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Written by the Indian philosopher Vatsyayana sometime between the 4th century B.C. and the 1st century A.D., "The Kama Sutra" is perhaps the world's most famous book ever written on love and sexual desire. "Kama" is one of the four Hindu goals of human life and is translated as love, including sexual desire and romantic love. "Sutra" in this context means aphorisms, or rules and lessons, on the subject of love. "The Kama Sutra" has become synonymous with its instructions on sexual positions, but this compromises only a small portion of the work and it is much more than an erotic guide to lovemaking. Instead, it is intended as a manual for not only love and intimacy, but also a treatise on the politics and customs of marriages and family life. While the treatise values sensual delight and the pursuit of physical pleasure, it also promotes honor, virtue, and responsibility. This masterpiece of Sanskrit literature provides a fascinating glimpse into an ancient culture and its traditions and values, such as how one chooses a mate, how husbands and wives should comport themselves, and which romantic relationships are healthy and which are destructive. Presented here is the classic translation of Sir Richard Burton printed on premium acid-free paper.

Published in 1875 after appearing in serial form, "The Way We Live Now" is widely acknowledged to be the masterpiece of Anthony Trollope's prolific Victorian career. The novel is a scathing satire which Trollope wrote upon returning to England after traveling abroad. Trollope was horrified to discover how pervasive greed and dishonesty had become in England during his absence. In seeking to reveal the deceit and dissipation he found, Trollope spared no sinful aspect he perceived in business, politics, social classes, literature, and various vice-related activities. Inspired by the devastation wrought by several famous financial scams of the nineteenth century, Trollope drew upon these scandals to show how destructive such deception and avarice can become. The result of his efforts is an impressive array of characters, such as the old coquette Lady Carbury, her dissolute son Sir Felix, a spoiled and treacherously lovely heiress Marie, and her colossal figure of a father Augustus Melmotte, the great financier whose deceitful plots dupe countless wealthy individuals. Through the swindling, bribery, feuding, and shameless self-promotion of these characters, Trollope writes a sweeping panorama of vice for the sake of monetary greed that will cause readers to reflect on the morality of our own time. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1914 after Leo Tolstoy's death, "Hadji Murad" was the author's last novel. Drawing upon his own experiences fighting for the Russian army, historical archives, and the true story of the real-life Hadji Murad, the story is a narrative based on actual events that occurred during the Russian war with the Chechens during the 1850's. "Hadji Murad" focuses on the life and struggles of its central character, a Chechen soldier who breaks ranks and flees to the side of the Russians in the hope that the Russians will help him free his family from the control of the Muslim religious leader Imam Shamil. Murad does not find the help he seeks though and is not trusted by many of the Russian military commanders, who view him as a potential spy. Frustrated by the lack of progress towards his goal, Murad eventually returns to try and rescue his imprisoned family himself with tragic consequences. "Hadji Murad" is the final masterpiece by a gifted writer which brilliantly examines the brutality and senselessness of war and contrasts it with the beauty of the human spirit and the importance of resistance in the face of injustice. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Aylmer Maude.

One of Shakespeare's early comedies and most ornately intellectual plays, "Love's Labour's Lost" is a mental adventure in hilarity and wit. First published in 1598, the play is filled with lexical puns, literary allusions, and shifting poetic forms, a rich example of the Bard's linguistic mastery. The play opens with King Phillip of Naverre announcing that the men of his court will devote the coming years to ascetic studies and to reduce distractions, no women will be allowed into the court for three years. However, Naverre and his companions cannot resist the allure of the Princess of France when she comes to visit with her ladies to plead with the King for help. A series of hilarious events ensue as the men fall in love with the beautiful ladies in violation of their oaths. Confusion and humor abound as the women of the court form an alliance to gain entrance in disguise, while the men try to escape also in disguise to meet their loves. In the wit and humor of "Love's Labour's Lost" we find an example of Shakespeare's legendary comedic talent. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, includes a preface and annotations by Henry N. Hudson, and an introduction by Charles Harold Herford.

"With me poetry has been not a purpose, but a passion."-Edgar Allan Poe. Containing such famous works as "The Raven", "Lenore", "Annabel Lee", and "To Helen", this complete collection of poetry by Edgar Allan Poe encapsulates the career of one of the best-known and most read American writers. Laden with tones of loneliness, melancholy, and despair, the poetry contained in this volume exerted great influence on the American Romantic and the French Symbolist Movements of the nineteenth century. Today, Poe's poetry is appreciated for its literary genius, not only because of his command of language, rhythms and dramatic imagery, but also because of its emotional insight into a beautiful and tormented mind. His propensity towards the mysterious and the macabre, as well as an ardent preoccupation with death, has led centuries of scholars and readers to enjoy these poems of love, death, and loneliness. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First performed in 1921 with Romans calling out 'Madhouse!' from the audience, "Six Characters in Search of an Author" has remained the most famous and innovative of Pirandello's plays. Often labeled a satirical tragicomedy, this play initiated the anti-illusionism movement of the early twentieth century, rejecting realism in favor of a more symbolic, dreamlike quality. When an acting company's rehearsal is interrupted by six family members who wish their life story to be enacted, the result is a masterpiece in the exploration of the nature of human personality. Both popular and controversial, this play blurred the lines of reality and illusion in unpredictable ways, ultimately influencing later playwrights like Beckett and Sartre with its bizarre blending of theatrical qualities. Such is the eloquence and depth of Pirandello's body of work that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1934, just two years before his death, an honor worthy of a playwright whose plays had a subtle yet profound impact on much of the theatre that would follow. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Edward Storer.

Originally published in two parts in 1791 and 1792, "The Rights of Man" is Thomas Paine's defense of the French Revolution in response to Edmund Burke's criticism in "Reflections on the Revolution in France." A classic work of The Age of Enlightenment, "The Rights of Man" contends that reason should be the foundation of authority and government. Paine argues that any government that fails to protect the natural rights of its citizens should be opposed by political revolution. In accessible and simple language, Paine argues for the profoundly influential, and at that time, radical idea that civil liberties are not privileges granted by governments but arise naturally and belong to the people. Only governments that safeguard these rights are legitimate and should be allowed to exist. Those governments, such as the despotic French monarchy, that fail to do so must be overthrown. This brilliant and persuasive work is a spirited defense of representative government, written constitutions, and social reforms that benefit the working class. Over 200 years later, "The Rights of Man" remains an inspiring treatise on individual liberties and workers' rights that is a must-read for all who value democracy and personal freedom. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1885 by South African religious leader and writer Andrew Murray, "With Christ in the School of Prayer" contains 31 powerful and inspiring lessons on prayer in daily life. While born in South Africa in 1828, as Murray's father was a Dutch Reformed Church missionary sent from Scotland, Murray grew up educated in Scotland and later the Netherlands. He returned to South Africa in 1848 after his ordination, pastored several churches all over South Africa, and was an important forerunner of the later Pentecostal movement. Murray believed that prayer and striving to live a sinless and moral life must be the foundation for the faithful Christian. In support of this goal, Murray wrote this beautiful and personal guide to help incorporate prayer into daily life. Based on scripture, Murray shows how important the power of prayer and the abiding by God's will is in the attainment of spiritual fulfillment. It is only through daily perseverance and devotion can the blessed power of prayer be realized. Each lesson ends with Murray sharing one of his own personal prayers and the result is a guide that continues to inspire and instruct nearly 150 years later. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

One of the most important primary historical sources of the American Revolutionary War, "A Narrative of a Revolutionary Soldier" by Joseph Plumb Martin, is the published account of his time serving in the Continental Army and Connecticut Militia. Originally published anonymously in 1830, it was thought lost to history until a surviving first edition copy of the narrative was found in the 1950's. Martin's account is particularly significant as Martin served as a private during most of the war and his recollections are remarkably accurate and detailed. Historians believe Martin kept a journal during the war and then enlarged on the details prior to publishing the account later in his life. Martin was only 15 years old when he convinced his grandparents to allow him to join the Connecticut Militia in 1776. He completed a tour of duty and returned home, but was eager to re-enlist. At age 16, he joined the Continental Army and served until 1783, when he was discharged. Martin's regiment participated in many important battles and events, such as The Battle of Brooklyn, The Battle of Monmouth, the encampment at Valley Forge, and the Siege of Yorktown. This fascinating first-person account is required reading for anyone who studies the American Revolution. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1841, this history chronicles the popular delusions throughout world history. It is divided into three broad categories, including 'National Delusions,' 'Peculiar Follies,' and 'Philosophical Delusions.' The author discusses and usually debunks a wide variety of subjects and events. These include economic bubbles like the tulip craze of Holland in 1637 or the Mississippi Company financial bubble of 1719; alchemy, which was of particular interest to individuals who wanted to create gold out of lesser-valued materials; the Crusades, also known as the Middle Ages mania; witch hunts, the persecution of thousands of innocent victims that arose from either supernatural ill fortune or neighbors with a score to settle; duels; the political and religious influence on beards; and several others. This work, with all of its interesting observations, is an entertaining and insightful book that explores the phenomenon of crowd mentality. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1903 in serial form, Henry James' "The Ambassadors" is the story of the middle-aged and naïve Lewis Lambert Strether, who travels to Europe at the behest of his widowed fiancée to find her supposedly wayward son, Chad Newsome. Mrs. Newsome fears he has fallen under the spell of a sinful woman and Strether must rescue him. With the intent of bringing Chad back to America and to his post at the family business, Strether encounters many unexpected complications along the way and finds that the situation may not be as his fiancée has imagined. Strether finds himself seduced by the beauty of Europe, the more casual and open relationships of the Europeans he encounters, and the relaxed social mores. Strether is so seduced that he considers never returning to his home and begins to fall in love with another woman. Eventually, Strether comes to his senses and realizes that Europe may not be the paradise he has convinced himself it to be. Strether returns to America as a changed man, less rigid, wiser, and more thoughtful. Hailed as one of James's finest novel and his own personal favorite, "The Ambassadors" is the perfect blending of the old world with the new. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Performed for the first time in 1891, "Hedda Gabler" is one of Henrik Ibsen's greatest dramas. It is the story of its title character, Hedda, a self-centered and manipulative woman who has grown bored of her new marriage to the kind and reliable George. Hedda was born to a life of luxury and privilege and marries a man she does not love to avoid becoming a spinster. After returning from her honeymoon, Hedda discovers that her marriage will not be the life of wealth and excitement she was accustomed to and that George will never be the ambitious and successful man she wishes him to be. To escape her boredom, she begins to meddle in the lives of George's academic rival, Eilert, who is Hedda's former paramour, and Eilert's unsuspecting wife, Thea. Hedda fears that Eilert and his professional success may stand in the way of George's future in academia and Hedda takes it upon herself to sabotage her husband's rival, leading to truly tragic consequences for everyone involved. Marked by one of the most dramatic female roles in all of theater, "Hedda Gabler" stands as an enduring masterpiece by Norway's most famous playwright, Henrik Ibsen. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, follows the translation of Edmund Gosse and William Archer, with an introduction by William Archer.

First published in 1922, "Tales of the Jazz Age" is a collection of 11 short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Many of the stories had appeared in magazines such as "Collier's", "Vanity Fair", and the "Saturday Evening Post" before they were included in this collection. Many of the themes that are found in Fitzgerald's other famous works can be found in these stories as well: the disparity between the wealthy and the poor, bad things happening to good people, strange and unique characters, and love gone bad. Included are such classics as the surprising "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", considered by many to be one of his best short stories. It tells the fascinating story of a child born as an old man and who ages backwards through his life. This story, as well as others in this collection, captures the unique challenges faced by "the Lost Generation" of men and women left traumatized and disillusioned by the First World War and the tragic destruction of so many lives. Fitzgerald's mastery of the short story and his unequaled ability to capture the excitement and sadness of the early twentieth-century is on full display in "Tales of the Jazz Age." This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Widely considered to be one of the first English novels, Fielding's "Tom Jones," written in 1749, revolves around the life and experiences of an orphaned baby who grows up to be a kind-hearted, if overly vigorous, young man. Tom is brought up by the generous Mr. Allworthy on his Somerset estate, where Tom eventually falls in love with his beautiful neighbor, Sophia Western. Because of his partially unknown parentage, however, their respective guardians are against the match. When Tom is banished due to his occasionally heated temper and sexual encounters with local girls, he has an adventure full of danger and surprise. Ultimately he follows Sophia to London, who herself is fleeing from an undesirable arranged marriage. Generally acknowledged as Fielding's greatest work, "Tom Jones" takes the hero through an inventive plot that will entertain and astonish readers through to its revealing conclusion. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1860, George Eliot's "The Mill on the Floss" tells the story of Tom and Maggie Tulliver, a brother and sister growing up on the fictional river Floss near the village of St. Oggs in Lincolnshire, England. Set in the early 1800s over a period of several years, the novel follows the two main characters from childhood to young adulthood. Maggie and Tom's love and loyalty to each other is the primary relationship of the novel, as well as Maggie's connections to the two young suitors she is often torn between. Maggie struggles to decide if she will violate the social code of her time and risk ostracism from her family and friends to follow her own passions and desires. It is a struggle that women from many time periods can relate to. While Tom is stubborn and traditional, Maggie is often caught between what she should do and what she wants to do. This deeply personal and tragic tale remains a popular and enduring example of George Eliot's importance in English literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Originally published serially in 1912, "The Lost World" is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic tale of discovery and adventure. The story begins with the narrator, the curious and intrepid reporter Edward Malone, meeting Professor Challenger, a strange and brilliant paleontologist who insists that he has found dinosaurs still alive deep in the Amazon. Malone agrees to accompany Challenger, as well as Challenger's unconvinced colleague Professor Summerlee, and the adventurer Lord John Roxton, into the wilds of South America and the Amazon in search of Challenger's fantastical beasts. There, cut off from the rest of civilization and high atop an isolated plateau, the explorers find themselves in an amazing land of extinct dinosaurs, a native tribe, and a group of ape-like creatures. The party is drawn into a violent battle when they are taken captive by the ape men and must use their cunning and resourcefulness to escape and save the lives of their party and the other captured native tribesmen. Immensely popular and influential, "The Lost World" is a classic tale of science-fiction adventure that continues to inspire and captivate to this day. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Also known as Charles Darwin's "Journal of Researches," "The Voyage of the Beagle" is an exquisite travel memoir, a detailed scientific journal, and the foundation for one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 19th century. It is the account of Darwin's time aboard the HMS Beagle, which set sail from Plymouth Sound on December 27, 1831 under the command of Captain Robert FitzRoy. Published in 1839 along with other accounts of the voyage, Darwin's scientific volume makes many detailed and brilliant observations in the fields of biology, geology, and anthropology; observations that would later lay the groundwork for his theory of evolution by natural selection. The Beagle's trip of exploration and discovery was originally planned to last for only two years, but instead lasted nearly five years. Darwin used this time to exhaustively observe and record the flora and fauna he found on land and at sea. Captured in fascinating detail are the volcanoes and unusual animals of the Galapagos, the mesmerizing coral reefs of Australia, and the rugged beauty of Patagonia. A classic and pivotal scientific work, "The Voyage of the Beagle" provides powerful insight into the observations that led Darwin to his groundbreaking theories. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First published in 1841, "The Deerslayer" was the last of James Fenimore Cooper's "Leatherstocking Tales" to be written. Chronologically set first the novel introduces the reader to the hero of the series, the young frontiersmen Natty Bumppo. In this prequel to the later "Leatherstocking Tales," Natty, the "Deerslayer", is at Otsego Lake in central, upstate New York, during the years 1740-1745, a time in which the French and Indian Wars were beginning and the advance of civilization began to dominate the landscape of New York State. The story revolves around the conflict that arises between Natty and the Huron tribe when he and his friend Chingachgook attempt to rescue Henry March and Tom Hutter, who have been taken as prisoners by the Huron for attacking and scalping members of the tribe. Absorbing and realistically detailed, "The Deerslayer" is both a romantic adventure and a fascinating glimpse of the colonies in the decades before the American Revolution. The savage violence of the time is contrasted in moving prose with the breathtaking landscape of the New World. This thrilling tale of early American frontier life and adventure completes James Fenimore Cooper's saga of the "Leatherstocking Tales". This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

This work contains two of Cicero's most important political writings, "The Republic" and "The Laws". In "The Republic", or "On the Commonwealth", Cicero crafts a Socratic dialogue in six books on the subject of Roman politics. Cicero discusses the history of Roman politics and its constitution, the role of justice in government, the types of constitutions, the role of education, and the ideal citizen in a republic. In "The Laws" we find another Socratic dialogue which discusses the laws and in which Cicero expounds on his theories of natural law and of harmony among the classes. Despite coming down to us in an incomplete state, these books will enlighten the modern reader as to the foundation of Cicero's political philosophy and give insight into some of the early democratic ideals which form the foundation of western political thought. Presented here are the extant versions of these important political works in translation by C. D. Yonge. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Anne Bronte's first novel, first published in 1847, "Agnes Grey" tells the story of its title character, a young girl who works as a governess for families of the English gentry. Bronte based this novel on her own experiences as a governess and depicts the loneliness, isolation, and vulnerability of the position. The novel begins with the Grey family falling on hard financial times and a young Agnes taking a job as a governess to both help her family and show her maturity and independence. She begins work with the wealthy Bloomfield family and is shocked to find them cruel, shallow, and unfair. The position does not last long and soon she is back home with her own family and planning to try again. She finds a place in the Murray household, which is even wealthier than her previous employer. While her situation has improved, she is still marginalized and lonely. In the end, Agnes finds happiness and fulfillment on her own terms. "Agnes Grey" is a stern rebuke of the shallowness of the upper class of Bronte's time and a beautifully written account of the challenges faced by young women born without many opportunities. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Originally appearing as a series of articles in "New York World" magazine and then published as a book in 1887, "Ten Days in a Mad-House" by the journalist Nellie Bly is the shocking true account of her time spent undercover at the Woman's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island in New York. Bly posed as a madwoman and was able to convince several doctors to have her committed to the asylum in order to expose the horrible conditions the female patients there were subjected to. Bly spent ten days in the asylum before the editors of the "New York World magazine" convinced the authorities to release her. In that time, she documented shocking and inhumane conditions: poor and rotting food, patients chained to benches, chairs, and each other for hours at a time, freezing water baths, rodent infestations, and abuse at the hands of nurses and staff. After her release, Bly's chronicle of these abhorrent conditions was an instant success and led to significant legal reform, including a grand jury investigation and increased funding for government services for the mentally ill. This searing and powerful expose forever changed the public perception of the mentally ill and how they should be cared for. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Farid ud-Din Attar was a Persian poet, druggist, and social theorist of Sufism, who wrote much of his poetry while treating hundreds of patients a day with his herbal remedies. As a young man he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and sought wisdom during his travels in Egypt, Damascus, and India. His masterpiece, "The Conference of the Birds", has survived centuries because of its captivating poetic style and its symbolic exploration on the true nature of God. This 4500-line poem follows the birds of the world, each of which hold special significance, as they seek out the Simurgh, a mythical Persian bird much like the phoenix, in hopes that he might be their king. The birds must cross seven valleys on their quest, each of which represents various trials that the individual must pass through to realize the true nature of God. Within the overlying allegory, Attar captivates readers with short, charming stories in beautiful and clever language. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Edward Fitzgerald.

Zane Grey's debut novel, which he self-published in 1905, "Betty Zane" is the first book in Grey's "Frontier Trilogy" and tells the true biographical story of Elizabeth "Betty" Zane, a hero of the American Revolutionary War and direct ancestor of the author. While under siege at Fort Henry by American Indian allies of the British Army and faced with dwindling supplies, the lovely and sixteen-year-old Betty bravely volunteers to venture out of the fort to retrieve what is needed for the battle. The British soldiers underestimate her because she is a woman and they allow her to leave and return to the fort, unaware that she is carrying gun powder left at her family's cabin. Betty's audacious act gives the American revolutionaries the firepower they need to end the siege. Her heroism provides a needed morale boost and was critical to the American victory in the war. "Betty Zane" is an exciting tale of an unlikely hero and helped launch Zane Grey's career as one of the most famous and celebrated authors of the American West. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Edith Wharton used her inside knowledge of upper class New York life in the early part of the 20th century as the basis for her 1905 novel, "The House of Mirth". The novel is the classic and tragic portrayal of Lily Bart, an intelligent New York socialite during the Victorian era, who seeks to secure a husband and a place in the society life of New York's upper class. Lily, who was raised to strive for a socially and economically prosperous marital union, finds herself at the edge of thirty, her youthful beauty fading and her matrimonial prospects dwindling. The novel follows Lily's descent down the social ladder over a period of two years as she circles the margins of New York's upper class drawing closer to what seems an inevitable loneliness. Central to the theme of the novel is how the Victorian era offered women relatively few other alternatives to achieve upward social and economic mobility than through marriage. A classic depiction of a bygone era, "The House of Mirth" is at once a detailed portrait of New York society life and a social satire which harshly criticizes the moral failings of the rich. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

"The Aeneid" is considered by some to be one of the most important epic poems of all time. The story is as much one of the great epic hero, Aeneas, as it is of the foundation of the Roman Empire. Aeneas, a Trojan Prince who escapes after the fall of troy, travels to Italy to lay the foundations for what would become the great Roman Empire. Virgil's "Aeneid" is a story of great adventure, war, love, and of the exploits of an epic hero. In the work Virgil makes his commentary on the state of Rome during the Rule of Augustus. It was a time that had been previously ravaged by civil wars and with the reign of Augustus order and peace had begun to be restored. That order had a price though. Many of the freedoms of the old Roman Republic had been lost under the new Imperialistic Rome. This loss of freedom and the debate over the virtues of a Roman Republic versus an Imperialistic Rome was central to Virgil's time and is interwoven throughout the poetic narrative of "The Aeneid." Virgil's work forms the historical foundation for the argument of the empire over the republic as the best form of government. This edition is translated into English verse by John Dryden, includes an introduction by Harry Burton, and is printed on premium acid-free paper.