When Theodore Dreiser's epic first novel stormed onto the literary scene in 1900, it was a breath of fresh air in more ways than one. Celebrated for the vibrant and gritty realism of its portrayal of city life, Sister Carrie also gave the world an unforgettable heroine—a thoroughly modern young woman who turned the traditional cautionary tale of the fallen woman on its head.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest works of fiction, written long before Homer's ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey,’ the greatest literary masterpiece of the Ancient East, which for the first time describes the myth of the Great Flood. The reader is presented with the story of the glorious deeds of the demigod king-warrior Gilgamesh (whose image is based on a real historical figure, Bilgames, the...

This collection of Japanese folk tales is translated by the renowned scholar of Japanese literature, Vera Nikolaevna Markova. It includes a preface and commentary by the translator. The tales presented in this collection tell of cunning pranks and mythical feats, of the struggle between good and evil and the triumph of justice, of the magical deeds of a wondrous wife, and of the cruel war...

For all fans of Japanese culture. — A collection of folk tales, myths, and legends. — For those who have already read ‘Tales of Ancient Japan’ and ‘Ten Evenings’.

Don Quixote has become so entranced reading tales of chivalry that he decides to turn knight errant himself. In the company of his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, these exploits blossom in all sorts of wonderful ways. While Quixote's fancy often leads him astray—he tilts at windmills, imagining them to be giants—Sancho acquires cunning and a certain sagacity. Sane madman and wise fool, they...

‘The Headless Horseman.’ A gem of Mayne Reid's literary legacy. The captivating story of the beautiful Louise Poindexter and the noble Irishman Maurice Gerald, the proud Mexican woman Isidora Covarrubio, the cruel Captain Cassius Calhoun, the brave hunter Zeb Stump, and the dashing bandit El Coyote is considered a true masterpiece of adventure prose and is endlessly loved by both foreign and...

Aldous Huxley's profoundly important classic of world literature, Brave New World is a searching vision of an unequal, technologically-advanced future where humans are genetically bred, socially indoctrinated, and pharmaceutically anesthetized to passively uphold an authoritarian ruling order–all at the cost of our freedom, full humanity, and perhaps also our souls.

This collection includes plays that form the core of Schiller's creative legacy: ‘Intrigue and Love,’ ‘The Robbers,’ ‘Mary Stuart,’ and ‘William Tell.’ Besides their countless literary merits, they are interesting because, written during a time when classicism was universally triumphant, they are precursors of the legendary German Romanticism. Vivid and multifaceted characters, devoid of...

Am Weihnachtsabend naht im Haus des Medizinalrats Stahlbaum die Bescherung. Für die Kinder hat ihr Pate Droßelmeier wie jedes Jahr hübsches mechanisches Spielzeug im Gepäck, doch die kleine Marie spielt bis tief in die Nacht hinein lieber mit einem ganz und gar nicht hübschen Nussknacker. Als um Mitternacht plötzlich die Schar der Spielzeuge lebendig wird und sich unter dem Befehl des...

Critique of Pure Reason (1781) by Immanuel Kant is a foundational text in modern philosophy that investigates the limits and scope of human reason, aiming to reconcile rationalism and empiricism. Kant argues that while knowledge begins with experience, it is structured by innate concepts (like space, time, and causality) that the mind imposes on the world, meaning objects must conform to our...

The Prophet Almustafa, having lived for twelve years in the alien city of Orphalese, is preparing to return home. Along the way, he is stopped by a group of locals, who are interested in the prophet's views on love and death, freedom and power, good and evil. Almustafa's laconic yet comprehensive reflections are presented in the form of parables. They not only provide answers to the...

A very unusual collection. A very unusual Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky is not only (and not so much) tragic, but also ironic, funny, touching, and even sentimental. Dostoevsky of the ‘small form’ is a master of topical plots, comic situations, and witty dialogue.