Writing at the dawn of the 19th century, E.T.A. Hoffmann was, in many ways, the father of modern horror. This collection of some of his best work offers tales of vampirism, ghosts, sorcery, extrasensory perception, and a deadly family dispute over inheritance money. Settings include a cemetery, a haunted castle, and a seemingly abandoned old house. Hoffmann's work often even foresaw the age of weird fiction. In this collection, lost primordial worlds dangerously reveal themselves in the fo...

E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King' is a classic Christmas tale that combines elements of fantasy, adventure, and romance. Set in a magical world of toys that come to life, the story follows young Marie and her beloved Nutcracker as they battle the sinister Mouse King. Hoffmann's intricate storytelling, filled with vivid imagery and imaginative twists, creates a captivating narrative that has enchanted readers for generations. The book's literary style, characterized by w...

"Strange man, how can you have eyes for sale? Eyes? Eyes?" 'The disturbing tale of a young man's obsession with the Sandman, stealer of eyes, which has inspired writers from Sigmund Freud to Neil Gaiman.One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - i...

This carefully crafted ebook: “The Nutcracker and The Mouse King” is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents.The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (German: Nussknacker und Mausekönig) is a story written in 1816 by E. T. A. Hoffmann in which young Marie Stahlbaum's favorite Christmas toy, the Nutcracker, comes alive and, after defeating the evil Mouse King in battle, whisks her away to a magical kingdom populated by dolls.Content:Christ...

The original story that inspired the Tchaikovsky ballet, The Nutcracker is a magical story of one little girl's decent into a dream-like world where the diabolical Mouse King rules… Best known as the inspiration for Tchaikovsky's ballet, The Nutcracker is a charming book in its own right. Full of magic and childish wonder, this coming-of-age novella by E.T.A. Hoffmann has something for everyone: beautiful dolls, ferocious battles and dark undertones. It truly has all the elements of a fair...

Tomcat Murr is a loveable, self-taught animal who has written his own autobiography. But a printer's error causes his story to be accidentally mixed and spliced with a book about the composer Johannes Kreisler. As the two versions break off and alternate at dramatic moments, two wildly different characters emerge from the confusion - Murr, the confident scholar, lover, carouser and brawler, and the moody, hypochondriac genius Kreisler. In his exuberant and bizarre novel, Hoffmann brilliant...

This selection of Hoffmann's finest short stories vividly demonstrates his intense imagination and preoccupation with the supernatural, placing him at the forefront of both surrealism and the modern horror genre. Suspense dominates tales such as Mademoiselle de Scudery, in which an apprentice goldsmith and a female novelist find themselves caught up in a series of jewel thefts and murders. In the sinister Sandman, a young man's sanity is tormented by fears about a mysterious chemist, while...

E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is far darker, stranger, and more psychologically suggestive than the familiar ballet it inspired. Framed as a Christmas tale, it follows young Marie Stahlbaum as her gifted nutcracker becomes entangled in a nocturnal war with the seven-headed Mouse King. Hoffmann blends domestic realism, fairy-tale metamorphosis, grotesque fantasy, and Romantic irony, creating a work that belongs firmly to German Romanticism's fascination with childhood ...

A Christmas Carol por Charles DickensThe Little Prince por Antoine De Saint-ExupéryThe Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe por Daniel DefoeThe Secret Garden por Frances Hodgson BurnettThe Ice-Maiden and Other Tales por Hans Christian AndersenFive Children and It por Edith NesbitThe Adventures of Pinocchio por C. CollodiThe Nursery Al...

Science fiction, whose roots go back to ancient times, is related to fantasy, horror, and superhero fiction, and includes many subgenres. Science fiction have become popular and influential over much of the world. Besides providing entertainment, it can also criticize present-day society, and is often said to generate a "sense of wonder". Enjoy these seven classic science fiction short stories selected by the critic August Nemo: - A Thousand Deaths by Jack London - A Martian Odyssey by Sta...

E.T.A. Hoffmann's 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King' is a classic fairy tale that weaves together elements of fantasy and magic. This enchanting story follows a young girl named Clara who receives a nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmeier and embarks on a magical journey to defeat the Mouse King. Hoffmann's narrative style is rich in vivid imagery and fantastical elements, blending the real world with the supernatural. This famous tale has inspired countless adaptations, most notably t...

Hoffmann's classic Christmas fairy tale, immortalised by Tchaikovsky's ballet, is brought to life by the gorgeous contemporary artwork of Finnish illustrator, Sanna Annuka.On Christmas Eve, Fritz and Marie excitedly await the arrival of Godfather Drosselmeier and the marvellous gifts he brings for them every year. When Marie discovers a curious nutcracker doll among the presents, she suddenly finds herself caught up in an age-old battle before being transported to a magical world o...