A severed head

The Awakening

Kate Chopin

'The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude' When 'The Awakening' was first published in 1899, charges of sordidness and immorality seemed to consign it into obscurity and irreparably damage its author's reputation. But a century after her death, it is widely regarded as Kate Chopin's great achievement. Through careful, subtle changes of style, Chopin shows the transformation of Edna Pontellier, a young wife and mother, who - with tragic consequences - refuses to be caged by married and domestic life, and claims for herself moral and erotic freedom. The Penguin English Library - collectable general readers' editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century to the end of the Second World War.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Edward Albee

Billy Rose Theatre, Theater 1963, Richard Barr, Clinton Wilder, presents Uta Hagen, Arthur Hill, George Grizzard in Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" with Melinda Dillon, directed by Alan Schneider, production designed by William Ritman

Rose in Bloom

Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Roosevelt Richards

Rose in Bloom is a sequel to Eight Cousins. The story begins when Rose comes back from a long trip to Europe. Everyone is well altered and as a joke, when she arrives home, she lines up her seven cousins to take a long look at them, just as they did to her when they first met. Rose Campbell, the heroine of the story, is sweet, kind, pretty, and ambitious. She is an heiress just come of age, and struggles with the many suitors she attracts by learning to judge love versus those who regard her only as "a good match."

Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton

"Ethan Frome" by Edith Wharton is a poignant exploration of isolation, duty, and unfulfilled desires set against the bleak backdrop of a New England winter. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of an unnamed narrator who becomes intrigued by the enigmatic figure of Ethan Frome, a man marked by physical and emotional scars. The story is set in the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, where the harsh winter mirrors the desolation in Ethan's life. Ethan is trapped in a loveless marriage with his sickly wife, Zeena, and burdened by the responsibilities of his failing farm. The arrival of Mattie Silver, Zeena's young cousin, brings a glimmer of hope and warmth into Ethan's life. As Ethan and Mattie grow closer, their mutual affection becomes a source of both joy and torment, as they are bound by societal and moral constraints. The tension culminates in a tragic "smash-up," leaving Ethan physically and emotionally crippled. Wharton's narrative delves into themes of duty versus desire, the effect of environment on the human spirit, and the tragic consequences of choices constrained by circumstance. Through vivid descriptions and a keen psychological insight, Wharton paints a haunting portrait of a man caught between the life he yearns for and the one he is forced to endure.

The Longest Journey

E. M. Forster

Edward Morgan Forster (1 January 1879 - 7 June 1970) was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. Forster's humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel Howards End: "Only connect ... ". His 1908 novel, A Room with a View, is his most optimistic work, while A Passage to India (1924) brought him his greatest success. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 13 different years.

The Shining

Stephen King

This inspiring and compelling book has won ten awards to date, including Honorable Mentions at the December 2012 New England and London Book Festivals, October 2012 Southern California Book Festival and June 2012 New York Book Festival in the category of Spiritual books; is winner of the North American Bookdealers ́ Exchange (NABE) Pinnacle Award for “Inspirational” books in Spring 2011; and has become a much sought-after reference for people seeking to affect positive change around the globe. Readers are: * taught how to recognize, harness and channel positive personal power for the betterment of themselves, their loved ones, associates and our universe * provided an invaluable checklist of great leadership behaviors and attitudes * taught how to recognize controlling behaviors of others and the negative patterns in society * inspired to be the best they can be * compelled to ask themselves "why am I here; what good can I do for humanity?" * taught how to recognize a self-limiting posture so they can improve their level of self-awareness......to the point of real self-intelligence and, by so doing, break free of life’s boxes, labels and restrictions * encouraged to erase their fears, trust their abilities and remove their baggage........and take the journey to empowerment and fulfilment in everything they do!

The Pearl

John Steinbeck

The classic novella from Nobel Prize-winner John Steinbeck explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love. Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security....

Horton Hatches the Egg

Dr. Seuss

When a lazy bird hatching an egg wants a vacation, she asks Ortone, the elephant, to sit on her egg--which he does through all sorts of hazards until he is rewarded for doing what he said he would.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Robin S. Sharma

After a heart attack nearly kills him, a high-powered lawyer treks to India to learn how to live a more meaningful life. Months later, he returns to the West and recounts the story of seven principles and practices that can help anyone experience true happiness.