Unvarnished Tales

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mackay, William, 1846-

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Unvarnished Tales" by William Mackay is a collection of short stories likely written in the late 19th century. The narratives encompass various characters and situations, reflecting on themes such as human nature and social dynamics, intertwined with elements of satire and humor. The opening portion introduces us to Mr. White, a novelist who, after receiving a lackluster review in the "Times", decides to study human nature to add depth to his characters. Despite his initial enthusiasm, he becomes overwhelmed by the mundanity and brutality of real-life characters, leading to an unsettling experience when these individuals seem to turn the tables and scrutinize him in return. This sets the tone for the series of tales that follow, hinting at a blend of existential exploration and comedic turns that deliver insight into human behavior and societal quirks. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

A queer quest

The Sawdust man's curse

Lord Lundy's snuff-box

"One was rent and left to die"

The Grigsby living

Res est sacra miser

Mr. Grey

The prodigal's return

A philanthropic "masher"

A dishonoured bill

A man of genius

A dignified dipsomaniac

"Old Boots"

A missing heiress

Teddy Martin's brief

Bluebeard's cupboard

True to poll

John Philp, master carpenter

Pictures on the line

The devil's playthings

Love and a diary.

Credits:

Transcribed from the 1886 edition by David Price

Notes:

Reading ease score: 71.8 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2016-05-09