Seven Keys to Baldpate-proof that great old stories are great, ALWAYS.An original story by Kyle Owens; Time stops moving for protagonist Dave Miller; beautiful poetry written by a young man who diedfrom shrapnel wounds; and More...

A glorious collection of stories from the author of Cold Comfort Farm. The title story tells of a typical Christmas at the farm before the coming of Flora Poste. It is a parody of the worst sort of family Christmas: Adam Lambsbreath dresses up as Father Christmas in two of Judith's red shawls. There are unsuitable presents, unpleasant insertions into the pudding and some good Starkadder table talk over. Aunt Ada Doom orders Amos to carve the turkey, adding: "Ay, would it were a vu...

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat – and all over England rehearsals are getting underway for the much-loved seasonal panto. In Miss Emily Seeton’s home village of Plummergen, Lady Colveden is directing an uproarious production of Cinderella, and Miss S is delighted to be offered a backstage role as set designer.Then while walking in Rytham Hall woods in search of mistletoe, a typical accident with her umbrella results in a wonderful archaeological discovery – soon follo...

“Charlie Chaplin's own Story” is the first of Chaplin's two published autobiographies : being a faithful recital of a romantic career, beginning with early recollections of boyhood in London and closing with the signing, in 1916, of his latest motion-picture of a $670,000 contract.

During a particularly eventful village church service, entrepreneur Ponderby Jonson is murdered. With his dying breath, Jonson accuses his host - none other than the local Squire, Captain Stoyner - of killing him. As the evidence against the Squire begins to mount, the Vicar and his family determine to do everything they can to prove his innocence and discover the real culprit. As discreetly as possible, of course...First published in 1934, this is a delightful village murder myste...

The story of the poor policeman who saw a house numbered thirteen where no thirteen ought to be and a murdered man where no one has been murdered. Lord Peter helps him prove that he wasn't drunk nor delusional.

Step into the boarding houses and furnished rooms of New York City, or take a stroll around the park. Observe the tumult and glitter of Broadway on a Saturday night, and browse the silken stockings in Manhattan's most exclusive store. Hop onto the Coney Island ferry to join the lovesick shop-girl, the drunken down-and-out, and the secret millionaire in the city's dance of folly and pleasure.Bringing to life the glamour and squalor of the 1900s, O. Henry's unmistakable tales are by t...

In "The Village That Voted the Earth Was Flat," Rudyard Kipling presents a satirical exploration of the deep-seated convictions that underlie collective belief systems. Set in a fictional, insular village, the narrative employs Kipling's signature blend of humor and pointed social commentary, reflecting Victorian-era sensibilities. The stylistic choices, characterized by sharp dialogue and vivid imagery, effectively underscore themes of ignorance, conformity, and the absurdity of dogma. Th...

In "An Habitation Enforced," Rudyard Kipling explores themes of exile and the deep connection between individuals and their homes. Set against the rich tapestry of colonial India, the story masterfully weaves lyrical prose with the stark realities of displacement, revealing how the physical environment shapes identity and belonging. Kipling's thoughtful use of symbolism and vivid imagery immerses readers in the protagonist's emotional landscape, reflecting the complexities of colonial atti...

SOME PEOPLE WHO WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE. An elegant temple it was, this modern one of which I write—modern in all its appointments. Carpets, cushions, gas fixtures, organ, pulpit furnishings, everything everywhere betokened the presence of wealth and taste. Even the vases that adorned the marble-topped flower-stands on either side of the pulpit wore a foreign air, and in design and workmanship were unique. The subdued light that stole softly in through the stained-glass windows produced the ...

Wideawake Willy. The Little Old Woman. Quite an Adventure. Funny Toys There Were Seven Froggies of Lee Tinklebell Tales. Holiday Time. The Twins. The Five Little Frogs. The Doings of Dickie and Daisy Follow My Leader. Bunny and Chick, Or Sulky Sammy. Doggie and Puss. Tittle-tattle Tales, Or Fireside Stories. The Kitkin Family Wooden Toys. Tick Tock Neddy Silly Billy and the Kittens. Tony The Cats and the Cheese, Or, Better Agree Than Go to Law. The Doll's House to Let. The Fox That Lost Hi...

Excerpt: ""My dear," said the Idiot one morning, as he and his good wife and the two little ones, Mollie and Tommy, sat down at the breakfast-table, "now that we are finally settled in our new house I move we celebrate. Let's give a dinner to my old friends of Mrs. Smithers's; they were nice old people, and I should like to get them together again. I saw Dr. Pedagog in the city yesterday, and he inquired most affectionately, not to say anxiously, about the children." "Why should he be anxi...