Classic Literature

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843. This is a very kind fairy tale that evokes bright feelings and wishes. After reading it, you want to be a little kinder. The plot is uncomplicated. There lives in the world a very, very greedy old man named Scrooge. He is such a miser – he saves on everything, is constantly dissatisfied with something, tries to earn all the money in the world. On one of the pre-Christmas days, his companion named Marley appears at his house. And all would be nothing, but Marley died seven years ago. However, he wants to help the old man to rethink his life. To this idea are connected and three Spirits. And one fine morning Scrooge turns into a cheerful old man, ready to help everyone. The treatment of the poor and the ability of a selfish man to redeem himself by transforming into a more sympathetic character are the key themes of the story. There is discussion among academics as to whether this was a fully secular story, or if it is a Christian allegory. Famous works of the author Charles Dickens: The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Bleak House, Little Dorrit, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations

The Call of the Wild is a short adventure novel by Jack London, published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The central character of the novel is a dog named Buck. The story opens at a ranch in Santa Clara Valley, California, when Buck is stolen from his home and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. He becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. By the end, he sheds the veneer of civilization, and relies on primordial instinct and learned experience to emerge as a leader in the wild. The Call of the Wild was enormously popular from the moment it was published. H. L. Menken wrote of London's story: «„No other popular writer of his time did any better writing than you will find in The Call of the Wild.“» A reviewer for The New York Times wrote of it in 1903: «„If nothing else makes Mr. London's book popular, it ought to be rendered so by the complete way in which it will satisfy the love of dog fights apparently inherent in every man.“» The reviewer for The Atlantic Monthly wrote that it was a book: «„untouched by bookishness…The making and the achievement of such a hero [Buck] constitute, not a pretty story at all, but a very powerful one.“» After the success of The Call of the Wild London wrote to Macmillan in 1904 proposing a second book (White Fang) in which he wanted to describe the opposite of Buck: a dog that transforms from wild to tame: ""I'm going to reverse the process…Instead of devolution of decivilization … I'm going to give the evolution, the civilization of a dog. Famous works of the author Jack London: «„The Cruise of the Dazzler“», «„A Daughter of the Snows“», «„The Call of the Wild“», «„The Kempton-Wace Letters“», «„The Sea-Wolf“», «„The Game“», «„White Fang“», «„The Iron Heel“», «„Martin Eden“», «„Burning Daylight“», «„A Son of the Sun“», «„The Abysmal Brute“», «„The Valley of the Moon“», «„The Mutiny of the Elsinore“», «„The Star Rover“», «„The Little Lady of the Big House“».

""To Build a Fire"" is a short story by American author Jack London. There are two versions of this story, one published in 1902 and the other in 1908. The story written in 1908 has become an often anthologized classic, while the 1902 story is less well known. The 1908 version is about an unnamed protagonist who ventures out in the subzero boreal forest of the Yukon Territory. He is followed by a native dog and is en route to visit his friends—ignoring warnings from an older man about the dangers of hiking alone in extreme cold. The protagonist underestimates the harsh conditions and slowly begins to freeze to death. After building one fire and leaving it to venture on in his journey he later on attempts to build another but fails. He slips into unconsciousness and dies of hypothermia… Famous works of the author Jack London: «„The Cruise of the Dazzler“», «„A Daughter of the Snows“», «„The Call of the Wild“», «„The Kempton-Wace Letters“», «„The Sea-Wolf“», «„The Game“», «„White Fang“», «„The Iron Heel“», «„Martin Eden“», «„Burning Daylight“», «„A Son of the Sun“», «„The Abysmal Brute“», «„The Valley of the Moon“», «„The Mutiny of the Elsinore“», «„The Star Rover“», «„The Little Lady of the Big House“» and many more.

White Fang is a novel by American author Jack London (1876–1916) – and the name of the book's eponymous character, a wild wolfdog. First serialized in Outing magazine, it was published in 1906. The story details White Fang's journey to domestication in Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush. It is a companion novel (and a thematic mirror) to London's best-known work, The Call of the Wild, which is about a kidnapped, domesticated dog embracing his wild ancestry to survive and thrive in the wild. Much of White Fang is written from the viewpoint of the titular canine character, enabling London to explore how animals view their world and how they view humans. White Fang examines the violent world of wild animals and the equally violent world of humans. The book also explores complex themes including morality and redemption. As early as 1925, the story was adapted to film, and it has since seen several more cinematic adaptations. The story begins before the wolf-dog hybrid is born, with two men and their sled dog team on a journey to deliver the coffin of Lord Alfred to a remote town named Fort McGurry in the higher area of the Yukon Territory. The men, Bill and Henry, are stalked by a large pack of starving wolves over the course of several days. Finally, after all of their dogs and Bill have been eaten, four more teams find Henry trying to escape from the wolves; the wolf pack scatters when they hear the large group of people coming… Famous works of the author Jack London: «„The Cruise of the Dazzler“», «„A Daughter of the Snows“», «„The Call of the Wild“», «„The Kempton-Wace Letters“», «„The Sea-Wolf“», «„The Game“», «„White Fang“», «„The Iron Heel“», «„Martin Eden“», «„Burning Daylight“», «„A Son of the Sun“», «„The Abysmal Brute“», «„The Valley of the Moon“», «„The Mutiny of the Elsinore“», «„The Star Rover“», «„The Little Lady of the Big House“» and many more.

""The Dead"" is the final short story in the 1914 collection Dubliners by James Joyce. The other stories in the collection are shorter, whereas at 15,952 words, «„The Dead“» is almost long enough to be described as a novella. The story deals with themes of love and loss as well as raising questions about the nature of the Irish identity. The story centres on Gabriel Conroy, a professor and part-time book reviewer, and explores the relationships he has with his family and friends. Gabriel and his wife, Gretta, arrive late to an annual Christmas party hosted by his aunts, Kate and Julia Morkan, who eagerly receive him. After a somewhat awkward encounter with Lily, the caretaker's daughter, Gabriel goes upstairs and joins the rest of the party attendees. Gabriel worries about the speech he has to give, especially because it contains academic references that he fears his audience will not understand. When Freddy Malins arrives drunk, as the hosts of the party had feared, Aunt Kate asks Gabriel to make sure he is all right. Among the most significant works James Joyce: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses, Finnegans Wake, Dubliners, The Sisters, Eveline, After the Race, An Encounter, Araby, The Boarding House, Counterparts, Clay, A Painful Case, Ivy Day in the Committee Room, A Mother, Two Gallants, A Little Cloud, Grace.

Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright James Matthew Barrie. A romantic fairy tale Peter Pan is a favourite story of many generations of children all over the world. The main character is a boy who never grows up, can fly, lives in Neverland and fairies are his friends. He gives a flying ability to three children from London – Wendy, John and Michael Darling and takes them to a mysterious land where they have exciting and sometimes rather scary adventures. Famous works of the author J. M. Barrie: The Little White Bird, Peter Pan, The Admirable Crichton.

В этот сборник включены сказки Пушкина, знакомые каждому с детства: о царе Салтане, его славном сыне богатыре Гвидоне и прекрасной Царевне Лебеди; о рыбаке, рыбке и скупой старухе; о золотом петушке и лукавой Шамаханской царице; о мёртвой царевне и королевиче Елисее.

"Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Jekyll Hyde, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or simply Jekyll & Hyde. It is about a London legal practitioner named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella's impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the phrase «„Jekyll and Hyde“» entering the vernacular to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature: usually very good, but sometimes shockingly evil. Stevenson had long been intrigued by the idea of how human personalities can affect how to incorporate the interplay of good and evil into a story. While still a teenager, he developed a script for a play about Deacon Brodie, which he later reworked with the help of W. E. Henley and which was produced for the first time in 1882. In early 1884, he wrote the short story «„Markheim“», which he revised in 1884 for publication in a Christmas annual. According to his essay, «„A Chapter on Dreams“» (Scribner's, Jan. 1888), he racked his brains for an idea for a story and had a dream, and upon wakening had the intuition for two or three scenes that would appear in the story Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Biographer Graham Balfour quoted Stevenson's wife Fanny Stevenson: In the small hours of one morning, I was awakened by cries of horror from Louis. Thinking he had a nightmare, I awakened him. He said angrily: «„Why did you wake me? I was dreaming a fine bogey tale.“» I had awakened him at the first transformation scene. Famous works of the author Robert Stevenson: Treasure Island, A Child's Garden of Verses, Kidnapped, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

Kenneth Branagh, director and star of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, provides one of the most spectacular spoken audio performances ever recorded in this electrifying audio adaptation of Mary Shelley's masterpiece.   One of the greatest horror stories ever written, Frankenstein comes to spellbinding life once again this tour-de-force performance by the acclaimed director and star of Henry V, Dead Again, and Much Ado About Nothing. The definitive recording of one of the most haunting tales of all time, Kenneth Branagh's performance of Frankenstein is a true audio classic.

В тексте описывается литературное произведение, которое представляет собой скорее поэтическую хронику, чем роман, причем большая часть истории рассказывается в письмах. Произведение включает в себя философские и художественные диссертации, а также стихотворения в стихах. С точки зрения стиля, произведение характеризуется стремлением к изысканному художественному языку (эстетизм), музыкальностью прозы и декадентским влиянием Даннунцио (что связано с негативной атмосферой и внутренней жизнью персонажей). Повествование ведется от лица главного героя, который делится воспоминанием, не дающим ему покоя: однажды в парфюмерном магазине в Лиме он увидел блондинку, одетую в облегающий черный бархатный костюм, и ему показалось, что он ее знает, хотя он не может вспомнить, откуда. Хотя он не может подойти к ней в тот момент, он узнает ее адрес и посылает ей подарок вместе со своей открыткой. *Я тот человек, который сделал обложку для книги.

Наше первое знакомство со сказкой происходит в детстве когда затаив дыхание, мы слушаем, как мама читает нам о Царевне-лягушке и Золотой рыбке, Царе Салтане и Спящей царевне. Вместе со сказкой мы учимся добру и состраданию, пониманию того, что мир бывает не только жесток, но и справедлив и всегда приходит на помощь к тем, кто в этой помощи нуждается. Став взрослыми, мы сами читаем эти сказки нашим детям, заново оценивая их красоту и поэтичность. И конечно, детство каждого русского человека невозможно представить без замечательных сказок А.С. Пушкина. Аудиоверсия избранных из них ждет вас в этой аудиокниге. Сказка о попе и работнике его Балде Сказка о рыбаке и рыбке Сказка о царе Салтане Сказка о мертвой царевне и семи богатырях Сказка о золотом петушке ©&℗ ИП Воробьев В.А. ©&℗ ИД СОЮЗ

"The Judge's House" is a classic ghost story by the Irish author Bram Stoker. The story was first published in the December 5, 1891, special Christmas issue of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News weekly magazine. It was later republished in Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories (1914). The short story has since appeared in many anthologies. In the story, a student arrives in a small town looking for a quiet place to stay while preparing for his examination. Making light of the local superstitions, he moves into an old mansion where a notorious hanging judge once lived. He is comfortably settled and engrossed in his work when, in the middle of the night, he is visited by an enormous rat with baleful eyes. As soon as the giant rat appears, other rats that infest the old house fall silent. When the great rat returns on the second night, the student begins to feel uneasy. He soon learns why the locals fear the Judge's House. Famous works of the author: Krishtale Chalice, The Primrose Path, Obligations of Other Clerks in Ireland, The Snake's Pass, Dracula, The Mystery of the Sea, The Jewel of Seven Stars, Private Hear about Henry Irving, The Lady of the Shroud, The Lair of the White Worm

Братья Гримм, Якоб и Вильгельм, прожили скромную жизнь. Они рано потеряли родителей и сполна познали все тягости непосильного труда и материальных невзгод. Только благодаря своей тетке братья смогли закончить обучение, к которому всегда проявляли блестящие способности. В библиотеках разных городов братья находили забытые рукописи, старинные книги, собирая буквально по крупицам «дремавшую в тени милую сердцу мудрость старины». В 1812 и 1815 годах братья Гримм опубликовали два тома своих знаменитых «Детских и семейных сказок», в которые вошли более двухсот народных сказок и десять так называемых «детских легенд». И в их числе: Бременские музыканты Заяц и еж Король Дроздобород Гензель и Гретель Храбрый портняжка Сладкая каша Таинственные человечки Гном-тихогром Муженек и женушка Беляночка и Розочка Золотой гусь ©&℗ ИП Воробьев В.А. ©&℗ ИД СОЮЗ

Frederick Jaeger and Phyllis Logan star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Bram Stoker's classic horror novel.   Summoned to the forbidding heart of the Carpathian mountains in Transylvania, Jonathan Harker journeys to Castle Dracula. There he becomes the unwitting prisoner of a mysterious nobleman whom local legend suggests is Nosferatu, the vampire, a night-stalking beast whose immortality depends on the slaking of his insatiable thirst for human blood.   Able to transform himself at will into the shape of a wolf or bat, the evil Count sets sail for England on the scent of new and corruptible flesh. Meanwhile, Harker's fiancee, Mina, is staying in Whitby when a great storm brings a shipwreck to the town. Suddenly Mina's friend falls terribly ill. Could her fate be connected to what Harker found in Transylvania? As Count Dracula's terrible secret is unearthed by the vampire hunter Van Helsing, a breathtaking chase across Europe ensues...   With specially composed music and sound effects, this terrifying adaptation ably captures the atmosphere of brooding fear and dark eroticism present in Stoker's original novel.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the evergreen classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. With their father away fighting in the American Civil War, the four March girls are facing a lean Christmas with their mother. But the sisters' close bond and determination to make the best of things enables them to find happiness despite their poverty.As the years go by we follow their fortunes as they journey into womanhood. Meg the beauty, Jo the tomboy, shy Beth and precocious Amy will encounter adventure, hardship, joys and disappointments, and learn to meet the challenges of life as they become independent and make their way in the world. While marriage and motherhood may beckon for the sisters, their most enduring love is always for each other. First published in 1868 and never out of print since, this iconic coming-of-age tale is a perennial favourite that has touched the hearts of generations of readers. This moving BBC Radio 4 dramatisation stars Natasha J Barnes, Julianna Jennings, Bryony Hannah and Samantha Dakin as Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, with Tara Ward as Mrs March and Alex Lanipekun as Laurie.

Имя Валерия Яковлевича Брюсова, прежде всего, известно нам благодаря его прекрасным стихам. Он начал писать стихи еще во время учебы в университете и к моменту окончания обучения издал две книги стихов «Шедевры» и «Это – я». В дальнейшем каждый год был ознаменован новым стихотворным сборником. Не удивительно, что к сорока годам В.Я. Брюсов был автором 25 томного собрания сочинений. Кроме замечательных поэтических произведений, это собрание включало в себя и рассказы, аудиоверсия которых ждет вас в этом сборнике. В аудиокнигу вошли рассказы: – «Мраморная головка. Рассказ бродяги» – «Бемоль» – Первая любовь. Признание приятеля» – «Через пятнадцать лет. Рассказ нашего современника» – «За себя или за другую» – «Последние страницы из дневника женщины» – «Только утро любви хорошо. Рассказ бывшего студента» – «Моцарт. Лирический рассказ в десяти главах». Исполняет: Александр Бордуков©&℗ ИП Воробьев ©&℗ ИД СОЮЗ

Братья Гримм, Якоб и Вильгельм, прожили скромную жизнь. Они рано потеряли родителей и сполна познали все тягости непосильного труда и материальных невзгод. Только благодаря своей тетке братья смогли закончить обучение, к которому всегда проявляли блестящие способности. В библиотеках разных городов братья находили забытые рукописи, старинные книги, собирая буквально по крупицам «дремавшую в тени милую сердцу мудрость старины». В 1812 и 1815 годах братья Гримм опубликовали два тома своих знаменитых «Детских и семейных сказок», в которые вошли более двухсот народных сказок и десять так называемых «детских легенд». И в их числе: Бременские музыканты Заяц и еж Король Дроздобород Гензель и Гретель Храбрый портняжка Сладкая каша Таинственные человечки Гном-тихогром Муженек и женушка Беляночка и Розочка Золотой гусь ©&℗ ИП Воробьев В.А. ©&℗ ИД СОЮЗ