Germinal, by Emile Zola, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics: • New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars • Biographies of the authors • Chronologies of contemporary...

Raised by a single Swedish philosopher, Axel Heyst inherits his father's pessimistic view of society. As a child, he is taught about all the dark inclinations of humankind, warping his mind. Axel struggles with these beliefs and the atmosphere of the environment in which he grew up. Because of this, he has a mix of complicated feelings when his father passes away. He decides to leave London and travel the world, which lead him to both adventures and...

This is the first edition of Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Nature." Published anonymously in 1836, it is his first essay and is considered to be the foundation text for the American Transcendentalist movement. Emerson puts forth the concept that the divine spirit is universally present within all things and all aspects of nature. He believes that through nature, humans acquire all of their physical and spiritual needs. He divides his essay into several different...

Whether you're a long-time fan of Thomas Hardy's works or a first-time reader who is curious about the author of such masterpieces as Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd, this collection of short stories offers a gratifying introduction to the renowned British naturalist's literary talent. As part of our mission to publish great works of literary fiction and nonfiction, Sheba Blake Publishing Corp. is extremely dedicated to bringing...

HarperCollins is proud to present its range of best-loved, essential classics. 'From that hour we had no further occasion for the exercise of reason, or judgment, or skill, or contrivance. We were henceforth to be hurled along, the playthings of the fierce elements of the deep.' In Verne's science-fiction classic, Professor Lidenbrock chances upon an ancient manuscript and pledges to solve the mysterious coded message that lies within it. Eventually...

Originally published in 1864, "Moods" was the first book produced by Louisa May Alcott under her real name and pre-dated her hugely popular novel "Little Women". Written for a noticeably more mature audience then her most famous works, "Moods" revolves around the intersecting lives of an abolitionist spinster and a fallen Cuban beauty. Louisa May Alcott (1832 - 1888) was an American short story writer, novelist, and poet most famous for writing the...

Though many of the essays and poems produced in the aftermath of the Titanic disaster have been lost to time, a few memorable works about the sinking were completed by literary greats of the era. The English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy, for instance, wrote "The Convergence of the Twain," a haunting poem that frames the Titanic sinking as a contrast between the hubris of mankind and the power of nature. Joseph Conrad, the Polish-born author best...

The curious call of an unseen bird lures a young European explorer deeper and deeper into the jungle, where he encounters the source of the siren song - a lovely, half-wild girl with mysterious powers. Thus begins the romance between Abel, a revolutionary hiding among an Indian tribe in the Venezuelan rainforest, and Rima, who speaks the languages of birds and longs to return to the land of her birth to be reunited with others of her kind. Written...

"Work: A Story of Experience" by Louisa May Alcott immerses readers in the compelling narrative of Christie Devon, a young woman navigating the post-Civil War landscape in pursuit of independence and purpose. Set against the backdrop of the societal constraints of the era, this semi-autobiographical novel chronicles Christie's multifaceted journey through various jobs, each offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of a woman seeking self-reliance. Alcott's...