The Divine Comedy describes Dante's descent into Hell with Virgil as a guide; his ascent of Mount Purgatory and encounter with his dead love, Beatrice; and finally, his arrival in Heaven. Examining questions of faith, desire and enlightenment, the poem is a brilliantly nuanced and moving allegory of human redemption. Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265 and belonged to a noble but impoverished family. His life was divided by political duties...

The story of the lives of three sons of an old drunkard are used to depict Russian character and investigate the concepts of good, evil, and faith.

Chronicles the romantic adventures of mysterious orphan Tom Jones, a reckless yet personable young man, as he falls in love with the unattainable Sophia Western, the beautiful daughter of a neighboring squire.

The novel "Little Dorrit", published originally between 1855 and 1857, is a work of satire on the shortcomings of the government and society of the period. Much of Dickens' ire is focused upon the institutions of debtor's prisons-in which people who owed money were imprisoned, unable to work, until they have repaid their debts. The representative prison in this case is the Marshalsea where the author's own father had been imprisoned. Most of Dickens'...

A full-color illustrated edition of one of the world's best loved stories. When Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon, sets off on the high seas in search of adventure, things never seem to go quite according to plan. Through a series of disasters and misadventures, he finds himself cast upon strange islands whose inhabitants are of the most unusual size, and the most confusing philosophies. Gulliver's Travels has been loved by many generations of readers...

"Striking a balance between philosophical discussion and compelling story-telling, War and Peace transcends the restrictions that Tolstoy perceived in the conventional novel. Set in Russia during the Napoleonic era, this epic novel follows the fortunes of five aristocratic Russian families over the course of the French invasion. Tolstoy's timeless portrayal of the fates of families set against the backdrop of war is ultimately optimistic and life-affirming,...

'The real evils, indeed, of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself ... ' Beautiful, rich, self-assured and witty, Emma Woodhouse delights in matchmaking those around her, with no apparent care for her own romantic life. Taking young Harriet Smith under her wing, Emma sets her sights on finding a suitable match for her friend. Chided for her mistakes by old friend...

The Wealth of Nations is a powerhouse of knowledge that was first published in 1776. Adam Smith was an astute Scottish professor of moral philosophy, and he expounded the revolutionary doctrine of his time to economic liberalism. The importance of the book was almost immediately recognized by his peers who admired his thought and progressive ideas. The Wealth of Nations is comprised of five volumes/books in one. Perfect for class study or improving...