LITMIR.BIZ

Often referred to as a “father of science fiction”, H. G. Wells was one of the first authors to write a type of speculative fiction which referenced the advancements in science of his time. Characteristic of Wells’ work is their cautionary tale nature which warned against the unintended consequences of technological development gone too far. First published serially in “Pearson's Weekly” in 1897, “The Invisible Man” is just such a story. At the beginning of the novel a mysterious man named Griffen appears in a snowstorm at the local inn of the English village of Iping in West Sussex. Rarely emerging from his room Griffen works continuously with a set of chemicals and laboratory apparatus. Soon it is revealed that Griffin is a former medical student who has invented a chemical process to render bodies invisible. Having impulsively tried the formula upon himself, Griffen is unfortunately unable to turn himself visible again. Running out of money and driven to the brink of madness by his condition, Griffen turns to crime to continue his experiments. As suspicion grows around the mysterious man the townsfolk begin to close in on Griffen as the novel races to its tragic conclusion. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

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“Wuthering Heights,” the only novel written by Emily Bronte, is a classic of 19th century literature and is considered by many as one of the greatest romantic novels ever written. Set in Northern England, at the moorland farmhouse known as “Wuthering Heights,” it 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, following a trip to Liverpool. Meanwhile Catherine’s brother Hindley, becomes jealous of the affections that his father is bestowing upon Heathcliff and seeks to undermine the young boy’s position in the family. When their father dies Hindley allows Heathcliff to stay on at Wuthering Heights but only in the capacity as a servant. The relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is a tumultuous one, while the two are deeply in love, Catherine will not allow herself to marry him due to his lowly status. The novel follows the lives of the Earnshaw family for many years. “Wuthering Heights” is a deeply tragic tale of unfulfilled desire, betrayal, and ultimately bitter vengeance. This edition includes an introduction by Mary Augusta Ward and a biographical afterword.

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First published in 1889, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” was inspired by a dream in which the author, Mark Twain, imagined himself as knight in the time of chivalry. The book relates the tale of Hank Morgan, an engineer from 19th century Hartford Connecticut, who is inexplicably transported to the early medieval England of King Arthur. While there he uses his knowledge of modern technology to appear as though he is a magician. Despite his best intentions, Hank’s attempts to modernize the past bring about a tragic end. A bittersweet depiction of the Arthurian legend through the eyes of a 19th century American, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” satirizes the romanticized notions of chivalry and the idealization of the middle ages, in a delightful and enchanting way, exemplifying Mark Twain at his satirical best. This edition includes an introduction by E. Hudson Long.

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First published serially in 1891 in “The Graphic”, an illustrated British newspaper, “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” is one of the last novels written by Thomas Hardy. It is the titular story of Teresa “Tess” Durbeyfield, the oldest child of John and Joan Durbeyfield. The Durbeyfields are a poor family living in rural England who are led to believe by a local parson that they may actually be related to the d’Urbervilles, a noble Norman family. Trying to capitalize on this knowledge the Durbeyfields send a reluctant Tess to work at the d’Urberville’s estate, a rural mansion in the nearby town of Trantridge. Tess is able to secure a position as a poultry keeper on the estate when she draws the interest of the family’s libertine son, Alec. Tess dislikes Alec but endures his unwanted advances in order to help her family, a compromise that will ultimately lead to her ruin. Because it challenged the sexual morals of late Victorian England, “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” was harshly criticized following its initial publication, however since that time it has come be regarded by many as Thomas Hardy’s fictional masterpiece.

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During a boat trip up the Isis River with Reverend Robinson Duckworth and the three young daughters of Henry Liddell, one of whom is named Alice, Lewis Carroll, the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, invents a story about a bored little girl named Alice who goes looking for an adventure. Several years later this tale would be forever immortalized as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” The story begins with Alice idly passing away the time next to a river when she sees a White Rabbit in a waistcoat with a pocket watch pass by. She follows the rabbit down the rabbit hole and ends up in the fantasy world of Wonderland. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” is filled with a plethora of interesting and fantastical creatures. Along with the persistently tardy White Rabbit, Alice encounters a blue Caterpillar smoking a hookah, the mischievously grinning Cheshire Cat, a Mad Hatter, a March Hare, and a sleepy little Dormouse, whom she attends a tea party with, the King and Queen of Hearts, along with many other curious characters. Beloved my millions of children and adults ever since its first publication, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is a classic tale of fantasy that has been cherished by readers ever since its first publication and will surely delight for many years to come. This edition is illustrated by Arthur Rackham and includes a biographical afterword.

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Jane Austen’s first published novel, “Sense and Sensibility” is the classic coming of age story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, who have contrasting temperaments. On the surface Elinor, the older sister represents sense, or reason, while Marianne represents sensibility, or emotion; however upon closer examination we find that they both exhibit varying aspects of each characteristic. Set in southwest England, in the towns of London and Kent, the novel follows the lives of the two sisters as they struggle to find love, romance, and ultimately deal with the heartbreaks along the way. The novel ponders the question of which is the best characteristic, sense or sensibility. It is unclear ultimately what Austen intended as the answer to this question, whether or not she left the novel purposefully ambiguous or if her suggestion is that a proper temperament requires some measure of both qualities. “Sense and Sensibility” is a compelling study of character and one of the great achievements of the romantic genre. This edition includes an introduction by Reginald Brimley Johnson and a biographical afterword.

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Begun as an ambitious project by the versatile English courtier, diplomat, philosopher, and author Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, “The Canterbury Tales” follows a group of people on their pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Saint Thomas á Becket. The Prologue introduces all of the pilgrims in great detail, and through these descriptions Chaucer provides the entire spectrum of social classes and professions of his time. When the group stops at an inn and the innkeeper introduces a competition for a free dinner, the pilgrims begin telling each other stories that reflect their stations, genders, purity, corruption, humor, tragedy, cynicism, and innocence. From the noble Knight and his Squire to the spunky Wife of Bath, from the antagonistic Miller and Reeve to the Prioress, Nun, and Pardoner, Chaucer reveals for modern readers a wonderfully vivid picture of medieval life in an impressive array of literary styles that uphold his reputation as the father of English literature. This edition includes a preface and biography of Chaucer by D. Laing Purves.

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First published serially in 1897, H. G. Wells’s “The War of the Worlds,” is one of the author’s most popular and enduring works. When explosions are observed on Mars at an astronomical observatory the interest of the scientific community is greatly aroused. It is soon discovered, when they land on Earth, that the explosions are rocket like projectiles that have been launched from Mars. An unnamed protagonist is one of the first to discover that these are actually spaceships carrying monstrous beings from the planet. The story centers on the unnamed narrator’s attempt to reunite with his wife after witnessing the devastating attacks that soon follow. The merciless Martians storm the countryside in three-legged fighting machines that fire deadly heat rays and spew poisonous black smoke. Thousands of refugees are sent fleeing in the chaos created by the invasion. Inspired by the English invasion literature of his area, Wells’s “The War of the Worlds” crafts a thrilling and foreboding narrative that helped to popularize and define an entire genre of literature. This edition is illustrated by Henrique Alvim Corrêa and includes a biographical afterword.

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First published in 1850, “The Scarlet Letter” is the work that would establish Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literary legacy. It is the story of Hester Prynne, a young attractive woman who has been convicted of the crime of adultery and has been sentenced to wear a scarlet letter “A” sewn to her dress. As the result of the affair, Hester has a child named Pearl and because the man with whom she has committed this act refuses to come forward she finds herself having to raise the child alone. The novel, which is set in middle 17th century Boston, is a vivid picture of the archaic social beliefs and customs that were indicative of early colonial American life. It is a time in which adultery was not only considered immoral but was a crime and extreme puritanical beliefs ruled everyday life. Hawthorne’s narrative is an exploration of the nature of sin, guilt, and the way in which society tries to police morality through the rule of law. A haunting portrait of days long past, “The Scarlet Letter” is a brilliant portrayal of life in Puritanical America. This edition is illustrated by Hugh Thomson, includes an introduction by Katharine Lee Bates, and a biographical afterword.

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Though written at the beginning of the Romantic era, this remarkable French historical romance takes place in medieval Paris at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. It is there that the deformed Quasimodo has gone deaf ringing the grand church’s bells for his adoptive father Dom Claude Frollo. The severe priest, though he looks after the grotesque Quasimodo, ignores the public persecution that the man suffers whenever he leaves the Cathedral, and it is at just such a moment of vulnerability that the lovely young Gypsy Esmeralda shows Quasimodo an act of kindness that leads to his inner transformation. Though still hated by everyone, Quasimodo’s sleeping soul awakens and grows in an extraordinary conversion to the sublime, allowing him to care for and protect Esmeralda even as those who admired her come to fear and despise her. A commanding and epic melodrama fully utilizing the extremes of passion and religion in the bygone Gothic era, Hugo’s novel explores social justice through the suffering of his characters, though with a compassion and melancholy that belies the author’s conviction in the impossibility of salvation in his contemporary world. This edition follows the translation of Isabel F. Hapgood and includes a biographical afterword.

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