The honour of founding the modern detective story belongs to an American writer. Such tales as "The Purloined Letter" and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" still stand unrivalled. We in America no more than the world of letters at large, did not readily realize what Poe had done when he created Auguste Dupin-the prototype of Sherlock Holmes et genus omnes, up to the present hour. On Poe's work is built the whole school of French detective story writers. Conan Doyle derived his inspiration from them in turn, and our American writers of today are helped from both French and English sources. It is rare enough to find the detective in fiction even today, however, who is not lacking in one supreme quality, -scientific imagination. Auguste Dupin had it. Dickens, had he lived a short time longer, might have turned his genius in this direction. The last thing he wrote was the "Mystery of Edwin Drood," the mystery of which is still unravelled. I have heard the opinion expressed by an eminent living writer that had Dickens' life been prolonged he would probably have become the greatest master of the detective story, except Poe. The detective story heretofore has been based upon one of two methods: analysis or deduction. The former was Poe's, to take the typical example; the latter is Conan Doyle's. Of late the discoveries of science have been brought into play in this field of fiction with notable results. The most prominent of such innovators, indeed the first one, is Arthur Reeve, an American writer, whose "Black Hand" will be found in this collection; which has endeavoured within its limited space to cover the field from the start-the detective story-wholly the outgrowth of the more highly developed police methods which have sprung into being within little more than half a century, being only so old.
Edited by Joseph Lewis French, this collection of 9 riddle stories includes ""The Mysterious Card"" and its sequel by Cleveland Moffett, ""The Oblong Box"" by Poe, ""A Terribly Strange Bed"" by Wilkie Collins, ""The Lost Room"" by Fitz-James O'Brien and others selected as masterful examples of the genre by the editor. He says in the forward: ""A distinguished American writer of fiction said to me lately: 'Did you ever think of the vital American way we live? We are always going after mental gymnastics.' Now the mystery story is mental gymnastics. ... The stories of this collection cover a wide range and are the choice of reading in several literatures."" Joseph Lewis French (1858-1936) was a novelist, editor, poet and newspaper man. The New York Times noted in 1925 that he may be ""the most industrious anthologist of his time."" He is known for his popular themed collections, and published over twenty-five books between 1918 and his death in 1936.
Great Pirate Stories Joseph Lewis French It was a bold hardy world--this of ours--up to the advent of our giant-servant, Steam, --every foot of which was won by fierce conquest of one sort or another. Out of this past the pirate emerges as a romantic, even at times heroic, figure. This final niche, despite his crimes, cannot altogether be denied him. A hero he is and will remain so long as tales of the sea are told. which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.
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