Showing results by author "William Dean Howells" in All Categories

After spending 11 years in the captivating city of Rome, Annie Kilburn returns to the United States following her fathers passing. Upon her return, she discovers that the home she once knew has transformed in profound ways. As she begins working with sick children, she finds herself forming deep connections with them and with the compassionate minister, Mr. Peck, who supports her journey. (Summary by Stav Nisser)

Join us for a delightful romp through a charming tea party hosted by the endearing Mrs. Amy Somers, a widow surrounded by love and laughter. In this whimsical romantic comedy, Mr. Willis Campbell, a sweet-natured suitor, brings joy and a touch of mischief as he vies for her affection amidst a cast of quirky characters. With twelve short scenes that capture the essence of romance and humor, this story is sure to warm your heart. (Summary by Ruth Golding)

American writer William Dean Howells delights us with his cautiously cynical yet endearing telling of the night before Christmas at the Fountain household. Published in The Daughter of the Storage and Other Things in Prose and Verse in 1916, Howells’ sense of realism and social criticism hides behind the humorous banter between Mr. and Mrs. Fountain, as well as relatives passing by. Raging consumerism, New Year’s resolutions, lovingly marital insults, reflections and memories, and a whole bunch of bathrobes!

Howells’ best-known work and a subtle classic of its time, The Rise of Silas Lapham is an elegant tale of Boston society and manners. After garnering a fortune in the paint business, Silas Lapham moves his family from their Vermont farm to the city of Boston in order to improve his social position. The consequences of this endeavor are both humorous and tragic as the greedy Silas brings his company to the brink of bankruptcy.

This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

Papa was a great storyteller, and his daughter wouldn’t settle for recycled tales. While Papa was not interested in telling stories he was badgered enough to come up with a whopper. Prepare to smile, and to wonder what it would really be like if it were Christmas every day - at least the way we often celebrate it.

William Dean Howells was born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio, of Welch, Irish, and German forebears. Along with Mark Twain, he was one of the great novelists of his time. This book, the realisic saga of the rise and redemptive fall of an American tycoon, is considered to be his best novel.

Editha is a young and very patriotic young landy. Her lover, George, is not quite as enthused about her "my country right or wrong attitude," but she convinces him to join the army to fight a "just" war. The results of this decision are very unexpected and very thought provoking. This is a very powerful story and is more the type of writing one would expect from the Vietnam War era, rather than the end of the Victorian era.

In the wake of the Civil War, William Dean Howells dedicated 15 years to shaping the literary landscape as Assistant Editor and then Editor of the esteemed Atlantic Magazine. Renowned as a prolific novelist, he published Years of My Youth in 1916, offering a poignant reflection on his early years in Ohio. This evocative memoir spans his earliest memories through his twenties, right at the onset of the Civil War. With rich detail, Howells paints a vivid picture of the culture and pressing issues of the 1840s and 1850s in the American Midwest, inviting readers to journey through his formative ...

William Dean Howells (1837-1920) forged a deep friendship with Mark Twain beginning in 1869, when Twain entered The Atlantic Monthlys Boston office to express his gratitude for Howells positive review of *Innocents Abroad*. As Howells later assumed the role of editor, The Atlantic Monthly became a pivotal platform for many of Twains works, including his acclaimed non-fiction piece, *Life on the Mississippi*. In *My Mark Twain*, Howells shares a captivating literary memoir filled with remarkable anecdotes, including their encounters with former President Ulysses Grant, who was then crafting his...

The Pony Engine and the Pacific Express - a wonderful Christmas Story for Children. It was published in Howell's collection, Christmas Every Day and Other Stories Told for Children (1892). This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages.

Before you is a timeless classic that will never cease to warm your heart and fill the long winter evenings with anticipated wonders and merry celebrations. This collection of Christmas stories by famous authors is the best gift for the holidays. These festive stories range from touching and magical to funny and sad. They include the best classic works of literature; whose themes involve the nativity and the magic of Christmas. Prepare yourself to experience true holiday magic and create new Christmas traditions as you read through these classics year after year.

Christmas has arrived! Get comfy and settle down to a collection of cheery Christmas bedtime stories, that will have your child drifting off to a deep slumber to dream about Santa Claus and snow.

Grab yourself a hot chocolate and get cosy for a collection of wintery Christmas stories that will have your little ones dreaming of Santa Claus and his reindeers.

Enchanting, tragic, and hilarious fairy tales for adults and children grace these pages. An initial glance might lead you to assume that these are satirical versions of classic Christmas ghost stories. However, beneath the humorous stories involving ghosts, repentant sinners, miracles, and good peasants who find well-deserved happiness, lies a psychological undercurrent that sharpens the sense of intrigue and plot movement. Often this is aided by the unrelenting social exposure of the authors who always understood how intangible the "bourgeois paradise" truly was.