Books published by publisher SIGNET

In 1915, Edgar Lee Masters published a book of dramatic monologues written in free verse about a fictional town called Spoon River, based on the Midwestern towns where he grew up. The shocking scandals and secret tragedies of Spoon River were immediately recognized by readers as authentic. Masters raises the dead “sleeping on the hill” in their village cemetery to tell the truth about their lives, and their testimony topples the American myth of the moral superiority of small-town life. Spoon River, as undeniably corrupt and cruel as the big city, is home to murderers, drunkards, crooked bankers, lechers, bitter wives, abusive husbands, failed dreamers, and a few good souls. The freshness of this masterpiece undiminished, Spoon River Anthology remains a landmark of American literature.With an Introduction by John Hollander and an Afterword by Ronald Primeau

Impressed into service aboard the seal-hunting Ghost, Humphrey Van Weyden becomes an unwilling participant in a tense shipboard drama. With a wary eye, he watches the vessel’s abusive captain, Wolf Larsen, an enigma who can abandon two sailors on the open water, then return to reading the moral philosophers. One of the best sea novels ever written, The Sea-Wolf tells of mutiny, shipwreck, and a desperate confrontation.… Also in this volume, “The Law of Life,” “The One Thousand Dozen,” “All Gold Canyon,” and “Moon-Face” offer more riveting action and adventure. In these tales, London’s descriptions of the natives, the northern dogs, and even the tundra capture the essence of the exuberant life he experienced firsthand.

In this series of essays, Ayn Rand presents her stand on the persecution of big business, the causes of war, the default of conservatism, and the evils of altruism.The foundations of capitalism are being battered by a flood of altruism, which is the cause of the modern world's collapse. This is the view of Ayn Rand, a view so radically opposed to prevailing attitudes that it constitutes a major philosophic revolution. Here is a challenging new look at modern society by one of the most provocative intellectuals on the American scene. This edition includes two articles by Ayn Rand that did not appear in the hardcover edition: “The Wreckage of the Consensus,” which presents the Objectivists’ views on Vietnam and the draft; and “Requiem for Man,” an answer to the Papal encyclical Progresso Populorum.

Together in one indispensable volume, The Time Machine and The Invisible Man are masterpieces of irony and imaginative vision from H. G. Wells, the father of science fiction.The Time Machine conveys the Time Traveller into the distant future and an extraordinary world. There, stranded on a slowly dying Earth, he discovers two bizarre races: the effete Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks—a haunting portrayal of Darwin’s evolutionary theory carried to a terrible conclusion.The Invisible Man is the fascinating tale of a brash young scientist who, experimenting on himself, becomes invisible and then criminally insane, trapped in the terror of his own creation.Convincing and unforgettably real, these two classics are consummate representations of the stories that defined science fiction—and inspired generations of readers and writers.With an Introduction by John Calvin Batchelorand an Afterword by Paul Youngquist

The Portrait of a Lady is Henry James’s classic novel featuring the strong and spirited Isabel Archer, the embodiment of women’s independence and strength.The heroine of this powerful novel, often considered James’s greatest work, is the vivacious young American Isabel Archer. Blessed by nature and fortune, she journeys to Europe to seek the full realization of her potential—or in modern terms, “to find herself”—but what awaits her there may prove to be her undoing. During her journey, wooers vie for her attentions, including an English aristocrat, a perfect American gentleman, and a sensitive expatriate. But it is only after the ingenue falls prey to the schemes of an infinitely sophisticated older woman that her life takes on its true form. With its brilliant interplay of tensions and characters, The Portrait of a Lady is a timeless and essential American novel. With an Introduction by Regina Barreca and an Afterword by Colm Tóibín

William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy follows the bloody path of the "rudely stamped" Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who uses his murderous guile to achieve the throne of England.This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as:• An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater• A special introduction to the play by the editor• Selections from the source from which Shakespeare derived Richard III• Dramatic criticism• A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions• Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text• And more...

The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's black comedy.A complex play that combines pathos and humor, The Merchant of Venice also introduces one of Shakespeare's most memorable villains, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, who famously demans a "pound of flesh" for what he is owed.This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, Kenneth Myrick• Notes on the sources of The Merchant of Venice • Dramatic criticism from Nicholas Rowe, William Hazlitt, Elmer Edgar Stoll, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text • And more...

Louisa May Alcott shares the innocence of girlhood in this classic coming of age story about four sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. In picturesque nineteenth-century New England, tomboyish Jo, beautiful Meg, fragile Beth, and romantic Amy are responsible for keeping a home while their father is off to war. At the same time, they must come to terms with their individual personalities—and make the transition from girlhood to womanhood. It can all be quite a challenge. But the March sisters, however different, are nurtured by their wise and beloved Marmee, bound by their love for each other and the feminine strength they share. Readers of all ages have fallen instantly in love with these Little Women. Their story transcends time—making this novel endure as a classic piece of American literature that has captivated generations of readers with their charm, innocence, and wistful insights.This Signet Classics edition contains Little Women in its entirety, including Parts I and II. With an Introduction by Regina Bareccaand an Afterword by Susan Straight

The Signet Classics edition of William Shakespeare's controversial comedy.Featuring the tumultuous relationship of Petruchio and the headstrong Katherina, this popular comedy goes beyond courtship to explore what happens after a determined man marries a woman who refuses to be tamed. This revised Signet Classics edition includes unique features such as: • An overview of Shakespeare's life, world, and theater • A special introduction to the play by the editor, Robert B. Heilman• Sources from which Shakespeare derived The Taming of the Shrew • Dramatic criticism from Richard Hosley, Maynard Mack, Germaine Greer, and others • A comprehensive stage and screen history of notable actors, directors, and productions • Text, notes, and commentaries printed in the clearest, most readable text • And more...

The enlightening memoir of the industrialist as famous for his philanthropy as for his fortune. His good friend Mark Twain dubbed him “St. Andrew.” British Prime Minister William Gladstone called him an “example” for the wealthy. Such terms seldom apply to multimillionaires. But Andrew Carnegie was no run-of-the-mill steel magnate. At age 13 and full of dreams, he sailed from his native Dunfermline, Scotland, to America. The story of his success begins with a $1.20-a-week job at a bobbin factory. By the end of his life, he had amassed an unprecedented fortune—and given away more than 90 percent of it for the good of mankind. Here, for the first time in one volume, are two impressive works by Andrew Carnegie himself: his autobiography and “The Gospel of Wealth,” a groundbreaking manifesto on the duty of the wealthy to give back to society all of their fortunes. And he practiced what he preached, erecting 1,600 libraries across the country, founding Carnegie Mellon University, building Carnegie Hall, and performing countless other acts of philanthropy because, as Carnegie wrote, “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.” With an Introduction by Gordon Hutner