eBooks „wit“
199 eBooks were found for the search term „wit“.
Anita Britto
Heartbeats in Rhyme
- Poetry
- English
- 22034 Words
- Ages 16 and up
- 54
The Art and Soul of Anita Britto
If you share my passion when it comes to rhyme
I hope my book appeals to you and you lose track of time
I’ve let my mind meander and travel far and wide
Unrestrained – Unfettered – My soul has been my guide
When words rush in like angels perhaps where eagles dare
And my heart with pleasure fills while floating in mid air
I drift along the mountains, the valleys, lakes and hills
And soak in William Wordsworth with golden daffodils
I dream of Keats and Shelley while Byron plays the fool
Once you breathe Kahlil Gibran you’re sucked in a whirlpool
Enticed by none but Oscar Wilde whose wit one can’t surpass
Walt Whitman will knock you out with his leaves of grass
While Rilke’s sonnets beckon and Rumi makes you swoon
And Javed Akhtar sings a rhyme under the crescent moon
No matter whom you fancy obey the tide and swim
Listen to Neruda’s call before the lights go dim
Words don’t ask for reason nor do they ask for rhyme
Express your thoughts with passion and sentiments sublime
While Rumi makes you ponder reflecting on each word
Gulzar is magic to my soul – “I’m shaken and I’m stirred” [more]
Keywords: Poetry, Heartbeats, Rhyme, Celebrities, Politicians, Religious Leaders, Nature, Planet, Environment, Travel, Wall Street, Financial Crisis, War, Nostalgia
$0.99
By Voltaire
Candide
- Satire
- English
- 36643 Words
- Ages 16 and up
- 222
- 2
Candide is a French satire by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds".
Candide is characterized by its sarcastic tone, as well as by its erratic, fantastical and fast-moving plot. A picaresque novel it parodies many adventure and romance clichés, the struggles of which are caricatured in a tone that is mordantly matter-of-fact. Still, the events discussed are often based on historical happenings, such as the Seven Years' War and the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. As philosophers of Voltaire's day contended with the problem of evil, so too does Candide in this short novel, albeit more directly and humorously. Voltaire ridicules religion, theologians, governments, armies, philosophies, and philosophers through allegory; most conspicuously, he assaults Leibniz and his optimism.
As expected by Voltaire, Candide has enjoyed both great success and great scandal. Immediately after its secretive publication, the book was widely banned because it contained religious blasphemy, political sedition and intellectual hostility hidden under a thin veil of naïveté. However, with its sharp wit and insightful portrayal of the human condition, the novel has since inspired many later authors and artists to mimic and adapt it. Today, Candide is recognized as Voltaire's magnum opus and is often listed as part of the Western canon; it is arguably taught more than any other work of French literature. It was listed as one of The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written. [more]
Keywords: candide, voltaire, satire, dark homur, black comedy, classic literature, french literature, philosophical fiction
$2.99
Angela Youngman
Jane Austen
the writer, the story and places to go
- Biography & Autobiography
- English
- 17598 Words
- Ages 12 and up
- 331
Sparkling and witty, the stories of Jane Austen are memorable – especially Pride and Prejudice.
Reasons for her popularity are not hard to find. The wit, humour and sparkling comedy have instant appeal, as do the characters – especially Elizabeth and Darcy. She has been credited with creating the modern English novel with its psychological insights, page turning ability, romantic interest and sheer depth of characterisation. Her characters have stayed relevant throughout the generations ensuring that the books have never been out of print
The daughter of a clergyman, she was a member of the gentry and able to take part in the social whirl of the time. Although she had many suitors, she never married. Finding a husband proved impossible – due mainly to the fact that the family had no money. Jane was all too well aware of the problems faced by single women of her status in life, and her books reflect this admirably. Her love affair with James Lefoy, an Irish lawyer has been turned into a film: Becoming Jane. Her niece Fanny was told ‘Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without Affection’. Her early death came just as she was becoming established as a writer.
Jane Austen is mostly associated with Bath but her life, books and the location of film and TV productions cover a much wider area. From London to India, from Hampshire to York, Chatsworth to Hollywood – the Jane Austen connections are worldwide.
A unique combination of biography and guidebook; this e book tells the story of Jane Austen, her life and work. Some extremely memorable films have been produced especially the BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth and the Bollywood version Bride & Prejudice. It looks at the locations that are associated with her, or with filming. In total nearly one hundred locations are included, each dealt with in considerable detail highlighting appropriate links, history and tourist information. It makes a fascinating read combining a unique guidebook with background information and an introduction to this renowned writer. [more]
Keywords: Jane Austen, English literature, Georgian England, Pride & Prejudice, Bath, Chatsworth, Darcy, film, television
€4.49
Max Zimmer
Of the World (If Where You're Going Isn't Home Book 2)
- Fiction
- English
- 1610 Words
- Ages 14 and up
- 319
"Of the World" is the second book of the groundbreaking coming of age trilogy "If Where You're Going Isn't Home," the ten-year story of a boy growing up Mormon in America in pursuit of a dream to play jazz trumpet.
At sixteen, licensed to drive, armed with his trumpet and a talented band, Shake Tauffler begins to slip the harness of his home and neighborhood to test himself in the raw world of the streets and nightclubs of Salt Lake and its outlying towns. His threatened parents intensify their attacks on his emerging sexual and moral consciousness. Jazz and its negro heroes still define him, but his church takes off its gloves to teach him that in God’s eyes Negroes are anything but heroes. His Huck Finn days are over; this is the rebel Shake, conflicted, haunted by the faceless mystery of never being good enough and a hunger he can’t name, roaming the night alone or with his hoodlum pals, looking for refuge in hot cars, chance girls, violence, the cry of his trumpet, the faces of the American night.
In the epic second book of the trilogy "If Where You’re Going Isn’t Home," the Shake we knew in "Journey" takes on tougher obstacles, extends his reach, but continues to meet the senseless forces of his life with courage, wit, and wonder. He leaves Utah to become a tanker in the Army where he embraces the break from his past and the chance to define himself from scratch. But his past comes out of hiding when he falls in love with a breathtaking girl and comes face to face with the ruthless racial dogma of his faith. He returns home, a man and a hero, to a family and church who are quick to remind him who and where he is. A foreign mission when he turns nineteen lies just ahead. The road is ending. One last defiant self-affirming act takes him across the American West to close it down his way.
From Michael Strong, co-founder and COO of Zola Books:
“Max Zimmer has written the Great American Mormon Novel. For decades, readers have depended upon a few extraordinary writers to understand fully what it means to be an American – Philip Roth, Julia Alvarez, Ralph Ellison, Erica Jong, John Updike. Zimmer has added a critical new dimension to our shared national understanding of who we are and how we got here in this sweeping narrative. Twelve-year-old Shake Tauffler’s decade-long journey through the Mormon Church and beyond will resonate with all Americans who ponder their soul and place in our changing national portrait.” [more]
Keywords: mormon, award winning author, fiction, jazz, american fiction, music, lessons, religion, racial conflict, racism, hot cars, hoodlums, domestic abuse, religious oppression, utah, army, tanks, street fights, night clubs, jazz band, coming of age, series [more]
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Petronius Arbiter
The Satyricon
- Fiction
- English
- 61600 Words
- Ages 12 and up
- 268
- 2
The Satyricon is a Latin work of fiction in a mixture of prose and poetry. It is believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius Arbiter, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as a certain Titus Petronius. As with the Metamorphoses of Apuleius, classical scholars often describe it as a "Roman novel", without necessarily implying continuity with the modern literary form. The surviving portions of the text detail the misadventures of the narrator, Encolpius, and his lover, a handsome sixteen-year-old boy named Giton. Throughout the novel, Encolpius has a hard time keeping his lover faithful to him as he is constantly being enticed away by others. Encolpius's friend Ascyltus (who seems to have previously been in a relationship with Encolpius) is another major character.
Of the many masterpieces which classical antiquity has bequeathed to modern times, few have attained, at intervals, to such popularity; few have so gripped the interest of scholars and men of letters, as has this scintillating miscellany known as the Satyricon, ascribed by tradition to that Petronius who, at the court of Nero, acted as arbiter of elegance and dictator of fashion. The flashing, wit, the masterly touches which bring out the characters with all the detail of a fine old copper etching; the marvelous use of realism by this, its first prophet; the sure knowledge of the perspective and background best adapted to each episode; the racy style, so smooth, so elegant, so simple when the educated are speaking, beguile the reader and blind him, at first, to the many discrepancies and incoherences with which the text, as we have it, is marred. The more one concentrates upon this author, the more apparent these faults become and the more one regrets the lacunae in the text. Notwithstanding numerous articles which deal with this work, some from the pens of the most profound scholars, its author is still shrouded in the mists of uncertainty and conjecture. He is as impersonal as Shakespeare, as aloof as Flaubert, in the opinion of Charles Whibley, and, it may be added, as genial as Rabelais; an enigmatic genius whose secret will never be laid bare with the resources at our present command. [more]
Keywords: the satyricon, petronius, classical literature, historical, roman novel, ancient rome, the roman empire, history
$2.99
Miguel de Cervantes
Don Quixote
- Fiction
- English
- 400981 Words
- Ages 8 and up
- 889
- 2
Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. It follows the adventures of Alonso Quixano, an hidalgo who reads so many chivalric novels that he decides to set out to revive chivalry, under the name Don Quixote. He recruits a simple farmer, Sancho Panza, as his squire, who often employs a unique, earthly wit in dealing with Don Quixote's rhetorical orations on antiquated knighthood. Don Quixote is met by the world as it is, initiating such themes as interextuality, realism, metatheatre, and literary representation. Don Quixote is considered the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature, and one of the earliest canonical novels, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published. In a 2002 list, Don Quixote was cited as the "best literary work ever written".
The novel's structure is in episodic form. It is written in the picaresco style of the late 16th century, and features reference other picaresque novels including Lazarillo de Tormes and The Golden Ass. The full title is indicative of the tale's object, as ingenioso (Spanish) means "quick with inventiveness"[4] marking the transition of modern literature from Dramatic to thematic unity. The novel takes place over a long period of time, including many adventures all united by common themes of the nature of reality, reading, and dialogue in general.
The contrasts between the tall, thin, fancy-struck, and idealistic Quixote and the fat, squat, world-weary Panza is a motif echoed ever since the book’s publication, and Don Quixote's imaginings are the butt of outrageous and cruel practical jokes in the novel. Even faithful and simple Sancho is unintentionally forced to deceive him at certain points. The novel is considered a satire of orthodoxy, veracity, and even nationalism. In going beyond mere storytelling to exploring the individualism of his characters, Cervantes helped move beyond the narrow literary conventions of the chivalric romance literature that he spoofed, which consists of straightforward retelling of a series of acts that redound to the knightly virtues of the hero. [more]
Keywords: don quixote, cervantes, satire, farce, adventure, historical novel, classic literatue, comedy and humor
$2.99
Philip P. Wells
Bible Stories And Religious Classics (fiscle part-IV)
- Religion
- English
- 73248 Words
- Ages 18 and up
- 2
The Seven Sleepers Were Born In the City Of Ephesus. And When Decius The
Emperor Came Into Ephesus For The Persecution Of Christian Men, He
Commanded to Edify The Temples In the Middle Of The City, So That All
Should Come With Him To Do Sacrifice To The Idols, And Did Do Seek All
The Christian People, And Bind Them For To Make Them To Do Sacrifice, Or
Else To Put Them To Death; In such Wise That Every Man Was Afeard Of The
Pains That He Promised, That The Friend Forsook His Friend, And The Son
Renied his Father, And The Father The Son. And Then In this City Were
Founden Seven Christian Men, That Is To Wit, Maximian, Malchus,
Marcianus, Denis, John, Serapion, And Constantine. And When They Saw
This, They Had Much Sorrow, And Because They Were The First In the
Palace That Despised the Sacrifices, They Hid Them In their Houses, And
Were In fastings And In prayers. And Then They Were Accused tofore
Decius, And Came Thither, And Were Found Very Christian Men. Then Was
Given To Them Space For To Repent Them, Unto The Coming again Of Decius.
And In the Meanwhile They Dispended their Patrimony In alms To The Poor
People; And Assembled them Together, And Took Counsel, And Went To The
Mount Of Celion, And There Ordained to Be More Secretly, And There Hid
Them Long Time. And One Of Them Administered and Served them Always.
And When He Went Into The City, He Clothed him In the Habit Of A Beggar.
When Decius Was Come Again, He Commanded that They Should Be Fetched,
And Then Malchus, Which Was Their Servant And Ministered to Them Meat
And Drink, Returned in great Dread To His Fellows, And Told And Showed
To Them The Great Fury And Woodness Of Them, And Then Were They Sore
Afraid. And Malchus Set Tofore Them The Loaves Of Bread That He Had
Brought, So That They Were Comforted of The Meat, And Were More Strong
For To Suffer Torments. And When They Had Taken Their Refection And Sat
In Weeping and Wailings, Suddenly, As God Would, They Slept, And When It
Came On The Morn They Were Sought And Could Not Be Found. Wherefore
Decius Was Sorrowful Because He Had Lost Such Young Men. And Then They
Were Accused that They Were Hid In the Mount Of Celion, And Had Given
Their Goods To Poor Men, And Yet Abode In their Purpose. And Then
Commanded decius That Their Kindred should Come To Him, And Menaced them
To The Death If They Said Not Of Them All That They Knew. And They
Accused them, And Complained that They Had Dispended all Their Riches.
Then Decius Thought What He Should Do With Them, And, As Our Lord Would,
He Inclosed the Mouth Of The Cave Wherein They Were With Stones, To The
End That They Should Die Therein For Hunger And Fault Of Meat. Then The
Ministers And Two Christian Men, Theodorus And Rufinus, Wrote Their [more]
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Charles Major
The Touchstone of Fortune
- Short Story
- English
- 95111 Words
- Ages 18 and up
- 3
Goddess Fortune seems to delight in smiling on a man who risks his
all, including life, perhaps, on a desperate chance of, say one to one
hundred. If her Ladyship frowns and he loses, his friends call him a
fool; if he wins, they say he is a lucky devil and are pleased to share
his prosperity if he happens to be of a giving disposition. Lucky? No!
He has simply minted his courage.
The most remarkable illustration of these truths that has ever come to my
knowledge is my friend George Hamilton, the second son in this generation
of the illustrious House of Hamilton, Count Anthony being its present
head. The younger son was penniless save for the crumbs that fell from
his elder brother's table, and Count Anthony was one who kept an eye on
the crumbs.
George, who was of an independent nature, accepted Anthony's grudging
help reluctantly. Therefore when Charles II was restored to the English
throne in 1660, the younger Hamilton, who had been with the king in
exile, was glad to assume the duties of Second Gentleman of the
Bedchamber in Whitehall Palace. With the pension attached to this office,
winnings at cards and other uncertain revenues from disreputable sources,
George was enabled to maintain himself at court where debts were not
necessarily paid, where honesty and virtue were held in contempt, and
where vice of all sorts was not only the daily stock in trade but the
daily stock of jest and pleasure, boasting and pride; for what is the
use of being wicked if one hides one's light under a bushel?
Hamilton was a favorite with those who knew him well and was respected
by those who knew him slightly, not because of his virtues, for they were
few, but because he was strikingly handsome in person, moderately quick
of wit, generous to an enemy, kind to every one, brave to the point of
recklessness, and decent even in vice, if that be possible. He was no
better than his friends save in these easy qualities, but while he was as
bad in all other respects as his surroundings, the evil in him was due
more to environment than to natural tendencies, and the good--well, that
was his undoing, as this history will show. A man who attempts to 'bout
ship morally in too great haste is liable to miss stays and be swamped,
for nothing so grates on us as the sudden reformation of our friends,
while we remain unregenerate.
But to write Hamilton's history I must begin at the beginning, which
in this case happens to be my beginning, and shall conclude with his
"hundred to one" venture, which closed his career and mine, at least
in England.
* * * * *
The Clydes, of whom I am the present head, have always had great respect
for the inevitable and have never permitted the idealization of a
hopeless cause to lead them into trouble solely for trouble's sake. So
it was that when my father of blessed memory saw that King Charles I and
his favorites were determined to wreck the state, themselves, and their
friends, he fell ill of the gout at an o [more]
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Charles Major
The Touchstone of Fortune
- Short Story
- English
- 95049 Words
- Ages 18 and up
- 2
Goddess Fortune seems to delight in smiling on a man who risks his
all, including life, perhaps, on a desperate chance of, say one to one
hundred. If her Ladyship frowns and he loses, his friends call him a
fool; if he wins, they say he is a lucky devil and are pleased to share
his prosperity if he happens to be of a giving disposition. Lucky? No!
He has simply minted his courage.
The most remarkable illustration of these truths that has ever come to my
knowledge is my friend George Hamilton, the second son in this generation
of the illustrious House of Hamilton, Count Anthony being its present
head. The younger son was penniless save for the crumbs that fell from
his elder brother's table, and Count Anthony was one who kept an eye on
the crumbs.
George, who was of an independent nature, accepted Anthony's grudging
help reluctantly. Therefore when Charles II was restored to the English
throne in 1660, the younger Hamilton, who had been with the king in
exile, was glad to assume the duties of Second Gentleman of the
Bedchamber in Whitehall Palace. With the pension attached to this office,
winnings at cards and other uncertain revenues from disreputable sources,
George was enabled to maintain himself at court where debts were not
necessarily paid, where honesty and virtue were held in contempt, and
where vice of all sorts was not only the daily stock in trade but the
daily stock of jest and pleasure, boasting and pride; for what is the
use of being wicked if one hides one's light under a bushel?
Hamilton was a favorite with those who knew him well and was respected
by those who knew him slightly, not because of his virtues, for they were
few, but because he was strikingly handsome in person, moderately quick
of wit, generous to an enemy, kind to every one, brave to the point of
recklessness, and decent even in vice, if that be possible. He was no
better than his friends save in these easy qualities, but while he was as
bad in all other respects as his surroundings, the evil in him was due
more to environment than to natural tendencies, and the good--well, that
was his undoing, as this history will show. A man who attempts to 'bout
ship morally in too great haste is liable to miss stays and be swamped,
for nothing so grates on us as the sudden reformation of our friends,
while we remain unregenerate.
But to write Hamilton's history I must begin at the beginning, which
in this case happens to be my beginning, and shall conclude with his
"hundred to one" venture, which closed his career and mine, at least
in England.
* * * * *
The Clydes, of whom I am the present head, have always had great respect
for the inevitable and have never permitted the idealization of a
hopeless cause to lead them into trouble solely for trouble's sake. So
it was that when my father of blessed memory saw that King Charles I and
his favorites were determined to wreck the state, themselves, and their
friends, he fell ill of the gout at an [more]
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