North Atlantic

‘Facing the Flag’ is one of the stories that cemented Verne’s reputation as one of the pioneers of science-fiction. It centres around a brilliant scientist, Thomas Roch, who has invented the ultimate weapon, known as ‘The Fulgurator.’ However, when his creation is refused by every government on Earth, Roch’s sanity begins to crumble. Interning him to a mental health facility ought to be the end of the tale. However, Verne throws in some twists and turns, a liberal sprinkling of pirates, and an underground lair that wouldn’t look out of place in a James Bond film. A prescient book, many of Verne’s predictions, in terms of technology and moral scruples, have come to pass.Jules Verne (1828-1905) was a French novelist who became known as the ‘Father of Science Fiction.’ He wrote more than 60 novels, including ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ (1864), ‘Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’ (1870) which was also released as a film, starring James Mason, and ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ (1873), which has been released as a TV drama, featuring former Dr Who star, David Tennant.

When the narrator boards the ship "Independence" for a summer trip from Charleston to New York City, the days ahead look idyllic. His old college friend Cornelius Wyatt is also aboard, with his wife and two sisters, so it promises to be a sociable journey.However, there is one mysterious addition to the guest list - an oblong box measuring six feet by two-and-a-half feet. The box, which has a noisome odour, is kept in Wyatt's and his wife's room.When the narrator hears nightly outbreaks of wailing and crying from Wyatt's room, he investigates. He is closing in on the terrible truth when a hurricane hits the ship - and Wyatt refuses to leave the box behind.His heartbreaking secret will soon be revealed.This book is ideal reading for fans of 'The Riddle of the Sands' by Erskine Childers.Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, author, and literary critic. In a brief life, he was renowned for his poetry, short stories and tales of the supernatural. He is also regarded as the inventor of the detective genre and a contributor to the emergence of science fiction, dark romanticism, and weird fiction.Born in Boston, he was abandoned by his father a year after his birth. Then, when his mother died the following year, he was taken in and raised by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia.After falling out with Mr Allan in 1827 over his gambling debts, Poe joined the US Army under an assumed name and had his first collection 'Tamarlane and Other Poems' published anonymously. He worked as a literary critic and moved around America, writing as he went.When his wife died of tuberculosis in 1847, Poe's life descended into drinking and alleged substance abuse. He died in 1849, aged 40, with the cause of death unknown. His most famous works include 'The Raven', 'The Black Cat' and 'The Gold-Bug'.

"L’alto viaggio" è un romanzo d’avventura, pubblicato da Giuseppe Fanciulli (in arte Mastro Sapone) nel 1944, in un’epoca in cui non solo i ragazzi avrebbero avuto un gran bisogno di evadere dalla dura realtà della guerra. Ricco di suggestioni esotiche, e coi suoi tratti fortemente salgariani, il romanzo racconta le peripezie di Fernando Colombo (1488-1539), secondogenito di Cristoforo Colombo e, come lui, grande esploratore della prima età moderna. Grandissimo bibliofilo, Fernando fu anche un buon matematico e un instancabile viaggiatore, sempre in cerca di nuovi orizzonti da scoprire. Un’opera concepita per la gioventù, ma che si lascia apprezzare ancora oggi per il suo piglio pungente e per la sempre attuale pulsione alla scoperta dell’ignoto...Giuseppe Fanciulli nasci a Firenze nel 1881. Nel 1906 si avvicina per la prima volta alla narrativa per l’infanzia, iniziando un lungo sodalizio con Luigi Bertelli al Giornalino della Domenica. Alla morte dell’amico, Fanciulli – il cui pseudonimo è in questo periodo "Mastro Sapone" – ne assume la direzione dal 1920 al 1924. Noto soprattutto per aver scritto le biografie per ragazzi di Italo Balbo e Don Bosco, Fanciulli ha scritto altri libri di successo come "Gente Nostra" e "La testa di Spinacino". Muore a Castelveccana, nel varesotto, nel 1951.

En haute mer avec un voleur de génie : qui capturera Arsène Lupin ?Naviguant paisiblement sur l'Atlantique, le superbe bateau de croisière « La Provence » transporte ses riches passagers entre Paris et New-York, dans un voyage qui promet luxe et détente. Jusqu’à ce qu'un télégramme incomplet vienne perturber cette tranquillité : « Arsène Lupin à votre bord, première classe »L'inquiétude à bord du navire est à son comble. Le célèbre gentleman cambrioleur serait-il vraiment sur La Provence ? Alors que la tension monte parmi les passagers fortunés, craignant pour leurs trésors précieux, tous les yeux sont tournés vers un homme en particulier : l'inspecteur Ganimard. Réussira-t-il enfin à capturer son adversaire jusque-là insaisissable ?Mais on ne peut jamais sous-estimer Arsène Lupin. Surtout quand il a l’avantage du terrain. Entre cocktails mondains et manœuvres clandestines sous le clair de lune atlantique, embarquez dans cette incroyable chasse au trésor.Maurice Leblanc (1864-1941) est l’auteur de nombreux romans policiers, mais il est surtout le père du fameux Arsène Lupin. Né d’une famille de négociant, il fuit en Écosse durant la guerre franco-allemande, puis revient étudier à Rouen. Il fréquente Gustave Flaubert et Guy de Maupassant. C’est lorsqu’il publie en 1905 « L'Arrestation d’Arsène Lupin », sur le modèle de Sherlock Holmes, qu’il connaît un succès retentissant. Il continue sur sa lancée avec « Arsène Lupin contre Herlock Sholmès » qui provoque la colère de Conan Doyle. Il renforce son personnage Arsène Lupin au fil de sa carrière, et aujourd’hui encore, on ne cesse d’apprécier ce gentleman-cambrioleur en livre, en film ou en série.

There is a fictional island, entirely populated by penguins. A Christian missionary monk reaches the shores of the island and is enchanted by what he sees there. "e;Penguin Island"e; is a satirical novel that explores and severely criticizes human nature, politics, society, and contemporary morals. After the monk mistakenly baptizes them, the penguins are transformed into human beings by God, propelling them into an existential crisis. With moments of great philosophical and psychological insights, and religious questionings, this novel is a powerful allegory and reminiscent of Orwell's "e;Animal Farm"e;. The close parallels and outright mockery of contemporary events turn "e;Penguin Island"e; into a splendid and rich tale that all readers of fiction would enjoy.-

Mr. Hammond is on his way to America when he hears two passengers discussing a suspicious plan that was going to be executed at 10 o'clock in the evening. The two unknown passengers got aboard in the very last minute. Their baggage was not searched. And their plan consisted of some mysterious box. What do you think happened in the evening? Did Mr. Hammond try to warn the rest of the crew or he escaped with a life boat? Can all be a big misunderstanding or the American steamer will be blown up?Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was born in Scotland and studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. After his studies, he worked as a ship’s surgeon on various boats. During the Second Boer War, he was an army doctor in South Africa. When he came back to the United Kingdom, he opened his own practice and started writing crime books. He is best known for his thrilling stories about the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He published four novels and more than 50 short-stories starring the detective and Dr Watson, and they play an important role in the history of crime fiction. Other than the Sherlock Holmes series, Doyle wrote around thirty more books, in genres such as science-fiction, fantasy, historical novels, but also poetry, plays, and non-fiction.

Alle går ud fra, at S/S Trikkala er gået til bunds i de minerede farvande ud for Tromsø i Nordnorge i starten af 1945. Over et år senere udsender hun et SOS ud for Hebriderne i det stormblæste skotske farvand. Hvordan er skibet endt der? Og hvad i alverden er der sket med hendes besætning? Sagen er fyldt med ubesvarede spørgsmål. Mange af dem vil måske blive besvaret, når man finder ud af, hvad der er sket med den enorme mængde sølv, der var om bord på skibet, da det forsvandt...Den engelske journalist og forfatter Hammond Innes (1913-1998) står bag en lang række værker inden for vidt forskellige genrer. Hans forfatterskab rummer både børnebøger, spændingsromaner og rejsebøger. Under anden verdenskrig udgav Innes flere værker baseret på hans egne oplevelser som officer i den britiske hær. Innes’ værker var særdeles populære og flere blev filmatiseret i løbet af 1950'erne.

Det tar några veckor innan fiskefartyget träffar på sill i Atlantens kalla vatten, men när de väl träffar på den lilla oansenliga fisk som närt den skandinaviska befolkningen i generationer så får de snart lastutrymmena fyllda, och lite till. På resan tillbaka till fartygets danska hamn så följs fartyget av fågelskaror, som väntar på att fisken ska rensas, och de dåliga sillarna kastas överbord.Det drar ihop sig till storm, och mannarna på fartyget får fullt upp med att säkra lasten. Men allt går fel, motorn skär sig och fiskeutrustningen fastnar i propellern, dessutom skadas styrmannen. När stormen rullar in är fartyget inte i något skick att möta naturens krafter, och för besättningen blir det en kamp på liv och död.Arne Lundgren (1925-2011) är en svensk författare med flera strängar på sin lyra. I hans stora författargärning kan räknas romaner, lyrik och ungdomsböcker.

Da Hitler i 1941 slipper slagskibet Bismarck løs i Atlanten, ledsaget af krydseren Prinz Eugen, går der blot en uge, før Englands stolthed, slagkrydseren HMS Wood, er sprængt i stykker og ligger på havets bund. Nu sætter briterne alle enheder ind på at sænke Bismarck, og det fører til en hæsblæsende jagt, der varer i flere døgn, før det endelige og nervepirrende slag sætter ind.C.S. Forester (1899-1966) var pseudonymet for den britiske forfatter Cecil Louis Throughton Smith, der blev kendt for sine fortællinger om krig til søs. Hans bogserie om den royale søofficer Horatio Hornblower blev oversat til en lang række sprog og gjorde ham meget populær. I 1951 blev hans bog "The African Queen" filmatiseret med Katherine Hepburn og Humphrey Bogart i hovedrollerne.

Havets brænding og lyset over Fanøs klitter spiller en stor rolle i Hugo Hørlych Karlsens skildring af sønderhoningen Ann Katrinn og romaen Mathis. Vi er i de sidste årtier af 1500-tallet. Mågernes skrig blander sig i Mathis‘ violinspil, og musikken og vinden synger i skibenes rebning og sejl. Mathis‘ spil har rødder i de fjerneste lande, og Anders Sørensen Vedel, dansk renæssancedigtnings store skikkelse fra Ribe, er en hyppig gæst på Fanø, når sønderhoningerne danser og Mathis spiller. Sønderhoningerne er et folkefærd præget af havets rytme, årstidernes skiften og fiskenes vandringer. Hertil kommer romaen Mathis. Sønderhoningerne hører deres liv i hans spil og tager ham til sig, ligesom han tager den stolte og lidenskabelige Ann Katrinn. Sammen med foråret kommer ripenserne hvert år til Fanø for at fiske og handle. De bringer fest og ny viden til Sønderho – men også farer og fristelser for unge elskende.Hugo Hørlych Karlsen (f. 1948) er en dansk forfatter, der fik sin litterære debut med digtsamlingen "Dans på glødende sne" (1972). Til trods for sin brede spændvidde som forfatter – Hørlych har blandt andet udgivet både romaner, børne- og ungdomsbøger, digte og fagbøger – har Hørlych altid haft barndommen som et gennemgående tema.