Books in the World Classics series

Amour et confusion dans la France du 19e.Jeanne aime bien son cousin Jacques, qu'elle connait depuis toujours. Jacques est gentil, mais quand elle lui fait la bise, c'est sans frisson. Lui, la trouve mignonne, sans plus. Cependant, leurs meres ont decide qu'ils allaient se marier et quand elle l'apprend, quelque chose au fond Jeanne change, et de l'affection enfantines nait un amour nouveau. -

Young orphan Judy Abbott’s life is turned upside down following an unexpected message. An anonymous benefactor has offered to pay for Judy to attend college on one condition – she must write to the mysterious donor every month to update them on her progress, and she must never know who they are. With college life a whirl of new friends, classes and parties, there is plenty for Judy to update her benefactor about, but the question remains – just who is this anonymous stranger? And why do they care so much for Judy? A charming and humorous coming of age story from the famous American author Jean Webster. Jean Webster (1876-1916) was an American writer and social activist. Born in New York to a matriarchal family, Webster was deeply influenced by the strong women who surrounded her. She became interested in social issues while at Vassar College, an interest she would maintain throughout her life, alongside women’s suffrage and education, all of which would influence her writing. Her most famous works include ‘When Patty Went to College’ and ‘Daddy-Long-Legs’, the latter of which also toured as a successful play. She died in 1916 following childbirth complications aged 39 while at the height of her career.

‘A Tale of the Tow-Path’ by American author Homer Greene, is a short story which follows the exploits of the young son of a farmer, Joe Gaston. Following a disagreement with his father Joe runs away from home, leaving his mother and sister heartbroken. Unbeknownst to him, a horse thief stole into the family stable and took a horse the same night Joe made his escape. Now suspected of stealing the horse too, will Joe and his family ever be able to reconcile? Homer Greene (1853-1940) was an American author and lawyer from Pennsylvania. Greene began his literary career while still a student at college and wrote both stories and poetry. He wrote for the New York Evening Post, the Albany Evening Journal and the Albany Argus. Greene completed his well-known verse, ‘What My Lover Said’ whilst in his senior year at college. He went on to author a number of novels including ‘Burnham Breaker’, ‘Riverpark Rebellion’ and ‘Pickett’s Gap’. His most well-known story is ‘The Blind Brother: A Story of the Pennsylvania Coal Mines’.

This posthumously published autobiography of Andrew Carnegie is a very well written and interesting accounts of the life of one of the wealthiest self-made men in American history. The industrialist and philanthropist lived his life according the following dictum: spend the first third of your life getting all the education you can; spend the next third making all the money you can; and spend the last third giving it all away for worthwhile causes.Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) was a Scottish-American philanthropist and industrialist, who made his fortune expanding the American steel industry. Born in Fife (Scotland), his family was poor and they emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1948, in hope of finding better fortune there. He started working for the railroads at an early age, earning his way up, before leaving that industry to focus on the steel industry after the Civil War. Carnegie was also an author and while he is mostly remembered for his posthumously published autobiography, he contributed to many periodicals, discussing labour issues, and published works such "The Gospel of Wealth" (1889) and "The Empire of Business" (1902).

"e;La Tulipe Noire"e; se base sur le lynchage du chef d'etat Johan de Witt et son frere Cornelius sont lynches par leurs propres compatriotes. Cet evenements, un des plus douloureux de l'histoire neerlandaise, auquel Dumas donne vie ici. L'action se deroule un an et demi apres le meurtre des freres de Witt. A Haarlem, une large somme d'argent peut etre gagnee par celui qui arrivera a cultiver une fleur des plus particulieres : une tulipe noire. Le jeune Cornelius van Baerle, qui avait presque reussi cet exploit de botanique, est jete dans la prison de Loevestein, car il possede des lettres de Cornelius de Witt, qui etait son parrain. Van Baerle rencontre alors la fille de son geolier Gryphus, Rosa, et une romance commence entre les eux. "e;La Tulipe Noire"e; est un roman historique publie pour la premiere fois en 1850. Il fut adapte en film muet en 1921 et a depuis aussi ete adapte en longs et courts metrages, ainsi qu'en comedies musicales. -

Publie en 1880, Nana est le neuvieme volume de la serie "e;Les Rougon-Macquart"e; et fut un succes enorme et immediat, grace notamment a une enorme campagne de publicite. Flaubert lui-meme ecrivit dans une lettre a Zola que : "e;Nana tourne au mythe, sans cesser d'etre reelle."e;On est a Paris, en 1867. La jeune et seduisante Anna Coupeau, dite Nana, seize ans, peine a joindre les bouts pour elever son fils, Louis. Issue du monde ouvrier, fille de Gervaise Macquart et de Coupeau (dont on retrouve l'histoire dans "e;L'Assommoir"e;), elle se prostitue, mais est bien entretenue par ses amants. Malgre ses humbles debuts, son manque total de talent, mais surtout grace a son charme affolant, Nana se met a grimper l'echelle social quand elle prend ses premiers pas sur la scene du Theatre des Varietes, dans le role de Venus. De la, Paris lui ouvre grand les portes et la beaute de Nana ne trouve de rivale que dans sa cupidite. "e;Nana"e; est empreint de la veine naturaliste et demontre l'importance et les effets nefaste de l'heredite et de l'environnement sur les Hommes.-

Un groupe d'ecolier de Nouvelle-Zelande par en vacances en bateau. Par erreur, le navire est detache du quai, alors que l'equipage est toujours a terre et les enfants se retrouvent seuls a bord. Une tempete detruit ensuite le navire et les enfants echouent sur une ile deserte ou ils vont devoir survivre.Jules Verne ne s'est pas cache du fait que ce roman s'inspire fortement du Robinson Crusoe de Daniel Defoe, qui etait si populaire au temps de Verne qu'il initia un nouveau genre litteraire : la robinsonnade. -

Postimestari saa vieraakseen miehen, joka ihastuu postimestarin tyttäreen. Vehkeilyllään ja juonikkuudellaan mies saa tyttären omakseen, mutta onneton postimestari lähtee pariskunnan perään. Viimein postimestari löytää tyttärensä – mutta loppu silti yllättää.Alexandr Pushkin (1799-1837) on yksi venäläisen kirjallisuuden suurimmista nimistä. Pushkinin laajaan tuotantoon kuuluu venäläisen kultakauden helmiä, kuten "Jevgeni Oneggin", "Patarouva" ja "Kapteenin tytär". Useista Pushkinin teoksista on tehty myös oopperoita. Pushkinia kiehtoi vapaa runokieli ja liiallisesta tunteellisuudesta pidättäytyminen.rnrnPushkin kuoli haavoituttuaan kaksintaistelussa. Kirjailija haastoi oman lankonsa taisteluun, koska uskoi että tällä oli suhde hänen vaimonsa kanssa. Lanko onnistui haavoittamaan Pushkinia, joka kuoli vain 38-vuotiaana.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Alice Adams" chronicles the attempts of a lower-middle class American, midwestern family, the Adams, to climb the social ladder at the turn of the 20th century. Alice, despite her faults, is generally agreed to be a lovable young woman, and she hopes for a better place in society and a better life. Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist and dramatist. Originally from Indianapolis, he attended both Purdue University and Princeton, as well as getting an honorary doctorate from Columbia. His family was well-off, though they lost some of their wealth in the Panic of 1873 (the Great Depression). He won the Pulitzer Prize twice, for "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1918) and "Alice Adams" (1921), making him one of only three to win it more than once, putting him alongside William Faulkner and John Updike. Whilst he is less known today, he was considered to be America's greatest living author during the early 20th century.

Uno dei primi libri di Charles Dickens fu "e;Nicholas Nickleby"e;, la storia del protagonista eponimo che, dopo la perdita del padre, deve badare alla madre e alla sorella. Si trasferiscono insieme a Londra per vivere con lo zio di Nicholas. Tuttavia lo zio Ralph nutre rancore nei confronti di Nicholas e fa poco per aiutare la sua famiglia. Il crudele maestro Wackford Squeers, ignobile e sgradevole, si basava su una persona reale, che Dickens decise di inserire nel romanzo dopo aver visitato la scuola dove insegnava. Come in tanti libri di Dickens, sono molti i personaggi pittoreschi presenti in "e;Nicholas Nickleby"e; e tutti insieme rappresentano il lato senza cuore della societa vittoriana. -

Filled with macabre mansions, things that go bump in the night and a healthy dose of farce, 'Northanger Abbey' is Jane Austen's first novel and a satirical parody of the Gothic tradition. As far as being seventeen goes, daydreaming yourself away as center stage in some dramatic and intense story is pretty standard fare. Such is the case for sweet and naive Catherine Morland, who longs for the sort of adventure she reads about in the popular Gothic novels she is obsessed with. The friends and foes, lovers and haters of the party season in Bath provide adequate entertainment, but it's not until Catherine accepts an invitation to Northanger Abbey, the family home of devilishly handsome Henry Tilney, that things really start to get interesting. Dark and stormy nights abound at the creepy old mansion, setting the scene perfectly for Catherine to see the world from a new perspective and learn something about herself in the process. Brilliantly humorous at its very core, melodramatic, and suspenseful, this coming-of-age novel is one of Austen's greatest works and a must-read for fans of Gothic novels. -

'Mankind in the Making' is a collection of papers written by Wells about the construction of a better future. These essays discuss topics such as educational reforms, poverty, the modern state, and political institutions in general. Wells critiques the Victorian system and provides a socialist perspective on how it can be improved. While Wells' ideals are socialist, he injects a unique futurist viewpoint as only he can. The book received praise from other authors such as Henry James for its interesting and well-justified ideas. 'Mankind in the Making' provides a deeper understanding of Wells' progressive and futuristic ideas that are abundant in his novels. Wells' thoughtful critiques of modern society remain relevant to this day and this book should be read by all fans of his other work, and anyone interested in politics.-

Elizabeth von Arnim’s novel "Elizabeth and Her German Garden" was first published in 1898. It was instantly popular and has gone through numerous reprints ever since.This story is the main character Elizabeth’s diary, where she relates stories from her life, as she learns to tend to her garden. Whilst the novel has a strongly autobiographical tone, it is also very humorous and satirical, due to Elizabeth’s frequent mistakes and her idiosyncratic outlook on life. She comments on the beauty of nature and shares her view on society, looking down on the frivolous fashions of her time and writing "I believe all needlework and dressmaking is of the devil, designed to keep women from study."The book is the first in a series about the same character. Elizabeth von Arnim (1866–1941), née Mary Annette Beauchamp, was a British novelist. Born in Australia, her family returned to England when she was three years old; and she was Katherine Mansfield’s cousin. She was first married to a Prussian aristocrat, the Graf von Arnim-Schlagenthin, and later to the philosopher Bertrand Russel’s older brother, Frank, whom she left a year later. She then had an affair with the publisher Alexander Reeves, a man thirty years her junior, and with H.G. Wells. Von Arnim moved a lot, living alternatively in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, before dying of influenza in South Carolina during the Second War. Elizabeth von Arnim was an active member of the European literary scene, and entertained many of her contemporaries in her Chalet Soleil in Switzerland. She even hired E. M. Forster and Hugh Walpole as tutors for her five children. She is famous for her half-autobiographical, satirical novel "Elizabeth and her German Garden" (1898), as well as for "Vera" (1921), and "The Enchanted April" (1922).

David "Davy" Crockett (1786–1836) was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier and politician. Commonly referred to as the "King of the Wild Frontier," he represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives, served in the Texas Revolution, and died at the Battle of the Alamo. This biography by John S. C. Abbott attempts to faithfully record the making of David Crockett, going over the incidents of his wild and wondrous life. It begins with his ancestors' immigration to the American wilderness, and follows his adventures among the Natives, his political career in Tennessee and beyond, ending with his heroic stand at the Alamo. Every American has heard about Davy Crockett, but in this account of his life, Abbott relates the true story, the life of the man behind the myth. John Stevens Cabot Abbott (1805-1877) was an American writer, pastor and historian from Maine. He was the brother of children’s book author Jacob Abbott. He wrote fiction and biographies, often with a strong focus on Christian ethics. He gained fame for his "The Mother at Home" and "History of Napoleon Bonaparte".

In this 1901 short story inspired by Ford Maddox Ford’s "The Cinque Ports", Conrad works on the theme of alienation. It centers on a young man, Yanko, the sole survivor of a shipwreck off the coast of Kent. The locals, not knowing that a boat has sunk, shun him as he washes up on their shores. But he is taken in by an eccentric local, and little by little, Yanko learns some English and falls in love with the servant girl, Amy Foster. But he has not come to the end of his troubles yet and the community keeps him at arm’s length, terrified of his very difference. Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) was a Polish-born author who left Poland in his teens to avoid enlistment in the Russian Army. He learned English aboard British ships and started writing in that language after settling in England. His most famous novel is "Heart of Darkness" (1899), which was inspired by his experiences on the open sea.

‘American Men of Action’ is Stevenson’s exploration of the lives of some of the most notable men in American history. From Christopher Columbus to Melvil Dewey, he leaves no stone of American history unturned. His concise and intentional manner manages to make even the most mundane pieces of history captivating.An American author and librarian, Burton Egbert Stevenson (1872-1962) was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. After studying at Princeton, he fought in the First World War, founded a library in Camp Sherman, and worked at Chillicothe city library for an impressive 58 years. He also founded the American Library in Paris, during his posting as the European director of the Library War Service. Alongside this, he was also an author, writing and compiling over 50 books across his lifetime, his children’s books and anthologies being the most well-known among them.

"Kathleen" is a 1920 novel by Christopher Morley. It tells the story of a group of eight Oxford undergrads who call themselves "The Scorpions." One day, they find a letter that a certain Kathleen wrote to Joe, and they build an idea of who she might be in their head, and are so intrigued, that they decide to go looking for her. Christopher Morley (1890–1957) was an American author, poet and journalist from Pennsylvania. His father was a mathematics professor and his mother a violinist. The family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, in 1900 and he later studied modern history at Oxford. After getting his degree, he moved back to America and married Helen Booth Fairchild, with whom he had four children. Morley was a prolific writer and is remembered for novels such as "Parnassus on Wheels" (1917), "The Haunted Bookshop" (1918), "Thunder on the Left" (1925), and "Kitty Foyle" (1939).

"Seventeen: A Tale of Youth and Summer Time and the Baxter Family Especially William" is a 1917 novel about 17-year-old William Sylvanus Baxter. It takes place in the Midwest just before World War I and satirises first love. "Seventeen" was first published in part in the Metropolitan Magazine, before coming out as a collected volume, and becoming a bestselling novel in the United States. Booth Tarkington (1869-1946) was an American novelist and dramatist. Originally from Indianapolis, he attended both Purdue University and Princeton, as well as getting an honorary doctorate from Columbia. His family was well-off, though they lost some of their wealth in the Panic of 1873 (the Great Depression). He won the Pulitzer Prize twice, for "The Magnificent Ambersons" (1918) and "Alice Adams" (1921), making him one of only three to win it more than once, putting him alongside William Faulkner and John Updike. Whilst he is less known today, he was considered to be America's greatest living author during the early 20th century.

"The Dancing Girls, and Other Stories" contains four short-stories by two-times Pulitzer Prize winner Edna Ferber, written between 1910 and 1919. The title story paints a pictures of small-town America and of life "on the other side of the tracks." "The Dancing Girls" is followed by "Old Lady Mandle," "Long Distance," and "One Hundred Percent."Edna Ferber (1885-1968) was an American author. Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and of Jewish descent, she suffered a lot from antisemitism, especially as a child, and was riddled with fear as she witness the Nazi Party party rise in Germany and gain followers across the Western world. Ferber won the Pulitzer Prize twice, in 1924 with her novel "So Big" and in 1926 with "Show Boat". Furthermore, her novels "Cimarron" (1930), "Giant" (1952), "Ice Palace" (1958) were each adapted to film. Her novels are remembered and celebrated for their strong female characters and their unique rendering of their American setting.

'In The South Seas' is a collection of stories from the Pacific Islands curated by Stevenson as he cruised through the islands. The collection is among some of the most important bodies of literature that focus on the Pacific area in the 19th century. The collection acts as a time capsule of tradition and culture that has since been lost to time and offers an incredibly fascinating and valuable insight in to a part of human history rarely given its due attention. The collection covers the various tribal cultures, languages, traditions and societies in the islands making it an important anthropological piece of work. Stevenson brings the vast ocean expanses, the stunning nature and the beauty of Polynesian culture to life in these pages. It is a compelling and deeply fascinating read perfect for anyone who loves David Attenborough's show 'Our Planet'.-

A collection of three long stories, 'Twixt Land and Sea' explores the troubled life of young captains at sea. Mired by dire circumstances and moral dilemmas, Conrad's characters are no longer consoled by the sea, and their psychological suffering is rendered in a memorable way. The most anthologized story in this collection, 'The Secret Sharer', is a perfect example of a Freudian narrative that discusses human weakness and sinfulness. Joseph Conrad's work went on to influence authors like George Orwell, John le Carre and F. Scott Fitzgerald-

‘Bunner Sisters’ explores the lives of the impoverished class in 1870s New York. Sisters Ann Eliza and Evelina run a small shop out of a shabby basement on a side street. Despite their misfortunes, they are happy in their small, supportive community of women. This bubble will soon be burst, however, as Ann Eliza and Evelina are faced with the harsh realities of the world that exists outside of their shop. A considerate exploration of American society, class, and sibling relationships, Edith Wharton’s novel is unmissable if you enjoyed Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’.Edith Wharton (1863-1937) was an American author. Best known for her sharp, scathing, and fierce stories about the upper-class society into which she was born and its treatment of women, she wrote more than 40 books. Her major works include "The Age of Innocence" (1920), "Ethan Frome" (1911), and "The House of Mirth" (1905). Beyond novels, she wrote authoritative works on architecture, gardens, interior design, and travel. She was the first female author to win the Pulitzer Prize, and her work is unmissable for all fans of classic authors, from Joseph Conrad to Virginia Woolf.

The Jubilee marks the fiftieth year of the reign of Queen Victoria. Dickensian in its sweeping scope of London life, Gissing’s "In the Year of the Jubilee" (1834) depicts the harsh and disreputable conditions of lower-middle class life at the end of the 19th century. Originally titled "Miss Lord of Camberwell," the novel depicts the adventures of suburban Nancy Lord and an exploration of South London. George Gissing (1857-1903) was a British author. Originally from Yorkshire, he wrote over 20 novels as well as short stories, travel diaries and pieces of criticism. He is famous for his "The Nether World," "New Grub Street," "Born in Exile," and "The Odd Women."

"In American Notes", the Anglo-Indian Rudyard Kipling visits the USA, and the travel-diary that came out of it offers an interesting view of the America of the 1880's.Kipling affects a wide-eyed innocence and expresses astonishment at features of American life that differ from his own, not least the freedom (and attraction) of American women. However, he scorns the political machines that make a mockery of American democracy, and whilst exhibiting the racist attitude that has made him controversial since he was first published, he does conclude that it not easy being different in the land of the free. Joseph Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was an India-born British author, journalist, poet, and novelist. His most famous work is "The Jungle Book" (1894), which has inspired two Disney adaptations: the 1967 animated feature and the 2016 live-action film starring Scarlett Johansson, Bill Murray, and Lupita Nyong’o. In 1941, he became the first English-language writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

"e;Il me semble que l'homme n'est pas fait pour etre si facilement heureux ! Le bonheur est comme ces palais des iles enchantees dont les dragons gardent les portes. Il faut combattre pour le conquerir."e;Le jeune marin Edmond Dantes est victime d'une trahison infame le jour de son retour a Marseille, alors qu'il est sur le point de se marier avec la belle Mercedes. Il se retrouve jete en prison par la jalousie des autres. Il s'ensuit une lutte acharnee contre son destin et contre lui-meme. Dantes devra survivre a maintes epreuves s'il veut un jour pouvoir se venger et revoir la femme qu'il aime. C'est un jeune homme plein d'espoir qui est jete dans les cachots, mais c'est le mysterieux Comte de Monte Cristo qui ressortira des tenebres. Considere comme etant l'un des meilleurs romans de tous les temps, cette epique histoire de vengeance explore des themes tels que la justice, la piete, l'amour et le pardon. Il a inspire de nombreuses adaptions, tant au theatre qu'au cinema, notamment le film de Kevin Reynolds de 2002 avec Jim Caviezel et Guy Pearce. -

Quando un vedovo decide di dare alla figlia il nome della madre scomparsa, succede qualcosa di molto strano... Un racconto classico dal solo e unico maestro dell’horror, "Morella" di Edgar Allan Poe è una storia avvincente e inquietante.Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) è stato un poeta, scrittore e critico letterario americano. Noto soprattutto per le sue poesie, i racconti e gli argomenti soprannaturali, misteriosi e macabri, gli viene anche attribuito il merito di aver inventato il genere poliziesco e contribuito ampiamente all’emergere della fantascienza, del romanticismo cupo e della weird fiction. Tra le sue opere più note si citano "Il corvo" (1845), "Il gatto nero" (1843) e "Lo scarabeo d’oro" (1843).

'On the Eve' was the third novel by acclaimed Russian author Ivan Turgenev. It follows the lives of idealistic and free-spirited aristocrat Elena Stakhova and the hot-blooded Bulgarian revolutionary Dmitri Insarov. Much to her parents dismay the pair fall deeply in love, but theirs is a doomed love and there is heartbreak on the horizon for the couple. A tragic yet hopeful tale, 'On the Eve' is also a poignant study of Russia's social class system. A must-read for all fans of Russian literature. -

In "My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard," Elizabeth Cooper offers the reader a translation of two series of letters by Kwei-li, the wife of a high-rank Chinese official.The first series is addressed to her husband whilst he is on a world tour with Prince Chung in the late 19th century. The second series of letters is from 25 years later and are addressed to her mother-in-law. Political intrigue is raging in China and the country is on the verge of a revolution. With these letters, Cooper hoped to "give a faint idea of the life of a Chinese lady," "a woman who had by education and environment exceptional opportunities to learn of the modern world, but who, like every Eastern woman, clings with almost desperate tenacity to the traditions and customs."Elizabeth Cooper, born Eslick (1877-1945) was an America author. Originally born in Homer, Iowa, she spent most of her adult life in Asia, and dedicated much of her work to the depiction of life, especially women’s, in countries such as China, Egypt, Turkey and Japan. Some her work includes: "My Lady of the Chinese Courtyard," "Drusilla With a Million," and "Living up to Billy."

De geschiedenis van Doctor Dolittle is het eerste boek in een reeks van twaalf kinderboeken door de Britse auteur Hugh Lofting. In dit boek maken we voor het eerst kennis met de arts John Dolittle, die een bijzondere gave heeft: hij kan met dieren praten. Hij maakt gebruik van deze gave door als dierenarts te gaan werken, en andere mensen te leren dat ze goed met dieren om moeten gaan. De reeks is in latere jaren onder vuur komen te liggen en meermaals herschreven wegens racistische portretteringen.Lofting schreef de verhalen over dokter Dolittle aanvankelijk in de brieven die hij aan zijn kinderen stuurde toen hij als militair meevocht aan het front in de Eerste Wereldoorlog.-

In Van ruimte en tijd zijn drie korte verhalen en twee novelles van sciencefictionschrijver H.G. Wells bijeengebracht. In deze teksten, geschreven tussen 1897 en 1899, komen allerlei buitenaardse en futuristische onderwerpen aan de orde, zoals een winkeleigenaar die een ei vindt waarmee hij op Mars kan kijken, of een liefdesverhaal uit het Londen van de 22e eeuw.De verhalen verschenen oorspronkelijk als serie in verschillende tijdschriften, en werden in deze bundel voor het eerst als geheel uitgebracht.-