Showing results by author "Mentor New York" in All Categories

The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique "topsy-turvy" style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert's cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert ...

Beatrice is a lonely twenty-two year old woman. After saving Geoffrey's life, they fall in love. However, Geoffrey is married. In addition, a local rich land owner wants to marry the beautiful Beatrice. This is a romance by the author of King Solomon's Mines, Allen Quatermain, and She." (Summary by Stav Nisser)

This wonderful collection of poems showcases the incredible talent of the some of the greatest poets in the world. These creative masterpieces are truly the best of the best, the crème de la crème, one hundred of the most awe inspiring and magnificent examples of poetic skill - works that will live forever in the annals of great literature. Embracing the most influential names in poetry we have all come to love, respect and revere, this exceptional compilation has a verse for every occasion, a theme for each day of existence and poetic instances for all of life's varied circumstances. ...

This is a collection of short poems and readings, both religious and secular, on death and bereavement. (Summary by Ruth Golding)

Barbara, an English girl and the eldest of her family, spends most days helping her widowed mother care for her younger siblings. Then disaster strikes - or so the children believe! Barbara is taken to France to see Paris by her father's formidable sister, Aunt Anne. She stays on in Brittany to perfect her French. In this series of funny stories about her adventures in France, we meet a cast of recurring characters - and both Barbara and Aunt Anne find love! (Summary by Sibella Denton)

This is a fast-paced mystery, set in New York City, has two or three really interesting ("round") characters, a solid plot, no cheap plot-twists, two full-fledged sub/urban battles and some real surprises. Winifred Bartlett, a beautiful and poor orphan, suddenly finds herself homeless and out of a job. Prince Charming (nee Rex Carshaw) comes on to her by accident and begins to take an interest. As strange, apparently unconnected disasters continue to batter poor Winnie, Rex and two police detectives (the most interesting characters in the book) probe the causes and forces threatening the dear ...

Jefferies' novel can be seen as an early example of "post-apocalyptic fiction." After some sudden and unspecified catastrophe has depopulated England, the countryside reverts to nature, and the few survivors to a quasi-medieval way of life.The first part of the book, "The Relapse into Barbarism", is the account by some later historian of the fall of civilisation and its consequences, with a loving description of nature reclaiming England. The second part, "Wild England", is an adventure set many years later in the wild landscape and society.The book is not without its flaws (notably the abrupt...

This book, all of which has been written at the Front within sound of the German guns and for the most part within shell and rifle range, is an attempt to tell something of the manner of struggle that has gone on for months between the lines along the Western Front, and more especially of what lies behind and goes to the making of those curt and vague terms in the war communiqués. I think that our people at Home will be glad to know more, and ought to know more, of what these bald phrases may actually signify, when, in the other sense, we read 'between the lines.' (Summary by Boyd Cable)

Originally written in Sanskrit by Somdev Bhatt, the Vetala Panchavimshati or Baitâl Pachchisi, also popularly known as Vikram Betal is a collection of tales and legends from India. Set in the 11th century, the tales intend to impart moral/social lessons. The practices may not be viable anymore to the letter but the basic message may still act as a guide to help live good lives. - Summary by dc

The word Upanishad (upa-ni-shad) consists of, "Upa" means "near;" "ni" means "down;" "shad" means "to sit." Thus, Upanishad is to sit down near the teacher to discuss, learn, practice, and experience. There are some 200 or more Upanishads. Some are lost and are only known about because of being referenced in other Upanishads. Most of the Upanishads were kept secret for centuries, only passed on to others orally in the form of Shlokas (a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anustubh meter).Aryanka (Snskrit) आरण्यक means means pertaining to the forest. Aranyaka refers to a...

"Baseball Joe" Matson's great ambition is to go to boarding school and play on the school team, in this second volume of the Baseball Joe series. Joe is a wide-awake country boy who enjoys playing baseball. We follow his career in the series, and his adventures, as he and hometown chum Tom Davis enroll in Excelsior Hall and join the school nine, are recounted here. When not on the diamond, Joe is saving lives and assisting his father against foes who are once again trying to steal Mr. Matson's machinery patents. Lester Chadwick is one of dozens of house pseudonyms created by the Stratemeyer ...

I: ‘Strain’ by L. Ron Hubbard Captured! Crucial battle intel! But will they crack? II: ‘The Sling and the Stone’ by Michael Shaara An obsessed Soviet commander has come up with the most devastating weapon the world has ever seen. What of the scientist who must put the order to destroy the USA into practice? III: ‘Slaughter on Dornell IV’ by Ivar Jorgensen One of the galaxy's greatest professional fighters. But is his agent so sly as to pit him against an opponent that could kill him? IV: ‘The Hour of Battle’ by Robert Sheckley Waiting for the mind killers to strike in the ...

This investigation of Bacon the scholar and man of letters begins with a look at the early days and progresses to his relationships with Queen Elizabeth and James I. It includes accounts of his positions as solicitor general, attorney-general, and chancellor. The book concludes with Bacon's failure, his overall philosophy, and summaries of his writings. ( Summary by Bill Boerst )

As Russia goes to war against Japan, Tolstoy urges those at all levels of society, from the Tsar down to the common soldier, to consider their actions in the light of Christ's teaching. "However strange this may appear, the most effective and certain deliverance of men from all the calamities which they inflict upon themselves and from the most dreadful of all—war—is attainable, not by any external general measures, but merely by that simple appeal to the consciousness of each separate man which, nineteen hundred years ago, was proposed by Jesus—that every man bethink himself, and ask ...

In this comic novel written by American author Anita Loos, we follow the adventures of the fictional character Lorelei Lee who is a young blonde flapper. This story takes place in the hedonistic Jazz Age and is written in the form of a diary from Lorelei's viewpoint as she shares stories of the men she entertains in New York City and Europe. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” was an instant bestseller and has been declared as “the great American novel” by Edith Wharton. - Summary by Jenn Broda

As we get older, many of us return to youthful memories of poems once significant to us. Outside their association with our youth, we may wonder what significance they have to us now. There were other poems we've met along the way as well: some held no appeal while others were forgotten. And there were others we never had the opportunity to meet. This selection hopes to go beyond the experience of meeting old friends and on top opening the door to new ones — poems that might relate more significantly to our current lives. Originally titled "Personal Poems for Later Years," this collection ...

The first significant published short story of French author Guy de Maupassant, and generally acknowledged as his greatest work, "Ball-of-Fat" (French title: Boule de Suif) is the touching story of an interrupted coach ride from Rouen to Le Havre during which occurs the corruption of a principled prostitute by immoral and hypocritical members of the upper class. The story is set during the occupation of Rouen at the time of the Franco-Prussian War. (Summary by Michael Thomas Robinson)

The most famous piece of Old English literature, Beowulf was written by an unknown poet at least 1000 years ago and tells how the eponymous hero who is a great warrior defeats the monster Grendel and his mother. He later goes on to rule the Geats before dying killing another foe, a dragon. This metered translation was made by John Lesslie Hall - Summary by clarinetcarrot

William Booth, together with his wife Catherine founded a small mission in London which eventually expanded to become a global movement, carrying the Christian gospel message of salvation and holiness under the banner of the Salvation Army. While never losing his sharp focus on personal transformation that saved men and women from the depths of despair, Booth put faith into action by caring for the temporal needs of society wherever the Army gained a foothold. George Scott Railton was the first Commissioner in the Salvation Army and second in command, working closely and intimately with Booth,...

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an influential English writer of the early 20th century. His prolific and diverse output included journalism, philosophy, poetry, biography, Christian apologetics, fantasy, and detective fiction. Chesterton has been called the "prince of paradox." He wrote in an off-hand, whimsical prose studded with startling formulations. Chesterton wrote about 4000 essays on various subjects, and "Alarms and Discursions is one of his collections. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Karen Merline.)