Other books that might interest you

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  This is the End

  Stella Benson

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  It is the story of a Family halfheartedly searching for a missing relation who does not want to be found, while just off-stage, World War I is raging on the continent. It is a story about ordinary people trying to live ordinary lives in extraordinary times. The things they do are less important than the ways in which they do them: often comic, occasionally tragic, but always touching and true to life. It reminds us that Poetry and Romance can be found anywhere, hidden beneath the surface of the most commonplace things.

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  To the Lighthouse

  Virginia Woolf

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  Set on an island off the Scottish coast, To the Lighthouse minutely examines the fleeting impressions of a large cast of family, friends, lovers, and hangers-on. Who can we be, Virginia Woolf invites us to ask, if no one can ever know our hearts - if they're unknowable even to ourselves? To the Lighthouse remains one of the most important Modernist novels, exquisitely composed by one of the most gifted writers of the Modernist movement.
  The opening section follows the passage of a day with a thwarted objective: to go to the nearby lighthouse. The concluding section revisits this expedition a decade later, when so much is irrevocably changed, as a chance to glimpse interpersonal understandings and connections. The novel provides a brilliant example of stream-of-consciousness writing, and raises questions that provoke us still: questions about whether children are the fullest realization of one's posterity, how women artists are regarded socially, and how money and status enable - or close off - networks, relationships, and the dreams we hold most dear.
  As masterful as its technique is, however, the lasting value of this novel for twenty-first-century readers may be its sharp representation of the emotional labor that people - particularly women - perform in order to manage the needs and expectations of others. Woolf wrote in an age when women's participation in society was tightly restricted by class norms and stultifying domesticity. Nearly a century later, scholars still have a great deal to say about Mrs. Ramsay, Lily Briscoe, and the tension between Mr. Ramsay and his son James.
  Woolf's fifth novel, and one of her most successful books both critically and commercially, To the Lighthouse was originally published in 1927, simultaneously in England and the United States. Due to a quirk in the management and correction of the proofs, according to scholar Hans Walter Gabler, the two editions were "not identical, since in a significant number of instances Virginia Woolf marked up the first proofs differently" for her two publishers.

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  A Slander

  Anton Chekhov

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  A Slander is a very short story that reflects the behavior of society concerning public image. Chekhov basically writes that one should be sure before taking action. A Slander is both somber and funny, demonstrating we are our own worst enemy.

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  The Body Snatcher and Olalla -...

  Robert Louis Stevenson

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  The Body Snatcher follows a young medical student, Fettes, who becomes entangled in grave-robbing under the influence of his superior, the sinister Dr. Macfarlane, as they supply bodies for anatomical study. Years later, Fettes is haunted by the memory of a corpse they recognize as someone they had supposedly already buried—raising chilling questions about murder and morality. 
  In Olalla, a wounded British soldier recovering in a remote Spanish estate becomes captivated by the mysterious and beautiful Olalla, whose noble family harbors a dark and supernatural secret. As he uncovers their eerie past and Olalla’s internal struggle, he is forced to confront themes of heredity, self-denial, and the haunting power of ancestral sin. 
  Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer known for his significant contributions to world literature. Through his stories, Stevenson commented on Victorian society, often critiquing its hypocrisies and moral ambiguities, making his work relevant to discussions on ethics, identity, and the human condition. Stevenson's legacy lies in his ability to entertain while subtly challenging readers to ponder deeper societal and personal issues. His works continue to be studied, adapted, and celebrated for their storytelling prowess and thematic depth. 
  Frank Marcopolos lives in Florida with his dog, Sparky. He served as a U.S. paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division during the war.

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  Clarence

  Bret Harte

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  Clarence is a lesser-known but engaging novel by Bret Harte that explores themes of identity, class, and moral dilemmas in post-Civil War America. The story follows Clarence Dermott, a young man of humble origins who discovers he is the heir to a vast estate, thrusting him into a world of wealth, privilege, and social expectations. As he navigates this new life, Clarence must reconcile his modest upbringing with the demands of high society, all while facing romantic entanglements, family secrets, and ethical challenges. Set against the backdrop of small-town America and infused with Harte’s signature blend of sentiment, irony, and regional realism, the novel offers a thoughtful examination of integrity, self-discovery, and the true measure of character in a rapidly changing world.

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  Great Expectations

  Charles Dickens

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  Considered a literary classic, "Great Expectation" follows the life of orphan Pip, who rises from humble beginnings to become a gentleman with 'great expectations' from a mysterious benefactor who he believes is Miss Havisham. The story explores Pip's developing relationship with the beautiful yet cold Estella, whom he loves but who seems unable to return his affection for some reason. 
  Pip is deeply influenced by his experiences, particularly in his encounters with an escaped convict, Magwitch, and the eccentric Miss Havisham, leading to a journey of moral development as he confronts issues of social class, unrequited love, and false expectation.

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