Зарубежная классика
Различные книги в жанре Зарубежная классикаGulliver's Travels
Regarded as the preeminent prose satirist in the English language, Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) intended this masterpiece, as he once wrote Alexander Pope, to «vex the world rather than divert it.» Savagely ironic, it portrays man as foolish at best, and at worst, not much more than an ape.The direct and unadorned narrative describes four remarkable journies of ship's surgeon Lemuel Gulliver, among them, one to the land of Lilliput, where six-inch-high inhabitants bicker over trivialities; and another to Brobdingnag, a land where giants reduce man to insignificance.Written with disarming simplicity and careful attention to detail, this classic is diverse in its appeal: for children, it remains an enchanting fantasy. For adults, it is a witty parody of political life in Swift's time and a scathing send-up of manners and morals in 18th-century England.
Idylls of the King
With Idylls of the King, one of the giants of Victorian literature turned his considerable talents to the chivalric lore surrounding a larger-than-life British ruler, King Arthur. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, cast his interpretation of Arthurian myth into the form of an epic poem, and his tales of Camelot soar to remarkable imaginative heights to trace the birth of a king; the founding, fellowship, and decline of the Round Table; and the king's inevitable departure. Encompassing romance, heroism, duty, and conflict, Tennyson's poetry charts the rise and fall of a legendary society."The Coming of Arthur" chronicles the victorious battle with which the king also wins Guinevere's hand; «Gareth and Lynette,» «The Marriage of Geraint,» and «Geraint and Enid» likewise concern tests and triumphs of love, virtue, and valor. The tragic tale of two brothers, «Balin and Balan,» is followed by «Merlin and Vivien,» recounting the wizard's betrayal at the hands of a femme fatale. «Lancelot and Elaine,» a classic story of unrequited love, leads up to the grand climax, «The Holy Grail,» followed by «The Last Tournament» and «The Passing of Arthur.»Generations of readers — both poetry lovers and devotees of myth and legend — have exulted in these stories «About the founding of a Round Table / That was to be, for love of God and man / And noble deeds, the flower of all the world.»
The Hound of the Baskervilles
At Baskerville Hall on the grim moors of Devonshire, a legendary curse has apparently claimed one more victim. Sir Charles Baskerville has been found dead. There are no signs of violence, but his face is hideously distorted with terror. Years earlier, a hound-like beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws was reported to have torn out the throat of Hugo Baskerville. Has the spectral destroyer struck again? More important, is Sir Henry Baskerville, younger heir to the estate, now in danger?Enter Sherlock Holmes, summoned to protect Sir Henry from the fate that has threatened the Baskerville family. As Holmes and Watson begin to investigate, a blood-chilling howl from the fog-shrouded edges of the great Grimpen Mire signals that the legendary hound of the Baskervilles is poised for yet another murderous attack.The Hound of the Baskervilles first appeared as a serial in The Strand Magazine in 1901. By the time of its publication in book form eight months later, this brilliantly plotted, richly atmospheric detective story had already achieved the status of a classic. It has often been called the best detective story ever written. It remains a thrilling tale of suspense, must reading for every lover of detective fiction.
Favorite Tales from the Arabian Nights' Entertainments
"TheArabian Nights is more generally loved than Shakespeare," wrote Robert Louis Stevenson. «No human face or voice greets us among [this] crowd of kings and genies, sorcerers and beggar men. Adventure on the most naked terms, furnishes forth the entertainment and is found enough.»The best-known versions of these ancient Middle Eastern tales are those translated by the Victorian English explorer and writer, Richard F. Burton. Arabic in origin, they are also known as A Thousand and One Nights — a collection of fairy tales, romances, legends, and exotic adventures told by Scheherazade to entertain her husband, the king, who customarily executed his wives after a single night. Scheherazade cleverly began a story each night but withheld the ending until the following evening, thereby managing to stave off disaster.This original selection includes six of the most famous tales. «Sinbad the Seaman and Sinbad the Landsman» is the story of a merchant who survives seven perilous voyages and acquires great wealth; «Aladdin, or the Wonderful Lamp» relates the remarkable adventures of a «graceless» youth and his miraculous lamp; «Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves» is the exciting narrative of a poor woodcutter who gains access to great treasures by entering a secret cave. Also here are «The Fisherman and the Jinni,» «Judar and His Brethren,» and «Khalifah the Fisherman of Baghdad.»These enchanting tales have captured the imaginations of readers for generations. Their magical world, teeming with giants, magnificent palaces, and beautiful princesses will thrill new audiences.
Heart of Darkness Thrift Study Edition
A ferryboat captain in search of a notorious ivory trader ventures into an African jungle, where he discovers a dark side of the human condition. In this burning indictment of colonialism, Joseph Conrad drew upon his own shipboard experiences in the region formerly known as the Belgian Congo. His novella explores the potential for evil that lurks behind the illusion of civilized restraint.No student of modern fiction can afford to neglect Heart of Darkness or to overlook its narrative and symbolic richness, penetrating character studies, and psychological power. A definitive survey, this Dover Thrift Study Edition offers the novel's complete and unabridged text, plus a comprehensive study guide.Created to help readers gain a thorough understanding of the content and context of Heart of Darkness, the guide includes:• Chapter-by-chapter summaries• Explanations and discussions of the plot• Question-and-answer sections• Conrad biography• List of characters and more
Hamlet Thrift Study Edition
The melancholy Dane's grief for his dead father and suspicion of his ambitious uncle drive him to acts of insanity and violence — and to articulate some of the most quoted speeches in the English language. In addition to its gilded rhetoric, Shakespeare's revenge drama offers an enthralling plot, rich character studies, and other psychologically complex aspects that invite and reward closer examination. Shakespeare's most popular play with modern audiences, Hamlet is not only often performed but also frequently adapted and retold. A definitive survey, this Dover Thrift Study Edition offers the drama's complete and unabridged text, plus a comprehensive study guide. Created to help readers gain a thorough understanding of Hamlet's content and context, the guide includes: • Scene-by-scene summaries• Explanations and discussions of the plot• Question-and-answer sections• Shakespeare biography• List of characters and more A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.
The Gold-Bug and Other Tales
Recognized today as the undisputed master of the American Gothic horror story, Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1949) revealed his genius in tales of death, terror, evil, and perversity. Highly skilled in achieving a calculated psychological effect, Poe created chilling fictional nightmares permeated by mysterious forces, grotesque creatures, and improbable hallucinations.Poe's immense powers as a storyteller are at their peak in this anthology containing nine of his best-known short stories. Among them are «The Murders in the Rue Morgue,» a gripping 19th-century detective story that provided a model for future mystery writers; «The Fall of the House of Usher» and «The Masque of the Red Death,» pervaded with eerie thoughts, impulses, and fears; «The Tell-Tale Heart» and «The Cask of Amontillado,» masterpieces of wickedness and crime; «The Pit and the Pendulum,» with its agonizing specter of imminent and horrifying death; and «The Gold-Bug,» a fascinating detective story that combines romance and adventure in an absorbing tale of buried treasure.Mystery lovers and horror story enthusiasts will find this inexpensive collection, by one of the great masters of the form, an exciting addition to their personal libraries.
Heart of Darkness
Although Polish by birth, Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) is regarded as one of the greatest writers in English, and Heart of Darkness, first published in 1902, is considered by many his «most famous, finest, and most enigmatic story.» — Encyclopaedia Britannica. The tale concerns the journey of the narrator (Marlow) up the Congo River on behalf of a Belgian trading company. Far upriver, he encounters the mysterious Kurtz, an ivory trader who exercises an almost godlike sway over the inhabitants of the region. Both repelled and fascinated by the man, Marlow is brought face to face with the corruption and despair that Conrad saw at the heart of human existence.In its combination of narrative and symbolic power, masterly character study and acute psychological penetration, Heart of Darkness ranks as a landmark of modern fiction. It is a book no serious student of literature can afford to miss.
Great Russian Short Stories
Among the country's greatest artistic contributions, 20th-century Russian literature was revolutionary in its approach to realism, injecting characters with human weaknesses familiar to all. It also provided fodder for other such important concepts as existentialism and even passive resistance, which was rooted in the works of Tolstoy, and practiced resistance, which was rooted in the works of Tolstoy and practiced successfully by Gandhi and Martin Luther King. The 12 powerful short stories in this collection are excellent examples of writing by the foremost authors from Russia's Golden Age of Literature.Included are «The Queen of Spades» by Alexander Pushkin; «The Overcoat» by Nikolai Gogol; «The District Doctor» by Ivan S. Turgenev; «White Nights» by Fyodor Dostoyevsky; «How Much Land Does a Man Need?» by Leo Tolstoy; «The Clothesmender» by Nicholay Leskov; «The Signal» by Vsevolod M. Garshin; «The Lady with the Toy Dog» by Anton Chekhov; «The White Mother» by Theodor Sologub"; «Twenty-Six Men and a Girl» by Maxim Gorky; «The Outrage — A True Story» by Alexander Kuprin; and «Lazarus» by Laonid Andreyev.Ideal for students of Russian literature, this magnificent collection will appeal to a wide audience.
Gulliver's Travels Thrift Study Edition
Test? Paper? Class discussion? Don't worry, we have you covered. This book has everything you need.<BR>Not only does it feature the complete text of <I>Gulliver's Travels</I>, it offers a comprehensive study guide that will easily help you understand Swift's classic novel.<BR>You'll make the grade with:<BR>• Complete and unabridged text<BR>• Chapter-by-chapter summaries<BR>• Explanations and discussions of the plot<BR>• Question-and-answer sections<BR>• Swift biography<BR>• List of characters and more