They share their secrets and dreams, and help each other be strong when beloved Mother must leave to nurse Father, who is wounded in the Civil War. The passing years bring more adventures and romance—the first wedding, a broken heart, a trip to Europe—and the girls are young women. This book shows vividly the joys of growing up in a loving family.Cover illustration by Al Leiner.-from the back cover

    Henry originated the humorous, energetic tale that ends with an ironic, even shocking twist. In "After Twenty Years," for example, two boys agree to meet at a particular spot exactly twenty years later. Both are faithful, but in the intervening years one boy has turned into a criminal, the other into a policeman. Behind the rendezvous lurks a powerful dramatic situation with a fascinating moral dilemma--all in a few brief pages. This is just one of the many literary gems in Selected Stories of O. Henry, a collection of forty-five of O. Henry's most renowned and entertaining short stories. Each one offers insights into human nature and the ways it is affected by love, jealousy, poverty, gentility, and the all-pervading reality of people conning people--themes that ran through the author's own life. Born William Sidney Porter, O. Henry started writing while in prison for embezzlement. Later he moved to New York, and his tales romanticizing the commonplace, particularly the life of ordinary New Yorkers, became highly popular. The most widely read author of his time, O. Henry died penniless but left behind a wealth of short stories that endure as hallmarks of the genre.

    The world's best-loved children's stories set in large type for easy reading.-- Over 100 illustrations in each book

    Includes the following Agatha Christie mysteries:And Then There Were None (1939)Death on the Nile (1937)The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)Witness for the Prosecution (1924)

    Exotic locales, seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and comic relief provide a fantastic blend of adventure, entertainment, and suspense. - For generations, readers have enjoyed classic literature. They have delighted in the romance of Jane Austen, thrilled ... more »at the adventures of Jules Verne, and pondered the lessons of Aesop. Introduce young readers to these familiar volumes with Great Illustrated Classics. In this series, literary masterworks have been adapted for young scholars. Large, easy-to-read type and charming pen-and-ink drawings enhance the text. Students are sure to enjoy becoming acquainted with traditional literature through these well-loved classics.

    Much of Greene's outlook is there. A keen and often mocking eye, versatility and humor, a deep and sometimes lacerated concern for the bodies and souls of mankind combine to make Greene one of the most admired and influential contemporary writers. A consummate craftsman and dedicated enemy of bores and boredom, Greene draws the reader of these seven novels into that instant world apart created by convincing characters and total readability.Contents: The Heart of the Matter Orient Express (aka Stamboul Train) A Burnt-out Case The Third Man The Quiet American Loser Takes All The Power and the Glory

    Passages from the West's great written works, ranging from the Odyssey and the Old Testament to the Interpretation of Dreams and Ulysses, comment on love, knowledge, ethics, war, art, and other abiding topics.