Books in Clydesdale Classics series

Handsome, readable, affordable, a new edition of one of the great works of American literature.The magnum opus of revered writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter is arguably one of the greatest novels written during the nineteenth century. It is the story of Hester Prynne—a young woman accused of, tried for, and publicly punished for adultery. Set during the seventeenth century in Boston, she receives harsh ridicule from the radical Puritan community for her actions. From the affair she conceives a child and struggles to rebuild her life and her reputation. Throughout the book Hawthorne explores controversial themes of sexuality, romance, guilt, shame, infidelity—all of which are still pertinent topics more than 150 years after its initial publication.The Scarlet Letter is a timeless story of morality, legality, struggle, and shame in a world that was so intolerant of the very things that make us human.The Clydesdale Classics series features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.

“The Uncle Tom’s Cabin of wage slavery.” —Jack London. Sinclair’s masterpiece is an honest, sometimes brutal, tour de force that opened America’s eyes to the struggles and horrors many immigrants endured.Welcome to Chicago during the early 1900s. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle portrays the hardships of the immigrant working class in a way that changed literature and history. The story begins with Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus, who takes a job at Brown’s slaughterhouse to try to earn enough money to stay afloat. His life becomes a constant struggle—he, his young wife, Ona, and the rest of his family eventually falling victim to a slew of unfortunate circumstances including exploitation, abuse, and for some even death.From unsanitary and unsafe working conditions to poverty wages, the novel revealed to the American public the struggles immigrants encountered in Chicago’s meatpacking industry. Sinclair, a muckraking journalist, penned the bestselling narrative in an attempt to expose the evils of capitalism, and bring to light the extreme adversity these people faced not just in Chicago, but in industrialized cities across the country. By detailing numerous health violations in these workplaces, Sinclair’s novel caused public outrage and eventually led to the passing of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act.Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. It features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses such as Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter, to the striking personal narratives from Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. It features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Solomon Northup in Twelve Years a Slave, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.Beowulf, first printed in 1815, is an epic Old English poem that dates back to between the eighth and eleventh centuries. The author is unknown, yet Beowulf is often regarded as one of the single most important works in Old English literature. The poem tells the tale of the protagonist Beowulf, prince of the Geats, and his constant desire to prove his strength. After hearing of a demonic and vicious monster wreaking havoc on King Hrothgar’s great hall, Beowulf is inspired by the challenge and offers to slay the demon in an attempt to repay a debt owed by his father. The young, powerful warrior engages Grendel and kills the beast with his bare hands by ripping its arm off.Seeking revenge, Grendel’s mother attacks the hall but Beowulf prevails. He is later named king of Geatland, and under his rule, he brings the land to great prosperity for more than fifty years. However, after a thief steals a valuable cup from a treasure trove, a dragon is awakened and unleashes its violent wrath upon Geatland.With its exalted poetics and incredible world-building, Beowulf has inspired readers and writers for centuries. Among some of the most famous is undoubtedly J.R.R. Tolkien—author of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, both of which were heavily influenced by this classic epic.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. It features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.Jack London’s The Call of the Wild and White Fang are both adventure stories featuring animal protagonists—a sled dog named Buck and the appropriately named White Fang. Partially told from the perspective of the dogs, these stories gave London the opportunity to explore and predict how animals perceive our world. Buck was Judge Miller’s pet and lived happily in Santa Clara Valley, California. Until one day, when he’s kidnapped by the gardener’s assistant and sold to traders. Eventually he ends up in the Klondike region of Canada, where he is trained to become a sled dog. After he witnesses a fellow sled dog killed by a pack of huskies, Buck starts to shed his domesticated habits and embrace his primordial instincts in order to survive.White Fang, in a similar vein, tells the tale of another canine—a young gray wolf cub who is the strongest of his litter. As he grows, White Fang begins to understand the nature of the wilderness—that it is survival of the fittest: “The aim of life was meat. Life itself was meat. Life lived on life. There were the eaters and the eaten. The law was: EAT OR BE EATEN.” After wandering into an Indian camp, losing his mother, being severely beaten, and being forced into dog-fighting, his life is forever changed as he struggles to find his place in the animal kingdom.In these classic novels, London explores the remarkable relationship between man and beast.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential works. From the musings of intellectuals such as Thomas Paine in Common Sense to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our intellectual history through the words of the exceptional few.Originally published as a political pamphlet in 1848, amidst the revolutions in Europe, The Communist Manifesto documents Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’s theories on society and politics. It does so by defining the state of the class system in contemporary Europe—in which a larger, lower class is controlled and oppressed by a tyrannical, oppressive upper class. The Manifesto argues that, at some point in history, the lower class will inevitably realize their potential and exploitation and subsequently revolt. Once this occurs, Marx and Engels argue, there will be an uprising among proletariats that shifts political and economic power, ultimately resulting in the dismantling of class systems and capitalism. Additionally, in the Manifesto, Marx and Engels also predict the future state of the global economy and discuss their viewpoints on private property, while also addressing many other topics pertinent to today’s world.Although written nearly 170 years ago, The Communist Manifesto is still widely read and cited. Amid the current turmoil between social classes and the societies of the world, its revolutionary prose and ideas can still yield ripe food for thought.

Most nineties kids grew up with the adorable Disney movie Bambi, but the basis for the movie was the 1923 book by Felix Salten. In this stunning edition, experience the classic story brought to life again! The original story of young Bambi starts as he begins life in the forest with his mother, cousins, and other furry friends. However, as winter spreads it icy hands over the forest, Bambi’s father, a powerful stag, leaves Bambi and his mother alone to brave the elements and scavenge for food. Bambi also faces the threat of Man, along with Man’s weapons that can hurt and kill any animal. Though Bambi fears for his life and the well-being of his friends and family, nothing, not even Man, can stop him from growing to become a mighty Prince of the Forest. With the beautiful refurbished text and illustrations, adults and children of all ages can enjoy this new edition of Bambi.

Completely unabridged, with a new foreword written by Huffington Post writer Carolyn Gregoire, this publication of Meditations is an all-encompassing collection of Marcus Aurelius’s works.“Do every deed, speak every word, think every thought in the knowledge that you may end your days any moment.”“We have body, soul, and intelligence. To the body belong the senses, to the soul the passions, to the intelligence principles.”“Think not as your insulter judges or wishes you to judge: but see things as they truly are.”“To pursue impossibilities is madness; and it is impossible that the wicked should not act in some such way as this.”“Order not your life as though you had ten thousand years to live. Fate hangs over you. While you live, while yet you may, be good.”Meditations is a collection of twelve books written by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. This set of books was originally compiled in the form of private journals. Marcus Aurelius used these notes as personal guides to live by and to better himself as a ruler.He compiled these journals during his time as emperor, and while they were not intended for public consumption, there are valuable lessons to be gleaned from his wisdom. The entries include his views of stoicism—the Hellenistic philosophy devoid of “destructive emotions” that could tamper with logic—and its practical use in ruling and military tactics.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. It features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Solomon Northup in Twelve Years a Slave, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.One of the only surviving female slave narratives from the twentieth century, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is an autobiographical account written by Harriet Jacobs. The narrative documents the extreme adversity she overcame before she eventually achieved her freedom. Born into slavery, young Harriet was taken into the care of her mother’s mistress, who treated her relatively well. However, a few years later, the mistress passed away and her cruel, abusive relatives inherited Harriet.Under the pseudonym “Linda Brent,” Jacobs recounts within the book the horrific injustices she encountered: sexual abuse, extreme cruelty, exploitation, being denied motherhood when her children are sold to another slave owner. In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet’s agonizing descriptions are indicative of what many other enslaved African American women suffered through during this tragic time in American history.Published in 1861, just on the brink of the Civil War, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a harrowing literary work bringing to light the courage, empowerment, and perseverance a young slave found in her desperate search for freedom.

Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet is considered one of the greatest classics of our time. The collection of twenty-six beautiful and intriguing essays cover a comprehensive variety of subjects including: Love and relationshipsFamily and marriageCrime and punishmentJoy and sorrowFreedomPleasureReligion and prayerAnd many, many more! These poetic essays delve into the workings and passions of the human mind, exploring what makes us human and what controls our most basic instincts of the mind and deepest impulses of the heart. For the past century, the lines and verses from these captivating essays have inspired musicians, politicians, and influential figures from across the globe, including The Beatles, Ronald Reagan, and Indira Gandhi. Audiences of all beliefs and mindsets can find pleasure and inspiration from the dogma-free essay collection. With the original text and illustrations by Gibran himself, let yourself be inspired by the new edition of The Prophet.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential works. From the musings of famed scholars such as Plato in Republic to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our intellectual history through the words of the exceptional few.Common Sense is a compelling work written by famed philosopher and political thinker Thomas Paine to champion the United States’ independence from Great Britain. It is often dubbed the bestselling American title of all time, proportionately, although no sales numbers were recorded to support this claim. The pamphlet addresses the issues with monarchy and tyranny in England, as well as the problems with the English Constitution. Additionally, Paine comments on the capabilities of America as an independent nation, as well as its contemporary state of affairs.With its sensible and beautiful prose, as well as the inclusion of a brand-new foreword by historian Harvey J. Kaye, this edition of Paine’s Common Sense is sure to spark passion and pride in American readers just as it did 240 years ago.

Packaged in handsome, affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. The series features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses such as Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter, to the striking personal narratives from Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of an exceptional few.Ernest Hemingway once said: “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since.” Often referred to as “the great American novel,” The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn defined American literature with its richness of characters, colorful vernacular, and vibrant depictions of the American Midwest. Told in the first-person from the viewpoint of the classic protagonist, the satirical narrative follows young “Huck” Finn as he searches for escape and adventure along the Mississippi River.The story begins where Twain’s previous novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, left off: Huck and his friend Tom Sawyer come into a large sum of money, and Huck is adopted by a middle-class widow who attempts to civilize him. Accustomed to a poor, destitute existence and vagabonding with his abusive alcoholic father, Huck quickly becomes dissatisfied with the confines and rigidity of his new life. When his father returns and begins to harass him for money, Huck is kidnapped and taken to his father’s cabin, where he longs to escape. After faking his own death, Huck escapes to Jackson’s Island where he meets a slave named Jim, who is also running away. Together, they travel on a raft up the Mississippi River in search of freedom.An absolute, uncontested classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest coming-of-age adventure tales of our time.

Packaged in handsome and affordable trade editions, Clydesdale Classics is a new series of essential literary works. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our literary history through the words of the exceptional few.The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is perhaps the most widely read and well-known slave narrative. Originally published in 1845, the work was an instant success, selling more than 11,000 copies in the first three years. Written as a memoir of his life and experiences, the book addresses the issues of slavery from a firsthand perspective with a sage eloquence. The narrative draws from various points of Douglass’s life in stark detail: the cruelty he experienced as a slave, his escape to freedom, and how he became a famous orator and abolitionist.Initially, early skeptics had a hard time accepting that such a profound text was written by an uneducated African American slave. However, this theory was quickly disproven when he spoke in public, famously giving extraordinarily articulate speeches. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is no exception to Douglass’s vigor, poise, and wit he exemplified in his oration. Here is a story of a man who faced extreme hardship and adversity—and rose above it to write one of the most important and influential books in history.