Villette

Charlotte Brontë

Villette is Charlotte Brontes last novel, published in 1853. After an unspecified family disaster, protagonist Lucy Snowe travels to the fictional city of Villette to teach at an all-girls school where she is unwillingly pulled into both adventure and romance. However, the novel is celebrated not so much for its plot as in its acute tracing of Lucys psychology, particularly Brontes use of Gothic doubling to represent externally what her protagonist is suffering internally. This novel is a kind of anguish of the soul, Charlotte Brontes autobiography, her mature thoughts and insights, anguish of minds and stoicism...

The Gods and Mr. Perrin. A Tragi-Comedy

Hugh Walpole

This is a wonderful story of English school life, depicting the driving of boys and the hungry, cramped life of the masters, as well as the tragedy that captures and leads Mr. Perrin. We are set up so as not to love the school teacher Mr. Perrin, who is falling into our eyes into some kind of paranoid delusion. Nevertheless, at every step, the author deviates from the expected result, truly not letting us understand why this was not so inevitable as he drew it up to this point.

Униженные и оскорбленные (Skrzywdzeni i poniżeni)

Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fiodor Michajłowicz Dostojewski

Роман «Униженные и оскорбленные» 2013 был написан Достоевским после каторги. Автор 2013 гениальный психолог, показывает захватывающие переплетения жизненных историй судеб, ненависть и любовь, низость и благородство. Это история о «маленьком человеке», затерявшемся в страшном мире нищеты и порока, об искалеченных душах, о забитых, потерянных людях, обречённых на физическую и нравственную гибель.

The Companions of Jehu

Alexandre Dumas

Set out for a rollicking good time with Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), the renowned French author who created timeless classics such as The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in the Iron Mask. Les Compagnons de Jehu (The Companions of Jehu) tale is based loosely on a historical account of a band of young aristocrats-turned-highwaymen that continuously steals the money of the Directoire in order to finance the restoration of monarchy and who fought their way to freedom after being jailed on dubious charges. Packed with tragedy, political intrigues, noble heroes, love, and derring-do, this exciting historical tale constitutes a must-read for fans of Dumass work, and would make for a great addition to any bookshelf.

The Nigger of the Narcissus. A Tale of the Sea

Joseph Conrad

The Nigger of the Narcissus was written in 1896 and is loosely based on Conrads own experiences as a sailor; in 1884, Conrad made a voyage on the real Narcissus from Bombay to Dunkirk as a Second Mate, and some of the events described in his novella may be based on adversities Conrad and his fellow-sailers had to contend with. And yet, Conrads third novel is much more than just an accout of adventures at sea partly based on fact and experience. In The Nigger of the Narcissus, Conrad powerfully expresses his emotional leanings towards a seafaring life but he also unfolds a rather pessimistic worldview, maybe an even more pessimistic one than in many of his later works. An absolutely engrossing tale that takes place on board of the Narcissus, a ship bound for England. It explores the microcosm on board of this ship and examines human nature and power relations as more and more strain is put on the crew.

Slanes Long Shots

E. Phillips Oppenheim

A collection of unconnected but all featuring the same protagonist, gentlemen amateur detective Slane. Sir Jasper Slane, wealthy clubman, and amateur detective, is always willing to help his fellow aristocrats in need. With the able assistance of Inspector Stimpson of Scotland Yard, he solves thefts, rescues kidnapped victims, foils blackmailers, and helps to restore fortunes. Because of his upper class morality, Slane is perhaps more diffident than some other Oppenheim heroes, but, in the end, he succumbs to the attractions of women. Much of Oppenheims work possesses a unique escapist charm, featuring protagonists who delight in Epicurean meals, surroundings of intense luxury, and the relaxed pursuit of criminal practice, on either side of the law.

The Winters Tale

William Shakespeare

This play is not just a fairy tale by its name, everything in it is amazing and unbelievable, and it would be ridiculous to look for likelihood here! But, as you know, a fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it, because among the wonderful fairy-tale accidents of the play we learn about what actually happens. That there are jealous husbands, rejected wives, abandoned children, as well as good nurses, loyal servants, honest counselors. That evil can take possession of the human soul, as it possessed Leont, who broke his own happiness and the happiness of those he loved. And that only time can put everything in its place.

Jericos Garrison Finish

Max Brand

Max Brand (1892-1944) is the best-known pen name of widely acclaimed author Frederick Faust, creator of Destry, Dr. Kildare, an extremely popular fictional character, and other beloved fictional characters. Prolific in many genres he wrote historical novels, detective mysteries, pulp fiction stories and many more. His love for mythology was a constant source of inspiration for his fiction, and it has been speculated that these classical influences accounted in some part for his success as a popular writer. Jericos Garrison Finish is one of his great novels.