Showing results by author "William Dean Howells" in All Categories

Grab yourselves a hot chocolate, a warm blanket and settle down to a collection of entertaining Christmas Stories that will get your little ones in the spirit of Christmas. Each of these traditional tales are the perfect length for listening at quiet time, bedtime and the classroom.

Grab yourself a hot chocolate and get cosy for a collection of wintery Christmas stories that will have your little ones dreaming of Santa Claus and his reindeers.

Christmas has arrived! Get comfy and settle down to a collection of cheery Christmas bedtime stories, that will have your child drifting off to a deep slumber to dream about Santa Claus and snow.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have Christmas everyday? Well, one little girl did and it did not turn out as she expected…

With touches of humor, pathos, and romance, author William Dean Howells questions the nature of the spiritual and leaves the answers to the listener in this unusual collection of ghost stories from the 19th century. A famed proponent of literary realism, Howells focuses not on the supernatural elements of ghostly encounters, but on the psychological responses of his characters.

American writer William Dean Howells delights us with his cautiously cynical yet endearing telling of the night before Christmas at the Fountain household. Published in The Daughter of the Storage and Other Things in Prose and Verse in 1916, Howells’ sense of realism and social criticism hides behind the humorous banter between Mr. and Mrs. Fountain, as well as relatives passing by. Raging consumerism, New Year’s resolutions, lovingly marital insults, reflections and memories, and a whole bunch of bathrobes!

Howells’ best-known work and a subtle classic of its time, The Rise of Silas Lapham is an elegant tale of Boston society and manners. After garnering a fortune in the paint business, Silas Lapham moves his family from their Vermont farm to the city of Boston in order to improve his social position. The consequences of this endeavor are both humorous and tragic as the greedy Silas brings his company to the brink of bankruptcy.

This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages. Narrated by Glenn Hascall.

Papa was a great storyteller, and his daughter wouldn’t settle for recycled tales. While Papa was not interested in telling stories he was badgered enough to come up with a whopper. Prepare to smile, and to wonder what it would really be like if it were Christmas every day - at least the way we often celebrate it.

William Dean Howells was born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio, of Welch, Irish, and German forebears. Along with Mark Twain, he was one of the great novelists of his time. This book, the realisic saga of the rise and redemptive fall of an American tycoon, is considered to be his best novel.

Editha is a young and very patriotic young landy. Her lover, George, is not quite as enthused about her "my country right or wrong attitude," but she convinces him to join the army to fight a "just" war. The results of this decision are very unexpected and very thought provoking. This is a very powerful story and is more the type of writing one would expect from the Vietnam War era, rather than the end of the Victorian era.

The Pony Engine and the Pacific Express - a wonderful Christmas Story for Children. It was published in Howell's collection, Christmas Every Day and Other Stories Told for Children (1892). This classic short story from William Dean Howells finds a brother and sister fairly demanding their papa to tell them a story. As a long-standing storyteller, papa is reluctant to dream up something new. The demands of children often mean that a parent will do things they never thought they would, if only to salvage their own sanity. A memorable tale for all ages.

The Big Book of Christmas: Classic Stories and Poems is a grand compilation that assembles a treasure trove of holiday tales and poems from a remarkable array of authors. This extensive collection includes 100 classic works, each thoughtfully illustrated, to immerse readers in the magic and wonder of the Christmas season. This anthology spans a rich tapestry of Christmas literature, including timeless favorites such as "The Gift of the Magi," "The Red Room," "A Letter from Santa Claus," "The Fir Tree," "Song of the Holly," and many more.