Prospero’s Isle

The complete (319) stories of Anton Chekhov: synopses, comments and ratings
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was probably the most prolific writer of short stories of all time, with 319 published stories to his credit before his (...)
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was probably the most prolific writer of short stories of all time, with 319 published stories to his credit before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 44, as well as 2 novels [1], 16 plays [2] and a (...)
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was probably the most prolific writer of short stories of all time, with 319 published stories to his credit before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 44, as well as 2 novels [1], 16 plays [2] and a number of newspaper articles and essays. Here you will find a (...)

The complete (300) stories of Guy de Maupassant: synopses, comments and ratings
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was one of the most prolific writers of short stories in the history of world literature, with 300 stories, (...)
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was one of the most prolific writers of short stories in the history of world literature, with 300 stories, novelettes and novellas to his credit [1], almost all of them written between 1881-1889, shortly (...)
Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was one of the most prolific writers of short stories in the history of world literature, with 300 stories, novelettes and novellas to his credit [1], almost all of them written between 1881-1889, shortly before his final illness and premature death at the age of (...)

"The Weapon Makers" (1943) - the original version of A. E. van Vogt’s first "Weapon Shop" novel (never before republished)
This long 65,000-word novel was the third publication by van Vogt in as many years on the theme of an on-going conflict between a 4,000-year-old (...)
This long 65,000-word novel was the third publication by van Vogt in as many years on the theme of an on-going conflict between a 4,000-year-old autocratic “Isher” regime, some 7,000 years in the future, and a powerful, (...)
This long 65,000-word novel was the third publication by van Vogt in as many years on the theme of an on-going conflict between a 4,000-year-old autocratic “Isher” regime, some 7,000 years in the future, and a powerful, scientifically-minded opposition organisation, The Weapon Shops, after the (...)

"Shock-Headed Peter (Der Struwwelpeter)" (1845) by Heinrich Hoffmann, an extraordinary set of illustrated lessons showing children how to behave – or else!
Dr. Heinrich Hoffman (1809-1894) drew this sketchbook with verse lessons for his three-year-old son as a Christmas present for him in 1844, after (...)
Dr. Heinrich Hoffman (1809-1894) drew this sketchbook with verse lessons for his three-year-old son as a Christmas present for him in 1844, after having been unable to find any books able to really interest someone of that age in the (...)
Dr. Heinrich Hoffman (1809-1894) drew this sketchbook with verse lessons for his three-year-old son as a Christmas present for him in 1844, after having been unable to find any books able to really interest someone of that age in the bookstores in his town of Frankfurt – they were all either too (...)

"Clothes Make People (Kleider machen Leute)" by Gottfried Keller (1874) - one of the most famous German-language stories now available in English
This famous story by the Swiss writer Gottfried Keller (1819-1890) was first published in 1874 in the second volume of his collection of stories (...)
This famous story by the Swiss writer Gottfried Keller (1819-1890) was first published in 1874 in the second volume of his collection of stories The People of Seldwyla about the mores and adventures of the people of the mythical but (...)
This famous story by the Swiss writer Gottfried Keller (1819-1890) was first published in 1874 in the second volume of his collection of stories The People of Seldwyla about the mores and adventures of the people of the mythical but somehow very typical Swiss town of that name. It recounts – (...)

"The Perfect Day" (1981) by A. E. van Vogt - never before published in English
Lee Baines is a solitary bachelor who spends his evenings alone before the TV set feeling cynical about the world in general and TV programs in (...)
Lee Baines is a solitary bachelor who spends his evenings alone before the TV set feeling cynical about the world in general and TV programs in particular. And one night he sees a university professor talking about his new (...)
Lee Baines is a solitary bachelor who spends his evenings alone before the TV set feeling cynical about the world in general and TV programs in particular. And one night he sees a university professor talking about his new time-travelling machine and asking for volunteers who, unlike the mice (...)

"Farewell to the Master (The Day the Earth Stood Still)" (1940) by Harry Bates
First published in the splendid October 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, this extremely ambitious 50-page novella became the basis of (...)
First published in the splendid October 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, this extremely ambitious 50-page novella became the basis of one of the most highly-regarded science-fiction films of its time and even all time, the (...)
First published in the splendid October 1940 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, this extremely ambitious 50-page novella became the basis of one of the most highly-regarded science-fiction films of its time and even all time, the quite wonderful "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951), remade (...)

Anton Chekhov’s funniest story: "From the Diary of a Violent-tempered Man" (1887)
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) wrote some 239 short stories during his all-too-short career. Although in the main they tend to centre on the (...)
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) wrote some 239 short stories during his all-too-short career. Although in the main they tend to centre on the dissatisfactions and less-than-joyous aspects of the lives of people from all walks of life, many (...)
Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) wrote some 239 short stories during his all-too-short career. Although in the main they tend to centre on the dissatisfactions and less-than-joyous aspects of the lives of people from all walks of life, many of them do have a certain whimsical character bordering on (...)

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Latest articles

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    TABLE OF CONTENTS
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