Saki

Saki is perhaps the most graceful spokesman for England's 'Golden Afternoon' - the slow and peaceful years before the First World War. Although, like so many of his generation, he died tragically young, in action on the Western Front, his reputation as a writer continued to grow long after his death. The stories are humorous, satiric, supernatural, and macabre, highly individual, full of eccentric wit and unconventional situations. With his great gift as a social satirist of his contemporaryupper-class Edwardian world, Saki is one of the few undisputed English masters of the short story.

Hector Hugh Munro is perhaps the most graceful spokesman for England's "golden afternoon''—those slow and peaceful years prior to the outbreak of World War I. The good wit of bad manners, elegantly spiced with irony and deftly controlled malice, has made Saki stories small, perfect gems of the English language. Here for the first time, are the collected writings of Saki—including all of his short stories ("Reginald", "Reginald in Russia", "The Chronicles of Clovis", "Beasts and Super-Beasts" "The Toys of Peace", and "The Square Egg"), his three novels (THE UNBEARABLE BASSINGTON, WHEN WILLIAM CAME and THE WESTMINSTER ALICE), and three plays (THE DEATHTRAP, KARL-LUDWIG'S WINDOW and THE WATCHED POT. You are invited to meet once again Clovis, Reginald, the Unbearable Bassington, and the other memorable characters etched so superbly by the pen of H.H. Munro.

The Open Window and Other Stories

A collection of eight cases, contains examples -The Bruce Partington Plans-The Dying Detective, Wisteria Lodge & The devils Foot

Two men, Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym, are both in a forested area on the Carpathian Mountains one night. The men are sworn enemies, embroiled in a generations-old land dispute. On this particular night, each hopes to find the other in order to kill him in defense of their property rights

"The Open Window" is the Saki (H. H. Munro) classic short story that continues to fascinate readers and remains very popular. -The language of over a hundred years ago has been extensively modernized.-End notes, interpretation, and discussion of major themes follow the text.-Biographical information on Saki included.-Every effort has been made to keep the story as close to the original as possible.-Modern readers will better understand a young lady's mischievous prank that shows the value of imagination in providing a meaningful life experience. For more short stories in easy to understand modern English search for "George Lakon" and "Simplified for Modern Readers."

Saki (pseudonym of H. H. Munro), English author, is best known for his witty, sometimes whimsical, often cynical and bizarre short stories; they are collected in Reginald, The Chronicles of Clovis, Beasts and Super-Beasts, and other volumes. Contents of The Chronicles of Clovis include: Esme, The Match-Maker, Tobermory, Mrs. Packletide's Tiger, The Stampeding of Lady Bastable, The Background, Hermann the Irascible, The Unrest-Cure, The Jesting of Arlington Stringham, Sredni Vashtar, Adrian, The Chaplet, The Quest Wratislav, The Easter Egg, Filboid Studge, The Music on the Hill, The Story of St. Vespaluus, The Way to the Dairy, The Peace Offering, The Peace of Mowsle Barton, The Talking-out of Tarrington, The Hounds of Fate, The Recessional, A Matter of Sentiment, The Secret Sin of Septimus Brope, Ministers of Grace, The Remoulding of Groby Lington, and Robert Stockton.

Beasts and Superbeasts is a collection of short stories, written by Saki (the literary pseudonym of Hector Hugh Munro) and first published in 1914. The title parodies that of George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman.Along with The Chronicles of Clovis, Beasts and Superbeasts is one of Saki's best-known works. It was his final collection of stories before his death in World War I, and several of its stories, in particular "The Open Window", are reprinted frequently in anthologies.The book contains the following stories:"The She-Wolf""Laura""The Boar-Pig""The Brogue""The Hen""The Open Window""The Treasure-Ship""The Cobweb""The Lull""The Unkindest Blow""The Romancers""The Schartz-Metterklume Method""The Seventh Pullet""The Blind Spot""Dusk""A Touch of Realism""Cousin Teresa""The Yarkand Manner""The Byzantine Omelette""The Feast of Nemesis""The Dreamer""The Quince Tree""The Forbidden Buzzards""The Stake""Clovis on Parental Responsibilities""A Holiday Task""The Stalled Ox""The Story-Teller""A Defensive Diamond""The Elk""Down Pens""The Name-Day""The Lumber Room""Fur""The Philanthropist and the Happy Cat""On Approval"The majority of the volume's stories deal in some fashion with animals, providing the source for its title. The character of Clovis Sangrail, featured in earlier works by Saki, appears in several stories. Most of the stories appeared previously in periodicals.Stylistically, Beasts and Superbeasts displays the simple language, cynicism and wry humor that characterize Saki's earlier literary output. (Wikipedia)

"Sredni Vashtar" is a short story written by Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) between 1900 and 1911 and initially published in his book The Chronicles of Clovis. It has been adapted for opera, film, radio and television.The story concerns an unhealthy ten-year-old boy named Conradin, who lives with his strict cousin and guardian, Mrs. De Ropp. Conradin rebels against her and invents a new religion for himself, which centres on idolising a polecat-ferret he calls Sredni Vashtar; he imagines Sredni Vashtar to be a vengeful, merciless god. Conradin keeps the ferret hidden in a cage in the garden shed, and worships the idol in secret. The story comes to a climax when his cousin sets out to discover his god.

Tobermory is one of Saki’s (H. H. Munro) best known short stories. Toby is a cat that learns to speak human to everyone's amazement.

The Unbearable Bassington is a satirical novel by the British author Saki (pseudonym of Hector Hugh Munro). The story follows the life of Comus Bassington, a young man from a wealthy family who is bored with his privileged life and seeks out new experiences. Comus is a charming and witty character, but also selfish and manipulative. He spends his time pursuing pleasure and causing mischief, often at the expense of others.The novel is set in Edwardian England and explores the themes of class, social status, and morality. Saki uses his trademark wit and humor to poke fun at the upper classes and their frivolous lifestyles. The book also contains elements of parody and satire, with references to contemporary literature and culture.As the story progresses, Comus becomes increasingly disillusioned with his life and begins to question his values and beliefs. He falls in love with a woman who challenges him to be a better person, but ultimately chooses to follow his own desires rather than doing what is right.The Unbearable Bassington is a witty and entertaining read that offers a biting critique of Edwardian society. It is a classic of British literature and a must-read for fans of satire and humor.1912. Saki (pseudonym of H. H. Munro), English author, is best known for his witty, sometimes whimsical, often cynical and bizarre short stories; they are collected in Reginald, The Chronicles of Clovis, Beasts and Super-Beasts, and other volumes. At the beginning of Munro's first novel, The Unbearable Bassington, the reader assumes that what they are reading is going to be exactly like his Reginald stories, but on a larger scale. Comus Bassington is another of the upper class young men with a cynical outlook on life. The plot is basically that his mother keeps trying to arrange things for Comus; a job as a secretary or an advantageous marriage, only for Comus to spoil things by selfishness or an unwillingness to be guided by another. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Saki was the pen name of British author Hector Hugh Munro, a witty, often macabre author who wrote an appreciative novel of the German conquest of England and then (in his forties, mind you!) signed up to die on the Belgian front during World War I. He's considered a master of the short story and is often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker. His stories are generally short and often memorable. If you haven't read him before, you're in for a treat.

A famous short story

The whimsical, macabre tales of British writer H. H. Munro—better known as Saki—deftly, mercilessly, and hilariously skewer the banality and hypocrisy of polite upper-class English society between the end of Queen Victoria’s reign and the beginning of World War I. Their heroes are clever, amoral children and other enfants terribles who marshal their considerable wit and imagination against the cruelty or fatuousness of a decorous and doomed world.Here, Saki’s brilliantly polished dark gems comes paired with illustrations by the peerless Edward Gorey, available for the first time in an English language edition. The whose fragile elegance and creeping menace of Gorey’s pen-and-ink drawings perfectly complement Saki’s population of delicate ladies, mischief-making charges, spectral guests, sardonic house pets, flustered authority figures, and delightfully preposterous imposters.

Hector Hugh Munro...Munro soyadını köklü bir İskoç ailesinden, Farsçada kadeh sunan anlamına gelen Saki takma adını ise Rubailer'den almıştır. Acı çektiği ve çok şey öğrendiği İngiltere, orta sınıfın en büyük uğraşısı olan can sıkıntısını tertiplemek ve sonsuza dek birtakım alışkanlıkları tekrarlamak demek olan Victoria dönemi İngilteresiydi. Munro, İngilizlere özgü acı bir nüktedanlıkla o dönem toplumunu hicvetti. Kozmopolit bir yaşam süren Saki, 1914 yılında, kırk dört yaşındayken İngiltere'nin Fransa'ya gönderdiği yüz gönüllü asker arasında yer aldı. Er olarak katıldığı savaşta, 1916 yılının kışında Beaumont-Hamel saldırısında vurularak öldü. Son sözlerinin "Put out that bloody cigaratte" olduğu söylenir. Savaşa gönderme yapmış olması muhtemeldir.Jorge Luis Borges

A short story by Saki

A clever but mischievous boy comes up with an elaborate plan to explore the wonders of his house's off-limits-to-children lumber-room.

Born in Burma in 1870, Scottish writer H.H. Munro (his pseudonym is from FitzGerald's Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam) satirized the social conventions, cruelty and foolishness of the Edwardian era with a highly readable blend of flippant humor and outrageous inventiveness, often overlaid with a mood of horror.

If you've ever stayed with dull people during what is alleged to be the festive season, you'll know a good dose of Saki is the only cure.These Christmas stories present Saki at his inimitable, satirical best as he addresses the most perilous aspects of the holiday visiting dull relatives, tolerating Christmas Eve merriment, receiving unwanted gifts, and writing ecstatic thank-you cards for those aforementioned gifts.'Reginald's Christmas Revel' and 'Reginald on Christmas Presents' provide us with fabulously droll wit and wisdom from one of Saki's best-loved characters. In 'Bertie's Christmas Eve' the Steffink family is served some Yuletide revenge by young cousin Bertie, while in 'Down Pens' Egbert and Janetta conceive of an ingenious way to never write another thank-you letter again.The undisputed master of the English short story, never is Saki's satire sharper than when dissecting the customs of the upper classes at Christmas. These are four tales guaranteed to delight and disturb any Christmas gathering.'Saki is like a perfect martini but with absinthe stirred in . . . heady, delicious and dangerous.' – Stephen Fry'The best of his stories are still better than the best of just about every other writer around.' – Roald Dahl'Saki was irreplaceable and unreplaced.' London Review of Books'His stories are cut-glass beauties, pitiless and hard-edged and constantly poking fun at the pretensions of the middle and upper classes.' – Naomi Alderman'I took it up to my bedroom, opened it casually and was unable to go to sleep until I had finished it' – Noël Coward

A country gentleman named Van Cheele finds a wild adolescent boy living on his woodland property, after his friend Cunningham told him that there was a wild beast living in those woods.He asks what the boy is doing there, and the boy tells Van Cheele that he lives in the woods and that he feeds on animal flesh...

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This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

A woman named Laura lies dying. It is Saturday, and she tells Amanda she will probably die on the following Tuesday, according to the doctor. Laura believes, however, that she will be reincarnated when she dies, but will come back as a lower organism, because she hasn’t been a good person in this life.___The English writer Hector Hugh Munro (1870-1916), who is better known under his pen name Saki, was a master of the short comic story and, in some ways, a missing link between Oscar Wilde and P. G. Wodehouse. What’s more, Saki was that rare writer who could write humorously, for an adult audience, about both children and animals.

What we find frightening about this novel is the very premise: England has been subjugated and annexed by Germany . . . When William Came, written before World War I, is a grim tale of a then-fictional war between Britain and Germany. Saki's biting wit is aimed squarely at British politics in this thinly veiled story -- he, like many others, could see war approaching, and who would want to see a conflict of such proportion? Unnerving stuff, we say. . . .

Graham Greene, para quien Héctor Hugh Munro, alias Saki, es nada menos que el mayor humorista en lengua inglesa del siglo XX, cuenta que en la madrugada del 13 de noviembre de 1916, en un cráter de obús cerca de Beaumont-Hamel, se oyó gritar al sargento Munro: «Apagad ese maldito cigarrillo.» Éstas fueron sus últimas palabras; inmediatamente después, una bala le atravesó el cráneo. No podría resumirse mejor la extraordinaria economía de medios que caracteriza los relatos de uno de los genios más ultrajantes de su tiempo. «Si empiezas un relato de Saki, lo terminarás. Cuando lo hayas terminado querrás empezar otro, y cuando los hayas leído todos nunca los olvidarás. Se convertirán en una adicción, porque son mucho más que divertidos» (Tom Sharpe). «Sus mejores historias son siempre más bellas que cualquier obra maestra de cualquier otro escritor» (Roald Dahl). En ocasión de la primera edición de Cuentos de humor y de horror en Anagrama, en 1980, Robert Saladrigas escribió en La Vanguardia: «Es un humor en unas ocasiones ácido y en otras imbuido por guiños estentóreos de ironía o simplemente sepulcral, que revela en conjunto una visión sangrante, críptica del mundo, forzosamente chocante con la atildada literatura que producía Inglaterra en los primeros años del siglo, todavía agarrada a las austeras puntillas de la moral victoriana.» Juan Tebar también lo celebró en El País: «Horror y humor van tan unidos en Saki que hasta las historias más espeluznantes son irónicamente británicas y los apuntes eduardianos son pavorosamente malvados. En los campos aristócratas las hienas se meriendan gitanos y en los salones se practica sádicamente la humillación.»

Hector Hugh Munro, conocido en el mundo de la literatura como Saki, fue un gran escritor escocés (1870-1916) y maestro del relato corto, que utilizó el humor negro en su cuentos como una manera de ridiculizar modos y costumbres de las clases pudientes británicas. Sus agudas y, en ocasiones, macabras historias recrearon irónicamente la sociedad y la cultura victorianas en que vivió. Sus personajes son muchas veces siniestros y sin límites morales, aunque no por esas características dejan de ser simpáticos y muy ingeniosos. En definitiva, Saki retrató como nadie la época victoriana y sus contemporáneos, esos británicos almidonados, celosos de estúpidas rutinas y entusiastas de las tradiciones, por absurdas que fueran.

A couple apparently run into some ancient forces when they move to the country.

In the dusk, the hour of the defeated, Norman Gortsby finds himself tricked by a young man's silly story

Introducing Little Clothbound Classics: irresistible, mini editions of short stories, novellas and essays from the world's greatest writers, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith.Celebrating the range and diversity of Penguin Classics, they take us from snowy Japan to springtime Vienna, from haunted New England to a sun-drenched Mediterranean island, and from a game of chess on the ocean to a love story on the moon. Beautifully designed and printed, these collectible editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth and stamped with foil.With his signature flair and razor-sharp wit, Saki is an undisputed master of the short story. His tales are by turns hilarious, festive, supernatural and macabre, but all offer fabulous, bite-sized satires of a decadent upper-class Edwardian world. 'Saki, like a chivalrous highwayman, only robs the rich: behind all these stories is an exacting sense of justice . . . they dazzle and delight' Graham Greene