Classics Books

Book SynopsisHans Christian Andersen was the profoundly imaginative writer and storyteller who revolutionized literature for children. He gave us the now standard versions of some traditional fairy taleswith an anarchic twistbut many of his most famous tales sprang directly from his imagination.The thirty stories here range from exuberant early works such as The Tinderbox and The Emperor''s New Clothes through poignant masterpieces such as The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling, to more subversive later tales such as The Ice maiden and The Wood Nymph.Table of ContentsFairy TalesAcknowledgmentsChronologyIntroductionFurther ReadingTranslator's NoteA Note on the IllustrationsFairy TalesThe TinderboxLittle Claus and Big ClausThe Princess on the PeaThumbelinaThe Traveling CompanionThe Little MermaidThe Emperor's New ClothesThe Steadfast Tin SoldierThe Wild SwansThe Flying TrunkThe NightingaleThe SweetheartsThe Ugly DucklingThe Fir TreeThe Snow QueenThe Red ShoesThe Shepherdess and the Chimney SweepThe ShadowThe Old HouseThe Little Match GirlThe Story of a MotherThe CollarThe BellThe Marsh King's DaughterThe Wind Tells of Valdemar Daae and His DaughtersThe SnowmanThe Ice MaidenThe Wood NymphThe Most Incredible ThingAuntie ToothacheNotes

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe wise writer, I think, writes for the youth of his own generation, the critic of the next, and the schoolmasters of ever afterward.Following the education and young life of Amory Blaine, from indulged only child to disillusioned war veteran, This Side of Paradise is a thinly veiled account of Fitzgerald''s time as a Princeton undergraduate and an aspiring writer set against the turbulent background of adolescence, first loves, and the outbreak of World War I. Amory moves through a dynamic whirl of exuberant youth, university escapades and adventures home and abroad as one of a new, restless American generation.This Side of Paradise ensured immediate fame as well as notoriety for F. Scott Fitzgerald. Not only Fitzgerald''s bestselling novel during his lifetime, it was also the work against which each of his later novels was measured. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of This Side of Paradise: without it, the writing career of one of the twentieth-century''s most popular

Read more less

Book SynopsisLord Jim is a book about courage and cowardice, self-knowledge and personal growth, in the exotic setting of post-colonial Patusan, a remote Malay settlement. This new edition uses the first English edition text and includes a new introduction and notes by leading Conrad scholar Jacques Berthoud, glossaries, and an appendix on Conrad's sources and reading.

Read more less

Book Synopsis`Other works may excel this in depth of thought and knowledge of human nature: other books may rival it in originality and size; but, for hopeless and incurable vivacity, nothing yet discovered can surpass it.'' (Jerome, Preface to Three Men in a Boat). Three Men in a Boat describes a comic expedition by middle-class Victorians up the Thames to Oxford. It provides brilliant snap-shots of London''s playground in the late 1880s, where the fashionable steam-launches of river swells encounter the hired skiffs of city clerks. The medley of social vignettes, farcical incidents, descriptions of river fashions, and reflections on the Thames''s history, is interspersed with humorous anecdotes told by a natural raconteur. Three Men on the Bummel records a similar escapade, a break from the claustrophobia of suburban life some ten years later; their cycling tour in the Black Forest, at the height of the new bicycling craze, affords Jerome the opportunity for a light-hearted scrutiny of German soc

Read more less

Book Synopsis`there are half a million more women than men in this unhappy country of ours . . . So many odd women - no making a pair with them.'' The idea of the superfluity of unmarried women was one the `New Woman'' novels of the 1890s sought to challenge. But in The Odd Women (1893) Gissing satirizes the prevailing literary image of the `New Woman'' and makes the point that unmarried women were generally viewed less as noble and romantic figures than as `odd'' and marginal in relation to the ideal of womanhood itself. Set in grimy, fog-ridden London, these `odd'' women range from the idealistic, financially self-sufficient Mary Barfoot and Rhoda Nunn, who run a school to train young women in office skills for work, to the Madden sisters struggling to subsist in low-paid jobs and experiencing little comfort or pleasure in their lives. Yet it is for the youngest Madden sister''s marriage that the novel reserves its most sinister critique. With superb detachment Gissing captures contemporary soci

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of Hank Morgan, a nineteenth-century American who is accidentally returned to sixth-century England, is a powerful analysis of such issues as monarchy versus democracy and free will versus determinism. Yet it is also one of Twain's finest comic novels, still fresh and funny after more than 100 years. This edition reproduces more than 40 of Dan Beard's original drawings.Trade Reviewone of Mark Twain's best comic novels and is still funny more than a century after it first appeared * Oxford Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray ''The palm trees around the railway station were motionless, fixed in a Saharan sun . . . It really felt as if they were stepping into another world, and they were embarrassed to be entering it in the dark clothes that had been suited to the rainy streets of Paris the evening before.''An officer from Scotland Yard is studying Maigret''s methods when a call from an island off the Côte d''Azure sends the two men off to an isolated community to investigate its eccentric inhabitants.Penguin is publishing the entire series of Maigret novels in new translations.''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn especially irresistible psychological thriller . . . so tightly wound that there's no natural place to put it down -- Amanda Whiting * Independent *One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories * Guardian *A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness * Independent *The most addictive of writers . . . a unique teller of tales * Observer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

Read more less

Book Synopsis''His artistry is supreme'' John Banville ''Why all of a sudden did this shock him? He was annoyed with himself for being shocked. He felt as if he had been sucked into the bourgeois, almost edifying, atmosphere that surrounded those epeople, ''good people'' so everyone kept telling him.''A retired manufacturer has been shot dead by his own pistol, last seen alive by his son-in-law. In this seemingly motiveless murder, Inspector Maigret must rely on his famous intuition to discover the truth. This novel has been published in a previous translation as Maigret and the Black Sheep.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century '' GuardianTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Compelling, remorseless, brilliant'' John Gray Inspector Maigret is followed home one evening by a man who reveals his intention to kill his wife and her lover. Maigret intervenes and speaks to the man daily but when the calls suddenly stop Maigret finds a murder on his hands.''One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequalled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories'' Guardian ''A supreme writer . . . unforgettable vividness'' IndependentTrade ReviewPraise for Georges Simenon:“One of the greatest writers of the twentieth century . . . Simenon was unequaled at making us look inside, though the ability was masked by his brilliance at absorbing us obsessively in his stories.” —The Guardian “These Maigret books are as timeless as Paris itself.” —The Washington Post “Maigret ranks with Holmes and Poirot in the pantheon of fictional detective immortals.” —People “I love reading Simenon. He makes me think of Chekhov.” —William Faulkner “The greatest of all, the most genuine novelist we have had in literature.” —André Gide “A supreme writer . . . Unforgettable vividness.” —The Independent (London) “Superb . . . The most addictive of writers . . . A unique teller of tales.” —The Observer (London) “Compelling, remorseless, brilliant.” —John Gray “A truly wonderful writer . . . Marvelously readable—lucid, simple, absolutely in tune with the world he creates.” —Muriel Spark “A novelist who entered his fictional world as if he were a part of it.”lle —Peter Ackroyd “Extraordinary masterpieces of the twentieth century.” —John Banville"Gem-hard soul-probes . . . not just the world's bestselling detective series, but an imperishable literary legend . . . he exposes secrets and crimes not by forensic wizardry, but by the melded powers of therapist, philosopher and confessor" ― Times (London)"Strangely comforting . . . so many lovely bistros from the Paris of mid-20th C. The corpses are incidental, it's the food that counts." ― Margaret Atwood"One of the greatest writers of the 20th century . . . no other writer can set up a scene as sharply and with such economy as Simenon does . . . the conjuring of a world, a place, a time, a set of characters - above all, an atmosphere." ― Financial Times"Gripping . . . richly rewarding . . . You'll quickly find yourself obsessing about his life as you tackle each mystery in turn."-- Stig Abell ― The Sunday Times (London)

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Come at once if convenient - if inconvenient come all the same . . .''The note from Sherlock Holmes to Dr Watson cannot be ignored and soon the pair find themselves investigating the curious case of an aged professor whose sudden strange alteration in behaviour terrifies everyone from his daughter and her fiance to the family dog. This and eleven other cases which confound clients or perplex the police are tackled by Holmes and Watson in the final collection of the duo''s detecting adventures.''Time and time again generations have shown that they need Holmes'' Stephen Fry Trade ReviewThe world's greatest detective * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBY THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY, CAROL AND STRANGERS ON A TRAININTRODUCED BY DENISE MINA''Highsmith probes to the very core of her heroine with a controlled ferocity and single-mindedness that illuminates every page of her novel'' THE TIMES ''A work of extraordinary force and feeling . . . her strongest, her most imaginative'' NEW YORKER ''One of the mere twenty or so that I would say were perfect, unimprovable masterpieces'' A. N Wilson, DAILY TELEGRAPH Edith Howland''s diary is her most precious possession, and as she is moving house she is making sure it''s safe. A suburban housewife in fifties America, she is moving to Brunswick with her husband Brett and her beloved son, Cliffie, to start a new life for them all. She is optimistic, but most of all she has high hopes for her new venture with Brett, a local newspaper, the Brunswick Corner BugleTrade ReviewHighsmith probes to the very core of her heroine with a controlled ferocity and single-mindedness that illuminates every page of her novel. It is a masterly book, a haunting book, a book that lingers long in the memory and constantly disturbs and delights * The Times *Edith's Diary is certainly one of the saddest novels I ever read, but it is also one of the mere twenty or so that I would say were perfect, unimprovable masterpieces -- A. N. Wilson * Telegraph *As original, as funny, as cleverly written and as moving as any novel I have read since I started reviewing -- Auberon Waugh * Evening Standard *Edith's fall takes the form of a psychological chiller, but there is also something larger, the poignancy of her struggle not to go under. She is betrayed by such ordinary dreams -- New York TimesA work of extraordinary force and feeling . . . her strongest, her most imaginative and by far her most substantial novel * New Yorker *Moral speculations surface about the respective responsibilities of the uncaring and the unloved, tenterhooks cushioned with an enveloping intimacy of character and place * Kirkus Reviews *Highsmith's novels are peerlessly disturbing ....bad dreams that keep us thrashing for the rest of the night * The New Yorker *Edith's fall takes the form of a psychological chiller, but there is also something larger, the poignancy of her struggle not to go under. She is betrayed by such ordinary dreams * New York Times *Highsmith probes to the very core of her heroine with a controlled ferocity and single-mindedness that illumines every page of her novel. It is a masterly book, a haunting book, a book that lingers long in the memory and constantly disturbs and delights. -- The Times * The Times *A work of extraordinary force and feeling . . . her strongest, her most imaginative and by far her most substantial novel -- New Yorker * New Yorker *As original, as funny, as cleverly written and as moving as any novel I have read since I started reviewing -- Auberon Waugh * The Evening Standard *Edith's Diary is certainly one of the saddest novels I ever read, but it is also one of the mere twenty or so that I would say were perfect, unimprovable masterpieces -- A.N Wilson * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisRich and strange, these stories reveal a seductive and little-known aspect of this superb classic writer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSusan Ferrier sold more copies of her novels than her contemporary, Jane Austen. Sir Walter Scott declared her his equal. Why, then has she been lost to history? On the 200th anniversary of this sharply observed, comic novel, it is time to rediscover her brilliance.''Edinburgh is reclaiming Susan Ferrier as the equal of Scottish greats in literature'' SIR WALTER SCOTT AND ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE''A forgotten literary heroine'' VANESSA THORPE, GUARDIAN ''Ferrier writes with crisp, telling details and a knack for naming characters'' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ''What have you to do with a heart? What has anybody to do with a heart when their establishment in life is at stake? Keep your heart for your romances, child, and don''t bring such nonsense into real life - heart, indeed!''Understanding that the purpose of marriage is to further her family, Lady Juliana nevertheless rejects the ageing and unattractive - though aTrade ReviewFerrier writes with crisp, telling details and a knack for naming characters (Mrs. Wiseacre, Lady Dull). This reprint should delight modern fans of stories of manners much as it did readers two hundred years ago * Publishers Weekly *On the two hundredth anniversary of the first publication of Marriage, Edinburgh is reclaiming Susan Ferrier as the equal of Scottish greats in literature -- Sir Walter Scott and Arthur Conan DoyleA forgotten literary heroine - the nineteenth-century Scottish novelist Susan Edmonstone Ferrier -- Vanessa Thorpe * Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal'' Sandi ToksvigMiriam Birdseye is daring, brilliant - and a long way from The Ivy. Our dashing heroine, a famous revue artist, takes to the slopes with her coterie of admirers. Champagne flows and wherever Miriam goes she leaves a trail of gossip in her wake.Fellow ski-resort guests include the celebrated Russian ex-ballerina, Natasha Nevkorina, whose beauty is matched only by her languor, Natasha''s burly husband, nightclub owner Johnny DuVivien, and the wealthy Flahertés, a family who have made their money importing scents: handsome playboy Barney, his wife Regan, their two obnoxious children and the governess, Rosalie. Unbeknownst to Regan, Barney''s mistress, a film star, is also there with her husband.When secrets start to unravel, tensions rise, and soon amateur sleuths Miriam and Natasha have not one but two murders to solve. In the hands of Nancy Spain, for whom farce and humour are a lot more fun than a conventional detective novel, the result is a deliciously wild ride.''An either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own'' Elizabeth BowenTrade ReviewHer detective novels are hilarious. They are high camp and less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal in leading the way -- Sandi ToksvigAn either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own -- Elizabeth Bowen

Read more less

Book SynopsisNancy Spain, a dazzling mid-century English eccentric, is back in printTrade ReviewHer detective novels are hilarious. They are high camp and less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal -- Sandi ToksvigAn either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of the writing are quite her own -- Elizabeth Bowen

Read more less

Book SynopsisMurder most foul at an off-season English seaside resort. A fast-moving crime caper from Nancy Spain, with a delightful introduction from Sandi Toksvig - 'Her detective novels are hilarious - less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase'Trade ReviewAn either intense or sombre approach to crime is to Miss Spain foreign: in her world an inspired craziness rules . . . Her wit, her zest, her outrageousness, and the colloquial stylishness of her writing are quite her own -- Elizabeth BowenHer detective novels are hilarious. They are high camp and less about detecting than delighting, with absurd farce and a wonderful turn of phrase . . . Nancy Spain was bold, she was brave, she was funny, she was feisty. I owe her a great deal' -- Sandi ToksvigEver since reading R in the Month as a teenager, I've been a Nancy Spain fan. I love her juxtaposition of seedy, atmospheric settings with humour and showbiz glamour. There's still no one quite like her -- Elly Griffiths

Read more less

Book SynopsisBrilliantly accomplished and critically acclaimed novel of Nazi Germany and the plight of internees in wartime Britain by writer and comedian David Baddiel.Trade ReviewAn intriguing novel about history and truth . . . The intelligence and inquiry of this book will surprise many * THE TIMES *Wonderful . . . brilliantly realised * INDEPENDENT *It is a sombre, clever book, but, being Baddiel, is irradiated by flashes of dark humour * Sally Vickers, SPECTATOR *David Baddiel's excellent new novel . . . Sensitive, intelligent and deeply moving, THE SECRET PURPOSES is both a gripping read and a long overdue indictment of Britain's treatment of Jewish refugees * IMAGE *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAcclaimed illustrator Peter Kuper delivers a shocking graphic interpretation of this controversial classic.Trade Review"Peter Kuper’s art style is a force to be reckoned with. His sense of expression sears itself into your eyes, with his characters appearing as if caught in a psychedelic nightmare. His style remains intact with his latest work - Heart of Darkness." -- Starburst

Read more less

Book SynopsisAD 400. Rome and its Empire are failing . . .Veteran cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor sets out with his regiment to make what may be his final tour of the forts along Hadrian''s Wall.Through a combination of military prowess, brutality and bribery, Marcus has spent twenty years keeping the savage Picts at bay. Feared by his enemies and hated by his superiors, his strength of will is the only thing that has held the disgruntled, poorly paid garrisons of the Wall in place as the failing Roman Empire''s grip on Britannia weakened.Yet as this tour of the wall progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that this is more than a routine inspection. Why is Marcus stripping the defences of cavalry to strengthen his own force? Is he negotiating with the Picts - or conspiring with them? And who is the mysterious figure who follows Marcus'' every move and yet hides in the shadows?Segeduno, Cilurno, Brocolitia, Vindolanda: each fort holds memories andTrade ReviewIntrigue, murder, politics and plotting . . . it's a tour de force that hits harder than a Pictish axe . . . cements his reputation as not just one of Scotland's best historical fiction writers but one of our best writers. Brilliantly researched and written, The Wall is an all-conquering triumph from the first page to the last. * DAILY RECORD *Roman historical fiction at its very best. * SUNDAY EXPRESS *Douglas Jackson is one of the finest writers about today, irrespective of genre. * FOR WINTER NIGHTS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA new selection of 30 tales to mark the 200 year anniversary of Andersen''s birth in 2005. Tiina Nunnally''s sparkling translation captures the rawness and immediacy of Andersen''s style, for the first time enabling English readers to be as startled and amazed as his original readers were, and revealing the unique inventiveness of Andersen''s genius.At a time when children''s stories were formal, moral and didactic, Hans Christian Andersen revolutionized the genre, giving an anarchic twist to traditional folklore and creating a huge number of utterly original stories that sprang directly from his imagination. From the exuberant early stories such as ''The Emperor''s New Clothes'', though poignant masterpieces such as ''The Little Mermaid'' and ''The Ugly Duckling'', to the darker, more subversive later tales written for adults, the stories included here are endlessly experimental, both humorous and irreverent, sorrowful and strange. This book - beautifully illustrated with a selection of Andersen''s amazing paper cut-outs - will bring these magical tales to life for readers of any age.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNothing can be kept secret for long in Thrush Green...For many years, Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty have taught in the school at Thrush Green, so their imminent retirement provokes rumour and speculation. Who will take Miss Watson''s place as head teacher? As for replacing little Miss Fogerty, it seems impossible to imagine.There are other issues too. Will Winnie Bailey''s eccentric nephew move into the schoolhouse? Who is the strange young man lurking outside The Fuchsia Bush? And what will become of Miss Fogerty''s stray cat?The changing seasons reflect the changing face of Thrush Green as old and new friends learn to live happily together.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt''s 1922 and Fleur Forsyte is now married to Michael Mont. Fleur throws herself into the roaring 20s with the rest of London, taking life as it comes. But the marriage is haunted by the ghost of a past love affair, and however vibrant Fleur appears, those closest to her sense her unhappiness. Michael, devoted to Fleur but not blind to her faults, is determined to stand by her through anything. He also finds himself caught up in the tragic and poignant story of a young couple struggling for survival in an age of unemployment and extreme poverty.Trade ReviewPraise for THE FORSYTE SAGA: 'An immortal achievement...it is, at all levels, readability itself * Financial Times *Just because they were set in a world of frock-coats and ornate drawing rooms, we should not be blind to their modern dilemmas... the satire is sharp, the dialogue, elegant and witty, and the characterisation - dazzling * Scotsman *THE FORSYTE SAGA was such a cracking good story...compulsive, as well as very modern and outrageous * Sunday Times *Still a terrific read, a satisfying, long, absorbing family story...which knocks spots off its pale imitators * Susan Hill *The books I most wish I'd written * Penny Vincenzi *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe daughter of a Welsh gypsy and a crazy bee-keeper, Hazel Woodus is happiest living in her forest cottage in the remote Shropshire hills, at one with the winds and seasons, protector and friend of the wild animals she loves. But Hazel''s beauty and innocence prove irresistible to the men in her orbit. Both Jack Reddin, the local squire and Edward Marston, the gentle minister, offer her human -- and carnal -- love. Hazel''s fate unfolds as simply and relentlessly as a Greek tragedy as a child of nature is drawn into a world of mortal passion in which she must eternally be a stranger.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmory Blaine, a young Midwesterner, is convinced that he has an exceptionally promising future. The reader follows Amory as he falls in love with Isabelle Borgé, a wealthy young debutante; a cruel and narcissistic flapper named Rosalind Connage; and Eleanor, a reckless eighteen-year-old atheist. An autobiographical novel and a portrait of the dawning Jazz Age, This Side of Paradise launched F. Scott Fitzgerald's career and turned him into an overnight literary sensation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is one of the best-loved heroines in English literature: the poor orphan whose determination and spirit bring her to happiness, heartbreak and happiness again. This illustrated retelling brings the classic to life for English language learners, with activities and online audio in British English and American English.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOliver Twist is one of Charles Dickens's most popular novels, with many famous film, television and musical adaptations. It tells the story of the orphaned Oliver who is brought up in a harsh workhouse, then initiated into the criminal world of Fagin and his gang, before being eventually rescued by a loving family. This is a classic story of good against evil, packed with humour and pathos, drama and suspense, and peopled with some of Dickens' most memorable characters.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition features original illustrations by George Cruikshank, with an afterword by Sam Gilpin.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Tale of Two Cities, a story of revolution, revenge and sacrifice, is one of Charles Dickens' most exciting novels. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, it tells the story of a family threatened by the terrible events of the past. Dr Manette, wrongly imprisoned in the Bastille for eighteen years, is finally released and reunited with his daughter Lucie who, despite her French ancestry, has been brought up in London. Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, who has abandoned both wealth and title in France because of his political convictions. When revolution breaks out in Paris, Darnay returns to the city to help an old family servant, but is soon arrested because of the crimes committed by his relations. Lucie, aided by young lawyer, Sydney Carton, follows him across the Channel, thus putting all their lives in danger.With an afterword by Sam Gilpin.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Beautiful and Damned, F. Scott Fitzgerald's second novel, tells the story of Anthony Patch, a 1920s socialite and presumptive heir to a tycoon's fortune. Anthony and his wife Gloria are young and gorgeous, rich and leisured, and dedicate their lives to the reckless pursuit of happiness. But this intimate story turns tragic, as their marriage disintegrates under the weight of their expectations, dissipation, jealousy and aimlessness. Fitzgerald skilfully portrays the east-coast elite as the Jazz Age begins its ascent, engulfing all classes into what will soon be known as Cafe Society. As with all of Fitzgerald's novels, it is a brilliant character study written in breathtaking prose. It is also a gripping account of the complexities of marriage, largely based on Fitzgerald's relationship with his wife, Zelda.This Macmillan Collector's Library edition features an afterword by Ned Halley.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of the great Victorian novels, The Moonstone has engrossed, entertained and enraptured readers since its first publication in 1868. This edition features an introduction by the renowned historian, journalist and author, Judith Flanders.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.Lady Verinder’s uncle gives her the Moonstone – a magnificent diamond as large as an egg – for her eighteenth birthday, but it is not quite the generous gift it first seems. For he obtained it through bloody and nefarious means in India, and legend says the diamond’s guardians will stop at nothing to get it back. When the Moonstone is stolen, an innocent man is accused of the crime and from this simple beginning, Wilkie Collins creates a stunning, complex narrative of dark mystery, suspense and atmosphere – and one of the very first detective stories ever written.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs dramatized on Radio 4 and seen on Netflix, Nella Larsen’s Passing is a distinctive and revealing novel about racial identity, and a key text of the Harlem Renaissance.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful hardbacks make perfect gifts for book lovers, or wonderful additions to your own collection. This edition of Passing features an introduction by writer and academic, Christa Holm Vogelius.Irene Redfield, married to a successful physician, enjoys a comfortable life in 1920s Harlem, New York. Reluctantly, she renews her friendship with old school friend, Clare Kendry. Clare, who like Irene is light skinned, ‘passes’ as white and is married to a racist white man who has no idea about Clare’s racial heritage. Clare is very persuasive and Irene, despite misgivings, can’t resist letting her back into her world. As tensions mount between friends and between couples, this taut and mesmerizing narrative spins towards an unexpected end.Trade ReviewA fascinating inquiry into the nature of race (and a window into the Harlem Renaissance) catalyzed by a chance meeting between two childhood friends. A page-turning classic. -- Jennifer Egan, author of Manhattan BeachA tragic story rooted in inescapable facts of American life . . . Passing is the work of a highly talented and thoughtful writer -- Richard Bernstein * The New York Times *Nella Larsen’s uncanny, tightly structured 1929 novel about Black female friendship, mirroring, deception, and class privilege. -- Hilton Als * New Yorker *A short, easy, engaging read . . . as much as it is a revealing cultural study of the 1920s, is also incredibly relevant today. -- Lexi Nisita * Refinery 29 *A bitter, brave and astonishingly modern book. -- Tim Robey * Telegraph *Much-loved and much-studied . . . The dynamic between the pair [Irene and Clare] is dramatically limitless, an awkward, complex friendship between two women of colour both trying to survive at a time when their country is against them. -- Benjamin Lee * Guardian *Perhaps as much as anything, Passing is about victimhood, and the twisted way we sometimes claim to be the injured party to avoid the unsavory truth that some hurt is self-inflicted. -- Jessica Kiang * Variety *Passing asks who is allowed in certain spaces (and who is the gatekeeper of those spaces), and what happens when people are ejected from them, either by their own free will or an outside force . . . Larsen never set out to deliver answers; just rich, searching stories rounded in real experience. -- Kate Erbland * IndieWire *I was astounded by how haunted I was by Nella Larsen’s words and world, I truly couldn’t shake either. -- Tessa Thompson * Los Angeles Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'One of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction' David Peace, author of Tokyo Year ZeroOne of Japan's great modern writers, this second half of Lady Joker brings Kaoru Takamura's breathtaking masterpiece to a gripping conclusion.Five men who meet at a Tokyo racetrack every week carry out a heist. They have kidnapped the CEO of Japan's largest beer company to extract blood money from the company's corrupt financiers.Known as Lady Joker, the men make their first attack on the beer company when their demands are not met. As the attacks escalate, the shady networks linking corporations to syndicates are exposed, the stakes rise, and bring into riveting focus the lives and motivations of the victims, the perpetrators, the heroes and the villains. Some will lose everything, even their lives.Inspired by the real-life Glico-Morinaga kidnapping, an unsolved case that terrorized Japan for two years, Lady Joker reimagines this watershed episode in modern Japanese history.'A novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts' Yoko Ogawa, author of The Memory PoliceTrade ReviewHallelujah! Inspired by the real-life, still unsolved Glico-Morinaga kidnapping and extortion case which led to the nationwide hunt for "The Monster with Twenty-one Faces," Kaoru Takamura's Lady Joker is at last available in translation; epic in its scale and vision, yet gripping from first to last, this is one of the great masterpieces of Japanese crime fiction and one of the must-read books of this or any year -- David Peace, author of TOKYO YEAR ZEROA novel that portrays with devastating immensity how those on the dark fringes of society can be consumed by the darkness of their own hearts -- Yoko Ogawa, author of THE MEMORY POLICETakamura's prismatic heist novel offers a broad indictment of capitalist society * New York Times *Lady Joker is a work you get immersed in, like a sprawling 19th century novel or a TV series like The Wire . . . Lady Joker casts a page-turning spell * NPR *Like Ellroy's American Tabloid and Carr's The Alienist, the book uses crime as a prism to examine dynamic periods of social history . . . Takamura's blistering indictment of capitalism, corporate corruption and the alienation felt by characters on both sides of the law from institutions they once believed would protect them resonates surprisingly with American culture * Los Angeles Times *Excellent . . . Takamura shows why she's one of Japan's most prominent mystery novelists * Publishers Weekly *Takamura's challenging, genre-confounding epic offers a sweeping view of contemporary Japan in all its complexity * Kirkus Reviews *Sprawling, addictive, this X-Ray examination of a society where the have and the have nots (including the police) play a slow, inexorable dance towards catastrophe, turns into a fascinating piece of work and I look forward to its conclusion * Crime Time *A fascinating slow burn of a book, detailed, complex and immersive * Guardian *Meticulously plotted complexity * Times Literary Supplement *By its sheer breadth, humanity, and the range of characters who walk across its pages, Lady Joker is comparable to the great 19th-century novels. It is a tremendous accomplishment * Chicago Review of Books *Lady Joker is a towering achievement -- Paul Tremblay, author of THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLDLike all literature, readers will take what they want from Takamura's critique of Japanese society, but at the heart of the epic novel is a gripping crime story where the actual crime itself is almost secondary to the psychological ripples it sends through the boardrooms, police stations, press offices and homes of anyone connected. This is much more of a whydunit than a whodunit - and one that was well worth the wait * The Japan Times *Takamura joins American writers James Ellroy, author of American Tabloid, and Don Winslow, author of several novels about the drug trade, to illuminate a society in which power and money matter far more than morality. All three write mysteries that also function as morality plays . . . Bravura * The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *Brilliantly dark * Ms. Magazine *A complex work of stunning breadth and depth by a master of the genre * Kirkus Reviews *Admirers of intricate crime fiction, which both engages the intellect and offers insights into the hidden parts of a society, will hope for further translations of this gifted author's work * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Outward Room is a book about a young woman’s journey from madness to self-discovery. It created a sensation when it was first published in 1937, and has lost none of its immediacy or its power to move the reader.   Having suffered a nervous breakdown after her brother’s death in a car accident, Harriet Demuth is committed to a mental hospital, but her doctor’s Freudian nostrums do little to make her well. Convinced that she and she alone can refashion her life, Harriet makes a daring escape from the hospital—hopping a train by night and riding the rails into the vastness of New York City in the light of the rising sun. It is the middle of the Great Depression, and at first Harriet is lost among the city’s anonymous multitudes. She pawns her jewelry and lives an increasingly hand-to-mouth existence until she meets John, a machine-shop worker. Slowly Harriet begins to recover her sense of self; slowly she and John begin to fall in love. The story of that emerging love, told with the lyricism of Virginia Woolf and the realism of Theodore Dreiser, is the heart of Millen Brand’s remarkable book.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

The original, classic, Dark Shadows books from the Paperback Library, return with Hermes Press' archival reprint of all 32 titles in the series beginning with the first novel which first saw print in December, 1966. The twenty-fourth book in this reprint series is titled “Barnabas, Quentin and the Serpent.” Each book in the series was written by William Edward Daniel Ross who used the pen name Marilyn Ross. Professor Gerald Collins returns to Collinwood from an archaeological expedition to Mexico with several crates of animals -- giant rats, poisonous snakes and rare lizards. His daughter, Irma, turns to Barnabas for help. She fears her father also brought back a Quetzalcoatl, the terrible, cursed feathered serpent of Aztec legend. Suddenly, a mysterious murderer strikes at Collinwood, and a feathered serpent is reported flying over the area. The townspeople, already angered by the presence of Barnabas at Collinwood, now demand that Professor Collins turn his specimens over to a zoo before anyone else is killed. Irma, with the help of Barnabas, tries desperately to clear her father's name, and in doing so, stumbles upon a monster even more dreadful than the Quetzalcoatl.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisLate 18th century Ireland. Two women from noble families, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, meet and form an intense romantic friendship. Against the will of their families - and overcoming many obstacles - they leave Ireland and settle at Plas Newydd. Here they become famous, as the Ladies of Llangollen.Trade Review"Gordon's spirited, romantic account of the lives of the Ladies of Llangollen is a fascinating piece of queer literary history in its own right. A claiming of kinship, across time, with two remarkable women, it's a deeply feminist work, a celebration of courage and nonconformity. It's also endearingly odd! Part biography, part novel, part spiritual memoir, it's wholly bold and eccentric and I'm delighted to see it reprinted"- Sarah Waters; --- "Sharp, witty, and utterly compelling, Mary Gordon's story of two women who chose each other, and a life of freedom will conquer every heart. The Ladies of Llangollen are witnesses to women's long struggle against familial oppression and tyranny. They survived, victorious. Their house in Wales became their sanctuary and is now a place of pilgrimage for other sexual insurgents and rebels against a world that threatens our existence. What have the Ladies to say to us now? Refuse to be bullied or coerced. Defend your freedom. Believe in yourselves"- Patricia Duncker, author of Hallucinating Foucault and many other outstanding literary works; --- "The Ladies of Llangollen have become the stuff of legend. Their image began to appear on popular prints, plates, and other souvenirs even during their lifetime. But who were Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, and how can we relate to them? In Chase of the Wild Goose, Mary Gordon, a pioneering physician with a keen interest in psychology, presents a highly original and deeply moving account of the life and home the Ladies built together. The book honours the Ladies as queer feminist ancestors whose unequivocal commitment to freedom and bold defiance of social expectations continues to resonate across the ages. A remarkable example of queer feminist modernist writing, Chase of the Wild Goose playfully undermines readerly expectations and allows us to encounter the Ladies again"- Jana Funke, author of Sexological Modernism: Queer Feminism and Sexual Science and other vital works of literary-historical criticism.; --- "Chase of the Wild Goose is an exquisite reimagining of the life shared between two women, beloved to one another. It is a tale told with such tenderness; that affirms although we may be haunted by queer trauma, but we can also be haunted by queer joy" -Sarah-Joy Ford, artist and creator of Beloved: Crafting Intimacies with the Ladies of Llangollen.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA feverish classic from one of the modern masters of French prose No one can keep up with Pierre Niox, the speediest antiques dealer in Paris - although not necessarily the most competent. As he dashes about at a dizzying pace, his impatience becomes too much to bear for those around him: his manservant, his only friend and even his cat abandon him. He begins to find that while he is racing through life, it is passing him by. But when Pierre falls in love with the languid, unpunctual Hedwige, the man in a hurry has to learn how to slow down. This feverish classic by one of the modern masters of French prose is a witty and touching parable for our busy times.Trade ReviewWithout doubt the best French writer of the twentieth century -- Philippe Sollers Admired both by Ezra Pound and by Marcel Proust as a pioneer craftsman of Modernist French prose... The sheer shapeliness of his prose recalls Hemingway; the urbanity of his self-destructiveness compares with Fitzgerald's; and his camera eye is as lucidly stroboscopic as that of Dos Passos The New York Times Morand was the all-round aesthete -- Nicholas Lezard Morand was a citizen of the world, with a sharp eye and a neat turn of phrase The Tablet A French modernist on the scale of Proust and Celine... Pushkin Press's gorgeous new edition of Morand's masterpiece is a shockingly clever farce... Morand deserves to be widely revisited Publisher's Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Charles Swann first lays eyes on Odette de Crécy, he is indifferent to her beauty. Their paths continue to cross in the drawing rooms and theatres of Parisian high society, and the seeds of desire in Swann begin to flourish. What follows is a journey through self-delusion, jealousy and delirious fantasy, which will take Swann far from the sedate comfort of his society life. A standalone novella from Proust's monumental masterpiece, Swann in Love is a sublimely witty and poignant story of the illusions of love and desire. Full of the rich social satire and penetrating insight that distinguish Proust's style, it is the perfect introduction to one of the world's great novelists.Trade Review “Where to start with... Marcel Proust.” --Lucy Raitz, The Guardian “If you can’t handle 1.5 million words of Proust, try Swann in Love.” --The Washington Post “Surely the greatest novelist of the 20th century.” --Sunday Telegraph “One of the miracles of European literature.” --Guardian

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less