Books with author Carol Pentleton

On the evening of Guy Fawkes Night, reddleman Diggory Venn drives slowly across Egdon Heath, carrying a hidden passenger in the back of his van. When darkness falls, the country folk light bonfires on the surrounding hills, emphasizing - not for the last time - the pagan spirit of the heath and its denizens. The Return of the Native, with its deeply flawed heroine and its open acknowledgement of illicit sexual relationships, raised eyebrows when it first appeared as a serial in Victorian Britain. Due to the novel's controversial themes, Thomas Hardy's sixth novel had some difficulty finding a publisher. Eventually, The Return of the Native became one of Hardy's most popular novels. Hardy's choice of themes - sexual politics, thwarted desire, and the conflicting demands of nature and society - makes this a truly modern novel. Underlying these modern themes, however, is a classical sense of tragedy, using as his setting an ancient heath steeped in pre-Christian history. In this original and ingenious book, perceptions are questioned, morals and ethics are up for grabs, and doubt and ambiguity mark its view of human nature itself.

Right Ho, Jeeves is the second full-length novel to feature Wodehouse's most beloved characters, Bertie Wooster and his "gentleman's gentleman," Jeeves. This witty frolic through early 20th century English society features some of Wodehouse's very best writing and one particular scene that is considered a masterpiece of comic literature. Jeeves the mastermind has devised a clever plan by which one Gussie Fink-Nottle, a friend of idler Bertie Wooster, can win the heart of his fair lady. But when Bertie begins to meddle, disaster ensues! Throw in a formidable aunt, an ancient grammar school prize day, and a bit too much liquid cheer, and you have the formula for some of the most delightful reading you will ever encounter. It's just laugh-out-loud funny!

"In which are related the Exciting Experiences of Princess Ozma of Oz, and Dorothy, in their hazardous journey to the home of the Flatheads, and to the Magic Isle of the Skeezers, and how they were rescued from dire peril by the sorcery of Glinda the Good." The threat of war has come to a far corner of Oz, and Ozma and Dorothy undertake a long journey to restore peace. In this, the fourteenth and final Oz book authored by L. Frank Baum, the two dear friends must overcome fearsome magic, war, and imprisonment. And when their situation is gravest, their oldest and dearest friends in Oz form a rescue party! This is a grand adventure that will thrill every fan of Oz of every age.

A charming collection of short wisdom stories about Oz's leading citizens, Little Wizard Stories of Oz includes: The Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger Little Dorothy and Toto Tiktok and the Nome King Ozma and the Little Wizard Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman Wonderful fun to read, and an excellent little resource for storytellers.

Bad enough that schoolboys O'Hara and Moriarty tar and feather a statue of the local M.P. as a prank. But O'Hara "borrowed" a tiny gold cricket bat belonging to Trevor, the captain of the cricket team, and after the escapade he discovers the trinket is missing. Schoolboy honour is at stake, and The Gold Bat tells the tale of the events that followed, including inter-house rugby matches and the appearance of a mysterious society called the League, as Trevor and friends try to get the gold bat back. Early and classic Wodehouse, this is an especially enjoyable read!

"I venture to write again on themes on which great souls have already said greater words, in the hope that I may strike here and there a half-tone, newer even if slighter, up from the heart of my problem and the problems of my people." So W.E.B. Du Bois describes this great and moving work that incorporates memoir, essays, spirituals, and poems. His lucid prose and lyrical poetry articulate and illuminate American racial issues as no other author has ever done. A compilation of Du Bois' previously written works from The Atlantic, the Independent, The Crisis, and The Journal of Race Development, this volume deserves to be read by every American.

It's a damsel in distress! At least that's what George Bevans believes when the lovely Maud Marsh jumps into his taxi. The smitten George finally finds Maud at Belpher Castle, where everything goes immediately awry. Maud's aunt, Lady Caroline Byng, wants Maud to marry Reggie, her step-son. But Maud is in love with an unknown American she met in Wales. In walks George, complete with an American accent, and the wild comedy of errors is on!

"What a go is life!" P. G. Wodehouse's masterfully entertaining tale of life at a British public school is replete with the telling details and closely observed humorous incidents for which the author is famed. A story of cowardice and courage, meanness and compassion, The White Feather follows senior R.D. Sheen through his final term at Wrykyn as he confronts his own weaknesses and claims his own strengths. "The time of this story is a year and a term later than that of The Gold Bat."

"No wise man goes out upon a novel expedition without misgivings. And between their first meeting and the appointed morning both Sir Richmond Hardy and Dr. Martineau were the prey of quite disagreeable doubts about each other, themselves, and the excursion before them. At the time of their meeting each had been convinced that he gauged the other sufficiently for the purposes of the proposed tour. Afterwards each found himself trying to recall the other with greater distinctness and able to recall nothing but queer, ominous and minatory traits." Sir Richard Hardy, an English gentleman, is attempting to sort out his marital problems while he travels the English countryside in the company of a psychiatrist and a lively American girl. Modern psychiatry, delightful companionship through the historic villages of springtime England, and much brilliant discussion ranging over the past and future topics of world-wide significance fill the pages of this atypical Wells novel. The Secret Places of the Heart is a thinly-veiled personal memoir based on the time that H. G. Wells spent with American birth control activist Margaret Sanger. This book was, in many ways, a love letter from Wells to Sanger.

The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is considered to be one of Joseph Conrad's finest novels. Originally published in 1907, the story, set in London in 1886, is considered to be a “prescient” view of the 20th century, foretelling the rise of terrorism, anarchism, and secret organizations, such as MI5 and the CIA. The New York Times writes that it is “the most brilliant novelistic study of terrorism,” and it was ranked the 46th best novel of the 20th century by Modern Library. Because of its terrorist theme, The Secret Agent was noted as “one of the three works of literature most cited in the American media” after September 11, 2001. One of Conrad’s later political works, the novel deals broadly with the notions of anarchism, espionage, exploitation and terrorism, and portrays anarchist or revolutionary groups before many of the social uprisings of the twentieth century.

Possibly the most stunningly original and influential book you've never read, The American Claimant is the precursor to all the screwball romantic comedies, science fiction and fantasy, farce and political satire that followed! A madcap romp through aristocratic Europe and freewheeling America, Twain's tale of a mad scientist overflows with ideas well ahead of their time: terraforming, fax machines, cloning, photocopiers, climate change, and many more. As Twain delves into themes of identity, moral dilemma, and cultural change, his brilliant language sweeps you along on a Monty Pythonesque crazy ride of epic proportions. Replete with some of the author's favorite plot devices - twinship, mistaken identity and role changing - The American Claimant emerges as one of the most extraordinary books in American literature. As the author said, "I think it will simply howl with fun. I wake up in the night laughing." You will, too!

It wasn't Archie's fault really. Its true he went to America and fell in love with Lucille, the daughter of a millionaire hotel proprietor and if he did marry her-well, what else was there to do? From his point of view, the whole thing was a thoroughly good egg; but Mr. Brewster, his father-in-law, thought differently, Archie had neither money nor occupation, which was distasteful in the eyes of the industrious Mr. Brewster; but the real bar was the fact that he had once adversely criticised one of his hotels. Archie does his best to heal the breach; but, being something of an ass, genus priceless, he finds it almost beyond his powers to placate "the man-eating fish" whom Providence has given him as a father-in-law