Books published by Aziloth Books

As timeless expressions of wit and wisdom, the maxims in Poor Richard's Almanac are as popular today as they were in eighteenth century colonial America. The author behind the pseudonym of Poor Richard, or Richard Saunders, was none other than Benjamin Franklin, the renowned American scientist, statesman and publisher. Franklin presented his Poor Richard character as a man of humble means with aspirations to better himself through hard work and temperate living and the urge to share this wisdom with his fellow citizens. Popular periodicals in Franklin's day, almanacs aimed both to inform and entertain their readership and Poor Richard's Almanac delivered on both counts with great success. Each annual edition consisted of a short introduction followed by poems, proverbs, a calendar of meteorological and astronomical charts, practical household hints, puzzles and often a serial story that ended on a cliff-hanger to ensure the next instalment was purchased. What made Franklin's almanac stand out was his signal use of witty wordplay and his collection of short, humorous truisms. Over the 26 years of publication - from 1732 to 1758 - his almanac became a household name in Philadelphia, with two-thirds of the population buying a copy every year. This edition by Aziloth Books collates the maxims from each edition and includes the "The Way to Wealth", Franklin's famous distillate of Poor Richard's quotes that was published in the last issue of the almanac.

"The finest historical short stories ever written" is Conan-Doyle expert Owen Edwards' verdict on the Brigadier Gerard series. In this new complete edition, which includes 55 original illustrations by W B Wollen, the aged Brigadier tells all his tales of Napoleonic gloire, quite unhindered by any sense of false modesty. He was, he tells us, "the finest horseman … and the best swordsman in the entire Grande Armee", an outstandingly brave, hot-blooded hussar who was, of course, beloved by any woman fortunate to cast her eyes upon him. Nor was the Emperor unaware of Etienne Gerard's accomplishments, and sought him out for a variety of secret, or especially dangerous assignments. And so we are told of wild adventures from the Peninsular War, Waterloo, the retreat from Moscow, Gerard's imprisonment in England, and even an attempt to rescue Napoleon from St. Helena.As we listen, we gradually realise that the bold Hussar's brain was perhaps not quite as sharp as his sword. Gerard regularly misconstrues orders, and has the most preposterous ideas on the sporting ideals of his favourite enemy, the English, who he mistakenly believes to be in awe of his prowess at both pugilism and fox-hunting. An inspiration for the Flashman series, George MacDonald Fraser describes Brigadier Gerard as "a splendid catalogue of secret missions, escapes, love affairs, duels, disguises, pursuits, triumphs, and occasional disasters," narrated in "inimitable mock French style."

Translated by Thomas Common, with introduction by Mrs Förster-Nietzsche, & notes by Anthony M. LudoviciGerman philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche was one of the most influential thinkers of the late 1800s, penning critiques on philosophy, religion and social norms. Nietzsche's controversial thoughts on what he saw as religious and political repression emerged early on in his life - as a schoolboy he wrote "Very often submission to the will of God and humility are but a covering mantle for cowardly hesitation to face our destiny with determination."Thus Spake Zarathustra is Nietzsche's magnum opus on the subject of God, morality and political idealism. The legendary Persian philosopher and moralist, Zarathustra (Zoroaster), is his choice for the central character because, he says, "Zarathustra created the most portentous error, morality, consequently he should also be the first to perceive that error." So it falls on Zarathustra to turn his own original doctrine on its head. He takes on the task of seeking the truth - "to aim straight", as Nietzsche puts it - and finds his answer after much soul-searching.The book takes the form of a story in four parts, styled with a biblical cadence. Zarathustra the radical thinker comes down from his mountain cave and attempts to persuade the people to throw off their stifling preconceptions of God and other-worldly hopes. He entreats them to dispense with life-denying concepts such as pity, humility, guilt, and to seek instead the superman, or übermensch, in themselves. This 'beyond man' would move past the human condition and would create his own life-affirming values and purpose.Thus Spake Zarathustra remains a provocative work - and is all the more valuable for it.