Showing results by author "William Dean Howells" in All Categories

Enchanting, tragic, and hilarious fairy tales for adults and children grace these pages. An initial glance might lead you to assume that these are satirical versions of classic Christmas ghost stories. However, beneath the humorous stories involving ghosts, repentant sinners, miracles, and good peasants who find well-deserved happiness, lies a psychological undercurrent that sharpens the sense of intrigue and plot movement. Often this is aided by the unrelenting social exposure of the authors who always understood how intangible the "bourgeois paradise" truly was.

The Big Book of Christmas: Classic Stories and Poems is a grand compilation that assembles a treasure trove of holiday tales and poems from a remarkable array of authors. This extensive collection includes 100 classic works, each thoughtfully illustrated, to immerse readers in the magic and wonder of the Christmas season. This anthology spans a rich tapestry of Christmas literature, including timeless favorites such as "The Gift of the Magi," "The Red Room," "A Letter from Santa Claus," "The Fir Tree," "Song of the Holly," and many more.

Howells’ best-known work and a subtle classic of its time, The Rise of Silas Lapham is an elegant tale of Boston society and manners. After garnering a fortune in the paint business, Silas Lapham moves his family from their Vermont farm to the city of Boston in order to improve his social position. The consequences of this endeavor are both humorous and tragic as the greedy Silas brings his company to the brink of bankruptcy.

Before you is a timeless classic that will never cease to warm your heart and fill the long winter evenings with anticipated wonders and merry celebrations. This collection of Christmas stories by famous authors is the best gift for the holidays. These festive stories range from touching and magical to funny and sad. They include the best classic works of literature; whose themes involve the nativity and the magic of Christmas. Prepare yourself to experience true holiday magic and create new Christmas traditions as you read through these classics year after year.

Grab yourselves a hot chocolate, a warm blanket and settle down to a collection of entertaining Christmas Stories that will get your little ones in the spirit of Christmas. Each of these traditional tales are the perfect length for listening at quiet time, bedtime and the classroom.

Experience the enchanting world of Venice through the eyes of William Dean Howells, who served as the American Consul to this iconic city for four years until 1865. While immersed in Venetian culture, Howells penned his observations and reflections, crafting a vivid portrait of the city and its people. This second edition offers an expanded view, enriched with insights for modern tourists. Please note that while Howells expresses admiration for various communities, his use of period language and terms may be jarring to contemporary readers, especially regarding race.

Join Howells and his family on a delightful two-month autumn adventure along the picturesque shores of Lake Geneva. This engaging narrative captures not only the stunning landscapes and architectural beauty of the region but also offers keen insights into the vibrant customs and cultures of both the Swiss and the travelers themselves. With a discerning eye and a warm storytelling style, Howells invites you to experience the charm and uniqueness of this remarkable locale. (Summary by Nicholas Clifford)

In these unabridged readings of William Dean Howells, the listener is invited into drawing rooms, countinghouses, city streets, and quiet chambers of conscience, where ordinary lives reveal their most extraordinary meanings. Here are stories of ambition, love, money, manners, and moral choice, told with wit, sympathy, and a clear eye for the truths people often hide from themselves. The William Dean Howells Library restores one of America’s great realist voices to the living ear.

Explore the profound depths of emotion and reflection as we delve into the realm of poetry inspired by personal loss and the beauty of the written word, as suggested by the title "Stops of Various Quills." This podcast invites listeners to experience a rotating collection of audiobooks that capture the essence of grief, memory, and the power of language to heal and connect. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, showcasing a diverse array of poetic voices that resonate with the themes of sorrow and solace. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations into the human ...

The Pony Engine and the Pacific Express - a wonderful Christmas Story for Children. It was published in Howell's collection, Christmas Every Day and Other Stories Told for Children (1892). This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have Christmas everyday? Well, one little girl did and it did not turn out as she expected…

Grab yourself a hot chocolate and get cosy for a collection of wintery Christmas stories that will have your little ones dreaming of Santa Claus and his reindeers.

With touches of humor, pathos, and romance, author William Dean Howells questions the nature of the spiritual and leaves the answers to the listener in this unusual collection of ghost stories from the 19th century. A famed proponent of literary realism, Howells focuses not on the supernatural elements of ghostly encounters, but on the psychological responses of his characters.

American writer William Dean Howells delights us with his cautiously cynical yet endearing telling of the night before Christmas at the Fountain household. Published in The Daughter of the Storage and Other Things in Prose and Verse in 1916, Howells’ sense of realism and social criticism hides behind the humorous banter between Mr. and Mrs. Fountain, as well as relatives passing by. Raging consumerism, New Year’s resolutions, lovingly marital insults, reflections and memories, and a whole bunch of bathrobes!

This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

Papa was a great storyteller, and his daughter wouldn’t settle for recycled tales. While Papa was not interested in telling stories he was badgered enough to come up with a whopper. Prepare to smile, and to wonder what it would really be like if it were Christmas every day - at least the way we often celebrate it.

William Dean Howells was born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio, of Welch, Irish, and German forebears. Along with Mark Twain, he was one of the great novelists of his time. This book, the realisic saga of the rise and redemptive fall of an American tycoon, is considered to be his best novel.

Editha is a young and very patriotic young landy. Her lover, George, is not quite as enthused about her "my country right or wrong attitude," but she convinces him to join the army to fight a "just" war. The results of this decision are very unexpected and very thought provoking. This is a very powerful story and is more the type of writing one would expect from the Vietnam War era, rather than the end of the Victorian era.

Lydia blood is young, beautiful, intelligent and has a wonderful singing voice. She leaves her home in Massachusetts, where she lives with her grandfather and aunt, to travel to Italy to follow her dreams a singing career. On the voyage, she is the only woman, and strikes up friendships with and ignites jealousy among the other passengers. - Summary by LynneT

A light-hearted romantic comedy in twelve short scenes, set during a tea party in the home of Mrs. Amy Somers, a widow who is courted by the ingenuous and delightful Mr. Willis Campbell. (Summary by Ruth Golding) CAST: Narrator: Kim Stich Mr. Willis Campbell: Martin Geeson Mrs. Amy Somers: Ruth GoldingOld Mr. Bemis: Lars Rolander Mr. Roberts: SamECircle Mrs. Roberts: Annise Mrs. Curwen: Elizabeth Klett Dr. Lawton: Brett W. Downey Mr. Miller: Algy Pug Mrs. Miller: Laura C. Harrington Mrs. Crashaw: rashada Young Mr. Bemis: David Lawrence Mrs. Bemis: Arielle Lipshaw Mrs. Wharton: Kalynda Miss ...