Mary Webb (March 25, 1881 - October 8, 1927), was an English romantic novelist of the early 20th century, whose Hardyesque novels are set chiefly in the Shropshire countryside and among Shropshire characters and people which she knew;

'Brighter and better than Thomas Hardy . . . a marvellous writer' Eloise Millar, Guardian Prudence Sarn was born with a cleft palate, her 'precious bane', for which she is persecuted as a witch by her superstitious neighbours. Hiding from daily ridicule, she takes refuge in the wild Shropshire countryside, developing a profound love of nature. Furtively, Prue longs to be loved and harbours a hopeless passion for Kester Woodseaves, the weaver. Prue's brother, Gideon, is engaged to her only friend, but in his ambition for wealth at any cost, he incurs the wrath of his would-be father-in-law whose act of vengeance results in Prue being accused of murder. Only Kester, who has perceived her true worth, can defend her from the wrath of her accusers. Winner of the 1926 Prix Femina Vie Heureuse Prize, Precious Bane is a novel that enchants with its beauty and its timeless truths. 'With the publication of Precious Bane, a substantial readership came to respect Mary Webb's quiet genius . . . When she died at the age of 46, literature lost a voice that promised to speak for Shropshire as poignantly as Thomas Hardy had spoken for Wessex, Emily Bronte for Yorkshire - New York Times

New paperback edition of this modern retelling of a perennial favourite, with illustrations by Lauren O'Neill! Gulliver's Travels is a memorable classic that takes you into the amazing worlds travelled by Lemuel Gulliver. In Lilliput, he is a giant compared to the tiny people there, followed by the reverse in Brobdingnag, where Gulliver finds himself in a country of giants. Full of humour and adventure, these exciting stories have survived the centuries and are now retold and re-imagined with thrilling illustrations.

New paperback edition of this modern retelling of a perennial favourite, with illustrations by Lauren O'Neill! Gulliver's Travels is a memorable classic that takes you into the amazing worlds travelled by Lemuel Gulliver. In Lilliput, he is a giant compared to the tiny people there, followed by the reverse in Brobdingnag, where Gulliver finds himself in a country of giants. Full of humour and adventure, these exciting stories have survived the centuries and are now retold and re-imagined with thrilling illustrations.

The daughter of a Welsh gypsy and a crazy bee-keeper, Hazel Woodus is happiest living in her forest cottage in the remote Shropshire hills, at one with the winds and seasons, protector and friend of the wild animals she loves. But Hazel's beauty and innocence prove irresistible to the men in her orbit. Both Jack Reddin, the local squire and Edward Marston, the gentle minister, offer her human -- and carnal -- love. Hazel's fate unfolds as simply and relentlessly as a Greek tragedy as a child of nature is drawn into a world of mortal passion in which she must eternally be a stranger.

History, myth and legend collide in this full-colour illustrated storybook of the animated feature Brendan and the Secret of Kells. Twelve-year-old Brendan's life in the monastery at Kells is not very exciting until Aidan arrives. Suddenly life is one big adventure. In the forest Brendan is rescued from wolves by Aisling, a mysterious green-eyed girl. In the cave of the Dark One, he risks his life to steal the eye of the serpent god, Crom Cruach. Meanwhile Aidan is keeping a secret that will become Brendan's biggest challenge, and the Vikings get nearer and nearer ... This exciting story is brought to life through stunning visuals and includes a section of facts about the real Book of Kells.

"He knew now that neither the wilderness nor the dark weather, devils, nor the infinite void, mattered to him in the least. His love for Deborah made him impregnable to terror, gave him a grasp of truth deeper than reason. He had found the golden arrow, to his own agony and ennobling." At the very beginning of the twentieth century, Deborah Arden is living with her father John, mother Patty and younger brother Joe in their cottage high up on the exposed moorland hilltops of Shropshire. Their farm, High Leasowes, is given over to the sheep her father cares for with great tenderness. Their life is simple and elemental, and their concerns are those of the people of the land. Nature rules their world, and they respond by working alongside its almost unanswerable power, sometimes willingly, sometimes not. John works with fate, gently understanding all around him, be they supposedly bad or good, with the utmost care. Patty's argumentative practicality rankles against his easefulness, but she also works with nature, as busy midwife to all the women around the district. Joe is a straightforward lad, happy with a comfortable home, work in the fields that he knows, and the gorgeous blonde, Lily Huntbatch, from the village of Bitterley close by. Deborah is a lively intelligent young woman, gossiping with her best friend Lily, lovingly tending the animals with her father, helping her mother at home, and wondering about love. Then the family hears news that one of the young miners from the works up near the peaks has taken on the job of preacher at their local church. They all go to hear Stephen Southernwood the following Sunday, and most of the family and the local villagers are quietly inspired. For Deborah though, it is as if a bomb has dropped. Her naive questions about love have been resoundingly answered. Now begins a journey of ecstasy, discovery and pain which will affect the whole Arden family and all around it, a wild journey where not only love is at stake, but life itself. Mary Webb is one of the most misunderstood of twentieth century writers. Dismissed as a rustic, pilloried as a romantic, she has been consistently undervalued. In fact, she writes mostly of the soul, expressing inherent truths in original and tender ways. Having an almost uncanny internal compass for the workings of the human mind, Webb presents people in all their contrariness and metaphysical wonder with strange and bewitching honesty. This honest tendency includes pioneering writing of physical desire and the erotic; on original publication in 1916, The Golden Arrow was regarded as very close to the bone. Mary Webb was born Mary Gladys Meredith in the village of Leighton in Shropshire in 1881. At the age of 20 she developed symptoms of Graves' disease, keeping her in somewhat ill-health for the rest of her life. She married Henry Bertram Law Webb, a teacher, in 1912. Her first novel The Golden Arrow, published in 1916, was followed by five others, as well as essays, poems and stories. Her fifth and most famous novel Precious Bane was awarded the Prix Femina. Mary Webb died still relatively uncelebrated in 1927 at the age of 46. Soon after her death the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin, spearheaded a campaign of recognition of her talent, gaining her posthumous bestseller status and cementing her reputation as writer giving a twist of modern genius to the classic tradition of Thomas Hardy and Emily Bronte.

This is a new release of the original 1924 edition.

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ++++ The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification: ++++ The Complete Writings Of Alfred De Musset: Comedies ... Done Into English By ... R. Pellissier; Illustrations By C. Delort; Volume 3 Of The Complete Writings Of Alfred De Musset; Alfred De Musset Alfred de Musset, Mary Webb Artois, Simeon Seijas Marie Agathe Clarke, Raoul Pellissier, Edmund Burke Thompson, Mary Helena Dey, Kendall Warren E. C. Hill company, 1905