|
Speculation (banking Game)
Speculation is a form of "mild domestic gambling game" that appeared in the late 18th century and was popular during the 19th century, but then disappeared. Rules first appear in the 1800 English edition of ''Hoyle's Games Improved''.Jones (1800), pp. iv. It is mentioned at times by Jane Austen, in ''Mansfield Park'' for example, and by Charles Dickens. Rules Object To hold the highest trump card when all cards in play have been revealed. Cards A 52-card English pattern pack is used with cards ranking in their natural order, Aces high. Set-up The dealer antes six chips. The other players each ante four. The dealer gives each player three cards, face down. One additional card is placed face up. This card determines the trump suit, and the card belongs to the dealer. Play If the trump determining card was an Ace, the dealer wins immediately. Otherwise, the dealer may choose to keep it or to sell it to another player. Play passes to the left. If the trump-determining card ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trick-taking
A trick-taking game is a card or tile-based game in which play of a '' hand'' centers on a series of finite rounds or units of play, called ''tricks'', which are each evaluated to determine a winner or ''taker'' of that trick. The object of such games then may be closely tied to the number of tricks taken, as in plain-trick games such as contract bridge, whist, and spades, or to the value of the cards contained in taken tricks, as in point-trick games such as pinochle, the tarot family, briscola, and most evasion games like hearts. Trick-and-draw games are trick-taking games in which the players can fill up their hands after each trick. In most variants, players are free to play any card into a trick in the first phase of the game, but must ''follow suit'' as soon as the stock is depleted. Trick-avoidance games like reversis or polignac are those in which the aim is to avoid taking some or all tricks. The domino game Texas 42 is an example of a trick-taking game that is no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Barbara Hambly
Barbara Hambly (born August 28, 1951) is an American novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction. She is the author of the bestselling Benjamin January mystery series featuring a free man of color, a musician and physician, in New Orleans in the antebellum years. She also wrote a novel about Mary Todd Lincoln. Her science fiction novels occur within an explicit multiverse, as well as within previously existing settings (notably as established by ''Star Trek'' and '' Star Wars''). Early life and education Hambly was born in San Diego, California and grew up in Montclair, California. Her parents, Everett Edward Hambly Jr. and Florence Elizabeth (Moraski) Hambly, are from Fall River, Massachusetts; and Scranton, Pennsylvania (respectively). She has an older sister, Mary Ann Sanders, and a younger brother, Everett Edward Hambly, III. In her early teens, after reading J. R. R. Tolkien's ''The Lord of the Rings'', s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
18th-century Gambling Games
The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 ( MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 ( MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. During the century, slave trading and human trafficking expanded across the shores of the Atlantic, while declining in Russia, China, and Korea. Revolutions began to challenge the legitimacy of monarchical and aristocratic power structures, including the structures and beliefs that supported slavery. The Industrial Revolution began during mid-century, leading to radical changes in human society and the environment. Western historians have occasionally defined the 18th century otherwise for the purposes of their work. For example, the "short" 18th century may be defined as 1715–1789, denoting the period of time between the death of Louis XIV of France and the start of the French Revolution, with an emphasis on directly interconnected events. To historians who expand the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Georgette Heyer
Georgette Heyer (; 16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was an English novelist and short-story writer, in both the Regency romance and detective fiction genres. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story for her younger brother into the novel '' The Black Moth''. In 1925 Heyer married George Ronald Rougier, a mining engineer. The couple spent several years living in Tanganyika Territory and Macedonia before returning to England in 1929. After her novel '' These Old Shades'' became popular despite its release during the General Strike, Heyer determined that publicity was not necessary for good sales. For the rest of her life she refused to grant interviews, telling a friend: "My private life concerns no one but myself and my family."Hodge (1984), p. 70. Heyer essentially established the historical romance genre and its subgenre Regency romance. Her Regencies were inspired by Jane Austen. To ensure accuracy, Heyer collected reference works and kept detailed no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Civil Contract
''A Civil Contract'' is a Regency romance novel by Georgette Heyer, first published in 1961. Set in 1814–1815,See http://www.georgette-heyer.com/chron.html it is also a historical novel and follows the general pattern of storytelling of Heyer's other novels. The romantic plot centers on a viscount who reluctantly enters a marriage of convenience with a wealthy merchant's daughter. Plot summary Viscount Lynton comes home to find himself the heir to debts after the death of his father. With a mother and two sisters to support, and lacking any means of restoring his family's wealth, he is facing disaster. When he visits his solicitor to discuss selling the family home, a marriage of convenience is suggested as an alternative. Though reluctant, Lynton meets with Mr Chawleigh, a common Cit, and with Jenny, his plain and exquisitely shy daughter, and eventually agrees to be married. It is a simple contract; Jenny gains a title and Lynton receives enough money to take care of his fa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Quiet Gentleman
''The Quiet Gentleman'' is a Regency novel by Georgette Heyer, published at the start of 1951 by William Heinemann Ltd. Set in the spring of 1816, after the Battle of Waterloo, it is the story of the return home from the wars of the Seventh Earl of St Erth to claim his inheritance. The novel incorporates elements of the mystery story as well as the classic romance.Jennifer Kloester"The Quiet Gentleman – an unexpected heroine"/ref> Plot Gervase Frant, 7th Earl of St Erth, who became estranged from his father as a young boy, was reared by his maternal grandmother and then spent years serving in the military during the Napoleonic wars. On his father's death, he returns to his inheritance, the family seat at Stanyon in Lincolnshire. Also residing there are his stepmother, Gervase's younger half-brother Martin, his cousin Theo and his stepmother's young friend, Drusilla Morville, who is on a long-term visit. Lady St Erth and Martin make it plain that they are disappointed that Ge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
False Colours
''False Colours'' is a Regency romance novel by Georgette Heyer. Set in 1817,See http://www.georgette-heyer.com/chron.html it concerns a young man temporarily impersonating his missing twin brother. Plot summary Kit Fancot returns home to England from diplomatic service in Vienna to find that his twin brother Evelyn has disappeared. Although this would not normally be a problem, Evelyn will eventually meet the tyrannical grandmother of the woman he has proposed to. To keep the engagement, Kit must pretend to be his brother. When Evelyn doesn't reappear, Kit has to stay in the rôle of Evelyn indefinitely and decides to retire to his family home in the countryside. Evelyn's chosen lady, Cressy, comes with her grandmother to the Fancot family home however. By careful deduction Cressy is able to work out that Evelyn is actually Kit in disguise, but as they have fallen in love with each other, she helps him with the deception. Eventually Evelyn comes home with a tale of what hap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik (born April 30, 1973) is an American author of speculative fiction. She is known for the ''Temeraire'' series (2006–2016), an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars involving dragons, and her ''Scholomance'' fantasy series (2020–2022).. Her standalone fantasy novels '' Uprooted'' (2015) and '' Spinning Silver'' (2018) were inspired by Polish folklore and the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, respectively; Novik has won many awards for her work, including the Alex, Audie, British Fantasy, Locus, Mythopoeic and Nebula Awards. Early life Novik grew up in Roslyn Heights on Long Island. She is a second-generation American; her father's family were Lithuanian Jews, and her mother's family were Polish Catholics. Displaying an interest in reading at a young age, she read ''The Lord of the Rings'' at age six, and developed a love for Jane Austen soon afterward. She received a bachelor's degree in English literature at Brown University and holds a master's degr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Throne Of Jade
''Throne of Jade'' is the second novel in the ''Temeraire (series), Temeraire'' alternate history/fantasy series written by American author Naomi Novik. It was published by Del Rey Books, Del Rey first in the United States on April 25, 2006, and was published in the United Kingdom in August 2007 by Voyager Books, Voyager. Plot introduction The story is set during an alternate history version of the Napoleonic Wars, in which dragons not only exist but are used as a staple of aerial warfare in Asia and Europe. The dragons are portrayed as Sapience, sapient and intelligent, capable of logical thought and human speech. The series centers on events involving Temeraire (the titular dragon) and his handler, William Laurence. The first book of the series centered on how Laurence, formerly a captain in the Royal Navy, becomes Temeraire's handler, and their early training in preparation for battles against Napoleon I of France, Napoleon's aerial fleet. Synopsis After defeating Napoleon's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrick O'Brian
Patrick O'Brian, CBE (12 December 1914 – 2 January 2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series of sea novels set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and centred on the friendship of the English naval captain Jack Aubrey and the Irish–Catalan physician Stephen Maturin. The 20-novel series, the first of which is '' Master and Commander'', is known for its well-researched and highly detailed portrayal of early 19th-century life, as well as its authentic and evocative language. A partially finished 21st novel in the series was published posthumously containing facing pages of handwriting and typescript. O'Brian wrote a number of other novels and short stories, most of which were published before he achieved success with the Aubrey–Maturin series. He also translated works from French to English, and wrote biographies of Joseph Banks and Picasso. His major success as a writer came late in l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Thirteen Gun Salute
''The Thirteen-Gun Salute'' is the thirteenth historical novel in the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, first published in 1989. The story is set during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. This novel constitutes the first of a five-novel circumnavigation of the globe; other novels in this voyage include '' The Nutmeg of Consolation'', ''Clarissa Oakes/The Truelove'', ''The Wine-Dark Sea'', and '' The Commodore''. Spain hears that England may be supporting the independence of its colonies in South America, while an envoy is needed in the Malay states to gain an ally for England. These two changes alter Aubrey's mission from his private man-of-war, ''Surprise'' en route to South America. They learn this at Lisbon, where ''Surprise'' parts company under Tom Pullings. Aubrey is reinstated on the Navy List in London and gains command of HMS ''Diane'', carrying the envoy to negotiate a treaty with Pulo Prabang and Maturin gains a stay in a naturalist's paradise. Then ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nicholas Nickleby
''Nicholas Nickleby'' or ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby'' (or also ''The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Containing a Faithful Account of the Fortunes, Misfortunes, Uprisings, Downfallings, and Complete Career of the Nickleby Family'') is a novel by Charles Dickens originally published as a serial from 1838 to 1839. It was Dickens's third novel. The story centres on the life and adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, a young man who must support his mother and sister after his father dies. Background ''Nicholas Nickleby'' is Charles Dickens's third novel. He returned to his favourite publishers and to the format that was considered so successful with ''The Pickwick Papers''. The story first appeared in monthly parts, after which it was issued in one volume. Dickens began writing ''Nickleby'' while still working on '' Oliver Twist''. Plot Nicholas Nickleby's father dies unexpectedly after losing all of his money in a poor investment. Nicholas, his mother an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
