Book 1: Immerse yourself in the harrowing realities of war with “The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War by Stephen Crane.” Crane's novel follows the journey of Henry Fleming, a young soldier grappling with fear and courage on the battlefield. This seminal work of American literature explores the psychological impact of war and the complexities of heroism. Book 2: Sail into the turbulent seas of existential uncertainty with “The Open Boat and Other Stories by Stephen Crane.” Crane's collection of short stories, including the titular tale of survival at sea, showcases his mastery of naturalistic fiction. Through vivid narratives and stark realism, these stories offer a profound exploration of humanity's relationship with the indifferent forces of nature. Book 3: Navigate the gritty urban landscape with “Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane.” Crane's novella delves into the harsh realities of poverty and vice in the slums of New York City. This early work, notable for its naturalistic depiction of urban life, provides a stark portrayal of the struggles faced by its titular character as she navigates a world marked by societal indifference.

An introduction to and advice on book collecting with a glossary of terms and tips on how to identify first editions and estimated values for over 20,000 collectible books published in English (including translations) over the last three centuries-about half are literary titles in the broadest sense (novels, poetry, plays, mysteries, science fiction, and children's books); and the other half are non-fiction (Americana, travel and exploration, finance, cookbooks, color plate, medicine, science, photography, Mormonism, sports, et al).

Realistic writers seek to render accurate representations of the world, and their novels contain authentic details and descriptions of their characters and settings. Like Realistic authors, Naturalistic ones similarly try to portray the world accurately, but they tend to depict the darker side of life. Realism was born in Europe in the nineteenth century and soon became popular in the United States, while Naturalism became prominent at the beginning of the twentieth century. Both traditions have continued in one form or another to the present day, and Realistic and Naturalistic novelists include some of America's most significant authors, such as Sherwood Anderson, Saul Bellow, Ambrose Bierce, Willa Cather, Theodore Dreiser, Ralph Ellison, and Jack London. This reference includes biographical and critical entries for more than 120 American Naturalistic and Realistic novelists. An introductory essay discusses the history of the Realistic and Naturalistic traditions, points to the difficulty of defining them, and surveys the many authors who have been associated with the two movements. The entries that follow are arranged alphabetically to facilitate use. Each includes basic biographical information and a narrative overview of the writer's educational background, professional career, and published works. The writer's works are briefly discussed in relation to the Realistic and Naturalistic traditions. Entries include primary and secondary bibliographies, and the volume closes with a list of works for further reading.

This book presents an age of nationalism, imperialism, modernization, industrialism, and great cultural achievement, stretching from 1800, when Europe was awash in the wake of the French Revolution, the reign of terror, and the coming rise of Napoleon, to Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination in 1914. Concise biographical entries provide basic information on the great talents of the era—Beethoven, the Romantic poets, Hegel—as well as leaders in the modernization and industrialization of Western culture. Included are figures who played major roles on the imperialist and nationalist stage, those—such as Darwin and Planck—who made significant contributions to science, and those who struggled for women's rights and Abolition in the United States.

This selection of thirty-eight stories (from the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries) illustrates diverse narrative styles, from the austere to the avant-garde, as well as a broad spectrum of human experiences. The collection comprises both recognized classics of the genre and some very interesting, less often anthologized works. Stories are organized chronologically, lightly annotated, and prefaced by engaging short introductions. Also included is a glossary of basic critical terms. The second edition has been updated to include more recent stories, a greater selection of international authors and works in translation, and an illustrated story (Shaun Tan’s “Grandpa’s Story”). Several luminaries of the genre, including Alice Munro, have multiple stories included in the collection.

“The ultimate literary bucket list.” —THE WASHINGTON POST Celebrate the pleasure of reading and the thrill of discovering new titles in an extraordinary book that’s as compulsively readable, entertaining, surprising, and enlightening as the 1,000-plus titles it recommends. Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children’s books, history, and more, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation, You have to read this. But it’s not a proscriptive list of the “great works”—rather, it’s a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage. Flip it open to any page and be transfixed by a fresh take on a very favorite book. Or come across a title you always meant to read and never got around to. Or, like browsing in the best kind of bookshop, stumble on a completely unknown author and work, and feel that tingle of discovery. There are classics, of course, and unexpected treasures, too. Lists to help pick and choose, like Offbeat Escapes, or A Long Climb, but What a View. And its alphabetical arrangement by author assures that surprises await on almost every turn of the page, with Cormac McCarthy and The Road next to Robert McCloskey and Make Way for Ducklings, Alice Walker next to Izaac Walton. There are nuts and bolts, too—best editions to read, other books by the author, “if you like this, you’ll like that” recommendations , and an interesting endnote of adaptations where appropriate. Add it all up, and in fact there are more than six thousand titles by nearly four thousand authors mentioned—a life-changing list for a lifetime of reading. “948 pages later, you still want more!” —THE WASHINGTON POST

Includes entries for maps and atlases.

This comprehensive history of American Literature traces its development from the earliest colonial writings of the late 1500s through to the present day. This lively, engaging and highly accessible guide: offers lucid discussions of all major influences and movements such as Puritanism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Naturalism, Modernism and Postmodernism draws on the historical, cultural, and political contexts of key literary texts and authors covers the whole range of American literature: prose, poetry, theatre and experimental literature includes substantial sections on native and ethnic American literatures explains and contextualises major events, terms and figures in American history. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to situate their reading of American Literature in the appropriate religious, cultural, and political contexts.

First Published in 1986. On 22 January 1910, after two years’ work on what he had intended as a break from Chance, Conrad finally finished the manuscript of Under Western Eyes. It had been begun, like many of his novels, as a short story, to be called simply ‘Razumov’, in which he would try ‘to capture the very soul of things Russian’ (Jean-Aubry, 1927, II, p. 64). Some 130,000 words later, Conrad was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. This is a collection of correspondence, biography and writing on Joseph Conrad’s work.