Ein Liebesbrief erreicht den Romancier und Lebemann R. an seinem einundvierzigsten Geburtstag – die leidenschaftliche Lebensbeichte einer Frau, deren Lebensmittelpunkt er war. Doch sie ist für ihn nur eine belanglose Geliebte unter vielen geblieben, letztlich eine Unbekannte.

"Ich klage Dich nicht an, mein Geliebter, nein, ich klage Dich nicht an", verspricht sie, und doch stellen ihre glühenden Worten das Leben dieses Mannes, der "nur das Leichte, das Spielende, das Gewichtlose" lieben kann und vor Bindungen zurückscheut aus "Angst, in ein Schicksal einzugreifen", vollständig in Frage.

Stefan Zweig versteht es meisterhaft, starke Emotionen in eindringliche Worte zu übersetzen, die lange nachhallen.

At the beginning of Pudd'nhead Wilson, a young slave woman, fearing for her infant son's life, exchanges her light-skinned child with her master's. From this rather simple premise, Mark Twain fashioned one of his most entertaining, funny, yet biting novels.

On its surface, Pudd'nhead Wilson possesses all the elements of an engrossing nineteenth-century mystery: reversed identities, a horrible crime, an eccentric detective, a suspenseful courtroom drama, and a surprising, unusual solution. Yet, it is not a mystery novel.

Seething with the undercurrents of antebellum southern culture, the book is a savage indictment in which the real criminal is society, and racial prejudice and slavery are the crimes.

Written in 1894, Pudd'nhead Wilson glistens with characteristic Twain humor, with suspense, and with pointed irony: a gem among the author's later works.

La Bête humaine is a gripping tale where the instinct of death looms large over the protagonist, Jacques Lantier, a locomotive mechanic. He is acutely aware of how this instinct disguises itself under various appetites, and how the Idea of Death lurks beneath all fixed ideas.

Jacques, a young man, distances himself from women, wine, money, and ambitions, having renounced his instincts. His sole focus is his machine. He understands that the cerebral fissure introduces death into all instincts, working through them. At the origin or end of every instinct, it is about killing, and perhaps also being killed.

Zola, in this novel, powerfully evokes life at the end of the Second Empire in France, where society seemed to be hurtling into the future like the new locomotives and railways it was building. While expressing hope that human nature evolves through education and gradually frees itself of inherited evil, he constantly reminds us of the beast within.

First published in 1922, The Beautiful and the Damned followed Fitzgerald's impeccable debut, This Side of Paradise, thus securing his place in the tradition of great American novelists. Embellished with the author's lyrical prose, here is the story of Harvard-educated, aspiring aesthete Anthony Patch and his beautiful wife, Gloria. As they await the inheritance of his grandfather's fortune, their reckless marriage sways under the influence of alcohol and avarice.

A devastating look at the nouveau riche, and the New York nightlife, as well as the ruinous effects of wild ambition, The Beautiful and the Damned achieved stature as one of Fitzgerald's most accomplished novels. Its distinction as a classic endures to this day.

When an unidentified “monster” threatens international shipping, French oceanographer Pierre Aronnax and his unflappable assistant Conseil join an expedition organized by the US Navy to hunt down and destroy the menace. After months of fruitless searching, they finally grapple with their quarry, but Aronnax, Conseil, and the brash Canadian harpooner Ned Land are thrown overboard in the attack, only to find that the “monster” is actually a futuristic submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by a shadowy, mystical, preternaturally imposing man who calls himself Captain Nemo.

Thus begins a journey of 20,000 leagues—nearly 50,000 miles—that will take Captain Nemo, his crew, and these three adventurers on a journey of discovery through undersea forests, coral graveyards, miles-deep trenches, and even the sunken ruins of Atlantis. Jules Verne’s novel of undersea exploration has been captivating readers ever since its first publication in 1870, and Frederick Paul Walter’s reader-friendly, scientifically meticulous translation of this visionary science fiction classic is complete and unabridged down to the smallest substantive detail.

The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, commonly referred to simply as Doctor Faustus, is an Elizabethan tragedy by Christopher Marlowe, based on German stories about the title character Faust, that was first performed sometime between 1588 and Marlowe's death in 1593. Two different versions of the play were published in the Jacobean era, several years later.

The powerful effect of early productions of the play is indicated by the legends that quickly accrued around them—that actual devils once appeared on the stage during a performance, to the great amazement of both the actors and spectators, a sight that was said to have driven some spectators mad.

The Diary of a Nobody began as a serial in Punch and the book which followed in 1892 has never been out of print. The Grossmith brothers not only created an immortal comic character but produced a clever satire of their society. Mr. Pooter is an office clerk and upright family man in a dull 1880s suburb. His diary is a wonderful portrait of the class system and the inherent snobbishness of the suburban middle classes. It sends up contemporary crazes for Aestheticism, spiritualism, and bicycling, as well as the fashion for publishing diaries by anybody and everybody.

Weedon Grossmith's illustrations add to the humor and depth of the story, making it both a celebration and critique of the mundane yet decent suburban life. The hilarious and painfully familiar world of Charles Pooter is a testament to the timeless nature of English suburban life.

White Fang is part dog, part wolf, and the lone survivor of his family. In his lonely world, he soon learns to follow the harsh law of the North—kill or be killed. But nothing in White Fang's life can prepare him for the cruel owner who turns him into a vicious killer. Will White Fang ever know the kindness of a gentle master?

A classic tale of mischance and mischief based on the original adventures.

A naughty wooden puppet gets into trouble, disobeys his father, forgets his promises, and skips through life looking for fun. Just like a "real boy." Until he learns that to become truly real, he must open his heart and think of others.

THE INVISIBLE MAN lets loose a reign of terror! He assaults people, damages property and creates utter chaos. In a blind burst of fire, he gets injured, but manages to escape. He takes shelter at the house of Dr. Kemp, a scientist, who turns out to be an old college fellow.

The Invisible Man unfolds before Dr. Kemp, an incredible tale about the amazing powers of Science, by revealing the secret of his invisibility. How does Dr. Kemp react to the story? H. G. Wells, a master of science fiction, brings you this gripping tale, guaranteed to hold your attention till the very end.

The Wall, the lead story in this collection, introduces three political prisoners on the night prior to their execution. Through the gaze of an impartial doctor—seemingly there for the men's solace—their mental descent is charted in exquisite, often harrowing detail. And as the morning draws inexorably closer, the men cross the psychological wall between life and death, long before the first shot rings out.

This brilliant snapshot of life in anguish is the perfect introduction to a collection of stories where the neurosis of the modern world is mirrored in the lives of the people that inhabit it.

When penniless businessman Mr. Bedford retreats to the Kent coast to write a play, he meets by chance the brilliant Dr. Cavor, an absent-minded scientist on the brink of developing a material that blocks gravity. Cavor soon succeeds in his experiments, only to tell a stunned Bedford that the invention makes possible one of the oldest dreams of humanity: a journey to the moon.

With Bedford motivated by money, and Cavor by the desire for knowledge, the two embark on the expedition. But neither are prepared for what they find—a world of freezing nights, boiling days, and sinister alien life, on which they may be trapped forever.

In 1845, runaway slave Frederick Douglass became, almost overnight, the most celebrated African American author in history with the publication of his Narrative. In stark, powerful prose, he conveyed his observations of owners and overseers, the demoralizing effects of slavery on both slave and slaveholder, and his own triumph over oppression.

In the latter part of the century, Douglass became a public figure of enormous stature: an orator, a newspaper publisher, and a statesman. But he is perhaps best remembered as America's first major African American writer, a man whose work still makes a powerful impact on both our minds and hearts.

For a new perspective on Douglass' narrative, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s, introduction examines its literary and social importance, and considers the issues Douglass raised as the foundation for today's field of African American studies. Gates's illuminating insights, and an extensive bibliography, make this edition essential reading for scholars, historians, and students of African American literature.

The Wild Ass's Skin is Honoré de Balzac's 1831 novel that tells the story of a young man, Raphaël de Valentin, who discovers a piece of shagreen, in this case a rough untanned piece of a wild ass's skin, which has the magical property of granting wishes.

However, the fulfillment of the wisher's desire comes at a cost; after each wish, the skin shrinks a little bit and consumes the physical energy of the wisher.

The Wild Ass's Skin is at once both a work of incredible realism, in the descriptions of Parisian life and culture at the time, and also a work of supernatural fantasy, in the desires that are fulfilled by the wild ass's skin. Balzac uses this fantastical device masterfully to depict the complexity of human nature in civilized society.

A Doll's House (1879), is a masterpiece of theatrical craft which, for the first time portrayed the tragic hypocrisy of Victorian middle class marriage on the stage. The play ushered in a new social era and "exploded like a bomb into contemporary life".

The Student Edition contains these exclusive features:

• A chronology of the playwright's life and work
• An introduction giving the background of the play
• Commentary on themes, characters. language and style
• Notes on individual words and phrases in the text
• Questions for further study
• Bibliography for further reading.

When the Moomin family members need a change of scenery, they decide to take up residence in a lighthouse. Leave Moominvalley? Is it possible? Yes, even the Moomin family need a change of scenery sometimes, so they're off to live in a lighthouse on a tiny island.

Here they find space to grow, and to do things they couldn't in their comfortable, cluttered valley home. As they discover their new home, the family also discover surprising, and wonderfully funny, new things about themselves.

When a flood sweeps through the valley, the Moomins must find a new house. And with their typical Moomin good luck, one just happens to be floating by. It looks normal enough, but there are curtains where one wall should be, strange rows of lights, and other odd amenities.

Then Moomintroll and the Snork Maiden disappear, and the family realizes that the house may hold the answers to more than they ever dreamed.

The Moomins and the Great Flood is the first book about the Moomins, originally published in 1945. It tells the story of Moominmamma and Moomintroll as they embark on a quest to find the missing Moominpappa and eventually discover the beautiful Moominvalley.

As they journey through a dark and mysterious forest, they encounter a flood of epic proportions, testing their resilience and courage. The story is set against the backdrop of a natural catastrophe, which adds an element of suspense and adventure to their journey.

With Moominmamma's kindness and patience, they face numerous challenges, symbolizing themes of family, hope, and perseverance. The book is beautifully illustrated with black and white artwork, bringing the whimsical world of the Moomins to life.

Beowulf is a major epic of Anglo-Saxon literature, probably composed between the first half of the seventh century and the end of the first millennium. The poem was inspired by Germanic and Anglo-Saxon oral tradition recounting the exploits of Beowulf, the hero who gave his name to the poem.

Here, it's transcribed as a verse epic, onto which are grafted Christian additions.

The author writes: The two long pieces in this book originally came out in The New Yorker - RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAM, CARPENTERS in 1955, SEYMOUR - An Introduction in 1959. Whatever their differences in mood or effect, they are both very much concerned with Seymour Glass, who is the main character in my still-uncompleted series about the Glass family. It struck me that they had better be collected together, if not deliberately paired off, in something of a hurry, if I mean them to avoid unduly or undesirably close contact with new material in the series. There is only my word for it, granted, but I have several new Glass stories coming along - waxing, dilating - each in its own way, but I suspect the less said about them, in mixed company, the better. Oddly, the joys and satisfactions of working on the Glass family peculiarly increase and deepen for me with the years. I can't say why, though. Not, at least, outside the casino proper of my fiction.

Like much of G. K. Chesterton's fiction, The Ball and the Cross is both witty and profound, cloaking serious religious and philosophical inquiry in sparkling humor and whimsy.

Serialized in the British publication The Commonwealth in 1905-06, Chesterton's second novel first appeared in book form in America in 1909, delighting and challenging readers with its heady mixture of fantasy, farce, and theology.

The plot of The Ball and the Cross chronicles a hot dispute between two Scotsmen, one a devout but naive Roman Catholic, the other a zealous but naive atheist. Their fanatically held opinions—leading to a duel that is proposed but never fought—inspire a host of comic adventures whose allegorical levels vigorously explore the debate between theism and atheism.

Martin Gardner's superb introduction to The Ball and the Cross reveals the real-life debate between Chesterton and a famous atheist that provided inspiration for the story, and it explores some of the novel's possible allegorical meanings.

Appraising the book's many intriguing philosophical qualities, Mr. Gardner alerts readers as well to the pleasures of its "colorful style . . . amusing puns and clever paradoxes . . . and the humor and melodrama of its crazy plot."

Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine, #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s timeless novella “The Body”—originally published in his 1982 short story collection Different Seasons, and adapted into the 1986 film classic Stand by Me—is now available as a stand-alone publication.

It’s 1960 in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. Ray Brower, a boy from a nearby town, has disappeared, and twelve-year-old Gordie Lachance and his three friends set out on a quest to find his body along the railroad tracks. During the course of their journey, Gordie, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp, and Vern Tessio come to terms with death and the harsh truths of growing up in a small factory town that doesn’t offer much in the way of a future.

A timeless exploration of the loneliness and isolation of young adulthood, Stephen King’s The Body is an iconic, unforgettable, coming-of-age story.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare gathers together the timeless works of the renowned playwright in a single, convenient volume. This collection includes:

The Comedies: A Midsummer Night's Dream, All's Well That Ends Well, As You Like It, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, The Comedy of Errors, The Merchant of Venice, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Taming of the Shrew, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Twelfth Night; or, What You Will.

The Romances: Cymbeline, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, The Tempest, The Winter's Tale.

The Tragedies: King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Troilus and Cressida, Julius Caesar, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, Titus Andronicus.

The Histories: King John, Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV (Parts 1 & 2), Henry V, Henry VI (Parts 1, 2 & 3), Henry VIII.

The Poetical Works: The Sonnets, Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music, A Lover's Complaint, The Rape of Lucrece, Venus and Adonis, The Phoenix and the Turtle, The Passionate Pilgrim.

Experience the rich language, complex characters, and timeless themes of love, betrayal, and power that define Shakespeare's work. This collection is a must-have for anyone interested in classic literature and the intricacies of human experience.

Robert Louis Stevenson's masterpiece of the duality of good and evil in man's nature sprang from the darkest recesses of his own unconscious—during a nightmare from which his wife awakened him, alerted by his screams. More than a hundred years later, this tale of the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll and the drug that unleashes his evil, inner persona—the loathsome, twisted Mr. Hyde—has lost none of its ability to shock.

Its realistic police-style narrative chillingly relates Jekyll's desperation as Hyde gains control of his soul—and gives voice to our own fears of the violence and evil within us. Written before Freud's naming of the ego and the id, Stevenson's enduring classic demonstrates a remarkable understanding of the personality's inner conflicts—and remains the irresistibly terrifying stuff of our worst nightmares.

Considered by Rumi to be "the master" of Sufi mystic poetry, Attar is best known for this epic poem, a magnificent allegorical tale about the soul’s search for meaning. He recounts the perilous journey of the world’s birds to the faraway peaks of Mount Qaf in search of the mysterious Simorgh, their king.

Attar’s beguiling anecdotes and humor intermingle the sublime with the mundane, the spiritual with the worldly, while his poem models the soul’s escape from the mind’s rational embrace. Sholeh Wolpé re-creates for modern readers the beauty and timeless wisdom of the original Persian, in contemporary English verse and poetic prose.

The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft brings together an extraordinary collection of tales from one of the most influential American writers of weird tales since Edgar Allan Poe.

Stories included are:

• The Nameless City
• The Festival
• The Colour Out of Space
• The Call of Cthulhu
• The Dunwich Horror
• The Whisperer in Darkness
• The Dreams in the Witch House
• The Haunter of the Dark
• The Shadow Over Innsmouth
• The Shadow Out of Time
• At the Mountains of Madness
• The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
• Azathoth
• Beyond the Wall of Sleep
• Celephaïs
• Cool Air
• Dagon
• Ex Oblivione
• Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family
• From Beyond
• Herbert West-Reanimator
• Hypnos
• In the Vault
• Memory
• Nyarlathotep
• Pickman’s Model
• The Book
• The Cats of Ulthar
• The Descendant
• The Doom That Came to Sarnath
• The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath
• The Evil Clergyman
• The Horror at Red Hook
• The Hound
• The Lurking Fear
• The Moon-Bog
• The Music of Erich Zann
• The Other Gods
• The Outsider
• The Picture in the House
• The Quest of Iranon
• The Rats in the Walls
• The Shunned House
• The Silver Key
• The Statement of Randolph Carter
• The Strange High House in the Mist
• The Street
• The Temple
• The Terrible Old Man
• The Thing on the Doorstep
• The Tomb
• The Transition of Juan Romero
• The Tree
• The Unnamable
• The White Ship
• What the Moon Brings
• Polaris
• The Very Old Folk
• Ibid
• Old Bugs
• Sweet Ermengarde, or, The Heart of a Country Girl
• A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson
• The History of the Necronomicon

This collection showcases Lovecraft's mastery of the macabre and his pioneering of a new type of fiction that fused elements of supernatural horror with visionary science fiction, revolutionizing modern horror fiction.

Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters was an immediate commercial success when it was published in 1915. Unconventional in both style and content, it shattered the myths of small town American life. This collection of epitaphs of residents of a small town requires the reader to piece together narratives from fragments contained in individual poems.

In these pages, no less than 214 individual voices are heard — each voice distinct, yet universal in its resonance. The voices of Spoon River, although distinctively small-town Americans, evoke themes of love and hope, disappointment and despair that are universal in their resonance.

"One swallow does not make a summer; neither does one day. Similarly neither can one day, or a brief space of time, make a man blessed and happy"

Previously published as Ethics, Aristotle's The Nicomachean Ethics addresses the question of how to live well and originates the concept of cultivating a virtuous character as the basis of his ethical system. Here Aristotle sets out to examine the nature of happiness, and argues that happiness consists in 'activity of the soul in accordance with virtue', including moral virtues, such as courage, generosity, and justice, and intellectual virtues, such as knowledge, wisdom, and insight.

The Ethics also discusses the nature of practical reasoning, the value and the objects of pleasure, the different forms of friendship, and the relationship between individual virtue, society, and the State. Aristotle's work has had a profound and lasting influence on all subsequent Western thought about ethical matters.

This Penguin Classics edition is translated from the Greek by J.A.K. Thomson with revisions and notes by Hugh Tredennick, and an introduction and bibliography by Jonathan Barnes. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Neil Gaiman, long inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction, presents a bravura rendition of the Norse gods and their world from their origin though their upheaval in Ragnarok. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin's son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki—son of a giant—blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman's deft and witty prose, these gods emerge with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

The Collected Poems by Sylvia Plath is a remarkable compilation that brings together 224 poems, including a selection from her earliest works. This comprehensive collection offers readers an immersive experience into the poetic genius of Plath, showcasing her unique style and emotional depth.

This edition, edited and introduced by Ted Hughes, presents a chronological order of Plath's work, allowing readers to trace the evolution of her poetic voice. The collection includes uncollected and unpublished pieces, making it an essential read for those who wish to explore the full scope of Plath's literary achievements.

Immerse yourself in the emotional journey and the artistic expression of one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. This volume is not just a collection of poems; it's an inspirational masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers worldwide.

A Most Unusual Friendship

When sophomores John and Lorraine played a practical joke a few months ago on a stranger named Angelo Pignati, they had no idea what they were starting. Virtually overnight, almost against their will, the two befriended the lonely old man; it wasn't long before they were more comfortable in his house than their own. But now Mr. Pignati is dead. And for John and Lorraine, the only way to find peace is to write down their friend's story -- the story of the Pigman.

The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.

Summering with a fellow schoolboy on a great English estate, Leo, the hero of L. P. Hartley's finest novel, encounters a world of unimagined luxury. But when his friend's beautiful older sister enlists him as the unwitting messenger in her illicit love affair, the aftershocks will be felt for years.

The Go-Between is a masterpiece—a richly layered, spellbinding story about past and present, naiveté and knowledge, and the mysteries of the human heart.

Mirall trencat, publicada l'any 1974, és una novel·la de maduresa de Mercè Rodoreda que recull la vida de tres generacions de la família imaginària dels Valldaura.

Es tracta d'una obra coral on un seguit de personatges lligats entre si pels llaços familiars i personals ens expliquen una ciutat, Barcelona, i una època, la d'abans de la guerra civil. Fragmentària i composta de múltiples veus, l'estil de la novel·la segueix el seu títol: un mirall esbocinat que reflecteix la realitat del moment i dels personatges a través de petits fragments de les vides que descriu.

Aquest estil difereix considerablement d'altres obres de l'autora com La plaça del Diamant o Aloma, on l'autora usa la primera persona en boca d'un personatge femení i despertant així les lectures autobiogràfiques.

Poor Folk is an epistolary novel — a tale told as a series of letters between the characters. And oh, what characters these are! Makar Dievushkin Alexievitch is a copywriter, barely squeaking by; Barbara Dobroselova Alexievna works as a seamstress, and both face the sort of everyday humiliation society puts upon the poor.

These are people respected by no one, not even by themselves. These are folks too poor, in their circumstances, to marry; the love between them is a chaste and proper thing, a love that brings some readers to tears. But it isn't maudlin, either; Fyodor Dostoevsky has something profound to say about these people and this circumstance. And he says it very well.

This novel is a profound exploration of poverty and love, capturing the essence of human struggle and dignity.

At the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, in Edinburgh, Scotland, teacher extraordinaire Miss Jean Brodie is unmistakably, and outspokenly, in her prime. She is passionate in the application of her unorthodox teaching methods, in her attraction to the married art master, Teddy Lloyd, in her affair with the bachelor music master, Gordon Lowther, and—most important—in her dedication to "her girls," the students she selects to be her crème de la crème. Fanatically devoted, each member of the Brodie set—Eunice, Jenny, Mary, Monica, Rose, and Sandy—is "famous for something," and Miss Brodie strives to bring out the best in each one. Determined to instill in them independence, passion, and ambition, Miss Brodie advises her girls, "Safety does not come first. Goodness, Truth, and Beauty come first. Follow me." And they do. But one of them will betray her.

Mary Shelley's seminal novel of the scientist whose creation becomes a monster. This edition is the original 1818 text, which preserves the hard-hitting and politically charged aspects of Shelley's original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice.

This edition also includes a new introduction and suggestions for further reading by author and Shelley expert Charlotte Gordon, literary excerpts and reviews selected by Gordon, and a chronology and essay by preeminent Shelley scholar Charles E. Robinson.

Kim is Rudyard Kipling's story of an orphan born in colonial India, torn between love for his native India and the demands of Imperial loyalty to his Irish-English heritage, and to the British Secret Service. The novel unfolds against the backdrop of The Great Game, the political conflict between Russia and Britain in Central Asia. Set after the Second Afghan War which ended in 1881, but before the Third, the story is probably set in the period 1893 to 1898.

At the novel's heart are two men - a boy who grows into early manhood and an old ascetic priest, the lama. They embark on a quest that faces them both; Kim, born in India, is nevertheless white, a sahib. While he aspires to play the Great Game of Imperialism, he is also spiritually bound to the lama, and his aim is to reconcile these opposing strands of his identity. As Kim moves chameleon-like through the two cultures, the lama searches for redemption from the Wheel of Life.

Kim captures the opulence of India's exotic landscape, overlaid by the uneasy presence of the British Raj, presenting a vivid picture of India, its teeming populations, religions, superstitions, and the life of the bazaars and the road. Long recognized as Kipling's finest work, Kim was a key factor in his winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.

At the Mountains of Madness is a tale of terror unlike any other. The barren, windswept interior of the Antarctic plateau was lifeless—or so the expedition from Miskatonic University thought. Then they found the strange fossils of unheard-of creatures...and the carved stones tens of millions of years old...and, finally, the mind-blasting terror of the City of the Old Ones.

Three additional strange tales, written as only H.P. Lovecraft can write, are also included in this macabre collection of the strange and the weird.

• At the Mountains of Madness • A complete short novel, part of the Cthulhu Mythos.
• The Dreams in the Witch-House • A novelette, part of the Cthulhu Mythos.
• The Shunned House • A novelette.
• The Statement of Randolph Carter • A short story, part of the Randolph Carter series.

Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster about social conventions, codes of conduct, and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. A strong-willed and intelligent woman refuses to allow the pretensions of her husband's smug English family to ruin her life. Howards End is considered by some to be Forster's masterpiece.

Janey lived in the locked room. Twice a day the Persian slave trader came in and taught her to be a whore. Otherwise, there was nothing. One day she found a pencil stub and scrap of paper in a forgotten corner of the room. She began to write down her life, starting with "Parents stink" (her father, who is also her boyfriend, has fallen in love with another woman and is about to leave her).

With Blood and Guts in High School, Kathy Acker, whose work has been labeled everything from post-punk porn to post-punk feminism, has created a brilliantly subversive narrative built from conversation, description, conjecture, and moments snatched from history and literature.

Plumb is a profound exploration of the melancholic and desolate landscapes of the human psyche, masterfully penned by George Bacovia. This work embodies the essence of Romanian Symbolism, transcending the boundaries of literary currents to reach a universal appeal.

Bacovia's poetry serves as an exquisite lesson in the relationship between reality and transformation, between mimesis and representation. He ingeniously theatricalizes not only suffering and tragic sentiment but also the world in its apparent unfolding.

The real is de-natured, projecting the internal landscape of the self and a dominant feeling of desolation onto the canvas of reality. The world becomes a cemetery, the landscape a tableau of death, the psyche a screen of terrifying evanescences, and the social environment a theater of perpetual poverty and unhappiness.

Everything functions as a whole; one exits depression only to enter another variant of it. The relationship between the interior and exterior deepens the sense of insecurity that dominates the subject.

Anthony Hope's swashbuckling romance transports his English gentleman hero, Rudolf Rassendyll, from a comfortable life in London to fast-moving adventures in Ruritania, a mythical land steeped in political intrigue.

Rassendyll bears a striking resemblance to Rudolf Elphberg, who is about to be crowned King of Ruritania. When the rival to the throne, Black Michael of Strelsau, attempts to seize power by imprisoning Elphberg in the Castle of Zenda, Rassendyll is obliged to impersonate the King to uphold the rightful sovereignty and ensure political stability.

Rassendyll endures a trial of strength in his encounters with the notorious Rupert of Hentzau, and a test of a different sort as he grows to love the Princess Flavia.

The Broken Wings is the exquisitely tender story of love that beats desperately against the taboos of Oriental tradition. With great sensitivity, Kahlil Gibran describes his passion as a youth for Selma Karamy, the girl of Beirut who first unfolded to him the secrets of love. But it is a love that is doomed by a social convention which forces Selma into marriage with another man.

Portraying the happiness and infinite sorrow of his relationship with Selma, Gibran at the same time probes the spiritual meaning of human existence with profound compassion. The novel highlights many of the social issues of the time in the Eastern Mediterranean, including religious corruption, the rights of women, and the weighing up of wealth and happiness.

Auto da Barca do Inferno é uma alegoria dramática onde duas barcas estão à espera das almas: a do Inferno, conduzida pelo Diabo, e a da Glória, guiada pelo Anjo. Neste cenário, ocorre o julgamento das almas, a maioria das quais se destina à primeira barca.

Os personagens, que incluem um agiota, um sapateiro rico, um tolo, uma alcoviteira, um usurário, quatro cavaleiros e um frade corrupto, são representações dos vícios humanos. Mais do que uma sátira da sociedade lisboeta do início do século 16, esta obra é uma crítica mordaz e humorística aos vícios que corroem o mundo e à organização social dos homens.

Gil Vicente, considerado o primeiro dramaturgo da língua portuguesa, oferece uma peça que transcende o tempo com sua crítica social e reflexão sobre moralidade e religião. A linguagem rica e poética de Vicente cativa e provoca o pensamento, tornando a leitura uma experiência enriquecedora.

Ideal para estudantes, professores e amantes da literatura, esta obra-prima continua a ser relevante nos dias de hoje, inspirando e provocando discussões significativas sobre a vida e a morte.

The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke offers a breathtaking collection of poems by the renowned German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke. This bilingual edition features the original German text alongside its English translation, allowing readers to immerse themselves in Rilke's lyrical world.

Rilke's poetry is celebrated for its romantic transformation and spiritual quest, capturing the essence of the twentieth century's most compelling poet. His works resonate with an ecstatic identification with the world, offering readers an endless fascination.

Stephen Mitchell's translations are noted for their lyric intensity and fluency, capturing the complexity of Rilke's thoughts with remarkable accuracy and originality. This edition stands as a testament to the delicate balance of fidelity and innovation, making it a must-read for poetry enthusiasts.

Originally published by Random House in 1982, this Vintage edition continues to inspire and captivate readers with its timeless beauty.

Sixteen when a baby is brought to her to raise, Sybel has grown up on Eld Mountain. Her only playmates are the creatures of a fantastic menagerie called there by wizardry. Sybel has cared nothing for humans, until the baby awakens emotions previously unknown to her.

When Coren—the man who brought this child—returns, Sybel's world is again turned upside down. In her exquisite stone mansion, she is attended by exotic, magical beasts: Riddle-master Cyrin the boar; the treasure-starved dragon Gyld; Gules the Lyon, tawny master of the Southern Deserts; Ter, the fiercely vengeful falcon; Moriah, feline Lady of the Night. Sybel only lacks the exquisite and mysterious Liralen, which continues to elude her most powerful enchantments.

But when a soldier bearing an infant arrives, Sybel discovers that the world of man and magic is full of both love and deceit—and the possibility of more power than she can possibly imagine.

Mohun Biswas has spent his 46 years of life striving for independence. Shuttled from one residence to another after the drowning of his father, he yearns for a place he can call home. He marries into the Tulsi family, on whom he becomes dependent, but rebels and takes on a succession of occupations in a struggle to weaken their hold over him.

This is a story of a man's relentless quest for a sense of autonomy and belonging, set against the backdrop of a culturally rich yet oppressive environment.

The Second Treatise of Government is one of the most important political treatises ever written and one of the most far-reaching in its influence. In this profound work, John Locke explores the principles of limited, conditional government, the concept of private property, and the right of revolution. These ideas have resonated through time, providing a foundation for modern political thought.

In his provocative introduction to this edition, the eminent political theorist C. B. Macpherson examines Locke's arguments and suggests reasons for their enduring appeal. The text remains a cornerstone in understanding the development of political liberalism and continues to influence contemporary discussions on governance and individual rights.