Puck (Barnes & Noble Digital Library): Related by Himself

By Ouida

This 1870 novel is the tale of Puck, a precocious Maltese terrier, who narrates his own story. He is a commodity that is bought and sold again and again—and as such, he is in a unique position to offer insight and commentary into the flagrant materialism of his day, while also enjoying whatever luxuries his owners lavish upon him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• Release date: May 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9781411452701

Ouida

Ouida (1839-1908) was the pseudonym for the English novelist Maria Louise Ramé, known for writing novels that romanticized a fashionable lifestyle. She got this name from the pronunciation of her childhood nickname “Louisa.” In her early twenties she moved to London and began voraciously writing, publishing numerous novels, which gained her wealth and fame. She threw elaborate parties at the Langham Hotel, inviting literary figures that inspired the characters in her books. At the height of her fame, Ouida moved to Italy and lived an extravagant lifestyle. In her later life, this extravagance, along with the lack of sales in her books, left her penniless. She died in poverty in Italy at the age of 69.