Pierre Turcotte Editor is pleased to announce the publication of the fourth issue of our Collection Magma Languages: Cyprian Overbeck Wells. A Literary Mosaic / Une mosaïque littéraire by Arthur Conan Doyle. This bilingual edition is specifically aimed at people who learn foreign languages, in this case English or French, as well as literature lovers who wish to discover the work of this major English writer. New translation from English by Marie Gordinne.
Cyprian Overbeck Wells. A Literary Mosaic is a short story written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Boy's Own Paper in December 1886. Also published as « Cyprian Overbeck Wells ». At the heart of this playful literary tale, the narrator, eager to write a masterpiece, is stifled by a lack of inspiration. One evening, after a quiet supper, he falls asleep and finds himself in the midst of a dream where the greatest writers of the past centuries—Defoe, Smollett, Swift, Fielding, Richardson, Sterne, Scott, Eliot, Thackeray, Payn, Besant, Ouida, Stevenson, Bulwer-Lytton, and Marryat—gather around his table to craft a story together.
The tale they weave is that of Cyprian Overbeck Wells, a man stranded at sea after a storm and abandoned by his crew. As each writer takes their turn, the story expands and shifts, moving from deserted islands and mutinous crews to mystical encounters and medieval ambushes. However, as the story reaches a tense and mysterious moment, the narrator is abruptly awakened by his wife, which takes him out of his dream. A brilliant blend of literary homage and whimsical creativity, this story is a delightful tribute to the masters of storytelling, with each writer adding their own distinctive touch to an ever-evolving narrative.
You can get this e-book in EPUB format from our store (print format on Amazon):
CONAN DOYLE, Arthur. Cyprian Overbeck Wells. A Literary Mosaic / Une mosaïque littéraire. Montréal : Pierre Turcotte Éditeur, Collection Magma Langues, 2025, 181 p.
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