A collection of short stories from prominent Russian author A. S. Pushkin.
Although it was first published in 1922, Babbitt reveals the flaws of our modern society. Are money going to make us happy? Is social status such an important aspect in our lives? Can’t we just live in the moment? Asked some 90 odd years ago, these same questions haunt the Western society to this day. Can George F. Babbitt find the answer?
What are you thinking right now? Is it moving you forward or holding you back? In James Allen's classic text, As a Man Thinketh, you'll learn the skills needed to change the way you think, and in doing so change the direction of your life. Read the book that has inspired millions to take control of destructive thought patterns and revolutionize the way they think. This self-improvement book is a must-read and is filled with insights into the human mind.
One of the most influential books of the 20th century, this is Nietzsche's provocative and thought-provoking work of philosophy questioning centuries of Western tradition, thought and morality. Building on Nietzsche's, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil is a critical response to religion and other systems of moral conventions.
Candide is a French satire by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment. It begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply Optimism) by his mentor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this lifestyle, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not rejecting optimism outright, advocating a deeply practical precept, "we must cultivate our garden", in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, "all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds".
When the young Montgomery Brewster inherits one million dollars from his grandfather, his luck is only about to get better. His rich and eccentric uncle dies just a short time later, and Brewster finds some very interesting conditions in his uncle's will. He stands to inherit seven million dollars as long as he spends every dime of his grandfather's money in the course of a year. Originally written in 1902, Brewster's Millions is a charming story of wealth and responsibility.
Ian McLaren's Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush became a manifesto of non-violent protest used by Gandhi and Martin Luther King about how the individuals shouldn't permit governments to revoke their consciences.
Aladdin is a street rat with the potential to something much more. This Middle Eastern folk tale has delighted audiences for centuries.
An original account of the speech Socrates makes at the trial in which he is charged with not recognizing the gods recognized by the state, inventing new deities, and corrupting the youth of Athens.
Dutch Kaspar Almayer, a trader married to a native Malayan and father of one daughter Nina, is obsessed with wealth. He seeks in vain the lost treasure of Borneo and waits for the British conquerors in his unfinished house named by a fellow seaman ‘Almayer’s Folly.’ A local prince in love with Nina swears to help the Dutch find the gold but can he be trusted?
This second novel from Conrad details the undoing of Peter Willems, a disreputable, immoral man who, on the run from a scandal in Makassar, finds refuge in a hidden native village, only to betray his benefactors over lust for the tribal chief's daughter.
Aesop's Fables have been touchstone tales for hundreds of years. Stories like "The Tortoise and the Hare," "The Boy who Cried Wolf" and "The Fox and the Grapes" are just as relevant for today's audiences as they ever were.
This short story with a twist by American author, Ambrose Bierce is set during the American Civil War. It's the story of Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate sympathizer condemned to death by hanging from Owl Creek Bridge. This story has been hailed as an early pioneer in "stream of consciousness" storytelling.
Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet? Anne of Green Gables is one of the world's most beloved young heroines. This coming of age novel is a must read for romantics of all ages. It tells the adventures of Anne Shirley, a young orphan girl, age 11 who is mistakenly sent to Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a middle-aged brother and sister who had intended to adopt a boy to help them on their farm on Prince Edward Island.
A young woman vows to climb the New York social ladder in the late nineteenth century. This novel explores a woman's ambition at a time when marriage was the only way to advance one's position.
Anne of the Island is the third book in the Anne of Green Gables series In this volume, Anne attends Redmond college in Nova Scotia. In this book, the growing relationship between Anne and Gilbert is almost thwarted but despite herself, Anne finds true love.
Ayn Rand's shortest work imagines a world where education is banned and there is one word punishable by death -- "I." The hero discovers that man's greatest duty is the pursuit of his own happiness and embodies the philosophies explored in Rand's later and longer works, Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead.
A story about courage, freedom and survival. The novel, the second in the Mysterious Island triad, is about the adventures of five prisoners of war who crash on a mysterious island after a daring escape.
When Huck Finn fakes his own death and flees his drunken father, he joins forces with a runaway slave and heads for freedom. Twain tells the story of Huckleberry (Huck) Finn and his adventures along the Mississippi River.
How do you solve the problem of poverty? By letting the Irish sell their children to be eaten by wealthy ladies and gentlemen, of course! This satirical short work by Jonathan Swift is a classic look at the cost of poverty.
When three young men have the chance to join the US Air Force, they enlist and are sent to Italy during World War Two. From going behind enemy lines, stealing a plane, and eventually besting their Nazi captors, A Yankee Flier Over Italy is a historical adventure story.
From his perspective in 1922, H.G. Wells wrote a "Short History of the World." This straightforward look at the world's timeline, from the first appearance of humans to the reconstruction after World War I is an engaging and concise adventure story that also happens to be true.
Europe seen through the eyes of an American - Mark Twain decides to discover Europe, more specifically Germany, the Alps and Italy, but he doesn’t do it in the old-fashioned way marveling at the wonders of the Old World. In fact, he has a humorous approach ironizing both the Europeans and the Americans alike.
Read James Joyce's first novel in this coming of age story of the young Stephen Dedalus. Increasingly alienated from the institutions around him, Stephen goes on a journey of self-discovery. This avant-garde work was listed as #3 on Modern Library's 100 best novels of the 20th century.
One of the top 100 chapter books of all time! A Little Princess is the heartwarming story of a young girl who defies the odds to live a life of joy despite great tragedy. The story opens with 7-year old Sara Crewe arriving at Miss Minchin's boarding school for girls in London. During her stay at the school, Sara's fortunes are reversed but all turns out right in the end.