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Upon original submission of "Anthem" to Macmillan publishing the book was rejected on grounds that "the author does not understand socialism." For the harshest of Ayn Rand's critics this might as well be an analysis of all her work. However, for those who revere Rand's work and subscribe to her particular philosophy of objectivism this novel could be set in the present day instead of some unidentified future in which mankind has entered a dark age characterized by irrationality, collectivism, and socialistic thinking. In this dystopian novella we find a world where technological advancement is now carefully planned and the concept of individuality has been eliminated. The central characters of the story are Equality 7-2521, a free thinking inventor, and his love interest, Liberty 5-3000. Like most dystopian works, "Anthem" describes a strange and unfathomable world which could never exist. It is in the creation of this extreme world the Rand draws a parable to warn us against what she believed were the perils of socialism.

Considered one of the greatest novels ever written, “War and Peace” masterfully captures an intimate view of humanity on an epic scale. In this sweeping narrative, Tolstoy utilizes a large cast of characters to brilliantly depict the impact of war on society. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, the novel centers its story on five aristocratic Russian families. These characters, particularly Count Pyotr Kirillovich (Pierre) Bezukhov, Prince Andrey Nikolayevich Bolkonsky, and Countess Natalya Ilyinichna (Natasha) Rostova, demonstrate different human struggles that are affected by their history, present era, and culture. They simultaneously develop the concepts on which Tolstoy expounds in the thematic essays interspersed throughout the narrative. “War and Peace” is a work so groundbreaking that it was not even considered a novel when first published in 1865. In redefining the fictional genre, Tolstoy’s genius has explored the human condition with a sensibility that is reflective of the nature and spirit of Russia itself. This edition follows the translation of Louise and Aylmer Maude.

One of the greatest novels ever written, “Anna Karenina” follows the self-destructive path of a beautiful, popular, and sensual Russian aristocrat. The lovely Anna seems set in a respectable marriage with the powerful statesman Karenin, yet their lack of passion breeds the discontent she fully faces upon meeting the elegant and affluent officer Count Vronsky. Soon convinced that allowing herself to deeply love this man will enable her to find the meaning and truth of her life, Anna defies the conventions of Russian society and leaves her husband and children for her lover. Tolstoy juxtaposes this ill-fated couple with the melancholy Levin and his new wife Kitty. Levin is also searching for the fulfillment and happiness in his life, and he ultimately finds a happiness that Anna’s love does not. A portrait of marriage and infidelity in imperial Russia, “Anna Karenina” explores love, life, and the depths of the human soul in a tale as illuminating as it is tragic. This edition follows the translation of Constance Garnett.

"The Waste Land, Prufrock, and Other Poems" is a collection of T. S. Eliot's early poetry. This collection brings together "The Waste Land," arguably T. S. Eliot's most famous poem, with the poetry originally published in "Prufrock and Other Observations" and "Poems (1920)." This collection of 25 poems in all will provide even the most serious of poetry readers with ample evidence of the genius of T. S. Eliot's work.

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who through a strangely unorthodox experiment creates a grotesque yet sentient being. Victor, repulsed by the thing that he has created, abandons the monster. The creature in turn saddened by this rejection, departs as well. What follows is a series of tragic events. There is no greater novel in the monster genre than “Frankenstein” and no more well known monster than the one that is at the center of this novel. However, the monster of “Frankenstein” is more than the common lumbering moronic giant that is most often represented. Frankenstein’s monster is in reality a thinking intelligent being who is tormented by a world in which he does not belong. In this depiction Shelley draws upon the universal human themes of creation, the nature of existence, and the need for acceptance. For it is without this acceptance that the true monster, the violent nature of humanity, emerges. This edition includes introductions by Sir Walter Scott and Mary Shelley, and a biographical afterword.

Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall's "Our Island Story" is a history of England up to Queen Victoria's death, with some myths and legends mixed in. Marshall's work, which is aimed at a younger audience, was very popular when first published and is credited by historians as an inspiration. Beginning with the legends of Albion and Brutus "Our Island Story" chronicles numerous important English legends, kings, and queens, including King Arthur, Alfred the Great, Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart, Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I, and Queen Victoria amongst many others. This classic historical work is a must read for any younger reader interested in English history or any parent who wants to educate their children on this fascinating and regal period in the history of Great Britain.

First published in 1902, Owen Wister’s “The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains” is a genre-defining work, arguably the first western novel, in which the life of the cowboy of the Old West is romanticized. A highly fictionalized account of the Johnson County War, a dispute in 1890s Wyoming between large cattle ranchers and smaller operators over land use, Wister’s novel is the story of a tall and handsome cowboy known only as the Virginian. At the outset of the novel we meet the Virginian through the words of an unnamed narrator at Medicine Bow, Wyoming, who is to be escorted over 260 miles to the cattle ranch of Judge Henry in Sunk Creek, Wyoming. Here we also meet the story’s relentless enemy, Trampas, who accuses the Virginian of cheating during a poker game. The Virginian is a man of honor bound by a chivalric code which prevents him from dispatching of his enemies in an underhanded manner despite numerous opportunities to do so. In this novel Wister evokes the untamed world of the American frontier brilliantly depicting its struggle to retain its romantic freedom against the civilizing forces of humanity. A sentimental longing for a simpler time, which characterizes our fascination with the western genre, will swell within the reader as he turns the pages of “The Virginian”. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Struthers Burt.

Considered by many as Shakespeare’s masterpiece and one of the greatest dramas of all time, “Hamlet” is the story of its titular character, the Prince of Denmark who discovers that his uncle, Claudius, is responsible for the murder of his father. Claudius has murdered Hamlet’s father, his own brother, in order to usurp the throne of Denmark and to marry Hamlet’s widowed mother. Sunk into a state of despair, Hamlet is torn between his grief over his father’s death and his desire for revenge. “Hamlet” is a work of great complexity and as such has drawn many different critical interpretations. Hamlet has been seen as a victim of circumstance, as an impractical idealist, as an opportunist, as the sufferer of a great melancholy, and as a man blinded by his own desire for revenge. Through the great deliberation with which Hamlet ponders his revenge, Shakespeare brilliantly dramatizes the complex philosophical and ethical issues that are at stake with such a violent action. The depth of characterization and literary craft that is exhibited in the work has elevated “Hamlet,” to a legendary status, one of the most influential works in all of English literature. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, is annotated by Henry N. Hudson, and includes an introduction by Charles Harold Herford.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s final novel, considered to be the culmination of his life’s work, “The Brothers Karamazov” is the story of the murder of Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov, whose four sons are all to some degree complicit in the crime. Fyodor is a contemptible man who during his two marriages has three sons, Dmitri, Ivan, and Alexei. A fourth, Pavel, whom he employs as his servant, is suspected to be the illegitimate product of a union with “Reeking Lizaveta,” a mute woman of the street who died in childbirth. Fyodor takes little interest in the raising of his children and as a result finds himself in a contentious relationship with them. Within the context of this crime story evolves a brilliant philosophical debate of religion, reason, liberty, and the nature of guilt in a modernizing society. Considered by Sigmund Freud as “The most magnificent novel ever written,” Dostoyevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov,” remains to this day to be regarded as one of the finest accomplishments of literature in any language. Through the lives and loves of the Karamazovs, Dostoyevsky presents a compelling examination of Russian life in the 19th century. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and follows the translation of Constance Garnett.

A timeless tale of adventure, romance, intrigue, and revenge, "The Three Musketeers" is the captivating story of d'Artagnan, a young man of Gascony, who is determined to become a Musketeer of the Guard. Through his wit and skill with a sword, he befriends Athos, Porthos, and Aramis and begins on the path toward his dream. They must foil the nefarious plotting of Cardinal Richelieu against the King and Queen, despite his appearance as an ally. D'Artagnan and the three Musketeers must also overcome the villainous machinations of Milady de Winter, whose lethal criminality threatens those in political power and the love of d'Artgnan for Constance Bonacieux. Dumas' classic story, first serialized in 1844, has enthralled readers with its fast-paced plot, endearing characters, and romantic ideals, immortalized by the motto "one for all, all for one."