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Where did Christmas come from?
Par Al Remson. 1996
The figure of the detective: a literary history and analysis
Par Charles Brownson. 2014
"This book begins with a history of the detective genre, coextensive with the novel itself, identifying the attitudes and institutions…
needed for the genre to emerge in its mature form around 1880. The theory of the genre is laid out along with its central theme of the getting and deployment of knowledge. Sherlock Holmes, the English Classic stories and their inheritors are examined in light of this theme and the balance of two forms of knowledge used in fictional detection--cool or rational, and warm or emotional. The evolution of the genre formula is driven by changes in the social climate in which it is embedded. These changes explain the decay of the English Classic and its replacement by noir, hardboiled and spy stories, to end in the cul-de-sac of the thriller and the nostalgic Neo-Classic. Possible new forms of the detective story are suggested." -- Provided by publisherThe discovery of King Arthur
Par Geoffrey Ashe. 2020
"The legend of King Arthur and his castle Camelot has gripped people's imagination for centuries. It has inspired numerous poems…
- from Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur in the 5th Century to Tennyson's Idylls of the King in 1859 - novels, books and paintings. On into the modern age, it has been filmed and refilmed, with the iconic imagery of the sword, the magician Merlin, Queen Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table. But who was Arthur? Did he ever exist and if so, where was Camelot? In this classic study, drawing upon myriad sources both literary and historical, the world's leading Arthurian scholar Geoffrey Ashe digs deep into the important 12th century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth to trace the origins of the myth. Through brilliant historical detective work, he shows that much of Monmouth's history, which sets out to describe 5th-century Britain, was based on fact. After challenging previous assumptions about where Arthur's court and other remnants can be found Ashe identifies the "real" King Arthur and provides powerful evidence to support his theory. Ashe is a leading proponent of the theory that Camelot was actually located in Somerset, rather than Cornwall, citing an archaeological dig which found remains beneath Cadbury Castle. "I would say there must have been a tradition about the hill and its powerful overlord, handed down from the Dark Ages". Throughout The Discovery of King Arthur, the sweep and grandeur of a tumultuous era in British history is vividly recounted as Ashe investigates how the character of Arthur evolved, and how the ideals of chivalry and heroism he personifies came to occupy such a dominant place in British history." -- AmazonTyphoon: A Novel
Par Charles Cumming. 2009
A brilliant young MI6 operative loses a prominent defector who disappears from a Hong Kong safe house in 1997. A…
decade later, he is back to tie up loose ends, and thwart a plot to destabilize China. Adult. Descriptions of sex. Strong language. ViolenceMemoirs of a Monster Hunter: A Five-Year Journey in Search of the Unknown
Par Nick Redfern. 2007
The British paranormal investigator recounts his five-year journey through America in pursuit of the monstrous unknown in this memoir.For centuries,…
people across the world have had a fascination with monsters and strange creatures. They marvel at the tales and legends of the Bigfoot of the Pacific Northwest; of the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas; of the infamous and diabolical Moth-Man of West Virginia; of fire-breathing dragons; and of those dark denizens of the deep: lake monsters and sea serpents. But do such creatures really exist? Can it be true that our planet is home to fantastic beasts that lurk deep within its forests and waters? Memoirs of a Monster Hunter proves the answer is a resounding yes!In this follow-up to his wildly successful Three Men Chasing Monsters, paranormal investigator and author Nick Redfern chronicles his surreal road-trip through the United States and beyond in search of all-things monstrous. His strange adventures lasted five years and saw him doggedly pursuing a menagerie of creatures, including gargoyles, giant birds, and what some believe are living dinosaurs. Follow Redfern as he:Explores the El Yunque rainforest of Puerto Rico in search of the terrifying Chupacabras: a razor-clawed, glowing-eyed beast that is part giant bat and part vampireSeeks out the Goat Man: a menacing creature that evokes imagery of both demons and the fabled cloven-hoofed Centaurs of ancient mythology, and is said to inhabit the forests of East TexasChases after what many people believe are real-life, flesh-and-blood werewolves that surface from hidden lairs and prowl the countryside when the Moon is fullPart X-Files, part Crocodile Hunter with a mix of Jurassic Park and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Memoirs of a Monster Hunter takes you on a roller-coaster ride into the unknown. Read personal accounts of the monsters that inhabit your wildest imagination and your worst nightmares. The creatures you were told couldn’t possibly exist, really do.Praise for Memoirs of a Monster Hunter“This is one of the best books I’ve read in years. Redfern sweeps you away on his personal adventure. Around the world, from romance, to ghastly beasts, to the cosmos, Redfern has candidly shared the wonders of his young life.” —Joshua P. Warren, author of Pet Ghosts and How to Hunt GhostsFairies, Pookas, and Changelings: A Complete Guide to the Wild and Wicked Enchanted Realm
Par Varla Ventura. 2017
An exploration of the different tenants of Fairyland from around the world—hobgoblins, sprites, bogeys, pixies, goblins, bonga, duende, elves, and…
more.While it’s true that fairy folk love a good garden and take great pleasure in a tulip, there are dozens of beasties who fall under the fairy domain that are not quite as delightful as the quintessential flower fairy. This book is an exploration of the many things that go bump in the night near the fairy mound. Along with an exploration of folklore and historical literature, readers will delight in fairy tales that demonstrate everything from striking a bargain with a fairy to staving off changelings to laughing with the dwarves.Included are fairy tales and myths from Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Scandinavia plus classic stories by Thomas Crofton Croker, Joseph Jacobs, Clara Stroebe, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Yei Theodora Ozaki, and others on goblins, trolls, gnomes, pookas, changelings, banshees, and more!Chapters include:A Fear of Little Men: Elves, Trolls, Leprechauns, Tree Spirits, Brownies, Coblyns, Dwarves, Goblins, Bonga, Trolls and Other Fairy Folk of Glen, Forests and HearthThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle: Changelings and Other Greedy Kidnappers of the Fairy KingdomI’m Not Drunk, It’s Just My Pooka: Tales of the Trickster Fairy and Its Wild CounterpartIs That All There Is? Fairies Who Give, or The Barter SystemWhoops, There It Is: How to Enter the Fairy Kingdom (or How Not To)If you think fairies are merely delicate beings who follow you about on gossamer wings, consider yourself warned! The kingdom of the fairy is one of vengeance, thievery, trickery, and wild creatures.The Uncomfortable Dead
Par Subcomandante Marcos, Paco Ignacio Taibo II. 1999
A stylized reissue of the acclaimed, surreal noir collaboration between Mexico's greatest writer and its most courageous revolutionary. "Great writers…
by definition are outriders, raiders of a sort, sweeping down from wilderness territories to disturb the peace, overrun the status quo and throw into question everything we know to be true. . . . On its face, the novel is a murder mystery, and at the book’s heart, always, is a deep love of Mexico and its people.” —Los Angeles Times Subcomandante Marcos is a spokesperson and strategist for the Zapatistas, an indigenous insurgency movement based in Mexico. Paco Ignacio Taibo II is the author of numerous works of award-winning fiction and nonfiction, which have been published in many languages around the world. He lives in Mexico City.Pythagoras' Revenge: A Mathematical Mystery
Par Arturo Sangalli. 2009
The celebrated mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras left no writings. But what if he had and the manuscript was never found?…
Where would it be located? And what information would it reveal? These questions are the inspiration for the mathematical mystery novel Pythagoras' Revenge. Suspenseful and instructive, Pythagoras' Revenge weaves fact, fiction, mathematics, computer science, and ancient history into a surprising and sophisticated thriller. The intrigue begins when Jule Davidson, a young American mathematician who trolls the internet for difficult math riddles and stumbles upon a neo-Pythagorean sect searching for the promised reincarnation of Pythagoras. Across the ocean, Elmer Galway, a professor of classical history at Oxford, discovers an Arabic manuscript hinting at the existence of an ancient scroll--possibly left by Pythagoras himself. Unknown to one another, Jule and Elmer each have information that the other requires and, as they race to solve the philosophical and mathematical puzzles set before them, their paths ultimately collide. Set in 1998 with flashbacks to classical Greece, Pythagoras' Revenge investigates the confrontation between opposing views of mathematics and reality, and explores ideas from both early and cutting-edge mathematics. From academic Oxford to suburban Chicago and historic Rome, Pythagoras' Revenge is a sophisticated thriller that will grip readers from beginning to surprising end.Djeha, the North African Trickster
Par Christa C. Jones. 2023
Djeha—also known as Juha, Jeh’a, and Ch’ha, among many variations—is an iconic figure, the trickster hero of an oral folktale…
tradition that has existed for centuries. The famous Maghrebian prankster is a poor, cunning, and resourceful character that delights in immoral behavior. Orientalists Auguste Mouliéras (1855-1931) and René Basset (1855-1924) were among the first Frenchmen to collect and translate popular Berber folktales. Today, trickster folktales from Algeria’s mountainous Kabylia region are not well known in the Anglophone world, even though they continue to be highly popular in France and in North Africa. Djeha, the North African Trickster is an annotated, critical translation of Auguste Mouliéras’s folktale collection Les Fourberies de Si Djeh’a, first published in French in 1892.The volume contains sixty tales and an in-depth introduction in which Christa C. Jones discusses jocular literature in Islam, the widespread oral folktale tradition linked to Djeha and his Turkish twin brother Nasreddin Hoca, and the impact of colonialism on the gathering and dissemination of the tales. The trickster is at the center of six themed chapters: “Family and Kinship”; “Animal Tales"; “Faces, Places, or Daily Life in the Village"; “Foodways”; “The Intricacies of Hospitality: Beware of Friends and Foes!"; and “Religion, Death, and the Afterlife.” Each chapter contains ten folktales preceded by a short introduction that contextualizes the pieces using historical, folkloristic, literary, and ethnographical sources. Ultimately, the book contributes to the preservation of an ancestral oral heritage, delivering this enduring character to new audiences.The thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!'Vividly alive with menace, magic, and…
mystery' ESSIE FOX'A vivid and atmospheric historical adventure' DAILY MAIL'A writer of great variety and inventiveness. A haunting, complex work' THE TIMES Rome, 1659.Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.Praise for The Book of Secrets:'Exceptional. Anna Mazzola's finest work yet' ELODIE HARPER'Dark, viscerally-atmospheric and richly-imagined' TAMMY COHEN'Utterly compelling, brilliant and rage-inducing' CAROLINE LEA'Deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Absolutely loved it!' JAMES OSWALD'Compelling and brilliantly atmospheric' ANDREW TAYLOR'Rich and satisfying... another superb historical thriller from Anna Mazzola' CAROLINE GREEN'A hugely entertaining read but also an important one in an era when women's rights are being called into question. Magnificent' LIZ NUGENT'A fascinating, evocative, darkly beautiful story. A compelling tale of female strength & ancient knowledge'HELEN FIELDS'A powerful, perceptive page turner. Feminist historical fiction that is chillingly timely. Bravo!'D V BISHOP'I couldn't put it down. A spectacular insight into life for women in 17th century Rome. I adored it' JULIE OWEN-MOYLAN'A tense and pacy historical thriller that fans of Robert Harris will love. I inhaled this book' TARIQ ASHKANANI'Elegant and compelling writing from an author at the peak of her powers' AJ WEST'A compulsive deep-thinking read, with a message for modern times' CATE QUINN'Passages so lyrical I read them twice. Compelling and poignant. Stunning' RACHEL WOLF'Captivating, haunting and so beautifully wrought' FREYA BERRY'Meticulously researched, beautifully constructed and jam-packed with tension!' REBECCA NETLEYThe thrilling and unputdownable new novel from bestselling author of The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola!'Vividly alive with menace, magic, and…
mystery' ESSIE FOX'A vivid and atmospheric historical adventure' DAILY MAIL'A writer of great variety and inventiveness. A haunting, complex work' THE TIMES Rome, 1659.Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth.To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano's investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished...The Book of Secrets is inspired by real events that took place in 17th century Italy.Praise for The Book of Secrets:'Exceptional. Anna Mazzola's finest work yet' ELODIE HARPER'Dark, viscerally-atmospheric and richly-imagined' TAMMY COHEN'Utterly compelling, brilliant and rage-inducing' CAROLINE LEA'Deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Absolutely loved it!' JAMES OSWALD'Compelling and brilliantly atmospheric' ANDREW TAYLOR'Rich and satisfying... another superb historical thriller from Anna Mazzola' CAROLINE GREEN'A hugely entertaining read but also an important one in an era when women's rights are being called into question. Magnificent' LIZ NUGENT'A fascinating, evocative, darkly beautiful story. A compelling tale of female strength & ancient knowledge'HELEN FIELDS'A powerful, perceptive page turner. Feminist historical fiction that is chillingly timely. Bravo!'D V BISHOP'I couldn't put it down. A spectacular insight into life for women in 17th century Rome. I adored it' JULIE OWEN-MOYLAN'A tense and pacy historical thriller that fans of Robert Harris will love. I inhaled this book' TARIQ ASHKANANI'Elegant and compelling writing from an author at the peak of her powers' AJ WEST'A compulsive deep-thinking read, with a message for modern times' CATE QUINN'Passages so lyrical I read them twice. Compelling and poignant. Stunning' RACHEL WOLF'Captivating, haunting and so beautifully wrought' FREYA BERRY'Meticulously researched, beautifully constructed and jam-packed with tension!' REBECCA NETLEYThe Complete Folktales of A. N. Afanas'ev, Volume II
Par Jack V. Haney. 2015
Up to now, there has been no complete English-language version of the Russian folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev. This translation…
is based on L. G. Barag and N. V. Novikov’s edition, widely regarded as the authoritative Russian-language edition. The present edition includes commentaries to each tale as well as its international classification number. This second volume of 140 tales continues the work started in Volume I, also published by University Press of Mississippi. A third planned volume will complete the first English-language set. The folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev represent the largest single collection of folktales in any European language and perhaps in the world. Widely regarded as the Russian Grimm, Afanas’ev collected folktales from throughout the Russian Empire in what are now regarded as the three East Slavic languages, Byelorusian, Russian, and Ukrainian. The result of his own collecting, the collecting of friends and correspondents, and in a few cases his publishing of works from earlier and forgotten collections is truly phenomenal. In his lifetime, Afanas’ev published more than 575 tales in his most popular and best-known work, Narodnye russkie skazki. In addition to this basic collection, he prepared a volume of Russian legends, many on religious themes; a collection of mildly obscene tales, Russkie zavetnye skazki; and voluminous writings on Slavic folk life and mythology. His works were subject to the strict censorship of ecclesiastical and state authorities that lasted until the demise of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Overwhelmingly, his particular emendations were stylistic, while those of the censors mostly concerned content. The censored tales are generally not included in this volume.The Complete Folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev: Volume I
Par Jack V. Haney. 2014
The folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev represent the largest single collection of folktales in any European language and perhaps in…
the world. Widely regarded as the Russian Grimm, Afanas’ev collected folktales from throughout the Russian Empire in what are now regarded as the three East Slavic languages, Byelorusian, Russian, and Ukrainian. The result of his own collecting, the collecting of friends and correspondents, and in a few cases his publishing of works from earlier and forgotten collections is truly phenomenal. In his lifetime, Afanas’ev published more than 575 tales in his most popular and best-known work, Narodnye russkie skazki. In addition to this basic collection he prepared a volume of Russian legends, many on religious themes, an anthology of mildly obscene tales, and voluminous writings on Slavic folk life and Slavic mythology. His works were subject to the strict censorship of ecclesiastical and state authorities that lasted until the demise of the Soviet Union at the end of the twentieth century. Overwhelmingly, his particular emendations were of a stylistic nature, while those of the censors mostly concerned content. The censored tales are generally not included. Up to now, there has been no complete English-language version of the Russian folktales of Afanas’ev. This translation is based on L. G. Barag and N. V. Novikov’s edition (Moscow: Nauka, 1984-1986), widely regarded as the authoritative edition. The present edition includes commentaries to each tale as well as its international classification number.Long, Long Tales from the Russian North
Par Jack V. Haney. 2013
This volume of folktales from the Far North of European Russia features seventeen works by five narrators of the Russian…
tale, all recorded in the twentieth century. The tales, distinguished by their extraordinary length and by the manner in which they were commonly told, appear to have flourished only in the twentieth century and only in Russian Karelia. Although the tales are easily recognized as wondertales, or fairy tales, their treatment of the traditional matter is anything but usual. In these tales one encounters such topics as regicide, matricide, patricide, fratricide, premarital relations between the sexes and more, all related in the typical manner of the Russian folktale. The narrators were not educated beyond a rudimentary level. All were middle-aged or older, and all were men. Crew members of a fishing or hunting vessel plying the White Sea or lumberjacks or trappers in the vast northern forests, they frequently began the narration of a tale in an evening, then broke off at an appropriate moment and continued at a subsequent gathering. Such tales were thus told serially. Given their length, their thematic and narrative complexity, and their stylistic proficiency, one might even refer to them as orally delivered Russian short stories or novellas.The Complete Folktales of A. N. Afanas'ev, Volume III
Par Jack V. Haney and Sibelan Forrester. 2021
Up to now, there has been no complete English-language version of the Russian folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev. This translation…
is based on L. G. Barag and N. V. Novikov’s edition, widely regarded as the authoritative Russian-language edition. The present edition includes commentaries to each tale as well as its international classification number. This third volume contains 305 tales, those numbered 319–579, as well as forty-five additional tales from among those denied publication by the Russian censors. The folktales of A. N. Afanas’ev represent the largest single collection of folktales in any European language and perhaps in the world. Widely regarded as the Russian Grimm, Afanas’ev collected folktales from throughout the Russian Empire in what are now regarded as the three East Slavic languages, Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian. In his lifetime, Afanas’ev published more than 575 tales in his most popular and best-known work, Narodnye russkie skazki. In addition to this basic collection, he prepared a volume of Russian legends, many on religious themes; a collection of mildly obscene tales, Russkie zavetnye skazki; and voluminous writings on Slavic folklife and mythology. His works were subject to the strict censorship of ecclesiastical and state authorities that lasted until the demise of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Overwhelmingly, his particular emendations were stylistic, while those of the censors mostly concerned content.Gods and Myths of Northern Europe
Par H. Davidson. 1964
Surveys the pre-Christian beliefs of the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples. Provides an introduction to this subject, giving basic outlines to…
the sagas and stories, and helps identify the charachter traits of not only the well known but also the lesser gods of the age.Early Irish Myths and Sagas
Par Jeffrey Gantz. 1981
First written down in the eighth century AD, these early Irish stories depict a far older world - part myth,…
part legend and part history. Rich with magic and achingly beautiful, they speak of a land of heroic battles, intense love and warrior ideals, in which the otherworld is explored and men mingle freely with the gods. From the vivid adventures of the great Celtic hero Cu Chulaind, to the stunning 'Exile of the Sons of Uisliu' - a tale of treachery, honour and romance - these are masterpieces of passion and vitality, and form the foundation for the Irish literary tradition: a mythic legacy that was a powerful influence on the work of Yeats, Synge and Joyce.The Anthology of Scottish Folk Tales
Par History Press Uk. 2019
This enchanting collection of stories gathers together legends from across Scotland in one special volume. Drawn from The History Press’…
popular Folk Tales series, herein lies a treasure trove of tales from a wealth of talented storytellers. From the Spaeman’s peculiar advice and a laird who is transformed into a frog, to a fugitive hiding in a dark cave and the stoor worm battling with Assipattle, this book celebrates the distinct character of Scotland's different customs, beliefs and dialects, and is a treat for all who enjoy a well-told story.Writings on Irish Folklore, Legend and Myth (Penguin Modern Classics)
Par William Yeats. 1993
This collection brings together all of W. B. Yeats’s published prose writings on Irish folklore, legend and myth, with pieces…
on subjects including ghosts, kidnappers, fairies, ancient tribes, precious stones and Gaelic love songs. Through his researches on Irish folklore, Yeats attempted to create a movement in literature that was enriched by and rooted in a vital native tradition. In this volume Yeats’s essays, introductions and sketches are presented chronologically, giving a clear picture of how his analysis developed, increasing in its depth and complexity in his quest to create an Ireland of the imagination.How to Win the Gruesome Games (Villains Academy #3)
Par Ryan Hammond. 2024
Being BAD has never felt so GOOD! The third book in the villainously funny, highly illustrated young middle-grade series from…
author-illustrator Ryan Hammond. For fans of Amelia Fang, Dog Man and Grimwood. Check out the complete series – Villains Academy and Villains Academy: How to Steal a Dragon. &‘Heart-warming and hilarious – Villains Academy is a spookalicious treat, set to terrify every other book on your shelf.&’ Jack Meggitt-Phillips, author of The Beast and the Bethany &‘An absolute HOOT! Evil laughs aplenty!&’ Sophy Henn, author and illustrator of the Pizazz series Once a year the five original founders of Villains Academy rise from their graves in honour of the Gruesome Games – a school sports day unlike any other, where the aim is to prank and cheat your way to the finish line. Werewolf Bram and his friends the Cereal Killers are determined to win so their names can be written in the Book of Bad, a record of the most wicked villains to grace the school. But as the games become harder and the pranks get out of hand, are Bram and his friends bad enough to go down as the most victorious villains in history? PRAISE FOR VILLAINS ACADEMY: &‘A charmingly villainous adventure about friendship, school and unspeakable evil.&’ Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God&’s Guide to Being Good &‘Criminally fun!&’ Danny Wallace, author of The Day the Screens Went Blank &‘Frightfully fun – Villains Academy had me cackling from the very first page!&’ Katie Tsang, co-author of the Dragon Realm series &‘I loved the spookily funny Villains Academy. It's a work of (evil) genius!&’ Jenny McLachlan, author of The Land of Roar &‘A joyful hug of a book with genuine warmth and heart.&’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear &‘A delightfully fun adventure with real heart and humour.&’ Benjamin Dean, author of Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow &‘Immersive, funny, and with a cast of scarily loveable characters, Villains Academy made me feel like I was IN the book!&’ Mel Taylor-Bessent, author of The Christmas Carrolls &‘A fabulously funny adventure. I want to enrol in Villains Academy!&’ Nick Sheridan, author of The Case of the Runaway Brain &‘Wickedly funny and full of quirky yet loveable characters.&’ Iona Rangeley, author of Einstein the Penguin &‘This is a brilliant, bonkers work packed with top-notch illustration.&’ Jack Noel, author and illustrator of the Comic Classics series &‘Full of wonderful characters, Villains Academy is such a FUN read!&’ Rikin Parekh, illustrator of The Worst Class in the World series