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  War and Peace - Book 6: 1808-10...

  Leo Tolstoy

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  War and Peace is a literary work mixed with chapters on history and philosophy by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy. It was first published serially, then published in its entirety in 1869. It is regarded as one of Tolstoy's finest literary achievements and remains an internationally praised classic of world literature.Book 6: 1808-10: Prince Andrew had spent two years continuously in the country. All the plans Pierre had attempted on his estates and constantly changing from one thing to another had never accomplished were carried out by Prince Andrew without display and without perceptible difficulty.

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  The Bet - And Other Stories

  Anton Chekhov

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  A classic collection of tales by the acclaimed Russian playwright and author universally recognized as a master of the modern short story. In “The Bet,” partygoers strike up a debate regarding the humanity of capital punishment versus life imprisonment, which causes a two-million-ruble wager to be struck between a lawyer and a banker. The lawyer, arguing in favor of life imprisonment, agrees to spend fifteen years in total isolation in a guest room on the banker’s property. Granted only basic necessities, he staves off loneliness and depression by reading, studying, playing piano, and drinking wine. Meanwhile, the banker experiences the follies of fortune, leading him to a desperate and dastardly decision . . .   Other stories in this volume include “A Tedious Story,” “The Fit,” “Misfortune,” “After the Theatre,” “That Wretched Boy,” “Enemies,” “A Trifling Occurrence,” “A Gentleman Friend,” “Overwhelming Sensations,” “Expensive Lessons,” “A Living Calendar,” and “Old Age.”

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  The Oscar Wilde Collection - The...

  Oscar Wilde

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  This collection of works by the great Irish author includes his most famous novel, an intimate memoir written from prison, and four delightful fairy tales.  The Picture of Dorian Gray: Infatuated with his own youth and beauty, Dorian Gray wishes that his portrait would grow old instead of him. When his wish comes true, both his age and his sins are recorded on the canvas. Freed from the physical toll of his wrongdoings, Dorian turns on his friends and drives his lover to suicide, all in the pursuit of pleasure. To society, he remains handsome and glowing. In the painting, he is hideous. But only one of these images can be real.  De Profundis: In 1891, Oscar Wilde began an affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, known to his friends as Bosie. Taken to court by Bosie’s father, Wilde was sent to prison for “gross indecency”—and wrote this stunning autobiographical work from his cell. Detailing the wrongs done to him by Bosie and his family, Wilde also traces his spiritual growth while imprisoned, transforming his hardship into art.  A House of Pomegranates: This collection presents four of Wilde’s darkly enchanting fairy tales. In “The Young King,” a shepherd’s son finds himself next in line for the throne. A dwarf performs for a Spanish princess in “The Birthday of the Infanta.” In “The Fisherman and His Soul,” a man faces a terrible choice after falling in love with a mermaid. And an arrogant young boy, who believes he is the son of an actual star, learns a bitter lesson when he is brought down to earth in “The Star-Child.”

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  Gods in Exile - Heine pulls at...

  Heinrich Heine

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  Christian Johann Heinrich Heine was born in Düsseldorf, Germany on 13th December 1797 to assimilated Jewish parents. 
   
  Heine studied law at the universities of Bonn, Göttingen, and Berlin but his greater commitment was to studying poetry and literature.   
   
  He converted to Protestantism in order to obtain work as there were draconian anti-Jewish laws in force at the time.   
   
  He was part of the German Romantic movement but also responsible in part for ushering in the post-Romantic crisis and the presumed failure of art as unable to overcome or explain the growing traumas of modernity.  However, his literary reputation was cemented in the second half of the 1820’s with his poetry collection ‘The Book of Songs’ together with his collection of ‘Pictures of Travel’ stories that blended fact and fiction together into commercial and critical successes. 
   
  After the July 1830 Revolution in France, he went to live in Paris, where he remained until his death.  
   
  Here he wrote much in the way of essays discussing the political and cultural scene in France together with volumes of social criticism on Germany. 
   
  By 1835, his works had been banned by the German government.  His lifelong subsidised lifestyle ended in 1844 when his uncle died leaving him nothing.  He turned once more to lyric poetry and created perhaps his finest poetical works.  A trip to Germany resulted in the long satirical poem ‘Germany. A Winter's Tale’. His second volume of poetry, ‘New Poems’ in 1844, included poems that had originally appeared in Karl Marx’s newspaper ‘Forward’ and continued the satirical style he now preferred.   
   
  In May 1848, Heine, in poor health, fell and was paralyzed and confined to his bed.  He called it his ‘mattress-grave’ and only death would remove him from it.  He was also experiencing eye problems and suffering from chronic lead poisoning. 
   
  Heinrich Heine died on 17th February 1856.  He was 58.   
   
  ‘Gods in Exile’ is perhaps a prophetic piece on his own life.  The old gods are overthrown by the new novelty of Christianity.  What will be their role now?  Is there life after for them?

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  The Prince - Machiavelli

  Niccolò Machiavelli

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  The Prince is considered the all time best book on political strategy. It has of late become a much referred to book for all competitive situations. Machiavelli's name is associated closely with his philosophy, as he well deserves. His other works are worth reading, especially his Art of War and Belfagor: The Devil Who Took a Wife. Keywords: Politics, strategy, deception, confilct, conflict resolution.

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  Nightmare Abbey - Unabridged

  Thomas Love Peacock

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  Nightmare Abbey is a Gothic satire about the romantic movement in contemporary English literature, its morbid subjects, misanthropy and transcendental philosophical systems. Most of the characters are based on historical figures whom Peacock wishes to ridicule. The main character is Christopher Glowry, Esquire, a morose widower who lives with his only son in his shabby family mansion. Mr. Glowry has servants with long faces or dismal names such as Raven, Graves or Deathshead. The few visitors he welcomes are mostly of a similar cast of mind: a transcendental philosopher; a Manichaean Millenarian; his son's languid and world-weary college friend; and a misanthropic poet. The only exception is the sanguine Mr. Hilary, who, as Mr. Glowry's brother-in-law, is obliged to visit the abbey from family interests. And there is Reverend Mr. Larynx, the vicar of nearby Claydyke, who readily adapts himself to whatever company he is in.

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