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The first volume of Proust's seven-part novel «In Search of Lost Time,» also known as «A Remembrance of Things Past,» «Swann's Way» is the auspicious beginning of Proust's most prominent work. A mature, unnamed man recalls the details of his commonplace, idyllic existence as a sensitive and intuitive boy in Combray. For a time, the story is narrated through his younger mind in beautiful, almost dream-like prose. In a subsequent section of the volume, the narrator tells of the excruciating romance of his country neighbor, Monsieur Swann. The narrator reverts to his childhood, where he begins a similarly hopeless infatuation with Swann's little daughter, Gilberte. More than this apparently fragmented narrative, however, is the importance of the themes of memory, time, and art that connect and interweave the man's memories. Considered to be one of the twentieth century's major novels, Proust ultimately portrays the volatility of human life in this sweeping contemplation of reality and time.

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"The Return of the Soldier" is Rebecca West's 1918 novel of the struggle of a WWI veteran, Chris Baldry, who is shell-shocked with amnesia, to return home and make sense of the life that he had before he went to war, a life that now he can't entirely remember. This dramatic novel shows with great heart, that the horrors of war are not always left on the battlefield.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Edith Wharton used her inside knowledge of upper class New York life in the early part of the 20th century as the basis for her 1905 novel, “The House of Mirth”. The novel is the classic and tragic portrayal of Lily Bart, an intelligent New York socialite during the Victorian era, who seeks to secure a husband and a place in the society life of New York’s upper class. Lily, who was raised to strive for a socially and economically prosperous marital union, finds herself at the edge of thirty, her youthful beauty fading and her matrimonial prospects dwindling. The novel follows Lily’s descent down the social ladder over a period of two years as she circles the margins of New York’s upper class drawing closer to what seems an inevitable loneliness. Central to the theme of the novel is how the Victorian era offered women relatively few other alternatives to achieve upward social and economic mobility than through marriage. A classic depiction of a bygone era, “The House of Mirth” is at once a detailed portrait of New York society life and a social satire which harshly criticizes the moral failings of the rich. This edition includes an introduction by Walter B. Rideout and a biographical afterword.

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Thomas Hardy’s fourth novel, “Far from the Madding Crowd,” is a classic portrayal of 19th-century rural English life. It is the story of Gabriel Oak, a would-be shepherd, who falls for Bathsheba Everdene, a vain young woman, who comes to live with her aunt and uncle in the country. A set of unfortunate circumstances brings Gabriel into the employment of Bathsheba, an awkward situation given that she has already refused his offer of marriage. Bathsheba has no shortage of suitors. Amongst them include William Boldwood, a wealthy middle-aged farmer, whose affection she toys with, and Sergeant Francis Troy, a dashing young soldier whom she eventually marries. She soon learns that Francis is a thoughtless gambler with little interest in farming and likely does not really love her. The struggles of the heart are brilliantly depicted in this masterpiece of romantic literature as Bathsheba wrestles with the quest for true love versus the choice of a compatible match. A tragic tale of love, “Far from the Madding Crowd” is one the greatest romantic novels ever written, rich with the emotion and pathos that is characteristic of Thomas Hardy’s work. This edition includes a biographical afterword and an introduction by William T. Brewster.

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First published in 1886, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” is Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of man’s inner struggle between good and evil. The story revolves around the investigation by John Utterson, a lawyer, concerning the association between Dr. Henry Jekyll and the morally corrupt Edward Hyde, to whom Jekyll has recently willed his estate. Through the use of a magic serum Jekyll is transformed into Hyde which he does so in order to indulge in the darker side of his character. After a time Jekyll finds that he is involuntarily turning into Hyde and must use the serum, which is running low, to turn back. Stevenson from early on in his career was interested in the impact of personality on human behavior and how he could incorporate it into his stories. In “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” we have a classic examination of the duality that exists within man, which is ultimately a tale of the tragic consequences that can occur when the darker elements of one’s character are let out. This edition is illustrated by Edmund J. Sullivan and includes a biographical afterword.

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Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s final novel, considered to be the culmination of his life’s work, “The Brothers Karamazov” is the story of the murder of Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, whose four sons are all to some degree complicit in the crime. Fyodor is a contemptible man who during his two marriages has three sons, Dmitri, Ivan, and Alexei. A fourth, Pavel, whom he employs as his servant, is suspected to be the illegitimate product of a union with “Reeking Lizaveta,” a mute woman of the street who died in childbirth. Fyodor takes little interest in the raising of his children and as a result finds himself in a contentious relationship with them. Within the context of this crime story evolves a brilliant philosophical debate of religion, reason, liberty, and the nature of guilt in a modernizing society. Considered by Sigmund Freud as “The most magnificent novel ever written,” Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov,” remains to this day to be regarded as one of the finest accomplishments of literature in any language. Through the lives and loves of the Karamazovs, Dostoyevsky presents a compelling examination of Russian life in the 19th century. This edition follows the translation of Constance Garnett.

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At the center of “Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)” by Philippine national hero José Rizal is the conflict against Spanish colonialism. The Philippines, which is named after King Philip II of Spain, was ruled by the Spanish empire as a colony from 1565 until the Philippine Revolution ended this rule in 1898. For his part in the Philippine Revolution, José Rizal was tried and convicted for rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy. His sentence was to be death by firing squad. Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra, the main character of “Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)”, returns to the Philippines after a seven year absence studying in Europe. He is betrothed to the María Clara, the beautiful daughter of Captain Tiago. With this work Rizal set out to write a novel that would expose the ills of Philippine society and in so doing created a passionate love story set amidst the backdrop of the political conflict against a repressive regime. “Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not)” and its sequel “El Filibusterismo” are exceptional firsthand documents of the real struggles faced by the Philippine peoples at the end of the 19th century.

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An elaborate parody written by the French Renaissance humanist, writer, Greek scholar, and physician Francois Rabelais, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” is a comic blend of energetic realism and carnival fantasy. First published in1532, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” relates the fantastical tales of its titular characters, Gargantua, a giant who becomes a sophisticated and cultured Christian knight, and his son Pantagruel, also a giant, who grows into a learned philosopher similar to Socrates. Many different types of people are satirized during their chivalric exploits, from lawyers to theologians, generals to monarchs, with humor that is often grotesque and was considered obscene when it first appeared. Intertwined with this crude comedy, however, is the wisdom of Renaissance learning, which exposes countless examples of human foolishness. Comprised of five books, the first tells the story of Gargantua and the second through fifth relate that of his son, Pantagruel. Rabelais’s knowledge of Greek inspired him to invent hundreds of new words, many of which became part of the French language in this entertaining, irreverent, clever, and timeless masterpiece.

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First published in 1876, Louisa May Alcott’s “Rose in Bloom” is the sequel to her 1875 novel, “Eight Cousins”, and continues to follow the life of orphaned Rose Campbell and her numerous relatives. In “Rose in Bloom” the reader reunites with Rose, newly grown-up and returning from a two-year trip traveling in Europe. Rose, a wealthy heiress, finds herself the object of many suitors and struggles to know who loves her for herself and who seeks her fortune. Her own aunts and cousins have ambitions for her money as well and Rose must use both her wits and her heart to navigate these difficult situations. Drawing on the wisdom and lessons of Uncle Alec, her prudent and protective guardian, Rose demonstrates her maturity and good sense in rejecting the pursuit of her dissolute and impulsive cousin Charlie. Both Rose and her close friend and former maid Phebe eventually find the happy endings they seek with honorable and devoted men who are worthy of the love of these kind and virtuous young ladies. A delightful and heartwarming coming of age story, “Rose in Bloom” continues to engage readers both young and old. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

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First published in 1865, Mary Mapes Dodge’s “Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates” is an endearing children’s story about a hard-working, honorable Dutch boy and the challenges he faces as a result of his family’s poverty. Hans dreams of entering a big ice-skating race with his sister Gretel so that he may win the beautiful silver skates he desires. Yet, he is also very concerned for his father, who has been injured from a fall off of a dike and in need of surgery. When Hans learns of an expensive doctor who may be able to treat his father, he offers his money, saved for the race skates he would need to win the competition, to the doctor for the surgery. This heartwarming tale with its surprising ending was an instant commercial success and has remained in print ever since its publication. Dodge’s story, full of authentic detail of Dutch life in the early nineteenth century, has provided readers with a charming tale of youthful honor that has stood the test of time.

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