Books by Kenneth Grahame

Book Synopsis“One can argue over the merits of most books, and in arguing understand the point of view of one's opponent. One may even come to the conclusion that possibly he is right after all. One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. […] The book is a test of character. […] It is a Household Book; a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually; A book which is read aloud to every new guest and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth.” –A.A. MilneThe Wind in the Willows (1908) is a novel by Kenneth Grahame. Although it began as a series of interrelated stories the author would create for his son, Alastair, in order to read before bedtime, it soon took on a life of its own. Published after a series of rejections, The Wind in the Willows would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world.Tired of spring cleaning, Mole emerges from his subterranean home to a world he has never taken the time to know. Shocked at first, he soon befriends a water vole named Rat who spends his days in a rowboat on the river. Rat not only instructs Mole on how to navigate the local waterways, but awakens in him a love and appreciation for nature. When they meet Mr. Toad, the wildly unpredictable heir of Toad Hall, their newly found peace all but disappears. Combining his obsession with motorcars with an insatiable desire for reckless driving, Mr. Toad soon forces Mole and Rat—alongside their friend Mr. Badger—to watch over him at Toad Hall in an effort to save him from himself. Taking advantage of their kind and caring natures, Mr. Toad escapes, only to be arrested, thrown in jail, and handed a twenty year sentence.As The Wind in the Willows unfolds, another escape is staged, a home is saved, and the bonds of friendship are stretched to their limit. Kenneth Grahame’s novel is not just a book about animal life that is strangely like our own, but a book that remains, over a century after it was published, a classic work of literature for children and adults alike.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows is a monumental literary work reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Golden Age (1895) is a collection of stories by Kenneth Grahame. Although less popular than The Wind in the Willows (1908), which would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world, The Golden Age is a moving portrait of youth, an understated autobiographical meditation made for children and adults alike.Recalling his youth among elders who exemplified Victorian values of stoicism and quiet decency, Kenneth Grahame refers to these hallowed figures as the “Olympians” whose presence provided both order and necessary balance to his rambunctious, imaginative boyhood. Now an adult himself, Grahame wonders if he has become one of these “Olympians,” and looks back on his youth not only for an answer, but for a reaffirmation of the joy and freedom of a childhood spent among friends. In the stories that follow, he recalls the games they played, the places they discovered, and the legends they made of the normal, the boring, and the everyday found all around them. Filled with references to classical Greek mythology, Grahame’s collection is nostalgic for a world left behind, yet open to reconstituting a reality more wonderful for its common nature. The Golden Age is not just a book about the experience of childhood, but a study of the past that must remain present within us. Grahame’s book remains, over a century after it was published, a classic work of literature for children and adults alike.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Golden Age is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book Synopsis“One can argue over the merits of most books, and in arguing understand the point of view of one's opponent. One may even come to the conclusion that possibly he is right after all. One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. […] The book is a test of character. […] It is a Household Book; a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually; A book which is read aloud to every new guest and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth.” –A.A. MilneThe Wind in the Willows (1908) is a novel by Kenneth Grahame. Although it began as a series of interrelated stories the author would create for his son, Alastair, in order to read before bedtime, it soon took on a life of its own. Published after a series of rejections, The Wind in the Willows would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world.Tired of spring cleaning, Mole emerges from his subterranean home to a world he has never taken the time to know. Shocked at first, he soon befriends a water vole named Rat who spends his days in a rowboat on the river. Rat not only instructs Mole on how to navigate the local waterways, but awakens in him a love and appreciation for nature. When they meet Mr. Toad, the wildly unpredictable heir of Toad Hall, their newly found peace all but disappears. Combining his obsession with motorcars with an insatiable desire for reckless driving, Mr. Toad soon forces Mole and Rat—alongside their friend Mr. Badger—to watch over him at Toad Hall in an effort to save him from himself. Taking advantage of their kind and caring natures, Mr. Toad escapes, only to be arrested, thrown in jail, and handed a twenty year sentence.As The Wind in the Willows unfolds, another escape is staged, a home is saved, and the bonds of friendship are stretched to their limit. Kenneth Grahame’s novel is not just a book about animal life that is strangely like our own, but a book that remains, over a century after it was published, a classic work of literature for children and adults alike.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows is a monumental literary work reimagined for modern readers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Golden Age (1895) is a collection of stories by Kenneth Grahame. Although less popular than The Wind in the Willows (1908), which would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world, The Golden Age is a moving portrait of youth, an understated autobiographical meditation made for children and adults alike. Recalling his youth among elders who exemplified Victorian values of stoicism and quiet decency, Kenneth Grahame refers to these hallowed figures as the “Olympians” whose presence provided both order and necessary balance to his rambunctious, imaginative boyhood. Now an adult himself, Grahame wonders if he has become one of these “Olympians,” and looks back on his youth not only for an answer, but for a reaffirmation of the joy and freedom of a childhood spent among friends. In the stories that follow, he recalls the games they played, the places they discovered, and the legends they made of the normal, the boring, and the everyday found all around them. Filled with references to classical Greek mythology, Grahame’s collection is nostalgic for a world left behind, yet open to reconstituting a reality more wonderful for its common nature. The Golden Age is not just a book about the experience of childhood, but a study of the past that must remain present within us. Grahame’s book remains, over a century after it was published, a classic work of literature for children and adults alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Golden Age is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Headswoman (1898) is a story by Kenneth Grahame. Although less popular than The Wind in the Willows (1908), which would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world, The Headswoman is a humorous story of tradition and bureaucracy that brilliantly satirizes the ongoing debate around women’s suffrage. In the town of St. Radegonde, following the death of the local executioner, it has become necessary to make the role available to the man’s only daughter. Although Jeanne would be the first woman to hold the position, an occurrence sure to be controversial, bureaucratic tradition demands to be upheld. Rejecting an offer to let her cousin, Enguerrand, become executioner instead, Jeanne is appointed to the role and begins her work the very next morning. Eager and capable, Jeanne has a calming effect on the men sent to her to die. But when a prominent aristocrat falls in love with the diligent young woman, her newfound independence and hard-won respect fall prey to the power of romance. The Headswoman is a satirical story set in the middle ages but aimed at a contemporary audience. Published during the early stages of the women’s suffrage movement, the story envisions a world in which a woman is granted the right to fully participate in the formation and maintenance of authority. With cunning wit and sly references to nineteenth century life, The Headswoman seems to ask what equality would look like for women in a system dependent upon its opposite. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s The Headswoman is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisDream Days (1898) is a collection of children’s stories by Kenneth Grahame. It was published as a sequel to The Golden Age (1895), a collection of semi-autobiographical stories reflecting on the nature of childhood and the strange, distant lives of adults. Although less popular than The Wind in the Willows (1908), which would go on to become not only a defining work of Edwardian English literature, but one of the most popular works of children’s fiction in the world, Dream Days features “The Reluctant Dragon,” one of Grahame’s most enduring short works of fiction.Carrying on the themes and concerns of The Golden Age, the author reflects on his youth among elders who exemplified Victorian values of stoicism and quiet decency. In these stories of innocence and experience, he recalls the games they played, the places they discovered, and the legends they made of the normal, the boring, and the everyday wonders of an old world seen through young eyes. “The Reluctant Dragon,” the centerpiece of Dream Days, is a story about a young boy who discovers a wise, poetry-loving dragon while exploring the Berkshire Downs near his home in Oxfordshire. Against all appearances, the two sensitive souls become fast friends. When the townspeople discover the dragon, however, they send for the legendary St. George to slay the creature they see as a threat. Faced with the loss of his only friend in the world, the young boy must convince St. George to not only spare the dragon’s life, but to convince the townspeople of his kind and gentle nature. Dream Days is a collection of stories for children which finds room for fantasy and adventure in the smallest of places, and kindness in the largest of hearts.With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Kenneth Grahame’s Dream Days is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisRichard Briers, Adrian Scarborough and Terence Rigby star in this full-cast dramatisation, narrated by Alan Bennett.When Mole abandons his spring cleaning one morning, he surfaces into the sunlight and encounters the Water Rat. Mole stays with Ratty in his snug waterside home, and soon he meets Ratty’s friends: Badger, who lives in the Wild Wood, and the incorrigible Toad of Toad Hall. This timeless tale of waterside Britain has been loved by generations of children and acclaimed as a classic. The story of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad and their escapades never fails to enchant. Many of the original cast from Alan Bennett's acclaimed National Theatre production appear in this Radio 4 dramatisation, including Richard Briers as Rat, Adrian Scarborough as Mole and Terence Rigby as Albert - with Alan Bennett as the narrator.Trade ReviewIt is a book that breaks nearly every rule of modern children's fiction...it wasn't about fairies at the bottom of the garden, but it was about magic - just the right kind of magic. It thrills me still to read it—Shirley Hughes, The Times"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.'' But reading about Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger runs it a close second.—Michael MorpurgoPeople think of it as a children's book, but that's not all it is. What seared my imagination was its surrealism. The rat, the mole and badger could talk, but they could also change size: a badger could crawl down a rat hole, a toad could drive a car. At nine or 10 that fascinated me and that made a deep impression on my career—Terry Pratchett, Independent on SundayA book about the love of friends and the joys of existence—Sunday TimesI loved Toad of Toad Hall and his merry antics, especially with his motor car - poop poop!—Kenneth Branagh, Daily Express

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