Tales Before Narnia: The Roots of Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction A compilation of relatively obscure short stories, fantasy and folk tales, poems, and other imaginative texts by authors ranging from Charles Dickens and Sir Walter Scott to Stevenson, Chesterton, and Tolkien, this volume offers an interesting though necessarily idiosyncratic collection of work that may have influenced C.S. Lewis. Fans of science fiction and fantasy will delight in this new collection of classics, and perhaps discover a new favorite or two.
Jack Kerouac
Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road In Why Kerouac Matters, John Leland embarks on a wry, insightful, and playful discussion of the novel, arguing that it still matters because at its core it is full of lessons about how to grow up. This volume offers a new take on Kerouac's famous novel, overturning many misconceptions and making clear the themes Kerouac was trying to impart.
Illustrated Translations
Beowulf: An Illustrated Edition Seamus Heaney's best-selling translation of the classic poem has been paired with more than one hundred photographs. These images help readers visualize the details of life at the end of the first millennium, and bring this classic tale to life in a whole new way.
Jack London
The Radical Jack London: writings on war and revolution This new edition of American writer Jack London's essays documents how London struggled to reconcile his political and his personal desires, creating memorable art but failing to save himself. The volume features works by London that have been unavailable for decades.
A New Twist On The Odyssey
No-Man's Lands: One Man's Odyssey Through The Odyssey Part travelogue, part memoir, and part critical reading of the greatest adventure epic ever written, No-Man’s Lands is an extraordinary description of two journeys—one ancient, one contemporary—and reveals what The Odyssey can teach us about being better bosses, better teachers, better parents, and better people.
Must-Read Classics
The English Reader This sequel to The American Reader details the best and most memorable poems, essays, songs and orations in English literary history. If you've ever wondered exactly what you should know about English literature, this is the guide for you.
Bartleby.com is a top destination for classics, including poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and even classic reference works such as Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
The Modern Library board compiled a list of the '100 Best Novels published in the English language since 1900' that first appeared in the NY Times in 1998. A list of best nonfiction books soon followed. A readers' poll for both best novel and nonfiction generated additional lists. Radcliffe Publishing Course created a rival list of best novels. Now all these lists are on this website.
