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A highly influential figure in the Church of England, John Henry Newman stunned the Anglican community in 1843, when he left his position as vicar of St. Mary's, Oxford, to join the Roman Catholic church. Perhaps no one took greater offense than Protestant clergyman Charles Kingsley, whose scathing attacks against Newman's faith and honor inspired this brilliant response. Apologia Pro Vita Sua, Newman's spiritual autobiography, explores the depths and nature of Christianity with flowing prose and a conversational style that has ensured its status as a classic."False ideas may be refuted by argument, but by true ideas alone are they expelled. I will vanquish," Newman promised, «not my accuser, but my judges.» His honest and passionate defense consists of a personal history of his religious convictions, from earliest memory through the Oxford movement and his ultimate conversion. His concluding point-by-point refutation of Kingsley's charges features thought-provoking contentions that strike at the very roots of the principles underlying Protestantism. Newman won respect and admiration with his Apologia, a work that has helped clarify perceptions of Roman Catholicism among readers of every faith.
Captains Courageous
At the start of Captains Courageous, one of literature's most beloved stories of the sea, a spoiled rich boy is literally swept away — dashed overboard from an ocean liner. Luckily, young Harvey Cheyne is rescued by a passing fishing vessel. As it turns out, Harvey's apparent misfortune in tumbling from a life of pampered luxury into the humble company of a fishing schooner becomes a blessing in disguise. Compelled by the captain to earn his keep, Harvey loses his affectations as he learns the rewards of an honest day's labor amid the gruff and hearty companionship of the crewmen, who teach him to be worth his salt as they fish the waters off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Readers of all ages have delighted in Kipling's engaging maritime yarn since its initial appearance in 1897. The author's only novel to unfold in an American setting, this lively tale resounds with Kipling's customary blend of adventure and humor. This attractive new edition, unabridged and inexpensive, offers an irresistible invitation to a master storyteller's enduring tale of a boy's initiation into adulthood.
The Book of Dragons
Dragons — of all sorts — make for marvelous fun, and this collection of madcap tales is filled with them. Some of the legendary monsters are funny and mischievous, others are downright frightening, and a number of them are wild and unpredictable. There's a dragon made of ice, another that takes refuge in the General Post Office, a scaly creature that carries off the largest elephant in a zoo, and even a dragon whose gentle purring comforts a tiny tot.<BR>And who challenges these amazing creatures? Why, daring heroes, of course, as well as a wicked prince, and even an entire soccer team — which, unfortunately, meets its fate with a fire-breathing brute that flies out of the pages of an enchanted book.<BR>E. (Edith) Nesbit (1858–1924) was one of the pioneers of fantasy fiction for children. Her classic novels — such as <I>The Railway Children</I> and <I>Five Children and It</I> — have remained popular for more than a century. 24 illustrations.
The Ambassadors
"Live all you can; it's a mistake not to," declares the primary «ambassador» of this 1903 novel, adding, «It doesn't so much matter what you do in particular, so long as you have your life. If you haven't had that, what have you had?»In this complex tale of self-discovery, Henry James invokes his favorite theme: the clash of American innocence with European experience. It traces the path of an aging idealist, Lambert Strether, who arrives in Paris intending to persuade his young charge to abandon an obsession with a French woman and return home. Once abroad, however, Strether arrives at unexpected conclusions. Henry James regarded The Ambassadors as his finest work. Astute, humorous, and intelligent, this masterpiece from the pinnacle of the author's long and brilliant career remains ever vital.
Aladdin and Other Favorite Arabian Nights Stories
The group of stories known as The Arabian Nights or The Thousand and One Nights is believed to have originated in the East during the early Middle Ages. The tales first appeared in a Western translation in France in 1704. This selection of favorite Arabian Nights stories, with new illustrations by Thea Kliros, features a multitude of colorful characters — devious magicians, monstrous giants, lovely princesses, and steadfast suitors — caught up in exciting adventures that take them to faraway lands.The six classics included here are «Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp,» «Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,» «Abou Hassan, or, The Sleeper Awakened,» «The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor,» «Camaralzaman and Badoura,» and «The Enchanted Horse.» With this book as their guide, children can journey to the enchanted world of the Arabian Nights and enjoy the same time-honored tales that have enthralled readers and listeners for centuries.
Agrippa's Occult Philosophy
Written by a legendary scholar of Renaissance esoterica, this is the single most important text in the history of Western occultism, Cornelius Agrippa (1486-1535) combined classical Neoplatonic and Hermetic philosophy with elements of the Jewish Kabbalah and Christianity to form a systematic exposition of occult knowledge. Agrippa's view of divine order was subsequently eclipsed by the materialism and atheism of the Enlightenment, but 500 years later, his influential work endures as a cornerstone of mystic literature.In serious, educated, and accessible terms, Agrippa defines occultism and magic as a natural means of attaining knowledge and power. His explanations of planetary rulerships, enchantments, sorceries, types of divination, and the interpretation of dreams offer an intriguing array of possibilities: improved health, prolonged life, increased wealth, and enhanced foresight. This inexpensive edition of his classic study offers students of the history of ideas and occult traditions an essential reference tool.
The Beast in the Jungle and Other Stories
Here are three superb stories by one of America's finest writers of fiction. Henry James is best known for his many brilliant novels, among them The Bostonians, The Ambassadors, The Wings of the Dove, The Golden Bowl, and his masterpiece, Portrait of a Lady. But he is deeply admired for his stories as well, which perhaps even more pointedly reveal the extraordinary subtleties of his art.That art is nowhere more evident than in «The Beast in the Jungle,» regarded by many as James's greatest achievement in short fiction. It is a gripping portrait of a man alienated from life and love, haunted and obsessed by his fears. James's uncanny ability to communicate the inner lives of his characters is also richly evident in «The Jolly Corner» and «The Altar of the Dead,» two superbly crafted tales that explore the complex interlacings of loss, love, and the ever-present past in the lives of their protagonists.
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man
One of the most prominent African-Americans of his time, James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) was a successful lawyer, educator, social reformer, songwriter, and critic. But it was as a poet and novelist that he achieved lasting fame. Among his most famous works, The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man in many ways parallels Johnson's own remarkable life. First published in 1912, the novel relates, through an anonymous narrator, events in the life of an American of mixed ethnicity whose exceptional abilities and ambiguous appearance allow him unusual social mobility — from the rural South to the urban North and eventually to Europe. A radical departure from earlier books by black authors, this pioneering work not only probes the psychological aspects of «passing for white» but also examines the American caste and class system. The human drama is powerful and revealing — from the narrator's persistent battles with personal demons to his firsthand observations of a Southern lynching and the mingling of races in New York's bohemian atmosphere at the turn of the century. Revolutionary for its time, the Autobiography remains both an unrivaled example of black expression and a major contribution to American literature.
Anarchism
One of the few members of the Russian aristocracy to become a revolutionary, Prince Peter Kropotkin (1842‒1921) renounced his title at the age of 12. He later became one of the leading theorists of anarchism. Forced to flee his homeland in the 1870s to avoid arrest for his revolutionary activities against the czarist government, the noted geographer and social philosopher lived in exile, mainly in England, for the next 42 years of his life. During this period Kropotkin wrote a number of pamphlets on the practical and moral aspects of the anarchist movement. Allowed to return to Russia in 1917, he continued to write but remained vigorously opposed to the Bolsheviks and Marxist socialism.This collection contains a number of his important writings, including the brief but moving «Spirit of Revolt»; «Modern Science and Anarchism,» an investigation of the scientific principles of revolutionary anarchism; «Law and Authority,» an argument for social control through custom and education; «Prisons and Their Moral Influence on Prisoners,» an unparalleled description of the evils of the prison system (which Kropotkin witnessed during his incarcerations); a note on the 1917 revolution and the Soviet government; and five other documents. Also reprinted is Kropotkin's article for the Encyclopaedia Britannica, «Anarchism,» widely considered the best statement in English on the meaning, history, and aims of revolutionary anarchism.A valuable addition to the libraries of instructors and students of history and government, this modestly priced volume also will appeal to anyone interested in aspects of anarchist thought.
The Charge of the Light Brigade and Other Poems
Considered by Victorians as the finest contemporary poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892) gained much critical favor for his mastery of poetic technique, high-mindedness, and superb natural description. This volume contains a representative selection of his best works, including the famous long narrative poem «Enoch Arden,» as well as a number of important lyrics, monologues, ballads, and other typical pieces. Among these are «The Lady of Shalott,» «The Beggar Maid,» «The Charge of the Light Brigade,» «Break, break, break,» «Flower in the Crannied Wall,» and «Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington.» Also here are carefully chosen, uncut excerpts from three longer works: The Princess, «Maud,» and «The Brook.» With this inexpensive volume at their fingertips, students and lovers of poetry can enjoy a substantial sampling of Tennyson's still-admired, widely quoted verse.