Showing results by publisher "The Copyright Group" in All Categories

The story of Hank Morgan, a 19th-century American who is accidentally returned to sixth-century England, is a powerful analysis of such issues as monarchy versus democracy and free will versus determinism, but it is also one of Twain's finest comic novels, still fresh and funny after more than 100 years.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in 1835 and is far better known by his pen name: Mark Twain. An American author and humorist of the first order, he is perhaps most famous for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The short stories told here showcase Twain’s true-calling. His wit and humour sparkle from every word; his mastery of the craft is evident with every phase and punctured target.

Refusing to believe that his son is dead, Judge Mathew Deacon travels across the Atlantic to Cambridge to search for evidence of his son’s fate. However when his enquiries take him to the isolated homestead of the Northcotts, he discovers the real circumstances behind his son’s sudden disappearance - and the secrets which have permeated the Northcott family for generations.

THE POETRY OF GERALD MANLEY HOPKINS. Gerald Manley Hopkins work was not celebrated until after his death when he then took his rightful place amongst leading Victorian poets. He had an individual lyrical style employed on subjects such as nature although his central theme for much of his work including his profoundly dark sonnets, was religion and his dialogue with God.

Shakespeare's play is often cited as the greatest of all plays. The tragic life of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is brought to stunning life by Sir john Gielgud and his fellow actors of London's Old Vic Company. A rare treat for Shakespeare lovers and the performances of great actors.

The role of Fathers has changed much over the course of centuries. Men are now better suited to a role of co-parent in this modern age rather than the stilted, slightly aloof figure of times past. Being a Father is, of course, both a blessing and a burden. This modern day parenting in a frenetic fast changing world has to be both learnt and adapted from some inner well of memory from generations past as well as on the job experience.

Written by Rudyard Kipling, the popular British Victorian writer, these origin stories are fantasized tales written with a delightful sense of whimsy that charms adults and children alike. These excellent readings by Ghizela Rowe & TimGraham make it abundantly clear why they have become such special classics that continue to tantalize and excite the imagination.

William Blake is now considered one of the giants of poetry. During his life and for many years after he was thought of as mad. His wide ranging skills not only encompassed poetry but bestrode the visual arts too with paintings and printmaking. Unfortunately he could never fit in to what Society expected of him and his attacks on Religion would not have helped. But his work was the true measure of his worth and they, in the main, remain with us today.

The art of writing a short story can be barely noticed by a reader or listener - such is the quality with which they are usually written. It is a difficult trade, an unforgiving discipline, but for those who master it, the rewards are many. In this series of works by our greatest female writers, we bring you a selection of those we consider the best.

The truth is, it ain't just a race thing. They talk like it is, but really and truly it's black against white, young against old, authorities against the rest. It's countless of things. There's bare reasons for feeling vexed right now. Growing up on a south London estate and excluded from every school that would take her, Alesha is the poster girl for the nation's 'feral youth'.

This novel is based on George Eliot's own experiences of provincial life, is a masterpiece of ambiguity in which moral choice is subjected to the hypocrisy of the Victorian age. As the headstrong Maggie Tulliver grows into womanhood, the deep love which she has for her brother Tom turns into conflict, because she cannot reconcile his bourgeois standards with her own lively intelligence. Maggie is unable to adapt to her community or break free from it, and the result, on more than one level, is tragedy.

The narrator is a young governess, sent off to a country house to take charge of two orphaned children. She finds a pleasant house and a comfortable housekeeper, while the children are beautiful and charming. But she soon begins to feel the presence of intense evil.

Northanger Abbey tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes with insight and humour the interaction between Catherine and the various characters whom she meets there, and tracks her growing understanding of the world about her.

One of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, is also one of the most celebrated. Here, two mismatched couples, a wedding gone awry, magic, fairies, a troupe of actors, and a series of elaborate high jinks put on by a mischievous woodland sprite have been keeping audiences enthralled and amused for centuries. Loved for its lighter and lyrical qualities as well as it’s more serious themes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream sparks the imagination, tickles the funny bone, and stimulates the mind.

This volume proves that the assertion that women are the gentler sex is frequently an unfounded and unlikely description. From the minds and pens of some of the best female writers of the last century comes a series of macabre, twisted tales that are anything but gentle. But as they weave their magic - usually black - and entrance you with their narratives you just know that “sugar and spice and everything nice” are not likely to be what all girls really are made of - and certainly not these femme fatales....

If ever a writer needed an introduction, Arthur Conan Doyle would not be considered that man. After all, Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the most well-known literary detective of any age. Add to this canon his stories, his historical novels, his political campaigning, and his efforts in establishing a Court Of Appeal, and there is little room for anything else. Except he was also a poet. Not perhaps the finest but his distinctive voice is certainly evident amongst his lines and verses. And it’s a voice worth listening to; something very different from what you might expect.

Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Winter’s Tale is no lightweight affair; it explores the darker themes of rage, jealousy, treason, and death. Yet though initially an intense psychological drama, as the play unfolds it takes on a lighter and more comedic tone, which eventually gives way to a happy ending. In short, there is something for everyone. What was once a day’s entertainment for the groundlings and the gentry is now the perfect diversion for that long commute.

This tragedy of blood, deceit, and betrayal is one of the most famous of Shakespeare’s works and is regularly performed in theatres around the world. This audio dramatization is brought to you by a distinguished cast that includes Anthony Quayle, Ian Holm, Alec McCowen, and Stanley Holloway. Here, the voice and its subtle inflections are paramount. With no need for theatrical projection, listeners are provided with a rare intimacy that makes this beautifully nuanced performance that much more special.

Alice gets her one client, Camp Raymond, a career-boosting gig reading his best-selling children’s novel on tape, leaving Jon at home to clean the house (with a little help from his sci-fi fan friends). While Jon is embroiled in an all-day Star Wars marathon, Alice battles with Camp Raymond’s expressive eccentricities to distract her from wondering where her life is going.

In 1762, 22-year old James Boswell left Edinburg for London. This portion of his personal journals documents the nine months that followed. Filled with detail, description, and zest for life, Boswell's London Journal provides a frank and accurate picture of both the young man and London in the early 1760s. While many of Boswell's journals have been published, this one gained popularity for its racier entries as well as its descriptions of Boswell's first encounter with Samuel Johnson.