De Optimo Republicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia (translated On the Best State of a Republic and on the New Island of Utopia) or more simply Utopia is a 1516 book by Sir (Saint) Thomas More. The book, written in Latin, is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island society and its religious, social and political customs. The name of the place is derived from the Greek words οὐ u and τόπος tópos , with the topographical suffix -εία eía, hence Οὐτοπεία outopeía (Latinized as ...

Book #5 in the Wizard of Oz series.~~ includes all the original illustrations (over 130) by John R. Neill, and a new Preface by Oz expert and Eltanin Editor Joseph Nusbaum. ~~~~ An excerpt from the preface:"If Baum’s prior book, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, struck too dark and grim a tone with many Oz fans, The Road to Oz brings readers back to a marvelous fairyland where the greatest hardship our...

A tale of chivalry and doomed, transcendent love, The Romance of Tristan and Iseult is one of the most resonant works of Western literature, as well as the basis for our enduring idea of romance. The story of the Cornish knight and the Irish princess who meet by deception, fall in love by magic, and pursue that love in defiance of heavenly and earthly law has inspired artists from Matthew Arnold to Richard Wagner. But nowhere has it been retold with greater eloquence and dignity than in Jo...

Nicholas Nickleby is Charles Dickens' third published novel. He returned to his favourite publishers and to the format that was considered so successful with The Pickwick Papers. The story first appeared in monthly parts, after which it was issued in one volume. The style is considered to be episodic and humorous. Dickens began writing 'Nickleby' while still working on Oliver Twist and while the mood is considerably lighter, his depiction...

“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.”One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections. The bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slid...

This book contains Daniel Defoe’s seminal 1722 novel, "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders". It purports to be a factual account of Moll Flanders’s life from birth until death, and recounts the experiences of a woman who, in her life of but thirty years, was "twelve year a whore, five times a wife (whereof once to her own Brother), twelve year a thief, eight year a transported felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv'd Honest, and died a Penitent." This volume would c...

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (Illustrated)' is a captivating narrative poem that delves into themes of guilt, redemption, nature, and the supernatural. Coleridge's use of vivid imagery and symbolism creates a haunting atmosphere that draws readers into the tale of a mariner's curse and his journey towards spiritual enlightenment. Written in the Romantic era, this work showcases Coleridge's lyrical prowess and exploration of the human experience in the face of ...

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a book of detective stories by English writer G. K. Chesterton, published in 1922 by Cassell and Company in the United Kingdom, and Harper Brothers in the United States. The book contains eight connected short stories about "The Man Who Knew Too Much", and additional unconnected stories featuring separate heroes/detectives. The United States edition contained one of these additional stories: "The Trees of Pride", while the United Kingdom edition contained "Tree...

The legend of antiquated Ireland wakes up in this accumulation of great people stories retold for current perusers.

It was first published in the Cornhill Magazine as a serial from August 1864 to January 1866. Set in the watchful society of Hollingford, this is a warm tale of love and longing. Molly Gibson is the spirited, loyal daughter of the local doctor. Their peaceful close-knit home is turned upside down when Molly's father decides to remarry to give Molly the woman's presence he feels she lacks, but until the arrival of Cynthia, her dazzling stepsister, Molly finds her situation hard to accept. I...

Long, long ago there lived, in Japan a brave warrior known to all as Tawara Toda, or My Lord Bag of Rice. One day he sallied forth in search of adventures, for he had the nature of a warrior and could not bear to be idle. So he buckled on his two swords, took his huge bow, much taller than himself, in his hand, and slinging his quiver on his back started out.

William Somerset Maugham's seminal work, "Of Human Bondage," is an unflinching exploration of the human condition framed within an autobiographical narrative. Through the lens of Philip Carey, an artistically inclined young man burdened by a clubfoot and existential uncertainty, Maugham delves into themes of desire, passion, and the quest for identity. The prose is characterized by its psychological depth and relentless honesty, reflecting Maugham's mastery of character development and soc...