Showing results by narrator "Denis Daly" in All Categories

The Raven Edition of the works of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) presents his complete literary output in five volumes. The second volume contains 22 stories, which illustrate the author's fascination with the macabre, the unexpected, and the terrifying.

This anthology, first published in 1919, is very much a record of its time. Many of the poems deal with the cataclysmic trauma of World War One and the emergence of a new world order after the fading of the Edwardian era. Among the authors of the 151 poems can be found the names of Rupert Brooke and Ivor Gurney, best known as war poets, as well as James Joyce and the mystic philosopher Evelyn Underhill.

Stephen Leacock was a prolific and brilliant writer, whose tongue-in-cheek writings have been amusing Canadian fans for decades. He first published Winsome Winnie in 1920 as part of a compendium of short stories entitled Winsome Winnie and Other New Nonsense Novels. It relates the trials and tribulations of the recently orphaned and penniless Winnifred Clair.

This treatise on politics was the fruit of Machiavelli's many years of experience as a diplomat and historian and circulated in 1513 but not published until 1532. It was dedicated to Lorenzo de Medici, a member of the ruling dynasty of Florence. In Machiavelli's view the ideal ruler is an effective executive rather than a moral paragon. If one desires power, one must take all the appropriate steps to acquire and maintain it.

John Pollen (1855-1923) was an official in the Indian Civil Service. A keen linguist, he learned Russian, Esperanto, and Persian and in 1915 published an English translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. His collection contains 158 quatrains and includes a set of seven prefatory quatrains by Andrew Lang and a foreword by the Aga Khan.

Together with the Iliad, the Odyssey, The Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost, the Aeneid is one of the true monuments of world literature. Like all these great classics, over the centuries it has become stultified by academic formalism, and its true glory as a narrative of thrilling power and richness has become very much obscured. This new translation seeks to highlight the vigor and immediacy of Virgil's epic while still respecting the grandeur of the original language.

While debate continues about the historicity of Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, the collection of sayings attributed to him, has remained one of the most influential religious texts of all time. Using simple yet profound language, the author probes the eternal mystery of the Tao, the elusive substrate which underlies all creation.

In the introduction, anthologist Douglas Sladen stated that the purpose of this collection was "to lay before the English public a selection of poems inspired by life and scenery in Australia". He further comments, "This volume is essentially the work of people who have meditated in the open air and not under the lamp; and if its contents oftentimes want the polish that comes only with much midnight oil, they are mostly a transcript from earth and sea and sky, and not from books."

After many years living abroad with her longtime lover, Lady Catherine Champion-Cheney visits her former marital home, now occupied by her son, Arnold, and his wife, Elizabeth. Also present is her estranged husband, Clive, who lives in a cottage on the estate. Elizabeth has become dissatisfied with the life she leads with her wealthy husband, who is very occupied with his political career, and she encourages the advances of a dashing but impecunious suitor, Teddy Luton.

This collection of the reported sayings of the Buddha is one of the canonical texts of Theravada Buddhism. Written in simple and concise language, and embellished with picturesque examples, this manual of moral practice has a powerful universality which sets it apart from most sectarian scripture.

Despite its patina of humor, the work is a merciless exposé of the commercial middle class dishonesty, and the convenient immorality hiding behind social conventions, which are characteristic of a developing urban society. The most noble character, Serafima, is a compelling mixture of naïveté, whimsicality, sentimentality, and obstinate practicality - one of the finest character portraits in Russian drama.

The final volume of this collection features the work of 20 poets who were active just after the First World War.

This volume pays tribute to the work of 20 poets whose careers were profoundly influenced by the First World War - "the war to end all wars".

Interplanetary visitor Moop has been sent on a mission: to investigate Christmas. When he meets Santa, Moop discovers that there is rather more to Earth's greatest festival than he had expected.

Grieving for a loved one can be a dangerous business, especially when the Devil offers to help soothe the pain. In this quirky radio drama, the Prince of Darkness gives his hapless victim rather more than he wants.

Initially published in 1914, Papa was the first major dramatic work by playwright and poet Zoë Akins (1886-1958). A subtle but quietly savage comedy of manners, the play was not a commercial success but has since come to be regarded as a masterpiece. As a skillfully drawn portrait of genteel corruption, it ranks with the works of masters of dramatic satire like Moliere and Oscar Wilde.

A philosopher and pioneer of the New Thought movement, James Allen (1864-1912) has become something of an icon in the self-help industry of today. Many life coaches and motivational mentors have drawn material liberally, if selectively, from his writings, and his suggestion of a straightforward path to an ideal life has made his works very popular. However, in Allen's view, a truly healthy and prosperous life is built on moral virtue.

This collection, first published in 1917, features the works of 10 Russian poets who were active in the early 20th century. In the preface, the anthologist and translator, Paul Selver, writes: "It is hoped that this collection will convey a fairly adequate idea of the chief features in modern Russian poetry, a branch of Russian literature which has so far received very little serious attention in this country."

Russell Conwell (1843-1925) was a man of many parts - lawyer, Baptist minister, traveler, Civil War veteran, and philanthropist - but is best remembered today for his celebrated lecture, Acres of Diamonds, which was published in book form in 1890. Conwell's basic premise in this work is very simple: A person's fortune can be found in his own backyard.

Like Wallace D. Wattles, the reclusive James Allen (1864-1912) has posthumously become an icon in the self-help industry and particularly for practitioners who promote a life of unrestrained abundance. Ironically, Allen actually recommended a life of simplicity and plain thinking and considered that a state of unshakeable peace and effortless wisdom constituted true wealth.