Huckleberry Finn has just been adopted by the Widow Douglass and her sister, and both are committed to changing Huck's "uncivilized" ways. Clean clothes, good manners, and steady church and school attendance are more than Huck can take. But when he is kidnapped by his drunken father, Huck's return to life without rules doesn't seem much better. He escapes and meets Jim, a runaway slave, and together the two travel the Mississippi River on a raft, heading toward Jim's freedom. This unabridg...

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is described by Wikipedia as “a novel by Mark Twain, first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism. It is told in the first person by Huckleberry "Huck" Finn, the narrator of two other Twain novels (Tom Sawyer Abroad ...

Mark Twain's 'The Complete Works of Mark Twain' is a comprehensive collection that showcases the literary genius of one of America's most beloved authors. Included in this anthology are Twain's iconic novels, such as 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer', as well as his humorous short stories, incisive memoirs, and captivating travel books. Twain's writing style effortlessly blends humor, satire, and social commentary, making his works both entertaining an...

In these more welcome days of equality between the sexes we usually forget that the often cited ‘Gentler Sex’ can have dark and disturbing trains of thought that are more than the equal of their male brethren. Indeed, they can manipulate words in a matter of lines from comforting and loving to dark, foreboding and utterly terrifying. These femme fatales really do create stories that leech vile characters into dark and disturbing quite horrific narratives.

Drawing together the compelling narratives and observations of Frederick Law Olmsted, Fanny Kemble, Charles Ball, and Theodore Dwight Weld, 'Witnesses to the Antebellum South – 4 Classic Slavery History Studies' offers a composite exploration of the antebellum period in America. The anthology paints a vivid picture of the era, capturing the moral, economic, and political complexities of slavery through diverse literary forms, from firsthand accounts to insightful essays. This collection is...

Let’s be clear. We are all equal under the law. However, even in these more modern times that is not an absolute and still remains a distant ambition for many.In the days when Britain ruled the waves and bestrode the world as its policeman and plunderer in chief it also subjugated half of its own people to second class status. Women were chattel and property. There were some exceptions based on wealth and birthright but for the overwhelming majority your lot was to fall in with the...

In "Records of a Girlhood," Fanny Kemble offers an evocative memoir that captures the nuanced emotions and formative experiences of her youth. Written with a lyrical style reminiscent of Romantic literature, the book explores themes of identity, societal constraints, and the pangs of early womanhood. Through vivid imagery and poignant reflections, Kemble portrays her internal struggles amidst the rigid expectations of her upper-class upbringing in early 19th-century England, inviting reade...

"Records of Later Life" by Fanny Kemble is a captivating memoir that offers a glimpse into the life of a remarkable woman in the 19th century. Kemble, an accomplished actress and writer, reflects on her experiences, relationships, and the societal norms of her time. Through her eloquent prose, she shares her thoughts on art, love, and the complexities of her personal life, including her marriage to a Southern plantation owner. Her insights provide a unique perspective on the cultural and s...

"Records of a Girlhood" by Fanny Kemble is a captivating memoir that offers a glimpse into the author's early life and experiences as a young girl. Through her eloquent prose, Kemble reflects on her upbringing, family dynamics, and the societal expectations placed upon women during her time. The narrative is rich with vivid descriptions and emotional depth, allowing readers to connect with her journey of self-discovery and the challenges she faced in a world that often limited women's role...

Autobiographical journal, with first-hand account of slavery in Georgia, first published in 1863. According to Wikipedia: "Frances Anne Kemble (27 November 1809 - 15 January 1893), was a famous British actress and author in the early and mid nineteenth century… In 1834, she retired from the stage to marry an American, Pierce Butler, grandson of the Founding Father Pierce Butler, and heir to a large fortune founded on cotton, tobacco and rice... Butler squandered a fortune estimated at $700...

Eleven centuries ago, an industrious and conscientious historian, desiring to give a record of the establishment of his forefathers in this island, could find no fuller or better account than this: “About the year of Grace 445-446, the British inhabitants of England, deserted by the Roman masters who had enervated while they protected them, and exposed to the ravages of Picts and Scots from the extreme and barbarous portions of the island, called in the assistance of heathen Saxons from th...

As we grow from child to adult we are usually told short stories which soften and help us understand the vital information a story has to impart. It’s a clever concept by saying one thing―many times with an animal protagonist―and meaning another. In adult years these stories continue along the same lines but what they are really saying is that what you see is not always what you get.Words from the pens of Oscar Wilde, Leo Tolstoy, Henry James and others really can illuminate and ex...