Mistreated by her selfish sister and in danger of becoming a mere servant, Julia Cloud is saved by her niece and nephew. Both are in college and both are in need of a guiding mother. Julia succeeds in undertaking this role and soon becomes known as ‘Cloudy Jewel.’
A beautiful biographical story - the novel, published in 1852 when he was 23 years old, is the first in Leo Tolstoy’s autobiographical trilogy, which also includes Boyhood, and Youth.
When the poet finds himself outside a church on Christmas Eve, he ventures inside and finds a conversation he never considered.
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?
So they embark on a journey to Asia and Tibet where they meet the wife of an evil emperor, Khania Atene who claims to be the descendant of one of Alexander the Great’s Hellenic generals. The two also find out that Atene has a rival in the mysterious Princess of He, Hesea. Both Atene and Hesea declare their love for Leo.
This American short story is now one of the most famous of American short stories and has been adapted into many variations.
Chamber Music is a collection of poems by James Joyce, published by Elkin Mathews in May 1907. The collection originally comprised thirty-four love poems, but two further poems were added before publication.
A rich nephew from the West is coming to town, and Carrie and her daughter Luella are desperate to make a lasting impression. Ashamed with their own modest lifestyle, they flee hoping to find new riches and impress Donald and leave Aunt Crete - a modest old lady treated by Carrier and Luella as a slave - to greet the guest. Donald ends up impressed with Aunt Crete and treats her kingly, but what will Carrie and Luella have to say about it?
A horse-lovers classic! Told from the perspective of a horse during the Victorian era, Black Beauty is a heartwarming tale for children. Following the well bred horse from its early days through a number of owners, the story ends in the meadow where the horse was born.
Epic poetry at its finest, Beowulf is one of the most studied and praised English classic. Originally written over a thousand years ago, the story celebrates Beowulf, a young Swedish nobleman who has battled monsters and dragons to keep his people safe.
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.
Aladdin is a street rat with the potential to something much more. This Middle Eastern folk tale has delighted audiences for centuries.
Ali Baba is a poor woodcutter who discovers a secret lair of thieves with the password "Open Sesame". This classic Middle Eastern folk tale has delighted audiences for centuries.
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.
Book 5 in the Anne of Green Gables series - Anne's House of Dreams begins with the wedding between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. In this book, they move to a small home and begin their life together with love, loss and many interesting escapades.
Anne of Avonlea is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series. This book follows Anne Shirley from the age of 16-18 during the two years she teaches at the Avonlea school. Anne discovers all of the joys and struggles of being a teacher and continuing her studies and friendship with Gilbert
This collection includes Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, the Story of Sinbad the Voyager, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and other lesser-known but still wonderful tales for children and adults alike.
An ironic adventure tale this is the story of an African millionaire that is burglarized many times.
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.
Hans Christian Anderson's Fairy Tales have been beloved by children for centuries. This collection includes: The Emperor's New Clothes; The Swineherd; The Real Princess; The Shoes of Fortune; The Fir Tree; The Snow Queen; The Leap Frog; The Elderbush; The Bell; The Old House; The Happy Family; The Story of a Mother; The False Collar; The Shadow; The Little Match Girl; The Dream of Little Tuk; and The Naughty Boy.
In this sequel to From the Earth to the Moon, Verne’s three travelers almost make it to the moon, flying around it in a homemade projectile.
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.
