In this powerful book we enter the world of Jurgis Rudkus, ayoung Lithuanian immigrant who arrives in America fired with dreamsof wealth, freedom, and opportunity. And we discover, with him, theastonishing truth about "packingtown," the busy, flourishing,filthy Chicago stockyards, where new world visions perish in ajungle of human suffering. Upton Sinclair, master of the"muckraking" novel, here explores the workingman's lot at the turnof the century: the backbreaking labor, the injustices of"wage-slavery," the bewildering chaos of urban life. The Jungle, astory so shocking that it launched a government investigation,recreates this startling chapter if our history in unflinchingdetail. Always a vigorous champion on political reform, Sinclair isalso a gripping storyteller, and his 1906 novel stands as one ofthe most important -- and moving -- works in the literature ofsocial change. --This text refers to an alternate Mass MarketPaperback edition.
Flamboyant and controversial, Oscar Wilde was a dazzlingpersonality, a master of wit, and a dramatic genius whose sparklingcomedies contain some of the most brilliant dialogue ever writtenfor the English stage. Here in one volume are his immensely popularnovel, The Picture of Dorian Gray; his last literary work, “TheBallad of Reading Gaol,” a product of his own prison experience;and four complete plays: Lady Windermere’s Fan, his first dramaticsuccess, An Ideal Husband, which pokes fun at conventionalmorality, The Importance of Being Earnest, his finest comedy, andSalomé, a portrait of uncontrollable love originally written inFrench and faithfully translated by Richard Ellmann. Every selection appears in its entirety–a marvelous collection ofoutstanding works by the incomparable Oscar Wilde, who’s been aptlycalled “a lord of language” by Max Beerbohm.
At once a romantic history of a mighty river, anautobiographical account of Twain’s early steamboat days, and astorehouse of humorous anecdotes and sketches, here is the rawmaterial from which Mark Twain wrote his finest novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .
A philosopher and his disciple journey to find "the best of all possible worlds" in this classic work of eighteenth-century satire. EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES: A concise introduction that gives readers important background information A chronology of the author's life and work A timeline of significant events that provides the book's historical context An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations Detailed explanatory notes Critical analysis, including modern perspectives on the work Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader's experience Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the wo
Robust tales of perilous adventure and animal cunning Includes"Diable: A Dog, An Odyssey of the North, To the Man on the Trail,To Build a Fire, " and "Love of Life" Out of the white wilderness,out of the Far North, Jack London, one of America's most popularauthors, drew the inspiration for the novel and five short storiesincluded here. Swiftly paced and vividly written, they capture themain theme of London's work: man's instinctive reversion toprimitive behavior when pitted against the brute force ofnature.
The Winter's Tale was one of the very last plays Shakespeare wrote, a moving romance whose themes are sin, forgiveness, death, rebirth, and the power of Time and Nature to heal all wounds. Based on a novella by Shakespeare's enemy and arch rival Robert Greene, The Winter's Tale introduces Perdita, perhaps the Bard's most richly symbolic character. At times tragic, at times humorous, but always entertaining and instructive, The Winters Tale is a complex and rewarding work by the greatest dramatist of all time.
In these literary triumphs, renowned author Joseph Conrad haswritten two of the most chilling, disturbing, and noteworthy novelsof the 20th century. While "Heart of Darkness" makes a devastatingcomment on humankind's corruptibility and moral depravity, "TheSecret Sharer" boldly explores the dark shadows of the unconsciousmind. These are stories that encapsulate Conrad's literaryachievements, as well as hauntingly portray the dark side of man.Introduction of Joyce Carol Oates. 作者简介： Conrad was born on 12/3/1857, in a part of Russia that had oncebelonged to Poland. His parents were members of the landed gentry,but as ardent Polish patriots they suffered considerably for theirpolitical views. Orphaned at 11, Conrad attended school in Cracowbut concluded that there was no future for him in occupied Poland,and at 16 he left forever. The sea was Conrad's love and career forthe next 20 years; in the British merchant navy, he rose finally tocaptain, sailing to Australia and Borneo and surviving at least on
Masterfully crafted, Treasure Island is a stunning yarn ofpiracy on the fiery tropic seas--an unforgettable tale of treacherythat embroils a host of legendary swashbucklers from honest youngJim Hawkins to sinister, two-timing Israel Hands to evil incarnate,blind Pew. But above all, Treasure Island is a complex study ofgood and evil, as embodied by that hero-villain, Long John Silver;the merry unscrupulous buccaneer-rogue whose greedy lust for goldcannot help but win the heart of every one who ever longed forromance, treasure, and adventure. Since its publication in 1883,Treasure Island has provided an enduring literary model for sucheminent writers as Anthony Hope, Graham Greene, and Jorge LuisBorges. As David Daiches wrote: "Robert Louis Stevenson transformedthe Victorian boys' adventure into a classic of its kind."
The beloved sequel to Little Women , this classiccontinues the story of Jo March, who goes on to get married andinherit an estate with which she creates an experimental school forboys.
Prince Edward inadvertently switches places with Tom Canty, a pauper. While both boys are interested in experiencing life in the other's shoes, they are dismayed by the realities of their new lives. Written before The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was finished, this tale contains the elements of social criticism that were later to dominate Twain's writings
Two boys: the same age, almost the same face. The onedifference: Tom Canty is a child of the London slums; Edward Tudoris heir to the throne. How insubstantial this difference is becomesclear when a chance encounter leads to an exchange of clothing andof roles...
With dramatic eloquence, this story of the French Revolutionbrings to life a time of terror and treason, and a starving peoplerising in frenzy and hate to overthrow a corrupt and decadentregime.
To mark the centenary of Wilde's death, The Stratford Festivalof Canada staged this unique production of the original, completefour-act version of his famous play. This does not replace thewell-known three-act version, but does give the audience anopportunity to enjoy the play that Wilde originally wrote, with itsextra characters, more pointed social commentary, additional scenesand new dialogue. This play remains perhaps Wilde's wittiest andmost loved romantic comedy. --This text refers to the AudioCD edition.
The translations, created through a fresh approach to theNorwegian original in tandem with a keen sense of Ibsen'stheatricallity and playability, have all been tested and refined inproductions at professional theaters. The translators have paid particular attention to threeaspects of Ibsen's technique: his wit and humor, his "supertext" -the web of rich allusions and references that he weaves in andaround his dialogue - and the bold theatricallity of the plays. Theresult is an Ibsen that sounds contemporary without being slangy orcolloquial - an Ibsen of strong ideas but also living characters -and surprisingly different from the image of the cold, forbidding"scold of the North" that we often associate with this giantwriter. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
In Forster's most popular novel, he tracks British society'sclass warfare, as seen by members of three different castes-thewealthy Wilcoxes, the cultured and emancipated Schlegal sisters,and poor, young Leonard Bast.
Translated literally, upanishad means "sitting neardevotedly," which conjures images of the contemplating studentlistening with rapt attention to the teachings of a spiritualmaster. The principal Upanishads offered in this edition have beenrecognized throughout the centuries by Hindu believers and greatWestern thinkers--such as Goethe, Schopenhauer, and Emerson--asphilosophical and spiritual meditations of the highest order. The Upanishads reflect the direct, overwhelming religiousexperiences of the Hindu sages in the often-poetic language ofdivine inspiration. Although they are among India's oldest texts,this brilliant translation reveals their universal appeal, withtheir profound speculations about the creation of the world, thenature of reality, and the abiding unity of all existence.
To me,' D. H. Lawerence once wrote to E. M. forster, 'you arethe last Englishman.' Indeed, Forster's novels offer contemporaryreaders clear, vibrant portraits of life in Edwardian England.Published in 1908 to both critical and popular acclaim, A Room witha View is a whimsical comedy of manners that owes more to JaneAusten that perhaps any other of his works. The central characteris a muddled young girl named Lucy Honeychurch, who runs away fromthe man who stirs her emotions, remaining engaged to a rich snob.Forster considered it his 'nicest' novel, and today it remainsprobably his most well liked. Its moral is utterly simple. Throwaway your etiquette book and listen to your heart. But it wasForster's next book, Howards End, a story about who would inhabit acharming old country house (and who, in a larger sense, wouldinherit England), that earned him recognition as a major writer.Centered around the conflict between the wealthy, materialisticWilcox family and the cultured, idealistic Schlegel sisters-andinfor
From the incredible wizadry of Merlin to the passion of SirLancelot, these tales of Arthur and his knights offer epicadventures with the supernatural as well as timeless battles without own humanity.
Jude Fawley is a bright but impoverished stonemason who aspiresto attend university and become a scholar. H is failure to fulfillthe expectations of the two women he loves points to his finaltragedy. Concerned with the destructive conventions of marriage andthe English class system, Jude the Obscure is a raging indictmentof Victorian society; the censure of this insightful book wasalmost without precedent in the history of English literature.
