Bob Blaisdell
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The story behind the origins of Anna Karenina and the turbulent life and times of Leo Tolstoy.
Anna Karenina is one of the most nuanced characters in world literature and we return to her, and the novel she propels, again and again. Remarkably, there has not yet been an examination of Leo Tolstoy specifically through the lens of this novel. Critic and professor Bob Blaisdell unravels Tolstoy's family, literary, and day-to-day life during the period...
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"In America, everything was possible," recalls Louis Adamic of Slovenia. "There even the common people were 'citizens,' not 'subjects' . . . a citizen, or even a non-citizen foreigner, could walk up to the President of the United States and pump his hand. Indeed, that seemed to be a custom in America." The history and experience of immigration remain central to American culture, past and present. This anthology surveys the recollections of emigrants...
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This inexpensive compilation of great oratory by ancient Greeks and Romans will be useful to students of history as well as those looking to hone their public speaking skills. Contents include Pericles' oration in favor of the Peloponnesian War and Julius Caesar on the punishment of the Catiline conspirators, in addition to speeches by Alcibiades, Demosthenes, Cicero, and many others.
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"There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person," declared the philosopher and wit G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936). The extent and variety of the author's writings―comprising journalism, history, biography, apologetics, poetry, plays, and detective fiction―attest to his own diversity of enthusiasms. This rich and thought-provoking anthology draws from Chesterton's vast treasury...
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Remarkable for their eloquence and depth of feeling, these 82 speeches encompass 5 centuries of Indian encounters with nonindigenous peoples. Speakers include Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull, Tecumseh, Seattle, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, and many lesser-known leaders, whose compelling words are graced by forceful metaphors and vivid imagery.
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Forbidden fruit is the sweetest, and he who wants to beat a dog is sure to find a stick! This compilation of the best proverbs from around the world - ancient and modern - offers concise, time-honored wisdom about love, money, politics, and human nature. A handsome gift-book format makes this volume an ideal present.
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This keepsake gift volume ranges from the twelfth century B.C. to modern times to present an international sampling of the world's best short poems. The works of ancient Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Persian poets appear alongside those of Arabic, Chinese, German, Indian, Japanese, and Hungarian authors, in addition to classics by English, Irish, and American writers. Featured poems include those of Pushkin ("I Loved You"), Yeats ("Down by the Salley...
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This anthology comprises some of history's most hateful public addresses, consisting of speeches invoking racism, genocide, anti-Semitism, terrorism, and other extreme views. Selections range from an oration by Robespierre during the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution to Osama bin Laden's threats related to the terrorist actions of 9/11. Additional speeches include Andrew Jackson's Seventh Annual Message to Congress in 1835, promoting...
9) Robin Hood
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The legendary outlaw and his merry men spring to life again, thrilling young readers with feats of daring and valor. Join Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marian, and the other Sherwood Forest denizens in their struggle against the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham and their pursuit of freedom and justice.
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Works by more than 60 Irish poets, from 18th century to modern times, include "Stella's Birthday" by Swift; Goldsmith's "Stanzas on Woman"; "The Harp that Once Through Tara's Halls" by Moore; Yeats's "To the Rose upon the Rood of Time"; "Strings in the Earth and Air" by Joyce; plus verses by lesser-known poets.
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Includes James Thurber's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," now a major motion picture! Spanning nearly 300 years of American humor, this anthology of entertaining tales ranges from the inventive mind of Benjamin Franklin and his 1732 story, "Alice Addertongue," to Simon Rich's 2012 fable, "Center of the Universe." More than 30 witty short stories include works by Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, O. Henry, Langston Hughes, and other masters of the...
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"All I have learned, I learned from books," declared Abraham Lincoln, and this book offers ample learning from the sixteenth president's wise and often witty remarks. Drawn from speeches, letters, and other sources, these thoughts and opinions range from considerations of human nature and spirituality to the burdens and privileges of the presidency along with many other topics of enduring interest. Selections include comments on morality ("It has...
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At the end of the Civil War, another long and arduous struggle began as the nation attempted to reunite. Literature offered a path toward solidarity, and this concise anthology surveys the writings of major American authors from the war's end to the dawn of the Jazz Age. Featured works include those of Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, and other poets. Mark Twain is prominently represented among...
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From a humble backwoods cabin to the highest office in the land, this graphic art biography chronicles Abraham Lincoln's path from obscurity to immortality. Its thirty-six striking woodcuts, each accompanied by a brief caption, depict scenes from the life of the sixteenth president. Original and imaginative in their stark beauty, these images offer fresh perspectives on the familiar tale of Lincoln's progress from rail-splitter and self-taught prairie...
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Rich in insights and inspiration, this anthology surveys the challenges and rewards of teaching. Contributions range from essays by renowned educators such as Pestalozzi, Froebel, Montessori, and Neill to the philosophical observations of Plato, Rousseau, Dewey, and Russell. Writings by Tolstoy, Emerson, and D. H. Lawrence appear alongside those of contemporary teachers, including Taylor Mali, Elizabeth Gold, and Philip Schultz, who reflect on their...
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The great American humorist first came to national attention with the 1865 publication of this short story. Mark Twain relates the tall tale of a gambler and his high-jumping frog, Dan'l Webster. This edition features the original story, a French translation, and Twain's own re-translation of the second version, retaining the French syntax and sentence structure with amusing results.
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A revelatory portrait of Chekhov during the most extraordinary artistic surge of his life.
In 1886, a twenty-six-year-old Anton Chekhov was publishing short stories, humor pieces, and articles at an astonishing rate, and was still a practicing physician. Yet as he honed his craft and continued to draw inspiration from the vivid characters in his own life, he found himself, to his surprise and occasional embarrassment, admired by a growing legion...
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This compact volume offers a broad selection of the most important documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation as well as presidential speeches, Supreme Court decisions, Acts and Declarations of Congress, essays, letters, and much more. The compilation of more than 150 documents, dating from 1606 to 1865, starts with the First Charter of Virginia, issued by King James I, and concludes...
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More than 700 quotations provide a running narrative by the many who lived through or died in the Civil War. The voices of the great and famous, the ordinary and the unknown, resound in these pages. Arranged chronologically and divided by specific topics and events, this well-researched volume puts a human face on history.
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A great speech can stir the soul - and move a nation. This compact and affordable anthology gathers complete speeches and selected excerpts from some of the twentieth century's most memorable addresses. Writers and speakers in search of memorable quotations will appreciate this collection, as will any reader seeking historical wisdom and inspiration. Featured speakers include Winston Churchill, rousing the British to defend their lives and homes against...