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 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?
This American short story is now one of the most famous of American short stories and has been adapted into many variations.
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?
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.
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.
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.
G.K Chesterton is a perfectionist - although not that fond of the modern meaning of success - realizing the passing nature of his ideas. Yet he did gather all his papers written for London Daily News in the book called All Things Considered. He laments for being much too serious in the topics he covers but he still has the ability to present the mundane in a comical, ironic perspective. And how about religion, the idea of success and fairy tales? Are journalists more like fairies?
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.
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.
A gripping read of romance, intrigue and human emotion. Anna Karenina has been called the world's greatest novel. Set in 19th century Russia, Anna seeks to escape a loveless marriage for a passionate romance.
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.
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.
A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers presents Thoreau's fullest account of the wilderness. It’s a personal story of exterior and interior discoveries in a natural setting.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a novel by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It tells the tale of the plight of the peasants in the face of the aristocracy.
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
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.
