Documents pour «>Read Books Ltd.»

96 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h12min.
This volume of the Golden Age of Illustration Series contains Hans Christian Andersen's most famous tale 'The Little Mermaid', first published in May of 1837. This classic fairy tale has been continuously in print in different editions since its first publication, with many, many, different artists illustrating the story over the years. This edition features a beautiful collection of the best of that art, taken from the likes of Arthur Rackham, W. Heath Robinson, Harry Clarke, Honor Appleton, Anne Anderson, Edmund Dulac, Mable Lucie Attwell, among others. This series of books celebrates the Golden Age of Illustration. During this period, the popularity, abundance and - most importantly - the unprecedented upsurge in the quality of illustrated works marked an astounding change in the way that publishers, artists and the general public came to view this hitherto insufficiently esteemed art form. The Golden Age of Illustration Series, has sourced the rare original editions of these books and reproduced the beautiful art work in order to build a unique collection of illustrated fairy tales.

This early manual of tricks is an absorbing work which will prove of much interest to the enthusiast or historian of magic. Intended as a complete how-to guide to the uninitiated, The First Book of Magic give a comprehensive and informative look at the subject. Contents Include: Tricks with Money, Tricks with Handkerchiefs, Tricks with String, Tricks with Cards, Tricks with Balls, Famous Magicians, Mind-Reading Tricks, Tricks with Numbers, Spirit Tricks, Magic at the Dinner Table, Your Own Magic Show, How to Get Ready and How to Give the Show. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

119 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h29min.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is a comedy play – one of Shakespeare’s lighter works, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1597. Both in text, and on stage, it is one of Shakespeare’s most popular narratives, and remains widely performed across the world. This book, originally published in 1912, contains twelve incredible colour illustrations and many beautiful and intricate black and white drawings by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Pook Press publishes rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

117 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h28min.
This edition of Kipling’s "The Song of the English" was originally published in November 1909. It included the six subsidiary poems: The Coastwise Lights, The Song of the Dead, The Deep-Sea Cables, The Song of the Sons, The Song of the Cities, and England's Answer. The theme underlying much of this collection, is that the English are the Chosen under the Lord, so long as they obey the Law. This is one of Kipling’s earliest verses specifically setting out his vision of the British Empire, and the duties which it imposes on the English (British) people. His definition of 'the English' is wide, certainly embracing the people of the overseas Empire, Australia, New Xealand, Canada, South Africa, but arguably also the Americans. These classic poems are accompanied by thirty incredible colour illustrations and many beautiful and intricate black and white drawings by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance.

189 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 2h22min.
Charles Kingsley’s classic, The Water Babies, was extremely popular in England, and was a mainstay of British children's literature for many decades. It tells the story of a young chimney sweep, Tom, who drowns in a river and is turned into a ‘water-baby’. Tom then embarks on a series of adventures and lessons underwater, and meets characters such as the major spiritual leaders of the water world, Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid, and Mother Carey. This classic fairy tale, originally published in 1915, contains eight incredible colour illustrations and many beautiful and intricate black and white drawings by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Pook Press publishes rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.

79 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 59min.
This whimsical collection of tales is based on the Buddhist collection of Jātaka tales. However, the author confesses to ‘ruthlessly’ altering them for the amusement of children and occasionally borrowing a ‘phrase or a versicle’. He opens the book with a warning; “To this work I refer all scholars, folklorists and scientific persons generally: warning them that if they plunge deeper into these page, they will be horribly shocked.” These wonderful tales are accompanied by many beautiful and intricate black and white illustrations by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Originally published in 1897, we are now republishing it here as part of our ‘Pook Press’ imprint, celebrating the golden age of illustration in children’s literature.

147 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h50min.
This gorgeous book is a collection of 43 Indian folk-tales superbly illustrated by W. Heath Robinson. These tales were originally collected by William Crooke but are retold here by W. D. Rouse to delight children. Rouse has chosen to keep this selection confined to the Beast Stories which are particularly interesting as being mostly indigenous and little affected by so-called Aryan influence. Any changes made by Rouse have been included in a notes section which also include the sources of each tale alongside a few obvious parallels or references to literature of the subject. Tales include: The Talking Thrush, The Judgment of the Jackal, The Camel’s Neck, The Foolish Wolf, The Grateful Goat, The King of Mice, The Bull and the Bullfinch and many more. These wonderful tales are accompanied by many beautiful and intricate black and white illustrations by W. Heath Robinson. An English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. Originally published in 1899, we are now republishing it here as part of our ‘Pook Press’ imprint, celebrating the golden age of illustration in children’s literature.

169 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 2h7min.
This wonderful story 'Bill the Minder' follows the adventures of 15-year-old Bill and his cousins, Boadicea and Chad. In the process of their adventures they meet multitude weird and wonder characters such as The Ancient Marina, The Triplets, The Doctor, The Real Soldier and The Lost Grocer. They encounter various unique problems on their way which they solve the use of fantastic machines crafted by Bill. This classic story is accompanied by 16 incredible colour illustrations many black and white woodcuts by W. Heath Robinson an English cartoonist and illustrator, best known for drawings of ridiculously complicated machines – for achieving deceptively simple objectives. Such was (and is) his fame, that the term ‘Heath Robinson’ entered the English language during the First World War, as a description of any unnecessarily complex and implausible contrivance. This book was originally published in 1912 and was later televised as a series during the 1980s. We are republishing it here as part of our ‘Pook Press’ imprint, celebrating the golden age of illustration in children’s literature.

315 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 3h56min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

70 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 52min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

63 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 47min.
A collection of the finest examples of the work of Ambrose Bierce, full of horror, death, bravery and war.

303 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 3h47min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

41 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 31min.
Ambrose Bierce was one of the most famous writers in the world at the turn of the 20th century, a vocal and passion critic and probably best known for his works centred on the American civil war, of which he served in. Here is a collection of Bierce's finest work on the topic, including his first hand accounts of the horror and futility of the fighting and his marvellous short stories inspired by what he witnessed.

171 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 2h08min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

249 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 3h7min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

42 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 31min.
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

24 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 18min.
The Day Boy and Night Girl - also referred to as The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris - first appeared in Harper's Young People as a series between December of 1879 and January of 1880. Regarded as George MacDonald's best work, it features a witch who, in her pursuit of total knowledge, performs an experiment to mould two people from birth by strictly controlling their environments. Many of the finest stories of magic and fantasy, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

94 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 1h10min.
This early work by Emile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian was originally published in 1876 and we are now republishing it with brand new introductory biographies as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series. 'The Man-Wolf' is a short story about a werewolf set in France. The Cryptofiction Classics series contains a collection of wonderful stories from some of the greatest authors in the genre, including Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London. From its roots in cryptozoology, this genre features bizarre, fantastical, and often terrifying tales of mythical and legendary creatures. Whether it be giant spiders, werewolves, lake monsters, or dinosaurs, the Cryptofiction Classics series offers a fantastic introduction to the world of weird creatures in fiction.

270 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 3h22min.
This scarce book contains an incredibly detailed treatise on the grammar of the English language. Manual of English Grammar and Composition is readily accessible, making it the perfect book for both teachers and students of English, as well as a great addition to any collection of antiquarian linguistic literature. Containing a level of detail and insight often unparalleled in modern grammar texts, Manual of English Grammar and Composition is a must-have for discerning students who seek to gain an exemplary knowledge of the evolution of English grammar. This text is split into five parts, including: Parsing and Analysis; Composition: Force and Propriety of Diction; Enlargement of Vocabulary: Figures of Speech; Prose and Poetry; and History of the Language. This book has been chosen for republication because of its immense educational value, and we are proud to republish it here complete with a new introduction to the subject. This book was originally published in 1905.

355 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 4h26min.
This book is the result of more than fifteen years of research. The study has been carried on, partly in libraries and town records, partly by conferences with descendants of potters and others familiar with their history, and partly by actual digging on the sites of potteries. The excavation method has proved most successful in showing what our New England potters were making at an early period now almost unrepresented by surviving specimens.