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"Alice Cogswell Bemis: A Sketch by a Friend" by Anonymous. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

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"Remarks on the Proposed Railway Between Birmingham and London" by Anonymous. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

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The author of this Icelandic saga is unknown, yet was likely written in the mid-13th century. «Eyrbyggja» begins at the time of Iceland's settlement, but most of the events throughout take place towards the end of the 10th century and early 11th century. The title means the saga of the inhabitants of Eyrr, a farm on Snaefellsnes in Iceland. Throughout the tale, the Ere-Dwellers are confronted by tragedy and death, which result in ghosts, eerie occurrences, and hauntings. The mix of realism with gothic imagination and history dramatizes a 13th century view of the past, from the pagan rebellion of the Viking age, the coming of Christianity, and the beginnings of organized society. The main focus is to trace a few key families as they settled in Iceland, rather than to focus on a single protagonist. «Eyrbyggja» is characterized by a distinct interest in old lore, rituals, pagan practices and superstitions. It is valued for many reasons including a certain historic credibility and folkloric elements. Also included in this edition is «The Story of the Heath-Slayings».

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Thought to have been first written down in the 12th century by an author who is still unknown, «The Nibelungenlied,» translated from Middle High German as «The Song of the Nibelungs,» is an epic German poem reflecting the oral tradition, heroic motifs, and actual events and individuals from the 5th and 6th centuries. This remarkable work begins with an assurance of both joy and sorrow, though ultimately tragedy reins in «The Nibelungenlied.» The early chapters recount the young life of Siegfried, a great Netherlands prince, who slew a dragon and bathed in its blood while still young, giving him extraordinary strength. He goes on to meet the lovely princess Kriemhild, whose brother Gunther requires his help to marry the strong Icelandic Queen Brünhild in exchange for his sister's hand. All is well until Brünhild discovers the deception of Gunther and Siegfried, and her successful plot to murder the latter incites bloody revenge from Kriemhild. From the court of the Burgundians to the court of Etzel, from terrible deaths to hidden treasure, «The Nibelungenlied» is a masterful illumination of German antiquity and dramatic legend. Often and justly compared to «The Iliad» of the Greeks, this skillful epic poem has inspired artists throughout the centuries, most notably Richard Wagner in his opera cycle 'The Ring,' and will doubtlessly continue to inspire readers in the centuries to come.

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The «Ramayana» is an ancient Sanskrit epic originating in India and dating from at least the third century BC. It is not a single text, but instead is comprised of many texts, as well as oral renditions. Traditionally, it is ascribed to the Hindu sage, Valmiki. However, the work as it is now known is believed to have many insertions of a much later date than the original work. It forms an important part of the Hindu canon reflecting religious, political, social beliefs, and moral doctrines of Hindu origin. The «Ramayana» story combines romance, fantasy, magic and adventure as it recounts the life of Rama—the seventh incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, his brother Lakshmana—his wife Sita, the enemy Ravana, a host of demons, and an army of monkeys loyal to Rama led by Hanuman. It contains the teachings of ancient Hindu mentors and presents them in narrative allegory, exploring the tenets of human existence and the concept of dharma. Presented here in this volume is an edition abridged by Romesh Dutt.

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First passed down orally through innumerable generations of minstrels before the presence of Christianity in Scandinavia, and written down eventually by unknown poets, «The Poetic Edda» is a collection of mythological and heroic Old Norse poems. It was preserved for hundreds of years in the medieval Codex Regius of Iceland. This body of poetry contains narratives on creation, the Doom of the Gods, the adventures of Thor and hostile giants, and many tales of love, family, heroes, and tragedy. Rediscovered in the seventeenth century and immediately celebrated for its broad portrait of northern pagan beliefs, «The Poetic Edda» is the most important source of Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends in existence today. It is a fascinating collection of poems that has stirred the imagination of artists such as Richard Wagner and Thomas Gray, and it will continue to inspire as it stands as a valuable and informative historical document and an entertaining set of stories of Norse mythology.

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As in the case with many other Icelanders' sagas, the author of Laxdaela is unknown, but believed to have been composed in the middle of the thirteenth century. The tale has often been regarded as curiously feminine and speculated to have been written by a woman. The Laxdaela Saga, a story of the men and women of the Salmon River valley, is of an Icelandic family that relates the history of some five or six generations of prominent individuals descended from emigrant Norwegian chieftains, tracing the disastrous removal of many lives during the early Icelandic Commonwealth period. The years prior to Iceland's annexation by Norway in 1262, were a time of settlement, Christianization, and national independence. The saga begins with two branches of the family: those of Unn the Deep-Minded and Bjorn the Easterner, whose lines produce the heroic Kjartan and fiery protagonist, Gudrun. A mixture of historical fact, epic, myth, anachronism, romance, and literary inventions, this saga is a dramatization of the circumstances surrounding a blood-feud between two sides of a great dynasty.

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Here is the tale of the search for the Holy Grail, the vessel that received the blood of Christ upon the day of his Crucifixion. This anonymous story is thought to be a continuation of the French trouvère Chrétien de Troyes' unfinished «Perceval, The Story of the Grail.» Written sometime in the early 13th century, this Arthurian Romance remains unique for its high amount of allegorical mysticism and use of Celtic lore. Our hero Perceval here goes through various toils and trials in his continued search for the Holy Grail. An important piece of the Arthurian canon, «The Quest for the Holy Grail» adds to the rich world of King Arthur's court. Again we meet Gawain, Lancelot, and Galahad, as their quest for divinity moves forth.

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