Showing results by author "Nathaniel Hawthorne" in All Categories

King Midas is obsessed with gold: counting it, touching it, imagining it. But when a strange young man grants his wish for a golden touch, things don't go quite as he planned -- particularly for his daughter Marigold. In these selections from classic American author Nathaniel Hawthorne's charming retellings of Greek myths, children meet Midas and another engaging troublemaker, Pandora, and learn lessons about love and forgiveness.

The Scarlet Letter is one of the great classics of American literature. Set in the harsh Puritan environment of the 17th century Boston, it describes the plight of Hester Prynne, an independent-minded woman who stands alone against society.

Failure is often the best path to success. If you don't believe it then you should meet Sir William Phipps who discovered that perseverance would be key to his ultimate success. From a shepherd to one who stood before the king his fictional story will both inspire and amuse. From the mind and pen of Nathaniel Hawthorne

These treasured stories from the most influential authors of the 19th and early 20th centuries are selected for their literary importance as well as their dramatic, oral qualities. Listen to these 10 unabridged classics by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, O. Henry, and Willa Cather.

No nation has ever achieved the literary diversity of America. From nativist humor to immigrant triumph, Americans have recorded their visions and hopes better than anyone

When you have a past filled with regret it may not be a good idea to find someone to help you dwell on the pain you've caused others. Hawthorne places this scenario in an out-of-the-way location where a woman is allowed to see the painful result of her actions. This journey comes with an awful price - and awful company. A classic story narrated by Glenn Hascall.

The story takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, part of Puritan New England, which was a common setting for Hawthorne's work. Its theme is one often used by Hawthorne: the conflict between good and evil in human nature and, in particular, the problem of public goodness and private wickedness.

The novel traces the impact of a single, scandalous act on the lives of three community members: the tragic, defiant Hester Prynne, the tortured Reverend Dimmesdale and the vengeful Chillingsworth. A philosophical exploration of man's struggle with guilt, sin, and pride, Hawthorne's masterpiece remains a cornerstone of American literature.

The Minister's Black Veil was first published in the 1836 edition of The Token and Atlantic Souvenir. It later appeared in Twice-Told Tales, a collection of short stories by Hawthorne published in 1837. Hawthorne's inspiration for this story may have been a true event. A clergyman named Joseph Moody of York, Maine, nicknamed "Handkerchief Moody", accidentally killed a friend when he was a young man and wore a black veil from the man's funeral until his own death.

A fascinating collection of intriguing and unusual classic murder stories by some of the masters of mystery and crime writing.

La lettera scarlatta' è uno dei più celebri romanzi dello scrittore statunitense Nathaniel Hawthorne. A Salem, nella Nuova Inghilterra del Seicento...

Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic masterpiece The Scarlet Letter is set in 17th century Salem, Massachusetts, and concerns the public condemnation of Hester Prynne, who bears an illegitimate child. However, the story is not about adultery, nor is it specifically about sin. Rather it traces the effect of actual and symbolic sin on the mind and spirit of each character.

A young couple, David and Esther, either witnessed, or dreamed that they witnessed, the return of long dead inhabitants of a Connecticut town for the period of one hour. “Perhaps they fell asleep together, and, united as their spirits were by close and tender sympathies, the same strange dream might have wrappt them in its shadowy arms.” They “seemed” to see unknown people, who wore clothing that “might have been worn by the great-grandparents of the existing generation.”

Le Roi Midas veut que se change en or tout ce qu'il touche : tel est son profond désir, tel est son vœu le plus cher, tel est son feu sacré en quelque sorte. L'or qu'il désire posséder ne sera-t-il point le foyer de tout plaisir et de tout pouvoir ? Car tout s'achète, en effet ; et qui veut devenir ou devient riche est tenté de tout posséder et séduit par le plaisir et le pouvoir illimité. Seule compte la satisfaction de son désir démesuré de possession.

Nathaniel Hawthorne has taken some of the most striking and exciting Greek legends and adapted them for young readers. In this retelling, Hawthorne maintains the conceptions held by the original authors. This collection includes "The Minotaur", "The Pygmies", "The Dragon's Teeth", "Circe's Palace", "The Pomegranate Seeds", and "The Golden Fleece".

Nathaniel Hawthorne's retelling of the exploits of Hercules. In search of three golden apples, Hercules encounters the Old Man of the Sea, a six-legged man creature and the mighty giant, Atlas. For all ages, not too hard for younger listeners, and not too simple for older ones. From A Wonder Book for Boys and Girls.

The Marble Faun (1860) was the last of the four major romances by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Writing on the eve of the American Civil War, Hawthorne set his story in a fantastical Italy. The romance mixes elements of a fable, pastoral, gothic novel, and travel guide. The climax comes less than halfway through the story, and Hawthorne intentionally fails to answer many of the reader's questions about the characters and the plot.

Acclaimed author Nathaniel Hawthorne weaves a short tale of a ghost, now old, that had died in youth. As with many such stories, there are things he must do to move beyond his predicament. This story finds him seeing those who roam for centuries and those who finish whatever tasks they were to perform moving on sooner than he would have liked. This ghost story is not so much terror driven as it seems a reflection on the thinking of a ghost. Intriguing.

Hawthorne presents several ideas which form the very core of the conservative critique: that man's sinfulness is an immutable part of his character; that rationalists, reformers, and progressives delude themselves with their utopian notions of the perfectibility of man; that in their delusion they do incalculable damage to the culture, while leaving human nature untouched; and that, no matter the "progress" they make, evil lurks, waiting to rear its ugly head and shatter their dreams.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's retelling of the story of King Midas, who thought he loved gold more than anything! For all ages - not too hard for younger listeners, and not too simple for older ones. From A Wonder Book for Boys and Girls.