Books published by publisher Aegypan

Little Women and Good Wives introduced Jo March as a fifteen-year-old tomboy. Little Men found her married, and running a school for boys. Jo's Boys opens ten years later and the boys are young men with careers and not-such-little women to discover. Nat, who could play the fiddle, is a violinist; Dan still gets into trouble. The story catches up with all the "little men" -- and Jo, as well. Sections of Jo's Boys follow the travels of former students who have deep emotional ties to Plumfield and the Bhaers. Professor Bhaer's nephew Emil is now a sailor, and takes off on his first voyage as second mate. Dan seeks his fortune in the West and ends up in jail. Nat begins a musical career in Europe that takes him away from Daisy. Alcott tips her hand here: Jo is a version of the author herself. Jo's writing brings her "gold and glory." Fame is a fleeting nuisance, she learns, but the money allows her to do the most she can for the people around her. Alcott even steps in front of the curtain to wonder if the story shouldn't end with something huge -- "melodramatic" -- an earthquake! But, no, it ends the way it should. And as readers continue to find new delights in Jo's story, it never ends at all.

The Phantom of the Opera is the most famous work of French author Gaston Leroux. Far darker than the stories familiar to audiences of today from the phenomenally successful Broadway musical and the early Lon Chaney, Jr. film, Leroux's Fantom is a genuine murderer, and the story, a true Gothic murder/horror tale.Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, terrorizes the Opera Garnier (or Paris Opera House) by a successful multi-year blackmail plot. When new owners take over the Opera, Erik's reign of terror is abruptly curtailed. With this threat to his formerly comfortable living, and his budding, if bizarre relationship with the lovely soprano Christine Daée, coming to a halt, Erik takes drastic and murderous action.More complex, and far darker than the Broadway musical and film, some have criticized Leroux's novel for its deliberate Nineteenth century pace, and its talkiness. Others have found it fascinating and absorbing reading, with depths not to be found in the later, extraordinarily popular adaptations.

Grandfather Frog has a hard time keeping a straight face -- for Buster Bear has outsmarted that rash Little Joe Otter! But then along comes Farmer Brown's boy, and --'Twas just a sudden odd surprise Made Farmer Brown's boy's hair to rise!And now who's outsmarting whom?Readers will take joy as their familiar friends -- Billy Mink, Blacky the Crow, Jerry Muskrat, and Sammy Jay -- tangle and cavort in the magical woodland of Thornton Burgess.

De Profundis (Latin: "from the depths") is a letter written by Oscar Wilde during his imprisonment in Reading Gaol, to "Bosie" (Lord Alfred Douglas).De Profundis does not resemble any of the other works that made Wilde famous; and it's a work that often seems to make critics uncomfortable. Perhaps justly so: in the end it's a response to Wilde's imprisonment for homosexuality. In our modern context, that makes the work easy to look away from -- but it also speaks to things that concern and disturb many people, even today.

Eight Cousins (1875) is a happy story about a sad girl, thirteen-year-old Rose Campbell. Orphaned and weak, Rose is on the verge of tears in the book's first glimpse. She is a "low-spirited butterfly," as author Louisa May Alcott describes her. But Rose has big surprises coming -- for one, the appearance of her seven boy cousins of "all ages, all sizes." Another is the supposed boy-hater's discovery of how much she likes this "flock of tall lads," and even their bagpipes. The arrival of Rose's unconventional guardian, Uncle Alec, sets the stage for a summer of fun and learning. Alcott hides the book's lessons is a whirl of big-family commotion, but she is ever the moralist. Eight Cousins teaches Rose (and Alcott's readers) to eat right, exercise, and be ready to sacrifice for the sake of friendship. Rose's birthday signals a new beginning for the once-pensive little girl -- and one more surprise: that Rose might feel more than friendship for one boy in particular.

In the years since the end of The Princess and the Goblin, Curdie has managed to convince himself that the supernatural events of that tale were products of his wild imagination. But then events draw him back to Grandmother -- that is, Mother Wotherwop, Princess Irene's great-great-great-grandmother, the Lady of the Silver Moon -- and Curdie regains his innocence and his faith. The Lady sends him on a quest to help the king and princess confound their enemies -- and save the kingdom!

Baum dedicated the book to the otherwise-unknown "Judith of Randolph, Massachusetts" — most likely one of the child readers who corresponded with the author. In The Sea Fairies, the famous author of the Oz books takes us on an adventure to a fairyland -- one to be found deep below the rolling waves of the ocean! Note: this isn't generally considered an Oz book, and you'd be hard pressed to find a mention of Oz in these pages. But in later books Baum wrote characters from this and other books into his Oz titles -- which makes these Oz series books, after a fashion.

THE RETURN OF DANTESHis world had been turned upside down.In 1815 Edmond Dantes, a young sailor, returned to Marseilles with great expectations.But Dantes' shipmate Danglars wanted his new captaincy. And a man named Fernand wanted the gorgeous Mercedes, his fiancé.After Fernand and Danglars wrote a note accusing Edmond of conspiring in a plot to bring the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte back from Elbe. Edmond was arrested on his wedding day and taken before a political turncoat named Villefort.To cover up his own reputation, Villefort had the accused Edmond Dantes imprisoned in the dungeons of Château D'If.But in prison Dantes met and befriended an Italian abbé who educated him and then, in death, helped him escape with a fabulous secret of a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo.Now, rich and posing as the Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes returns to France --To seek revenge!

"No, Mother, Lilia was really keen on going to Italy!" said Philip, finding the situation full of whimsical romance. There was something half attractive, half repellent in the thought of this vulgar woman journeying to places he loved and revered. But why should she not be transfigured by her journeys? The same had happened to the Goths!When a man or woman is "neither well-bred, nor well-connected, nor handsome, nor clever, nor rich," what chance does he or she have for success, in turn-of-the-century England -- at least in that portion of London society almost ridiculously proper and well-behaved? The Philistines, the vulgar, the ones talented in making absurd impressions when in public . . . could they do well for themselves? Horrid thought!

Mrs. Bird thought, as the Christmas music floated in upon her gentle sleep, that she had slipped into heaven with her new baby, and that angels were bidding them welcome. But the tiny bundle by her side stirred a little, though it was scarcely more than the ruffling of a feather; and she awoke, drew the baby closer, and listened to the voices outside brimming with joy: "Carol, brothers, carol, Carol joyfully, Carol the good tidings, Carol merrily!" "Why, my baby," whispered Mrs. Bird in soft surprise, "I had forgotten what day it was. You are a little Christmas child, and we will name you 'Carol' -- mother's little Christmas Carol!"Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856-1923), author of such works as Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Penelope's English Experiences and A Village Stradivarius, was one of America's most popular writers of books for young people.

The change of color is likely and a difference a very little difference is prepared. Sugar is not a vegetable. -- Gertrude Stein Gertrude Stein wrote many odd and peculiar texts and this work -- Tender Buttons -- is among the best known of them. Stein's wonderful and peculiar approach to the language seems to focus on sounds and rhythms rather than the sense of words. Abandoning the sense of things, it's said, she attempted to capture "moments of consciousness," independent of time and memory. That may and may not be the case, but over the years, this and many similar works have been described by critics as a "feminist reworking of patriarchal language." We don't know about that, but we do like the work, just as we like Stein.

The hero of the sun-drenched hours, he looks godlike with his golden hair aglow in the sun as he hunts the wild beasts of field and wood. Yet as the light flees at the onset of evening, his self-assurance and bravado fade with the light . . . and he finds himself beset by terrors he cannot reign. Then he discovers solace, in that terrifying night -- for within the depths of his fears he encounters a strange, beautiful creature who offers him comfort -- a girl, who is as much a creature of the dark hours as he is of sunlit days. Watching over both their lives is red-haired witch Watho -- who with guilt and malice in her heart first cares for the two youths -- then jealously plots their destruction!