Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffman was born on the 24th January 1776, the youngest of three children, in Königsberg, then in Prussia but now part of the Kaliningrad Russian enclave.His parents separated when he was two and for many years life was to be provincial and, despite his talents for the creative arts and the classics, much was passing him by.At 20 Hoffman obtained employment as a clerk and to the art that now surrounded him. Two years later he was in Berlin attempting a...

The Cricket on The Hearth. A Fairy TaleChristmas is always perfect time for holiday and reading classic Christmas Stories. May you be reminded of all the most important thing in your life this christmas. And this wonderful collection brings together of classic christmas stories by Frances Browne, Willa Cather, and E.T.A Hoffman. Enjoy the list, and most of all Merry Christmas to all..Share Joy Happiness to people you care for and get the most of this year Christmas!!Contents:The Christmas ...

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffman was born on the 24th January 1776, the youngest of three children, in Königsberg, then in Prussia but now part of the Kaliningrad Russian enclave.His parents separated when he was two and for many years life was to be provincial and, despite his talents for the creative arts and the classics, much was passing him by.At 20 Hoffman obtained employment as a clerk and to the art that now surrounded him. Two years later he was in Berlin attempting a...

Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffman was born on the 24th January 1776, the youngest of three children, in Königsberg, then in Prussia but now part of the Kaliningrad Russian enclave.His parents separated when he was two and for many years life was to be provincial and, despite his talents for the creative arts and the classics, much was passing him by.At 20 Hoffman obtained employment as a clerk and to the art that now surrounded him. Two years later he was in Berlin attempting a...

An author’s talents may seem obvious and indisputable as they move words and ideas into gathered phrases and stories.But where do these ideas and stories come from? A lonely thought that suddenly gathers form? An inspiration from a Muse? A suggestio

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 ...

The mere placing of these two words together creates a picture and a feeling that dark times are coming. Something evil, perhaps unfathomable, will be launched upon us by an author’s imagination that is sure to bring consequences that may only unsettle but equally may go much, much further than anyone, at first, imagined.

Man has learnt to control his dominion by the use of what initially lay about him; wood and stone for shelter and building as well as resources from the plant and animal worlds over which he slowly obtained dominion. But as he organised into Nations and Empires, he needed more with which to keep the whole machine spinning. Society was growing and consuming more. But many of the richer seams of fuel and minerals lay buried underground. These riches needed exploiting, brought to the surface ...

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 ...

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 ...

A dog may be man’s best friend. It is also one of his worst nightmares. The idea that humans could suddenly present themselves as demonic werewolves can only have come from the deepest, darkest and most diabolical recesses of an author’s mind.In this volume we present a roll-call of classic authors including Rudyard Kipling, Saki, Arthur Conan Doyle, Catherine Crowe and many others who short story by short story establish the building blocks of this horrific yet thrilling genre. He...

Another collection of great classic novellas by superb storytellers:"Pigeons from Hell" by Robert E. Howard"The Cremona Violin" by E. T. A. Hoffman"Pomegranate Seed" by Edith Wharton"Room Number Ten" by Bessie Kyffin-Taylor"The Screaming Skull' by F. Marion Crawford"The Wolf Book" by Henry Chapman Mercer"Absolute Evil" by Julian Hawthorne"The Legend" by Edith Wharton"The Twins" by Bessie Kyffin-Ta...