Fluent from birth in French as well as his native Polish, Joseph Conrad (1857 - 1924) learned his third language, English, as an adult. And it was in English that he wrote his evocative stories and novels, drawing upon his experiences in the British and French navies to portray the struggles of humanity amid the world's vast indifference. This anthology offers readers the essential Joseph Conrad, including his debut novel, "Almayer's Folly". Other features include his political thriller, "The Secret Agent", along with his most famous novel, "Heart of Darkness", and a related account ... |
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A tribute to the first great age of fictional sleuthing, this delightful collection of 13 mystery classics is devoted to the genuine tale of ratiocination, "in which the detective solves the crime by investigation and observation, by using his or her wits". Douglas G. Greene, a widely recognized authority in the field of mystery fiction, provides an introduction and informative headnotes for the stories. Included among these gems, written between 1841 and 1920, are Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", widely acknowledged as the first detective story; Charles Dickens ' " ... |
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In Easy-to-Read Type. ... Chafed by the "sivilized" restrictions of his foster home, and weary of his drunkard father's brutality, Huck Finn fakes his own death and sets off on a raft down the Mississippi River. He is soon joined by Jim, an escaped slave. Together, they experience a series of rollicking adventures that have amused readers, young and old, for over a century. The fugitives become close friends as they weather storms together aboard the raft and spend idyllic days swimming, frying catfish suppers, and enjoying their independence. Their peaceful existence comes to an abrupt end, however, with ... |
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Quick reads by great writers. To buy books would be a good thing, observed Arthur Schopenhauer, if we also could buy the time to read them. All devoted readers long for more time to spend with their books, and the next best thing to buying time is making the most of the available moments. Great Short Short Stories: Quick Reads by Great Writers offers that opportunity. An outstanding collection of 30 brilliant short stories, each just six or fewer pages in length, it provides the chance to absorb an entire story (or two or three) in just one sitting. Quick Reads are bite-sized books by bestselling writers and well-known ... |
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Among the country's greatest artistic contributions, twentieth-century Russian literature was revolutionary on its approach to realism, injecting characters with human weaknesses familiar to all. It also provided fodder for other such important concepts as existentialism and even passive resistance, which was rooted in the works of Tolstoy and practiced successfully by Gandhi and Martin Luther King. The twelve powerful short stories in this collection are excellent examples of writing by the foremost authors from Russia's Golden Age of Literature. Ideal for students of Russian literature, this magnificent ... |
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The delighted wonder surrounding a cat that has learned to talk quickly turns to dismay when the feline's conversation involves the scandalous remarks he's overheard. "Tobermory" abounds in the irony for which its author, Saki, is well known and admired. Along with the other short stories in this first-rate anthology, it showcases the talents of a renowned British writer. Other stories include Anthony Trollope's "The Parson's Daughter of Oxney Colne," a subtle study of the psychological cost of maintaining self-esteem; Thomas Hardy's "The Fiddler of the Reels", in which a ... |
