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A collection of short stories by Anton Chekhov, featuring "A Tragic Actor", "In a Strange Land", "Oh the Public", "The Looking Glass", "Her Husband", and "Overdoing It".

These stories are small masterpieces. The scene is set quickly, and within a few sentences the storyline is underway. But all seem to contain elements of the unexpected.

Family dynamic, psychological insight into relationships and romance are the central themes in this collection of Chekhov stories. These stories, full of insight into lives of seemingly ordinary people, offer a rare opportunity to experience defining moments of lives. Unhappy in his marriage, a Moscow banker, Dmitri Gurov, is vacationing in Yalta, Crimea, where he sees a young lady walking along the seafront with her small dog.

In the same neighbourhood as Peter Rabbit live an old cat called Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit and her kittens, Moppet, Mittens and Tom, who was always up for some mischief. Learn how Tom nearly ended up being cooked inside a dumpling and why he does not like rats. Meet another friendly neighbour pussycat, Ribby, who likes inviting friends to tea and offering them delicious pie dishes.

The first major writing by Turgenev that gained him recognition. The stories in this collection were written based on Turgenev’s own observations while hunting at his mothers’ estate. This work exposed many injustices of serfdom and led to Turgenev’s house arrest and eventual abolishment of serfdom in Russia. A fine example of realist tradition in Russian literature. Read in English

In this collection of beautifully written modern fairy tales, Oscar Wilde does not fail to both entertain with humorous characters and witty dialogue and at the same time deliver a subtle yet very potent message about some of the most human qualities, such as true friendship, true happiness, selfishness, ignorance, playfulness and love. Some of the most famous epigrams of Oscar Wilde come from the characters in these tales.

'Dostoyevsky is the only psychologist from whom I had something to learn', remarked Friedrich Nietzsche.

Discover the universal truths and wisdoms of Dostoyevsky in this volume of his tales, including: 'An Honest Thief', 'The Heavenly Christmas Tree', and 'The Peasant Marey'.

An intriguing confession of doctor’s romantic involvement with a beautiful, 20-year-old patient. Followed by Turgenev’s exquisite, often meditative descriptions of the Russian countryside and mysterious herbalist Kassyan, infatuated with Gamayane, a prophetic bird of Russian folklore, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. Read in English.

Red Riding Hood is walking through the woods, taking a lovely meal to her ailing grandmother. She has been warned about the big bad wolf, but when she meets a shaggy stranger, he insists he is the big good wolf. Should she trust him?

People in whom the muscular system is proportionately larger and more highly developed than any of the other systems are Musculars. This system consists of the muscles of the organism. Without them we would be helpless masses of fat and bone; we could not blink an eye nor lift a finger. Yet we are so accustomed to them that we rarely think of them and seldom give them credit for what they do.

The tune of this traditional Christmas carol is also known by its Latin name, 'Adeste Fideles'. John Francis Wade was one of the first to include it within his publications, but it is quite possible that the lyrics and tune date from earlier times. Arrangements of this tune also exist in compositions of Franz Liszt. This recording offers reading of the English-language lyrics followed by magical harp music based on original Christmas carol melody.

This traditional Christmas carol was written by John Henry Hopkins, an American clergyman. He wrote the carol as part of a production he organised for his students at The General Theological Seminary in New York City, where he held the post of musical director. This recording offers reading of the English-language lyrics followed by magical harp music based on original Christmas carol melody.

This traditional Christmas carol was written by the Austrian priest Joseph Mohr, and the music was composed by the Austrian teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber. This audio recording of Silent Night includes a reading of the English-language text followed by magical harp music based on the original composition.

Bassanio, a young Venetian of noble rank, wishes to woo the beautiful and wealthy heiress Portia of Belmont. Having squandered his estate, he needs 3,000 ducats to subsidise his expenditures as a suitor. Bassanio approaches his friend Antonio, a wealthy merchant of Venice who has previously and repeatedly bailed him out. This edition of The Merchant of Venice is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

Petruchio tames Katherina, an unwilling participant in the relationship, with various psychological torments, such as keeping her from eating and drinking, until she becomes a desirable, compliant and obedient bride. This edition of The Taming of the Shrew is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare work.

The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. This edition of The Comedy of Errors is an adaptation of Shakespeare's eponymous drama, narrated in plain modern English, capturing the very essence and key elements of the original Shakespeare's work.

We continue to explore the world of our feral friends and learn about some of their darker secrets, some of the naughty episodes of their hidden lives, and some of the most revealing confessions of what cats think about their human masters. It may come as a surprise, but cats often do watch humans and attempt to imitate their behaviour, albeit not always very successfully. And in the second half of this collection we meet humans who don't seem to know how to handle their pets without embarrassment and even those humans who try to be a bit too close to nature for their own good.

The theme of romance continues in this volume and begins with iconic 'The Lady with the Dog' by Anton Chekhov. Set in Yalta, Crimea, appears at first as a holiday romance. Gurov is a married man but he holidays on his own and has a history of holiday affairs. He meets the lady of the story’s title with her Pomeranian dog. But Chekhov’s love stories are not romantic accounts of unrequited love or of love at first sight. Or, even of tortured love that is amplified by the agony of being unfulfilled. No, these are Chekhovian tales that surprise and intrigue our imagination. The second of this collection continues with King Lear.

This selection of stories and tales is perfect for that cold winter night to cosy up around fireplace and enter magical world of far away lands or kingdoms of the past. This volume opens with two tales from Beatrix Potter: 'The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse' and 'The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin', followed by 'Puss in Boots' by Charles Perrault. And in the second half we have Anton Chekhov's story, 'A Gentleman Friend', followed by William Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. Read in English, unabridged.

A beautiful Christmas story of love, forgiveness and uneasy life. Set in Chicago on a bitterly cold Christmas night. William considers stealing both to satisfy his hunger and to find excitement in his dull life, but when a woman drops a parcel, he gives it to her instead of running off with it. He feels as if he is a failed thief, in the same manner as he has failed at everything - college, journalism, real estate, performing.

Shakespeare often uses expressive language in his portrayal of jealousy. It is a 'green-eyed monster', an object that 'one might fight and conquer', 'an infection which strikes as quickly as the plague'. In this selection of Shakespeare stories, jealousy plays a prominent role, offering us a wonderful opportunity to learn how Shakespeare's characters are dealing with this vice.