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"As the 'Book of Enoch' is, in some respects, the most notable extant apocalyptic work outside the canonical Scriptures, it will not be inappropriate to offer a few remarks here on the Apocalyptic Literature generally… Hope is, indeed, the main underlying motive-power which prompted the writers of the Apocalypses. And this hope is the more intensive and ardent in that it shines forth from a background which is dark with despair; for the Apocalyptists despaired of the world in which they lived, a world in which the godly were of no account, while the wicked seemed too often triumphant and prosperous. With evil everywhere around, the Apocalyptists saw no hope for the world as it was; for such a world there was no remedy, only destruction; if the good were ever to triumph it must be in a new world."—From the Introduction.
Optimism
"Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be! Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life,—if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing. As sinners stand up in meeting and testify to the goodness of God, so one who is called afflicted may rise up in gladness of conviction and testify to the goodness of life."—From Helen Keller's «Optimisim.»
Under Fire
One of the most powerful accounts of trench warfare from the WWI era, «Under Fire» recounts the experiences of the men of the French Sixth Battalion on the front lines after the German invasion. Compiled from diaries he had written on the front from 1914-1915, and completed in the hospital while recovering from injuries, Barbusse published his work in both serial and novel forms in late 1916. By the end of the war it was a world-wide bestseller, having sold over a quarter of a million copies. The narrative received mixed reviews at first because of Barbusse's gritty and brutal realism, which some war critics saw as validation for their protests, while others felt it fictionalized and exaggerated the war. Since then, «Under Fire» has been ranked with such classics as «A Farewell to Arms» and «All Quiet on the Western Front» as one of the most powerful, realistic portrayals of the horrors of war.
The Country of the Blind and Other Stories (The Selected Stories of H. G. Wells)
H. G. Wells (1866-1946) is widely considered the father of the science fiction genre. His stories examine space and time travel, alien worlds, and the destructive potential of modern technology. Wells' influence is far reaching and remains potent today. «The Country of the Blind and Other Stories» collects thirty-three of Wells' most renowned short stories. In «The Country of the Blind,» perhaps his most famed shorter work, Nunez the mountaineer falls does the side of a mountain on an expedition only to discover an isolated valley with a mysterious populace where everyone is blind. In «The Crystal Egg,» an antiques dealer discovers a mysterious crystal egg that allows him to remotely view the planet Mars. «The Man Who Could Work Miracles» follows an individual whose supernatural talents gradually become problematic and even disastrous. These are only a few of the many exciting tales contained in this edition by England's most respected science fiction author.
The Frogs
Aristophanes, the greatest of comic writers in Greek and in the opinion of many, in any language, is the only one of the Attic comedians any of whose works has survived in complete form He was born in Athens about the middle of the fifth century B C, and had his first comedy produced when he was so young that his name was withheld on account of his youth. He is credited with over forty plays, eleven of which survive, along with the names and fragments of some twenty-six others. His satire deal with political, religious, and literary topics, and with all its humor and fancy is evidently the outcome of profound conviction and a genuine patriotism. The Attic comedy was produced at the festivals of Dionysus, which were marked by great license, and to this, rather than to the individual taste of the poet, must be ascribed the undoubted coarseness of many of the jests. Aristophanes seems, indeed, to have been regarded by his contemporaries as a man of noble character. He died shortly after the production of his «Plutus,» in 388 B. C. «The Frogs» was produced the year after the death of Euripides, and laments the decay of Greek tragedy which Aristophanes attributed to that writer. It is an admirable example of the brilliance of his style, and of that mingling of wit and poetry with rollicking humor and keen satirical point which is his chief characteristic. Here, as elsewhere, he stands for tradition against innovation of all kinds, whether in politics, religion, or art. The hostility to Euripides displayed here and in several other plays, like his attacks on Socrates, is a result of this attitude of conservatism. The present play is notable also as a piece of elaborate if not over-serious literary criticism from the pen of a great poet.
The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson (Series First through Third)
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), the reclusive and intensely private poet saw only a few of her poems (she wrote well over a thousand) published during her life. After discovering a trove of manuscripts left in a wooden box, Dickinson's sister Lavinia fortunately chose to disobey Emily's wishes for her work to be burned after death. With the help of Amherst professors, Lavinia brought her sister's gifted verse into print. It is here, in «The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson», that we witness her singular poetic depth and range of style. Collected are the first three series of her posthumous publishing career coming out respectively in 1890, 1891, and 1896. The myth that surrounds Dickinson's life is enhanced by the ethereal quality of her poetry. With the coming of New Criticism in the 1930's and 40's, Dickinson experienced unprecedented posthumous acclaim, solidifying her place in American letters. Dickinson's idiom is as varied as her meter, and her unconventional use of punctuation, metaphor, and image make her an innovator of the lyric akin to many of the early modernists. These poems examine love, death, and nature with an effortless yet complex tone and voice. Now one of the most read and admired American poets, Dickinson's poetry continues to resonate with readers.
The Complete Tales of Henry James (Volume 11 of 12)
Henry James (1843-1916) was an America-born English writer whose novels, short stories and letters established the foundation of the modernist movement in twentieth century fiction and poetry. His career, one of the most significant and influential in English literature, spanned over five decades and resulted in a body of work that has had a profound impact on generations of writers. Born in New York, but educated in France, Germany, England and Switzerland, James often explored the cultural discord between the Old World (Europe) and the New World (United States) in his writings. Included in this eleventh volume of «The Complete Tales of Henry James» are the following stories: «The Great Good Place,» «Maud-Evelyn,» «Miss Gunton of Poughkeepsie,» «The Tree of Knowledge,» «The Abasement of Northmores,» «The Third Person,» «The Special Type,» «The Tone of Time,» «Broken Wings,» «The Two Faces,» «Mrs. Medwin,» «The Beldonald Holbein,» «The Story In It,» «Flickerbridge,» «The Beast in the Jungle,» and «The Birthplace.»
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is a much loved and classic work of 19th century American literature. It is the story of Tom, a rambunctious young lad who lives with his Aunt Polly. Tom is a boy who doesn't much like going to school and throughout the book does everything he can to get out of it. Near the beginning of the novel Tom exhibits his keen wit by convincing some boys to paint his Aunt Polly's fence that he has been punished with having to paint on a Saturday for skipping school to go swimming. «The Adventures of Tom Sawyer» is a story of boyhood love. Tom falls for Becky Thatcher, the daughter of the town Judge, and tries to woe her throughout the novel. It is also the story of boyhood adventure and camaraderie. Tom and his friend Huckleberry Finn witness a murder, become pirates, are thought to be dead, and search for lost treasure. It is a novel rich with the regional dialect and depictions of the Mississippi River Valley in which Mark Twain grew up and is known for writing about. «The Adventures of Tom Sawyer» will delight readers young and old with its light-hearted comedic narrative.
The Dream of the Red Chamber (Abridged)
One of China's Four Great Classical Novels, «The Dream of the Red Chamber» is perhaps the greatest novel written in the Chinese vernacular. Its authorship is attributed to Cao Xueqin, who lived sometime from the early to mid-eighteenth century. Little is known of Cao Xueqin, except from what was passed down from his contemporaries and friends. An intelligent and artistic man, known for both his poetry and his paintings, Xueqin spent a decade working diligently on «The Dream of the Red Chamber». The result is a wonderfully vivid story of the powerful rise, and subsequent fall, of the Jia clan, an illustrious family representative of the eighteenth century Chinese aristocracy. The novel is said to be semi-autobiographical, and is noted for its detailed observations of the social classes, as well as its deeply psychological explorations of themes like morality, feudalism and Confucianism, sexual deviance, fraternal jealousies, and the unwillingness to grow up. It is a timeless story that will continue to be revered by readers the world over.
The Way We Live Now
Widely acknowledged to be the masterpiece of Trollope's prolific Victorian career, «The Way We Live Now» is the scathing satire he wrote upon returning to England after traveling abroad. In seeking to discuss the deceit and dissipation he found, Trollope spared no iniquitous aspect he perceived in business, politics, social classes, literature, and various vice-related activities. 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 deceptive 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.