New Releases by Walter de La Mare

Walter de la Mare was most famous for his uncanny fiction, and Memoirs of a Midget fits the description perfectly. The protagonist, who we know simply as "M." or "Midgetina," is a young woman just a few inches in height-though at times it seems that her height varies. Sometimes she''s small enough to be accosted by birds and carried on trays, and at other times it seems she''s large enough to ride horseback and even pass as a ten-year-old. She trips over hairbrushes, reads books that are larger than her, and must be especially careful around dogs and cats. The people around her seem to take this bizarre state of affairs in stride, and indeed, it''s the only truly uncanny quirk in an otherwise ornate, almost Jamesian narrative.The narrative follows Midgetina as she struggles to make her way in life after the tragic death of her parents. Even though she''s minuscule in size, she''s extremely sharp intellectually, taking an interest in literature, astronomy, natural science, and more. Her personality is so distinct that her minuscule stature becomes more of a symbol of her isolation, than the actual cause of it.In time she moves in to rooms managed by a Dickensian landlady, whose peripatetic daughter, Fanny, becomes a friend to Midgetina, a possible love interest, and even a sometimes-antagonist. Fanny, a master of manipulation, seems to float through life gleefully and selfishly using those around her. Midgetina, desperate for human connection, clings to Fanny with an interest that at times has an almost erotic edge. Fanny''s subtle manipulations, careless cruelty, and effortless charm make her a character just as memorable as Midgetina, and a powerful antidote to Midgetina''s naive, yearning hopefulness.Though largely forgotten today, Memoirs of a Midget was met with high praise from contemporary critics and went on to win the prestigious James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. Modern critic Edward Wagenknecht regards it as "the greatest English novel of its time."

In The Three Royal Monkeys, Walter de la Mare weaves a magical and deeply poetic fable that captures the innocence, wonder, and mystery of the imagination. First published in 1910, this enchanting tale follows three young monkeys — the children of the exiled royal family of their kind — on a perilous quest to reclaim their lost kingdom. Along their journey through lush forests, hidden valleys, and the haunting landscapes of de la Mare''s imagination, they encounter strange creatures, wise hermits, and the eternal struggle between light and shadow. Though written for younger readers, the novel resonates with the dreamlike lyricism and philosophical depth that made de la Mare one of the great stylists of English literature. Beneath its whimsical surface lies a meditation on courage, loyalty, and the mysterious workings of fate. His delicate prose and vivid imagery transform the animals'' adventure into a symbolic odyssey — a reflection on the endurance of hope and the search for one''s rightful place in the world. The Three Royal Monkeys stands as one of de la Mare''s earliest and most imaginative works, foreshadowing the poetic vision that would later define Peacock Pie and Memoirs of a Midget. At once fairy tale, allegory, and adventure story, it remains a timeless treasure of children''s literature — one that speaks as powerfully to adults as to the young, reminding readers that even in exile, the spirit of royalty endures.

Walter De la Mare''s ''Peacock Pie, a Book of Rhymes'' stands as a delightful trove of children''s verse, characterized by its whimsical charm and musicality. Within its pages, readers find a myriad of rhymes that resonate with the innocence and wonder of childhood. De la Mare employs a simple yet profound literary style, weaving together rhythm, alliteration, and assonance to create an enchanting world that lingers in the mind long after the book is closed. His work resides in an esteemed literary context, contributing a unique voice alongside other renowned children''s poets of the 20th century, and continues to be cherished for the lyrical quality of his verse which invites both young and old to relish in the playful spirit of his poetry. An inheritor of the romantic tradition, Walter De la Mare approached poetry with a fascination for the surreal and mystical. His acclaimed literary career, crowned by prestigious accolades such as the Carnegie Medal and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, was to a large extent an exploration of the unseen and the ethereal. It is this sense of wonder and his intuitive grasp of a child''s inner world that likely led De la Mare to pen ''Peacock Pie.'' By integrating his fantastical style with a childlike curiosity, he crafted poems that could capture the imaginations of children across generations. ''Peacock Pie'' comes highly recommended for young readers and adults alike who delight in poetic artistry and the magic of language. It serves not only as a gateway to appreciating the beauty of verse but also as a medium to revisit the magical vistas of childhood. De la Mare''s rhymes offer a refuge from the ordinary, a space where the music of words reigns supreme. Thus, ''Peacock Pie'' is not just a book of rhymes; it is an invitation to dance with the muses of poetry and memory—a literary feast that keeps giving with each read.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

In "Songs of Childhood," Walter De la Mare crafts a lyrical and evocative collection that captures the essence of childhood innocence through a series of enchanting poems. The work is characterized by its whimsical imagery, musicality, and a deep sense of nostalgia for the uncomplicated joys of youth. De la Mare employs a vivid palette of language, which not only conveys the joys and sorrows of childhood but also reflects the broader modernist movement of the early 20th century, where language and form were explored in innovative ways. The enchanting cadence of the poems makes them accessible to both children and adults, allowing them to resonate deeply with readers of various ages. Walter De la Mare (1873-1956) was an English author and poet who dedicated much of his literary career to exploring themes of memory, fantasy, and the innocence of childhood. His own experiences growing up in a Victorian society, combined with his interest in folklore and the supernatural, informed his writing style. De la Mare''s background in literature, along with his fascination with children''s emotions and experiences, provided a rich foundation for the creation of "Songs of Childhood," revealing the delicate interplay between reality and imagination. This poignant collection is an essential read for those seeking to reconnect with the wonder and simplicity of early life. Educators, parents, and poetry enthusiasts alike will find value in its timeless themes and exquisite verse, making "Songs of Childhood" a highly recommended addition to any literary repertoire.

In "The Listeners and Other Poems," Walter De la Mare crafts a collection that transcends mere verse, blending ethereal themes with vivid imagery and haunting tones. The poems range from explorations of the supernatural to contemplations on solitude and nature, all marked by De la Mare''s signature musicality and meticulous attention to language. His mastery of rhythm and sound, paired with a quintessentially British sensibility, evokes feelings of nostalgia and wonder, situating his work in the rich tradition of early 20th-century poetry that grapples with the metaphysical and the ambiguous. Walter De la Mare (1873-1956) was an English poet, novelist, and short story writer whose work often reflects his fascination with the uncanny and the mystical aspects of life. Growing up in a literary family and surrounded by the artistic influences of his time, De la Mare''s writing is imbued with an innate curiosity about the human experience and the worlds beyond. His own experiences, along with his deep engagement with folklore, children''s literature, and the everyday, shaped a unique voice that resonates through this collection. "The Listeners and Other Poems" is essential reading for anyone interested in the interplay of dream and reality. De la Mare''s evocative language and richly imaginative landscapes invite readers into realms of enchantment and introspection, making this collection a must-have for both poetry enthusiasts and those new to his work. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A comprehensive Introduction outlines these selected works'' unifying features, themes, or stylistic evolutions. - A Historical Context section situates the works in their broader era—social currents, cultural trends, and key events that underpin their creation. - A concise Synopsis (Selection) offers an accessible overview of the included texts, helping readers navigate plotlines and main ideas without revealing critical twists. - A unified Analysis examines recurring motifs and stylistic hallmarks across the collection, tying the stories together while spotlighting the different work''s strengths. - Reflection questions inspire deeper contemplation of the author''s overarching message, inviting readers to draw connections among different texts and relate them to modern contexts. - Lastly, our hand‐picked Memorable Quotes distill pivotal lines and turning points, serving as touchstones for the collection''s central themes.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Best Stories of Walter de la Mare" by Walter de la Mare. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

Walter John de la Mare, OM CH (1873-1956), was an English poet, short story writer, and novelist, probably best remembered for his works for children and "The Listeners" (1912), and for a highly acclaimed selection of subtle psychological horror stories, amongst them "Seaton''s Aunt" and "All Hallows". In 1921, his novel Memoirs of a Midget won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction, and his post-war Collected Stories for Children won the 1947 Carnegie Medal for British children''s books. His first book, Songs of Childhood (1902), was published under the name Walter Ramal. He worked in the statistics department of the London office of Standard Oil for eighteen years while struggling to bring up a family, but nevertheless found enough time to write.

In "Down-Adown-Derry: A Book of Fairy Poems," Walter De la Mare crafts a mesmerizing collection of whimsical verse that transports readers to a realm of enchantment and wonder. The poems deftly intertwine elements of nature and folklore, showcasing De la Mare''Äôs unique ability to evoke the ethereal beauty of the world through simple language imbued with profound emotional depth. The lyrical simplicity of his style reflects the traditions of Victorian children''s poetry while simultaneously establishing a modern sensibility, effectively capturing the innocence and imagination of childhood. Through vivid imagery and musical cadence, the collection invites readers to explore hidden realms and eternal truths, echoing themes prevalent in English romanticism and fairy tales. Walter De la Mare, an esteemed poet and novelist, was deeply influenced by the mystical and mythical elements of folklore, which permeate his works. Born into a family that nurtured his artistic inclinations, De la Mare was drawn to the ethereal since childhood, a fascination that blossomed amidst the late Victorian and Edwardian literary climates. His encounters with the oral tradition of storytelling, coupled with his profound understanding of myth, led him to pen this delightful collection, which harmonizes both the imaginary and the tangible. "Down-Adown-Derry" is a must-read for poetry enthusiasts and those who appreciate the delicate nuances of childhood wonder. De la Mare''Äôs poems not only enchant the young reader but also evoke a sense of nostalgia in adults, reminding them of the magic that lingers in everyday life. This enchanting collection is an essential addition to any bookshelf, promising to inspire and ignite the imagination of all who venture into its pages.

If you were looking for the Holy Bible of the horror anthologies, consider yourself lucky, because you just found it! Cosmic horror, supernatural events, ghost stories, weird fiction, mystical fantasies, occult narratives, this book plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities. This collection of the greatest mysterious dark tales gathers together more than 100 authors and more than 1000 short stories (!), which makes it truly unique in its kind. Be aware that this book includes a big amount of stories that appear for the first time in digital print.

Nineteen classic fairy tales, retold for younger readers in the early twentieth-century, including "Rapunzel," "Little Red Riding-Hood," "Rumpelstiltskin," and "The Sleeping Beauty."

Up on their brooms the Witches stream, Crooked and black in the crescent''s gleam It''s Halloween and a family is preparing to go trick-or-treating. Little do they know that up above them a coven of witches flies unseen through the starry sky... Carolina''s stunning illustrations beautifully illuminate Walter de la Mare''s thrilling, magical poem, published as a picture book for the first time.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A trio of royal monkey brothers - Thimble, Thumble, and Nod - receive a magical amulet from their mother, who instructs them to set out in search of their father.

''No breath of wind, No gleam of sun Still the white snow Whirls softly down'' As the day draws to a close, a family prepares for Christmas - decorating the tree, hanging stockings by the fire, putting out a plate of mince pies... Outside, the world turns to white.

The publication of Short Stories for Children celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Walter de la Mare''s death. It is also the culmination of a major literary enterprise. For many people, Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) is as great a writer of fiction as of poetry. But, the majority of his short stories, of which there are a hundred, have long been unavailable. Short Stories brings them all together in three volumes in the first comprehensive collection to be published. The third and last volume, Short Stories for Children, starts with Broomsticks and Other Tales of 1925, with its twelve stories, and continues with The Lord Fish of 1933 with seven stories. It includes three distinctive stories, ''Pigtails, Ltd'', ''The Thief'' and ''A Nose'', that have never been reprinted since they originally appeared in Broomsticks. Quirky, disparate, unpredictable, acutely observed, sometimes frightening, and often preoccupied with states of mind and personal identity, these stories have much in common with the adult stories. Some of them are peopled with giants, witches, kind elves, evil and spiteful fairies, and imprisoned maidens in castles, but most are not. We find ourselves in railway trains, a mansion in the City of London, another Elizabethan one in a mysterious tract of country, a remote farm house near the sea, a waterlogged forest, a drawing-room being watched by a fly; and, among other things, we encounter a wise monkey, a haunted cat, a fish magician, a baron transmogrified into a donkey, a thief desperate to be burgled, a man who believes he has a wax nose, and a godmother celebrating her 350th birthday. As in de la Mare''s poems, everyday reality may at any time become undercut by disturbing uncertainty and dark, though not always malign, forces. A full understanding of the poems and stories is impossible without knowledge of both. Vivid and timeless, Bold''s original woodcut designs and Rex Whistler''s original engravings have been used to illustrate the two parts of the book. Punch on the children''s stories: ''Whether Walter de la Mare is writing of scarecrows or piccaninnies, cats, fish, very old ladies, an admiral with a magic jacket or a godmother who could offer three centuries of life, he is enchanted and enchanting. There is a wisdom as well as magic -or perhaps one should say a magical wisdom.'' TLS on Short Stories 1895-1926 and Short Stories 1927-1956: ''What strikes one most about [them] is how truly peculiar they are... it is good to see these dark and disquieting stories back in print.'' Martin Seymour-Smith in Scotland on Sunday on Short Stories 1895-1926: ''He was so..."great" that, like all the greatest, his greatness functions as an assumption that goes hardly even recognized...the chief emotion is, as it should be, one of immense gratitude.'' Lord David Cecil: ''Beautiful, enigmatic and disquieting stories.'' Angela Carter: ''De la Mare is a master of mise-en-scene...Prose with the most vivid and unsettling intensity, which resembles some of what the surrealists were producing in France...'' Contents of Short Stories for Children: (1) Broomsticks and Other Tales (1925): Pigtails, Ltd; The Dutch Cheese; Miss Jemima; The Thief; Broomsticks; Lucy; A Nose; The Three Sleeping Boys of Warwickshire; The Lovely Myfanwy; Alice''s Godmother; Maria-Fly; Visitors. (2) The Lord Fish (1933): The Lord Fish; A Penny a Day; The Magic Jacket; Dick and the Beanstalk; The Scarecrow; The Old Lion; Sambo and the Snow Mountains.

The publication of Short Stories 1895-1926 celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Walter de la Mare''s death. It is also the culmination of a major literary enterprise. For many people Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) is as great a writer of fiction as of poetry. But the majority of his short stories, of which there are a hundred, have long been unavailable. Short Stories brings them all together in three volumes in the first comprehensive collection to be published. De la Mare''s earliest published works were stories, and he continued writing and rewriting stories throughout the rest of his life. There was always a creative counterpoint between the themes and imagery of his prose and his poetry - such as the dream, childhood, the house, night, love lost and regained, solitude and the traveller. A full understanding of either is impossible without knowledge of both. TLS on Short Stories 1895-1926 and Short Stories 1927-1956: ''What strikes one most about [them] is how truly peculiar they are... it is good to see these dark and disquieting stories back in print.'' Martin Seymour-Smith in Scotland on Sunday on Short Stories 1895-1926: ''He was so..."great" that, like all the greatest, his greatness functions as an assumption that goes hardly even recognized...the chief emotion is, as it should be, one of immense gratitude.'' Lord David Cecil: ''Beautiful, enigmatic and disquieting stories.'' Angela Carter: ''De la Mare is a master of mise-en-scene...Prose with the most vivid and unsettling intensity, which resembles some of what the surrealists were producing in France...'' Contents of Short Stories 1895-1926 : (1) The Riddle and Other Stories (1923): The Almond Tree; The Count''s Courtship; The Looking-Glass; Miss Duveen; Selina''s Parable; Seaton''s Aunt; The Bird of Travel; The Bowl; The Three Friends; Lispet, Lispett and Vaine; The Tree; Out of the Deep; The Creatures; The Riddle; The Vats. (2) Ding Dong Bell (1924): Lichen; Benighted; Strangers and Pilgrims; Winter. (3) The Connoisseur and Other Stories (1926): Mr Kempe; Missing; The Connoisseur; Disillusioned; The Nap; Pretty Poll; All Hallows; The Wharf; The Lost Track. (4) Uncollected stories: Kismet; The Hangman Luck; A Mote; The Village of Old Age; The Moon''s Miracle; The Giant; De Mortuis; The Rejection of the Rector; The Match-Maker; The Budget; The Pear-Tree; Leap Year; Promise at Dusk; Two Days in Town.

This fantastic tale involves castles, lords, knights, ladies, and plenty of adventure.

An anthology of poems for children.

This is the second of a three-volume collection bringing together Walter de la Mare''s short stories. It includes On the Edge (1930), The Wind Blows Over (1936), and A Beginning and Other Stories (1955), as well as four uncollected stories and four unpublished stories. The one-day conference featuring the stories of Walter de la Mare at King''s College, University of London, coinciding with the publication of Volume One in November 1996 revealed the intense interest there is in his fiction. It was attended by some 35 people from around Britain, and the talks and discussion were extremely lively. Among the speakers were Professor John Bayley, Professor Julia Briggs and Russell Hoban.

Contains poems that have appeared together by themselves for the first time.

Considered an ideal introduction to the pleasures of poetry.