The Arc
1) Nostromo
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"Nostromo, A Tale of the Seaboard" is set in the South American country of Costaguana, and more specifically in that country's Occidental Province and its port city of Sulaco. Though Costaguana is a fictional nation, its geography as described in the book resembles real-life Colombia. Costaguana has a long history of tyranny, revolution and warfare, but has recently experienced a period of stability under the dictator Ribiera. Charles Gould is a native...
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Anne of Green Gables volume no. 7
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When widower, John Meredith and his four children move to a new town, they quickly bond with Jem, Walter, Nan, Di, Shirley and Rilla Blythe. Despite their questionable reputation, they become close friends spending time at a place called, Rainbow Valley.
Anne and Gilbert Blythe are happily married with six children. Similar to their parents, Jem, Walter, Nan, Di, Shirley and Rilla are bright, kind and extremely perceptive. They soon meet a new...
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Swashbuckling British adventurers find triumph and tragedy in nineteenth-century Afghanistan in this novella J. M. Barrie called "the most audacious thing in fiction." While on tour in India, a British journalist encounters Daniel Dravot and Peachey Carnehan, two foolhardy drifters with a plan. Claiming they've exhausted all the schemes and odd jobs they could find in India, the two are in search of an even greater adventure. They tell the journalist...
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When her father has a crisis of conscious, Margaret Hale's life is turned upside down. Because her parents decide to move away from southern London, Margaret must leave behind the tranquil, rural life she's always known to settle in an industrial town called Milton. Though she does her best to assimilate, Margaret cannot help but feel trapped and hopeless in Milton, as she witnesses the brutal effects industrialization has on the environment and the...
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Britain’s three-hundred-year relationship with the Indian subcontinent produced much fiction of interest but only one indisputable masterpiece: E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India, published in 1924, at the height of the Indian independence movement. Centering on an ambiguous incident between a young Englishwoman of uncertain stability and an Indian doctor eager to know his conquerors better, Forster’s book explores, with unexampled profundity,...
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Jude the Obscure, the last completed of Thomas Hardy's novels, began as a magazine serial in December 1894 and was first published in book form in 1895. Its protagonist, Jude Fawley, is a working-class young man, a stonemason, who dreams of becoming a scholar. The other main character is his cousin, Sue Bridehead, who is also his central love interest. The novel is concerned in particular with issues of class, education, religion and marriage. The...
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The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make "Dangerous Liaisons" (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. Its prime movers, the Viscount de Valmont and the Marchioness de Merteuil - gifted, wealthy, and bored - form an unholy alliance and turn seduction into a game. And they play this game with such wit and style that it is impossible not to admire them, until they discover mysterious rules...
8) UFO! Roswell
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"The government claimed they had recovered a UFO - they had a press release about it, No other government in the world has said 'We have a spacecraft,' and then the next day there's another press release that says, 'Never mind, it was just a weather balloon',"
Ben Smith, former CIA operative
In 1947, something crashed outside of Roswell, New Mexico and was brought to Roswell Army Air Field by Army officers. Since then, there have been many a discussion...
10) Othello
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Presents the original text of Shakespeare's play side by side with a modern version, with marginal notes and explanations and full descriptions of each character.
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Henrik Ibsen, the renowned Norwegian playwright, is celebrated for his influential contributions to modern theater. Born in 1828, Ibsen's early life was marked by financial struggles and personal hardships. However, his unwavering determination and artistic talent propelled him to become one of the most prominent figures in the world of drama. Ibsen's works, including "A Doll's House," "Hedda Gabler," and "Ghosts," challenged societal conventions,...
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Charles Dickens was an English writer and social critic who lived during the 19th century. He is considered one of the greatest novelists of the Victorian era and is known for his vivid portrayals of the social and economic conditions of the time. His works often addressed issues of poverty, social injustice, and class struggle, and he is credited with helping to raise public awareness of these issues. Some of his most famous works include "Oliver...
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The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of Barnes & Noble Classics:
• New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars
• Biographies of the authors
• Chronologies...
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"There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep." - The Odyssey
"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another." - The Iliad
"Let your spear be your passport." - The Odyssey
Homer is one of the most important figures in ancient Greek literature, believed to have lived in the 8th century BC. He is most famous for his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which are considered...
15) A 1001 Nights
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"A Thousand Nights and a Night," also known as Arabian Nights, is a timeless collection of Middle Eastern folktales and stories that has captivated readers for centuries. Compiled over many centuries, the book features a rich tapestry of narratives, including adventure, romance, magic, and morality tales. The collection is framed by the story of Scheherazade, a clever and resourceful storyteller who uses her wit and storytelling skills to save herself...
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After Vautrin helps Lucien overcome a mental breakdown, the two men decide to align forces in pursuit of social status and wealth. Operating under an alias, Vautrin offers to help Lucien redeem himself and move back to Paris, with the condition that Lucien follows his orders exactly. Happy to comply, the pair return to the capital city, living in excess and racking up a debt as they pretend they can afford this luxurious lifestyle. With a goal of...
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H.G. Wells, one of the most influential writers of science fiction and speculative fiction, has left an indelible mark on literature with his vast body of work. Wells's books, spanning across various genres, captivate readers with their imaginative narratives, thought-provoking concepts, and insightful social commentary. His novels, such as "The Time Machine," "The War of the Worlds," and "The Invisible Man," have become iconic and have helped shape...
18) The Tempest
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This bewitching play, Shakespeare's final work, articulates a wealth of the playwright's mature reflections on life and contains some of his most familiar and oft-quoted lines. The story concerns Miranda, a lovely young maiden, and Prospero, her philosophical old magician father, who dwell on an enchanted island, alone except for their servants — Ariel, an invisible sprite, and Caliban, a monstrous witch's son.
Into their idyllic but isolated lives...
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Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers by Charles Bradlaugh: Charles Bradlaugh's "Ancient and Modern Celebrated Freethinkers" is a collection of biographical sketches and essays that celebrate the lives and ideas of prominent freethinkers throughout history. As an ardent advocate for secularism and freethought, Bradlaugh aims to promote rationalism, skepticism, and intellectual inquiry. The book features influential figures like Voltaire, Thomas...
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Herman Melville, born in 1819 in New York City, led a life filled with adventure, literary exploration, and contemplation. His early experiences as a sailor aboard whaling ships provided the inspiration for his most famous work, "Moby-Dick," a literary masterpiece that would later secure his place in literary history. Melville's writings delve into profound themes such as obsession, the human condition, morality, and the conflict between man and nature
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While...