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

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.

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.

In Hazard of New Fortunes, Howell transports us to the bustling streets of late nineteenth-century New York, a city alive with the essence of Edith Wharton and Henry James. The story follows Basil March, a Boston businessman with a passion for literature, as he relocates with his family to edit a newly founded journal. Their new venture is financially backed by Mr. Dryfoos, a Pennsylvania Dutch farmer turned millionaire after striking natural gas on his land. Now navigating the opulent lifestyle of New York, Dryfoos grapples with the perils of his newfound wealth. But is it his fortune that ...

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.

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.

"Indian Summer" is an 1886 novel by William Dean Howells. Theodore Colville is a respected newspaperman in Des Vaches, Indiana. However, after a bad political move, his fans criticize him and his pride cannot withstand that. A concurrence is set up, and Colville decides to just give up the newspaper business. He sells his company to the new one. He feels he needs to take a long vacation, so he travels to Florence.

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.

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.

Christmas has arrived! Get comfy and settle down to a collection of cheery Christmas bedtime stories, that will have your child drifting off to a deep slumber to dream about Santa Claus and snow.

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.

Indian Summer is a reflective and emotionally rich novel about an aging journalist who revisits Florence, Italy, where he rekindles old friendships and finds himself caught in a love triangle. A meditation on love, second chances, and the passage of time.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of Florences Anglo-American colony in the late 19th century, this enchanting romantic tale follows a middle-aged man as he returns to the site of his first unrequited love, two decades later. While the lives of Americans abroad were often depicted in the works of Henry James and Edith Wharton, Howells offers a unique perspective. As John Updike aptly noted, “the felicity of the writing makes us pause in admiration…. A midlife crisis has rarely been captured in fiction with such humor, gentle comedy, and a gracious acceptance of lifes irrevocability.” ...

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.

Join the charming world of William Dean Howells as he narrates five enchanting stories for children, featuring the beloved characters the papa, the girl, and the boy. Known as The Dean of American Letters, Howells was a prominent American realist author and literary critic. His works, including the delightful Christmas tale Christmas Every Day and the acclaimed novel The Rise of Silas Lapham, continue to captivate readers. (Reader’s Note for story 3 A pony engine is a small locomotive used for switching cars between tracks.) (Summary by Wikipedia and David Wales)

In Coast of Bohemia, William Dean Howells masterfully critiques bourgeois values through the compelling story of Cornelia Saunders. With her life seemingly perfect—filled with comfort, beauty, and the attention of charming young men—Cornelia is torn between the allure of respectable society and the enticing yet dubious world of bohemian Art and Poetry. As she hesitantly prepares to step into Bohemia, she risks everything for what could be her artistic Gift. True to his iconoclastic style, Howells keeps readers on the edge of their seats, wondering until the very end about Cornelia’s fate...

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.

After spending 11 years in the captivating city of Rome, Annie Kilburn returns to the United States following her fathers passing. Upon her return, she discovers that the home she once knew has transformed in profound ways. As she begins working with sick children, she finds herself forming deep connections with them and with the compassionate minister, Mr. Peck, who supports her journey. (Summary by Stav Nisser)

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…