Classics Books

Book SynopsisThis is Colette's famous love story about the romance between an older woman and a younger man.Léa de Lonval is a magnificent and aging courtesan facing the end of her career. She has devoted the last six years to the amorous education of the exquisitely handsome and spoilt Chéri - a playboy half her age. When an advantageous marriage is arranged for Chéri, Léa reluctantly decides their relationship must end. But neither lover can foresee how deeply they are connected, or how much they will have to give up.First published in 1920, it was instantly greeted by Marcel Proust and André Gide as a masterpiece.VINTAGE FRENCH CLASSICS - six masterpieces of French fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.'This most French of all French writers tells us how love sometimes binds and keeps a woman from breathing freely or how it may shape and support her and help her to be beautiful . . . One thinks of her as the female voice of Paris . . .' New York TimesTrade ReviewHer writing is as sensuous and acute as it is unsentimental... Very beautiful and subtle... I feel more alive when I read her -- Helen Simpson * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSamuel West reads ten of Rudyard Kipling’s famous tales, as broadcast on BBC Radio 4.How the Whale Got His ThroatHow the Leopard Got His SpotsThe Beginning of the ArmadillosHow the Rhinoceros Got His SkinThe Cat That Walked By HimselfHow the Camel Got His HumpThe Crab That Played With The SeaThe Sing-Song of Old Man KangarooThe Butterfly That StampedThe Elephant’s ChildFirst broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as part of Just So Science, these charming tales are sure to delight listeners of all ages.Trade ReviewSam West's readings were superb ...He brought to mind Martin Jarvis doing Just William – and praise doesn't come any higher than that. -- Chris Mauma * The Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTom Baker reads Charles Dickens' timeless seasonal story. Charles Dickens' story of solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by the three ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, has become one of the timeless classics of English literature. First published in 1843, it introduces us not only to Scrooge himself, but also to the memorable characters of underpaid desk clerk Bob Cratchit and his poor family, the poorest amongst whom is the ailing and crippled Tiny Tim. In this captivating recording, Tom Baker delivers a tour-de-force performance as he narrates the story. The listener joins Scrooge on Christmas Eve, witnesses the visitation of Marley's ghost, and is given a glimpse of the many homes and lives which Scrooge has touched in his wretched life to date. With atmospheric sound design, this ultimately uplifting tale is a festive delight to be treasured and listened to again and again. Duration: 3 hours approx

Read more less

Book SynopsisStephen Fry narrates this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the famous Victorian comic novel. Orphan Becky Sharp and wealthy Amelia Sedley are best friends at Miss Pinkerton's Academy for Young Ladies. On leaving school, ambitious, social-climbing Becky looks for a rich man to support her, while the sweet-natured Amelia meets her old friend Dobbin, who is instantly captivated. Becky takes a job in the service of Sir Pitt Crawley, and uses her charm to hook his dashing son. However, marriage to Captain Rawdon of the Guards does not provide the fortune she seeks. Meanwhile, Amelia rejects the faithful Dobbin and becomes engaged to the handsome George Osborne – but destiny has some shocks in store for her, too. As time goes by, the girls' fortunes rise and fall. War, financial disaster and the ruin of her reputation leave the resourceful Becky undaunted, but Amelia finds it harder to bear fate's blows. It will be many years before their story is played out, and their futures finally decided... William Makepeace Thackeray's classic satire of passion and ambition, first published in 1847 and 1848, is a deliciously ironic portrait of English society and its mores. This engaging 2004 radio production, published for the first time on audio, features a distinguished cast including Emma Fielding as Becky Sharp, Katy Cavanagh as Amelia and Toby Jones as Jos Sedley. Duration: 5 hours approx

Read more less

Book SynopsisQUIET AND DARK, BESIDE HIM STOOD THE PHANTOM, WITH ITS OUTSTRETCHED HANDA Christmas Carol, first published in 1843, is Charles Dickens’s timeless festive tale of transformation and redemption. On Christmas Eve Ebenezer Scrooge, the uncharitable miser, is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley, who comes with a warning. Later that evening, Scrooge falls into a deep sleep and is called upon in the night by three more spectres, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. These apparitions bring strange visions and offer Scrooge the chance to absolve for his lifetime of avarice and greed.Accompanying a the three-part special from Steven Knight (Taboo, Peaky Blinders) starring Guy Pearce, Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Jason Flemyng, Kayvan Novak and Lenny Rush. Written and executive produced by Steven Knight, executive produced by Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe and Mona Qureshi for the BBC.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJules Verne''s classic work, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, has been adapted at least three times as a film and also for television. The story of Professor Lidenbrock, his nephew Axel and their guide Hans venturing into the Icelandic volcano if Snaefellsjökull and encountering a weird underground world that is full of prehistoric animals and other phenomena before reaching the earth''s surface again via the volcano on the island of Stromboli in Italy appeals to all lovers of great adventure. Verne was inspired to write it by the works of Charles Lyell, such as his Geological Evidences of the Antiquity of Man (1863). Since its first publication in 1864, it has become a literary classic.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrankenstein is considered to be one of the earliest examples of science fiction. Written by Mary Shelley it tells the story of scientist Victor Frankenstein and the catastrophic consequences of his attempts to create a perfect new being by activating a group of body parts with an electrical charge. The hideous monster that is born of Frankenstein''s experiment wreaks havoc when it realises that it will never know the happiness that mere mortals can enjoy. Presented with a striking contemporary cover design and the popular 1831 text, this paperback edition is perfect for any lover of classic literature. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis collection of chilling horror stories from the maestro of suspense contains nearly 20 of Edgar Allan Poe''s best known stories, including "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Pit and the Pendulum". For readers who have never come across the work of Poe before, it is a great introduction to some of his finest work.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Wodehouse is a tonic' - New Yorker. A Wodehouse pick-me-up that'll lift your spirits, whatever your mood.Cheaper and more effective than Valium’.*Offers ‘relief from anxiety, raginess or an afternoon-long tendency towards the sour’.*‘Read when you’re well and when you’re poorly; when you’re travelling, and when you’re not; when you’re feeling clever, and when you’re feeling utterly dim.’*Whatever your mood, P. G. Wodehouse, widely acknowledged to be ‘the best English comic novelist of the century’*, is guaranteed to lift your spirits. Why? Because ‘Mr Wodehouse’s idyllic world can never stale. He has made a world for us to live in and delight in.’*How? ‘You don’t analyse such sunlit perfection, you just bask in its warmth and splendour.’**Olivia Williams *Caitlin Moran *Lynne Truss *Sebastian Faulks *Evelyn Waugh *Stephen FryMeet the Young Men in Spats – all members of the Drones Club, all crossed in love and all busy betting their sometimes non-existent fortunes on unlikely outcomes – that's when they're not recovering from driving their sports cars through, rather than round, Marble Arch.These wonderful comic short stories are the essence of innocent fun. Here, you'll encounter some of Wodehouse's favourite characters – and, in 'The Amazing Hat Mystery', one of his favourite stories.Contents:- The Amazing Hat Mystery - Uncle Fred Flits By - Trouble Down at Tudsleigh

Read more less

Book SynopsisA wounded solider vanishes into notoriety.A nose is found in a loaf of bread.Places - like the Nevesky Prospect - are not what they seem. Nikolai Gogol was one of the nineteenth century's greatest and most influential Russian writers, a realist whose witty and acerbic observations and his taste for the absurd give his writing its strange, comic voice. Selected from the work of Constance Garnett, one of Gogol's earliest translators, this edition presents a new, exclusive collection of Gogol's short fiction, selected and lightly revised by Natasha Randall. Contextualized by Randall's preface, and full of the wit of Garenett's work, this edition is the perfect introduction to Gogol, and a must for the enthusiast.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. The fifteen short stories collected in Dubliners are the best by renowned Modernist writer James Joyce. They were written between 1904 and 1907 and published much later in 1914. The stories explore themes of different life stages and provide a vivid depiction of gritty, day-to-day life in Dublin. The first story, ‘The Sisters’, sets the tone for the collection, exploring childhood. ‘The Dead’, which is the final story in the collection, takes place around the events of a Christmas party, culminating in a profound epiphany. It is widely considered by critics and readers alike to be a work of outstanding literary skill.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. In this collection of thirteen thrilling tales of intrigue and suspense, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once again shows himself to be the master of detective fiction. Published in 1905, The Return of Sherlock Holmes marks the astonishing reappearance of the brilliant detective after his apparent demise at the hands of criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty. Revealed to be alive three years after his presumed death, Sherlock Holmes is reunited with his trusted partner Dr. Watson as they embark on a new series of adventures.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGentle chaos sets in when the absent-minded Mr Pim calls in to see George Marden, bearing some innocent news... George is a fine upstanding citizen and a stickler for doing the right thing. He has a devoted wife, Olivia, and is guardian to his somewhat flighty niece, Dinah.But his careful peace is broken when Mr Pim casually announces that he’s recently seen an ex-convict from Australia, Telworthy. The only thing is that the character sounds awfully like Olivia’s first, and supposedly deceased, husband… and if he’s eally still alive, then Olivia is a bigamist.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of David Copperfield (1850) began as a memoir of Dickens'' boyhood experiences in a blacking factory and grew into one of his most popular novels, echoing aspects of the author''s own life and providing a wealth of famous characters.Creepy Uriah Heep and the cruel Murdstones are here, with faithful Peggoty and David''s formidable Aunt Betsey Trotwood; not forgetting the ever-optimistic Mr Micawber, who is a portrait of Dickens'' own improvident father. This edition contains the original illustrations by ''Phiz'' (Hablot Knight Browne).ABOUT THE SERIES: The Arcturus Classics series brings together high-quality paperback editions of classics works, presented with contemporary graphic cover designs. Together they make a wonderful collection which is perfect for any home library.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one's existencethat which makes its truth, its meaningits subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dreamalone.Regarded as one of greatest English novels of the twentieth century, Heart of Darkness tracks the aftermath of a disturbing voyage up the Congo River.This provocative novel, inspired by Joseph Conrad''s own experiences, touches on economic, social and political exploitation.Almost one-hundred years after publication, this timeless classic provided the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola''s 1979 film Apocalypse Now.The Legend Classics series:Around the World in Eighty DaysThe Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe Importance of Being EarnestAlice''s Adventures in WonderlandThe MetamorphosisThe Railway ChildrenThe Hound of the BaskervillesFrankensteinWuthering HeightsThree Men in a BoatThe Time MachineLittle WomenAnne of Green GablesThe Jungle BookThe Yellow Wallpaper and Other StoriesDraculaA Study in ScarletLeaves of GrassThe Secret GardenThe War of the WorldsA Christmas CarolStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr HydeHeart of DarknessThe Scarlet LetterThis Side of ParadiseOliver TwistThe Picture of Dorian GrayTreasure IslandThe Turn of the ScrewThe Adventures of Tom SawyerEmmaThe TrialA Selection of Short Stories by Edgar Allan PoeGrimm Fairy TalesThe AwakeningMrs DallowayGulliver's TravelsThe Castle of OtrantoSilas MarnerHard Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisSamuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, is one of the most famous writers in American (and world) literature. Twain had a fascinating life that began in hardship in 1835 (only three of his seven siblings survived childhood) and ended shortly before the First World War. Best known for his writing, Twain was also a gifted raconteur, entrepreneur, publisher, freemason, and lecturer across a very busy life that saw him patent inventions, go bankrupt and receive a PhD from Oxford University, all the while putting out an enormous volume of superbly written literary work.Twain also recorded some of the most biting commentary and criticism of politics and culture and is famous for his brilliant words, aphorisms, one-liners and sayings. He was never a man stuck for words, and he lived through one of the most amazing eras of politics, social and scientific change and evolution. Many of his words are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago and plenty of his classic phrases grace the pages of The Little Book of Mark Twain, alongside numerous extracts from his writings, as well as comment and criticism from his contemporaries, fans and followers. It adds up to a superb overview of the man, his character, his writing and his incredible talent.SAMPLE QUOTE: 'It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.' - Mark TwainSAMPLE FACT: Twain was very close friends with Nikola Tesla and they worked together in Tesla's laboratory.Table of ContentsLife: Twain's life was interesting, and we start with quotes, comments, facts and stats by and about him, including plenty of observations by the man himself. Literature: Quotations from Twain's best (and little-) known works, as well as excerpts from his most famous novels and other writings, including his early journalism and travelogues and memoir. Also includes comments from other authors, critics, politicians and famous figures of the era. Science: A man with a keen interest in the scientific events and inventions of the time, this chapter includes quotes, comments and facts from Twain himself, as well as his friend Nikola Tesla and others. Business: A prominent businessman, Twain had plenty to say on the subject, and, as a man who had seen great success as well as failure, his words are often wise witty and poignant. Views: Twain was interested in many subjects, particularly politics, civil rights, imperialism, religion and many other important matters of the day. This chapter contains interesting excerpts from some of his writings, as well as some of his many comments and those of his critics and other famous figures. Wit and Wisdom: A general roundup of fun, factual and fascinating quotes from Mark Twain and many of his contemporaries, as well as subsequent fans, critics and commentators.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. The lives of four teenage sisters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy – unfold in this treasured classic. Living in Massachusetts the March sisters are struggling though poverty and the effects of the American Civil War, which has taken away their father. Through happy and sad times, the sisters pull together with help from their mother, Marmee. Despite squabbles and desperate times, the sisters have a contagious sense of fun that leads to many adventures and eventually they learn exactly what it takes to grow up. Little Women was released in 1868 to commercial success and favourable reviews from critics. It has since become a true literary classic, made into countless adaptations, and a worldwide success that is loved by many.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. One of the most beloved and influential books in American literature, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a comic yet incisive portrait of 19th century America. Told from the perspective of Huck Finn, a good-hearted if wayward thirteen-year-old, it vividly recounts his adventures as he escapes his abusive home and embarks on a journey down the Mississippi River along with Jim, a runaway slave. Through the eyes of Huck, and particularly his relationship with Jim, Twain confronts the hypocrisy of a society that clings to slavery and entrenched racial prejudice while claiming to be the land of the free. The FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. Thomas Hardy’s perennially popular and oft-adapted fourth novel, Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), was also hugely successful in his day. Following the intertwining lives of its characters, we watch as independent and free-spirited Bathsheba Everdene makes various false starts with her infatuated neighbour William Boldwood and the dashing soldier Sergeant Troy (who is also involved with the tragic Fanny Robin), before finally accepting that her heart lies with faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak. It truly deserves its designation as one of the greatest love stories of all time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisLittle treasures, the FLAME TREE COLLECTABLE CLASSICS are chosen to create a delightful and timeless home library. Each stunning, gift edition features deluxe cover treatments, ribbon markers, luxury endpapers and gilded edges. The unabridged text is accompanied by a Glossary of Victorian and Literary terms produced for the modern reader. Considered to be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest work, The Great Gatsby is a vivid and timely portrait of the allure and dangerous excess of Jazz Age. The novel follows narrator Nick Carraway, newly arrived to the town of West Egg, Long Island, as his life becomes intertwined with that of Jay Gatsby, his rich and enigmatic neighbour. What ensues is a tale of thwarted love and tragedy as Fitzgerald explores the hollowness of materialism and the corruption of the American Dream. Also includes the short story, Winter Dreams which explores similar themes to The Great Gatsby.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCollected here are Gogol's finest tales - stories which combine the wide-eyed, credulous imagination of the peasant with the sardonic social criticism of the city dweller - allowing readers to experience anew the unmistakable genius of a writer who paved the way of Dostoevsky and Kakfa. All of Gogol's most memorable creations are here: the minor official who misplaces his nose, the downtrodden clerk whose life is changed by the acquisition of a splendid new overcoat, the wily madman who becomes convinced that a dog can tell him everything he needs to know. The wholly unique blend of satire and realism that Gogol crafted established his reputation as one of the most daring and inventive writers of his time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMark Twain’s famous novels, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn (available in Everyman) have long been hailed as major masterpieces, but it is less well known that the father of American literature also made his mark as a master of the short story. This is the only edition in hardcover of his complete shorter fiction: sixty tales spanning a long career – many rollicking and uproarious, some sombre and even shocking. Included, of course, are such immortal classics as ‘The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County’ (1865), a humorous piece set in Gold-Rush California, which helped establish the young author’s reputation, and ‘The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg’ (1899), a satirical novella in which a self-righteously respectable American small town is exposed as a fraud.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Golden City of Prague has long been an intellectual centre of the western world. The writers collected here range from the early nineteenth century to the present and include both Prague natives and visitors from elsewhere. Here are stories, legends, and scenes from the city's past and present, from the Jewish fable of the golem, a creature conjured from clay, to tales of German and Soviet invasions. The international array of writers ranges from Franz Kafka to Ivan Klíma to Bruce Chatwin, and includes the award-winning British playwright Tom Stoppard and former American Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, both of whom have Czech roots. Covering the city's venerable Jewish heritage, the glamour of the belle-époque period, World War II, Communist rule, the Prague Spring, the Velvet Revolution, and beyond, Prague Stories weaves a remarkable selection of fiction and nonfiction into a literary portrait of a fascinating city.Richard Bassett, former Central European correspondent for The Times, knows his subject inside out. Here is Prague in all its brilliance, a city rich in folklore both Slavic and Jewish, whose history is the stuff of legend - Jan Hus, Charles IV and his eponymous bridge, serial defenestrations; Prague in the dark years of World War II, in the grey years of Communism, in the excitement of the Velvet Revolution. And here is today's Prague, a vibrant cosmopolitan capital where a new generation of Czech writers - Sylva Fischerova, Daniela Hodrova and others - explores its identity in new and exciting ways.A unique collection of fiction and non-fiction to delight and stimulate travellers and stay-at-homes alike.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMary Lavelle, a beautiful young Irish woman, travels to Spain to see some of the world before marrying her steadfast fiance John. But despite the enchanting surroundings and her three charming charges, life as governess to the wealthy Areavaga family is lonely and she is homesick. Then comes the arrival of the family's handsome, passionate - and married - son Juanito and Mary's loyalties and beliefs are challenged. Falling in love with Juanito and with Spain, Mary finds herself at the heart of a family and a nation divided.Trade ReviewA superior type of romantic novel . . . quasi-intelligent and discursive, colourful and unorthodox * Times Literary Supplement *She writes with almost poetic intensity of the ecstasy and anguish of love -- Val HennessyIts captivating account of a young Irish woman's year as a governess in Spain in 1922 bowled me over with its weave of flawless prose, in-depth casting and mesmerising plot, all in service of its heartbroken story of illicit love * Irish Times *With characteristic elegance and subtlety, Kate O'Brien, one of Ireland's most beloved writers, illuminates the anguish and ecstasies of a young woman at the heart of a family and a nation divided * Library Thing *There's some brilliant and powerful writing . . . a description of a bull-fight that rivals Hemingway . . . dramatic . . . smooth. It's a grand job. She deserves to be better known, as few are doing more significant work * Kirkus Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBY THE AUTHOR SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE INTRODUCED BY POLLY DEVLIN 'Psychologically sharp, socially knowing and closely knit' IRISH TIMES 'She was . . . marvellous' GUARDIAN 'A writer of genius' WALL STREET JOURNAL One glorious gothic mansion - Garonlea - and two rather different ladies who would be Queen . . .Lady Charlotte French-McGrath has successfully ruled over her family with a rod of iron until the arrival of Cynthia: beautiful, young, talented, selfish - and engaged to her son Desmond.When Cynthia enters the Jazz Age, on the surface her life passes in a whirl of hunting, drinking and romance. But the ghosts of Garonlea are only biding their time: they know the source of their power, a secret handed on from one generation to the next.Trade ReviewShe was . . . marvellous * Guardian *Keane's distinctive blend of elegant savagery and deep affection . . . its human relationships tortured like bonsai by good form, its open-hearted, sensual passion for horses, dogs and landscape * Evening Standard *Psychologically sharp, socially knowing and closely knit * Irish Times *She is akin to Jane Austen in her feeling for the minute of human behaviour -- Polly DevlinI admired many authors. But Molly, I loved -- Diana AthillThe characterisation of women is first class -- Sebastian FaulksA writer of genius * Wall Street Journal *Molly Keane ... is robust about sinful human nature and the intrigues of the heart... * V.S. Pritchett *Psychologically sharp, socially knowing and closely knit * IRISH TIMES *The characterisation of women is first class * Sebastian Faulks *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe soldier returns from the front to the three women who love him. His wife, Kitty, with her cold, moonlight beauty, and his devoted cousin Jenny wait in their exquisite home on the crest of the Harrow-weald. Margaret Allington, his first and long-forgotten love, is nearby in the dreary suburb of Wealdstone. But the soldier is shell-shocked and can only remember the Margaret he loved fifteen years before, when he was a young man and she an inn-keeper's daughter. His cousin he remembers only as a childhood playmate; his wife he remembers not at all. The women have a choice - to leave him where he wishes to be, or to 'cure' him. It is Margaret who reveals a love so great that she can make the final sacrifice.Trade ReviewWhen Chris Baldry returns from the trenches so badly traumatized that the last fifteen years of his life have been expunged from his memory, the three women who love him most are forced into a radical re-examination of their own past lives. Courageous and compassionate, The Return of the Soldier delineates the long-term consequences of war in ways that are as relevant today as they were in 1918 when the book first appeared. Ultimately - and without ever lapsing into easy sentiment - Rebecca West paints a portrait of the redeeming power of love -- Pat BarkerRebecca West - highly intelligent, highly gifted, vital, original, combative, formidable and kind - was a great woman -- Victoria GlendinningSpellbinding . . . Probably her best fiction * Sunday Times *The Return of the Soldier is a profound, resonant book. It tells its moving story with emotional integrity, at the same time meditating upon the nature of love, the punishing but necessary cruelty of reality and our responsibility towards one another -- Sadie Jones

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE BESTSELLING NOVEL BY NELL DUNN'Her art is ignited by voice . . . as you hear it, is unquestionable' ALI SMITH, GUARDIAN 'Touching, truthful and fresh' MARGARET DRABBLE 'Nell Dunn's hilarious, heartbreaking Poor Cow, about a single mother in sixties London' PARIS REVIEW Joy - also called Blossom, Sunshine and Blondie by the men in her life - walks down Fulham Broadway carrying her week-old baby, Jonny. She is twenty-one with bleached hair, high suede shoes and a head full of dreams. Her husband Tom is a thief and on the proceeds of a job they move to a luxury flat - 'the world was our oyster and we chose Ruislip'. Then Tom is sent to prison, leaving Joy and Jonny to move in with Auntie Emm. This is Joy's story: an exuberant, pink-lipsticked, tale of London life, love and young motherhood in the sixties . . . Poor Cow explores the life of a young working-class girl in the swinging sixties as she navigates the consequences of her decisions. Nell Dunn's 1967 novel was also made into a film directed by Ken Loach.Trade ReviewHer art is ignited by voice, especially by voice more usually given no societal, literary or aesthetic power or space but whose authority, as you hear it, is unquestionable -- Ali Smith * Guardian *It was Nell's interest in the women of the working class that made her work truly radical * Independent *Touching, truthful and fresh . . . written with an unselfconscious elegance that conceals its craft . . . A tour de force -- Margaret DrabbleNell Dunn's hilarious, heartbreaking Poor Cow, about a single mother in sixties London * Paris Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA major work by one of France’s most important authors of the twentieth century, London Bridge is a riotous novel about the London underworld during the First World War. Picking up where its predecessor Guignol’s Band left off, Céline’s narrator recounts his disastrous partnership with an eccentric Frenchman intent on financing a trip to Tibet by winning a gas-mask competition; his uneasy relationship with London’s pimps and whores and their common nemesis, Inspector Matthew of Scotland Yard; and, most scandalous of all, his affair with a colonel’s daughter. Written in Céline’s trademark style – a headlong rush of slang, brusque observation and quirky lyricism, delivered in machine-gun bursts of prose and ellipses – London Bridge recreates the dark days during the Great War with sordid verisimilitude and desperate hilarity.Trade ReviewWriting as alive as speech. -- Simone de BeauvoirIf the French demand bad behaviour from their novelists, they got more than they bargained for with the antisemitic Céline. But they were also getting the prose stylist of the century. -- Tibor Fischer * The Guardian *The most blackly humorous and disenchanted voice in all of French literature… * London Review of Books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBasil and Josephine charts the coming of age of two privileged youths from quiet Midwestern towns, Basil Duke Lee and Josephine Perry - based on Fitzgerald himself and a combination of his first love Ginevra King and his wife Zelda. As one struggles to gain the acceptance of his peers and becomes consumed by ambition, the other finds herself obsessed by teenage crushes and has to confront the pitfalls of popularity. Written for the Saturday Evening Post while the author was working on Tender Is the Night, these stories form a realistic and entertaining portrait of two young adults in the 1910s, fascinating both for the autobiographical insights they provide and the timeless satire that Fitzgerald's fiction has become synonymous with.Trade ReviewHe was better than he knew, for in fact and in the literary sense he invented a generation. * The New York Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter a traumatic early childhood spent living in poverty in a Preston cellar, the suddenly orphaned George Silverman grows up convinced that he is at fault for all the misfortunes in his life. Hoodwinked by hypocritical clergymen and exploited by his employer, he finds himself forsaking love and facing professional ruin. One of Dickens’s very last writings, ‘George Silverman’s Explanation’ is a dark and psychologically insightful investigation of failure and guilt. This volume also includes two other lesser-known pieces of fiction by Dickens: the novella for children ‘Holiday Romance’ and the detective story ‘Hunted Down’.Trade ReviewThe power of [Dickens] is so amazing that the reader at once becomes his captive. -- William Makepeace Thackeray

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen it is discovered that the reigning world chess champion, Mirko Czentovic, is on board a cruiser heading for Buenos Aires, a fellow passenger challenges him to a game. Czentovic easily defeats him, but during the rematch a mysterious Austrian, Dr B., intervenes and, to the surprise of everyone, helps the underdog obtain a draw. When, the next day, Dr B. confides in a compatriot travelling on the same ship and decides to reveal the harrowing secret behind his formidable chess knowledge, a chilling tale of imprisonment and psychological torment unfolds. Stefan Zweig’s last and most famous story, ‘A Game of Chess’ was written in exile in Brazil and explores its author’s anxieties about the situation in Europe following the rise of the Nazi regime. The tale is presented here in a brand-new translation, along with three of the master storyteller’s most acclaimed novellas: Twenty-four Hours in the Life of a Woman, The Invisible Collection and Incident on Lake Geneva.Trade ReviewPerhaps the best chess story ever written, perhaps the best about any game. * The Economist *A perfect introduction to Zweig. * The Jewish Chronicle *It is somehow progressively thrilling, yet consistently still and calculated. With barely a note out of tune, this is a short story masterclass. * The Big Issue *Although these four stories are in many ways very different, they all share a theme of single-minded behaviour, are underpinned by social and political commentary, full of symbolism and are rich in metaphor and allegory. This ensures that they really do feel timeless – true modern-day parables. * Nudge Books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn the eve of the Crimean War, the young, headstrong Yelena, the daughter of aristocratic Russian parents, falls in love with a revolutionary from Bulgaria named Insarov. Facing the wrath and disapproval of her family, Yelena abandons her home to follow Insarov to Bulgaria. Their fateful match sets in motion a series of tragic events which challenge notions of love, revolution and idealism. A highly controversial work upon its original publication, Ivan Turgenev’s On the Eve is now recognized as one of the masterpieces of Russian literature and an essential document of the upheaval that dominated Russian society in the years prior to the Crimean War. Turgenev’s restrained, nuanced prose is rendered beautifully in Michael Pursglove’s new translation.Trade ReviewA deep and penetrating diagnosis of the destinies of the Russia of the fifties. -- Edward Garnett

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Life of Dante" brings together the earliest accounts of Dante available, putting the celebratory essay of literary genius Giovanni Boccaccio together with the historical analysis of leading humanist Leonardo Bruni. Their writings, along with the other sources included in this volume, provide a wealth of insight and information into Dante's unique character and life, from his susceptibility to the torments of passionate love, his involvement in politics, scholastic enthusiasms and military experience, to the stories behind the greatest heights of his poetic achievements.Not only are these accounts invaluable for their subject matter, they are also seminal examples of early biographical writing. Also included in this volume is a biography of Boccaccio, perhaps as great an influence on world literature as Dante himself.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJane Tressider has never been afraid of speaking her mind, even if she admits that she may have occasionally given offence by doing so. But as a busy mother of nine children, she cannot let such a small foible get in the way of her job, which is to keep her feckless husband on his toes while ensuring the perfect management not just of her own household but also of that of her married daughters and sons. Since mothers-in-law have always been misunderstood and no one has ever taken up their side of the argument properly, Jane is determined to set the record straight and plead the cause of the most maligned race on the face of the earth. The result is a hilarious comedy of manners and a gentle satire of Edwardian mores and attitudes.Trade ReviewThis rediscovered classic is a satirical gem worth savouring … Illuminated by priceless quips and farcical shenanigans, the reader is gripped by the quirks of a bygone age. * The Lady *

Read more less

Book Synopsis"The friends Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley leave Miss Pinkerton’s school together, ready to forge their paths in the tawdry and cut-throat world of the early nineteenth century. The scheming, brilliant and ruthless orphan Becky is better equipped than any to scale the heights of Regency society. Amelia, however, is sweet, quiet and passive, and longs for nothing more than the love of the self-obsessed and raffish soldier George Osborne. Amidst the machinations and jostling for wealth and status, Captain William Dobbin, with his hidden love for Amelia, stands alone as a steadfast, selfless and dutiful man. Woven into the climactic events of the Napoleonic Wars, and set against a backdrop of gaudy elegance and merciless personal ambition, Vanity Fair is an epic and sweeping satire, and a landmark of English literature."Trade ReviewI can only wonder and admire… If Truth were again a goddess, Thackeray should be her high priest. -- Charlotte Brontë

Read more less

Book SynopsisBorn in Newgate Prison to an incarcerated mother, Moll Flanders is compelled from earliest childhood to make her own way in the world and to live off her wit and beauty. Her desire to climb the rungs of society leads her through a tangled web of incest, adultery, prostitution, deception and theft, before she is eventually transported to the New World for her crimes. Presented as Moll’s autobiography, and published anonymously, the novel, through its self-made protagonist, highlights the intricacies and double standards of Moll’s contemporary society, and offers an irresistible and evocative insight into both the drawing rooms and seedy back alleys of seventeenth-century England.Trade ReviewAmong the few English novels which we can call indisputably great. -- Virginia Woolf

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Published in the Christmas edition of Charles Dickens’s magazine All the Year Round, Mugby Junction is the spellbinding result of a literary collaboration between some of the leading writers of the day, and contains four unforgettable contributions by Dickens himself, including ‘The Signalman’ – a chilling tale of a spectral apparition whose appearances forebode fatal accidents on the line. The eight stories included in this volume range from the hilarious to the hair-raising, and not only remain as fresh today as when they first appeared in 1866, but stand as a testament to the versatility and exuberance of Dickens’s unrivalled genius. Includes: ‘Barbox Brothers’, ‘Barbox Brothers and Co.’, ‘Main Line: The Boy at Mugby’ and ‘No. 1 Branch Line: The Signalman’ by Charles Dickens, ‘No. 2 Branch Line: The Engine Driver’ by Andrew Halliday, ‘No. 3 Branch Line: The Compensation House’ by Charles Collins, ‘No. 4 Branch Line: The Travelling Post-Office’ by Hesba Stretton and ‘No. 5 Branch Line: The Engineer’ by Amelia B. Edwards"

Read more less

Book SynopsisA secret terrorist group infiltrates the household of a government official's son, with a view to spying on the father and, ultimately, assassinating him. But the young man entrusted with the task - an ailing, world-weary "nobody" - seized with the purposelessness of life and a sense of his own impending death, gradually becomes disillusioned with his mission, and decides to embark on a new path which will lead him to tragedy. Combining psychological detail with a strong sense of place and time, The Story of a Nobody bears all the hallmarks of Chekhov's genius, and perfectly captures the political and social tensions of its day.Trade ReviewUnique edition 'revived in this sure-footed translation by Hugh Aplin' -- The Independent * The Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is a variable early summer's day, and there is an unusual bustle in the grounds of Pointz Hall, a country house in a remote village in the very heart of England. The local community is all astir, intent on putting the finishing touches to preparations for the annual pageant, which is to be performed there that evening. Among the medley of attendees are Mr Oliver, the owner of the house, the flirtatious Mrs Manresa and her friend William Dodge, who is rumoured to be homosexual, the troubled married couple Giles and Isa, as well as the eccentric spinster Miss La Trobe, the author of the pageant - an ambitious journey through England's past and literature. Highly symbolic, and dealing with many of the themes that were most dear to Virginia Woolf, such as the condition of the individual in the current of history, sexual ambiguity and the tension between life and art, Between the Acts was the author's final novel, offering a tantalising glimpse of the direction her fiction might have taken.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of young Henry, who struggles to fulfil his ambitions to become a successful painter and is torn between the gentle Anna and the proud and sensual Judith, is one of the most outstanding and personal Bildungsroman writ¬ten in the German language. Composed between 1846 and 1855, Keller’s poetic, semi-autobiographical novel draws on the author’s own youth, artistic studies and development as a man, as well as providing a comprehensive portrait of his country and his times. Green Henry is one of the most important novels in European literature, and undoubtedly the greatest work of fiction by a Swiss writer.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIt is New Year’s Eve, and Nellie, the pretty daughter of a landowning general, is sitting in her room looking in the mirror. Although she is tired and her eyes are half closed, she is spellbound as the reflection in the looking glass dissolves into a sea of grey mist, in which she starts to discern the beloved features of her fiancé. As in a diorama, the scene keeps changing, and to the early snapshots of joyful marital life succeed other, more sinister images of care, sickness and bereavement, casting a long shadow onto the girl’s future. With ‘The Looking Glass’ Chekhov captured the very essence of the Russian soul. This short story, along with the others included in this collection, demonstrates why he is considered the absolute master of the genre.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrapped in a loveless marriage and weighed down by poverty, Ethan Frome’s days are enlivened by the presence of Mattie, his ailing wife Zeena’s youthful and charming cousin, who provides help to the household. When Zeena realizes that her husband’s feelings for Mattie go beyond simple affection, and that they seem to be reciprocated, the scene is set for a confrontation that will lead to heartbreak, misery and tragedy. A marked contrast to the mordantly satirical novels of manners set among New York high society for which she is best known, this story set in rural Massachusetts is considered by many to be Edith Wharton’s highest achievement, and is unsurpassed as a study of forbidden love and thwarted desire.

Read more less