Jack London (1876-1916) was born in squalor and rose to become one of the most recognized names in American literature. London's travel and adventure stories have made him a favorite not only among young American boys, but also among scholars and authors like George Orwell and Ernest Hemingway because of his ability to infuse his writing with his own unique philosophical beliefs. As an ardent Socialist, London's views were an often ove ...
"Wuthering Heights", the only novel that Emily Bronte wrote, is a classic of 19th century American literature. It is considered by many as one of the most important romantic novels ever written. Set in Northern England, Wuthering Heights is the story of Catherine Earnshaw and the love that she shares with Heathcliff. Catherine and Heathcliff are brought together as children when her father brings the young foundling home. The relationship b ...
"Eight Cousins" is Louisa May Alcott's classic children's tale. It is the story of Rose Campbell who when her father dies is left orphaned and must go to live with her six Aunts and seven cousins. «Eight Cousins» is a young girl's story to overcome the sadness of the loss of her father and the hardship of adapting to a new environment following that loss. «Eight Cousins» is one of Alcott's most loved tales and can be enj ...
"The Secret Agent" is Joseph Conrad's classic novel of espionage and terrorism. It is the story of Mr. Verloc, a spy who is reluctantly pressured by his superiors into an anarchist plot to blow up the Greenwich Observatory. This unspeakable act of terror sets the stage for a gripping political thriller. ...
"Hadji Murad" was Tolstoy's last novel. It is a narrative based on actual events that occurred during the Russian war with the Chechens in 1850s Russia. Tolstoy enlisted in the Russian army and saw first hand the brutality of this war. «Hadji Murad» is the story of its central character. A soldier on the Chechen side who breaks ranks and flees to the side of the Russians. Months later Hadji returns to try and rescue his imprisoned fami ...
James Oliver Curwood (1878-1927) was an American novelist and conservationist. He studied English and journalism in his youth, and eventually saved enough money to travel to the Canadian northwest. This trip would provide inspiration for his wilderness adventure stories. By 1922, Curwood was such a success that he used his new wealth to build an 18th century French chateau in Owosso, Michigan, which remains today as a museum. «Baree, Son of Kaza ...
The fifth story of Oz and the fourth detailing the magical travels of Dorothy, Baum takes the young Kansas girl and her dog Toto on a circuitous journey to Oz for Princess Ozma's birthday. She begins the adventure in an attempt to help a stranger, the Shaggy Man, find the road he seeks, and they are joined on their way by a perpetually lost boy named Button Bright and a fairy called Polychrome, daughter of a Rainbow. Through a series of enc ...
Edith Wharton was an American novelist, poet and short story writer whose works exhibit a mastery over the realistic fiction genre. Although she grew up in a world of refined manners and fashionable people, she was also aware of its superficiality, a theme that frequently appeared in her fiction. She began writing short stories and poetry at a young age, impressing such literary figures as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and William Dean Howells. Her ...
Prosper Merimee (1803-1870) was an author by hobby, not necessity, being the son of two talented and highly successful artists. He was also a lawyer, a public official, a senator, a painter, an authority on Russian literature and a member of the French Academy. As a public official, Merimee travelled through France and Europe, from which he drew inspiration for his stories and novels. His first popular novella, «Colomba», was published in 1840. ...
