Résultats lu par "Philippe Duquenoy" dans Toutes les catégories

A Tale of Two Cities is a story of love, mystery, suspense, and action all rolled up into one beautifully written novel taking place in two prominent cities, Paris and London, during the French Revolution. The story follows the release and rehabilitation of Dr. Manette, a man falsely imprisoned in the Bastille in France for almost two decades. While trouble is brewing in France with citizens being starved and taxed to death, Dr. Manette is taken to London by Mr. Lorrie, a prominent business man, and Lucie, Dr. Manette's daughter.

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins begins with Mr. John Herncastle stealing a mysterious yellow diamond from the statue of a sacred Indian god while fighting with the British army in India. The diamond makes it way to back England after John Herncastle returns from his tour with the British army. The sacred diamond is bestowed to a young woman, Rachel Verinder, a relative of John Herncastle, on her 18th birthday.

Ulysses takes us on the journey of two men, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus, through an hour-by-hour account of their lives for one day. These men cross paths in a series of coincidental events and listeners learn how interconnected they are even though they are not friends.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin is a classic novel set in the 1800s that explores the revelations of the simple housewife, Edna Pontellier. While on vacation with her husband and her two sons in the Grand Isle near New Orleans, Edna makes new friendships that transform her ordinary life and perspective upside down.

Initiation into Philosophy is a broad overview of the development of philosophy. Emile Faguet covers all major philosophical developments from the ancient times to the modern era, showing the tracks of the growth of reason over the course of Western civilization. He shows how each philosophical movement initiates and lays the groundwork for the next. This is essentially a comprehensive review of the study of thought and the conception of the world.

A poverty stricken old man, Toby "Trotty" Veck, who does odd messenger jobs for cash is in wonder at the cruelty and heartlessness of the world. He contemplates whether people are good or bad and through a series of events with a prostitute and her abusive pimp, corrupt politicians, purse thieves, and a mother who commits suicide after killing her child, he sees that people are indeed vile and evil beings who must be born that way to be so awful.

Walden, by Henry David Thoreau, is a personal narrative about Thoreau's solitary living experience near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. Starting with the building of his cabin by the pond in 1845, Thoreau recounts his experience away from society and city life. Thoreau spends his time growing beans for money while appreciating the beautiful wilderness around him. Although he lives a solitary life for nearly two years, Thoreau explains that he does not feel as isolated as one might think.

Set in Regency England, Vanity Fair follows the lives of two young women from drastically different backgrounds. Becky Sharp is the daughter of a lowly art teacher while Amelia Sedley is the daughter of a wealthy investor. Although the two women are worlds apart in personality and background, Becky and Amelia become friends while in finishing school. When Amelia invites Becky to her family home, events are set in motion that result in both tragedy and fortune.

The Secret Garden is a wonderful children's book that explores the nature of curiosity and perseverance. When the young and sickly Mary Lennox is shipped off to her uncle's mansion after her parents' deaths, Mary doesn't know what to do. She feels alone and isolated within the confines of the giant Misselthwaite Mansion. Gradually, and without her uncle's knowledge, she builds new friendships with the staff of the mansion and her strength builds so that she is not as sickly as she had once been.