives a letter from Galahad Threepwood stating he will no longer be publishing his memoir, he decides to travel to Blandings Castle and steal the manuscript. But he isn't the only one after the memoir. Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe and Lady Constance Keeble are also trying to lay their hands on it to prevent Ronnie Fish and Sue Brown from getting married. Monty Bodkin, Lord Emsworth's new secretary, is also after the manuscript in order to secure a year's employment at the Mammoth Publishing Company. Who will get their hands on the manuscript? Only the Empress of Blandings knows!
High Rising: A Virago Modern Classic (Virago Modern Classics #370)
by Angela ThirkellSuccessful lady novelist Laura Morland and her boisterous young son Tony set off to spend Christmas at her country home in the sleepy surrounds of High Rising. But Laura's wealthy friend and neighbour George Knox has taken on a scheming secretary whose designs on marriage to her employer threaten the delicate social fabric of the village. Can clever, practical Laura rescue George from Miss Grey's clutches and, what's more, help his daughter Miss Sibyl Knox to secure her longed-for engagement?Utterly charming and very funny, High Rising is irresistible comic entertainment.
High Rising: A Virago Modern Classic (Virago Modern Classics #370)
by Angela ThirkellSuccessful lady novelist Laura Morland and her boisterous young son Tony set off to spend Christmas at her country home in the sleepy surrounds of High Rising. But Laura's wealthy friend and neighbour George Knox has taken on a scheming secretary whose designs on marriage to her employer threaten the delicate social fabric of the village. Can clever, practical Laura rescue George from Miss Grey's clutches and, what's more, help his daughter Miss Sibyl Knox to secure her longed-for engagement?Utterly charming and very funny, High Rising is irresistible comic entertainment.
The Humorous Verse of Lewis Carroll
by Lewis Carroll"The editors have performed a task for addicts will be grateful. There is nothing for the faithful to do but to sit down and fall to the banquet." -- TheNew York TimesThis is the largest collection of Lewis Carroll's verse ever compiled. It contains almost every poem that Carroll ever wrote. It includes every prose appearing in his books published during his life, privately printed poems, ephemera, poems from manuscripts found among his papers, and from "The Rectory Magazine," Collingwood's "Lewis Carroll Picture Book," "Life and Letters of Lewis Carroll," and rare 19th century periodicals. This is the only place of publication for much of this verse.This volume contains 150 different poems, offering perhaps the finest whimsy ever written. There are parodies, burlesques, riddles, whimsies, ballads, songs (one with Carroll's own music), extravaganzas, acrostics, and other types, including several of his serious poems. Many poems are annotated to explain contemporary allusions, and this edition retains 130 original illustrations by Tenniel, Frost, Holiday, Furniss, and Carroll himself.