Oscar Wilde's only novel is the dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. In this celebrated work, Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England.
Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world.
For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind.
Anna Karenina is a sophisticated woman who abandons her empty existence as the wife of Karenin and turns to Count Vronsky to fulfil her passionate nature - with tragic consequences. Levin, a reflection of Tolstoy himself, often expresses the author's own views and convictions.
Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel explores the complex interplay between love, family happiness, and the societal constraints that exist within the dynamics of city and country life. As the story unfolds, Anna's ill-fated affair with Vronsky leads to a life-altering crisis, while Levin's journey takes on a deeper philosophical significance.
The novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, exploring the variations on love and the search for happiness. Tolstoy's powerful narrative invites readers not to judge but to watch, presenting a panorama of humanity in all its flawed beauty.
Louisa May Alcott's classic tale of four sisters.
Grown-up Meg, tomboyish Jo, timid Beth, and precocious Amy. The four March sisters couldn't be more different. But with their father away at war, and their mother working to support the family, they have to rely on one another. Whether they're putting on a play, forming a secret society, or celebrating Christmas, there's one thing they can't help wondering: Will Father return home safely?
It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with "woman’s work,” including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the "girl’s book” her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.
'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.' Thus memorably begins Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, one of the world's most popular novels.
Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 novel of manners written by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.
Mr. Bennet, owner of the Longbourn estate in Hertfordshire, has five daughters, but his property is entailed and can only be passed to a male heir. His wife also lacks an inheritance, so his family faces becoming very poor upon his death. Thus, it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well to support the others, which is a motivation that drives the plot.
Twelfth Night, named for the twelfth night after Christmas, marks the end of the festive season and sets the stage for a romantic comedy of love and power. The play introduces us to the Countess Olivia, an independent woman in charge of her own household, who captures the attention of Duke Orsino. Her other suitors include her pompous steward, Malvolio, and the foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek.
Amidst this tangled web of unrequited love arrives the shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian, each believing the other to be dead. Viola, disguised as a boy, enters the service of the Duke, becoming his emissary to Olivia—and unexpectedly becoming the object of Olivia's affection. As the story unfolds, the play delves into the complexity of love and the joyful resolution of mistaken identities and romantic entanglements.
眠り鬼・魘夢にヒノカミ神楽「碧羅の天」を放った炭治郎の戦いの顛末は!? さらに、炭治郎一行の下に現れたものの正体とは!? そしてついに炎柱・煉獄杏寿郎が動く。その強き者の口から語られる言葉の先に炭治郎が見たものとは!?
50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology uses popular myths as a vehicle for helping students and laypersons to distinguish science from pseudoscience.
Explore topics that readers will relate to, but often misunderstand, such as 'opposites attract', 'people use only 10% of their brains', and 'handwriting reveals your personality'.
Provides a 'mythbusting kit' for evaluating folk psychology claims in everyday life and teaches essential critical thinking skills through detailed discussions of each myth.
Engaging and accessible writing style that appeals to students and lay readers alike.
An Immense World opens a door to a dimension previously unfathomable—the world as it is truly perceived by other animals. Ed Yong takes us on a journey into the unique sensory experiences of various creatures, revealing the diversity of life's perceptions beyond our own human capabilities.
We delve into the lives of beetles drawn to fires, songbirds that visualize magnetic fields, and the tactile sensitivity of a crocodile's face. The evolutionary marvel of a giant squid's eyesight and the astronomical observations of spiders are just a glimpse into the intricate tapestry of life's sensory palette.
The book not only recounts tales of significant scientific discoveries but also contemplates the enigmas that continue to puzzle researchers. It's a celebration of the vastness of nature and the intricate ways in which all creatures, great and small, navigate their existence.