Tags:literary collections
The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition
The comprehensive collection of letters spanning the adult life of one of the world’s greatest storytellers, now revised and expanded to include more than 150 previously unseen letters, with revealing new insights into The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of the languages and history of Middle-earth as recorded in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, was one of the most prolific letter-writers of this century. Over the years he wrote a mass of letters – to his publishers, to members of his family, to friends, and to 'fans' of his books – which often reveal the inner workings of his mind, and which record the history of composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events. A selection from Tolkien's correspondence, collected and edited by Tolkien's official biographer, Humphrey Carpenter, and assisted by Christopher Tolkien, was published in 1981. It presented, in Tolkien's own words, a highly detailed portrait of the man in his many aspects: storyteller, scholar, Catholic, parent, friend, and observer of the world around him. In this revised and expanded edition of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, it has been possible to go back to the editors’ original typescripts and notes, restoring more than 150 letters that were excised purely to achieve what was then deemed a ‘publishable length’, and present the book as originally intended. Enthusiasts for his writings will find much that is new, for the letters not only include fresh information about Middle-earth, such as Tolkien’s own plot summary of the entirety of The Lord of the Rings and a vision for publishing his ‘Tales of the Three Ages’, but also many insights into the man and his world. In addition, this new selection will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was a master.
The Monsters and the Critics
The complete collection of Tolkien’s essays, including two on Beowulf, which span three decades beginning six years before The Hobbit to five years after The Lord of the Rings. The seven essays by J.R.R. Tolkien assembled in this edition were with one exception delivered as general lectures on particular occasions; and while they mostly arose out of Tolkien’s work in medieval literature, they are accessible to all. Two of them are concerned with Beowulf, including the well-known lecture whose title is taken for this book, and one with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, given in the University of Glasgow in 1953. Also included in this volume is the lecture ‘English and Welsh’; the Valedictory Address to the University of Oxford in 1959; and a paper on Invented Languages delivered in 1931, with exemplification from poems in the Elvish tongues. Most famous of all is ‘On Fairy-Stories’, a discussion of the nature of fairy-tales and fantasy, which gives insight into Tolkien’s approach to the whole genre. The pieces in this collection cover a period of nearly thirty years, beginning six years before the publication of The Hobbit, with a unique ‘academic’ lecture on his invention (calling it ‘A Secret Vice’) and concluding with his farewell to professorship, five years after the publication of The Lord of the Rings.
The Lost Road
At the end of the 1937 J.R.R. Tolkien reluctantly set aside his now greatly elaborated work on the myths and heroic legends of Valinor and Middle-earth and began The Lord of the Rings. This fifth volume of The History of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien, completes the presentation of the whole compass of his writing on those themes up to that time. Later forms of the Annuals of Valinor and the Annals of Berleriand had been composed, The Silmarillion was nearing completion in a greatly amplified version, and a new map had been made; the myth of the Music of the Ainur had become a separate work; and the legend of the Downfall of Numenor had already entered in a primitive form, introducing the cardinal ideas of the World Made Round and the Straight Path into the vanished West. Closely associated with this was the abandoned time-travel story, The Lost Road, which was to link the world of Numenor and Middle-earth with the legends of many other times and peoples. A long essay, The Lhammas, had been written on the ever more complex relations of the languages and dialects of Middle-earth; and an etymological dictionary had been undertaken, in which a great number of words and names in the Elvish languages were registered and their formation explained - thus providing by far the most extensive account of their vocabularies that has appeared.
The Fall Of Arthur
New York Times bestseller “An incomplete but highly compelling retelling . . . An action-packed, doom-haunted saga, full of vivid natural description.”—New York Times Book ReviewThe Fall of Arthur recounts in verse the last campaign of King Arthur, who, even as he stands at the threshold of Mirkwood, is summoned back to Britain by news of the treachery of Mordred. Already weakened in spirit by Guinevere’s infidelity with the now-exiled Lancelot, Arthur must rouse his knights to battle one last time against Mordred’s rebels and foreign mercenaries. Powerful, passionate, and filled with vivid imagery, this unfinished poem reveals Tolkien’s gift for storytelling at its brilliant best. Christopher Tolkien, editor, contributes three illuminating essays that explore the literary world of King Arthur, reveal the deeper meaning of the verses and the painstaking work his father applied to bring the poem to a finished form, and investigate the intriguing links between The Fall of Arthur and Tolkien’s Middle-earth.“Compelling in pace, haunted by loss, it lives up to expectations.”—Daily Beast“Erudite and beautiful.” – NPR.org
Poverty, by America
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVOURITE BOOKS OF 2023 A searing study of American poverty from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of EvictedThe United States is the richest country on earth, yet has more poverty than any other advanced democracy. One in seven Americans live below the poverty line, a line which hasn't shifted over the last fifty years, despite the efforts of successive governments. Why is there so much scarcity in this land of dollars?In Poverty, by America, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond examines American poverty today and the stories we tell ourselves about it. Spanning social isolation, mass incarceration, the housing crisis, domestic violence, crack and opioid epidemics, welfare cuts and more, Desmond argues that poverty does not result from a lack of resources or good policy ideas. We already know how to eliminate it. The hard part is getting more of us to care.To do so, we need a new story. As things stand, liberals explain poverty through insurmountable structural issues, whereas conservatives highlight personal failings and poor life choices. Both abdicate responsibility, and ignore the reality that the advantages of the rich only come at the expense of the poor. It is time better-paid citizens put themselves back in the narrative, recognizing that the depth and expanse of poverty in any nation reflects our failure to look out for one another. Poverty must ultimately be met by community: all this suffering and want is our doing, and we can undo it.
Seoul Villages - Guisin-dong and other Seoul Villages
"A series of love letters to Seoul and its many alleyways" (The Korea Times)'Let's dive into this surreal world" (KBS World Radio)A collection of short stories now adapted into movies.Don't try to escape this ghost neighborhood, don't waste your energy tearing off that plant, and don't even think about catching Korea's most elusive shaman: you just can't shake off death. So let this fictional Seoul claim your soul.About the Author:A French author and conceptor born in Paris in 1967, Stephane MOT thrives on strategy and innovation (ESSEC alumnus, serial startup survivor) without ever disowning fiction, satire, and nonsense.Author of ‘dragedies' (a collection of bittersweet going on pungent fictions), and of ‘La Ligue des Oublies' (The League of The Forgotten, a tribute to soccer legends who never existed), Stephane founded among other blogs SeoulVillage.com. Seoul villages is his first collection of fictions in English.Stephane and Seoul have been haunting each other since 1991.www.stephanemot.comwww.dragedies.comNB 'Seoul Villages', also available in French and Korean, is part of Stephane's 'Seoul Urban Legends' (now adapted into film).---Guisin-dong / Year of the Dog / de Vermis Seoulis / Sweat dream / Black Snow / Korean wave / Tchik! / Comin'up next / Seoul Metamorphosis / (Alleyways – Ogin-dong, Autumn) / Hunting for Kim Mudangnim / (Alleyways – Sajik-dong, somewhen)---
Michael Jackson in Search of Neverland + Bonus Chapter
MICHAEL JACKSON IN SEARCH OF NEVERLAND BOOKComes with New Bonus Chapter "Michael Jackson's First Winter at Neverland"included.
Tailored Realities
Spanning the genres of fantasy and science fiction, this collection features stories from beyond the bounds of Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe.Along with the never-before-seen novella 'Moment Zero', Tailored Realities will include 'Snapshot', 'Perfect State', 'Defending Elysium' (a novella set within the world of Skyward), and five other stories that were originally published individually elsewhere - never before collected into one volume, and many never before available in print.The collection will also include a stunning black-and-white illustration for each story.
Narcissistic Ex
Narcissistic abuse is a form of abuse that ensures victims are left emotionally drained, mentally exhausted, and devoid of any self-worth or self-esteem. I was a victim of a malignant narcissist for seven years of my life, and I know just how crushing it is to live such an abusive and suppressed life. The helplessness and detachment from reality that comes with narcissistic abuse are enough to keep you in the tight grip of the abuser for as long as they choose.However, I eventually found the courage to leave my abuser, but it didn't end there. As you may know, ending a relationship with a narcissist isn't that easy - even if it was the narc who did the breaking up. They don't just 'let you go' - they try to make sure you'll go through hell before you get one over on them.In this book, I want to offer you some guidance on this rarely-talked about aspect of an abusive relationship: how to deal with a narcissist when they're your ex. The chapter list is as follows:Why you shouldn't go back and why you need to move on Why you need to go 'no contact' and ways you can do this How to stop missing your abuser Understanding and dealing with 'hoovering' after a break-up Narcissistic stalking How to deal with 'flying monkeys'Survivor stories from two former narcissistic abuse victimsThroughout the book, I also offer some of my own story too, in the hopes that this offers you a sense of familiarity. You'll likely find that thing things I went through are very similar to your own experiences, and the purpose of this book is to get you to the point where I'm currently at: healed and thriving.
Murder at the Peking Opera
After helping Prince Kung avert an international disaster and negotiating with Inspector Gong's mother for his betrothal to Concubine Swan, Lady Li takes a well-deserved evening to enjoy the first public performance by a female Peking opera performer. But her relaxing night out takes a dramatic turn when a murder is committed on stage during the performance.Inspector Gong's attempt at finding a distraction from the troubles in his heart is thwarted when he and Lady Li attend the same opera performance. Thankfully, a murder in front of hundreds of people plunges him into a world usually hidden behind curtains and costumes.The empress has decreed that women can now play female roles in Peking's beloved operas. But few women have been willing to undertake the challenge and risk the wrath of the more conservative opera patrons. When the first woman willing to step into the role of the "dan" becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her co-star, Lady Li begs Inspector Gong to delay in arresting the actress and find the real killer before the woman is executed for the crime. With the future of Chinese theater hanging in the balance, Inspector Gong must try to find the truth among people who mask their real faces for a living.Will Lady Li and Inspector Gong discover the killer? Or will the empress's first attempt at social change lose its head before it finds its footing?Take a peek behind the curtain at the fascinating world of Chinese opera in Murder at the Peking Opera, book 3 in the Qing Dynasty Mystery Series.Keywords: historical mystery, female sleuths, amateur sleuth, procedural, detective mystery, historical fiction, historical Chinese fiction, Mystery & Detective, International Crime & Mystery, traditional mystery, historical romance, mystery romance, historical mystery romance, mystery books best sellers, mystery books, mystery novels, Victoria Thompson, Anne Perry, Anna Lee Huber, Rhys Bowen, C. S. Harris, Tasha Alexander, Lisa See, Amy Tan, 2023
Threads of Silk
This sweeping historical fiction novel takes you behind the scenes of the Forbidden City during the fall of China's last empire. When I was a child, I thought my destiny was to live and die on the banks of the Xiangjiang River as my family had done for generations. I never imagined that my life would lead me to the Forbidden City and the court of China’s last Empress.Born in the middle of nowhere, Yaqian, a little embroidery girl from Hunan Province, finds her way to the imperial court, a place of intrigue, desire, and treachery. From the bed of an Emperor, the heart of a Prince, and the right side of an Empress, Yaqian weaves her way through the most turbulent decades of China’s history and witnesses the fall of the Qing Dynasty.Fans of Amy Tan, Lisa See, Anchee Min, and Pearl S. Buck are sure to love this debut novel by Amanda Roberts. This richly descriptive and painstakingly researched novel brings the opulence of the Qing Court to life as Yaqian and Empress Cixi's lives intertwine over six decades. Keywords: historical fiction, historical romance, Chinese historical fiction, historical fiction book, historical fiction novel, historical romance novels, historical novel, books set in China, historical fiction set in China, ancient china historical fiction, historical novels about China