Books published by publisher Akasha Classics

The Turn of the Screw is a classic ghost story by Henry James, first published in 1898. The story centers on a young governess, who is given charge over two beautiful, seemingly perfect orphan children. Isolated on a country estate, the governess begins to see two figures, a man and a woman, at odd times and places. None of the other staff or the children acknowledges or even appear to see them. Describing their appearance to the housekeeper, however, the governess learns that they resemble the former governess and her lover, who died under mysterious circumstances. Could they be ghosts, returning to take the souls of the children? Subtle, ambiguous, and genuinely spooky, The Turn of the Screw is a must-read for those who like their frights with a touch of class.

The Free Rangers is a thrilling chronicle of young Kentucky boys caught up in the upheaval of the American Revolution. Henry Ware and his friends have been putting their backwoods knowledge to use helping the local settlers fend off both the British and the Iroquois. Now they face another challenge - the Spanish have taken an interest in Kentucky, and plan to attack the settlements. Can a small group of boys prevent another war from breaking out? Part of Joseph Altsheler's popular Young Trailers series, The Free Rangers is an immensely enjoyable adventure story for readers of all ages.

Walden is a timeless record of one man's inner journey in the great outdoors. In 1845, Henry David Thoreau set out on a personal experiment that was as simple as it was profound. For two years, two months, and two days he would live apart from civilization, both seeking a better way of life and a better understanding of the life he left behind. He built a rudimentary cabin in some woodland owned by his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, and set about living simply and independently. Walden is the record of his time in the woods and the insights he gained while there. A highly readable combination of philosophy, natural history, and autobiography, Walden is widely regarded as one of the classics of American literature.

The New Revelation, by Arthur Conan Doyle - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - The (dis)connection between psychological (or scientific) and psychic mind is a subject that has baffled man for centuries. The phenomenon captured the attention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a very particular way, a man in whom the analytic and artistic struggled for dominance. Originally published in 1918, the New Revelation deals not only with the issue of physical versus metaphysical, but also considers the problem of death (and afterlife) and the question of communication with the spirit world. Conan Doyle's captivating prose and pragmatic, yet human, voice makes for an enlightening exploration of some eternally relevant questions and possible answers. Scottish surgeon and political activist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle turned his passions into stories and novels, producing fiction and nonfiction works sometimes controversial (The Great Boer War, 1900), sometimes fanciful (The Coming of the Fairies, 1922), and sometimes legendary (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, 1892).

Androcles and The Lion, by George Bernard Shaw - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - Overture; forest sounds, roaring of lions, Christian hymn faintly. A jungle path. A lion's roar, a melancholy suffering roar, comes from the jungle. It is repeated nearer. The lion limps from the jungle on three legs, holding up his right forepaw, in which a huge thorn sticks. He sits down and contemplates it. He licks it. He shakes it. He tries to extract it by scraping it along the ground, and hurts himself worse. He roars piteously. He licks it again. Tears drop from his eyes. He limps painfully off the path and lies down under the trees, exhausted with pain. Heaving a long sigh, like wind in a trombone, he goes to sleep.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. "My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"

Catriona is a stirring tale of love, danger, and political intrigue set amidst the stately grandeur of old Edinburgh. David Balfour is an orphaned young gentleman who has recently managed to claim his inheritance from a miserly (and murderous) uncle. Now he and his friends James Stewart and Alan Breck are implicated in a sensational killing, and David must fight to clear their names. In the process he meets the beautiful and daring Catriona MacGregor Drummond, and finds that nothing will ever be the same again. Interwoven with real-life people and events, this sequel to the immensely popular Kidnapped was considered by Robert Louis Stevenson to be one of his best works.

Experience for yourself the classic story of love, music, and murder which has captivated people for generations. When new managers take over the running of the Paris Opera House, they make light of warnings about a mysterious ghost who haunts the theater. But this Phantom is all too real, and attempts to ignore his demands have dangerous consequences. When a beautiful young singer becomes the object of fascination by both the Phantom and a handsome viscount, disaster is inevitable. Leroux's story, which he claims to have based on real events, has provided the basis for many adaptations on stage and screen. It is a thrilling and atmospheric novel which should not be missed.

From the creator of Tarzan comes another swashbuckling tale set on the weird and wonderful world of Mars. Prince Carthoris of Helium is the half-human son of the hero John Carter. When Carter rescued the beautiful Princess Thuvia of the neighboring kingdom of Ptarth, Cathoris fell deeply in love with her. Now the princess needs rescuing again - this time from the evil Prince Astok. Carthoris impulsively vows to save her, unaware that Astok has set up the kidnapping to make the young Prince of Helium look like the culprit! Can Carthoris save the princess, clear his name, and prevent a war between the two allies? One of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series, Thuvia, Maid of Mars is a page-turner which will gratify any lover of adventure stories.

Paradise Lost is a tale of good and evil on the grandest scale - the struggle between God and the Devil for the soul of humankind. Beginning with Satan's fall from heaven, the poem then follows Adam and Eve's temptation and ultimate expulsion from the Garden of Eden. John Milton wrote Paradise Lost to "justify the ways of God to men", particularly the concept of free will. To many, it is most notable for its lively anti-hero, Satan, who despite Milton's piety comes off as an almost romantic character. One of the most famous poems in the English language, Paradise Lost is a must-read for all those who are interested in our literary heritage, as well as lovers of good poetry.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous story, featuring the world’s most famous sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. Sir Charles Baskerville is dead. Was he a victim of the curse which has haunted his family for generations, taking the shape of a demonic hound? It’s not an average detective case, but Sherlock Holmes is not an average detective. With his encyclopedic knowledge, acute powers of deduction, manic energy and flair for disguise, he can make discoveries no one else can. Together with his friend Watson, Holmes ventures onto the haunting moors to solve the case and save the last remaining Baskerville heir. Enjoy, for the first time or as a refresher, one of the defining books of the mystery genre.

From one of America's finest novelists comes an absorbing story of one man's mid-life crisis and struggle of conscience. Bartley Alexander is an engineer who has just received the greatest commission of his career - to design the Moorlock Bridge in Canada. Despite Bartley's professional success and apparently happy marriage, there is something missing in his life. An encounter with an old flame in London gives him a second lease on life, but can he reconcile this affair with his sense of personal integrity? Willa Cather's first novel, Alexander's Bridge is a thoughtful and compelling look at how our choices affect us and those around us.