A Strange Story, first published in 1862, was written by the great American author Edward Bulwer Lytton. The story deals with a supernatural theme and it later had an influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula. This story is told from the perspective of Dr. Allan Fenwicke, a rational materialist who publically debunks the spiritualist beliefs of his fellow physician Dr. Lloyd and thereby hastens his demise. The mysterious, lovely and dreamy Lillian enters into the logical life of Dr. Fenwicke's. The 'black magic' is used ...
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A Strange Story, first published in 1862, was written by the great American author Edward Bulwer Lytton. The story deals with a supernatural theme and it later had an influence on Bram Stoker's Dracula. This story is told from the perspective of Dr. Allan Fenwicke, a rational materialist who publically debunks the spiritualist beliefs of his fellow physician Dr. Lloyd and thereby hastens his demise. The mysterious, lovely and dreamy Lillian enters into the logical life of Dr. Fenwicke's. The 'black magic' is used effectively by the wickedly amoral Mr. Margrave to make Louis Grayle again young and Dr. Fenwicke rescues his beloved Lillian from her disaster. The story is very interesting and a true page turner that forcefully keeps the reader glued to the book till the end. A Strange Story, originally written in more than twenty parts, was initially published in serial. The book is in two book volumes- the first one is a love story, a combination of the ghosts and the supernatural and; the second book is a logical discussions over the nature of the supernatural and the metaphysics. This story, written in a florid Victorian style that prevailed at the time of its conception and publication, is a pure and great thriller. Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton PC, was born on 25 May 1803 to General William Earle Bulwer of Heydon Hall and Wood Dalling (later Lord Dalling), Norfolk and Elizabeth Barbara Lytton (daughter of Richard Warburton Lytton of Knebworth, Hertfordshire)and the younger brother of William Earle Lytton Bulwer (1799-1877) and Henry (1801-1872). He was an English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician. He became instantly popular among the literature loving people and wrote a stream of bestselling novels, which earned him a considerable fortune. He coined the phrases such as "the great unwashed," "pursuit of the almighty dollar," "the pen is mightier than the sword," "dweller on the threshold," and the well-known opening line "It was a dark and stormy night" etc. Edward married Rosina Doyle Wheeler (1802-1882), a famous Irish beauty In August 1827, against his mother's wishes who withdrew his allowance. Edward had to work for his living and had two children, Lady Emily Elizabeth Bulwer-Lytton (1828-1848), and (Edward) Robert Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton (1831-189, Governor-General and Viceroy of British India from 1876 to 1880). Edward's writing and political work strained his marriage while his infidelity embittered Rosina. They separated acrimoniously in 1833 and their separation became legal in 1836. Three years later, Rosina published Cheveley, or the Man of Honour (1839), a bitter satire and near-libellous fiction her husband's alleged hypocrisy. In June 1858, when her husband was standing as parliamentary candidate for Hertfordshire, she indignantly denounced him at the Hastings. He retaliated by threatening her publishers, withholding her allowance, and denying her access to their children. Finally he had her committed to a mental asylum but after a public outcry she was released after a few weeks. This incident was chronicled in her memoir, A Blighted Life which was published in 1880 and, later, she continued her attacks upon her husband's character for years. Bulwer-Lytton had long suffered with a disease of the ear and for the last two or three years of his life he lived in Torquay nursing his health. Following an operation to cure deafness, an abscess formed in his ear and burst; he endured intense pain for a week and died at 2am on 18 January 1873 just short of his 70th birthday. The cause of death was not clear but it was thought that the infection had affected his brain and caused a fit. Rosina outlived him by nine years. Against his wishes, Bulwer-Lytton was honored with a burial in Westminster Abbey. His unfinished history Athens: Its Rise and Fall was published posthumously.
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Add this copy of A Strange Story to cart. $6.73, very good condition, Sold by Magers and Quinn Booksellers rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Minneapolis, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Wildside Press.
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Add this copy of A Strange Story to cart. $28.58, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2016 by Hansebooks.
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After reading this I find it hard to believe Edward Bulwer-Lytton has a bad writing contest associated with his name. He was a skillful writer and a wonderful story-teller.
The novel is told from the perspective of Dr. Allan Fenwicke, a rational materialist. He publically debunks the spiritualist beliefs of his fellow physician Dr. Lloyd, and thereby hastens his colleague's demise. Soon after, the Mysterious enters Dr. Fenwicke's logical life in the form of the lovely and dreamy Lillian and the wickedly amoral Mr. Margrave.
Mr. Margrave may or may not be the evil Louis Grayle made young again with black magic. But our hero Dr. Fenwicke will brave all to rescue his Lillian.
The book a real page turner. You don't know until the last page if all will turn out well for Allan.
