His contributions to these periodicals raised the English essay to a degree of technical perfection never before achieved and perhaps never since surpassed. ... Beckford is chiefly remembered today for the Gothic romance Vathek, a bizarre tale about the adventures of the shockingly cruel Caliph Vathek. ... He was also the author of several books of travel and two burlesques on the sentimental novels of his day, The Elegant Enthusiast (1796) and Azemia (1797). ... In 1724 he opened the first Anglican church in Connecticut at Stratford, remaining its minister until 1754, when he became the fi...

• Word Count: 1249
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Once he learned to read, the young boy immediately became obsessed with books and was completely absorbed in tales depicting savages, the Wild West, or Mark Twain's thrill-seeking Tom Sawyer. ... He also published three short stories in 1905, "Birds of Prey," "A Tale of a Whale," and "The Man Who Was King." ... This city had a monumental and life-altering impact on Eliot for multiple reasons, the most significant of which was his introduction to the influential literary figure  Ezra Pound. ... The marriage was not successful, in part because of Vivienne's health issues: the two s...

• Word Count: 4134
• Approx Pages: 17
• Grade Level: High School

The book records Thoreau's experiences in a hand-built cabin, where he spent two years in partial seclusion, at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts. ... Oliver Wendell Holmes- Initially known in the Boston area for his cultured, witty verse, the American physician and writer gained wider popularity with the publication of his essays in 1858. ... His "The Gold Bug" (1843) tells the tale of a search for buried treasure on a South Carolina island lV. ... In 1899 Robinson moved to New York City, where his volume Captain Craig and Other Poems (1902) attracted little interest. ...

• Word Count: 1931
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School