Showing results by author "F. Anstey" in All Categories

A superb anthology of 40 great classic humorous stories.

When a young man, freshly engaged, finds himself wandering through an amusement garden with an old flame—rather than his fiancée—its no surprise that old feelings resurface. As they escape the pulsating heat of the dance floor for a stroll among the gardens trees, they stumble upon a statue of a woman of extraordinary beauty, her hands impossibly small. In a moment of playful comparison, the young man attempts to prove that his absent fiancée has even smaller hands. To his astonishment, the engagement ring he carries slips easily onto the stone finger, but refuses to come off. What ...

Dive into a delightful collection of short stories by the renowned humorist F. Anstey, a celebrated writer for Punch magazine. These tales range from the whimsically funny to the eerily thought-provoking, offering a unique blend of humor and insight that will captivate your imagination. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

A delightful collection of humorous classic tales by some of the world's greatest racconteurs.

From a young age, Stella Maberly has grappled with her fierce willfulness and jealousy, all while harboring an unwavering belief in her own superiority. Although she can be warm and friendly, her darker impulses often sabotage her relationships, leaving her to navigate the depths of loneliness and despair. Convinced that her best friend Evelyn is possessed by an evil spirit, Stellas paranoia spirals into tragedy. In this poignant statement, she reflects on the chain of events that have led her to this moment. Was the evil real or merely a figment of her imagination? Who truly bears the burden ...

This captivating collection showcases seven short stories from some of Englands finest writers of the turn-of-the-century. It opens with the delightful humor of J. M. Barrie, renowned for his creation of Peter Pan. Following Barrie, Israel Zangwill offers another witty tale, known for his keen insights into social and economic issues. The final contribution comes from the immensely popular Marie Corelli, whose poignant storytelling resonates deeply. Despite being less recognized than some of her contemporaries, Corellis literary sales surpassed those of Arthur Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, and ...

What unfolds when a down-on-his-luck man stumbles upon a brass bottle and inadvertently releases the djinni trapped inside? Expect a whirlwind of misunderstandings, cultural clashes, and laughter. Will the well-meaning djinni provide the assistance his new master desperately seeks, or will his efforts spiral into chaos? (Summary by Guero)

The pompous businessman Paul Bultitude is farewelling his son who is about to set off for his first year at boarding school. Due to the action of a magical stone, the personalities of each are switched into the body of the other. The businessman is forced to relive the experiences of his schoolboy days and the boy takes charge of his father's business.

The Brass Bottle is the story of an architect who bought an antique brass bottle to give to a professor dealing in Mideast antiquities. After the purchase, the architect’s curiosity was aroused, and he removed the stopper in the bottle. And when he did, a big cloud of smoke was released, producing a major surprise when a genie emerged. His name was Fakrash el-Aamash, and he turned out to be a fairy-tale-type character who wound up trying to repay the architect, Horace Ventimore, for giving him release from what amounted to a brass prison.

Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) was an English novelist and journalist who wrote his comic novels under the pseudonym F. Anstey. 'Mrs. Brassington-Claypott's Children's Party' is a humorous tale of a family trying to keep up with their social set in hosting a children's party. Ambitious and snobbish but somewhat restricted financially, Mrs. Brassington-Claypott agrees to her maid's recommendation of a conjurer with whom she is acquainted....

Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) was an English novelist and journalist who wrote his comic novels under the pseudonym F. Anstey. 'Caveat Emptor' is a humorous story of a bric-a-brac collector who finds an antique shop in a little German town which appears to be selling the most extraordinary treasures at rock-bottom prices.

A beastly collection of animal stories from the great storytellers of the world. •The Black Poodle by F. Anstey •Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger by Saki •Pickled Herring by W. W. Jacobs •Curried Cow by Ambrose Bierce •The She-Wolf by Saki •The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe •The Elk by Saki •The Stolen White Elephant by Mark Twain •Memoirs of a Yellow Dog by O. Henry •Sredni Vashtar by Saki •The Grey Parrot by W. W. Jacobs •The Mouse by Saki •The Talking Horse by F. Anstey •Laura by Saki

Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) was an English novelist and journalist who wrote his comic novels under the pseudonym F. Anstey. "The Gull" is a strange tale about a man whose sweetheart, on setting sail for Guernsey one evening, romantically promises him that if she should die, she will return to him as a white dove. Next morning he awakes to find a large grey gull has flown into his bedroom overnight....

When Algernon Weatherhead moves into Wisteria Villa, he finds himself living next door to the Currie family, who are besotted with their black poodle Bingo. Algernon falls in love with the Colonel Currie's adopted niece Lillian... but he cannot make friends with Bingo, a dog with a deeply psychotic desire to bite neighbours, tradespeople, the gardener and passers-by. When Algernon shoots Bingo dead by accident, events lead to him burying the body in a shallow grave and pretending the dog has run away.

'Sparkling Biacrene' is a humorous story about a young chemist who invents a marvellous new type of nonalcoholic drink based on a marvellous Amazonian herb with astounding properties. He names his invention 'Sparkling Biacrene' and excitedly invites his uncle to dinner with his employer and a manufacturer of soda waters to discuss the commercial potential of the drink.

A sumptuous collection of over 60 short stories by some of the world's greatest writers. 'The Hoop' by Fedor Sologub, 'The Last Leaf' by O. Henry, 'The Man Who Hated Aspidistras' by W. F. Harvey, 'The Conjurer' by Richard Middleton, 'The End of a Show' by Barry Pain, 'The Devil of the Marsh' by H. B. Marriott-Watson, 'The First of April' by A. J. Alan, 'The Everlasting Club' by Arthur Gray, 'The Apple Tree' by Katherine Mansfield.

When P.G. Wodehouse wrote: "It is no use telling me there are bad aunts and good aunts. At the core they are all alike. Sooner or later out pops the cloven hoof." he might as well have been describing poor Francis Flushington's dilemma.

A superb collection of classic short stories showcasing the variety, depth and imagination of great Victorian writers.

Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) was an English novelist and journalist who wrote his comic novels and humorous short stories under the pseudonym F. Anstey.This collection presents six of his most popular and well known tales: 'The Talking Horse', 'The Black Poodle', 'An Undergraduate's Aunt', 'The Gull', 'Caveat Emptor', 'Mrs. Brassington-Claypott's Children's Party'.

Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) was an English novelist and journalist who wrote his comic novels and humorous short stories under the pseudonym F. Anstey. 'At a Moment's Notice' is the amusing tale of a young man who is involved in a cab accident on Pall Mall. When he comes to after the crash, he has mysteriously been transformed into an organ grinder's monkey. His adventures in his new state are extraordinary and hilarious.