Classics

From his cradle to his grave a gale of prosperity bore my friend Ellison along. Nor do I use the word prosperity in its mere worldly sense. I mean it as synonymous with happiness. The person of whom I speak seemed born for the purpose of foreshadowing the doctrines of Turgot, Price, Priestley and Condorcet — of exemplifying by individual instance what has been deemed the chimera of the perfectionists.

During a pedestrian tour last summer through one or two of the river counties of New York, the narrator finds himself lost as day declines, the land undulating remarkably and his path winding confusedly through valleys in effort to keep in them. A smoky mist, resembling that of Indian summer, enveloped all things and added to his uncertainty. Not caring much about the matter, he remained unconcerned, prepared to bivouac in the open air with his knapsack for a pillow and his hound as a sentry.

"A Predicament" is a humorous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, usually combined with its companion piece "How to Write a Blackwood Article". The paired stories parody the Gothic sensation tale, popular in England and America since the early 19th century. The story follows a female narrator, Signora Psyche Zenobia. While walking through "the goodly city of Edina" with her 5-inch-tall (130 mm) poodle and her 3-foot-tall (0.91 m) black servant, Pompey, she is drawn to a large Gothic cathedral.

"The Angel of the Odd" is a satirical short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1844 in The Columbian Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine . The story follows an unnamed narrator who reads a story about a man who died after accidentally sucking a needle down his throat while playing a game known as "puff the dart". He rages at the gullibility of humanity for believing such a hoax. He vows never to fall for such odd stories. Just then, a strange-looking creature made of a keg and wine bottles appears.

Antiochus Epiphanes is very generally looked upon as the Gog of the prophet Ezekiel. This honor is, however, more properly attributable to Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. And, indeed, the character of the Syrian monarch does by no means stand in need of any adventitious embellishment.

Here you will find the complete novels of Mark Twain in one comprehensive collection. From "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" to "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," "The Prince and the Pauper," "Pudd'nhead Wilson," "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc," "The Gilded Age" and many more. Eighteen classic works of American literature by one of the greatest humorists and storytellers in the English language, spanning adventure, satire, mystery and social commentary.

Join Marlow on a fascinating and disturbing journey deep into the jungle. Hired to captain an old steamboat, his mission is to follow the trail of an endless river to rescue Kurtz, the company's top trading agent. However, what Marlow discovers on his voyage surpasses any nightmare. In an environment dominated by greed and brutality, Kurtz has lost his mind, crowning himself as a cruel god to the natives. This novel will grip you from the start, forcing you to look into the darkest corners of the human mind.

The classic adventure that inspired Jurassic Park —now with an original prequel novella that tells the untold story of the man who discovered the lost world. Before Professor Challenger. Before the expedition. There was Maple White. In 1897, an American artist ventured into the Amazon jungle seeking something to paint. What he found was impossible: a hidden plateau where prehistoric creatures still lived, where pterodactyls soared above ancient forests, and where dinosaurs drank from primeval lakes. He was the first human to witness this lost world. He would also be the last to leave it alive.

The story needs no introduction. Ebenezer Scrooge. The three spirits. Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim. Jacob Marley rattling his chains through the cold London night. These are among the most recognizable characters in all of literature, and yet the story earns its emotional power every single time. Dickens knew exactly what he was doing—building a ghost story with a warm heart at its center, one that manages to be genuinely eerie, deeply funny, and quietly devastating within the span of a single sitting.

Abandoned and destitute, Roxana harnesses her faculties to change her fortunes. With her wits, her looks and her loyal maid Amy, she flouts all the rules, transforming herself from penniless widow to celebrated courtesan, dressed in finery and cavorting with princes. Yet, brazen and bejewelled, she becomes more and more trapped by deceit.