Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Hunchback of Notre-Dame The...

  Victor Hugo

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  Book 6: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame or Notre-Dame de Paris is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. - The story is set in Paris in 1482 during the reign of Louis XI. The gypsy Esmeralda (born as Agnes) captures the hearts of many men, including those of Captain Phoebus and Pierre Gringoire, but especially Quasimodo and his guardian Archdeacon Claude Frollo. Frollo is torn between his obsessive lust for Esmeralda and the rules of Notre Dame Cathedral. He orders Quasimodo to kidnap her, but Quasimodo is captured by Phoebus and his guards, who save Esmeralda. Gringoire, who attempted to help Esmeralda but was knocked out by Quasimodo, is about to be hanged by beggars when Esmeralda saves him by agreeing to marry him for four years.

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  The Murders in the Rue Morgue

  Edgar Allan Poe

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  The Murders in the Rue Morgue is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe published in Graham's Magazine in 1841. It has been recognized as the first modern detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his "tales of ratiocination". Two works that share some similarities predate Poe's stories, including Das Fräulein von Scuderi (1819) by E. T. A. Hoffmann and Zadig (1747) by Voltaire. C. Auguste Dupin is a man in Paris who solves the mystery of the brutal murder of two women. Numerous witnesses heard a suspect, though no one agrees on what language was spoken.     At the murder scene, Dupin finds a hair that does not appear to be human. As the first fictional detective, Poe's Dupin displays many traits which became literary conventions in subsequent fictional detectives, including Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Many later characters, for example, follow Poe's model of the brilliant detective, his personal friend who serves as narrator, and the final revelation being presented before the reasoning that leads up to it. Dupin himself reappears in "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt" and "The Purloined Letter".

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  The Picture of Dorian Gray

  Oscar Wilde

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  Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray" immerses readers in a world where the pursuit of beauty and pleasure supersedes morality. The young, handsome Dorian Gray remains eternally youthful, while a portrait of him reflects his soul's decay, bearing the consequences of his hedonistic actions. As Dorian navigates high society with a sinister invulnerability, his external allure contrasts starkly with his internal corruption. A haunting and philosophical tale of vanity, obsession, and the dark depths of human nature.

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  Middlemarch (Book 8: Sunset and...

  George Eliot

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  Middlemarch (Book 8: Sunset and Sunrise), A Study of Provincial Life is a novel by English author George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans. It appeared in eight installments (volumes) in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midlands town, from 1829 to 1832, it follows distinct, intersecting stories with many characters. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education. Leavened with comic elements, Middlemarch approaches significant historical events in a realist mode: the Reform Act 1832, early railways, and the accession of King William IV. It looks at medicine of the time and reactionary views in a settled community facing unwelcome change. Eliot began writing the two pieces that formed the novel in 1869–1870 and completed it in 1871. Initial reviews were mixed, but it is now seen widely as her best work and one of the great English novels.

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  Chess Story

  Stefan Zweig

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  "Chess Story," also known as "The Royal Game," is Stefan Zweig's compelling novella that unfolds on a passenger steamer. It narrates the psychological duel between Mirko Czentovic, a chess champion with a mysterious past, and Dr. B, a reclusive genius. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story explores themes of isolation, obsession, and the struggle for intellectual sanity. 
  As the chess game intensifies, so do the inner battles of the characters, revealing the profound impact of mental stress and obsession. Zweig's sharp and immersive prose draws readers into a world where a simple game reflects the complex nature of the human psyche. "Chess Story" is a testament to the enduring power of the mind and the game that challenges it, making it a riveting read that's both intellectually and emotionally charged.

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  Juvenilia – Volume I

  Jane Austen

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  "I have a great mind to go to Italy and be a nun, but I don't think I should like it."
  
  Long before she created Elizabeth Bennet or Emma Woodhouse, a teenage Jane Austen was already skewering the tropes of 18th-century literature. Juvenilia – Volume I is a riotous collection of "scraps" and "sketches" that displays none of the refined restraint of her later novels. Instead, readers are treated to dark humor, absurd plots, and characters who drink too much, marry too often, and faint with alarming frequency. From the chaotic social blunders of "Frederic and Elfrida" to the wild escapades of "Henry and Eliza," this volume offers a rare, unvarnished look at the birth of a satirist who would go on to change the world of fiction.
  
  The Roots of Satire: In these early pages, Austen mocks the "Sirs" and "Madams" of the sentimental novels she grew up reading. She takes the dramatic clichés of her time—vows of eternal friendship, tragic coincidences, and fainting fits—and pushes them to a level of hilarious absurdity. It is a masterclass in parody that shows a young girl already in full command of her wit.
  
  A Window into the Austen Household: These stories were meant to be read aloud to the Austen family at Steventon Rectory. They reflect the lively, intellectual, and often irreverent atmosphere in which Jane was raised. Many stories are dedicated to her siblings or cousins, making the volume an intimate piece of literary history that bridges the gap between a private family hobby and public masterpiece.
  
  Dark Comedy and High Energy: Readers expecting the polite drawing rooms of Mansfield Park will be surprised by the energy here. In "Jack and Alice," for example, we find a world of "red-faced" drinking and physical comedy. This volume proves that Austen was always a rebel at heart, using her pen to puncture the pomposity of the world around her from the very start.
  
  Discover the girl behind the genius. Purchase "Juvenilia – Volume I" today.

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