Biographical fiction / autobiographical fiction

Book SynopsisThe thirteenth novel in Émile Zola’s great Rougon-Macquart sequence, Germinal expresses outrage at the exploitation of the many by the few, but also shows humanity’s capacity for compassion and hope.Etienne Lantier, an unemployed railway worker, is a clever but uneducated young man with a dangerous temper. Forced to take a back-breaking job at Le Voreux mine when he cannot get other work, he discovers that his fellow miners are ill, hungry, and in debt, unable to feed and clothe their families. When conditions in the mining community deteriorate even further, Lantier finds himself leading a strike that could mean starvation or salvation for all. New translation Includes introduction, suggestions for further reading, filmography, chronology, explanatory notes, and glossary Trade Review“[Germinal] made me realize that when books are considered ‘classics,’ most of the time they’re actually very readable and exciting.” —Daniel Radcliffe

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Book SynopsisFollowing the death of her uncle, the orphan Jane Eyre is sent to the Lowood School, where she grows into a confident and well-educated young woman. When Jane leaves Lowood to become a governess at Thornfield, she falls in love with Mr. Rochester, her pupil's guardian.

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Book SynopsisMany believe Anna Karenina to be the greatest novel ever written. The impossible and destructive triangle of Anna, her husband Karenin, and her lover Vronsky, is set against the marriage of Levin and Kitty, illuminating the most important questions which beset humanity. This edition uses Louise and Aylmer Maude's classic translation - still unsurpassed - and is printed here with a new introduction and detailed annotation.

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Book SynopsisA darkly humorous Czech satire: a new super-breed tries to conquer the world...War with the Newts (1936) is Karel Capek''s darkly humorous allegory of early 20th-century Czech politics. Captain van Toch discovers a colony of newts in Sumatra which can not only be taught to trade and use tools, but also to speak. As the rest of the world learns of the creatures and their wonderful capabilities, it is clear that this new species is ripe for exploitation - they can be traded in their thousands, will do the work no human wants to do, and can fight - but the humans have given no thought to the terrible consequences of their actions.Trade ReviewA great writer of the past who speaks to the present in a voice brilliant, clear, honourable, blackly funny and prophetic -- Kurt VonnegutHis satire still packs a punch, and the storytelling is brilliant. * The Times *Sheds remarkable light on the literature, culture and politics of the region...anyone coming fresh to the field will be captivated by the richness, variety, humour and pathos of a classic literature that, through a shared historical experience, transcends national and linguistic boundaries. -- CJ Schüler * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisAphra Behn, the poet, playwright, novelist and political satirist was the first truly professional woman writer in English. This title demonstrates the sophistication and vitality of Aphra Behn's genius. It contains the plays "The Rover" and "The Widow", "Ranter" together with "Love Letters to a Gentleman", a choice of poems.

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Book SynopsisNow a major film directed by Armando Iannucci, starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Ben WhishawDickens''s epic, exuberant novel is one of the greatest coming-of-age stories in literature. It chronicles David Copperfield''s extraordinary journey through life, as he encounters villains, saviours, eccentrics and grotesques, including the wicked Mr Murdstone, stout-hearted Peggotty, formidable Betsey Trotwood, impecunious Micawber and odious Uriah Heep.Dickens''s great Bildungsroman (based, in part, on his own boyhood, and which he described as a ''favourite child'') is a work filled with life, both comic and tragic.

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Book SynopsisCandide is the most famous of Voltaire's 'philosophical tales', in which he combined witty improbabilities with the sanest of good sense. This edition includes four other prose tales - Micromegas, Zadig, The Ingênu, and The White Bull - and a verse tale based on Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale,: What Pleases the Ladies.Table of ContentsCandide ; Micromegas ; Zadig ; The Ingenu ; The White Bull ; What Pleases the Ladies

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of Defoe's masterpiece includes a lively introduction by Tom Keymer, full notes and useful appendices, including a chronology of the action of the story and Defoe's most sustained commentary on it.Trade ReviewThomas Keymer provides a splendid introduction and richly explanatory endnotes (co-written with James Kelly * Adam Potkay, Recent Studies in the Restoration and Eighteenth Century *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of Daniel Defoe A Map of the World The Life and Strange Surprizing of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner Appendix I: Frontispiece and Preface to Serious Reflections During the Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1720) Appendix 2: A Chronology of Robinson Crusoe Textual Notes Explanatory Notes Glossary

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Book SynopsisHilaire Belloc was born in France in 1870. As a child, he moved with his mother and siblings to England. As a French citizen, he did his military service in France before going to Oxford University, where he was president of the Union debating society. He took British citizenship in 1902 and was a member of parliament for several years.A prolific and versatile writer of over 150 books, he is best remembered for his comic and light verse. But he also wrote extensively about politics, history, nature and contemporary society. Famously adversarial, he is remembered for his long-running feud with H. G. Wells. He died in in Surrey, England, in 1953.

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Book SynopsisExquisite' Veronica HenryBefore A Christmas Carol there was Miss MarleyA seasonal tale of kindness and goodwillOrphans Clara and Jacob Marley live by their wits, scavenging for scraps in the poorest alleyways of London, in the shadow of the workhouse. Every night, Jake promises his little sister tomorrow will be better' and when the chance to escape poverty comes their way, he seizes it despite the terrible price.And so Jacob Marley is set on a path that leads to his infamous partnership with Ebenezer Scrooge. As Jacob builds a fortress of wealth to keep the world out, only Clara can warn him of the hideous fate that awaits him if he refuses to let love and kindness into his heartIn Miss Marley, Vanessa Lafaye weaves a spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope a perfect prequel to A Christmas Carol.Praise for Miss Marley:A spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope' Mail on SundayRedemptive a fitting legacy for a writer who is so sadly missed' RedEvocatiTrade ReviewPraise for Miss Marley: ‘A spellbinding Dickensian tale of ghosts, goodwill and hope’ Mail on Sunday ‘Redemptive… a fitting legacy for a writer who is so sadly missed’ Red ‘Evocative’ Heat ‘Delightful’ Sunday Mirror ‘A reminder of the power of kindness and love’ Stylist A ‘gem of a tale’ Sunday Express ‘A beautifully written Dickensian tale’ Candis ‘Captivating … A beautiful and tender fable’ Daily Express ‘Fantastic’ Good Housekeeping ‘Ghosts, goodwill and hope on every page’ My Weekly ‘Lafaye masterfully brings the setting of 19th-Century London to life’ Woman ‘Love, disappointment, kindness and greed all play their parts in this delightful companion piece to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol’ Woman & Home ‘A seasonal tale of kindness and goodwill that captures the atmosphere of Dickens’ Yours ‘Exquisite’ Veronica Henry ‘A beautiful, warm, rich hug of a story and bittersweet reminder to embrace life and enrich others as you go’ Liz Fenwick ‘A charming, finely detailed and beautifully written jaunt through Dickens’ London – a tale of heartbreak, love, kindness, and avarice. With Lafaye at her finest it’s seamlessly finished by Mascull; this book is a total, total joy’ Fionnuala Kearney ‘A moving companion piece to the classic A Christmas Carol, with all the traditional echoes of the Dickensian festive season woven through, and with tragedy and joy in equal measure. A delight’ Essie Fox ‘Miss Marley has a fable-like quality that beautifully echoes the original with a directness that is both poignant and powerful’ Rachel Malik ‘An absolute gem of a story… vivid and emotional on so many levels. It deserves to be in everyone’s Christmas stocking’ Juliet West

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Book SynopsisIf you love Bridgerton, you''ll love Georgette Heyer!''The greatest writer who ever lived'' ANTONIA FRASER''Absolutely delicious tales of Regency heroes . . . Utter, immersive escapism'' SOPHIE KINSELLA''One of my perennial comfort authors. Heyer''s books are as incisively witty and quietly subversive as any of Jane Austen''s'' JOANNE HARRIS_____________A fiery debutante. An ill-tempered bachelor. A romance for the ages.Arabella, the daughter of an impoverished country parson, dreams of a new life in London. But her beauty and charm will only get her so far - and when Arabella embarks on her first London season armed with nothing but a benevolent godmother and her own notoriously short temper, she quickly runs afoul of Robert Beaumaris.He''s the most eligible bachelor of the day, with a personality as strong and combative as hers - and Arabella cannoTrade Review"Triumphantly good... Georgette Heyer is unbeatable" -- India Knight Sunday Telegraph "Sparkling" Independent on Sunday "A writer of great wit and style ... I've read her books to ragged shreds" -- Kate Fenton Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisNevil Shute's classic Second World War novel is an uplifting, satisfying and moving story.John Howard is determined to brighten up his old age by taking a fishing trip to France. However, during his stay the Nazis invade and he is forced to try to escape back to England with the two small children of some friends who must stay behind to help the Allied war effort. As the conflict grows closer, the roads become impassable and Howard also comes across five more children who need his help. He ends up leading this motley group of youngsters through the French countryside, constantly beset by danger yet heroically protecting his charges.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY JOHN BOYNE''A very good writer...simple, elegant and readable...a fantastic story'' Jonathan CoeTrade ReviewMr Shute not only writes vividly and excitingly of occupied France, but with a delightful understanding of children * Sunday Times *A small masterpiece...a book about frail but indomitable old age, simple kindness, childhood, and courage in dark confusing danger. It is not sentimental but prosaic and suspenseful on every page...it conjures up the country of the 1940's, and gently acclaims the value of ordinary decency in wicked times -- Libby PurvesA brilliantly descriptive writer, a master of suspense -- David HollowayExhibits his talents at their provocative best * New York Times *That shattering, unaffected, literary style of his is wholly deceptive...is, in fact, masterly -- H.E. Bates

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Book SynopsisPlantagenet Palliser, the Duke of Omnium and former Prime Minister of England, is widowed and wracked by grief. Struggling to adapt to life without his beloved Lady Glencora, he works hard to guide and support his three adult children. Palliser soon discovers, however, that his own plans for them are very different from their desires. Sent down from university in disgrace, his two sons quickly begin to run up gambling debts. His only daughter, meanwhile, longs passionately to marry the poor son of a county squire against her father''s will. But while the Duke''s dearest wishes for the three are thwarted one by one, he ultimately comes to understand that parents can learn from their own children. The final volume in the Palliser novels, The Duke''s Children (1880) is a compelling exploration of wealth, pride and ultimately the strength of love.

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Book SynopsisThe Steppe and Other Stories 1887-91 is a collection that reveals Anton Chekhov''s evolution from a novice writer to a master of short narrative form. This Penguin Classics edition is translated by Ronald Wilks with an introduction by Donald Rayfield.This collection of Chekhov''s finest early writing is headlined by ''The Steppe'', which established his reputation, telling the unforgettable tale of a boy''s journey to a new school in Kiev, travelling through majestic landscapes towards an unknown destiny. ''Gusev'' depicts an ocean voyage, where the sea takes on a terrifying, primeval power; ''The Kiss'' portrays a shy soldier''s failed romantic encounter; and in ''The Duel'' two men''s enmity ends in farce. Haunting and highly atmospheric, all the stories in this volume show a writer emerging from the shadow of his masters - great Russian writers such as Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Turgenev and Nikolai Gogol - and discovering his own voice. They also illustrate Chekhov''s geni

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Book SynopsisExploring the decadence of Jazz Age New York through a fictionalised version of his own marriage to Zelda Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald''s The Beautiful and the Damned includes an introduction by Geoff Dyer in Penguin Modern Classics.Anthony Patch and his wife Gloria are the essence of Jazz Age glamour. A brilliant and magnetic couple, they fling themselves at life with an energy that is thrilling. New York is a playground where they dance and drink for days on end. Their marriage is a passionate theatrical performance; they are young, rich, alive and lovely and they intend to inherit the earth. But as money becomes tight, their marriage becomes impossible. And with their inheritance still distant, Anthony and Gloria must face reality; they may be beautiful - but they are also damned.F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) has acquired a mythical status in American literary history, and his masterwork The Great Gatsby is considered by many to be the ''great American novel''. In 1920 he married Zelda Sayre, dubbed ''the first American Flapper'', and their traumatic marriage and Zelda''s gradual descent into insanity became the leading influence on his writing. As well as many short stories, Fitzgerald wrote five novels This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby, The Beautiful and the Damned, Tender is the Night and, incomplete at the time of his death, The Last Tycoon. After his death The New York Times said of him that ''in fact and in the literary sense he created a generation ''.If you enjoyed The Beautiful and the Damned, you might like John Dos Passos'' Manhattan Transfer, also available in Penguin Classics.''A prose that has the tough delicacy of a garnet''New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisThe Penguin English Library Edition of Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster''I had got an idea that everyone here spent their lives in making little sacrifices for objects they didn''t care for, to please people they didn''t love; that they never learned to be sincere - and, what''s as bad, never learned how to enjoy themselves'' E. M. Forster''s first novel is a witty comedy of manners that is tinged with tragedy. It tells the story of Lilia Herriton, who proves to be an embarrassment to her late husband''s family as, in the small Tuscan town of Monteriano, she begins a relationship with a much younger Italian man - classless, uncouth and highly unsuitable. A subtle attack on decorous Edwardian values and a humanely sympathetic portrayal of the clash of two cultures, Where Angels Fear to Tread is also a profound exploration of character and virtue.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, fr

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Book SynopsisThe Penguin English Library Edition of The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells''People screamed. People sprang off the pavement ... The Invisible Man is coming! The Invisible Man!''With his face swaddled in bandages, his eyes hidden behind dark glasses and his hands covered even indoors, Griffin - the new guest at The Coach and Horses - is at first assumed to be a shy accident-victim. But the true reason for his disguise is far more chilling: he has developed a process that has made him invisible, and is locked in a struggle to discover the antidote. Forced from the village, and driven to murder, he seeks the aid of an old friend, Kemp. The horror of his fate has affected his mind, however - and when Kemp refuse to help, he resolves to wreak his revenge.The Penguin English Library - 100 editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century and the very first novels to the beginning of the First World War.

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Book SynopsisFeatures K., the unwanted Land Surveyor who is never to be admitted to the Castle nor accepted in the village, and yet cannot go home. As he encounters dualities of certainty and doubt, hope and fear, and reason and nonsense, K.'s struggles in the labyrinthine world where he finds himself seem to reveals a truth about the nature of existence.Trade Review"The new Schocken edition of The Castle represents a major and long-awaited event in English-language publishing. It is a wonderful piece of news for all Kafka readers who, for more than half a century, have had to rely on flawed, superannuated editions. Mark Harman is to be commended for his success in capturing the fresh, fluid, almost breathless style of Kafka's original manuscript, which leaves the reader hanging in mid-sentence." --Mark M. Anderson, Columbia University"The Castle, published here for the first time in 1930, was the first Kafka to arrive in America. After the war, Hannah Arendt remarked that The Castle might finally be comprehensible to the generation of the forties, who had had the occasion to watch their world become Kafkaesque. What will the generation of the nineties make of The Castle, now that its full message has arrived? Here is the masterpiece behind the masterpiece."--Elisabeth Young-Bruehl, Haverford College"Sparkles with comedy, with zest, and with a fresh visual power, which in the Muir translation were indistinct or lost. This is not just a new, brilliantly insightful, sensitive, and stylish translation, it is a new Castle, and it is a pleasure to read."--Christopher Middleton, University of Texas at Austin"This is the closest to Kafka's original novel and intention that any translation could get, and what is more, it is eminently readable. With this exceptional translation, the time for a new Kafka in English has finally come." --Egon Schwartz, Washington University, St. Louis

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Book Synopsis'Insinuating, haunting and lyrically pervasive' The New York Times Book ReviewA new translation by Tim ParksTwenty years after making his fortune in America, Eel is drawn back to the closest thing he has to a home: the Piedmontese countryside where he grew up poor and illegitimate. Wandering the valleys and vineyards with his childhood friend Nuto, Eel remembers the farm where he worked, his employer's beautiful daughters, the rituals of rural life. Yet as he discovers more about what happened there during the war, he realizes that these timeless landscapes hide terrible, savage secrets. By turns fond and evocative, seductive and troubling, The Moon and the Bonfires is a lyrical masterpiece of memory and betrayal. Translated with an Introduction by Tim ParksTrade ReviewPavese is one of the few essential novelists of the mid-twentieth century -- Susan SontagPavese's nine short novels make up the most dense, dramatic, and homogeneous narrative cycle of modern Italy ... But above all they are works of an extraordinary depth where one never stops finding new levels, new meanings -- Italo CalvinoCesare Pavese's cool, contemplative voice was the most important among postwar Italian writers -- W. S. DiPieroInsinuating, haunting and lyrically pervasive * The New York Times Book Review *The Moon and the Bonfires [is Pavese's] masterpiece on the aftermath of the partisan war in the hills around Turin * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA matchless fable of fear, courage and cowardice * Independent *Magnificent * The Times *

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Book Synopsis''He took the spy thriller out of the gentility of the drawing room and into the back streets of Istanbul, where it all really happened'' Frederick ForsythSmall-time hustler Arthur Abdel Simpson ekes out a living in Athens by robbing gullible tourists. But when an attempted theft backfires, he finds himself out-smarted and blackmailed into driving a highly suspicious car across the border to Istanbul. Then the Turkish secret police get involved, and Simpson becomes embroiled in something far deeper, and more dangerous, than he could imagine. Featuring a heart-stopping jewel heist, this compulsive, morally complex thriller became the basis for the classic film Topkapi.Trade ReviewThe source on which we all draw -- John le CarréUnquestionably our best thriller writerMr. Ambler is phenomenal -- Alfred HitchcockAmbler is, quite simply, the best * The New Yorker *

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Book Synopsis90 classic titles celebrating 90 years of Penguin BooksThere was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to nameNuns, maidens, adventurers with electricity, The Story of an Hour brings together stories of female freedom, as Kate Chopin asks the question: what will emancipation feel like for women, looking at the horizon and the future, to the frontier?

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Book SynopsisSuperb collection by modern master explores the complexity, anxiety, and futility of modern life. Excellent new English translations of the title story considered by many critics Kafka''s most perfect work plus The Judgment, In the Penal Colony, A Country Doctor and A Report to an Academy. Note.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This unique gift edition takes readers on a captivating journey through a mystical land filled with enchanting inhabitants. MinaLima's imaginative artwork, exquisite detail, and engaging design recreate this timeless romantic adventure as never before." -- Tor.com "We got a chance to take a look inside, and trust us - you won't be disappointed ... Just the chapter illustrations alone are swoon-worthy." -- MuggleNet "Lavishly retold." -- Parade.com "Now, the classic fairy tale is brought to life in this spectacular illustrated edition as originally envisioned by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve in 1740." -- Tor.com "What a glorious journey ... This collectible edition is filled with stunning illustrations of stories that continue to be cherished by readers of all ages. Forget the flowers, chuck the chocolates. The Beauty and the Beast is a scrumptious wonder." -- Entertainment Report

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Book SynopsisHemingway's last major novel, set in the Gulf Stream islands, captures the struggles of adult personal relationships in his consummate distinctive style.'He knew too what it was to live through a hurricane'This is the last book Hemingway wrote before he died, the story of Thomas Hudson, an artist and adventurer. Living a bachelor's life on an island in the Gulf Stream during the thirties, Hudson's existence is dictated by the waves and tides. But when his sons come to visit, Hudson must grapple with the role of father and the unfamiliar demands of family.A late work by one of America's greatest writers.'Hemingway's most deeply autobiographical piece of work' Irish TimesTrade ReviewHemingway's most deeply autobiographical piece of work * Irish Times *Hemingway’s style is a superb vehicle for revealing tenderness of feeling beneath descriptions of brutality * Guardian *Many of the episodes contain the most exciting and effective writing Hemingway has ever done * Saturday Review *This book contains some of the best of Hemingway's descriptions of nature: the waves breaking white and green on the reef off the coast of Cuba; the beauty of the morning on the deep water; the hermit crabs and land crabs and ghost crabs; a big barracuda stalking mullet; a heron flying with his white wings over the green water; the ibis and flamingoes and spoonbills, the last of these beautiful with the sharp rose of their color; the mosquitoes in clouds from the marshes; the water that curled and blew under the lash of the wind; the sculpture that the wind and sand had made of a piece of driftwood, gray and sanded and embedded in white, floury sand -- Edmund Wilson * Saturday Review *Thomas Hudson, the painter in the book Islands in the Streamis Hemingway himself, attempting to come to terms with everything he loves - the clarity of a brushstroke, his three children, his ex-wives, his lovers, his whores, his friends, his cats, his rifle, his Booth's gin * Newsweek *

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Book SynopsisAnne of Avonlea continues Anne's story. Now half-past sixteen but as strong-headed and romantic as ever, Anne becomes a teacher at her old school and dreams of its improvement. But her responsible position and mature ambitions do not prevent her entanglement in the scrapes that still seem to beset her in spite of her best intentions.

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Book Synopsis''See!...The woods are alive! Already the Great Ones are there, and the dance will soon begin! The salve is here! Anoint yourself and come!''One of the greatest writers of the strange and weird, Algernon Blackwood evolved from a teller of ghost stories to a pioneering master of such emergent fictional modes as cosmic horror and nature Gothic. In tales whose settings range from the eerie North Woods of Canada to the mysterious sands of the Egyptian desert, Blackwood blurs the boundaries between human and nonhuman, living and dead, beckoning the reader into strange borderlands where alien forces lurk, waiting for the chance to break through into our world.This new selection of Blackwood''s shorter fiction constitutes the most comprehensive critical edition of his work to date. Included here are such undisputed classics as ''The Wendigo'', ''The Willows'', and ''Ancient Sorceries'', as well as two superbly unsettling novellas, ''The Man Whom the Trees Loved'' and ''A Descent into Egypt'', and ten other stories short and long, drawn from collections spanning Blackwood''s long writing career. Aaron Worth''s introduction and notes situate these tales in the context of Blackwood''s own upbringing in an evangelical Victorian household, as well as in relation to such topics as late-imperial British history and the emergence of modern ecological thought.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Table of ContentsIntroduction Note on the Text Select Bibliography A Chronology of Algernon Blackwood The Wendigo and Other Stories Explanatory Notes

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Book SynopsisPublished posthumously in 1818, Persuasion

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Book SynopsisFew books have been as universally cherished by children and adults alike as The Little Prince.A beautiful gift edition for adults of this touching and wise classic book. Featuring the original translation by Katherine Woods and full-colour illustrations by the author.A pilot stranded in the desert awakes one morning to see the most extraordinary little fellow standing before him. Please' asks the stranger, draw me a sheep'And the pilot realises that when life's events are too difficult to understand, there is no choice but to succumb to their mysteries. He pulls out a pencil and paper and thus begins this wise and enchanting fable that, in teaching the secret of what is really important in life, has changed the world forever for its readers.This stunning new edition for adults of the classic book The Little Prince, includes the classic English translation by Katherine Woods and original colour illustrations which will capture the hearts of readers of all ages.This beautiful cloth-bou

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Book SynopsisDiscover Mann's Nobel Prizewinning semi-autobiographical and sweeping family epic.The Buddenbrook clan is everything you'd expect of a nineteenth-century German merchant family - wealthy, esteemed, established.Trade ReviewPerhaps the first great novel of the 20th century * New York Times *A simple but magnificent proof of genius. A first novel by a 25-year-old with absolute command of his craft, uncanny knowledge of his world, its past and present, and a daring originality which makes its last pages among the most startlingly moving I know -- Alan Hollinghurst * New York Times *One of the best novels of the 20th century * Guardian *That definitive epic of German family life * Irish Times *His masterpiece * Los Angeles Times *

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Book SynopsisThe Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories 1896-1904 is an enchanting collection of tales which showcase Anton Chekhov at the height of his power as a writer. This Penguin Classics edition is translated by Ronald Wilks with an introduction by Paul Debreczeny.In the final years of his life, Chekhov produced some of the stories that rank among his masterpieces, and some of the most highly-regarded works in Russian literature. The poignant ''The Lady with the Little Dog'' and ''About Love'' examine the nature of love outside of marriage - its romantic idealism and the fear of disillusionment. And in stories such as ''Peasants'', ''The House with the Mezzanine'' and ''My Life'' Chekhov paints a vivid picture of the conditions of the poor and of their powerlessness in the face of exploitation and hardship. With the works collected here, Chekhov moved away from the realism of his earlier tales - developing a broader range of characters and subject matter, while forging Table of ContentsThe Lady with the Little Dog and Other Stories, 1896-1904IntroductionFurther ReadingChronologyNote on TextPatronymicsThe House with the MezzaninePeasantsMan in a CaseGooseberriesAbout LoveA Visit to FriendsIonychMy LifeThe Lady with the Little DogIn the RavineDisturbing the BalanceThe BishopThe BridePublishing History and Notes

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Book SynopsisNow available in trade paper from the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis: Megs Devonshire sets out to fulfill her younger brother George’s last wish by uncovering the truth behind his favorite story. The answer provides hope and healing and a magical journey for anyone whose life has ever been changed by a book.Trade Review''Once Upon a Wardrobe' is a beautiful follow-up to 'Becoming Mrs. Lewis.' It's a love letter to books and stories with a meaningful message. Megs and her family learn that fantastical tales are more than mere ways to appease young children. Stories are nourishment for the souls that need joy the most, and sometimes they're the only thing that can help us understand life.' * The Washington Post *'Full of magic, nostalgia and a sister's love, Coben calls this novel 'a love letter to those of us obsessed with C.S. Lewis's Narnia series.'' * TODAY *'Patti Callahan's powerful and captivating new novel ponders how the events in C.S. Lewis' life, particularly his childhood, inspired him to create the magical and mythical world of Narnia and the cast of characters inhabiting it . . . Readers will reach for it again and again, eager to be reminded that love will prevail and imagination leads people down fantastical paths. Some books are read and forgotten soon after; others linger forever in one's mind, popping up from time to time when something relevant sparks the memory. ONCE UPON A WARDROBE is certainly the latter and will be cherished by anyone who reads it.' * BookReporter.com *'This beautiful and soul-touching book is about death and dying, but it also reminds us that new chapters remain for those of us who are left behind.' * Historical Novel Society *'Once Upon a Wardrobe is a poignant meditation on the lengths we will go to for our loved ones as well as a fascinating glimpse into the early life of C. S. Lewis. Patti Callahan's beautiful, life-affirming novel is a reminder that literature lives inside us, and that when we read someone else's story, we understand so much more about our own. A gorgeous, compelling book.' --Janet Skeslien Charles, award-winning author of The Paris Library'Exquisitely heartfelt, Once Upon a Wardrobe is a love letter to the magic of stories. I call it the Callahan Effect--from the first page to the last, Patti Callahan's wise and beautiful prose draws you in and doesn't let you go.' --Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of First Frost and Lost Lake'I advise you to read this book, then wait for a while and then read it again. For while it may not be Narnia, there is magic in it.' --Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis's stepson'In this powerful, enchanting tale for all ages, readers uncover the inspiration for Lewis's famous books, while at the same time discovering the way in which stories--and myths--weave through our existences, subtly transforming us in immeasurable ways. Stunning.' --Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Mrs. Christie'With a touch of fairy-tale magic, Once Upon a Wardrobe will take you behind the legend and deep into the English and Irish countryside, where you'll encounter not only the inspirations for one of the 20th century's most beloved works but also a tale of heartache, hope, and discovery that will forever change the Narnia you thought you knew.' --Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing StarsFrom Patti Callahan, the bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis, comes another enchanting story that pulls back the curtain on the early life of C. S. Lewis. * The Nerd Daily *More than just a clever way to tell the story of Lewis' life, the book explores the power of story and the importance of imagination. * The Atlanta Journal-Constitution *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review...brilliant... * Barry Forshaw, European Literature Network *

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Book SynopsisPaul Auster''s explosively suspenseful tale from the author of contemporary classic The New York Trilogy: ''a literary voice for the ages'' (Guardian)''Six days ago, a man blew himself up by the side of a road in northern Wisconsin . . .''The explosion that detonates the narrative of Paul Auster''s thrilling novel also ends the life of its hero, Benjamin Sachs, and brings two FBI agents to the home of one of Sachs''s oldest friends, the writer Peter Aaron. What follows is Aaron''s story, an intricate, subtle and gripping investigation of another man''s life in all its richness and complexity. Combining an investigation of freedom and terrorism with all the tension, mystery and allusive richness of Auster''s classic fiction.

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Book SynopsisJane Austen, one of the nation's most beloved authors, whose face adorns our currency, surely needs no introduction, but while many are familiar with her groundbreaking novels, few have come across her brilliantly funny unfinished novella, Catharine, or The Bower. Written when Austen was only around seventeen, Catharine, or The Bower is a short but important work, as it shows Austen's preoccupation changing from short burlesques to the satirical novels which her name is so inextricably linked with. This edition also contains The Beautiful Cassandra, a very short novel in twelve chapters' that maps out a parody of the melodramatic novels of Austen's day in many ways the prototype for the legacy she left behind.

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Book SynopsisIndependent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak.Trade Review“Far from the Madding Crowd is the first of Thomas Hardy’s great novels, and the first to sound the tragic note for which his fiction is best remembered.”-Margaret Drabble

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Book SynopsisA NETFLIX BOOK CLUB PICKNella Larsen's powerful, thrilling, and tragic tale about the fluidity of racial identity that continues to resonate today. A New York Times Editors’ Choice. Now a major motion picture starring Tessa Thompson and Alexander Skarsgård  One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years Clare Kendry is living on the edge. Light-skinned, elegant, and ambitious, she is married to a racist white man unaware of her African American heritage, and has severed all ties to her past after deciding to “pass” as a white woman. Clare’s childhood friend, Irene Redfield, just as light-skinned, has chosen to remain within the African American community, and is simultaneously allured and repelled by Clare’s risky decision to engage in racial masquerade for personal and societal gain. After frequenting African American-centric gatherings together in Harlem, Clare&rTrade ReviewIt is a tragic story rooted in inescapable facts of American life: that whiteness conferred an almost universal unearned advantage, and that loyalty to a black racial identity was not only an act of pride but also one of courage * The New York Times *Table of ContentsIntroductionSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the Text Part One: Encounter Part Two: Re-Encounter Part Three: FinaleExplanatory Notes

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Book SynopsisExperience Agatha Christie's puzzling masterpiece as you''ve never seen it before with this official graphic novel adaptations!Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside.Isolated and with a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must identify the murderer in case he or she decides to strike again.This brand-new, full-colour special edition hardback brings this thrilling mystery to life perfect for longtime Agatha Christie fans and new readers of all ages.

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Book SynopsisGrimm’s Fairy Tales contains 59 of the best-loved bedtime stories for children worldwide, enjoyed for the better part of two centuries. Originally collected by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, these German linguists and cultural researchers gathered legendary folklore and aimed to share the stories exactly as they heard them. This volume features all of your favorite tales, including: Cinderella Rapunzel Hansel and Grethel Snow White Rumpelstiltskin Little Red Riding Hood The Golden Goose This elegantly designed jacketed hardcover edition features an introduction by fantasy literature scholar Lori Campbell, a timeline of the life and times of the Brothers Grimm, and over 100 illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Essential volumes for the shelves of every classic literature lover, the Chartwell Classics series includes beautifully pre

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Book SynopsisPart of Penguin''s beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith, these delectable and collectible editions are bound in high-quality colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design. Gaskell''s best known work is set in a small rural town, inhabited largely by women. This is a community that runs on cooperation and gossip, at the very heart of which are the daughters of the former rector: Miss Deborah Jenkyns and her sister Miss Matty. But domestic peace is constantly threatened in the form of financial disaster, imagined burglaries, tragic accidents, and the reapparance of long-lost relatives.

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Book SynopsisOne of the heirs to John le Carré' The Times A tremendous achievement' WILLIAM BOYDBehold the new Golden Age of Spy Kings' Sunday TimesTo betray, you must first belongIn June 1934, Kim Philby met his Soviet handler, the spy Arnold Deutsch. The woman who introduced them was called Edith Tudor-Hart. She changed the course of 20th century history.Then she was written out of it.Drawing on the Secret Intelligence Files on Edith Tudor-Hart, along with the private archive letters of Kim Philby, this finely worked, evocative and beautifully tense novel by the granddaughter of Kim Philby tells the story of the woman behind the Third Man.A future classic:A fine achievement' THE TIMESCompletely fascinating. A sophisticated and brilliantly constructed fictional retelling of a crucial relationship in 20th century espionage history. A tremendous achievement' WILLIAM BOYDAtmospheric and rigorously researched' Sunday TimesPersuasive involving impressive' LITERARY REVIEWA fascinating contribution to Trade Review‘A fine achievement’ THE TIMES ‘Behold the new Golden Age of Spy Kings’ Sunday Times ‘A dextrous writer who gives her tale a quickening, thrillerish propulsion’ NEW STATESMAN ‘Completely fascinating. A sophisticated and brilliantly constructed fictional retelling of a crucial relationship in 20th century espionage history. A tremendous achievement’ WILLIAM BOYD ‘Persuasive… involving… impressive’ LITERARY REVIEW ‘Atmospheric and rigorously researched… we’re slyly induced to fear that Edith (who is also juggling roles as a single mother and photographer) could be arrested or prevented from working, before realising that we’re rooting for a Stalinist enemy of Britain’ Sunday Times ‘A fascinating contribution to the literature of the Cambridge spies by a clever, nimble writer with some genuine skin in the game’ CHARLES CUMMING ‘Complex and powerfully written… a persuasive repurposing of the lives of real-life figures’ i NEWSPAPER ‘In Edith and Kim, Charlotte Philby brings to life a dangerous game of shadows that kept me reading late into the night. A dark, atmospheric and addictive novel’ CHRIS POWER, AUTHOR OF A LONELY MAN ‘I was most impressed… completely absorbing’ MICK HERRON ‘A tense and brilliantly structured story of power and intrigue… I couldn’t put it down’ JANE SHEMILT ‘Philby’s stunning fourth novel thrusts this former bit-player in the Cambridge Spy scandal to the centre stage where she belongs. Edith and Kim combines the authenticity of your favourite true crime podcast, the intrigue of a spy novel and the page-turning grip of a psychological thriller – all wrapped up in beautiful, evocative prose that transports the reader to shady corners of 1930s London and Vienna. Her best book yet’ ERIN KELLY ‘Impeccably researched and atmospheric’ Daily Mail

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