Josh Verbae
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The Devil's Dictionary (1906) is a work of satire by Ambrose Bierce. Although he is commonly remembered for his chilling short stories on the experiences of Civil War soldiers, Bierce was recognized in his day as a leading journalist and humorist who spent decades ruffling feathers and drawing laughter with his witty opinion columns, poems, and definitions. Toward the end of his career, he decided to compile these satirical definitions into a book,...
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"The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault" is a collection of stories by the French author credited with creating the fairy tale genre. After a lengthy career in service to his King, Perrault devoted the rest of his life to writing and in 1697 published "Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals", or "Tales of Mother Goose", which included such iconic tales as "Sleeping Beauty", "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Puss in Boots", and "Bluebeard"....
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Playwright, poet, essayist, flamboyant man-about-town, Oscar Wilde pack an astonishing amount of work, genius, and controversy into two short decades, producing masterworks in every literary genre. This selection includes almost all of his short stories, including "The Canterville Ghost," "The Fisherman and his Soul," and "The Remarkable Rocket." Alongside THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE, Harper Perennial will publish the short fiction of Fyodor Dostoevsky,...
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Playwright, poet, essayist, flamboyant man-about-town, Oscar Wilde pack an astonishing amount of work, genius, and controversy into two short decades, producing masterworks in every literary genre. This selection includes almost all of his short stories, including "The Canterville Ghost," "The Fisherman and his Soul," and "The Remarkable Rocket." Alongside THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE, Harper Perennial will publish the short fiction of Fyodor Dostoevsky,...
5) Pericles
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Likely written around 1607 or 1608 and attributed at least in part to Shakespeare, "Pericles, Prince of Tyre" is an adventure-filled play that follows the extended sailing journeys of a young prince. Pericles, a young prince from Phoenicia, is forced to flee Antioch when he correctly guesses a riddle that reveals the incestuous activity of King Antiochus. Unable to stay at home in Tyre because of Antiochus' vengeance, he sails away and ends up shipwrecked...
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"Timon of Athens" was first, published in the "First Folio" in 1623 and was likely, written by William Shakespeare in 1605 or 1606. Often regarded as one of the more difficult of Shakespeare's plays to categorize, "Timon of Athens" blends elements of comedy with components of tragedy in Timon's allegorical downfall and death. The play depicts an Athenian man, Timon, who is popular and wealthy and who selflessly gives away his possessions to a large...
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Amusing and thought-provoking, this A-to-Z compendium outlines common oral and written gaffes. Ambrose Bierce, a celebrated literary wit, assembled his informative compilation in 1909 from many years of observations and notes. He advocates precision in language, offering alternatives to grammatical lapses and inaccurate word choices. Moneyed for Wealthy: "The moneyed men of New York." One might as sensibly say, "The cattled men of Texas," or, "The...
9) Cymbeline
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Performed as early as 1611 and published in the "First Folio" in 1623, Shakespeare's "Cymbeline" weaves an elaborate tale of palatial envy and power in Ancient Britain. Cymbeline, King of Britain, commands that his lovely young daughter Imogen marry Cloten, the violent and callous son of the current Queen by her former husband. With her heart already promised to the poor yet heroic Posthumus, Imogen refuses. Disgusted at the prospect of his daughter...
11) Puss in boots
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A retelling of the French fairy tale in which a clever cat wins his master a fortune and the hand of a princess.
12) Sleeping Beauty
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With a kiss, a sleeping princess is awakened from her cursed sleep. Charles Perrault's "The Sleeping Beauty" and the Brothers Grimm's "Little Briar Rose" tell the tale of a beautiful princess and a peaceful kingdom that fall under the spell of a jealous fairy bent on revenge.
The story of the Sleeping Beauty has enchanted the young and the young-at-heart for centuries, and has served as the inspiration for numerous adaptions, including the animated...
14) Cinderella
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With the help of her fairy godmother, a mistreated kitchen maid attends the palace ball on condition that she leave before midnight
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Contains the unabridged text of the tragicomedy about a king whose unfounded jealousy has lifelong consequences for his family and friends; includes explanations of words and passages, a plot synopsis, scene summaries, and notes on the main characters; and features questions, activities, and biographical information about Shakespeare.
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Presents the text of "The Merchant of Venice," in which a creditor demands a pound of flesh as payment for a debt, and a lover must choose among three caskets to win the hand of a wealthy lady, and includes introductory and textual notes, character lists and studies, a synopsis, teaching tools and suggestions, historical background, and biographical information about the Shakespeare.
20) Hamlet
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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.