Book description
The short story is often viewed as an inferior relation to the Novel. But it is an art in itself. To take a story and distil its essence into fewer pages while keeping character and plot rounded and driven is not an easy task. Many try and many fail. In this series we look at short stories from many of our most accomplished writers. Miniature masterpieces with a lot to say. In this volume we examine some of the short stories of Anthony Trollope. Born in London on 24th April 1815 Trollope is considered a giant of English literature. His early schooling was at Harrow and Sunbury. He was often bullied due to the family's reduced financial means exacerbated by his bad tempered father who seemed to be full of energy but lacking in any follow through to turn it into a regular income. His mother, Frances, moved with three of his younger siblings to the United States in 1827 returning only in 1831 as a successful writer. His father who had travelled with them for only a short time continued to fail. In 1834 Anthony Trollope moved with his family to Bruges in Belgium to escape the debt collectors pursuing his father. With the offer of work for the General Post Office he returned to London later that same year. The next 7 years were by his own account unproductive and miserable. However in 1841 a chance to move to Ireland for the GPO availed itself and he took it. His life began to turn around. His salary went further and his work went well and he became a valuable part of its' work. In 1842 he met and then became engaged to Rose Heseltine and they later married in 1844. The marriage also stimulated his writing ambitions and within a year he had finished his first novel, "The Macdermots of Ballycloran". During his long travels around Ireland he now began to write extensively often setting himself a schedule about how many words to write in a day. This discipline ensured a prolific and extensive literary catalogue in the decades to follow. In 1851 he was sent to England to organise rural delivery in part of the country. He travelled extensively for two years. In this period he began to nurture the first of the six Barsetshire novels "The Warden' which was published to encouraging sales in 1855. Two years later, also in the same series, the famed "Barchester Towers" was published. In 1859 he wanted to contribute short stories to the Cornhill magazine, edited by William Makepeace Thackeray. His novel "Framley Parsonage" was initially printed as a serial in the magazine and proved lucrative and reputation building. Wishing to move his writing career forward he knew he should really be established back in England and preferably London. So in 1861 he sought and was appointed as Surveyor to the Eastern District, comprising Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and most of Hertfordshire. That same year he moved to Waltham Cross, about 12 miles from London, where he lived until 1871. In 1868 he resigned from the Post Office in order to run for Parliament (being a public servant he was otherwise ineligible to run) as a Liberal at Beverley in Yorkshire. Unfortunately with vote buying and other corrupt practices prevalent he finished last of 4 candidates despite spending over £400 on the campaign. However it brought new light on to the practice and helped to clean up national politics. Thereafter he focused his attention solely on writing. In 1871 he visited Australia for a year to see his younger son, his ensuing book, though even handed, gave way to resentment on many Australians part which still simmered on a return visit some years later. Shortly before his end he returned again to Ireland to research his last and unfinished novel "The Landleaguers". In his prolific career he had written 47 novels as well as many short stories and travel books. On December 1882 he died in London and is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery in London.
Bad Princess
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Truth
This app has brought storytelling into every corner of my life – it's incredible. Library organization has never been this easy. My audiobook collection is finally tidy. Fairly enjoyable, but forgettable. I didn’t have any major complaints, but I also don’t see myself revisiting this one. It was a decent way to spend a few hours, though.
Miss Mustard
The ability to highlight passages and take notes while listening is a fantastic feature. I'm blown away by the app's performance. It's fast, reliable, and tailored for audiobook lovers. This is exactly what I look for in an audiobook! The narrator's pleasant voice and excellent diction made even complex passages easy to follow. I appreciated the subtle but effective use of pauses and emphasis that added depth to the listening experience. Finished it in record time because I couldn't stop listening.
Ginger Chaos
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Kazmii
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Flyswat Briggs
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Good-lookin’
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QuestWeaver
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Aqua Monsoon
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Electric Saturn
I love how this app's chapters, bookmarks, and controls give me full control over my audiobook journey. Audiobook pleasure simplified – this app's design is a standout. Quick access to chapters and controls ensures a seamless listening experience with ListenBook. It's effortless to use. I love the ability to customize the skip buttons. It’s so convenient.
Nightmare King
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xSTORMx
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LifeRobber
The app's compatibility with CarPlay and Apple Watch enhances my listening experience on the go. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
Father Abbot
Mood-based playlists help me choose books that suit my current state of mind. With this app, my audiobook library is organized and accessible, making my reading journey effortless. 🚶♀️🎧 Enjoying the great outdoors while immersing myself in fantastic tales – walking never felt this magical! 🏞️📚 Audiobook multitasking made simple – this app's design is a game-changer. I love the ability to share my progress with friends. It’s a fun feature.
DanimalDaze
ListenBook's player features are incredibly helpful. Chapters and bookmarks make navigation easy. The user-friendly interface and precise controls make listening to audiobooks an absolute delight. Library organization and book groups make managing my audiobook collection a breeze. The app is very easy to use. ListenBook makes managing my audiobook library simple.
Crash Test
A functional audiobook. It kept me entertained, but I wasn’t blown away. The narrator’s performance was competent, though some emotional scenes fell a bit flat. This audiobook was an absolute pleasure to listen to! The narrator's voice was rich and expressive, perfectly capturing the tone of the material. I found myself completely immersed in the story, often sitting in my car longer than necessary just to hear what happened next. The production quality was excellent with clear audio throughout.
Steel Solstice
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Predator
I've become the storyteller of my family, sharing the amazing audiobooks I've discovered. I'm in awe of how this app has made reading a part of my busy life. With this app, reading is no longer a luxury – it's an essential part of my day. 🚗 Transforming long drives into memorable journeys through the magic of audiobooks! 🚗📚 🎧 Satiate your reading cravings while managing household affairs – this app has it all! 📚💼
Palomino
Streamlined audiobook integration – this app's usability is impressive. ListenBook's loop and shuffle playback features have become indispensable tools in my audiobook learning. Noise reduction on ListenBook Pro is a game-changer. I can enjoy clear recordings.
MythMaker
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Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience