The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde

A family of flag-flaunting United States acquire an historic English mansion from the thoroughly prim, thoroughly British Lord Canterville. Throw in a murderous, aesthetically-minded ghost with a penchant for high drama and theater, and you have a classic, joy-inducing tale of clashing cultures, progress vs. tradition, and Wildes self-mockery of his own philosophy of decadent aestheticism. Wilde emphasized differences in culture by creating special characters and then pitting the unsophisticated tastes of the patriotic Americans patriotic as their children are named Washington and Virginia against the Brittish esteem of traditions. More telling, given the storys ending and that the events are closely placed within the historical context of conflicting views and several wars, the overall theme of forgiveness reads surprisingly fresh, even in todays time.

Prince Roman

Joseph Conrad

Prince Roman is a Pole who relinquishes his comfortable position in the aristocracy to fight as an unknown soldier, resisting Russian oppression. In captivity, he has every opportunity to avoid punishment, but he declares his unconditional commitment to the liberation of Poland. As a result, he suffers a quarter century in the imperial equivalent of the Gulag Siberian mines in the ninth century, before returning to live in modest conditions in what should have been his own property, before devoting his life to helping other people.

The Evil Genius

Wilkie Collins

There is literally no such thing as an evil genius, just a lot of depressed people who were not lucky enough to live in the 1800s. This is a historical family drama. A very abrupt end. Its never quite clear who the evil genius is. But he certainly gave us a clear idea of just how devastating adultery can be.

Powrót

Jerzy Żuławski

Powrót to pierwsza część dylogii Laus feminae. Znany i ceniony w środowisku artystycznym literat Roman Turski powraca do Krakowa jako majętny biznesmen, co wzbudza duże zamieszanie wśród miejscowych artystów. Szczególne zainteresowanie okazuje mu Helena Hazarapelianowa, znana femme fatale i łamaczka serc, otoczona licznym gronem adoratorów. Niegdyś należał do nich również główny bohater. To właśnie księżna Helena stanowiła przyczynę wyjazdu Turskiego. Mężczyzna jednak wierzy, że ten etap w jego życiu jest już zakończony i wyrusza do Zakopanego, aby rozpocząć tam interesy.

The Years

Virginia Woolf

The action of the novel Years, one of the most significant works of W. Woolf, takes place over fifty years from the 1880s to the mid 30s of the twentieth century. Victorian traditions are breaking down, cars and planes are appearing, the First World War is covering Europe... All this serves as the backdrop for the family saga the history of the Pargiter family: Colonel Abel Pargiter, his wife, lover, seven children, their wives, husbands, numerous relatives...

A Personal Record

Joseph Conrad

A Personal Record is the story of the design and manuscript of Caprice Olmeyer, Conrads first novel, as well as the story of his dream about the sea, and the story of his cousin who ate a dog, and the story of a beloved dog presented to his son, but above all, the story of the novel The Olmeyer Caprice, and the strange prototype of the hero of this novel, and a few more words about the man who was the first reader of this novel. At the same time, A Personal Record is not a classic autobiography, the book sometimes resembles a game of association, and it is impossible to predict where the author will bring another memory, another association and the story it generated.

Żołnierz samochwał

Plaut

Najpopularniejsza sztuka rzymskiego pisarza Plauta, która swoją sławę zdobyła dzięki tytułowej postaci żołnierza samochwała. Pyrgopolinices to zakochany w sobie wojak, postrzegający siebie jako żołnierza odważnego, nieziemsko przystojnego (bo z urodą wywodzącą się od Wenus i Marsa) i mającego wielkie powodzenie u kobiet. Swoją wielkość i boskie pochodzenie podkreśla bogatym strojem. W rzeczywistości jednak jest on tchórzliwym błaznem.

The Legacy of Cain

Wilkie Collins

This book not only wants to thrill its readers with a chilling story, but also touches on social issues in this case, the debate about whether there is a tendency to crime in a person. Blood is the genetic code, or can it be successfully counteracted by compassionate and virtuous parenting.