Dante Alighieri was born in Florence, Italy in the middle of the 13th century and what is principally known of him comes from his own writings. One of the world's great literary masterpieces, the "Divine Comedy" is at its heart an allegorical tale regarding man's search for divinity. The work is divided into three sections, "Inferno," "Purgatorio," and "Paradiso," each containing thirty-three cantos. It is the narrative of a journey down through Hell, up the mountain of Purgatory, and through the revolving heavens into the presence of God. In this aspect ...

One of the greatest novels ever written, "Anna Karenina" follows the self-destructive path of a beautiful, popular, and sensual Russian aristocrat. The lovely Anna seems set in a respectable marriage with the powerful statesman Karenin, yet their lack of passion breeds the discontent she fully faces upon meeting the elegant and affluent officer Count Vronsky. Soon convinced that allowing herself to deeply love this man will enable her to find the meaning and truth of her life, Anna defies the conventions of Russian society and leaves her husband and children ...

The period leading up to the foundation of the United States of America was a period in which a contentious debate permeated the colonies. A growing call for independence from England began to become discussed in whispers amongst the colonists. This contention was arguably only rivaled at one other time in American history, the period leading up to the America Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves. A wealth of historical documents chronicles these important periods of American history. Some of the most consequential of those documents are collected ...

Regarded as one of the most influential American journalists of the late 19th and early 20th century, Ambrose Bierce was the Civil War veteran who was best known for his stories of the American Civil War and for his satirical witticisms. Written over several decades “The Devil’s Dictionary” is the ultimate collection of his lexicon of satirical definitions. Bierce’s earliest known definition was first published in 1867. Over the next several decades he would add numerous definitions to his satirical essays, in his weekly columns “The ...

“The Secret Sharer and Other Stories” is a collection of seafaring tales by famed author Joseph Conrad. In “The Secret Sharer”, a nameless captain discovers a stow-away clinging to the side of his ship and secretly brings him aboard and harbors him in his cabin. In “Typhoon”, the main character, Captain MacWhirr, decides to sail his vessel through a typhoon in the South Pacific. His bold action, at first to the protest of his crew, later earns him their admiration and respect. In “The Nigger of the ‘Narcissus’” ...

This volume includes some of the most important historical documents in American history. In this edition are included the following: The Declaration of Independence of The United States of America (1774), The Constitution of the United States of America (1787), The Bill of Rights and Other Amendments to the Constitution (1791-1992), The Albany Plan (1754), The Declaration of Rights (1765 ¿ In Response to the Stamp Act), Declaration of Rights and Grievances (1774), Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), The Articles of Confederation (1778), Report ...

Considered to be one of the most difficult poems in the history of the English language, “The Faerie Queen” by Edmund Spenser is a marvelous epic poem depicting the virtues of the legendary King Arthur and his knights in a mythical place called Faerieland. Spenser based his interpretation of the virtues on those named by Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. Each one of the books discusses a different hero who displays one of these virtues; however, this entire collection was meant to be a tribute to Queen Elizabeth and the Tudor family. The stories ...

William James, who has been called the “father of American psychology”, was one of the most influential thinkers of the 19th century. Along with Charles Sanders Peirce, William James established the school of thought known as “Pragmatism”, a philosophy which rejected the idea that language and thought exists simply to represent nature, but rather it must be useful in transacting with nature, in predicting outcomes, and solving problems. First published in 1907, William James’ “Pragmatism” presents an excellent introduction ...

First Published in 1903, Erskine Childers’ “The Riddle of the Sands: A Record of Secret Service”, is one of the earliest examples of an espionage novel and was immensely influential in the creation of this popular genre. Childers led an interesting and adventurous life, becoming an amateur sailor as a young man before enlisting in the military and serving in the Boer War and eventually the First World War. In “The Riddle of the Sands”, a gripping and thrilling story begins with a minor official in the Foreign Office, Carruthers ...

One of the last tragedies written by William Shakespeare, “Coriolanus” is the story of the legendary 5th century BC Roman general Caius Martius, later given the honorary name Coriolanus. Based largely on the biographical accounts of Plutarch and Livy, the play opens amongst riots over grain in which Coriolanus’ contempt for the plebeians of Rome is exhibited. The general is drawn away from the riots to battle with the Volscian army. Following the conquest of the Volscian city of Corioli, he finds himself a hero and turns his ambition to ...