Other books that might interest you

• 

  amuk

  Khairani Barokka

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Khairani Barokka's uncompromising third collection of poetry amuk sheds light on the devastating and ongoing effects of a single word's mistranslation, and emphasises what exists in opposition to such hostile histories and presents: hope, resistance, and joy.
  Groundbreaking in its use of form and poetics, amuk deconstructs the brutal workings of oppressive systems to examine how, "through macheted etymology", violence and suffering is replicated through (mis)translation. These radical poems of fury and prayer look towards the vital, living resistance of persisting languages, and resilient peoples.

  Show book

• 

  Antony and Cleopatra

  William Shakespeare

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Antony and Cleopatra is one of William Shakespeare's most powerful and emotionally charged tragedies—a sweeping drama of passion, politics, loyalty, and betrayal set against the grandeur of the ancient world. Blending historical events with poetic brilliance, Shakespeare brings to life the tumultuous romance between Mark Antony, a Roman general, and Cleopatra, the captivating Queen of Egypt.
  
  At the center of the play is a love affair that defies reason, duty, and empire. Antony, one of Rome's triumvirs and a celebrated military leader, becomes enthralled by Cleopatra's charisma and allure. Their relationship, intense and all-consuming, places Antony at odds with his responsibilities to Rome and his political alliances. As tensions rise between Antony and his rival Octavius Caesar, the personal and political become inseparably intertwined.
  
  Cleopatra is portrayed as complex and commanding—passionate, strategic, theatrical, and fiercely proud. Her dynamic with Antony is marked by devotion and volatility, tenderness and manipulation. Together, they create a partnership that is both intoxicating and destructive, as ambition and emotion collide on a global stage.
  
  Shakespeare masterfully contrasts the disciplined, duty-bound world of Rome with the sensual, opulent atmosphere of Egypt. Through this contrast, the play explores themes of power, identity, honor, sacrifice, and the struggle between public obligation and private desire. The shifting landscapes—from battlefields to royal courts—mirror the instability of the characters' fortunes and the fragile nature of political authority.
  
  As war looms and allegiances fracture, Antony's decisions lead him toward inevitable tragedy. Cleopatra, faced with defeat and humiliation, must choose her own destiny in a world dominated by imperial ambition. Their story becomes not only a tale of romantic devotion but also a meditation on legacy, mortality, and the cost of greatness.
  
  Rich in poetic language and dramatic intensity, Antony and Cleopatra remains one of Shakespeare's most mature and complex works. It is a timeless exploration of love and power at their most magnificent and destructive—an epic tragedy that continues to captivate readers and audiences with its emotional depth and historical grandeur.

  Show book

• 

  Romeo and Juliet

  William Shakespeare

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A timeless story of passion, fate, and forbidden love, Romeo and Juliet is William Shakespeare's most celebrated romantic tragedy. Set in the vibrant city of Verona, this unforgettable play captures the intensity of youthful devotion and the devastating consequences of hatred and division.
  
  At the heart of the drama are two young lovers from feuding families—the Montagues and the Capulets—whose bitter rivalry casts a shadow over the entire city. When Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet at a masked celebration, it is love at first sight. Unaware at first of each other's identities, they are drawn together by an instant and profound connection that defies the hostility between their households.
  
  Determined to be together despite the dangers, they secretly marry, hoping their union might reconcile their families. But fate intervenes. A chain of misunderstandings, impulsive decisions, and tragic accidents escalates the conflict, leading to irreversible consequences. As tensions rise and violence erupts, their dream of a shared future slips further from reach.
  
  Through lyrical poetry and powerful imagery, Shakespeare explores themes of love and hate, destiny and choice, youth and impulsiveness, and the conflict between individual desire and social obligation. The play portrays love as both transcendent and perilous—a force capable of inspiring extraordinary courage yet vulnerable to the destructive forces of pride and prejudice.
  
  From the famous balcony scene to the heartbreaking final act, Romeo and Juliet remains one of the most performed and studied works in world literature. Its language is rich with beauty and emotion, and its characters—passionate, flawed, and deeply human—continue to resonate across generations.
  
  Poignant and unforgettable, Romeo and Juliet is more than a love story; it is a profound meditation on the cost of division and the fragile brilliance of young love. Shakespeare's masterpiece endures as a powerful reminder that even in a world torn by conflict, love can shine with extraordinary intensity—though sometimes at the highest price.

  Show book

• 

  The Idiot

  Fyodor Dostoevsky

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Immerse yourself in Fyodor Dostoevsky's timeless masterpiece, The Idiot, a profound exploration of innocence, morality, and the human soul. 
  This classic tale follows Prince Myshkin, a kind-hearted and honest young man, as he navigates the complexities of 19th-century Russian society. With his purity and sincerity, Myshkin becomes a catalyst for change, exposing the corruption and cynicism of those around him. 
  As he becomes entangled in a web of love, greed, and betrayal, Myshkin's goodness becomes both his greatest virtue and his undoing. 
  Through Dostoevsky's masterful storytelling, experience the tragic consequences of a world unprepared for genuine virtue. With its haunting themes, philosophical insights, and deeply human characters, The Idiot is a literary classic that will leave you reflecting on the struggle between innocence and experience, compassion and cruelty, faith and despair. 
  A masterpiece of psychological insight and philosophical depth, The Idiot is a must-listen for anyone interested in the human condition.

  Show book

• 

  The Story of a Man Who Collapsed...

  Ivana Sajko

  • 0
  • 2
  • 0

  . . . I’ve forgotten how to travel, how to surrender to the favor and misfortune of the rails, how one says goodbye, how long one actually stands facing backward watching Point A swiftlydisappearing, and after that how long does he continue standing standing standing . . . I open my notebook, but I have no answer, I write: “traveling from Point A to Point B, from a littleseaside town to Berlin, I gaze out the window at the unfinished houses on the outskirts, warehouses in the industrial zone, stunted trees along the river with plastic bags hanging fromtheir branches like bats . . .”
   
  Sajko teases out the mental state and personal history of the protagonist, posing departure as a major theme that serves as a touchstone not only for our region [of Southeastern Europe] but also for the times we are living in. —Antonela Marušić, Novosti
   
  This is a stylistically superb novel, very readable. . . . And although this is a deeply personal text, it functions much more broadly, giving expression to the experiences, doubts, fears and all things encountered not only by this one, but a whole series of generations. —Matija Prica, booksa.hr
   
  The Story of a Man Who Collapsed Into His Notebook is about departures, childhood, the end of a relationship and the vanishing possibility in today’s world of fleeing to a better place. Written in the first person, each chapter a single sentence, the novel is an internal soliloquy of self-examination, an excavation of a life punctuated by upheaval and loss, hope and disillusionment, ambition and failure. The reader joins the narrator on his journey, both on the train and in his mind—from disjointed memories triggered by his departure from home, through attempts to put his relationships and experiences in some kind of order to find meaning in them and perhaps assign blame, to confronting his most painful memories—finally arriving with him at his destination with a sense of clarity and the possibility of a new beginning.

  Show book

• 

  Comedie Hell

  Dante Alighieri

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Dante Alighieri's*Inferno*, here titled *Hell*, is the first canticle of his great narrative poem *Commedìa* (1314-1321), considered by many to be the foundation of modern vernacular literature, which consigned to the past the literary use of Latin. Dante's visionary description of the afterlife and the profound humanity of his characters have been admired by many generations of readers and writers, and the beauty of its verse has never been surpassed. The translation presented here is by Leon Stephens, who is also the reader.

  Show book