The Bibliophile's Compass

1969 The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood - CAN The novel that put the bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments on the literary map. The Booker Prize winner's first novel is both a scathingly funny satire of consumerism and a heady exploration of emotional cannibalism. 1998 The Ice People by Maggie Gee - UK ⭐⭐⭐ ( My Review ) Set in the near future, The Ice People imagines an ice age enveloping the Northern Hemisphere. It is Africa’s relative warmth that offers a last hope to northerly survivors. As relationships between men and women break down, the novel charts one man’s struggle to save his alienated son and bring him to the south and to salvation. 2019 Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid - US ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( My Review ) A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentione...

1926 In Abraham's Bosom by Paul Eliot Green - US The play takes place in the Southeast of the United States, from 1885 to the beginning of the 20th century. Abe McCranie is a mixed-race African-American field worker, the son of Colonel McCranie, a white man. He tries to start a school to educate black children, as they were underserved by the state. Ultimately, he gets a school, but the white people run him out of it and drive him to murder. 1964  Tiny Alice by Edward Albee - US TINY ALICE begins with a venomous exchange between a lawyer and a cardinal whose contempt for each other careens back to their school days. 1982  Whodunnit by Anthony Shaffer - UK This Broadway success by the author of Sleuth takes audiences to Agatha Christie's England. Six strangers and a butler have gathered for a black tie dinner in a wealthy lawyer's mansion during a thunderstorm. The guests include an aged rear admiral a bitchy aristocrat a doddering old archeologist a dash...

Title : Foster Author : Claire Keegan Publication Year: 2010 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 89 Source : eBook Genre : literary fiction, short story Awards : Winner of the Davy Byrne's Irish Writing Award Movie Adaptation : The Quiet Girl (2022) It is a rare art to convey profound emotion and meaning with such economy of language. Few authors attempt this, and even fewer succeed. Claire Keegan is among those exceptional writers who distill the complexities of innocence, guilt, and life into heartbreakingly subtle narratives. Her ability to evoke deep feeling with such restraint is truly astonishing. Having now read my second Claire Keegan book, I am convinced that she continues to surpass even her own remarkable achievements. "Foster" tells the story of an unnamed girl, approximately six or seven years old, who is sent to live with foster parents while her mother gives birth to yet another child, the family burdened by poverty. It is notable that most characters, especi...

1934  Yerma by Federico Garcia Lorca - Spain The play tells the story of a childless woman living in rural Spain. Her desperate desire for motherhood becomes an obsession that eventually drives her to commit a horrific crime. 1959  Andersonville Trial by Saul Levitt - US 1977  Cold Storage by Ronald Ribman - US

1732 Poor Richard's Almanack by Benjamin Franklin - US Poor Richard's Almanack (sometimes Almanac) was a yearly almanac published by Benjamin Franklin, who adopted the pseudonym of "Poor Richard" or "Richard Saunders" for this purpose. 1903 Glad of It by Clyde Fitch - US 1923  Saint Joan by George Bernard Shaw - Ireland With Saint Joan, which distills many of the ideas Shaw had been exploring in earlier works on politics, religion, feminism, and creative evolution, he reached the height of his fame as a dramatist. Fascinated by the story of Joan of Arc, but unhappy with the way she had traditionally been depicted, Shaw wanted to remove “the whitewash which disfigures her beyond recognition.” He presents a realistic Joan: proud, intolerant, naïve, foolhardy, and brave—a rebel and a woman for Shaw’s time and our own. 1927 Royal Family by George Kaufman & Moss Hart - US 1961  Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams -...

1904  Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie - Scotland Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang, the Lost Boys, interacting with mermaids, Native Americans, fairies, pirates, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside of Neverland. In addition to two distinct works by Barrie, the character has been featured in a variety of media and merchandise, both adapting and expanding on Barrie's works. 1904  On Baile's Strand by W B Yeats and Lady Gregory - Ireland The short play is the earliest of five that Yeats wrote about the legendary Irish hero Cuchulain, a tale that dates from the ninth or tenth century. Cuchulain is being threatened by the Scottish warrior queen Aoife, who has sent her son to kill the hero. Cuchulain has sworn allegiance to King Conchubar, wh...

1606 First known performance of William Shakespeare's tragedy " King Lear " before the court of King James I at Whitehall, London 1944  The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams - US No play in the modern theatre has so captured the imagination and heart of the American public as Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie. 1968  Forty Carats by Jay Allens - US 2023 Coconut Drop Dead by Olivia Matthews - US Brooklyn’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Festival is finally here, and Spice Isle Bakery is thrilled to be one of the event’s food vendors. After all, the Murrays have been attending the festival for years. Co-owner Lyndsay Murray hopes their West Indian pastries and finger foods draw people back to the bakery in Little Caribbean. She’s looking forward to having fun, connecting with customers, and celebrating with her family.

1802 The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth - UK It begun in May 1800 while at Dove Cottage, and continued for nearly three years until January 1803, is perhaps the best-loved of all journals. 1760 Jupiter Hammon, an African American slave, composes poetry broadside "An Evening Thought" (1st poetry published by an African American 1761) 1902  The Girl with the Green Eyes by Clyde Fitch - US 1911  Kismet by Edward Knoblock - US Hajj the beggar escapes the clutches of a vengeful bandit, drowns the evil Wazir of Police, catches the eye of the Wazir's voluptuous wife, serves as Emir of Baghdad, and sees his daughter wed to the handsome Caliph. 1934  Accent on Youth by Samson Raphaelson - US This is one of the most gracious, witty and moving sophisticated comedies which Broadway has seen in some time. Though the author emphasizes his delightful theme rather than the matter of plot, the story itself is of the utmost theater value.

1943  While the Sun Shines by Terence Rattigan - UK Mr. Rattigan has given his play a mild wartime slant. On the eve of his marriage, the young and wealthy Earl of Harpenden puts up an American Lieutenant for the night, and in the morning dates him up with a former girlfriend. The American mistakes the earl's fiancée for his girlfriend, and the two fall in love before he realizes his mistake. With a French officer also in the race, the girlfriend very much in evidence, and the fiancée's father, a deadbeat duke, adding to the complications, the result is an evening of hilarious fun. 2004 Whale by Cheon Myeong-kwan - South Korea A sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable, farce, and fantasy--a masterpiece of modern fiction perfect for fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude Shortlisted for The International Booker Prize 2024 Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao - CAN Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid's Tale in this blend of Chinese history and mecha sci...

Title : How to Grieve Like a Victorian Author : Amy Carol Reeves Publication Year : 2025 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 320 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : Romance The title of this book is basically the world’s worst spoiler. Our heroine? She’s an English Professor, a Brontë scholar, and a bestselling author who’s made a career riffing on Wuthering Heights. When her beloved husband suddenly passes away, she’s left to puzzle her way through grief—and winds up doing things no respectable Victorian would ever put in a letter. Naturally, this being a romance-mystery mashup, there’s a dashing author in the wings just waiting to complicate matters (because, of course). This book was pure fun—a four-star read, but don’t compare it to my four stars for, say, War and Peace. The real scene-stealer? Heathcliff. No, not that Heathcliff. Not the brooding antihero from the moors, not the fictional heartthrob from the protagonist’s own bestseller, but her actual son, named after the original ...

1815  Emma by Jane Austen - UK The culmination of Jane Austen's genius, a sparkling comedy of love and marriage 1823 A Visit from St. Nicholas – Published anonymously in a newspaper, creating the modern Santa myth. 1940  Old Acquaintance by John Van Druten - UK It is a three-act drama, with a small cast and two settings. The story is a conflict between two women, childhood friends from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and now both successful writers.

  1924  The Youngest by Philip Barry - US 1982  Extremities by William Mastrosimone - US The Associated Press described Extremities as "a searing play about rape". This incredibly gripping drama portrays the act and it's aftermath as the victim turns the tables on her attacker reaching a climax of fever pitch suspense. 1999 All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks - US A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love is the acclaimed first volume in feminist icon bell hooks' "Love Song to the Nation" trilogy. All About Love reveals what causes a polarized society, and how to heal the divisions that cause suffering. Here is the truth about love, and inspiration to help us instill caring, compassion, and strength in our homes, schools, and workplaces. 2025 A Little Bit of Sunshine by Nick Alexander - UK Dee’s life in rainy Salford is a world away from her sister Trina’s champagne-and-caviar shenanigans. So when Trina...

1872  Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne : Phileas Fogg completes his round the world trip in 80 days 1879 A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen The play is significant for its critical attitude toward19th-centuryy marriage norms. It aroused great controversy at the time, as it concludes with the protagonist, Nora, leaving her husband and children because she wants to discover herself. 1909  The City by Clyde Fitch

1812 " Grimm's Fairy Tales " or "Children's and Household Tales" by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - Germany They are the stories we've known since we were children. Rapunzel. Hansel and Gretel. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. But the works originally collected by the Brothers Grimm in the early 1800s are not necessarily the versions we heard before bedtime. They're darker and often don't end very happily--but they're often far more interesting. 1845 The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens - UK It is the third of Dickens' five Christmas books 1918  Moon of the Caribees by Eugene O'Neill - US The title play, The Moon of the Caribbees, is a one-act drama set aboard the British tramp steamer Glencairn, anchored in the serene yet mysterious West Indies. Under the full moon, the crew's interactions reveal deep-seated emotions and conflicts, set against the backdrop of a melancholic West Indian chant. Through O'Neill's m...

Title: The Silence of the Girls Author: Pat Barker Publication Year: 2018 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 Pages: 293 Source: book Genre: Historical fiction, Greek Myth, Retelling Awards: Shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award; Finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction Pat Barker stands among my favorite authors, and my admiration for her work is considerable; I might have focused my dissertation on her novels had I not been committed to Defoe. With that bias acknowledged, let’s see how The Silence of the Girls was. The novel retells the well-known story of Achilles from the Iliad, but does so through the eyes of Briseis—a woman, a slave, and a Trojan. While the events themselves are familiar, the narrative’s value lies in its perspective: why revisit a story whose every detail is so well-written already? This novel is not only concerned with Achilles, but with Briseis’s experience of the fall of Troy and the destruction of the Trojan world as she knows it. In particular, it foregrounds the of...

1686 Crusoe leaves the island. - UK 1776  American Crisis by Thomas Paine - US The American Crisis is a pamphlet series by 18th century Enlightenment philosopher and author Thomas Paine, originally published from 1776 to 1783 during the American Revolution. 1843 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - UK First published on December 19, 1843,  A Christmas Carol  was an instant classic: Londoners thronged to hear Dickens read it in person and bought out the first printing in days. Its reception was so ecstatic that it is credited with helping to revive interest among the Victorians in Christmas traditions, including caroling and holiday cards, as well as inciting an unexpected wave of charitable giving from Britain’s Industrial Age robber barons. 1848 The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain by Charles Dickens - UK Redlaw is a teacher of chemistry who often broods over wrongs done him and grief from his past.He is haunted by a spirit, who is not so much a ghost as Re...

1989  My Children, My Africa by Athol Fugard - South Africa The great South African playwright confronts the tragedy of apartheid in his native land in this compelling tale about the efforts of a humble and humane black teacher in a segregated township to persuade just one young person that education, not violence, is the answer to South Africa's problems. 2004 Whale  by Cheon Myeong-kwan - South Korea A sweeping, multi-generational tale blending fable, farce, and fantasy--a masterpiece of modern fiction perfect for fans of One Hundred Years of Solitude Shortlisted For The International Booker Prize 2018 The Disasters by M. K. England - US The Breakfast Club meets Guardians of the Galaxy in this YA sci-fi adventure by debut author M. K. England.

Title : Hot Wax Author : M L Rio Publication Year: 2025 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐💫 Pages : 400 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : Historical fiction, thriller, mystery, horror Hot Wax tells the story of Suzanne, a woman steeped in her father’s legendary, if wildly dysfunctional, music world, once part of it. When word arrives that her father has died, Suzanne ditches everything, including a marriage, and hits the road. Of course, the universe isn’t about to let her escape that easily: past and present have a nasty habit of tailgating, especially if you are destined to repeat the steps of your forefathers, or just literally your own father, despite all the attempts to avoid becoming him. One thing I genuinely enjoyed was the novel’s multi-focal, multi-timeline structure. At first, it’s a bit of a mental workout (especially in audiobook form), but once you’ve cracked the code of who’s who and when’s when, it’s oddly satisfying. The inventive section titles and the character-hopping tim...

1901 The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter - UK One of the best-loved children’s picture books of all time, available as a mini hardcover for little hands! A classic tale that teaches the importance of making smart decisions, this edition features restored and never-before-seen illustrations! 1925 An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser - US Theodore Dreiser was inspired by a true story to write this novel about an ambitious, socially insecure young man who finds himself caught between two very different women—and two very different visions of what his life could be. Clyde Griffiths was born poor and is poorly educated, but his prospects begin to improve when he is offered a job by a wealthy uncle who owns a shirt factory. Soon he achieves a managerial position, and despite being warned to stay away from the women he manages, he becomes involved with Roberta, a poor factory worker who falls in love with him. At the same time, he catches the eye of Sondra, the glamorous social...

Title : The Year of the Flood Author : Margaret Atwood Publication Year : 2009 Pages : 431 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction Awards : longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award; shortlisted for the 2010 Trillium Book Award; banned by Orange County Public Schools The Year of the Flood, book two in Margaret Atwood’s MaddAddam trilogy, picks up where Oryx and Crake left off—but don’t expect more of Snowman’s lonely end-of-the-world brooding. This time, the spotlight shifts to God’s Gardeners, a green-thumbed religious sect, and a new batch of apocalypse survivors. So much for Jimmy the Snowman being the last human standing! (Honestly, I was rooting for a truly exclusive end-of-the-world club, but Atwood clearly had other plans.) As the trilogy unfolds, the connections between the books become a puzzle worthy of a literary scavenger hunt. Tracking references, piecing together overlapping timelin...

1924  Vortex by Noël Coward - UK In The Vortex, Coward explores the darker side of the Cocktail Party set. Emotional blackmail, drug abuse and shattered relationships are minutely observed in this disturbing, early piece from a playwright whose sharp eye was more usually turned towards the light. 2025 Between Good and Evil by Rochelle Alers - US A transporting historical saga about three young men coming-of-age on New York City’s rapidly changing, vibrant, challenging, sometimes heartless Upper West Side as they walk a fine line between right and wrong amid the turbulence and scandals of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. 2025 Crossing the Line by James D. Shipman - CAN In the dark heart of the Krakow Jewish ghetto, three women—each a world apart—are drawn together by an unthinkable twist of fate. The women must navigate a deadly game of survival, risking everything to outsmart the Nazis and save countless lives. Perfect for readers of Pam Jenoff, Kristin Hannah, Joseph Kanon, an...

Title : Autumn Author : Ali Smith Publication Year : 2016 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Pages : 264 Source : book Genre : literary fiction, Post-Brexit Awards : Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize At its heart, this novel tells the story of Daniel Gluck, a 101-year-old former songwriter in his final days, and his deep, unconventional friendship with Elisabeth Demand, a 32-year-old woman who grew up as his neighbor. Their intergenerational bond shapes both their lives, with Daniel’s influence echoing in Elisabeth’s adulthood (her thesis, her career as an art history professor, and her identity and ideology. Woven through their relationship are reflections on memory, art, and the political upheaval of contemporary Britain, especially Brexit. The narrative also highlights the life and legacy of '60s pop artist Pauline Boty, whose presence lingers like a hidden thread in both Daniel and Elisabeth’s story. Genre-wise, the novel blends realism with magical realism. The everyday bureaucracy a...

1949 The Just by Albert Camus - France Camus’s The Just is based on the true story of a group of Russian revolutionaries who assassinated Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich in 1905. This new translation by Bobby Theodore comes at a time when the play is more relevant than ever and provokes a troubling yet vital question: Do the ends justify the means? 1983  Isn't It Romantic by Wendy Wasserstein - US The play deals with the post-college careers (and dilemmas) of two former classmates, a short, slightly plump would-be writer named Janie Blumberg, and her tall, thin gorgeous WASP friend, Harriet Cornwall. Both are struggling to escape from lingering parental domination and to establish their own lives and identities. 2025 Nostalgia by Iris Lake Nostalgia is an immersive and heartrending tale of love, connection, and the need to remain human in a world that pushes you not to.

1945  Dream Girl by Elmer Rice - UK It depicts a day in the life of a daydreaming bookstore manager, whose vivid fantasies form much of the play's action. 2025 Higher Learning by Shayne Parkinson - New Zealand It is 1924, and Daisy is to spend the year living at her Aunt Sarah's house in Auckland, attending the local university to sharpen her science education and to gain the final qualifications she needs before she can attend medical school.

1668  Britannicus by Jean Racine The play takes place in ancient Rome and explores the power struggles and political intrigue within the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Nero. 1970  Gingerbread Lady by Neil Simon A major departure from Simon's previous lighthearted plays, The Gingerbread Lady was a dark drama with comic overtones centering on Evy Meara, a cabaret singer whose career, marriage, and health all have been destroyed by alcohol. Alvin Klein noted that "The play was Mr. Simon's first attempt to play it straight and serious."

2014 A Strangeness in My Mind by Orhan Pamuk - Turkey Told from different perspectives by a host of beguiling characters, A Strangeness in My Mind is a modern epic of coming of age in a great city, a brilliant tableau of life among the newcomers who have changed the face of Istanbul over the past fifty years. Here is a mesmerizing story of human longing, sure to take its place among Pamuk’s finest achievements.

  1730  Brutus by Voltaire - France This tragedy was produced in 1730. It marks Voltaire's spirit of daring in treating a subject from which Shakespeare shrank as perhaps too painful for representation. When revived during the Revolution it was enthusiastically applauded. 1958 J.B. by Archibald MacLeish - US Based on the story of Job, this drama in verse tells the story of a twentieth-century American banker and millionaire whom God commands be stripped of his family and wealth, but who refuses to turn his back on God. J.B. won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1959 and the Tony Award for best play. More important, the play sparked a national conversation about the nature of God, the meaning of hope, and the role of the artist in society. 2025 My Husband's An Author by James Caine Emily thought marrying bestselling author Stephen Dyer was her fairy tale ending, until she sees his search history.

1718 Laurence Eusden is appointed British Poet Laureate under George I 1884  Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - US Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written throughout in vernacular English, characterized by local color regionalism. 1896  Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry - France A stunning, controversial work that immediately outraged audiences with its scatological references during the 1896 premiere, Ubu Roi satirizes the tendency of the successful bourgeois to abuse his authority and become irresponsibly complacent. 2025 The Mystery of the Silver Dish by Judith Cutler - UK Antiques Roadshow meets Agatha Christie! Visit the cosiest corner of the Kent countryside in this page-turning whodunit featuring a funny, feisty antique dealer turned amateur sleuth. 2025 Wild Orchids by Sandra A. Sigfusson At the precipice of a new life beyond the ruins of my f...

Title : The Stationery Shop of Tehran Author : Marjan Kamali Publication Year : 2019 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 312 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : literary fiction, coming-of-age, historical fiction, Persian Literature This is the third Marjan Kamali novel I’ve read, and once again, she made me ugly cry (seriously, don’t attempt this one if you’re already emotionally fragile or if you've just survived two days of a headache). Kamali’s novels may revisit similar moments in Iranian history, but each feels vibrant and distinct, animated by her gift for bringing unique, unforgettable characters to life. Her writing is so evocative that you can practically smell the saffron and cardamom wafting from the pages; her food descriptions alone are enough to transport you straight to a bustling family kitchen in Iran. No other Iranian diaspora writer has made me this homesick or moved me as much. Kamali remains my favorite Persian author by far. The novel centers on Roya, whose wo...

1724 Caesar in Egypt by Colley Cibber - UK It is inspired by Pierre Corneille's 1642 French play The Death of Pompey about Julius Caesar's intervention in the Egyptian Civil War between Cleopatra and her brother. 1854  Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Tennyson - UK A narrative poem about the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. 2025 Everyone in the Group Chat Dies by L. M. Chilton - UK From the breakout author of Swiped comes a compulsively readable, surprisingly funny, and genuinely thrilling pageturner about a TikTok true crime investigator, a ’90s serial killer that may not be as dead as everyone would like, a text thread from hell, and long buried secrets that just won’t stay in the grave where they belong. 2025 Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern - US Inspired by one of the first real-life female columnists at the  New Yorker , this enticing historical mystery follows Fr...

1915  In Flanders Fields by John McCrae - Canada It is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. 1954  Bad Seed by Maxwell Anderson - US Presents a dramatization of March's novel featuring Rhoda Penmark, who uses her strange powers and talent for evil to force others to give her what she wants. 1965  Cactus Flower by Abe Burrows - US A philandering dentist keeps his many affairs at bay by claiming to be married with children. When the ruse threatens to catch up with him, he drafts his prickly nurse to pose as his "wife". 1852  The Journalists by Gustav Freytag - Germany Laugh out loud with this witty and incisive satire of the German press in the mid-19th century. Follow the misadventures of a young journalist as he navigates the cutthroat world of newspaper publishing, facing down scheming editors, corrupt polit. 1943  Voice of the Turtle by John Van Druten - UK Co...

1925  Easy Virtue by Noël Coward - UK When curtain rises, it is a morning in early April. The hall looks quite gay' with spring flowers, but rain can be seen beating against the windows. 1938 Here Come the Clowns by Philip Barry - US It is an imaginative excursion in search of the truth, and some of it shuffles off this mortal coil. in a glow of haunting beauty.

1894 The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin - US There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? 1933 Ban on James Joyce's novel " Ulysses " in the US is lifted - Ireland Set entirely on one day, 16 June 1904, Ulysses follows Leopold Bloom and Stephen Daedalus as they go about their daily business in Dublin. From this starting point, James Joyce constructs a novel of extraordinary imaginative richness and depth. Unique in the history of literature, Ulysses is one of the most important and enjoyable works of the twentieth century. 1954 Simone de Beauvoir receives the Prix Goncourt prize in French literature 2025 Golden Girls on the Run by Judy Leigh The BRAND NEW laugh-out-loud, relatable read from MILLION COPY bestseller Judy Leigh! Age is just a number. Trouble is a lifestyle.

1896  Emperor and Galilean by Henrik Ibsen Norway Emperor and Galilean was published in 1873 when Ibsen was at the height of his creative powers. He saw it as the cornerstone of his entire dramatic output. 1941  Angel Street by Patrick Hamilton UK A Broadway hit first produced on the West End under the title Gaslight and filmed twice, Angel Street tells the story of the Manninghams, who live on Angel Street in 19th-century London. As the curtain rises, all appears to be the essence of Victorian tranquility. It is soon apparent, however, that Mr. Manningham, a suavely handsome man, is slowly driving his gentle, devoted wife, Bella, to the brink of insanity with an insinuating kindness that masks more sinister motives. 1955  Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder US Now, for the first time in a standalone edition, Thornton Wilder's brilliant, hilarious play which was adapted into the hit Broadway musical Hello, Dolly with an afterword by Wilder's nephew, Tappan Wil...

Title : Small Pleasures Author : Clare Chambers Publication Year: 2020 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 352 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : literary fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, psychological, Queer Awards :  longlisted for the 2021 Women's Prize for Fiction Set in 1957, this novel centers on Jean Swinney, a local journalist drawn into the extraordinary case of a woman who claims her daughter was conceived through a virgin birth. As Jean investigates, she finds herself unexpectedly entwined in the lives of the woman and her family, and her own world begins to change. Beyond the central mystery, the novel weaves together themes of longing, love, loneliness, and the search for truth. It blends elements of romance, historical fiction, psychology, and queer identity in a gentle, nuanced way. Chambers creates a quiet tension as Jean, ever the careful investigator, is pulled deeper into the emotional lives of those around her and is forced to confront her ow...

1933 Tobacco Road by Jack Kirkland (the longest-running play of its time) US Even before the Great Depression struck, Jeeter Lester and his family were desperately poor sharecroppers. But when hard times begin to affect the families that once helped support them, the Lesters slip completely into the abyss. 1993 If You Believe by Kristin Hannah US A timeless historical novel about two lonely people who witness the miracle of second chances 2025 Hello Earth, Are You There? by Brian Aldiss UK A new collection for 2025 of classic science fiction stories from a master of the genre, including the story that inspired Steven Spielberg's blockbuster film, AI: Artificial Intelligence 2025 Hannah Bloom: Dream Juggler by Jacquie Herz UK “A multi-layered novel, Herz does a great job of taking us into Hannah's head and heart and also exploring the complicated nature of both familial and business relationships. A sensitive and timely read!” –Meryl Ain, Ed.D. author of Shadows...

Title : The Word for World is Forest Author : Ursula K. Le Guin Publication Year : 1972 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 189 Source : audiobook @storytel.tr Genre : Science-Fiction, Dystopia Awards : Winner of the Hugo Award The Word for World is Forest, written in 1972, is a dystopian science fiction novel that explores humanity’s fraught relationship with the indigenous Athsheans on a colonized planet. While the story’s themes—colonialism, exploitation, slavery, sexism—may have seemed groundbreaking at the time, today they read like a distressingly familiar chapter from our own history books. Despite its powerful themes, the book’s characters can feel more like archetypes than fully developed individuals, often serving as mouthpieces for racism and sexism. This isn’t particularly shocking—just embarrassingly familiar. At times, I found myself cringing at humanity’s repeated atrocities, both in fiction and real life. Most unsettling of all is watching the Athsheans lose their peaceful w...

1730 Colley Cibber is appointed British Poet Laureate under King George II UK 1926 Detective novelist Agatha Christie mysteriously disappears for 11 days UK 2024 Private Rites by Julia Armfield UK From the BELOVED, AWARD-WINNING author of Our Wives Under the Sea, a speculative reimagining of King Lear, centering three sisters navigating queer love and loss in a drowning world

1867 In a New York City theater, British author Charles Dickens gives his first public reading in the US (UK) 1950  I Robot by Isaac Asimov US This classic science fiction masterwork by Isaac Asimov weaves stories about robots, humanity, and the deep questions of existence into a novel of shocking intelligence and heart. 2025 Sharpe's Storm by Bernard Cornwell UK The year is 1813. France is a battlefield, and winter shows no mercy. Amidst brutal conditions, Major Richard Sharpe finds himself saddled with an unexpected burden: Rear-Admiral Sir Joel Chase, dispatched by the Admiralty with sealed orders, unshakable confidence, and a frankly terrifying enthusiasm for combat.

1840 Bon-Bon by Edgar Allen Poe US ( My Review ) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Edgar Allan Poe's short story about a self proclaimed philosopher, Pierre Bon-Bon, who has an encounter with the Devil and has a conversation with him. 1887  Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle UK Being the first novel is the Holmes detective series by Doyle, A Study in Scarlet largely introduces the reader to the forthcoming series by Doyle. 1919  Mr Pim Passes By by AA Milne UK A charming country estate, a respectable couple, and a peculiar visitor set the stage for delightful chaos in this sparkling comedy by A. A. Milne, best known for creating Winnie-the-Pooh. 1924 "La Révolution surréaliste" by André Breton FR 1997 Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris US David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. 1998 Amsterdam  by Ian McEwan UK A sharp contemporary morality tale, cleverly disguised as a comic novel,...