Classics Books

Book SynopsisWhat starts as a rags to riches story transforms into an adventure as this collection of legends explores the triumphs and failures of a young king and his accomplices. When Arthur, a young boy mistreated by his family, is put up to the challenge to remove a sword stuck in a stone, his moral character and embodiment of hope allows him to pass the test and win the sword, Excalibur. Artur is then named the king, and becomes the standard of leadership and the founder of Camelot. Wielding his prized sword, Excalibur, Arthur goes on to encounter enchantresses, assemble noble knights, and lead Britain’s defense against the Saxon invasion. King Arthur will join his notable allies, Lancelot, Merlin, and the Lady of the Lake, to solve mysteries, achieve quests, and fight battles. The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles has inspired modern film and literary adaptations, joining the vast collection of poetry, prose and art dedicated to King Arthur and his knights. These fantastical stories provide an escape into adventure, and bring lessons of overcoming adversity into the 21st century, while treating readers to experience the comradery of the round table and the magical adventures of Camelot. Sir James Knowles’ The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights is vitalized with this artistic edition. This new, modern design and readable manuscript will allow readers to be immersed in the action, witnessing Merlin’s prophecies, aiding Lancelot’s quest for the Holy Grail, and fighting alongside Arthur in battle.

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Book SynopsisDriven by an insatiable thirst for power, Doctor Faustus chooses to make the ultimate sacrifice to become an all-knowing practitioner of traditional and supernatural arts. He enters an agreement with Lucifer, trading his soul for unbridled access to a catalog of mystical spells. Doctor Faustus signs a contract ensuring 24 years of service from the demon Mephastophilis. In exchange, Lucifer will own his soul for all of eternity. Faustus immediately takes advantage of his divine skills, using them to impress various men of distinction. During his meteoric rise, Faustus experiences moments of regret, but they’re quickly quelled under Mephastophilis’ influence. As he approaches death, Faustus is overwhelmed by fear and futile attempts to escape the inevitable. In The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, Marlowe uses supernatural themes to explore the dire trappings of human nature. With influences from Christian doctrine, the story implicates the true wages of sin stemming from greed, gluttony and pride. The author illustrates how the greatest tragedy is the one of your own making. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus is both modern and readable.

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Book SynopsisChivalry (1909) is a fascinating collection of tales that draw inspiration from the popular chronicles of medieval Europe. Author James Branch Cabell immerses his reader into this distant world , masking his authorship in order to ensure a fluidity of form and content that injects his work of high fantasy with a sense of truth. Intentionally layered in mystery and claims of authenticity, Chivalry purports to be a copy made by royal scribe Colard Mansion of the Dizain of Queens, a collection of chronicles, tales, and histories written by Messire Nicolas de Caen for the Princess Isabella of Portugal. In “The Story of the Sestina,” a traveling singer has a chance encounter with the Queen of England, who recognizes him as the esteemed Osmund Heleigh and requests of him a song. As he joins her on her journey through war-torn countryside, two things become clear—the pair have a secret history, and, as battle nears, Osmund will soon have to offer more than his songs in her service. As the collection’s title suggests, many of Cabell’s stories follow a similar theme: the relationship between men and women within a system regulated by honor, responsibility, and often blind loyalty. “The Story of the Tenson,” set in Spain in 1265, follows Ellinor of Castile’s efforts to escape her marriage in the pursuit of love. In “The Story of the Choices,” Queen Ysabeau of England eases her boredom by devising a series of trials for the knight Sir Gregory Darrell. Over the course of ten tales, tales of danger, romance, intrigue, and courage, James Branch Cabell’s Chivalry broadens the mystery of the medieval world while illuminating, and critiquing, our own. Cabell’s work has long been described as escapist, his novels and stories derided as fantastic and obsessive recreations of a world lost long ago. To read Chivalry, however, is to understand that the issues therein—the struggle for power, the unspoken distance between men and women—were vastly important not only at the time of its publication, but in our own, divisive world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of James Branch Cabell’s Chivalry is a classic of fantasy and romance reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Eagle’s Shadow (1904) is the debut novel of James Branch Cabell, a master of fantasy fiction and an underrated figure of twentieth-century American literature. The novel is significant for being among few of Cabell’s works to take place both around the time of its publication and to be set in the contemporary world. Like many of his works, however, it paints an intricate portrait of romance and power, immersing its reader into a fiction more real than they’d care to admit. Most of the novel’s action occurs at Selwoode, a recently built mansion located in the English countryside. Following the death of her uncle Frederick, Margaret Hugonin finds herself his unlikely heiress, and is thrust into a life she could not have prepared for even if she had managed to imagine it in the first place. As she faces down suitor after suitor while enduring a routine of lessons on philanthropy, culture, and charity, she navigates the complexities of her love for Billy Woods, her cousin through marriage and the nephew of Selwoode’s deceased scion, Frederick. Throughout the story, the eagle—both Frederick’s chosen heraldic animal and a symbol of power—looms over their relationship. The ill-gotten nature of the family fortune—acquired through the exploitation enabled by imperialism and solidified in the shadows of Wall Street—threatens to destroy not only their love, but their entire world. The Eagle’s Shadow, a novel at times tragic and comedic, is a brilliant and bold social critique masquerading as romance, and a literary work for all time. Cabell’s work has long been described as escapist, his novels and stories derided as fantastic and obsessive recreations of a world lost long ago. To read The Eagle’s Shadow, however, is to understand that the issues therein—the struggle for power, the unspoken distance between men and women—were vastly important not only at the time of its publication, but in our own, divisive world. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of James Branch Cabell’s The Eagle’s Shadow is a classic of comedy and romance reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Blind Mother and The Last Confession (1893) is a collection of two novellas by British master of fiction Hall Caine. In the Lake District of northwest England, a young blind woman named Mercy lives with her son and elderly father on land passed down through generations. After failing both as a farmer and as a prospector—they live in country known for its rich veins of copper—her father gives up their rights to the land to Hugh Ritson, a local statesman’s son and mining engineer. Soon enough, Ritson strikes copper, makes a profit on the land, and becomes the father of Mercy’s child—before marrying the beautiful Greta. The Blind Mother is a tale of tragedy and the bond between women whose lives depend on men who fail them, time and again. In The Last Confession, a physician from London seeks mercy from a Spanish priest while laying on his deathbed. At times calmly, at others filled with wild desperation, the man recounts how he was encouraged to travel to North Africa to cure, or at least alleviate, his neurasthenia. While in Morocco, he meets a man he calls the American, who navigates this foreign world with ease and soon sweeps the narrator into a world of crime. When the physician gets a letter from England informing him of his young son’s terrible illness, he decides to break from his companion, only to be followed every step of the way by a ruthless assassin. Caine’s novella, the second in this collection, is a story of desperation, love, and guilt that searches the soul at its limit. These deceptively simple novellas combine straightforward narratives with intricate natural detail and a deep understanding of human psychology. Hall Caine’s The Blind Mother and The Last Confession is a work about ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances, and remains, over a century after it was published, an essential piece of English literature. Although he was one of the most famous and acclaimed authors of his time, Caine’s work remains relatively unknown today. With this edition, it is hoped that Hall Caine once again receives not only the attention he deserves, but the respect and admiration his work demands. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Hall Caine’s The Blind Mother and The Last Confession is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Bondman (1890) is a novel written by British author Hall Caine. Inspired by the epic scale of the ancient Icelandic sagas as well as the Biblical tale of Jacob and Esau, Caine sought to explore the narrative possibilities of brotherhood and fate while paying homage to the historical link between Iceland and the Isle of Man. Born to a Manx father, Caine also had a personal connection to the novel’s setting. The story shifts between the perspectives of Jason and Michael, two half-brothers abandoned by their father, the Icelandic fisherman Stephen Orry. When Michael, who is raised by the Deputy Governor of the Isle of Man, comes of age, his estranged father sends him to Iceland in order to rectify Stephen’s mistreatment of his Icelandic wife and son. At the same time, Jason journeys to the Isle of Man in order to seek revenge on his father, only to be forced to rescue Stephen from a shipwreck off of Maughold Head, a dangerous point on the easternmost shore of the Isle of Man. While Jason weighs the cost of forgiveness and falls in love with Greeba, his half-brother Michael rises to power in a newly independent Iceland. As the story unfolds, and as fate draws the story’s heroes closer together, The Bondman explores some of humanity’s eternal themes: love, faith, kinship, and sacrifice. Caine’s novel is epic in terms of its setting and political context, but it explores matters of the heart as though they were our own. Hall Caine’s The Bondman is a work about ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances, and remains, over a century after it was published, an essential piece of English literature. Although he was one of the most famous and acclaimed authors of his time, Caine’s work remains relatively unknown today. With this edition, it is hoped that Hall Caine once again receives not only the attention he deserves, but the respect and admiration his work demands. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Hall Caine’s The Bondman is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisCapt’n Davy’s Honeymoon (1893) is a novella by British author Hall Caine. Set on the Isle of Man—the proud British island where Caine’s father was born—the story begins with the separation of Capt’n Davy from his wife Nelly after only ten days of marriage following a heated argument over money. With humorous and emotional dialogue enriched with an authentic Manx flavor, detailed portraits of land and seascapes, and a critical eye for society’s shortcomings, this novella is a classic work of romantic comedy from one of Victorian Britain’s most successful writers. Born into poverty, and orphaned at the age of fifteen, Davy Quiggin is taken in by the Kinvig family in Ballavolley, Isle of Man. For several years, Davy lives with Kinvig—a farmer and local Methodist leader—his wife, and their daughter Nelly, in relative harmony. But when Davy’s love for Nelly is discovered by her parents, he is forced to leave. Thus begins a life at sea that will take Davy across the world to South America, where he becomes a steamboat captain, amasses a sizable fortune, and achieves for himself a life far surpassing his humble origins or his wildest dreams. Davy returns home to marry Nelly, but finds himself wrapped up with a crowd of old friends and acquaintances more than happy to indulge his tastes for drinking and gambling. As his wealth disappears, and as his marriage threatens to end before it even truly began, Davy must find a way to adjust himself to life back home—a place and a people he thought he knew so well. Meanwhile, Nelly is forced to pick up the pieces of their relationship while navigating a community that seems more intent on gossip than it does on mutual aid. Hall Caine’s Capt’n Davy’s Honeymoon investigates the limits of friendship, marriage, and society with a keen ear for the rhythm of everyday speech and a sense of what makes us human. Although he was one of the most famous and acclaimed authors of his time, Caine’s work remains relatively unknown today. With this edition, it is hoped that Hall Caine once again receives not only the attention he deserves, but the respect and admiration his work demands. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Hall Caine’s Capt’n Davy’s Honeymoon is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Higher Court (1911) is a novel of religion and romance by Mary Stewart Daggett, a writer well-known in her community of Pasadena, California whose work has yet to find the audience it deserves. Father Barry, a young Catholic priest in the Midwest, is beginning to question his vows. A tense meeting with the local bishop, combined with a feeling of mental unease, have shaken Barry’s faith to the core. Meanwhile, in the midst of a heavy blizzard, a letter arrives from Isabel Doan, a friend of Barry’s from before he took his orders—she is stopping by to see him on her way to Southern California, where she is moving with her young son Reginald. When they arrive, Barry is shaken by a series of events—Reginald has come down with a terrible illness; news arrives of the death of his estranged mother; and his love for Isabel threatens to tear down the final vestige of his already fleeting faith. Faced with a choice, Father Barry abandons the cloth and travels to Europe, but he will soon find something stronger than religion to guide his heart back home. Mary Stewart Daggett’s The Higher Court interrogates tradition in order to get to the truth, while simultaneously illuminating the inexorable changes faced by the nation and world in the early-twentieth century. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Mary Stewart Daggett’s The Higher Court is a newly unearthed classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisAfter the death of her parents, Christie Devon declares her autonomy and desire to pioneer a new option for women—working. As a single woman, Christie wants to maintain her independence and work outside the home. She begins her journey discouraged to find that as a woman, her upbringing has failed her in that she was not taught a trade, as men often were, but rather the duties of a housewife. Christie first works as a maid, knowing there was no shame in the work itself. However, society was keen on making the work typical of women humiliating, and Christie soon finds that her pride cannot handle being a maid. Next, Christie works as an actress. She enjoys this work, though is discouraged by some of the “unvirtuous” aspects of the job. When she doesn’t obtain the success she was hoping for, Christie begins factory work. In the face of endless dilemmas, discouragement, and discrimination, Christie becomes even more determined not only to pave a path of success and independence for herself, but to inspire it for other women as well. Accompanied by an odd but lovable assortment of friends, including a radical priest, a prostitute, and a freed slave, Christie nurtures her ambition while keeping her values, becoming an advocate for women in the workplace. On the frontlines of the start of women working outside the home, Work: A Story of Experience depicts life as a working woman during the Industrial era. As an advocate for women’s rights, Louisa May Alcott demonstrates in her novel that a woman can have both love and work. Alcott’s feminism translates as modern even today, as there are still lingering ideas that a woman who works is selfish. Work: A Story of Experience defies this, depicting Christie, a woman who exudes ambition while maintaining her loving virtues. This edition of Louisa May Alcott’s Work: A Story of Experience is redesigned with an eye-catching new cover and easy-to-read print. Work: A Story of Experience depicts the semi-autobiographical struggles of author Louisa May Alcott as a working women in the 19th century, but also exemplifies feminism and romance that is still both admirable and applicable.

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Book SynopsisRagged Dick (1868) is the first in a series of six novels by American author Horatio Alger. In each, Alger uses the Protestant work ethic as a template to not only examine the harsh realities of urban poverty, but provide a hopeful, concrete moral for his young readers. Dick is a teenage bootblack who lives and works on the streets of New York City. Despite his difficult circumstances, he never loses hope. Dick is determined to both survive and make it in life, and prides himself on his moral standards, refusing to lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead. When he is recognized for his honesty by local church figures and businessmen, they provide him opportunities to work. With the money he manages to save, Dick opens a bank account and begins to rent a modest apartment in the city. As he moves closer and closer to middle class life, Dick takes every chance he is offered and, most importantly, remains hopeful that his hard work and moral vision will not only pay off, but keep him grounded, respected, and alive. Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick is a simple Bildungsroman with a valuable message that remains a classic work of young adult fiction to this day. Although Alger’s work was intended for young boys of an entirely different era, many of his themes ring true for our own. In a time of economic crisis and instability, hopeful stories of perseverance and hard work could be a welcome form of entertainment and education. Additionally, Alger’s novel provides a window onto America’s past, toward the very origin of the middle-class promise sought and attained by millions. The Protestant work ethic and the American Dream have been the nation’s defining myths for well over a century, and while there is ample room to criticize their motives and attainability, it is undeniable that they have shaped America’s history and people into what they are today. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick is a classic of young adult fiction and American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisJo’s Boys (1886) is a novel by American author Louis May Alcott. Written while Alcott was living in the historic Thoreau-Alcott House in Concord, Massachusetts, Jo’s Boys picks up ten years after the events of Little Men, which followed the young sons of Jo Bhaer (née March) and Professor Friedrich Bhaer at their newly established Plumfield Estate School. As with the rest of the series, Jo’s Boys was inspired by the educational reforms theorized and practiced by her father. Plumfield boys Tommy, Emil, Nat, Dan, Demi, Rob, and Ted have all grown up, taking with them into the world the lessons they learned at the Plumfield Estate School. Split into sections following the lives of each young man, Jo’s Boys traces the impact on Jo and Friedrich Bhaer’s experimental form of education across a number of diverse—and often difficult—situations. Each character navigates the realities of college, marriage, and work with varying degrees of success, often finding that what they can most rely on is a well-grounded sense of morality, as well as a strong and abundant understanding of themselves as individuals. Emil, Professor Friedrich Bhaer’s nephew, becomes a sailor, gets promoted to second mate, and is faced with the challenge of rescuing his fellow shipmates after a wreck leaves them stranded. Tommy enters medical school but finds it difficult to dedicate himself to his work while weighing his complex affections for Nan and Dora, both of whom he could see himself marrying. The novel’s most compelling character is Dan, who becomes a sheep-herder in Australia before returning to America, being arrested out West, and ultimately discovering his deeply entrenched need to dedicate his life to others. Although originally written for children, Louisa May Alcott’s Jo’s Boys, alongside the other novels in her “March Family Saga,” has long been read and adored by children and adults alike. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Louisa May Alcott’s Jo’s Boys is a classic of American literature and children’s fiction reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisWinesburg, Ohio (1919) is a collection of interrelated short stories about small-town life in the American Midwest by author Sherwood Anderson. No doubt inspired by his own decision to leave Ohio for Chicago in order to launch his career as a professional writer, these stories relate a firsthand understanding of the concerns, routines, desires, and disappointments driving the lives of many Americans in the early-twentieth century. A young man struggles to express himself, and, consumed with paranoia and loneliness, turns to violence as his only outlet. An elderly mother recalls visions of her youth and memories of lost love as she faces death alone. A reserved woman inexplicably runs naked into the rainy streets of her town. Winesburg, Ohio is built on such stories as these, dissecting with painstaking detail the inner psychological torments of a small town’s residents who remain, in the end, unmistakably human. Their longing and loneliness bring them together as much as they define what drives them apart, but ultimately it is silence and suffering which prevail. Throughout these stories, the life and development of George Willard is told in fragments, examining the extent to which we are formed in the image of others as well as the lengths to which one young man will go to avoid the fate he is born to. Winesburg, Ohio was an instant classic, a work which came not only to define Anderson’s career, but to inspire generations of writers and readers to come. Winesburg, Ohio is recognized today as a pioneering work of Modernist fiction that precipitated a sea change in not only short story writing, but the entirety of American literature. Anderson’s style is admired for its plainspoken language and psychological detail, and he was one of the first American authors to incorporate ideas from Freudian analysis within his work. Both darkly pessimistic and ultimately hopeful, Winesburg, Ohio endures because it captures the humanity of American life while offering to readers a sense of the promise of change. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisPersuasion (1817) is the final novel written by English author Jane Austen—and the first to be attributed to her name. Persuasion was published posthumously to widespread critical acclaim, and has since been recognized as an understated and mature work of fiction from one of history’s finest writers. Like most of Austen’s novels, Persuasion involves an intricate network of characters and relationships, illustrating its author’s peerless attention to the inner workings of aristocratic society and the nuances of human communication. Persuaded by her wealthy family to break off her engagement to the young Frederick Wentworth, Anne Elliot finds herself unmarried nearly eight years later. By now, with the Elliot family all but ruined by the spendthrift Sir Walter and his enabling daughter Elizabeth, the prospect of marriage is not only a distant hope for Anne, but a bitter reminder of what could have been. When chance reunites her with Frederick, now the esteemed Captain Wentworth for his accomplishments in the Napoleonic Wars, she will have to navigate feelings both old and new with the reversal brought on by their opposing fortunes. As the two are drawn closer together, they will have to decide if it is possible to rekindle a love that has lain dormant much longer than their engagement was allowed to last. Jane Austen’s Persuasion is a perceptive and entertaining novel that raises timeless questions regarding the inequity of social life, the disparate opportunities available to men and woman, and the indomitable feelings which work to draw them together—and threaten to drive them apart. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jane Austen’s Persuasion is a classic of English literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisCousin Pons (1847) is a novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. One of the final works in Balzac’s La Comédie humaine sequence, Cousin Pons originally began as a novella before being extended to the length of a novel. It serves as both a beautiful meditation on the nature of Platonic male friendship and a vitriolic condemnation of the vanity and greed of the French bourgeoisie. In typical fashion, however, Balzac also turns a critical eye to the lower class, ensuring his uniquely holistic vision of French society spares no one—and leaves no stone unturned. When he isn’t performing with a Parisian boulevard orchestra, Sylvain Pons can be found in deep conversation with his good friend Wilhelm Schmucke, admiring his collection of paintings, or enjoying a gourmet meal with his cousins, M. and Mme. Camusot de Marville, whose food he greatly prefers to that of his landlady’s, Mme. Cibot. Pons’ life and company are of little interest to anyone other than his friend Wilhelm—by family and acquaintances, he is treated at best with tolerance, and at worst with disdain. After failing to find a suitable match for their daughter Cécile—which Pons attempts as a form of repayment for his shared meals with the Camusots—his cousins dispel him from their home and lives for good. But when they discover the value of his art collection—as do Mme. Cibot and several shady characters of the lower classes—a mad scramble ensues that threatens Sylvain Pons’ gentle nature as well as his life. Cousin Pons, a subtle and underrated novel by Honoré de Balzac, takes an unforgiving look at the consequences of greed as well exposes the imbalance between the economic and aesthetic values of art. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Honoré de Balzac’s Cousin Pons is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisA Passion in the Desert (1830) is a short story by French author Honoré de Balzac. Written as part of his La Comédie humaine sequence, A Passion in the Desert is a frequently anthologized work of short fiction that explores humanity’s relationship with nature as well as the effects of conquest and colonization. The story was loosely adapted into a 1997 feature film and remains one of Balzac’s most acclaimed works. The story’s frame narrative begins after a man and woman attend a menagerie in Paris. The woman is horrified by what she has seen: a man working with a tamed hyena as though it were human. Her companion, the story’s narrator, reveals his experience in these matters, and agrees to tell her a tale reported to him by a crippled veteran of Napoleon’s conquests. This soldier, he explains, was captured by Ottoman forces during the emperor’s campaign in Egypt. Managing to escape, he fled across the desert on horseback toward the safety of the Nile. When his horse died from exhaustion, he continued on foot and discovered, in the damp protection of a cave, a sleeping panther. Terrified at first, he slowly came to an understanding with the creature, learning to live at her side without angering her or falling prey to her animal hunger. One day, however, emerging from the cave to admire an eagle in flight, he is struck with the feeling that the panther had become jealous, and devises a plan to escape her inevitable wrath. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Honoré de Balzac’s A Passion in the Desert is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisFather Goriot (1835) is a novel by French author Honoré de Balzac. An early work in his La Comédie humaine sequence, Father Goriot has since become one of Balzac’s most critically and commercially successful novels. It contains several characters who appear throughout his other books and is considered to be the first novel in which he perfected his hallmark realist style. The novel, set in Paris, follows Eugène de Rastignac, a young law student who lives at a boarding house owned by a widow named Madame Vauquer. Her other residents include Jean-Joachim Goriot, a retired businessman whose fortune has been spent on his two adult daughters, and Vautrin, a hardened and mysterious criminal. As Rastignac navigates urban life, he develops a fascination with high society that soon turns into an unhealthy obsession with joining the ranks of the wealthy. Although he falls in love with Goriot’s daughter Delphine, a married woman, Rastignac is pressured by Vautrin to court the young unmarried Victorine. Proposing they attempt to steal her family’s fortune—for which he offers to have her brother murdered—Vautrin does his best to corrupt the young and ambitious Rastignac, who will gradually be forced to choose between a life of luxury and a life of moral decency. In the background of their plotting, the story of Father Goriot unfolds, a tragic portrait of a man who gives everything to his family while wanting nothing more than their love and respect in return. Father Goriot is a complex yet effective novel. Criticized for extensive pessimism upon publication, its reputation for brutal honesty and social realism have aided its reception in recent years, and it is now considered one of Balzac’s most important works. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Honoré de Balzac’s Father Goriot is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book Synopsis When young Gaston moves to Bayeux, a small province in Normandy, he feels stranded. Though he would rather spend his time in the capital city, Gaston must stay in Bayeux until he recovers from his illness. He feels unsatisfied and bored, until he hears the rumor about a woman living as a recluse on the countryside. Victomtesse de Beauseant is a beautiful woman who had been abandoned by her husband many years ago. Devastated, and now stuck in a loveless marriage because she cannot get a divorce, she lives in isolation. Gaston is moved by her story and becomes fixated, desperate to meet her. When he finally gets the courage to visit her home, Victomtesse de Beauseant is flattered by his infatuation, and despite her being ten years his senior, Beauseant and Gaston become lovers. However, their private paradise is soon interrupted by Gaston’s disapproving mother, who is pressuring him to marry a woman he does not love. As rumors grow and Gaston’s mother becomes more persistent, Gaston and Victomtesse’s love is tested and threatened like never before. The Deserted Woman exemplifies Honoré de Balzac’s extraordinary literary ability that has influenced esteemed authors such as Henry James and Charles Dickens. With intricate prose and unparalleled compassion, Honoré de Balzac explores the too-common predicament of women trapped in unhappy relationships. The Deserted Woman tells the emotional tale of the pressure society put on women and men to enter marriages that prioritized social and financial compatibility over a real, mutual, love connection. Though it does not exist to such an extent in Western society, Balzac’s The Deserted Woman invites readers to consider how this spirit of unhealthy marriages is still alive in modern relationships. Balzac dedicated much of his career to the pursuit of capturing all aspects of society with his realist lens, creating celebrated work that influences the perspective of society. This edition of The Deserted Woman by Honoré de Balzac features a striking new cover design and is reprinted in a modern, easy-to-read font, creating an approachable reading experience for a contemporary audience.

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Book SynopsisBeginning with a visceral description of the society and politics of Paris, The Girl with the Golden Eyes considers the sex life of the upper class by its raw depiction of the underside of Parisian life. Henri de Marsay is a young, rich man who is nearly devoid of morals and virtue. After he meets Paquita Valdes, a mysterious and beautiful woman, he becomes infested with a deviant lust for her. When his plan to seduce her succeeds, Henri and Paquita maintain an intensely sexual relationship. However, when Henri starts to suspect Paquita is involved with another lover, he becomes overwhelmed with rage and jealousy. As he allows this emotion to cloud his judgement and conscience, Henri’s possessiveness plots a heinous act—immoral even by his questionable standards, leading to shocking discoveries and sick twists. The surprise and awe invoked by Honoré de Balzac’s The Girl with the Golden Eyes ensures a memorable narrative that has won the attention of critics and inspired a 1961 film adaptation. With elements of homosexuality, sexual slavery, incest and violence, The Girl with the Golden Eyes is a lustful tale that remains to be appalling and taboo. With raw and ruthless realism, Honoré de Balzac creates a portrait and reflection of an entire society through the vivid depiction of Paris and the specific amorous vice of the protagonists. While exploring the vices of the Parisian upper class, The Girl with the Golden Eyes also invites reflection on the brutal effects misogyny and ill-intended men have on women, exposing a truth that is still applicable to modern society. Though The Girl with the Golden Eyes has traditionally been published among a collection, this edition of Honoré de Balzac’s work stands alone in the spotlight it has earned. Featuring a brand new, eye-catching cover design and a modern, readable font, this edition of The Girl with the Golden Eyes is accessible to contemporary audiences and encourages conversation on torrid and taboo affairs.

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Book SynopsisAfter learning how to fight at a young age, Oroonoko, an African prince, fights alongside his army against invading forces. When a celebrated general saves Oroonoko’s life, trading his own to take an arrow for Oroonoko, the young prince feels indebted to the man and decides to go pay his respects to the late general’s family. There, he meets Imoinda, the daughter of the general. Oroonoko and Imoinda quickly fall in love and become betrothed, but the King, Oroonoko’s father, hears of Imoinda’s beauty and decides to take her as one of his wives. When Oroonoko and Imoinda rebel against this, the King sells Imoinda into slavery. Heartbroken, Oroonoko goes back to war, only to be tricked and captured by a British general. After the British general sells Oroonoko into slavery, he is reunited with Imoinda, as they are sold to work on the same plantation. This joy is short lived, as the horrors of slavery take its toll. When Imoinda becomes pregnant, the couple decide to do whatever it takes to ensure the best life for their child. They beg to be emancipated, but the plantation owner hardly considers their request, forcing Oroonoko to take his freedom back by force. With a lifetime of training, the love of his life at his side, and a dedication to regain his freedom, Oroonoko must lead a slave rebellion, risking everything he has for what he and his family should have: freedom. Oroonoko: or, The Royal Slave has earned acclaim from both literary critics and historians. When it was originally published in 1688, less than a year before author Aphra Behn died, Oroonoko: or, The Royal Slave did not receive immediate attention. However, Behn’s work did gain popularity after a stage version of the novel was released in 1695. While the accuracy of the novel’s plot has been questioned and debated by historians, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave has earned cultural and historical significance by being claimed as one of the first novels written in English. Along with its prolific and innovative writer, the novel has earned significance that is still admirable today. Now redesigned with an eye-catching cover and reprinted in a modern font, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave by Aphra Behn is accessible for a modern audience.

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Book SynopsisJulian West is an aristocrat in 19th century America. He has all that he would ever need, a happy engagement, wealth, and a pleasant place to live. Because of his comfortable place in society, Julian is unsympathetic to the plight of the middle and lower class, and even looks to their protests and strikes with distain and contempt. One day, to calm himself, he decides to be put in a hypnotic sleep by his doctor, in his own underground bunker. This was routine for Julian, but when tragedy in the form of a fire strikes, Julian is presumed dead and left in the bunker. A century later, Julian is found, but wakes to a world he could never predict. With the help of the man that found him, Doctor Leete, and Leete’s daughter, Edith, Julian becomes familiar with the 20th century American reality of equality between the sexes, the abolition of poverty, free education, and fair working conditions. Julian must then accept recognize his unempathetic views of the past, now understanding that life is better when people of all genders, classes, and race can be happy. But when Julian finds himself back in the 19th century, he struggles to convince others of his knowledge, and starts to wonder if the ideal 20th century was all a dream. Looking Backward was one of the most commercially successful novels of the 19th century, and upon its publication, inspired mass political movement. With the portrayal of the 20th century, Bellamy advocates for equality, and rejects war and capitalism. By depicting a happy working environment, where citizens had the freedom to choose their occupations, receive fair wages, and are able to retire at a reasonable time, Bellamy raises awareness for the working class. Looking Backward has since inspired the ideology of socialism, and proposes solutions to problems that America still struggles with today. This edition of Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy features a striking new cover design and is reprinted in a readable font. With these changes, the compelling plot and insight of Looking Backward is accessible and worthy of conversation.

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Book SynopsisIn the third installment of the Anne of Green Gables series, Anne enrolls in college and must face new challenges inside and outside the classroom. The young student attempts to balance a vibrant social life with an intense course load that will push her to her limits. Anne has left the comforts of Green Gables to embark on her college career. While attending Redmond College in Nova Scotia, she meets a new friend, Philippa Gordon and a potential beau, Roy Gardner. As her social circle grows, Anne maintains her connection with childhood cohort, Gilbert Blythe. When his undeniable affection becomes clear, Anne reevaluates her hopes for the future, including marriage. Anne of the Island is a pivotal entry in L.M. Montgomery’s enduring Anne Shirley novels. Readers follow the protagonist as she experiences the necessary growing pains of adulthood. Once she finds her footing, Anne finally acknowledges an obvious but unspoken truth. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Anne of the Island is both modern and readable.

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Book SynopsisBertha Marilla Blythe, also known as Rilla, is a teenager whose life dramatically changes with the onset and subsequent events of the first World War. She must quickly mature and adapt to a new normal, while awaiting the fate of her loved ones. Rilla Blythe is the bright young daughter of Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. She’s a social butterfly who’s more interested in school dances than formal education. With the outbreak of World War I, Rilla’s forced to shift her priorities. Her brothers, childhood friends and first love all enlist in the service and are immediately sent abroad. Rilla attempts to do her part at home by collecting donations and supporting the Red Cross. During her efforts, she notices the dire effect the conflict has on families, particularly children. When she discovers an orphaned infant, Rilla is faced with new responsibilities that change her life forever. Rilla of Ingleside is one of the last books in the beloved Anne of Green Gables series. Despite its serious tone, the novel still maintains a message of hope and perseverance. Rilla is a vibrant character, who like her mother, chooses to forge her own path. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Rilla of Ingleside is both modern and readable.

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Book SynopsisThe Power of Sympathy (1789) is a novel by American author William Hill Brown. Considered the first American novel, The Power of Sympathy is a work of sentimental fiction which explores the lessons of the Enlightenment on the virtues of rational thought. A story of forbidden romance, seduction, and incest, Brown’s novel is based on the real-life scandal of Perez Morton and Fanny Apthorp, a New England brother- and sister-in-law who struck up an affair that ended in suicide and infamy. Inspired by their tragedy, and hoping to write a novel which captured the need for rational education in the newly formed United States of America, Brown wrote and published The Power of Sympathy anonymously in Boston. The novel, narrated in a series of letters, is the story of Thomas Harrington. He falls for the local beauty Harriot Fawcet, initially hoping to make her his mistress. But when she rejects him, his friend Jack Worthy suggests that he attempt to court and then propose to her, which is the honorable and lawful choice. Thomas’ overly sentimental mind is persuaded by Jack’s unflinching reason, and so he decides to pursue Harriot once more. This time, he is successful, and the two eventually become engaged, but their happiness soon fades when Mrs. Eliza Holmes, a family friend of the Harringtons, reveals the true nature of Harriot’s identity. As the secrets of Mr. Harrington—Thomas’ father—are revealed, the couple are forced to choose between the morals and laws of society and the passionate love they share. The Power of Sympathy is a moving work of tragedy and romance with a pointed message about the need for education in the recently founded United States. Despite borrowing from the British and European traditions of sentimental fiction and the epistolary novel, Brown’s work is a distinctly American masterpiece worthy of our continued respect and attention. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of William Hill Brown’s The Power of Sympathy is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisDavid Levinsky, a Russian immigrant, moved to America in search of opportunity but is forced to confront many moral and economic challenges along the way. It’s a compelling account of one person’s faith and perseverance following a life-changing decision. After a series of tragedies, David Levinsky decides to leave his native Russia for the United States. Formally educated in the Talmud, he has strong religious beliefs that clash with his new secular lifestyle. He eventually finds work but is interested in starting his own business. Over time, his professional life begins to thrive, while his personal endeavors suffer. With the accumulation of wealth and prestige, comes the unavoidable cost of the American dream. The Rise of David Levinsky details the highs and lows of the immigrant experience. It examines the desire and sacrifice required to build a new life. It’s a cautionary tale that explores the strength and struggles of the nineteenth century Jewish immigrant. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Rise of David Levinsky is both modern and readable.

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Book Synopsis A knight, a monk, a merchant, a summoner, and a wife all walk into an inn, and realize they are in the company of many others who intend to make the same pilgrimage to Canterbury. As a group of English people all gather at the Tabard inn, they learn that they will be travelling together. Usually divided by their differing social classes, professions, and beliefs, the group are united by their pilgrimage to Canterbury, where they’ll receive blessings from a Christian martyr. Upon this realization, the host of the inn proposes a competition: whoever can tell the best story on the journey to Canterbury wins a lavish dinner. All enamored by the promise of a good meal, each member takes a turn telling a story. With tales of true love, chivalry, crime, infidelity, piety, dishonesty, and adventure, the stories of the group humor, inspire, offend, and entertain. As the stories continue, members of the pilgrimage party interrupt, praise, scold, and even fight other members, enlightening them with lessons and new perspectives as they journey to complete their pilgrimage. With feuds, jokes, love affairs, and moral allegories, The Canterbury Tales treat audiences to a dynamic journey crafted with exquisite prose and elegant poetry. Originally published around 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales have since inspired many adaptations of both its plot and narrative form. Using satire, allegory, and wit, The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories that explores various genres and literary purposes, creating an incredibly inclusive narrative. This edition of The Canterbury Tales, written by Geoffrey Chaucer, features a new striking cover design and is printed in a modern font, crafting an approachable experience of one of the most influential works in English literature.

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Book SynopsisGiovanni Battista Fidanza, also known as Nostromo, is a revered seaman who is asked to smuggle a shipment of silver out of a war-torn country. Despite his stellar reputation, Nostromo encounters an unexpected challenge that will test his skills and ethics. Costaguana is a fictional South American country that’s embroiled in chaos due to war-lords eager to overthrow the government. In an effort to protect his assets, Charles Gould, who owns a silver mine, plans to ship his precious metals out of the country. He hires Nostromo, an Italian sailor, to secretly export the cargo before the rebellion takes hold. In the same trip, Nostromo agrees to help transport a journalist looking to escape persecution. The men face a series of obstacles, setting them on a dark path of corruption. Many critics consider Nostromo a literary masterpiece. It paints an honest and unforgiving picture of the human condition. Through different characters, the story tracks the pervasive nature of greed and how it destroys those with the noblest intentions. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Nostromo is both modern and readable.

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Book SynopsisSarrasine (1831) is a novella by French author Honoré de Balzac. Written as part of his La Comédie humaine sequence, Sarrasine is one of Balzac’s earliest works published without a pseudonym and helped to establish his reputation as a serious writer and distinguished member of Parisian high society. Noted for its controversial exploration of homosexuality and castration, Balzac’s novella would become the subject of Roland Barthe’s groundbreaking work of literary criticism, S/Z (1970). Composed as a frame narrative, Sarrasine begins during a ball at the mansion of the wealthy Monsieur de Lanty. The unnamed narrator, from a window overlooking the garden, listens to the conversations of partygoers and watches as his guest, Beatrix Rochefide, is approached by a mysterious older man. The next night, the narrator tells Beatrix a story involving the man, a respected member of de Lanty’s circle. He begins with the life of Ernest-Jean Sarrasine, a successful young sculptor who, on a trip to Rome, fell in love with an opera star named Zambinella. Convinced she represents the ideal feminine form, he rejects Zambinella’s misgivings and vague excuses, becoming increasingly obsessed with the beautiful singer. Devising a plan to kidnap Zambinella during a party at the French embassy, Sarrasine discovers the truth: the singer is a castrato, a classical operatic performer who was selected and castrated before puberty. Sarrasine, a powerful novella, explores themes of idealization and obsession while illuminating the conflation of sex and gender. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Honoré de Balzac’s Sarrasine is a classic of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisSet in both England and colonial India, The Woman in the Bazaar follows Captain George Coventry as he wrestles with guilt and the consequences of his actions. Rigid even by old fashioned standards, George Coventry holds misogynistic beliefs regarding the role women fill in a marriage, and in society. When he meets a beautiful woman named Rafella, they marry quickly after dating for a short period of time. Despite this rush and George’s misogyny, they are a happy couple for a while, until Rafella starts making friends. After she befriends the handsome Mr. Kennister, George assumes that Rafella is cheating on him. Absolutely irate and sick with jealousy, George terrorizes Rafella with a possessive rage until she runs away, never to be seen again. Years later, George falls in love again, but is unable to enjoy his second chance as he is haunted by rumors of a woman in the bazaar, an Englishwoman who had been sold into slavery. As George becomes engrossed in this rumor, he is forced to wonder if Rafella could have suffered the same fate. Finally taking accountability of and reflecting on his actions, George realizes that he first must resolve his past with Rafella before entering a new marriage. With its feminist themes, complex characters and unique setting, The Woman in the Bazaar keeps audiences engaged and constrained. Originally published in 1917, Alice Perrin’s The Woman in the Bazaar colorfully depicts a setting uncommon in literature while featuring a marriage riddled with jealousy. With the vivid portrayal of colonial India as well as the many sides to relationships, The Woman in the Bazaar is a compelling narrative of an aspect of marriage not often explored. Following George’s pre-existing polarizing beliefs, Perrin explores their fruition and the effect it has on Rafella and George’s relationship. This rare portrayal of marital problems caters to an unfortunately common consequence of matrimony and still resonates with contemporary audiences. Now featuring a brand new, eye-catching cover design and a readable font, this edition of The Woman in the Bazaar, written by the celebrated author, Alice Perrin, is perfect for a modern audience.

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Book SynopsisRip Van Winkle is an easy-going Dutch American settler living in New York. Though he is happy to help his friends, Rip Van Winkle is unmotivated to complete the much-needed repairs or chores for his family’s farm. Worried about their financial well-being, Dame Von Winkle, Rip’s wife, often scolds him and tells him to work. One day, still uninterested in doing these jobs, Rip Van Winkle decides he needs a break from his wife. Accompanied by his dog, Rip begins to walk into the Catskill mountains, only to find a group of strange men with long beards and dressed in fancy, antique Dutch clothing. As they play games and drink liquor, Rip Van Winkle enjoys the merriment, helping himself to some drink. After deciding to take a nap, Rip settles against a tree with his dog and go to sleep. He had only intended on taking a break for one day, but when Rip Van Winkle wakes from his nap, his whole world has changed. After a twenty-year sleep, Rip goes down to his hometown, only to find that he doesn’t recognize anyone. As Rip searches the village for a familiar face, he finds that everything has changed—his family, his neighborhood, and even his country. Originally published in 1819, Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving is a unique and imaginative perspective on the American Revolution. Separated by Rip Van Winkle’s nap, Irving depicts both a pre and post revolution America, creating a stark distinction. Rip Van Winkle is a classic beloved tale, having been adapted for many media forms, such as television, film, animation, theater, and even music. With descriptive prose and memorable characters, Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle approaches themes of change, accompanied by symbolism and satire. This edition of Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle preserves the original story of the well-known character while restoring it to modern standards. With a stylish font and an eye-catching cover design, this edition of Rip Van Winkle is perfect for a contemporary audience.

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Book SynopsisUpton Sinclair’s novel, 100%: The Story of a Patriot, follows young Peter Gudge, a poor and uneducated man living in America during the first World War. After being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Peter falls victim to false allegations of domestic terrorism. As a result, Peter must abandon his old ignorance to political issues. While becoming involved in politics and the government, Peter is swept into a plot to spy on the Socialist Party, who are suspected of the domestic bombing. Though his world has been flipped upside down, Peter uses his new awareness to become a businessman. As Peter’s job exposes poor working conditions, including unsafe business practice, low wages, and unfair expectations, issues of class are apparent. While the upper class exploits the lower-class citizens, Peter’s job reveals the struggles of workers without labor laws, invoking an empathetic desire for change. Famous for politically charged novels exposing American society and the ways its institutions harmed the American people, Upton Sinclair’s 100%: The Story of a Patriot provides a compelling narrative that advocates for the working class. Through Peter, the prolific author, Upton Sinclair, exposes big business practices—demonstrating the exploitation of the poor and disadvantaged for capital gain. Sinclair lived through World War One and experienced firsthand how it affected Americans. Though fictional, 100%: The Story of a Patriot holds historical significance, as it focuses on the unique perspective of American citizens on the home front of the first World War, rather than the actual battlefield. This thrilling tale highlights the class wars in America as well as the effects the Red Scare had on American people. With a relatable protagonist and gripping prose, 100%: The Story of a Patriot depicts a journey that is very applicable to the political atmosphere of today. This edition of Upton Sinclair’s 100%: The Story of a Patriot features a stunning new cover design and is printed in a modern font to appeal to contemporary readers.

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Book Synopsis When Allan moves to New York City from Mississippi, his brother, Oliver, who had been living in the city for a few years prior, decides to introduce Allan to an exclusive group of wealthy people. Hoping that it will help Allan’s law business, Oliver gets Allan invites to parties and meetings, which quickly grant Allan access to the decadence of the rich. With expensive cars, private trains, thousand-dollar clothing, and gluttonous meals made by servants, these rich elites are living at the height of luxury. Meanwhile, the lower-class citizens of the city are stuck in job with poor work conditions, terrible pay, and unsafe environments. Most even struggled to keep their family fed. Allan is unable to turn a blind eye to the suffering. He launches a court case to help lessen the blight of the poor, but soon realizes that the people he is fighting against are the elite citizens he had met before—the most powerful people in New York. As Allan remembers the drama of the elite, including torrid affairs, issues of alcoholism, venomous gossip, and vicious backstabbing, he knows that he must be careful and clever to survive the shallow values and cruel intentions of the wealthy society. Known as a master of detail, Upton Sinclair depicts a story of high drama with meticulous prose and compelling themes. Set in the exciting scene of New York City in 1907, The Metropolis depicts a duality by showing both the glamourous and obscene lifestyle of the rich and the desolate, difficult life of the poor and working class. This contrast describes the cruelty of the rich, often making the poor victims to their greed and selfishness. With a compelling message, plot twists, and backstabbing, The Metropolis is both an entertaining and enthralling read. This edition of The Metropolis by Upton Sinclair features an eye-catching cover design and is printed in a modern and readable font. With these accommodations, contemporary readers are able to enjoy Upton Sinclair’s distinguished novel with style and ease.

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Book SynopsisRoads of Destiny (1909) is a collection of short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of crime, poverty, and fate. “A Retrieved Reformation,” perhaps the most notable of the collection’s twenty-two stories, is semi-autobiographical in that it explores the life of a criminal and fugitive who maintains a moral identity while struggling to adjust to life outside of prison. “Roads of Destiny” is the story of a French poet and shepherd named David Mignot. After fighting with his lover Yvonne, he decides to leave his home village of Vernoy in search of fame and adventure. The dreamlike narrative follows him down three paths: one takes him to the home of a wealthy Marquis, where he falls in love with his young daughter; the next leads him to the halls of the king, where he is recruited to act as a body double during a visit to the nearby cathedral; the final one finds him turning back toward home, where he struggles to balance a life of marriage with his poetic calling. In “A Retrieved Reformation,” a safecracker named Jimmy Valentine attempts to lead a quiet life following his release from prison. Using an assumed identity, he settles in Arkansas, where he marries the beautiful daughter of a local banker. Despite his best efforts, however, his criminal past threatens to resurface at every turn. Roads of Destiny is a collection of stories exploring themes of fate and identity by an icon of American literature. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henry’s Roads of Destiny is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Voice of the City (1908) is a collection of twenty-five short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and prisoner, these stories address themes of poverty and city life with humor and abundant empathy. Its focus on the regular, working class people of New York City makes The Voice of the City a sequel of sorts to Henry’s The Four Million (1906), perhaps his most important collection. In “The Voice of the City,” a determined reporter takes to the streets in search of the authentic New York. With an abundance of wit and without social grace, he attempts to interview a young woman sitting on her stoop, a busy bartender, and a corrupt policeman, asking each for their opinion on how the city speaks to them. Despite his efforts, however, he discovers that, for the most part, the city best speaks for itself. “The Complete Life of John Hopkins” follows a day in the life of its title character. In the middle of a conversation with his wife, he decides to step out of his modest flat in search of a cheap cigar. When a fight with a shop owner and a policeman somehow leads him to the home of a wealthy aristocrat, he finds enough excitement to last him a lifetime. In “A Lickpenny Lover,” a young shop girl agrees to go on a date with a patron of her department store glove counter who promises her comfort and wealth. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henry’s The Voice of the City is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Trimmed Lamp (1907) is a collection of twenty-five short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and prisoner, these stories address themes of poverty and city life with humor and abundant empathy. Its focus on the regular, working class people of New York City makes The Trimmed Lamp a sequel of sorts to Henry’s The Four Million (1906), perhaps his most important collection. In “The Trimmed Lamp,” two friends discuss work, love, and money while standing on a city street-corner. They both came to New York in search of work, and though Nancy enjoys her low paying job as a shop girl at a department store, Lou brags about her employment as an ironer at a laundry and encourages her friend to look for something else to do. While they wait for Lou’s boyfriend Dan, Lou asks Nancy about the wealthy men who frequent her store, and secretly wonders what it would be like to marry into money. “The Last Leaf” is a story of two artists living in Greenwich Village. While Sue lies bedridden from pneumonia, each day growing closer to death, she watches from her window a vine across the street. As fall turns to winter, its leaves drop one by one, until nothing remains but one last leaf. In another apartment, an old artist named Behrman watches the vine as well, painting the leaf with a renewed sense of purpose and a lifetime of skill and precision. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of O. Henry’s The Trimmed Lamp is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1917, Waifs and Strays is a premier selection of short stories released seven years after the author’s untimely death at age 47. The book contains 12 memorable tales including “Confessions of a Humorist," "The Detective Detector," and "The Sparrows in Madison Square." In Waifs and Strays, O. Henry brings humor to unconventional stories with unforgettable characters. With "The Detective Detector” he spoof’s the world’s most famous consultant Sherlock Holmes, while “Hearts and Hands” centers the unusual dynamic between a convict, a marshal and a beautiful woman. There’s also “The Cactus” in which a man recalls the errors of a past relationship and “A Little Talk About Mobs,” where two men debate New York’s gangster scene.Waifs and Strays is a compelling collection of stories that are humorous, thrilling and most importantly, entertaining. O. Henry creates diverse narratives that stir the imagination and keep readers guessing. Each tale is an attention-grabber full of memorable moments. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Waifs and Strays is both modern and readable.

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Book SynopsisThe Confidence-Man (1857) is a novel by American writer Herman Melville. After the failure of his novels Moby-Dick (1851) and Pierre: or, The Ambiguities (1852), Melville struggled to find a publisher who would accept his work. When it was published, The Confidence-Man was seen as a flawed, unnecessarily complicated novel, and beyond several collections of poetry, it all but ended Melville’s career as a professional writer. When Melville’s work was reappraised in the 1920s, however, scholars recognized his status as one of nineteenth century America’s finest literary voices. A keen visionary, Melville’s satirical outlook and pessimistic sense of American morality drive the fragmented narrative of The Confidence-Man, his final, most complicated, and perhaps most rewarding novel. In St. Louis, a mute man dressed in cream colored clothes boards a riverboat bound for New Orleans. On the journey down the Mississippi, a cast of characters at once bizarre and commonplace passes the time playing cards, engaging in conversation, and attempting to gain one another’s trust. A crippled African American beggar faces disbelief when he speaks of his life on the streets. A young and naïve student idolizes wealthy men and hopes to make a fortune by investing in stocks. A man in a gray suit asks his fellow passengers to donate to a suspicious charity. As the boat sails on, it becomes increasingly clear that while confidence is easily purchased, honesty remains the rarest of commodities. Set and published on April Fool’s Day, The Confidence-Man is a satire of American life that explores with unsparing pessimism themes of religion, identity, morality, and the role of money in everyday life. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Herman Melville’s The Confidence-Man is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book Synopsis“[Jack London was] a great gobbler-up of the world, physically and intellectually, the kind of writer who went to a place and wrote his dreams into it, the kind of writer who found an Idea and spun his psyche around it.”—E.L. DoctorowMartin Eden (1909) is a novel by American writer Jack London. The book follows the tradition of the Künstlerroman, a narrative that traces the life and development of an artist, to tell the story of a young man not unlike London himself. Part fiction, part autobiography, Martin Eden examines the consequences of dreams and achievements, successes and failures, for a young artist struggling with fame. The novel is heavily influenced by London’s socialist values, and dissects the interwoven nature of class and the arts while critiquing the individualist mentality promoted by such figures as Nietzsche. The young Martin Eden lives in Oakland where he struggles to rise above the circumstances of his birth. Despite his impoverished background, he has hopes of becoming a successful writer, and has spent years educating himself toward that goal. A dreamer, Eden is also driven to marry Ruth Morse, a woman he loves despite their vastly different lives—he is a sailor, she comes from a bourgeois family. It soon becomes clear that his intentions to write and to marry are entirely intertwined. When he finds success, however, breaking through with publishers and with the elite literati of Oakland, he finds that Ruth’s love is far from guaranteed, and that dreams rarely come to fruition. Martin Eden is a story of the American ideal, of class and identity, and of one man determined to make it, whatever the cost. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jack London’s Martin Eden is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisThe Strength of the Strong (1914) is a collection of short stories by American writer Jack London. Written and published when London was at the height of his success as an author, the stories that make up The Strength of the Strong engage with themes inspired by his lifelong advocacy of socialism. In the collection, London explores—through science fiction, naturalism, and historical narratives—the consequences of capitalism on human life, the nuances of geopolitical power, and the importance of the labor movement. In “The Strength of the Strong,” a parable, a prehistoric elder named Long-Beard speaks to a gathering of his fellow hunters. As they sit around a fire eating the remains of a wild bear carcass, Long-Beard tells the story of their people. He recalls how their society developed to promote individualism and hierarchy, and how conflict with other tribes and a lack of shared resources led to the breakdown of the community. “South of the Slot” is the story of Freddie Drummond, a sociology professor at Berkeley who leads a secret double life as a powerful union organizer named Big Bill Totts. As Totts’s influence in the labor movement grows, it becomes more and more difficult for Drummond to separate his identities and to keep his union work hidden from his fiancé, the wealthy aristocrat Catherine van Vorst. In “The Unparalleled Invasion,” a work of speculative fiction, London illustrates a future where China—which has risen to control all of Asia—is attacked with biological weapons by a combined force of Western powers. The Strength of the Strong is a collection of stories addressing issues of race, class, power, and violence from a master of science fiction and literary naturalism. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jack London’s The Strength of the Strong is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Book SynopsisLost Face (1910) is a collection of seven short stories by American writer Jack London. Drawing on his experiences as a gold prospector in the Yukon, London explores the life of humanity at the edge of civilization. In these stories of life and death, nature reigns supreme over society, and even the strong are not guaranteed to survive. “Lost Face” is the story of a Polish trapper and fur thief named Subienkow. Captured by Native Americans, he watches in horror as a strong, courageous Cossack is slowly killed through hours of brutal torture. Recalling the hardships he faced in Poland, Russia, and Siberia, Subienkow delves deep into his reservoir of experience to devise a plan he hopes will allow him to escape such a terrible fate. Using an interpreter, he convinces Makamuk, the chief, that he possesses a powerful medicine, and offers it in exchange for his life. In “To Build a Fire”—a frequently anthologized work of adventure fiction and one of London’s most beloved works—an explorer decides to trek into the forest of the Yukon while a winter storm looms on the horizon. Ignoring all signs of danger, as well as the warnings of an experienced elder, he finds himself lost in the woods with nothing but a dog and a fire. With no time to question his motives—he had set out to visit a friend’s cabin—he is forced to face nature head on, and on its own terms. Lost Face, published at the height of London’s career, compiles seven stories from the master of adventure and naturalist fiction. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Jack London’s Lost Face is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

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