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.
The hero of our time, Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin is actually a traditional antihero who destroys the life of others around him. He is a 19th-century Casanova who can’t find peace and happiness, often contemplating on the meaning of life and destiny. His story is seen through many eyes: a fellow brother-in-arms, the narrator and ultimately Pechorin himself. How will he end up: as a misunderstood hero or as a vile villain? Xist Publishing is a digital-first publisher.
The subjection of India, its cause and cure - the Russian literary giant and the Indian revolutionary leader came into contact when Gandhi discovered Tolstoy's “A Letter to a Hindu” (written in 1963, to an Indian nationalist who was seeking support for India's independence from British colonial rule). Gandhi was so impressed with Tolstoy's ideas that he decided to write to Tolstoy and ask permission to publish the letter in South Africa.
Elfride Swancourt, a beautiful young woman, is caught between the love of two men - Stephen Smith, a low-born architect who wants to make a name for himself, and Henry Knight, an older, respectable and established man. The two are friends and don’t know about each other’s feelings towards Elfride. How will they react when they find out?
A young woman's first teaching assignment holds plenty of surprises in A Voice in the Wilderness by Grace Livingston Hill. Margaret Earl's train journey to Arizona leaves her stranded in the desert but with the help of a handsome young cowboy, she discovers the meaning of true friendship that deepens into something much more
Stan Wilson is back in the fight to stop the Nazis and this time he's flying with the R.A.F. - the British Royal Air Force. From thrilling aerial dogfights to on-the-ground sleuthing, this adventure story about World War Two is sure to keep you turning pages.
A Modern Cinderella is a collection of four short stories by Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women. Like her more famous novels, Alcott tells stories of young women interacting with people and events from the late 1800s.
An environmental classic ready for a new generation of YA readers! A Girl of the Limberlost takes place in Indiana, in and around the famous Limberlost Swamp. Even in 1909, this impressive wetland region was being reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. The book features Elnora Comstock, a high school student whose mother blames her for her father's death. Even though they are poor, Elnora refuses to sell any of the family trees to loggers, and Elnora is left to find a way to pay for the things she needs without destroying the things she loves.
This is the story of Nora, a woman who is treated like a doll in her own home. Set in Victorian Norway, Nora eventually flees her marriage and children in an attempt to discover herself despite being confined by patriarchal society.
