The Short Stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, Volume 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)There is nothing so exciting as a Stevenson novel--Kidnapped, Master of Ballantrae, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde--who can forget them once you've read them? These short stories have the same ability draw you in. The reading is effortless, and Stevenson's backgrounds don't labor with a conscious attempt at reality. They exist for the story and are as true as need be, and not more. From the South Sea to a Medieval City, the variety is pleasing and keeps you reading. Some of the best stories are "The Bottle Imp" (I doubt if a better twist on King Midas has ever been written), "Sire De Maltroit's Door" (A surprisingly good romance than manages, somehow, to skip all the usual elements) and "The Suicide Club" (not half as grim as it sounds, and showing RLS's ability to penetrate human thought).
These stories are highly recommended and aren't something to be read when you are all out of the "good" standard Stevenson--they stand as some of his best works and should be read just for the pure fun of it.

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Robert Louis Stevenson, (1850 - 1894), was born in Edinburgh. His life has always held a fascinating romantic attraction, especially for his contemporaries. His mercurial temperament, expressed so eloquently with his flashing pen, was best revealed when he took up a cause in defense of justice. Although known primarily for the novels Kidnapped and Treasure Island, his works are by no means reserved for the youth market. To be sure, there is an element of adventure and excitement present in many of his works, including the ones here. But these stories are also powerful works of great intellectual concentration by a master at the height of his powers. Few have equaled the charm and exuberant energy of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Selections: "Markheim" is the story of a man whose life is spiraling out of control. While Markheim is involved in a crime, a "visitor" suddenly appears on the scene who seems to know everything about him.

In "A Lodging for the Night" a dissolute Parisian student finds himself forced into accepting the favors of a venerable and respected knight on a cold winter's evening in 1456. The ensuing dinner conversation is spellbinding.

"The Body Snatcher" is a supernatural thriller of crime and revenge. An anatomy class needs subjects, and two students become more deeply involved in their procurement than they had planned. A gothic masterpiece!

"Stevenson: An Essay", by Edmund Gosse, is the last item on this volume. It is an excellent review of Stevenson's brief life, and it is beautifully written by one who knew the great author personally.

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Mrs Lirriper (Hesperus Classics) Review

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(More customer reviews)MRS. LIRRIPER is Dickens' story of the chance meetings of strangers who move from Victorian London to southern France. New widow Mrs. Lirriper devotes herself to her lodgers - but when she inherits an abandoned baby, her responsibilities involve her lodgers in mystery as much as child-rearing efforts.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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Mrs Lirriper is an involving story of people thrown together by chance, that moves from the squalors of Victorian London to the sunnier climes of southern France. Recently widowed, Mrs. Lirriper devotes her energies to attending to the needs of her assorted lodgers; but when a newborn child is abandoned to her care, her responsibilities grow to new levels. She enlists longtime lodger, the Major, into the role of "guardian,” and the two develop an increasing affection for the boy. In an effort to entertain the growing lad, they relate the stories of their fellow lodgers, little knowing that they are about to embark on their own real-life tale of impending death, guilty secrets, and mysterious legacies. Charles Dickens is one of England’s most important literary figures. His works enjoyed enormous success in his day and are still regarded as among the most popular and widely read classics of all time.

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Mrs. Lirriper's Lodgings (Dodo Press) Review

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(More customer reviews)I will not spoil a novel, however, I will say that the characters in this book are so genuine, consistent and empathetic towards one another and the style so impromptu, this could easily be declared one of my new favorite books. The rustic truth of the story is greatly refreshing! My only dislike was the lack of necessary commas and semicolons in this particular edition.

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Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870), also known as "Boz", was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era, as well as a vigorous social campaigner. Considered one of the English language's greatest writers, he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters, and achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime. The popularity of his novels and short stories has meant that not one has ever gone out of print. Dickens wrote serialised novels, the usual format for fiction at the time, and each new part of his stories was eagerly anticipated by the reading public. Among his best-known works are Sketches by Boz (1836), The Pickwick Papers (1837), Oliver Twist (1838), Nicholas Nickleby (1839), Barnaby Rudge (1841), A Christmas Carol (1843), Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), David Copperfield (1850), Bleak House (1853), Little Dorrit (1857), A Tale of Two Cities (1859), Great Expectations (1861) and Our Mutual Friend (1865).

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