In The Dark Thread, scholars examine a set of important and perennial narrative motifs centered on violence within the family as they have appeared in French, English, Spanish, and American literatures. Over fourteen essays, contributors highlight the connections between works from early modernity and subsequent texts from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries, in which incidents such as murder, cannibalism, poisoning, the burial of the living, the failed burial of the de...

First published anonymously in 1919, these letters from a dying woman to her doctor display an attitude to death which is fiercely independent of religion but full of hope. The book will appeal to diverse readers: it is a picture of family life and love, interspersed with clear-headed musings on the nature of illness, loss and death; it illuminates the development of rationalist thought, humanism and liberal education and the history of adoption; and it providescomfort for those who...

The history of science is replete with women getting little notice for their groundbreaking discoveries. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, a tireless innovator who correctly theorized the substance of stars, was one of them.It was not easy being a woman of ambition in early twentieth-century England, much less one who wished to be a scientist. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin overcame prodigious obstacles to become a woman of many firsts: the first to receive a PhD in astronomy fr...

It was not easy being a woman of ambition in early twentieth–century England, much less one who wished to be a scientist. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin overcame prodigious obstacles to become a woman of many firsts: the first to receive a PhD in astronomy from Radcliffe College, the first promoted to full professor at Harvard, the first to head a department there. And, in what has been called "the most brilliant PhD thesis ever written in astronomy," she was the first to describe what stars are...

The Night Before Christmas (Illustrated Edition) presents the classic poem better known by its opening line, "'Twas the night before Christmas," a work that helped codify the modern Anglo-American image of Santa Claus. Written in buoyant anapestic meter and shaped by nursery-rhyme clarity, it combines domestic intimacy with folkloric wonder. In an illustrated edition, the poem's brisk visual imagination—stockings, reindeer, chimney, miniature sleigh—finds a natural companion in images that...

Twas the Night before Christmas, more formally known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas," is a foundational work of American holiday literature, a compact narrative poem whose anapestic rhythm, domestic setting, and vivid imagery helped codify the modern figure of Santa Claus. Its swift, musical lines combine folk enchantment with genteel nineteenth-century household intimacy. In the edition with Jessie Willcox Smith's illustrations, Moore's verse gains a luminous visual counterpart, rich in wa...

The Night before Christmas, originally published as A Visit from St. Nicholas, is one of the formative texts of modern Christmas imagination. In brisk anapestic verse, Clement Clarke Moore transforms a domestic nocturnal scene into a miniature epic of wonder, movement, and affectionate comedy. Its vivid catalogues—reindeer, sleigh, stockings, chimney, and the genial, pipe-smoking saint—helped codify the American image of Santa Claus. This edition, with Jessie Willcox Smith's original illus...

The essential universe, from our most celebrated and beloved astrophysicist.What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There’s no better guide through these mind-expanding questions than acclaimed astrophysicist and bestselling author Neil deGrasse Tyson.But today, few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in digestib...

"Twas the Night before Christmas," originally titled "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," is among the most influential holiday poems in the English-speaking world. Written in lively anapestic meter, it transforms domestic Christmas Eve into a scene of wonder, intimacy, and comic grace. Its vivid imagery—stockings, reindeer, a miniature sleigh, and the benevolent, pipe-smoking Saint Nicholas—helped codify the modern literary and visual imagination of Santa Claus. In an illustrated edition, the p...

In the illustrated edition of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, readers are transported into a magical world filled with vivid imagery and timeless storytelling. This classic poem, known for its depiction of Santa Claus and his reindeer on Christmas Eve, is beautifully complemented by enchanting illustrations that bring the narrative to life. Moore's poetic language and rhythmic verses create a sense of nostalgia and wonder, making it a beloved holiday tradition for...

Clement Clarke Moore's 'The Night Before Christmas' is a classic holiday poem that encapsulates the magic and excitement of Christmas Eve. Written in a simple and charming style, Moore's poem follows the nighttime adventures of St. Nicholas as he delivers presents to children around the world. The poem's rhythmic cadence and vivid imagery have solidified its place as a beloved Christmas tradition. This illustrated edition enhances Moore's timeless poem with beautiful and intricate illustra...

Oliver Herford's 'The Peter Pan Alphabet For Young Learners' is a charming children's book that combines the educational concept of an alphabet primer with the whimsical world of Peter Pan. The book is creatively written in a lyrical style that captures the imagination of young readers, making it not only a learning tool but also an entertaining read. Each letter is associated with a character or element from J.M. Barrie's beloved tale, adding a touch of nostalgia for parents reading along...