Bill Homewood

The Four Just Men (1905) is a political thriller by Edgar Wallace. The book that launched Wallace's career as one of England's leading popular fiction writers, The Four Just Men was released in conjunction with a newspaper competition allowing readers to guess the truth behind the unsolved mystery at the end of the novel. Like many of Wallace's stories and novels, The Four Just Men was adapted into a silent film in 1921 before being made into a popular...

The Mark of Zorro (1924) is a novel by Johnston McCulley. Originally published as, The Curse of Capistrano (1919), McCulley's novel was, rereleased to capitalize on the success of the 1920 silent film of the same name starring Douglas Fairbanks. Beloved by generations of readers and moviegoers alike, Zorro is, recognized as a symbol of justice and rebellion throughout the world. "Outside the wind shrieked and the rain dashed against the ground in...

Idylls of the King (1859-1885) is a cycle of narrative poems by British poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Written while Tennyson was serving as Poet Laureate, Idylls of the King reworks the medieval Arthurian legend in blank verse and with an elegiac tone. Based on Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and the early British Mabinogion manuscripts, Tennyson's work connects an ancient tradition to the reign and ideals of Queen Victoria. "The Coming of Arthur"...

In Spain, the Just Men stalk a mysterious English doctor The beggar limps toward the outdoor café looking for a familiar face. He finds Manfred sitting alone and tells the gentleman to follow. Only when the beggar leans close and speaks in his true voice does Manfred recognize him as Gonsalez, master of disguise and an ally in the fight against crime. When they are joined by the rakish Poiccart, the Three Just Men are together at last. Feared throughout...

Here are 35 of the greatest poems in the French language, carefully selected and read in French by Bill Homewood, the bilingual English classical actor who has spent half his life in France. To help those English speakers with just a little French to appreciate the glories of these poems, he provides his own clear English translations. The poems range from the earliest medieval and renaissance masterpieces - François Villon, Joachim de Bellay, Pierre...

Zorro Rides Again is the third novella featuring Zorro, the Robin Hood of Old California. Reina de los Angeles is being terrorized by a masked swordsman who marks the faces of his victims with Zorro's trademark Z. But is this the real Zorro? The Governor of California offers a reward for the capture of Don Diego Vega (who is known to have previously been Zorro) dead or alive, while an army - led by the ruthless Captain Rocha - is in hot pursuit of...

The swashbuckling sequel to The Mark of Zorro (The Curse of Capistrano), The Further Adventures of Zorro sees the daring hero out for revenge once more. After Captain Ramon kidnaps the beautiful Lolita Pulido, Zorro takes to the seas and battles pirates in a bid to win her back. Swordfights, death traps and disastrously tight corners await him. But it is never much more than a challenge as the gallant caballero laughs in the face of danger - nothing...

"The Man in the Iron Mask" represents the final portion of the third installment of the 'D'Artagnan Romances'. Preceded by "The Three Musketeers", the first volume; "Twenty Years After", the second volume; "The Vicomte de Bragelonne", part one of the third volume; "Ten Years Later" part two of the third volume; and "Louise de la Vallière", part three of the third volume; "The Man in the Iron Mask" is a tale that brings to life the mystery of one...

Of all the legends of Western civilisation, perhaps the glorious adventures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are the best known. The Quest for the Holy Grail, and the undying illicit love between Sir Launcelot and Queen Guenever, have provided inspiration for storytellers and poets down the ages, and sparked so many films and books of our own time. 15th-century knight Sir Thomas Malory penned the book with relish, packing his story...

The red and the black is a character study of Julien Sorel, a clever and idealistic young opportunist who attempts to rise above his station through a combination of talent, deception, and hypocrisy. He uses his powers of seduction and charm to secure advancement, only to find himself betrayed by his own passions and outwitted by the larger political and social intrigues of post-Napoleonic France. His doomed quest for fortune and love is both heroic...