This eBook edition has been formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. The theme of celibacy was important to Balzac, who gave the name The Celibates to a sub-section of his famous La Comédie humaine. It consists of Pierrette, The Vicar of Tours and The Black Sheep (The Two Brothers). "Pierrette" tells the story of a sweet little orphan girl, Pierrette Lorrain. She gets adopted by her two older cousins, unmarried brother and sister shopkeepers, who become her guardian because they suspect that she has some inheritance coming. Cousins mistreat Pierrette, make her work as a servant and she becomes miserable. Only one who loves and cares for her is her childhood companion Brigaut. "The Vicar of Tours" is the tale of an old other-worldly, gentle, introspective vicar named Birotteau and his silent feud with his younger and ambition driven colleague, Troubert. Both of them are priests at Tours, having separate lodgings in the house of Sophie Gamard. When Birotteau leaves for several days, upon return he finds Troubert installed in his apartments, in full possession of his furniture and his library, whilst he himself has been moved into inferior rooms. Birotteau tries to regain his position, but their personal drama gets increasingly interwoven with the politics of their small city and becomes public. "The Black Sheep (The Two Brothers)" tells the story of the Bridau family, trying to regain their lost inheritance after a series of mishaps. Brothers Phillip and Joseph Bridau lose their father early. Philippe, who is the eldest and his mother's favourite, becomes a soldier in Napoleon's armies, and Joseph becomes an artist. After leaving army Philippe becomes a heavy drinker and gambler, while Joseph is a dedicated artist, and the more loyal son, but his mother does not understand his artistic vocation. They get into financial problems which lead to more troubles.

The theme of celibacy was important to Balzac, who gave the name The Celibates to a sub-section of his famous La Comédie humaine. It consists of Pierrette, The Vicar of Tours and The Black Sheep (The Two Brothers). "Pierrette" tells the story of a sweet little orphan girl, Pierrette Lorrain. She gets adopted by her two older cousins, unmarried brother and sister shopkeepers, who become her guardian because they suspect that she has some inheritance coming. Cousins mistreat Pierrette, make her work as a servant and she becomes miserable. Only one who loves and cares for her is her childhood companion Brigaut. "The Vicar of Tours" is the tale of an old other-worldly, gentle, introspective vicar named Birotteau and his silent feud with his younger and ambition driven colleague, Troubert. Both of them are priests at Tours, having separate lodgings in the house of Sophie Gamard. When Birotteau leaves for several days, upon return he finds Troubert installed in his apartments, in full possession of his furniture and his library, whilst he himself has been moved into inferior rooms. Birotteau tries to regain his position, but their personal drama gets increasingly interwoven with the politics of their small city and becomes public. "The Black Sheep (The Two Brothers)" tells the story of the Bridau family, trying to regain their lost inheritance after a series of mishaps. Brothers Phillip and Joseph Bridau lose their father early. Philippe, who is the eldest and his mother's favourite, becomes a soldier in Napoleon's armies, and Joseph becomes an artist. After leaving army Philippe becomes a heavy drinker and gambler, while Joseph is a dedicated artist, and the more loyal son, but his mother does not understand his artistic vocation. They get into financial problems which lead to more troubles.

This work is the only comprehensive guide to sequels in English, with over 84,000 works by 12,500 authors in 17,000 sequences.

This series of three novellas is unified by an overarching motif: in all three tales, a mysterious secret society known as The Thirteen is at work behind the scenes. The men in the group have pledged eternal loyalty to each other, and if any member ever finds himself in peril, it is the sworn duty of the others to come to his aid. Honore de Balzac uses this premise as a device to explore a wide range of topics, including clashes between different classes of society, doomed romances, and intrigue driven by greed.

The Great Classics of Russian Literature is an expansive anthology that showcases the rich tapestry of Russian writing over the centuries. It includes a broad array of literary styles, from the psychological drama of Dostoevsky to the romantic prose of Pushkin, and the satirical narratives of Gogol. This collection is significant for its inclusion of key texts that have shaped not just Russian literature, but the global literary landscape, offering readers standout pieces that highlight the diversity and depth of Russian thought and storytelling. The themes of spirituality, society, identity, and the human condition are explored with unmatched depth and introspection across these works, displaying the unique blend of realism and philosophy that Russian literature is renowned for. The contributing authors and editors of this anthology represent some of the most influential voices in literature. From the existential inquiries of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky to the pioneering short stories of Chekhov and the biting wit of Saki (H.H. Munro), each authors background contributes to a rich, multilayered exploration of Russian society and the human experience. These writers lived through some of the most turbulent times in Russian history, including the rise of the Russian Empire, the complexities of the Russian Revolution, and the profound changes of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their collective works offer insights into the socio-political and cultural shifts of their time, making this collection a vital conduit for understanding the forces that shaped modern Russian identity. This anthology is recommended for readers who seek to immerse themselves in the profound depths of Russian literary genius. The Great Classics of Russian Literature offers a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of narratives, themes, and styles, providing a comprehensive understanding of Russian literary movements and their global influence. Its a must-read for those who appreciate the educational value of literature and are eager to engage in the dialogue between these authors works, fostering a deeper appreciation for the complexities of human existence as reflected in the rich tapestry of Russian storytelling.

An easy-to-use dictionary of over 80,000 rhyming words.

"Gogol, Nikolai Vassilievitch. Born in the government of Pultowa, March 31 1809, died at Moscow, March 4 1852. A Russian novelist and dramatist. He was educated in a public gymnasium at Pultowa, and subsequently in the lyceum, then newly established, at Niejinsk. In 1831, Gogol brought out the first volume of his Ukrainian stories, 'Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka'. It met with immediate success, and he followed it a year later with a second volume. ‘The Nose’ is regarded as a masterwork of comic short fiction, and ‘The Overcoat’ is now seen as one of the greatest short stories ever written. Nikolai Gogol, the Russian writer and playwright, who understood better than any artist since what “perfect nonsense goes on in the world.” Born in Ukraine — then a colony dubbed “Little Russia” — Gogol began writing stories while pursuing a short-lived government career in St. Petersburg. He started with Ukrainian folklore, and a sinister, fairy-tale lightness persists in his later, more renowned stories about the imperial capital. There are supernatural accents, but the underlying world is real, made strange by an infrared humor that finds cosmic anarchy in the smallest fissures of everyday life. The most famous and inspirational works of Nikolai Gogol include The Mantle, Evenings at the Farm, St Petersburg Stories, Taras Bulba, a tale of the Cossacks, The Revizor, The Viy, The Nose, A May Night, The Mantle, Memoirs of a Madman and many more.

Gothic Horror is one of the oldest of the horror genres. Darker, edgier and on the Romanticism end of Romanticism. In addition to being important to the horror genre, the first scifi, fantasy, romance, mystery, and adventure authors drew inspiration from Gothic horror, so it's sometimes considered the parent of all modern genre fiction. Mary Shelley Frankenstein Bram Stoker Dracula The Judge's House Oscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian Gray Robert Louis Stevenson The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado, The Masque of the Red Death, The Black Cat, The Fall of the House of Usher Washington Irving The legend of sleepy hollow Sheridan Le Fanu Carmilla Henry James The Turn of the Screw Arthur Machen The Great God Pan Nikolai Gogol The Viy