George MacDonald, described by W.H. Auden as "one of the most remarkable writers of the 19th century", was valued in his own time as an original thinker and spiritual guide. Of all his writing, it is the fairy tales that have retained their fascination, and this collection includes all 11 stories. The fairy tales feature the stock characters of traditional tales—fairies both good and bad, and children undertaking precarious journeys. Often adopting paradox and nonsense as Lewis Carroll did, the stories invite adults to deploy the same open-mindedness as children.

Facing Death - A Tale of the Coal Mines is a story with a purpose. It is intended to show that a lad who makes up his mind firmly and resolutely will rise in life, and he who is prepared to face toil and ridicule and hardship to carry out his determination, is sure to succeed. The hero of the story is a typical British boy; dogged, earnest, generous, and though “shame-faced” to a degree, is ready to face death in the discharge of duty. This hero, an orphan named Jack Simpson, at the age of about 10, begins work in the coal mines.

Out on the Pampas was the exciting story overheard by a friend who encouraged Mr. Henty to have it published, launching his amazing career as "The Boys' Own Historian." In the mid-1800s, the Hardy family relocates to Argentina, joining other British settlers trying to start a better life for themselves in a new land. They face many obstacles and perils in this rugged lifestyle: surveying, building, planting, raising animals, and fighting off attacks from the natives.

In the Heart of the Rockies is packed with adventure! In 1860, 16-year-old Tom Wade leaves England for the American Far West to find his uncle and to improve his family fortunes. Arriving at the small western outpost of Denver to mine for gold, he soon encounters Native American warriors, takes part in big-game hunts, and learns how to survive a frigid mountain winter with nothing but resourcefulness and perseverance.

Frank Norris, accused of theft and unable to prove his innocence, leaves for excitement and adventure in the California gold fields of 1850s America. He sails the Atlantic, braves a storm while working as a barge man on the Mississippi, survives an Indian attack while crossing the plains with a caravan, strikes it rich in the California gold mines, and is finally able to clear his name and return to England to claim his rightful inheritance.

Bring history back to life through Jim Hodges' historically accurate, exciting, and edifying audio recordings. The conquest of the Aztec Empire by Hernando Cortez and a mere handful of Spaniards is one of the greatest romances of history. A writer of fiction would scarcely have dared to invent so improbable a story, but it is true. Fortunately Cortez was able to ally himself with many peoples conquered by the Aztecs who were all too happy to assist in their downfall.

The 1660s were a time of turmoil in England: Cromwell had been defeated and Charles II, who was sympathetic to the Catholics, was restored to the throne; the Dutch declared war on England; the Plague raged; and the Great Fire of London destroyed half the city! Our hero, Cyril, at the death of his father Sir Aubrey Shenstone, inherits nothing except his father's title, and works as a bookkeeper for various London tradesmen.

In 1381, Wat, the Tyler, and the peasants he represented urged of the king of England that serfdom should be abolished, the right of all to market their goods publicly should be allowed, the price of good land should not be over four pennies an acre, and that all past offenses should be pardoned. Instead of presenting their requests in a respectful manner, they took to the streets of East Anglia, Kent, and London. Although their demands were certainly reasonable, their methods were not.

Harry Sandwith, a Westminster boy, becomes a resident at the chateau of a French marquis. After various adventures he accompanies the family to Paris at the height of the French Revolution. Imprisonment and death reduce their number, and Harry finds himself beset by perils with the three young daughters of the house in his charge. After narrow escapes they reach Nantes. There the girls are condemned to death in the coffin ships, but are saved by the unfailing courage of their young protector.

Won by the Sword describes the conclusion of the Thirty Years’ War (1640s) recounting the years after the deaths of generals Gustavus Adolphus and Wallenstein when France took the lead in the struggle. The appointment of young Hector Campbell, orphaned son of a Scottish captain, as an aide in the household of the French General Turenne marks the beginning of a series of adventures that includes battles, captures and escapes, a meeting with Mazarin, and high honors and awards for his prowess and bravery in battle.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone? Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.

The 13 chapters of The Art of War, each devoted to one aspect of warfare, were compiled by the high-ranking Chinese military general, strategist, and philosopher Sun-Tzu. In spite of its battlefield specificity, The Art of War has found new life in the modern age, with leaders in fields as wide and far-reaching as world politics, human psychology, and corporate strategy finding valuable insight in its timeworn words.

Who is Audrey Hoedemaker? It's a question her sister Maureen has heard more times than she can count, and she doesn't know what the short answer would be. Little sister, troubled teen, backpacker, musical theatre coach, con artist, childcare worker. Murderer. A tragic, traumatic childhood casts a long shadow on the Hoedemaker sisters. Maureen has worked hard to move beyond the violence of the past and build a good, honest life for herself. Audrey, however, just can't seem to do the same, careening from one state of chaos to another.

When I was a little girl, I dreamed a handsome knight would come and rescue me from my wretched mother. He'd ride up on his white steed and break the curse I've been fated to carry since the day I was born. Funny how things changed over time, how the fairytale twisted into something far more crooked—and darker—than I ever imagined. In reality, my knight is scarred and broken, living alone in a castle of bones that overlooks the sea. He isn’t searching for me. He never was.

Academy Award nominee Rachel McAdams stars in Mary Jane, a poignant and intimate drama following a single mother’s journey caring for her chronically ill young son. Set in New York City, the play unfolds in two parts—Mary Jane's small Queens apartment and a pediatric hospital. With unflinching honesty and unexpected humor, we witness Mary Jane's tireless devotion, her interactions with medical professionals, and her struggle to maintain her sense of self.

Two little girls stand with their heads bowed in my living room. I’m told they’re my granddaughters. Daisy is nine, and Alice seven. Daisy is the spitting image of her mother. This is the first time I’ve met them since my daughter and I fell out after she married that waste of space, Vince. They’ve come to live with me because their mother — my daughter — was murdered. In her own home while they slept close by. I think Vince killed her. But the police can’t prove it. I’ve always known he was no good. He treated my daughter like dirt. I said he’d cheat on her — but she wouldn’t listen.

As Charly struggles to recover from her brain injury, she begins to realize that the events of that fateful night are trapped in the damaged right side of her brain. Now, she must put the jigsaw pieces together to discover the identity of the man who tried to kill her...before he finishes the job he started.

Traumatized by the bombing of Dresden at the time he had been imprisoned, Pilgrim drifts through all events and history, sometimes deeply implicated, sometimes a witness. He is surrounded by Vonnegut's usual large cast of continuing characters (notably here the hack science fiction writer Kilgore Trout and the alien Tralfamadorians, who oversee his life and remind him constantly that there is no causation, no order, no motive to existence).

Original cast members from the beloved TV series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reunite for an all-new adventure about connections that never die—even if you bury them. A decade has passed since the epic final battle that concluded Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV). The game-changing spell that gave power to all potential Slayers persists. With new Slayers constantly emerging, things are looking grim for the bad guys.

Hannibal was a great and skillful general who defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannae, and all but took Rome.

In a time of chaos and Viking onslaught, Alfred the untested Saxon king must fight to save his ravished land. The tale unfurls through the eyes of a young thane, Edmond, who becomes Alfred's friend and mightiest warrior. When Danes over run the land and the Saxons capitulate, this young knight trains and leads a devoted corps of pike-men to recapture the kingdom.

Won by the Sword describes the conclusion of the Thirty Years’ War (1640s) recounting the years after the deaths of generals Gustavus Adolphus and Wallenstein when France took the lead in the struggle. The appointment of young Hector Campbell, orphaned son of a Scottish captain, as an aide in the household of the French General Turenne marks the beginning of a series of adventures that includes battles, captures and escapes, a meeting with Mazarin, and high honors and awards for his prowess and bravery in battle.

The Saxons and Vikings fought many fierce battles in Britain in the eighth and ninth centuries. During the struggle, 23-year-old Alfred ascended the throne and temporarily beat back the pagan hordes and concluded a peace treaty. Following another war in 878, peace was again achieved; the Danish King Guthrum accepted Christianity and withdrew to East Anglia, and Alfred the Great fortified cities, built a navy, codified laws, and revived learning among the Saxons until his death in AD 900. The hero is a Saxon thane named Edmund who joins the forces of King Alfred.

In 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia. Two brothers, diligent Frank and carefree Julian, end up on different sides of the conflict! Napoleon’s army of 500,000 defeat the Russians at Smolensk and Borodino, but wait too long after entering a deserted Moscow for Russia’s capitulation, which never comes. Retreat is the only option and a mere fifth of the army survive. Frank and Julian meet in Moscow under unexpected circumstances; one as the aid-de-camp to Sir Robert Wilson, the other having rescued the child of a Russian nobleman.

This classic story of adventure during the Scottish war for independence follows the exploits of young Archie Forbes as he fights in defense of his family and his nation. Archie crosses paths with such iconic figures of Scottish history as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce in Henty's beloved historical fiction title. This edition includes the full, unabridged text of In Freedom's Cause. In addition, it includes clear yet extensive discussion questions and study tools to help readers more easily understand this classic text.

Facing Death - A Tale of the Coal Mines is a story with a purpose. It is intended to show that a lad who makes up his mind firmly and resolutely will rise in life, and he who is prepared to face toil and ridicule and hardship to carry out his determination, is sure to succeed. The hero of the story is a typical British boy; dogged, earnest, generous, and though “shame-faced” to a degree, is ready to face death in the discharge of duty. This hero, an orphan named Jack Simpson, at the age of about 10, begins work in the coal mines.

A match at bowls was being played in which Drake and other high officers of the fleet were engaged, when a small armed vessel was seen running before the wind into Plymouth Harbor, with all sails set. Her commander landed in haste, and eagerly sought the place where the English lord admiral and his captains were standing. He was master of a Scottish privateer, and he told the English officers that he had that morning seen the Spanish Armada off the Cornish coast.

Owen Glendower, angered by the usurpation of the English throne by Henry IV, carried fire and slaughter to the Welsh counties, capturing most of the strong places held by the English and foiling three invasions led by the king himself.

The sacred cat of Bubastes has accidentally been slain; now young Chebron must pay for the offense with his own life, as this is the law of the Pagans in Egypt, 1250 BC. Chebron, the son of a high Egyptian priest, flees for his life taking his sister Mysa, one of the household slaves Amuba, and several companions with him.

See the life of an American cowboy through the eyes of a young English man. The story begins in a mining town in California but quickly moves to England, where we meet our hero, young Hugh. A calamity at home sends Hugh to America, and as he makes his living as a cowboy, he also learns how to be a man.

Australia in the 1830s was a wild place. Reuben Whitney, escaping an inaccurate perception of him in England, enjoys an adventurous passage aboard the Paramatta, and sails "down under." Joining the police force, he makes his mark in conflicts with the Aborigines and Bushrangers. Finally, he saves the life of a squire's daughter who has emigrated to Australia following her father's financial ruin. This story is filled with adventure, close calls, and historical information about the early days of Australia!

The Battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, the Declaration of Independence, Washington crossing the Delaware, Saratoga, and the final surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown - these are the scenes that stir the soul of many an American. But to an Englishman, they do no such thing. This Henty novel retells these stirring tales, but from a different perspective, helping listeners learn how the other side viewed this miraculous triumph of freedom that inspires millions throughout the world still today.

From 1413-1415 the butcher’s guild, otherwise known as the “White Hoods” of Paris, kept that city in a state of near anarchy. With a mad king, a virtual civil war between the houses of Orleans and Burgundy, and King Henry V of England claiming the French throne, there is plenty of opportunity for Guy Aylmer, a squire to Sir Eustace de Villeroy, to show his mettle in many a skirmish, finally winning his spurs at the lopsided victory of the English over the French at the Battle of Agincourt on October 25, 1415.

G.A. Henty novels are highly researched as well as drawn from his first-hand experiences of people, places, and events. No portion of English history is more crowded with great events than the 100 Years’ War from 1337-1453 under King Edward III and his son, the “Black Prince.” The Battles of Cressy and Poitiers; the destruction of the Spanish fleet; the plague of the Black Death; and the Jacquerie rising are vividly related in this historically accurate adventure novel.