Showing results for "Icons" in Classics

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born September 29, 1547, was a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelists. He is best known for his novel Don Quixote, a work often cited as both the first modern novel and one of the pinnacles of world literature. Much of his life was spent in poverty and obscurity, many of its details are disputed or unknown, and the bulk of his surviving work was produced in the three years preceding his death.

Wuthering Heights is a fierce and haunting tale of love, vengeance, and the wild forces that shape the human heart. Set against the storm-lashed moors of northern England, the story follows the doomed and unforgettable bond between Heathcliff, a brooding foundling of mysterious origin, and Catherine Earnshaw, the restless young woman who becomes both his salvation and his torment.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. It focuses on the unfortunate story of Quasimodo, the Romani street dancer Esmeralda and Quasimodo's guardian, the Archdeacon Claude Frollo in 15th-century Paris.

Welcome to the world of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved authors in the English language. Austen's works are known for their wit, social commentary, and romantic storylines that have captivated readers for generations.

Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield is a timeless coming-of-age story filled with humor, heartbreak, and unforgettable characters. Told through the eyes of its earnest and resilient hero, the novel follows David from his difficult childhood to his struggles and triumphs as a young man.

Howard's End is about three families in England at the beginning of the twentieth century. The three families represent different gradations of the Edwardian middle class: the Wilcoxes, who are rich capitalists with a fortune made in the Colonies; the half-German Schlegel siblings (Margaret, Tibby, and Helen), who represent the intellectual bourgeoisie and have a lot in common with the real-life Bloomsbury Group; and the Basts, a couple who are struggling members of the lower-middle class. The Schlegel sisters try to help the poor Basts and try to make the Wilcoxes less prejudiced.

Dracula is a novel by Bram Stoker, published in 1897. As an epistolary novel, the narrative is related through letters, diary entries, and newspaper articles. It has no single protagonist but opens with solicitor Jonathan Harker taking a business trip to stay at the castle of a Transylvanian nobleman, Count Dracula. Harker escapes the castle after discovering that Dracula is a vampire, and the Count moves to England and plagues the seaside town of Whitby. A small group, led by Abraham Van Helsing, hunt Dracula and, in the end, kill him.

“Please sir, I want some more," the famous line spoken by Oliver Twist at age nine becomes the tipping point of a huge change in Oliver's life. He is soon captured into the service of the evil Fagin and his gang of pick-pocketing boys. Mr. Brownlow, however, saves him from arrest, and for the first time in his young life, Oliver finds comfort and caring. Unfortunately, he is soon recaptured into the seedy world from which he had escaped and meets with Bill Sykes, a highly dangerous criminal.

Charles Dickens, one of the most influential writers of the 19th century, is particularly renowned for his Christmas stories, which have become an enduring part of holiday traditions. His most famous work, A Christmas Carol, tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted miser who, after being visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve, undergoes a profound transformation. This tale is a powerful exploration of redemption, highlighting the importance of generosity, compassion, and embracing the true spirit of Christmas.

In the turbulent streets of late-eighteenth-century London, the echo of mob fury rises like a storm wind through a city on the edge of chaos. Barnaby Rudge is Charles Dickens’s sweeping historical novel set amid the Gordon Riots of 1780, when fear, prejudice, and political fervor tore through the fabric of society. Against this backdrop of violence and upheaval, Dickens weaves a tale of innocence and guilt, vengeance and forgiveness, where personal destinies are shaped by the blind force of history itself.

This bundle includes A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, and The Battle of Life.

Emma is Jane Austen’s most subtle and deceptively brilliant portrait of privilege, misunderstanding, and the unpredictable pathways of the human heart. At the center stands Emma Woodhouse, clever, charming, wealthy, and absolutely certain she knows what is best for everyone around her.

Set against the turmoil of late‑18th‑century London, Barnaby Rudge follows the gentle and simple‑hearted Barnaby as he navigates a city on the brink of chaos. Dickens’ gripping historical novel unfolds during the Gordon Riots, capturing fear, violence, and the struggle for justice in a world fraught with social and political tension.

The Dream of the Red Chamber (also known as The Story of the Stone) is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of China, and considered the greatest of them all. Almost 40 main characters and some 500 minor characters tell the fortunes of the Chia family; the book details mainly the life of Chia Pao-yü, the heir apparent, who is described as very intelligent, but also as carefree and self-indulging. The already wealthy Chia family rises to new heights when Pao-yü's elder sister becomes an imperial consort.

Charles Dickens’ final completed novel, Our Mutual Friend, explores the tangled web of wealth, ambition, and human folly in Victorian London. The story revolves around the inheritance of a vast fortune from the recently deceased John Harmon and the lives it touches—including the humble yet determined Bella Wilfer, the gentle Lizzie Hexam, and a host of morally complex characters.

Arms and the Man is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw that takes place in 1885, during the Serbo-Bulgarian War. Raina Petkoff is engaged to the gallant Sergius Saranoff, hero of the recent Bulgarian victory over the Serbs. But she is distracted by the abrupt arrival of Captain Bluntschli, a Swiss mercenary who fought for the Serbian army. He takes refuge in her bedroom after the battle and although he is initially threatening, reveals that he carries chocolate creams instead of bullets. Will Raina marry the posturing Sergius or the chocolate cream soldier?

Austen’s genius lies in her ability to expose hypocrisy while championing sincerity, independence, and emotional honesty. Pride and Prejudice endures not only because it is a romance, but because it is a vibrant portrait of flawed, vivid people learning to see one another clearly.

Swiss Family Robinson: The Lost Manuscript presents Johann David Wyss’s beloved tale of adventure, survival, ingenuity, and family courage in a newly expanded narrative that deepens the emotional and imaginative world of the original classic.

A man named Redlaw, burdened by sorrow and past regrets, is visited by a mysterious ghost who offers him a strange bargain: to forget all pain and suffering. At first, this gift seems like a blessing, but Redlaw soon discovers that erasing sorrow can also erase compassion, empathy, and human connection.

A young boy named Edward comes of age in a tale filled with warmth, humor, and the quiet wisdom of everyday life. Dickens follows him—and a spirited cast of friends, neighbors, and family—as they move through the tender joys and small heartbreaks of childhood in a close-knit English village. Through dramatic twists of fate, comic misunderstandings, and unexpected acts of kindness, Edward learns the timeless lessons of love, honesty, and forgiveness.