Bøger udgivet af Pantianos Classics

Mathilde Kschessinska, Prima ballerina of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatre, tells her life story in these moving and dramatic memoirs.Born in Imperial Russia in 1872, Kschessinska came from a family of dancers and was trained in ballet. Noted as a great talent from youth, Kschessinska's destiny was shaped by her debut performance: she won the praise of the visiting Tsars and met the young man who was to become the future Tsar Nicholas II. The two became romantically involved for three years, until the young Grand Duke was betrothed to the future Empress Alexandra.The author describes her ballet career; for many years, she and her company of performers were popular sources of gossip among the upper strata of Russian society. Kschessinska toured and became well acquainted with the culture and majesty of Europe, and had relationships with two Grand Dukes of Russia, one of whom - Andrei Vladimirovich - became her husband.Perhaps the most dramatic and harrowing passages of this memoir date to the Russian Revolution: the sudden plunge of the nation into chaos and anarchy, and the danger the author was in as a known associate of Russia's royalty, is told. By sheer fortune, Kschessinska and her husband were able to escape to France, but not after a series of close calls amid the melee of Russia's devastating civil war.

General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck of the German East-Africa campaign shares his narrative of the war, and his effective use of guerilla warfare to keep a far larger Allied army in check.Unlike his counterparts in Europe, whose war had quickly come to a standstill and infamous trench warfare, Lettow-Vorbeck led a highly effective campaign that impressed commanders on both sides. His campaign took place over what is today Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, with parts of Britain's colonial holdings eventually also subject to skirmishing. The cunning use of the terrain, weather, ambush, salvaged guns from the sunken ship Königsberg, and locally hired auxiliaries meant Lettow-Vorbeck's small force kept an Allied army roughly ten times as large occupied.While the static western front of Europe happened contrary to forward planning, Lettow-Vorbeck and other military figures in Germany had calculated how effective a guerilla campaign could be in Africa prior to the war commencing in 1914. Frustrated by his successes, the British sent reinforcements totaling over 70,000 men in 1916 - these failed to gain a decisive victory, with the fresh troops taking casualties and rendered ineffective by disease.The sheer numbers of opposition led Lettow-Vorbeck to conclude that victory was impossible; his operation's aims were merely to divert British resources, harassing targets with guerilla warfare. The general in this memoir attests to being reasonably supplied until the very end of the war; unaware how exhausted Germany had become, he was surprised to receive a telegram in November 1918 telling of the Armistice and unconditional surrender of the German military.

Set in the impoverished and bustling Lower East Side of Manhattan at the turn of the 20th century, The God of Vengeance is a memorable urban drama of intrigue and romantic liaisons.

The Branch Will Not Break is a reflective anthology of poems which evokes its author's upbringing in poverty-stricken Ohio during the 1930s and 1940s.Representing a radical and innovative departure from the more conventional and nature-orientated works of his earlier career, this collection sees James Wright embark on sudden narrative shifts while conjuring evocative imagery full of implication. Often, the poems begin with a description of a person or object - after these initial verses, we find a blossoming of imagery. This collection was the result of years of collaboration Wright enjoyed with fellow poet Robert Bly.Economical with words, Wright's poems are generally short but unfailing in evocation and implication. Some of the shortest, most rhythmic works in this collection carry shades of Eastern poetry such as Haiku. Others declare a raw scene, image and meaning in an appealing and deceptively simple manner. Readers will find pleasure in Wright's gifts, qualitative, intense and imbued with brevity as they often are.This collection formed a fine compliment to the Beat and New York School poetry of the 1950s and early 1960s - isolated geographically from his contemporaries, James Wright's ability gave significance to the Midwest; prior to this collection, modern poets mostly inhabited the east and west coasts of North America.

George Dolby worked as manager and secretary for the author Charles Dickens, accompanying him on his famous writing tours in Britain and North America.As well as being a prolific author, Charles Dickens was renowned for his capacity to evocatively read his stories to others. He channeled the emotional and dramatic portions of his books so well that listeners often sat rapt in silence, with women and children sometimes moved to tears. Booked by many venues across Britain and America, Dickens was a popular sensation, who spent much of his final years constantly on the move, reading his finest stories to his fans.George Dolby speaks of his former employer with respect and admiration; Charles Dickens was a gentleman through-and-through, treating those he met courteously. A diligent manager, Dolby recalls the financial and practical aspects of the reading tours, and many of the interesting incidents he and Dickens experienced on their travels. Dolby also recalls how Dickens was prone to fatigue, with his health declining as the reading tours wore on. Finally, and most emotionally, he remembers his final meeting with the great author, mere days before he perished.This edition of Dolby's memoirs contains several illustrations, some of which had appeared in the popular press of the time.

This historical guide to horse training contains sixty-two illustrations, helping the reader understand the author's instructions.Published at the beginning of the 20th century, Breaking and Riding details at length the process of training horses for professional riding; the assessments of temperament and physical traits of the animal afford the reader great understanding. Chapters discuss such subjects as making the horse feel at ease with its rider, creating an emotional bond that stands the test of time and the stresses of work, and making sure the horse does not develop bad habits or become ill-tempered.The finer points of horse behavior, such as the manner in which the animal jumps, canters and gallops, are accompanied by photographs and drawings. Several of Fillis's unique methods for inducing good behavior whilst on horseback are also pictured, along with pictures demonstrating common errors in riding posture and improper use of the reins.James Fillis published this account late in life, after a career working with horses which spanned several decades. He wanted riders young and experienced alike to benefit from what he learned. Although some of what Fillis recommends is outdated to modern equestrians, his writings are nevertheless acknowledged to this day for advancing and formalizing aspects of equestrianism. The translator, Matthew Hayes, praises the author and mentions his tutoring experience in some of Europe's finest riding schools.

Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk discusses the history and principles of interest, offering piercing critiques of failed theories and implementations from past eras.The author's investigations range as far back as antiquity and the Middle Ages; how civilizations of old dealt - or failed to deal - with interest in concept and practice. Interest is earned on existing capital, without the owner of said capital engaging in work or activity, an example being money invested in government bonds. Why this income should exist is the initial question posed, and an answer is sought through investigating several facets of the economy.Böhm-Bawerk's thesis is lengthy and meticulous, ranging across theories of production, the uses with which capital can be employed, the relevance of labor and ideas put across by scholars. He investigates the relationship of interest to debt, exploring whether interest itself is a rent on capital, and what this means in the short and long term. The author is keen to address and debunk ideas, such as the Marxist notion that the interest earned with capital is a manifestation of worker exploitation.Published in the 1880s, Böhm-Bawerk's work was among the first to tackle the subject of interest while recognizing the significance of interest rates in the modern economy. His ideas would go on to inspire future works in the Austrian School of economics, influencing later thinkers such as Friedrich Hayek who elaborated upon related economic topics.

Brimming with the excitement of discovery, Layard's illustrated archaeological studies of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh carry supreme historic insight and value.Austen Henry Layard was a young explorer and aspiring archaeologist in the 1840s. Seeing potential in the young man, the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire Sir Stratford Canning dispatched him to the region of Nineveh to oversee and observe excavations of its vast ruins. The results were staggering: ancient frescoes, sculpture and numerous objects were uncovered and meticulously sketched by Layard, who ventured so far as to reconstruct architectural plans of the buildings he and his staff excavated.In his introduction to Nineveh and Its Remains, Layard is modest: he laments a lack of time and resources, voicing hopes that his account will carry at least some value. Yet this book carries immense insight: the author intertwines the ancient texts and known history of Assyria with the discoveries unearthed. He also describes life on the dig site, Middle Eastern culture, the local peoples, and curious passersby keen to see the ongoing work.Over subsequent decades, Layard and other archaeologists conducted further expeditions in Nineveh, removing many artifacts which remain in the British Museum to this day. Popular for his intellectual prowess and artistic gifts, Layard went on to enjoy a distinguished career in politics and diplomacy.

In this illustrated study, renowned Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge investigates amulets of ancient civilizations, revealing their cultural and religious significance.A stunning and thorough investigation, Amulets and Superstitions seeks to demystify the jewelry worn or displayed by ancient peoples. Some were everyday charms worn widely, while others are exquisite crafts made of precious metals, reserved for royalty or nobility. Their symbols reflected aspects of social and cultural life, such as the importance of good fortune or fertility.It was common for such amulets to be worn in reverence to the ancient Gods, and to display an important deity or symbol of faith. This thread is identified across the Egyptian, Gnostic, Hebrew, Phoenician and other ancient peoples. Some jewelry is carved with certain numbers or peculiar symbols, each signifying a particular meaning and importance to the ancients of yore.E. A. Wallis Budge was one of the leading figures of ancient history in the early 20th century, writing numerous books and researches at an exciting time of numerous discoveries involving Ancient Egypt and Middle-Eastern civilizations. This work was published in 1930, and is imbued by decades of the author's accumulated experience and knowledge.

Nobody's Boy is a classic coming-of-age story by Hector Malot, and this edition includes the original four illustrations of the tale.Inspired by the young street musicians from Italy who lived in Paris in the late 19th century, the titular 'Nobody's Boy' is Rémi, who was abandoned as a baby in Paris. Taken in by the impoverished Jerome Barberin and his wife, he is given up at eight years old to a travelling artist known as Signor Vitalis. Vitalis is a great lover of animals, and travels with his faithful dogs and a monkey. Thus begin Rémi's adventures, where he grapples with hardship and adversities but remains determined to become an upstanding young man.The book remains the best-known and most-treasured of Hector Malot's works, having been adapted for the stage, as an animated cartoon, and as a film. The tale gained particular popularity in Japan; introduced as a film entitled Chibikko Remi to Meiken Kapi by Toei Animation in 1970, it has since been readapted by other studios in the country.

Harriet Beecher Stowe reveals the many sources that inspired and motivated her writing the renowned anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in response to criticism and disparaging remarks from pro-slavery figures in newspapers of the time. Doubt was cast upon Stowe's narrative, particularly chapters depicting brutal physical abuse of slaves. Yet Stowe's researches into her subject were abundant - included in this book are newspaper reports, court records and testimonies, interviews with slaves, auction advertisements, and accounts of plantation runaways to name but a part. All reinforce the tragic accuracy of slavery as depicted in Uncle Tom's Cabin.Stowe also demonstrates keen historical insights, striking comparisons between enslavement in the United States and in ancient cultures such as the Roman Empire. She also criticizes certain denominations of the Christian church, which she demonstrates to have shifted their opinion - in decades prior, said churches had opposed slavery on moral grounds, only to switch to supporting it by the 1850s. For Stowe, who placed Christian morality at the heart of her novel's message, such concessions to the horrors of slavery were reprehensible.A lengthy, convincing and thorough rebuttal to those who claimed Uncle Tom's Cabin to be fanciful or exaggerated, this book doubles as an insightful and sobering collection of research into 19th century slavery.

J. B. O. Landrum's history of Spartanburg County is meticulously researched, being much-consulted by local and national historians since it was first published in 1900.Writing his account in a time that predates history books being of standardized structure and composition, Landrum's chronicle is unique and multifaceted. He focuses alternately on the history of the city of Spartanburg, and then of the surrounding countryside. The most famous buildings and places of business are discussed, with an insightful account of the local development of manufacturing and trade throughout the 19th century given.Importantly for modern-day readers is Landrum's research into the significance of Spartanburg during the U.S. Civil War. Many young men living locally were drafted into the Confederate army, several going on to display heroism and distinction in service. The war affected the area deeply; many families sustained at least one casualty, with the destruction of life and property leaving a lasting mark on the local culture.Roughly two-thirds of this book discusses the distinguished families and individuals who resided in the Spartanburg area. These genealogies and short biographies are accompanied by photographs, that we appreciate the personal and professional history of the area's respected sons and daughters.

This superb history takes us from the earliest settlement of Walton County, Florida, through its role in the wars and conflicts of the 19th century, to its development as a modern district.John Love McKinnon was a descendant of Colonel John L. McKinnon, who was one of the original founders of Walton County, being part of a trio of white men to first set foot upon the land. The colonel's expeditionary accounts are a significant source for the first part of this history, which discusses the characteristics of the land, the picturesque coastline, and its suitability for settlement. A clear appreciation for natural beauty graces this chronicle; the streams, fields, groves and woods of the land are evocatively described.At first sparsely populated, by the time of the U.S. Civil War many young men of the area were recruited for combat in the Confederacy. Though the area itself escaped skirmishing, several local residents fought in the large battles of the war, such as Chickamauga. On several occasions this history becomes biography, recounting the stories of individual lives and the legacy they left upon the community, be it in military prowess or with establishing the first schools and businesses.

Maria Mitchell was among the first female astronomers. This is her story in her own words, compiled from letters and diary entries as she toured academies to deliver her scientific lectures.Born in Massachusetts in 1818, Maria demonstrated an affinity for astronomy and science from a young age. At the time it was almost impossible for a woman to gain a formal education in science; as a young housewife and later as a schoolteacher Maria read many books and thereby educated herself. The most practical application of astronomy in Maria's time was in navigation and shipping; the use of the heavens to steer oceangoing ships on the right course was crucial.Before becoming a scientist in her own right, Maria had already become familiar with naval equipment, astronomical concepts, and use of the telescope. Her discovery of a comet in 1847 caused a great stir, yet respect and awards for her accomplishment swiftly followed. Maria Mitchell became something of a sensation, and would spend the following decades authoring and publishing papers and delivering lectures to academic audiences. In maturity, having amply demonstrated her abilities as an astronomer, she was granted a professorship at Vassar College.

Written in 1908, this account of the Italian region of Abruzzi recollects its culture over the prior centuries, and the day-to-day living in the early 20th century.We visit town after town in the secluded region, with the sights and sounds of old Italian life recounted in evocative detail. Anne McDonnell attests to the fact that the rural Italians have resisted the onset of modern life, shunning the encroaching amenities and conveniences of the cosmopolitan cities. Instead they preserve their rural culture, centuries old and passed on through numerous generations. Poignant subjects include the local poetry and songs, the lively folklore, the religious events and festivals, and a history stretching back to the time of the Romans.At the time McDonnell authored her guide, the Abruzzi still carried a reputation for brigandage and banditry, with travellers avoiding the region. She debunks this; the region is safe, its people frugal, homely and honest - a visitor being waylaid by robbers a thing of the distant past. Nevertheless, some famous outlaws of the region had shocking adventures in the days of yore, which are recounted here to contrast otherwise peaceful, serene descriptions.With twelve illustrations and some musical staves, this guide offers an insightful and entertaining look at an Italy of an era gone by.

Before becoming President of the United States, John Quincy Adams was a Harvard professor of language, rhetoric and oratory, with this book comprising his lectures.Published in 1810 when Quincy Adams was in his forties, this work is a collection which demonstrates the breadth of knowledge which he passed to students eager to learn about the arts of speaking. The early lectures cover the basic principles of oratory and eloquence in the context of public speaking, and the origins of rhetoric as a celebrated art form in ancient Greece and Rome. It is clear that the author possesses an intense knowledge of the subject and its professional application.Later on in the text are more specific lectures, such as the importance of perfecting oratory for the courtroom, and the personal qualities a good speaker should cultivate. Keeping tight control of one's emotions when speaking or debating with others, and delivering compelling lectures from the church pulpit, are also discussed at length. Although this material is well over 200 years old with much of the language archaic by modern standards, the ideas and principles espoused by Quincy Adams remain both relevant and important to students and those working in fields where speech is vital.

This complete collection of the Enneads unites the entire compendium by Plotinus, in an authoritative translation by classical scholars James MacKenna and B. S. Page.Following the traditional organization performed by Porphyry of Tyre, the six Enneads are comprised of a total of fifty-four tractates. Each of these concerns a subject of Plotinus' philosophy, be it the transit of the soul in the afterlife, the nature of phenomena such as beauty, or the characteristics of emotions such as happiness. Many of the writings are in the Platonist tradition, in keeping with the educational ideas of classical antiquity: Plotinus lived in Rome during the 3rd century AD, and was tutored in philosophy according to centuries of established practice.Significantly, Plotinus taught about the idea of the "One", a supreme being of the universe that could not be divided. His elaborations on this subject, plus his extensive discussions of human emotion and moral philosophy, made him a popularly referenced by pagans of his time, and successive waves of religious intellectuals, particularly from the Renaissance-era onward. In the 19th century a revival of interest took place, with the term neo-platonism assigned to late-classical era philosophies pioneered by Plotinus.