There is something about the number 3.The Ancient Greeks believed 3 was the perfect number, and in China 3 has always been a lucky number, and they know a thing or two.Most religions also have 3 this and 3 that and, of course, in these more modern times, three’s a crowd may be too many, except when it’s a ménage à trois. It seems good things usually come in threes.Whatever history and culture says WE think 3, a hat-trick of stories, is a great number to explore them...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

In 'The Greatest Russian Short Stories & Plays,' readers are presented with an illustrious collection that encapsulates the profound depth and diverse aesthetics of Russian literature. This anthology spans a host of genres and styles—from the intense psychological drama of the short story to the grand social critique inherent in playwriting. Central themes of existential angst, moral dilemma, and societal observation are reflected within this rich compendium, offering a panoramic view of R...

Ignaty Nikolayevich Potapenko (December 30, 1856 – May 17, 1929), was a Russian writer and playwright.Potapenko was born in the village of Fyodorovka, Kherson Governorate, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) where his father was a priest. Potapenko studied at Odessa University, and at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. His first works were tales of Ukrainian life. He's best known for his novel A Russian Priest (1890), published in Vestnik Evropy (Herald of Europe). His wor...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

The anthology 'The Greatest Russian Short Stories & Plays' encapsulates the quintessential elements of Russian literature through a diverse array of genres and themes, from the introspective to the absurd, the tragic to the comedic. This collection comprises a profound tapestry of narratives and dialogues that traverse the human condition, society, and morality, showcasing the distinctive range of Russian writing. With tales and dramas that evoke the ethos of a nation at different cultural...

Christmas is the most magical holiday for every adult and child. On that Christmas day, none of the friends even thought that an unusual key, which was accidentally found by the dog George, would lead little Kathy and Leo on the path of exciting adventures and trips to fairy lands. Our brave heroes, along with a Christmas elf named Bo, travel thousands of miles in a magical sleigh to deliver the magical key to the Book of Good Deeds to Santa Claus' house at the North Pole. This fairy tale ...

Throughout the long centuries of human history is the want, and the need, to share information, to exchange ideas and for that knowledge and experience, for curiosity and learning, to be the basis of a civil society.In literature the ambition is much narrower. In order to be known, to be popular, you had to be published. And for that people had to know you existed and your ideas worth reading. Obviously for most of humanity’s time people couldn’t read and texts couldn’t be publishe...

Ignaty Nikolayevich Potapenko was born on 30th December 1856 in the village of Fyodorovka in the Kherson Governorate of what was then the Russian Empire.After an education that included studying at the Odessa University and the St Petersburg Conservatory Potapenko began his literary career, at first in tales detailing the lives of those Ukrainians all around him.His undoubted talent soon took his canon beyond short stories to include both novels and plays.I N Potape...

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?The theme ...

In this series we turn the pages of classic short stories to put together the literary building blocks of how a particular genre or theme began, how it built its foundations to become the well-loved and well-worn genre that it is today.Do authors have the same ideas at more or less the same time? Or can they sniff out an opportunity as to which way the tastes of an audience are moving.Success undoubtedly builds success and in literary terms we can more politely say that imi...