Mr Gradgrind wants "Facts'! And along with rich merchant Josiah Bounderby, he intends to turn Coketown into a world of calcula-tion and mechanization without any room for feelings. But people are not cogs - and society, it seems, is no machine ... PENGUIN POPULAR CLASSICS are the per-fect introduction to the world-famous PENGUIN CLASSICS series - which en-compasses the best books ever written, from Homer's Odyssey to Orwell's 1984 and everything in between. For a full list and ideas on what to read next, visit www.penguinclassics.com 作者简介： Charles Dickens was born in a little house in Landport, Portsea, England, on February 7th, 1812. At the age of eleven, Dickens was taken out of school and sent to work in a London blacking warehouse, where his job was to paste labels on bottles for six shillings a week. When the family fortunes improved, Charles went back to school, after which he became an office boy, a freelance reporter, and finally an author. With Pickwick Papers (1836-7) he achiev

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP The compelling, semiautobiographical story of an artist and his relationship to his culture, his family, and his inner self. 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 contemporary and 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 Enriche

Charles Dickens (1821-1870) used his fiction to criticize the injustices of his time, especially the brutal treatment of the poor. He is also the author of Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations. He was born in Portsmouth, England.

Stunning reissue of an international bestseller, from the author of The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's DaughterOlivia Yee is only five years old when Kwan, her older sister from China, comes to live with the family and turns her life upside down, bombarding her day and night with ghostly stories of strange ancestors from the world of Yin. Olivia just wants to lead a normal American life. For the next thirty years, Olivia endures visits from Kwan and her ghosts, who appear in the living world to offer advice on everything from restaurants to Olivia's failed marriage. But just when she cannot bear it any more, the revelations of a tragic family secret finally open her mind to the startling truths hidden in Kwan's unorthodox vision of the world.

Spring, 1543. King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Catherine Parr,whom he wants for his sixth wife. Archbishop Cranmer and theembattled Protestant faction at court are watching keenly, for LadyCatherine is known to have reformist sympathies. Matthew Shardlake, meanwhile, is working on the case of ateenage boy who has been placed in the Bedlam insane asylum, beforehis terrifying religious mania leads to him being burned as aheretic. When an old friend is horrifically murdered Shardlake vows tobring the killer to justice. His search leads him to Cranmer andCatherine Parr – and to the dark prophecies of the Book ofRevelation. As London's Bishop Bonner prepares a purge of ProtestantsShardlake, together with his assistant, Jack Barak, and his friend,Guy Malton, investigate a series of horrific murders which arealready bringing frenzied talk of witchcraft and demonic possession– for what else would the Tudor mind make of a serialkiller...?

Ten superb new stories by one of our most beloved and admired writersthe winner of the 2009 Man Booker International Prize. In the first story a young wife and mother receives release from the unbearable pain of losing her three children from a most surprising source. In another, a young woman, in the aftermath of an unusual and humiliating seduction, reacts in a clever if less-than-admirable fashion. Other stories uncover the “deep-holes” in a marriage, the unsuspected cruelty of children, and how a boy’s disfigured face provides both the good things in his life and the bad. And in the long title story, we accompany Sophia Kovalevskya late-nineteenth-century Russian émigré and mathematicianon a winter journey that takes her from the Riviera, where she visits her lover, to Paris, Germany, and, Denmark, where she has a fateful meeting with a local doctor, and finally to Sweden, where she teaches at the only university in Europe willing to employ a female mathematician. With clarity an

From David Baldacci--the modern master of the thriller and #1worldwide bestselling novelist-comes a new hero: a lone ArmySpecial Agent taking on the toughest crimes facing thenation. And Zero Day is where it all begins.... John Puller is a combat veteran and the best militaryinvestigator in the U.S. Army's Criminal Investigation Division.His father was an Army fighting legend, and his brother is servinga life sentence for treason in a federal military prison. Pullerhas an indomitable spirit and an unstoppable drive to find thetruth. Now, Puller is called out on a case in a remote, rural area inWest Virginia coal country far from any military outpost. Someonehas stumbled onto a brutal crime scene, a family slaughtered. Thelocal homicide detective, a headstrong woman with personal demonsof her own, joins forces with Puller in the investigation. AsPuller digs through deception after deception, he realizes thatabsolutely nothing he's seen in this small town, and no one in it,are what th

The main plot in this book revolves around college acceptance letters and what the characters plan to do with their lives after high school. In the beginning of the book, Serena, Nate and Blair meet to open their letters. Blair, whose main goal in life seems to be getting into Yale, is accepted only to Georgetown, her "safety school." Serena, on the other hand, gets into Yale, Brown and just about every other major university in the USA. Nate, likewise, is accepted to four universities. This whole scenario seems a bit ridiculous because Blair has spent her high school years slaving away in honors classes and doing community service work, while Serena and Nate have been to busy doing drugs and going to parties to focus much on school. Upon this Blair throws a temper tantrum, yells at Aaron, starts drinking, etc... In the mean time, Jenny is perusing her modeling career with a bit of help from Serena. Vanessa is adjusting to life with her two new roommates. Dan is still the troubled, lost soul her always was,

ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP Dickens's epic novel of freedom, love, and the burning chaos of the French Revolution. 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 contemporary and 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 world's finest books to their full potential.

If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson on any otherday, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder ofhis best friend. But when the prosecution witnesses happen to be agroup of four upper-crust college friends—a barrister, a popularactor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an establishedfirm’s history—who is going to believe Danny’s side of thestory? Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarshprison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmatehas ever escaped. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, GeraldPayne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny’s determination toseek revenge—and the extent to which his fiancée Beth will go inpursuit of justice.

Northanger Abbey tells the story of a young girl, Catherine Morland who leaves her sheltered, rural home to enter the busy, sophisticated world of Bath in the late 1790s. Austen observes with insight and humour the interaction between Catherine and the various characters whom she meets there, and tracks her growing understanding of the world about her. In this, her first full-length novel, Austen also fixes her sharp, ironic gaze on other kinds of contemporary novel, especially the Gothic school made famous by Ann Radcliffe. Catherine's reading becomes intertwined with her social and romantic adventures, adding to the uncertainties and embarrassments she must undergo before finding happiness.

Becky Brandon thought motherhood would be a breeze--but it'strickier than she thought. Twoyear- old Minnie has created havoceverywhere from Harrods to her own christening. She hires taxis atrandom, her favorite word is "mine," and she already has a penchantfor Balenciaga bags. Becky is at her wits' end. On top of this, sheand Luke are still living with her mom and dad, there's a bigfinancial crisis so everyone's having to cut back--including allher personal shopping clients-- and her husband Luke is feeling lowafter the death of his beloved stepmother. To cheer him up, Beckydecides to throw Luke a surprise birthday party--on a budget--andthat's when things become really complicated. Becky tries to keepthe arrangements secret and soon she's told so many fibs she can'tkeep track of them. . Will Becky pull off the surprise? Will Minnie give everythingaway? And what will happen when Becky discovers Luke is keeping abig secret, too?

A stunning reissue of the international bestseller, from the much-loved author of The Joy Luck Club and The Bonesetter's Daughter. Pearl Louie Brandt has a terrible secret which she tries desperately to keep from her mother, Winne Louie. And Winnie has long kept her own secrets -- about her past and the confusing circumstances of Pearl's birth. Fate intervenes in the form of Helen Kwong, Winnie's so-called sister-in-law, who believes she is dying and must unburden herself of all falsehoods before she flies off to heaven. But, unfortunately, the truth comes in many guises, depending on who is telling the tale! Thus begins a story that takes us back to Shanghai in the 1920s, through World War II, and the harrowing events that led to Winnie's arrival in America in 1949. The story is one of innocence and its loss, tragedy and survival and, most of all, the enduring qualities of hope, love and friendship.

It is a Wednesday in mid-June 1923 andMrs Dalleway is to have a party. As Shespends the day in preparation, worryingabout the evening's success, she looks backover her life at the choices that have led herhere. Then an unexpected visitor calls ... PENGUIN POPULAR CLASSICS are the per-fect introduction to the world-famousPENGUIN CLASSICS series - which en-compasses the best books ever written,from Homer's Odyssey to Orwelrs 1984and everything in between. For a full listand ideas on what to read next, visitwww.penguinclassics.com

Based on Charlotte Bronte's personal experience as a teacher in Brussels. Villette is a moving tale of repressed feelings and subjection to cruel circumstance and position, borne with heroic fortitude. Rising above the frustrations of confinement within a rigid social order, it is also a story of a woman’s right to love and be loved.

The first volume of The Divine Comedy-Dante begins his downward journey throough the seven circles of Hell. This Enriched Classic Edition Includes: A concise introduction that gives the reader 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 guide the reader's own interpretations Detailed explanatory notes Critical analysis, including contemporary and 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 world's finest books to their

The unforgettable story of Heathcliff and Catherine, whose doomed love torments them in a tempest of madness, vengeance, and redemption. 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 contemporary and 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 world's finest books to their full pot

Written with complete access to the Queen Mother's personalletters and diaries, William Shawcross's riveting biography is thetruly definitive account of this remarkable woman, whose lifespanned the twentieth century. Elizabeth Angela Marguerite BowesLyon,the youngest daughter of the Earl of Strathmore, was born on 4August 1900. Drawing on her private correspondence and otherunpublished material from the Royal Archives, William Shawcrossvividly reveals the witty girl who endeared herself to soldiersconvalescing at Glamis in the First World War; the assured youngDuchess of York; the Queen, at last feeling able to look the EastEnd in the face at the height of the Blitz; the Queen Mother,representing the nation at home and abroad throughout her longwidowhood.

Gossip Girl is back in its 3rd installment and the gossip is hotter than ever. Its Christmas time in the prestigious Upper East Side of New York and that means midterms, presents, breakup and get togethers, and college essays. Serena and Blair are friends again, and back to their old tricks and scandals. Partie, limo rides with celebrities, and jetting off to the island of St. Barts for Christmas vacation with a bunch of friends are just some of the antics Blair and Serena are up to so they can blow off some steam after midterms. On the wild beaches of St. Barts theres plenty of scandal and backstabbing as Blair flirts with her stepbrother Aaron's drummer friend Miles while Aaron is trying to suppress his feeling for Blair himself. Meanwhile Blair is still trying to write her Yale essay, based on who else but her idol Audrey Hepburn, even though she knows she been putting it off for way too long. After a botched Yale interview, the essay is extremely important if she wants a ticket to Yale. The sophistica

Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion.

This #1 bestselling legal thriller from Michael Connelly is astunning display of novelistic mastery - as human, as gripping, andas whiplash-surprising as any novel yet from the writer Publishers Weekly has called "today's Dostoevsky of crimeliterature." Mickey Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorneywho operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car, travelingbetween the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clientsof every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers -they're all on Mickey Haller's client list. For him, the law israrely about guilt or innocence, it's about negotiation andmanipulation. Sometimes it's even about justice. A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he pickedup in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his firsthigh-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney's dream, whatthey call a franchise case. And as the evidence stacks up, Hallercomes to believe this may be the easiest case of his care

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen were the reigning princesses of the Upper East Side. Until now. In Gossip Girl, The Carlyles the inimitable Gossip Girl introduces the most fabulous sixteen year-old triplets to ever inhabit the Upper East Side. When the Waldorfs move from their apartment at the end of Don't You Forget About Me, the Carlyle triplets of Nantucket, Massachusetts--Owen, Baby, and Peyton-- move in. In the new titles of the Gossip Girl series, we will follow the Carlyles, plus three other teenagers living in gorgeous apartments, attending the most exclusive prvate schools-- the familiar Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude's School for Boys-- and treating New York's Upper East Side as their personal playground. Welcome to the new era. Lucky for you, Gossip Girl is there to whisper all their juicy secrets...

Unbearably moving, intensely passionate, deeply personal account of life as seen through the eyes of one of America's best-loved novelists When I began writing this history, I let go of my doubts. I trusted the ghosts of my imagination. They showed me the hundred secret senses. And what I wrote is what I discovered about the endurance of love. So writes Amy Tan at the beginning of this remarkably candid insight into her life. Tan takes us on a journey from her childhood, as a sensitive but intelligent young Chinese American, ashamed of her parents' Chinese ways, to the present day and her position as one of the world's best-loved novelists. She talks of beauty and how she was perceived as a teenager in a country where Marilyn Monroe was the ultimate sex symbol. She describes the daily difficulties of being at once American and Chinese and yet feeling at times like she was truly neither. Most significantly, and heartbreakingly, she tells the history of her family: the grandmother who committed suicide as the o