Books published by publisher A World To The Wise

How to Live on Twenty Four Hours a Day is a classic of self-improvement by Arnold Bennett published in 1910. Although the book is more than one century old, the practical advice and the inspirational ideas that it provides have become much pertinent to twenty-first-century concerns since today most people find themselves in a fatal combat with time. The volume is divided into a number of chapters, each of which offers a series of tips to be followed in order to get the best of one’s twenty four hours and to “live” rather than just “exist.” What has made modern people feel enslaved to time, according to Bennett, is the way the Industrial Revolution has mechanized their lifestyle. They have become like machines reiterating the same things for years and even decades so that they have lost the taste of life. Bennett gives solutions to these modern problems, solution of how to save time and enjoy it, solutions of how to make use of one’s existence. Literature, the arts, history and philosophy are among the tools that help achieve such a goal. For Bennett, one has to keep on reminding himself that time is often more precious than money.

Born in 1797, Mary Shelley’s mother died when she was only 11 days old. Mary was then raised by her Father, who remarried when she was four, and thereafter the young Mary had a liberal but informal upbringing. At 17 she began the relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley which was the bedrock of her life; although society viewed the unmarrieds somewhat differently. It was in this relationship that she nurtured and edited Shelley’s verse and wrote, at 21, her signature work "Frankenstein” for which she is so well known. Her husband drowned when she was 25 which added further to the earlier loss of 3 of her 4 children. Beset with such great tragedy her life remained to be fulfilled but, at only 53, a brain tumour was to take her own life. However she left behind a wonderful collection of works of which The fortune Of Perkin Warbeck is a rich and textured part.

William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939) is best described as Ireland’s national poet in addition to being one of the major twentieth-century literary figures of the English tongue. To many literary critics, Yeats represents the ‘Romantic poet of modernism,’ which is quite revealing about his extraordinary style that combines between the outward emphasis on the expression of emotions and the extensive use of symbolism, imagery and allusions. Yeats also wrote prose and drama and established himself as the spokesman of the Irish cause. His fame was greatly boosted mainly after he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. His life was marked by his many love stories, by his great interest in oriental mysticism and occultism as well as by political engagement since he served as an Irish senator for two terms. Today, although William Butler Yeats’s contribution to literary modernism and to Irish nationalism remains incontestable. Here we publish a collection of his thoughts that capture the very essence of Ireland. And show just why his works are held in such esteem.

Horatio Alger, Jr. was born on January 13, 1832. A prolific American author, who specialised in the ‘rags to riches’ story. He wrote mainly for juveniles during America’s Gilded Age. Stories of impoverished boys rising from humble backgrounds and beginnings to lives fulfilling the American Dream through hard work, honesty and courage. Almost always it is an extraordinary act of honesty or bravery that turns the boy’s life around. For a time he was very successful but as America grew up his own ambitions did not and his new writings were not as able as his earlier ones such as this volume 'Paul The Peddler'

Sherwood Anderson was born on September 13, 1876 in Camden, Ohio. He was pretty much self-educated and his early career was that of a successful copywriter and business owner in both Cleveland and Elyria in Ohio. In November 28th, 1912 he suffered a nervous breakdown. It led to him abandoning both his business and his family to become a writer. Sherwood's first novel, Windy McPherson's Son was published in 1916 as part of a three-book deal. This book, along with his second novel, Marching Men (published in 1917) prepared him for the success and fame he was to find fame with Winesburg, Ohio a collection of interrelated short stories, Winesburg, Ohio (published in 1919). In his memoir, he wrote that "Hands", was the first "real" story he ever wrote. Despite writing further short story collections, novels, plays, essays and poetry as well as a memoir only his novel Dark Laughter, written in 1925, could claim to be a commercial best seller. His influence on the next generation of writers was immense. He not only help to obtain publication for William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway but was an inspiration to writers of the calibre of John Steinbeck and Thomas Wolfe. Sherwood Anderson died on March 8th 1941 at the age of 64. He was taken ill during a cruise to South America and disembarked with his wife for the hospital in Colón, Panama, where he died. An autopsy revealed he had swallowed a toothpick, which had damaged his internal organs and promoted infection. Sherwood's body was returned to the United States, where he was buried at Round Hill Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. His epitaph reads, "Life, Not Death, is the Great Adventure". Here we publish the classic 'The Egg'.

The Purcell Papers is a collection of thirteen short stories by Irish Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu who is also the author of the more famous Uncle Silas and the vampire classic Carmilla. Le Fanu is one of the leading writers of Gothic tales. Along with novelists like Bram Stoker and Robert Louis Stevenson, he has contributed to the second Gothic wave that has developed in the late-Victorian period. Being originally published in Dublin University Magazine, the stories deal with Gothic themes and motifs such as supernatural elements, haunting ghosts, damsels in distress, usurpation, vengeance, Catholic paraphernalia, horror and fear of the unknown. The title of the collection is related to the name of the Catholic priest Rev. Francis Purcell and the stories purport to be found among his personal notes. In stories like The Ghost and the Bone-Setter, The Last Heir of Castle Connor and The Bridal of Carrigvarah, the first-person point of view used by the narrator contributes to the creation of more suspense, charm and horror by making the events appear highly personal and close to the reader.

The Massacre at Paris is a historical play by the celebrated Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe, also the author of the masterpiece Dr. Faustus. It displays the events of the Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre that took place in the French capital in 1572. The gory massacre, which lasted for several weeks, was of a religious aspect. In addition to Parisian Calvinist Protestants, thousands of their coreligionists poured into the city to celebrate a the wedding of one of their leaders when they were violently attacked and exterminated by mobs. The massacre is believed to be planned by French Catholic leaders and resulted in a general atmosphere of religious terror throughout the country. The play also describes the way the Duke of Guise, leader of the Catholic League, was later lured into a trap and assassinated by his Protestant enemies. Although the play is set in the neighboring France, the religious massacre that took place and its connotations were of great importance to Protestant England. Significantly, by the end of Marlowe’s work, an English messenger had to take a letter to Queen Elizabeth from the French King Henry III who had recently converted from Protestantism to Catholicism in order to be crowned.

Harry Sinclair Lewis was born on February 7th, 1885 in the village of Sauk Centre, Minnesota. Throughout his lonely boyhood, the ungainly Lewis—tall, extremely thin, stricken with acne and somewhat pop-eyed—had trouble gaining friends and pined after various local girls. By 13 he had unsuccessfully ran away from home, in an attempt to become a drummer boy in the Spanish-American War. In late 1902 Lewis left home for a year at Oberlin Academy to qualify for acceptance by Yale University. While at Oberlin, he developed a religious enthusiasm that waxed and waned for much of his remaining teenage years. He entered Yale in 1903 but did not receive his bachelor's degree until 1908, having taken time off to work at Helicon Home Colony, Upton Sinclair's cooperative-living colony in Englewood, New Jersey, and to travel to Panama. Lewis's unprepossessing looks, "fresh" country manners and seemingly self-importance made it difficult for him to win and keep friends but a number of students and professors made the effort, some of whom recognized his promise as a writer. Lewis's earliest published creative work—romantic poetry and short sketches—appeared in the Yale Courant and the Yale Literary Magazine, of which he became an editor. After graduation Lewis moved location and jobs constantly in an effort to make ends meet whilst writing fiction for publication. In working for newspapers and publishing houses he developed a knack for churning our short popular stories for a variety of magazines. It was a very popular choice for writers whilst engaged on the gestation of the Great American novel. He also earned money by selling plots to Jack London, including one for the latter's unfinished novel The Assassination Bureau, Ltd. Lewis's first published book was Hike and the Aeroplane, a Tom Swift-style pot-boiler that appeared in 1912 under the pseudonym Tom Graham. By 1914 the first of his serious works was published - Our Mr. Wrenn: The Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man, followed the following year by The Trail of the Hawk: A Comedy of the Seriousness of Life, and in 1917, The Job. That same year also saw the publication of another pot-boiler, The Innocents: A Story for Lovers, an expanded version of a serial story that had originally appeared in Woman's Home Companion. Free Air, another refurbished serial story, was published in 1919. In 1930, he became the first author from the United States to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, which was awarded "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters." Sinclair Lewis died in Rome on January 10, 1951, aged 65, from advanced alcoholism. His cremated remains were buried in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Little Lord Fauntleroy is a children’s classic novel that demonstrates how little children can affect the behavior of the adults surrounding them. The events revolve around the character of a young American named Cedric. His English father married his American mother in spite of his aristocratic family’s disapproval of such a relation. Cedric’s family lived in poverty in one of New York’s popular neighborhoods and after the death of his father they received news from England informing them that Cedric is now heir to his grandfather’s Earldom and wealth. The grandfather wants Cedric to move to England and to learn to be a nobleman. Yet, unexpectedly, when Cedric comes to live with him in his estate, the grandfather discovers a young man of incredible gentlemanly manners, modesty and wisdom. The Earl then starts to change his mind about Cedric’s mother and to give up his old prejudices. Cedric indirectly teaches him to become a benefactor and to flood the poor and the needy with aids and gifts. Cedric’s mother is eventually invited to live in the Earl’s castle. The Earl learns that the nobility that he has always believed in and venerated actually lies in actions.

In this volume we venture to the East. To met a poet and novelist who speaks a common language of love and mysticism which continues to convey valuable insights into universal themes in contemporary society.Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) who was a gifted Bengali Renaissance man, distinguishing himself as a philosopher, social and political reformer and a popular author in all literary genres. He was instrumental in an increased freedom for the press and influenced Gandhi and the founders of modern India. He composed hundreds of songs which are still sung today as they include the Indian and Bangladesh’s national anthems. His prolific literary life has left a legacy of quality novels, essays and in this volume he speaks of Nationalism in various territories. His work and artistry earned him the distinction of being the first Asian writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.Many of his poems are also available as an audiobook from our sister company Portable Poetry as well as ebooks of stories and essays. Many samples are at our youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PortablePoetry?feature=mhee The full volume of poems can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores. Among our readers are Shyama Perera and Ghizela RoweIndex Of ContentsNationalism In The WestNationalism In JapanNationalism In IndiaThe Sunset Of The CenturyRabindranath Tagore – A Biography

Sherwood Anderson was born on September 13, 1876 in Camden, Ohio. He was pretty much self-educated and his early career was that of a successful copywriter and business owner in both Cleveland and Elyria in Ohio. In November 28th, 1912 he suffered a nervous breakdown. It led to him abandoning both his business and his family to become a writer. Sherwood's first novel, Windy McPherson's Son was published in 1916 as part of a three-book deal. This book, along with his second novel, Marching Men (published in 1917) prepared him for the success and fame he was to find fame with Winesburg, Ohio a collection of interrelated short stories, Winesburg, Ohio (published in 1919). In his memoir, he wrote that "Hands", was the first "real" story he ever wrote. Despite writing further short story collections, novels, plays, essays and poetry as well as a memoir only his novel Dark Laughter, written in 1925, could claim to be a commercial best seller. His influence on the next generation of writers was immense. He not only help to obtain publication for William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway but was an inspiration to writers of the calibre of John Steinbeck and Thomas Wolfe. Sherwood Anderson died on March 8th 1941 at the age of 64. He was taken ill during a cruise to South America and disembarked with his wife for the hospital in Colón, Panama, where he died. An autopsy revealed he had swallowed a toothpick, which had damaged his internal organs and promoted infection. Sherwood's body was returned to the United States, where he was buried at Round Hill Cemetery in Marion, Virginia. His epitaph reads, "Life, Not Death, is the Great Adventure". Here we publish the classic 'Winesburg, Ohio.'

Gertrude Stein was born near Pittsburgh, PA to affluent Jewish parents, Daniel and Amelia Stein on 3rd February 1874. Gertrude attended Harvard and was a student of imminent psychologist William James who declared her his best ever female student and there she began to write in a style very much like a stream of consciousness. In Paris she and her brother Leo became great collectors of Modern art before an acrimonious split. Always the darling of creative society she now decamped to live with her lover Alice. By 1932 she had achieved best-seller fame and continued to nurture and inspire young writers. However she remained in Europe during the War and this led to great disappointment amongst both her friends and enemies. Her work still continues to ignite controversy which is perhaps part of her lasting legacy. Gertrude Stein died on 27th July, 1946 and is buried in Paris.