Showing results by author "Richard Le Gallienne" in All Categories

In Richard Le Gallienne’s hauntingly beautiful short story, a weary city dweller escapes the noise of New York and travels to a lonely stretch of countryside along the Connecticut coast. There he rents an abandoned colonial farmhouse surrounded by ancient apple trees, lilacs, and the shimmering silence of spring. At first the orchard seems like the perfect sanctuary for solitude and reflection. But soon something strange begins to happen.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. The zenith of Empire is bookended by two catastrophic wars that slaughter vast swathes of humanity. And yet authors manage to record and create fragile libraries of humanity, its talents, its dreams and increasingly its nightmares.

Although unfamiliar with the Persian language, the eminent English poet and critic Richard le Gallienne had a profound interest in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In 1901 he published a collection of 261 quatrains, which was based on earlier English translations, in particular the prose version by Justin Huntly McCarthy. In his introduction, Le Gallienne suggests that his ignorance of Persian was in fact an advantage as it allowed him to focus on producing good poetry rather than merely an accurate translation.

In 1890 W. B. Yeats and Ernest Rhys founded a poetry club. Based mainly at Fleet Street’s immortal ‘Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’ pub, with occasional appearances at the Domino room in the Café Royal, poets gathered together to dine and drink. Whilst it was based on a core of poets, many others attended on an ad hoc basis including Oscar Wilde, Francis Thompson & Lord Alfred Douglas. The camaraderie, banter and poetry that played out in their dreams, ambitions and for many, their difficult lives led Yeats to call them ‘the tragic generation’.

As summer fades, Richard and his friend Colin find themselves leaving their remote hermitage for the bustling streets of New York City. Yet, instead of opting for the conventional train ride on the 430-mile journey, they choose to embark on an adventurous walk. Richard captures their sentiment perfectly Dont you hate the idea of being hurled along in a train, suddenly shot into the city again, like a package through a tube? This lengthy trek promises to be more than just a means of travel; it becomes a transformative experience. Along the way, they encounter diverse individuals, witness ...

In The Worshipper of the Image, Richard Le Gallienne unfolds a haunting tale first published in 1900. The story follows Antony, a poet who stumbles upon a mysterious death mask in an antique shop that strikingly resembles his wife, Beatrice. Named Silencieux, this eerie artifact soon becomes an obsession, consuming Antonys thoughts and driving a wedge between him and his once-beloved family. As his fixation deepens, Antony spirals into madness, willing to sacrifice everything—including his own soul—to be reunited with the haunting visage of Silencieux. - Summary by Holly McGuire

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Maker of Rainbows, a captivating collection of fairy tales crafted by the gifted Richard Le Gallienne. These timeless stories invite readers of all ages to explore themes of magic, adventure, and the beauty of imagination.

Richard Thomas Gallienne was born in Liverpool on 20th January, 1866. His first job was in an accountant's office, but this was quickly abandoned to pursue his first love as a professional writer. His first work, My Ladies’ Sonnets, was published in 1887. In 1889 he became, for a brief time, literary secretary to Wilson Barrett the manager, actor, and playwright. Barrett enjoyed immense success with the staging of melodramas, which would later reach a peak with the historical tragedy The Sign of the Cross (1895).

Richard Le Gallienne was a notable example of the Bohemian literary figure. He travelled widely, had many acquaintances among notable figures of his day, including Oscar Wilde, Rupert Brooke, and John Cowper Powys, and worked through a long series of romantic relationships. However, his poetic verbiage is economical and disciplined, and free from rhetorical affectation. This collection was published in 1895, and reflects the mature style of the poet.

At some point in our lives we believe that creak, that low moan, that whisper is something unnatural, beyond our comprehension. And in these stories our instincts are right. We are afraid. And we should be. Perhaps even terrified. In this volume our classic authors take different approaches, but the result is inevitably the same. We are hooked by these unknowable forces, our emotions heightened and rattled by the expectation - or shock - of the next few words.

In the English language ‘bittersweet’ is that most pivotal of words. The mixture of sadness and happiness that suggest both but often bringing us smartly to earth, smack dab in-between them both, with little of either.

For centuries England has always had a leading and admired reputation for its poets and poetry. In this volume we explore those born in the North-West who created such revered, enduring and respected verse.

Two friends set out on foot at the edge of autumn, trading the noise of the city for quiet roads and golden leaves. With no fixed destination, they walk through the backroads of upstate New York, staying in small inns, visiting country towns, and living on simple pleasures. Along the way, they reflect on poetry, friendship, freedom, and the joy of slowing down.

Love. Perhaps the one word solution for everything. An emotion, a state of mind that we strive for, search for. A wondrous force that binds, inspires, and a force that can spin out of control; unbalanced and fragile. Love reflects, changes and embraces us all. The capture of love in this life is a very special happening, it may only strike us once, and for some perhaps never. But what if those on the ‘other side’ have designs on us? What if their desire is just so strong that we can’t resist? Can true love survive?