eBooks classic literature

Alfred, Lord Tennyson The Charge of the Light Brigade

Poetry
English
291 Words
No Age Recommendation
452
6

Tennyson's classic manages to capture both the honor of those who died and the utter futility of the [more]

Keywords: classic, literature, war, honor

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Homer The Iliad

Adventure
English
152695 Words
No Age Recommendation
7358
87

Keywords: Iliad, Homer, Greek myths, mythology, classic literature

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Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal

Satire
English
3408 Words
Ages 12 and up
342
2

A Modest Proposal is a satirical essay written and published by Jonathan Swift. Swift suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food for rich gentlemen and ladies. This satirical hyperbole mocks heartless attitudes towards the poor, as well as Irish policy in general. In English writing, the phrase "a modest proposal" is now conventionally an allusion to this style of straight-faced satire. Swift goes to great lengths to support his argument, including a list of possible preparation styles for the children, and calculations showing the financial benefits of his suggestion. He uses methods of argument throughout his essay which lampoon the then-influential William Petty and the social engineering popular among followers of Francis Bacon. These lampoons include appealing to the authority of "a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London" and "the famous Psalmanazar, a native of the island Formosa." This essay is widely held to be one of the greatest examples of sustained irony in the history of the English language. Much of its shock value derives from the fact that the first portion of the essay describes the plight of starving beggars in Ireland, so that the reader is unprepared for the surprise of Swift's solution when he states, "A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout." Readers unacquainted with its reputation as a satirical work often do not immediately realize that Swift was not seriously proposing cannibalism and infanticide. The satirical element of the pamphlet is often only understood after the reader notes the allusions made by Swift to the attitudes of landlords, such as the following: "I grant this food may be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for Landlords, who as they have already devoured most of the Parents, seem to have the best Title to the Children." Swift extends the conceit to get in a few jibes at England’s mistreatment of Ireland, noting that "For this kind of commodity will not bear exportation, and flesh being of too tender a consistence, to admit a long continuance in salt, although perhaps I could name a country, which would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it." [more]

Keywords: a modest proposal, jonathan swift, classic literature, satire, dark humor, black comedy, satrical essay

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Leo Tolstoy War and Peace

Fiction
English
562164 Words
Ages 12 and up
885
4

War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. The work is epic in scale and is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature. War and Peace delineates in graphic detail events surrounding the French invasion of Russia, and the impact of the Napoleonic era on Tsarist society, as seen through the eyes of five Russian aristocratic families. The novel can be generally classified as historical fiction. It contains elements present in many types of popular 18th and 19th century literature, especially the romance novel. War and Peace attains its literary status by transcending genres. Tolstoy was instrumental in bringing a new kind of consciousness to the novel. His narrative structure is noted for its "god-like" ability to hover over and within events, but also in the way it swiftly and seamlessly portrayed a particular character's point of view. His use of visual detail is often cinematic in its scope, using the literary equivalents of panning, wide shots and close-ups, to give dramatic interest to battles and ballrooms alike. These devices, while not exclusive to Tolstoy, are part of the new style of the novel that arose in the mid-19th century and of which Tolstoy proved himself a master. War and Peace tells the story of five aristocratic families—the Bezukhovs, the Bolkonskys, the Rostovs, the Kuragins and the Drubetskoys—and the entanglements of their personal lives with the then contemporary history of 1805 to 1813, principally Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812. The Bezukhovs, while very rich, are a fragmented family as the old Count, Kirill Vladimirovich, has fathered dozens of illegitimate sons. The Bolkonskys are an old established and wealthy family based at Bald Hills. Old Prince Bolkonsky, Nikolai Andreevich, served as a general under Catherine the Great, in earlier wars. The Moscow Rostovs have many estates, but never enough cash. They are a closely knit, loving family who live for the moment regardless of their financial situation. The Kuragin family has three children, who are all of questionable character. The Drubetskoy family is of impoverished nobility, and consists of an elderly mother and her only son, Boris, whom she wishes to push up the career ladder. [more]

Keywords: war and peace, leo tolstoy, classic literature, historical fiction, napoleon, russian history

$4.99

John Galsworthy To Let

Fiction
English
90194 Words
Ages 10 and up
96
0

To Let, the final volume of the Forsyte trilogy, chronicles the continuing feuds of the two factions within the troubled Forsyte family. The shadow of the past returns to haunt the lives of a new generation, as Irene's son Jon falls in love with Soames's daughter Fleur with tragic consequences. John Galsworthy's To Let is of special note for some dubious reasons in the world of book collecting. To Let is the final installment in Galsworthy's Forsythe Saga, one of the most important and well regarded works of the time. In 1932 Galsworthy had won the Nobel Prize for literature, and signed, limited editions of many of his works were highly sought by book collectors. His first, pseudonymous work, From the Four Winds commonly commanded prices of more than $500 in the early 30's, a fair bit of money today, and a small fortune at the time. While Galsworthy is still read and known, in part from the BBC television series based on the Forsythe Saga, his books are typically not worth a great deal of money to book collectors, and in fact, sell for less now than they did 80 years ago. John Galsworthy is possibly the first example of hypermodern book collecting, a phenomenon that now commonly sees brand newly released book selling for large sums of money in the antiquarian book market as dealers and collectors vie to speculate on future value, trying to buy in before prices go up. As we see in the example of poor Mr. Galsworthy, this speculation often is wrong in the longterm. [more]

Keywords: Classic, Literature, Fiction, Forsyte Saga, To Let, John Galsworthy, Historical Fiction, Drama, Family, Romance, Social Life, Middle Class, Women, England

$2.99

Victor Hugo Les Misérables (Annotated)

Complete In Five Volumes

Fiction
English
563998 Words
Ages 6 and up
709
1

Les Misérables is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo (1802-1885) that is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. The title is variously translated from the French as The Miserable, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims. Beginning in 1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion, the novel follows the lives and interactions of several characters, focusing on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption. The novel contains many plots, but the main thread is the story of ex-convict, Jean Valjean (known by his prison number, 24601), who becomes a force for good in the world, but cannot escape his dark past. The novel is divided into five volumes, each volume divided into books, and subdivided into chapters,for a total of three hundred sixty-five chapters. [more]

Keywords: Les Misérables, Victor Hugo, Literature, Fiction, Poor, The Miserable, Jean Valjean, Ex-convict, Cosette, French Revolution, French Literature, Satire, French History, Classic Literature, Les Miserables

$1.99

Michael Butterworth TIME OF THE HAWKLORDS

The science fiction classic - based on an idea by MICHAEL MOORCOCK

Science Fiction
English
79808 Words
Ages 16 and up
41
0

Deep at the Earth's Centre lay the Death Generator. Buried there from time immemorial by a long-dead race of aliens, it had at last been triggered into action... For among the ruins of London, surrounded by the survivors of the recent holocaust, Hawkwind rock, their music catalysing the attacking Death Ray - a lethal concoction of high energy that insinuates its way into the mind, tormenting every sense with demonic psychic visions. With the breakdown of the barriers between nightmare and reality, Hawkwind find themselves re-enacting the stages of a war that took place thousands of years before, in which they take the role of the Hawklords - the only potential saviours of the human race otherwise doomed to extermination in an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good and evil... Time of the Hawklords by Michael Butterworth (born 24 April 1947 in Manchester) - based on an idea by Michael Moorcock - was first published in 1976: an echo of New Wave SF, an incomparable psychedelic rock fantasy - and a definitive cult novel! Time of the Hawklords is published in a new edition by Apex-Verlag, reviewed by the author (and supplemented by a preface). [more]

Keywords: Apex-Verlag, Science Fiction, SF, SciFi, Sci-Fi, novel, Fantasy, Science Fantasy, New Wave, New Wave SF, Michael Moorcock, Hawkwind, Rock-Music, Music, psychedelic, dystopia, anti-utopia, future, future noir, dark future, action, excitement, adventure, classic, literature, sophisticated, literary, psychedelic fantasy, rock fantasy, epic, cult, cult-classic, ebook, Ebook, E-Book, new edition, new edition 2021, new publication 2021 [more][Less]

€6.99

Michael Butterworth QUEENS OF DELIRIA

The science fiction classic - based on an idea by MICHAEL MOORCOCK

Science Fiction
English
56165 Words
Ages 16 and up
13
0

Earth had already been devastated by the Death Generator... Then the Red Queen meddled with the very laws of Time to advance her evil ambitions. She transmogrified the planet into a world stalked by decaying ghouls and policed by satanic Bulls, their amplifiers meting out the punishing music of Elton John. Only the Hawklords could save the remnants of Humanity... only the Hawklords could restore the forces of Good. Their sole ally Elric the Indecisive; their sole weapon their music; they fought to the death with their awesome enemies, the macabre Queens of Deliria... Queens Of Deliria by Michael Butterworth (born 24 April 1947 in Manchester) - based on an idea by Michael Moorcock - was first published in 1977: an echo of New Wave SF, an incomparable psychedelic rock fantasy - and a definitive cult novel! Queens Of Deliria is published in a new edition by Apex-Verlag, edited by the author (and supplemented by a new introduction written by Rick Evans). [more]

Keywords: Apex-Verlag, Science Fiction, SF, SciFi, Sci-Fi, novel, Fantasy, Science Fantasy, New Wave, NEW WAVE SF, Michael Moorcock, Hawkwind, Rock Music, Music, psychedelic, dystopia, anti-utopia, future, future noir, dark future, action, excitement, adventure, classic, literature, sophisticated, literary, arts, psychedelic fantasy, rock fantasy, epic, cult, cult-classik, ebook, E-Book, Ebook, new edition, new edition 2021, new publication 2021 [more][Less]

€6.99

Albert Hale Plumb William Bradford of Plymouth

Fiction
English
22210 Words
Ages 18 and up
3
0

"William Bradford of Plymouth. 1913", by Albert Hale Plumb, is a replication of a book originally published before [more]

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Chicago Chicago Fire ordinances of the city of Chicago

Erotic
English
8962 Words
Ages 18 and up
6
2

This book, "Fire ordinances of the city of Chicago", by Chicago Chicago, is a replication. It has been [more]

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eBooks „classic literature“

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eBooks „classic literature“

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