This volume of short stories and shorter works by Nathaniel Hawthorne was heralded upon its release and is still widely considered a classic.

How is this book unique? Font adjustments & biography included Unabridged (100% Original content) Illustrated About Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne Twice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. Hawthorne was encouraged by friend Horatio Bridge to collect these previously anonymous stories; Bridge offered $250 to cover the risk of the publication. Many had been published in The Token, edited by Samuel Griswold Goodrich. When the works became popular, Bridge revealed Hawthorne as the author in a review he published in the Boston Post. The title, Twice-Told Tales, was based on a line from William Shakespeare's The Life and Death of King John (Act 3, scene 4): "Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, / Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man."The quote referenced may also be Hawthorne's way of acknowledging a belief that many of his stories were ironic retellings of familiar tropes. The book was published by the American Stationers' Company on March 6, 1837; its cover price was one dollar. Hawthorne had help in promoting the book from Elizabeth Peabody. She sent copies of the collection to William Wordsworth as well as to Horace Mann, hoping that Mann could get Hawthorne a job writing stories for schoolchildren. After publication, Hawthorne asked a friend to check with the local bookstore to see how it was selling. After noting the initial expenses for publishing had not been met, he complained: "Surely the book was puffed enough to meet with sale. What the devil's the matter?" By June, between 600 and 700 copies were sold but sales were soon halted by the Panic of 1837 and the publisher went out of business within a year.

Twice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals, hence the name. About a week after the publication of the book, Hawthorne sent a copy to his classmate from Bowdoin College, the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Longfellow had given a speech at their commencement calling for notable contributions to American literature. By this time, Longfellow was working at Harvard University and was becoming popular as a poet. Hawthorne wrote to him, "We were not, it is true, so well acquainted at college, that I can plead an absolute right to inflict my 'twice-told' tediousness upon you; but I have often regretted that we were not better known." In his 14-page critique in the April issue of the North American Review, Longfellow praised the book as a work of genius. "To this little book", Longfellow wrote, "we would say, 'Live ever, sweet, sweet book.' It comes from the hand of a man of genius." For his review of the second edition, Longfellow noted that Hawthorne's writing "is characterized by a large proportion of feminine elements, depth and tenderness of feeling, exceeding purity of mind." He referred to the collection's "The Gentle Boy" as "on the whole, the finest thing he ever wrote". The two authors would eventually build a strong friendship.

Twice-Told Tales By Nathaniel Hawthorne Twice-Told Tales is a work by Nathaniel Hawthorne now brought to you in this new edition of the timeless classic.

Twice-Told Tales By Nathaniel Hawthorne A Short Story Collection Twice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals, hence the name. Hawthorne was encouraged by friend Horatio Bridge to collect these previously anonymous stories; Bridge offered $250 to cover the risk of the publication. Many had been published in The Token, edited by Samuel Griswold Goodrich. When the works became popular, Bridge revealed Hawthorne as the author in a review he published in the Boston Post. The title, Twice-Told Tales, was based on a line from William Shakespeare's The Life and Death of King John (Act 3, scene 4): "Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, / Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man." The book was published by the American Stationers' Company on March 6, 1837; its cover price was one dollar. Hawthorne had help in promoting the book from Elizabeth Peabody. She sent copies of the collection to William Wordsworth as well as to Horace Mann, hoping that Mann could get Hawthorne a job writing stories for schoolchildren. CONTENTS THE GRAY CHAMPION SUNDAY AT HOME THE WEDDING-KNELL THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL THE MAYPOLE OF MERRY MOUNT THE GENTLE BOY MR. HIGGINBOTHAM'S CATASTROPHE LITTLE ANNIE'S RAMBLE WAKEFIELD A RILL FROM THE TOWN PUMP THE GREAT CARBUNCLE THE PROPHETIC PICTURES DAVID SWAN SIGHTS FROM A STEEPLE THE HOLLOW OF THE THREE HILLS THE TOLL-GATHERER'S DAY THE VISION OF THE FOUNTAIN FANCY'S SHOW-BOX DR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT LEGENDS OF THE PROVINCE HOUSE: I. HOWE'S MASQUERADE II. EDWARD RANDOLPH'S PORTRAIT III. LADY ELEANORE'S MANTLE IV. OLD ESTHER DUDLEY THE HAUNTED MIND THE VILLAGE UNCLE THE AMBITIOUS GUEST THE SISTER-YEARS SNOWFLAKES THE SEVEN VAGABONDS THE WHITE OLD MAID PETER GOLDTHWAITE'S TREASURE CHIPPINGS WITH A CHISEL THE SHAKER BRIDAL NIGHT-SKETCHES ENDICOTT AND THE RED CROSS THE LILY'S QUEST FOOTPRINTS ON THE SEASHORE EDWARD FANE'S ROSEBUD THE THREEFOLD DESTINY