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First published in 1922, "Jacob's Room" is Virginia Woolf's third novel and a surprising and innovative departure from her other work. It is the life story of the character Jacob Flanders, from his childhood in pre-war England, through his time at Cambridge, and following him into his adulthood and travels abroad. The novel is told entirely from other character's viewpoints, most often from the women in Jacob's life, and focuses on their memories and feelings. Considered to be a highly experimental novel, "Jacob's Room" is a study in character development, as well as perception and emotion. Jacob primarily exists as a character or object in the lives of others and the reader experiences him through the eyes of the women rather than as an individual in his own right. Woolf, through the use of symbology, stream of consciousness, monologue, and brief dialogues, brilliantly focuses her novel on the psychology of her characters instead of any specific plot or action of the story. "Jacob's Room" is a critically acclaimed impressionistic work that focuses on the very meaning of existence and identity. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

First appearing as an anonymous serial in "Harper's Magazine" in 1895, "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc" was Mark Twain's final novel and was published as a complete work under his name in 1896. The novel is a stark departure from Twain's usual comic and satirical writings, which is why Twain insisted it initially be published anonymously so that the public would take it seriously. The work is told from the perspective of a fictionalized version of Joan's page, Louis de Conte, and is divided into three parts based on Joan's life: her upbringing, her victorious time as a military commander, and her trial at Rouen. The novel is sympathetic to Joan and suggests that the English deliberately rigged the trial of Joan of Arc to convict her of witchcraft and heresy, a view that recent scholarship seems to support. Twain was deeply fascinated by Joan of Arc for much of his life. He considered "Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc" to be his best and most important work and spent nearly 15 years researching and working on the novel. The result is a work of sincere and engrossing historical fiction. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

The second novel of Anthony Trollope's "Chronicles of Barsetshire" series and widely considered one of his best and most popular works, "Barchester Towers" was published in 1857 and continues the story of Mr. Harding and his daughter Eleanor in the beautiful cathedral city of Barchester. Upon the death of the popular and beloved bishop, the citizens fully expect his son, Archdeacon Grantly, to fill the vacancy. Much to their consternation, however, the far more Evangelical Bishop Proudie is given the position. A struggle for power ensues between these traditional and new forces. Mrs. Proudie, the Bishop's overbearing wife, and the Bishop's new chaplain, the distasteful and hypocritical Mr. Slope, use their power to control the selection of the new warden of the local hospital over the objections of the rest of the clergy. Clerical reinforcements are called in on both sides and the struggle between the different factions of the church plays out amid the romantic entanglements and dramas of the town's inhabitants. In the end, the results are more than satisfactory for Eleanor and other citizens of Barchester in this witty comedy. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

A cycle of twelve narrative poems, "Idylls of the King" is Alfred Tennyson's classic 19th century retelling of Arthurian legend. Linked by their common focus, these poems relate the stories of King Arthur's ascent to power, quest to create a perfect kingdom, and his eventual defeat. Included in this epic work are the stories of Arthur's love for Guinevere, their marriage, and her betrayal. Much of the work is also devoted to the exploits of the knights of the round table as well as the involvement of the wizard Merlin. Tennyson relied heavily on previous Arthurian works including Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", which was first published in 1485, and the "Mabinogion", one of the earliest prose stories of Britain, one based on older oral traditions, written during the 12th century. However, "Idylls of the King" is not merely a retelling of the same stories of these previous works, but rather an expansion of the legend and an effort to bring the concerns and values of Victorian England to these timeless tales. Tennyson's poems are a complex, beautiful, and thoughtful addition to the genre of Arthurian literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

The only full-length novel by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" was first published in 1838. It is the story of a boy from Nantucket, Arthur Gordon Pym, who stows away aboard a whaling ship, the "Grampus", with the help of his friend Augustus, the ship captain's son. Pym and Augustus experience many unexpected adventures and misfortunes at sea, including mutiny, violent storms, cannibalism, and the destruction of the ship. Eventually, only Pym and another sailor, Dirk Peters, have survived and are clinging to the debris when they are rescued by the "Jane Guy", a fishing ship headed to the southern seas. Pym becomes fascinated by the interesting birds and wildlife to be found near the Antarctic and convinces the captain to sail even further south. Pym's adventures continue as the sailors meet aggressive natives and strange new lands. Rich with symbolism and allegory, Poe who sought to make the novel full of believable details, was heavily inspired by many popular travel journals of his time. "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" greatly influenced writers such as Herman Melville and Jules Verne and remains to this day an exciting nautical adventure. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.

A classic work of ancient Greek literature from Plato, one of the most famous of all ancient Greek philosophers, the "Phaedo" is the moving story of the last moments of Socrates life as recounted by Phaedo, a student of Socrates and a first-hand witness to his final hours. "Phaedo" is the fourth and last dialogue by Plato of Socrates final days, following "Euthyphro", "Apology", and "Crito". In "Phaedo" we see the famous philosopher in his last hours before drinking poison hemlock, as he has been sentenced to do by an Athenian jury for his refusal to believe in the gods of the state and for corrupting the youth with his ideas. Socrates explains to the students there to witness his death that his suicide does not matter because his soul is immortal. In support of his belief, Socrates introduces many of the themes and dualities that have come to define Western culture and philosophy: life and death, soul and body, reason and emotion, science and belief. Here in this masterpiece of ancient Greek literature, two of history's greatest philosophers are brought together, one as the subject and the other as the author. Presented here is the classic translation with introduction by Benjamin Jowett in an edition printed on premium acid-free paper.

One of the most famous of Honore de Balzac's novels, "Lost Illusions" paints a faithful picture of the spectacular but superficial world of mid-19th century French society, and the indissoluble relationship between the bourgeois and aristocratic classes. Originally published serially from 1837 to 1843, the story features the main characters Lucien Chardon, a vain and naïve poet and journalist, and his friend and brother-in-law David Sechard, an innovative, hard-working young printer from the provincial Angouleme, with aspirations to revolutionize the production of paper and provide for his new family. The victim of a callous father and unscrupulous competitors, David finds himself in constant turmoil from the reckless exploits and betrayals of his friend Lucien. Lucien, in contrast, is full of grand dreams and aspirations and must leave for Paris as the result of a scandalous affair. He seeks fame and fortune in the city as a poet, while his impetuous actions wreak havoc for many at home. Readers will be drawn to the intertwined stories of these two men in a novel that exemplifies the eternal battles of love, ambition, greed, loyalty, vanity, and betrayal. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Ellen Marriage.