Three visitors find shelter from a blizzard at Pat Scully's hotel: a nervous New Yorker known as the Swede, a rambunctious Westerner named Bill, and a reserved Easterner called Mr. Blanc. The Swede becomes increasingly drunk, defensive, and reckless. He is later murdered at the bar.

Diary of a Madman is one of Gogol's greatest stories. The tale follows the life of a minor civil servant during the repressive era of Nicholas I. Following the format of a diary, the story shows the descent of the protagonist, Poprishchin, into insanity. Diary of a Madman, the only one of Gogol's works written in first person, follows diary-entry format. This Sovereign Classic edition also includes the following other tales: The Mantle, The Nose, A May Night.

The Piazza Tales is the only collection of short stories by Herman Melville including: The Piazza, Bartleby, Benito Cereno, The Lightning-Rod Man, The Encantadas, The Bell-Tower.

Set in a future England where the Temperance movement has allowed a bizarre form of Progressive Islam to dominate the political and social life of the country. Because of this, alcohol sales to the poor are effectively prohibited, while the rich can get alcoholic drinks under a medical certificate.

Set in early 19th-century Paris, it tells the story of a young man who finds a magic piece of shagreen that fulfills his every desire. For each wish granted, however, the skin shrinks and consumes a portion of his physical energy. La Peau de chagrin belongs to the Etudes philosophiques group of Balzac's sequence of novels.

The aim of this book is to assist towards the removal of nervous irritants, which are not only the cause of much physical disease, but materially interfere with the best possibilities of usefulness and pleasure in everyday life.

It was approaching nightfall. The sexton, Savely Gykin, was lying in his huge bed in the hut adjoining the church. He was not asleep, though it was his habit to go to sleep at the same time as the hens. His coarse red hair peeped from under one end of the greasy patchwork quilt, made up of coloured rags, while his big unwashed feet stuck out from the other. He was listening. His hut adjoined the wall that encircled the church and the solitary window in it looked out upon the open country. And out there a regular battle was going on. It was hard to say who was being wiped off the face of the earth, and for the sake of whose destruction nature was being churned up into such a ferment; but, judging from the unceasing malignant roar, someone was getting it very hot.

The comedy begins with an induction in which we follow a drunken tinker being tricked into believing he is a nobleman. He then watches a play depicting nobleman Petruchio's marriage with an outspoken, intelligent and bad-tempered shrew named Katherine. Petruchio manipulates and tames her until she is obedient to his will. The main subplot features the courting of Katherine’s more conventional sister Bianca by numerous suitors. The content has become the subject of considerable controversy.

Man’s evident failure to make the most out of his material life suggests a study of the elements in each citizen that make him of value to his age and community. What are the measurements of mankind, and why is it that daily some add new treasures to the storehouse of civilization, while others take from and waste the store already accumulated?

Troilus and Cressida is set during the later years of the Trojan War, faithfully following the plotline of the Iliad from Achilles' refusal to participate in battle to Hector's death. Troilus, a Trojan prince (son of Priam), woos Cressida, another Trojan. They have sex, professing their undying love, before Cressida is exchanged for a Trojan prisoner of war. As he attempts to visit her in the Greek camp, Troilus glimpses Diomedes flirting with his beloved Cressida, and decides to avenge her perfidy.

Anton Chekhov's iconic plays including some of the unfamiliar short pieces such as The Wedding, and some of the more established classics such as The Cherry Orchard. Chekhov revolutionised world literature influencing generations of playwrights, screenwriters and actors. George Bernard Shaw described Chekhov's work as a fantasia in the Russian manner on English themes.

An exciting collection of stories from W.W. Jacobs, a London based novelist famous for his humour, horror and travel stories. This volume includes some of his iconic work: The Money-box, The Castaway, Blundell's Improvement, Bill's Lapse, Lawyer Quince, Breaking A Spell, Establishing Relations, The Changing Numbers, The Persecution of Bob Pretty, Dixon's Return, A Spirit of Avarice, The Third String, Odd Charges, Admiral Peters.

An iconic collection of fairy tales from the master of storytelling Charles Perrault including some of his best work: Little Red Riding-Hood, The Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots, Little Thumb, Cinderella, Blue Beard.

Un demers hermeneutic grav, efectuat ?n profunzimile operei ionesciene, ?i demonstr?nd cu asupra de m?sur? c? ??n prima pies? a lui Ionesco, Engleze?te f?r? profesor, comunicarea este repetitiv? ?i alienant?. Recurenta cli?eelor limbii de lemn burgheze este efectul (cauz?) unei existen?e osificate. Alienarea ?ncepe prin a fi pa?nic? ?i sf?r?e?te ?n agresiune. La ?nceput, b?tr?nii so?i Smith se afund? ?n banalitatea comunic?rii. Tinerii so?i Martin fac la fel, potrivit psihologiei v?rstei lor. Primii au o ?n?elepciune senil?. Ultimii, o vitalitate copil?reasc?. Pe parcurs (in)comunicarea se ad?nce?te, cuvintele ??i ?ndep?rteaz? tot mai mult sensurile, p?n? la a le abandona ori livra unei anamneze enun?iative. Sensul, p?r?nd genetic absent, ??i caut? identitatea ontologic? fictiv?, ?ntr-o deriv? total?. Noile contexte generate de un astfel de tip de enun?are creeaz? spa?ii retorice ale (?n)comunic?rii, inabitual proliferante, sf?r?ind adesea, cum s-a observat, ?ntr-un joc de-a masacrul logocratic, rupt de comandamentele – instan?ele – enun??rii. Personajele rostesc replicile automat, ?ntr-un ritm tot mai accentuat“.

Poemele dense, pline de miez ale lui Andrei Fischof curg unul dup altul. Fr ostentaie. Firesc, aa cum ploaia se scurge din orbitele zeilor fr nume, aa cum iarba poate fi numit iarb numai dac este pscut, din timp in timp, de pegaii morilor tineri. nfurat n toga marelui frig, poetul refuz zgomotul, nvlmeala, furtunile agitaiilor zadarnice, optnd mereu pentru ipostaza martorului tcut, marcat de o sensibilitate atent, ochiul su, da, cel triunghiular, din frunte, nregistrnd totul, aproape totul. Poemele-peisaje contureaz o lume a sfritului ntunecat, a degenerescentei, a decadenei i pierderii reperelor. E o lume de comar, o lume nurubat n albia apocalipsei care se inventa, clipa de clipa, provocnd martorul – adunat, strns n el nsui, atent la forurile-i luntrice i la vocea creia i se supune necondiionat – s imagineze discret, evaziv, surpat n uimirea de a fi el nsui: o ans de salvare. i martorul rspunde provocrii, aa cum un copil, fiind, pe malul mrii, harponat spre orizonturile mirabile ale dorinei de a fi, deseneaz, cu un beior, pe nisip, o uria corabie fantastic...“ – Aura Christi.

Agasat de o doamn? care gira rubrica monden? a unui ziar newyorkez, cu privire la preferin?ele sale, la ?ntrebarea care este obiectul s?u favorit din natur?, Mark Twain a r?spuns, ?n maniera sa unic?: ?O frumoas? mut?!“Ziarist, traduc?tor, autor de c?r?i, Irina Airinei ?ndepline?te doar una dintre condi?ii. Fiind universitar – doctor ?n filologie -, pred?nd cursuri, ?in?nd seminarii, preg?tind studen?i, nu prea are cum s? fie mut?. ?i, cu at?t mai mult, ca ziarist de pres? scris? ?i de radio. Urm?rind ?ns? transcrierile interviurilor luate de ea unor personalit??i din aproape toate domeniile, ??i dai seama c?, departe de a fi t?citurn?, Irina Airinei are o mare calitate: ?tie nu numai s? ?ntrebe, ci mai ales s? asculte. Este perfect con?tient? c? rolul reporterului, dincolo de a descoperi oameni cu vie?i ?i personalit??i interesante, nu este s? se pun? ?n valoare pe sine cu ?ntreb?ri ?inteligente“ p?n? la narcisism sau incisive p?n? la obr?znicie, dimpotriv?, ci s? se apropie de partenerul de discu?ie cu discre?ie, ?ncerc?nd s? scoat? din mintea ?i sufletul s?u tot ceea ce este mai semnificativ ?i mai interesant. Pentru c? oamenilor care au fost ?sorti?i s? vad?“ nu le prea place s? vorbeasc? despre ei ?n?i?i. Multe dintre interviurile sale aduc aminte de tehnicile arheologice, de migala dezgrop?rii cu delicate?e a frumosului ascuns ?n eul interlocutorului, ref?c?nd din cuvinte ceea ce, poate, altfel nu ar fi fost spus niciodat?. (Dorin Suciu)

O panoram? edificatoare a poeziei rom?ne?ti, un dosar de critic ?i poet realizat pe ?ntinderea anilor, aceast? carte cuprinde texte critice publicate ?n revistele Contemporanul, Luceaf?rul, Ramuri ?.a.

How to Buy a Car Without Losing Your Shirt

Trebuie spus c ghinga pe nelesul tuturor e i el un volum de construcie. Se vede de la poziionarea la nceput i la final a dou texte pn la capt/ la capt. Nu doar prin abilitatea cu care l structureaz, Coman d impresia unei poete exersate ndelung nainte de a-i propune s debuteze, ci prin modul impecabil n care i concepe fiecare text n parte. Dac vei cuta bjbieli, construcii ntmpltoare, falsete, balast (inerente unui volum de debut), v asigur ca nu le vei gsi aici. Coman reuete s construiasc o lume credibil cu o voce feminin care, dei pare s opteasc, strig. Este o carte care exploateaz jocul de contraste, nuannd: abia dup cel de-al doilea copil al nostru/ am neles ca sunt chestiuni/ perfect distincte – dragostea (am/ putea tri foarte bine/ ca fraii) i plcerea./ pentru amndoi plcerea a venit/ de la corpul strin. n-a mai rmas dect dragostea./ o vom duce cum se cuvine pn la capt. Unei poetici feminine viscerale cu artificii retorice, Coman i opune ceea ce muli ar punea vedea drept o extirpare a afectivitii. Vorbim de dedublare: niciodat n-am ncetat s-mi vorbesc/ altfel dect unei femei/ dar astzi am depit orice nchipuire./ astzi cnd tocmai reuisem/ s-mi adorm trupul/ iar tensiunea dintre mine i el/ aproape c se risipise i de depersonalizare: ntr-un loc n care se aud tot mai tare/ copiii/ cineva m numete nina./ am 40 de ani/ i nu vreau s-mi mai beau cafeaua cu un mort. Vorbim de existen domestica printre oale, robinet, frigider, paa hasan, adjectiv, de hiperchinezie dublat de deficien de concentare, dar i de oboseal cronica (nu m odihnesc niciodat) i acuitate perceptiv, de pnd (ciulesc urechile). O figur care pare c folosete prospecia ca terapie: voi schimba ceva la pr, mi voi/ cumpra ciorapi verzi./ voi zugrvi buctria. mi voi/ face timp s corectez teancurile cu lucrri./ voi mbtrni pentru a cdea, de fapt, imediat n blazare. Pe aceste schimbri brute de direcie, fr a fi disonante, ci perfect muzicale, Coman mizeaz i iese pe deplin ctigtoare.“ – Ioana Dunea

O poezie de o stranietate izbitoare, o lume postapocaliptic cldit pe datele unui imediat nstrinat. O poezie rece, tioas, ritmat (ritmul i aduce aportul formal la respectiva stranietate) care pune n dialog un Eu bntuit de moarte, pe care o citete, o palpeaz n toate detaliile unui univers cvasimitologic pe care-l construiete tocmai pentru a o putea circumscrie. Eul acesta al lui Kemény se afl ntr-o continu stare de asediu pe care o transfer asupra cititorului ideal adoptnd de multe ori structura narativ a mitului, a povestirii legendare (...)Materia are o greutate sufocant n poemele lui Kemény, contrastnd parc cu imaginile aflate n continu micare i transformare. Un vag suprarealism care aduce oarecum, vizual, cu acele videoclipuri ale anilor ’90 trzii, care mizau, pentru a obine stranietatea, pe ocul dat de alternarea dintre accelerarea brusc a micrii i aspectul static al temei mitologice (m gndesc n special la Metallica, clipul de la Until it sleeps)Un volum excelent, un adevrat manual de poezie care sun, datorit lui Andrei Dósa, impecabil.“ – Bogdan Alexandru Stanescu

"I am a human being; I am a woman; I am a black woman; I am an African. Once I was free; then I was captured and became a slave; but inside me, here and here, I am still a free woman."During a period of four hundred years, European slave traders ferried some 12 million enslaved Africans across the Atlantic. In the Americas, teaching a slave to read and write was a criminal offense. When the last slaves gained their freedom in Brazil, barely a thousand of them were literate. Hardly any stories of the enslaved and transported Africans have survived.This novel is an attempt to recreate just one of those stories, one story of a possible 12 million or more.Lawrence Hill created another in The Book of Negroes (Someone Knows my Name in the U.S.) and, more recently, Yaa Gyasi has done the same in Homegoing. Ama occupies center stage throughout this novel. As the story opens, she is sixteen. Distant drums announce the death of her grandfather. Her family departs to attend the funeral, leaving her alone to tend her ailing baby brother. It is 1775. Asante has conquered its northern neighbor and exacted an annual tribute of 500 slaves. The ruler of Dagbon dispatches a raiding party into the lands of the neighboring Bekpokpam. They capture Ama. That night, her lover, Itsho, leads an attack on the raiders’ camp. The rescue bid fails. Sent to collect water from a stream, Ama comes across Itsho’s mangled corpse. For the rest of her life she will call upon his spirit in time of need. In Kumase, the Asante capital, Ama is given as a gift to the Queen-mother. When the adolescent monarch, Osei Kwame, conceives a passion for her, the regents dispatch her to the coast for sale to the Dutch at Elmina Castle. There the governor, Pieter de Bruyn, selects her as his concubine, dressing her in the elegant clothes of his late Dutch wife and instructing the obese chaplain to teach her to read and write English. De Bruyn plans to marry Ama and take her with him to Europe. He makes a last trip to the Dutch coastal outstations and returns infected with yellow fever. On his death, his successor rapes Ama and sends her back to the female dungeon. Traumatized, her mind goes blank. She comes to her senses in the canoe which takes her and other women out to the slave ship, The Love of Liberty. Before the ship leaves the coast of Africa, Ama instigates a slave rebellion. It fails and a brutal whipping leaves her blind in one eye. The ship is becalmed in mid-Atlantic. Then a fierce storm cripples it and drives it into the port of Salvador, capital of Brazil. Ama finds herself working in the fields and the mill on a sugar estate. She is absorbed into slave society and begins to adapt, learning Portuguese. Years pass. Ama is now totally blind. Clutching the cloth which is her only material link with Africa, she reminisces, dozes, falls asleep. A short epilogue brings the story up to date. The consequences of the slave trade and slavery are still with us. Brazilians of African descent remain entrenched in the lower reaches of society, enmeshed in poverty. “This is story telling on a grand scale,” writes Tony Sim?es da Silva. “In Ama, Herbstein creates a work of literature that celebrates the resilience of human beings while denouncing the inscrutable nature of their cruelty. By focusing on the brutalization of Ama's body, and on the psychological scars of her experiences, Herbstein dramatizes the collective trauma of slavery through the story of a single African woman. Ama echoes the views of writers, historians and philosophers of the African diaspora who have argued that the phenomenon of slavery is inextricable from the deepest foundations of contemporary western civilization.” Ama, a Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade, won the 2002 Commonwealth Writers Prize for the Best First Book.