"The Fair Rewards" by Thomas Beer . . . is a really distinguished novel. The writing is far above the average: it has style and sophistication and personality, intermingled with a truly vivid show of imagination. It even borders on brilliancy, but it is a hard, cold, cynical sort of brilliancy that chills. It almost hurts . . . The title itself is indicative of cynicism. It is derived from Shakespeare's quotation, "These be the fair rewards of those that love," and it is an ironical reference, for Mark Walling, the blind, simple, loving idolater, in return for his great and unselfish devotion to Margot, reaps selfishness and ingratitude and lack of consideration...

"Pompey, the son of Julio and Phyllis, was born A.D. 1735, at Bologna in Italy, a place famous for lap-dogs and sausages." At an early age he was carried away from the boudoir of his Italian mistress by Hillario, an English gentleman illustrious for his gallantries, who brought him to London.The rest of the history is really a chain of social episodes, each closed by the incident that Pompey becomes the property of some fresh person. In this way we find ourselves in a dozen successive scenes, each strongly contrasted with the others...

Works and Days provides advice on agrarian matters and personal conduct. The Theogony explains the ancestry of the gods. The Shield of Heracles is the adventure of Heracles accepting an enemy's challenge to fight.

These short stories, perhaps we might call them modern parables, are not the usual fare of warm and fuzzy Christmas stories (pleasing as those are) but rather life events and crises triggered by Christmas, present or imminent. Brady was a journalist, historian, adventure writer, and Episcopal priest.

Brave, adventurous and loyal, recently-orphaned Ruth Fielding is sent to live with her estranged Uncle Jabez at the Red Mill in Cheslow, New York. A new town means making new friends, and the teenage Ruth quickly befriends the children of a wealthy merchant. But as the relationship between her and her uncle becomes strained and she attempts to become friends with a very disagreeable girl, will Ruth's cheery disposition be enough to get her through?This is the first of the Ruth Fielding series, with follows Ruth and her friends from adolescence into early adulthood.