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A fiftyish American is dispatched to Europe by a rich widow on a mission to bring back her wayward son who is enraptured by a French woman.

The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas is a historical novel that blends romance, political intrigue, and the pursuit of beauty in 17th-century Holland. Set against the backdrop of political unrest during the fall of the Dutch Republic's De Witt brothers, the story follows Cornelius van Baerle, a peaceful tulip grower who becomes caught in the chaos of his time. His dream of cultivating the elusive black tulip is jeopardized by betrayal, jealousy, and...

Castle Rackrent is a sharp critique of class dynamics, the moral ambiguities of loyalty, and the intricate nature of landlord-tenant relationships in Ireland. Edgeworth delves into the flaws and excesses of the Anglo-Irish gentry, depicting a society where privilege and neglect coexist, often to the detriment of the lower classes. Through the narrative of Thady Quirk, the novel exposes the economic and social consequences of mismanagement and exploitation,...

John Hare is dying in the desert until he is discovered and saved by the generous rancher, August Naab. As Hare gets back to health on Naab's ranch, he's irresistibly attracted to Naab's adopted daughter, Mescal. But Mescal is being pursued by Holderness, a man who is not to be trusted. Hare is soon drawn into a web of adventure and intrigue over land, water and the heart of a beautiful woman.

Though best known for The Red Badge of Courage, his classic novel of men at war, in his tragically brief life and career Stephen Crane produced a wealth of stories-among them "The Monster," "The Upturned Face," "The Open Boat," and the title story-that stand among the most acclaimed and enduring in the history of American fiction. This superb volume collects stories of unique power and variety in which impressionistic, hallucinatory, and realistic...

Historically recognized as the man who wrote the dictionary, Dr. Johnson amplified his literary fame with the 1759 publication of "Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia". This novel was wildly popular upon its release, despite the fact that Johnson completed the work in the evenings of a single week, donning it his "little story book." The story is of a royal brother and sister who have been kept in a luxurious, fertile valley, where their every desire is...

By turns romantic and harshly realistic, Hemingway's story of a tragic romance set against the brutality and confusion of World War I cemented his fame as a stylist and as a writer of extraordinary literary power. A volunteer ambulance driver and a beautiful English nurse fall in love when he is wounded on the Italian front. The best American novel to emerge from World War I, A Farewell to Arms is the unforgettable story of an American ambulance driver...

1941. The German armies are storming across Europe. Iran is a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side, Soviet forces on another. Soldiers fill the teahouses of Isfahan. Nazi spies roam the alleyways. Babak and his little sister have just lost their father. Now orphans, fearing they will be separated, the two devise a plan. Babak will take up his father's old job as a teacher to the nomads. With a chalkboard strapped to Babak's back,...

"Vanity Fair" by William Makepeace Thackeray is a novel written during the mid-19th century. The story explores the intricate and often morally ambiguous social landscape of 19th-century Britain, particularly through the lives of its characters, focusing on the experiences of two young women, Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. As the narrative unfolds, it delves into themes of ambition, social climbing, and the deceptive nature of appearances within the...