A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle chapter 8 On The Great Alkali Plain by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Part 2 opens on a Dry desert in the state of Utah in 1847. A starving, parched man appears on a mountain hoping to spot some water. Finding none, he sits down and lays his sack on the dirt where a little girl falls out. The man tells her that everyone that was in their party died on their journey through the desert, and now they will probably die too. The girl prays and seems to be happy about seeing her mother again. The man and the girl fall asleep and shortly afterwards a huge caravan of travelers and wagons appear on the plain below them. A young man spies a pink ribbon fluttering in the air and a group goes to investigate, where they find the girl and man. The man awakens and introduces himself as John Ferrier, he claims the girl as his adopted daughter, and then men take them to their caravan. Ferrier realises that they are Mormons, fleeing persecutions in their old home state. Brigham Young, their elder, offers Ferrier and his daughter refuge, provided that they learn, and adopt the Mormon testaments.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde chapter 4, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: A month goes by, Dorian has grown closer to Lord Henry. He is waiting for him to come home, and discusses music with Lord Henry's wife, Victoria. When his friend finally comes home, Dorian eagerly tells him that he has fallen in love. The girl, called Sibyl Vane, is an actress who plays all of Shakespeare's heroines in cheap London theatre. Dorian goes to explain that he came upon the place while acting on Lord Henry's advice to "know everything about life." Despite the look of the place, he felt compelled to go in, and found everything to be foul except for Sibyl, who instantly charmed him. Several trips to the theatre later, the foul owner asked Dorian if he wished to meet Sibyl, who was charmed by the attentions of such a handsome gentleman. She refers to him as Prince Charming. Amused by this development, Lord Henry agrees to go to the theatre with Dorian the next day to see the girl play in Romeo and Juliet. Basil is to join them, and has also sent his portrait to Dorian. After leaving, Lord Henry muses on his influence over the boy, fascinated at the psychology of other human beings. He then dresses and goes out to dine. He comes home late to find a telegram from Dorian announcing his engagement to Sibyl Vane.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde chapter 3, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Soon after he meets Dorian Gray, Lord Henry visits his uncle, Lord Fermor, to see what he can tell him about Dorian's history and family. Fermor describes how beautiful Dorian's mother was, and goes on to tell a gruesome tale of hitman for hire when Dorian's mother ran off with a pauper instead of a noble. Dorian's mother was then taken back to live with her father, and very shortly after Dorian's birth she passed away, leaving Dorian to be raised by a loveless guardian. With a fantastic story of tragedy behind him, lord henry becomes even more interested in the boy, and finds some delight in the idea that he could study and manipulate the mind of the boy. Shortly after, Lord Henry heads to his aunt's to dine with Dorian and several other London elites. During the mean Lord Henry bewitches the group with theories of virtues and hedonism and selfishness, saying "I can sympathise with everything except suffering." He goes on to declare that life should be spent appreciating beauty and seeking out pleasures instead of looking for ways to relieve pain. Dorian is fascinated with Lord Henry's words, and leaves the group with him and cancels his plans to meet Basil.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle chapter 7 Light in The Darkness, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: Lestrade shares his tale. Suspecting that Stangerson murdered Drebber, Lestrade visited all the hotels in the area, and found out that he checked into a hotel for several days. He was taken up to the room by the clerks, and on seeing blood, broke through the door. Stangerson lay dead on his bed having been stabbed. Lestrade then explains that the word RACHE was written again on the wall, and that an eyewitness saw a man matching Holmes' description of the murderer. Holmes asks Lestrade about the room, and asks if he brought any evidence with him. On inspecting several pills, Holmes asks Watson to get the elderly, dying dog from downstairs. When the dog is upstairs, Holmes cuts a tablet in half and dissolves it in some water to give to the dog; after drinking it, the dog dies. Holmes explains that the case of Drebber's death presented one clue which he used to conclude the case, and claims that there will be no more murders, and that Holmes knows the man's name. He also claims that is the man gets suspicious, he will flee. Suddenly, Wiggins arrives, and tells Holmes that a cab is waiting for him downstairs. Holmes pulls out some handcuffs and asks Wiggins to bring the man up to help him with his luggage. When the driver enters, Holmes slaps the cuffs on the man's wrists and announces that the man's name is Jefferson Hope, and that he is the killer. He then, after a brief struggle, allows the men to ask him some questions.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde chapter 2, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY:

Dorian Gray seems to be just as handsome as the portrait showed him to be. Basil introduces Lord Henry to him, and Dorian asks Henry to say and talk to him while he stands because Basil never talks while painting. Basil warns Dorian that Henry is a bad influence, and Dorian seems very interested in this statement. Lord Henry agrees to stay and discusses his personal philosophy with Dorian, which is that "The highest of all duties is the duty that one owes to one's self." While Basil continues to work, Henry and Dorian head back into the garden where the Lord praises the boy's youth, and warns him how surely and quickly he will lose it. He urges Dorian to live life to the maximum, and to indulge all his fancies and to search for new sensations. Basil calls the men inside the house and Dorian sits for a few minutes longer while Dorian finishes the painting. When done Henry states that it is "the finest portrait of modern times;" Dorian looks very unhappy at the portrait. Remembering what Lord Henry told him in the garden, he reflects that he continue to age, and the picture of him will never age. He curses his fait, and utters an almost prayer saying "if it were only the other way." Basil tries to comfort his friend but Dorian pushes him away. Declaring that he will not let the portrait ruin their friendship, Basil goes to take a knife to the finished work. Dorian runs at Basil and throws the knife from his hand, saying that he loves the paining, and gladly accepts his painted gift. Needing to work, Basil refuses an invitation from Lord Henry to dine with him and Dorian, and notices a pang of pain as he sees his friends leaving together.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde chapter 1, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY:

Basil Hallward, a renowned artist discusses his latest masterpiece with his good friend Lord Henry Wotton. Henry admires the painting, which is of a gorgeous, blond haired young man. Henry tells his friend that he needs to exhibit the piece but Basil refuses, saying that he has put too much of himself into it. Henry laughs, saying that the man in the portrait looks nothing like him and asks for a more reasonable answer. Basil then goes on to explain how he met the subject of the portrait at a party hosted by Lord Henry's aunt Agatha. He goes to say that from the first moment that he looked at Dorian, he knew that their lives would intertwine. Dorian has become a necessity in Basil's life, and he states that he wouldn't be happy if he didn't see the boy every day, and claims that whenever he is with Dorian, his art is improved. Lord Henry, is astonished by this story, and suddenly remembers that he had heard the name uttered before by his aunt and laughingly adds that she never mentioned that Dorian was gorgeous. At that moment, the Butler comes to the garden to announce Dorian's arrival at Basil's home. Henry insists on meeting the lad, and Basil begrudgingly accepts, saying that Henry must not influence the boy, as he feels that Dorian could be easily ruined by Lord Henry's cynicism.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle chapter 6 Tobias Gregson Shows What He Can Do, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: The following day, the newspapers are filled with accounts of the "Brixton Mystery." They detail the events of the murder and claim that with Gregson and Lestrade on the tail, the culprit will be caught in no time. After breakfast, several street urchins run into the flat and it is revealed that Holmes uses these kids to get information that people wouldn't give to people in uniform. Gregson then arrives, feeling that he has solved the case and wrapped it in a nice little bow. He tells Holmes and Watson all that has happened since they last saw each other. He claims that Arthur Charpentier, son of the Boardinghouse owner, Mrs Charpentier is the culprit, and is waiting at the police station following his arrest. Holmes then asks Gregson to recount how he came to the conclusion that Charpentier is the culprit. Holmes is pleased with Gregson's surmises, but still remains a little smug. Detective Lestrade soon after arrives and informs everyone that the secretary, Mr Stangerson, has been murdered.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen chapter 61, narrated by Isaac Birchall Subscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads https://www.patreon.com/theessentialreads https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join SUMMARY: The final chapter closes all of the stories surrounding the Bennet household. Mrs Bennet is overjoyed at Darcy and Elizabeth’s, and Jane and Bingley’s marriages. Mr Bennet is happy too, even to the point of leaving home to regularly visit Elizabeth at Pemberly. Jane and Bingley stay in Netherfield house for only a year, they then move up north, within 30 miles of Pemberly. Kitty goes to stay with both sisters often too, and becomes a proper lady, losing most of the bad influences that Lydia taught her. Lydia and Wickham try to get closer to Darcy and Elizabeth, hoping that Darcy will be able to provide them with a fortune. Though Darcy can never have Wickham at Longborne, he does consent to allow Lydia to visit very seldom. Even Lady Catherine, after some time passes, comes back to Darcy’s side, wanting to be part of his life again, and being able to put up with Elizabeth. With the Gardiners, Darcy and Elizabeth remain forever close; forever thankful to them for their part in joining the two of them. The End.