One of the most influential writers and reformers of his age, Thomas Paine successfully publicized the issues of his time in pamphlets that clearly and persuasively argued for political independence and social reform. Rights of Man, his greatest and most widely read work, is considered a classic statement of faith in democracy and egalitarianism.The first part of this document, dedicated to George Washington, appeared in 1791. Defending the early events of the French Revolution, it spoke on...
A woman of many gifts, Margaret Fuller (1810–1850) is most aptly remembered as America's first true feminist. In her brief yet fruitful life, she was variously author, editor, literary and social critic, journalist, poet, and revolutionary. She was also one of the few female members of the prestigious Transcendentalist movement, whose ranks included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and many other prominent New England...
“In all of life, the greatest moments are those that have no words. The deepest communication is a knowing; a thing expressed that needs no expression. At such moments there’s a meeting of the eyes, a shared recognition, but no words. In fact the quieter such moments are, the more they are packed with meaning.” This little excerpt from “The Other Side of the Ring” illustrates the way in which this story seeks out what cannot be spoken. Told in a series of essays which form a story, “The...
Lucian of Samosata (2nd century A.D.) was a famed Syrian philosopher, satirist, and novelist. His broad range of style and prolific output have made him immensely popular throughout the ages. Very little is authentically known of the life of Lucian. He was born in the Roman province of Syria though selected Greek as his literary language. Collected here are all of Lucian's major works. This includes his satires, dialogues, apologias, essays, and proto-novels. Lucian's sharp wit and...
Aphra Behn (1640-1689) is historically recognized as the first woman to make a living through writing; her plays, novels, poems and pamphlets have met with fresh notoriety since the 20th Century. Her work was particularly significant to a group of contemporary writers known as The Female Wits, as well as to later feminist writers like Virginia Woolf. Stories of comedy and intrigue, complete with masks, mistaken identities, visual deceptions, and complicated love triangles which reflect...
"The Essential Tales and Poems" is a large, yet thorough, collection of the poems and stories written by horror master Edgar Allen Poe. Admirers will be happy to see Poe's most famous works present in the collection: «The Fall of the House of Usher,» «The Pit and the Pendulum,» «The Tell-Tale Heart,» and «The Cask of Amontillado.» These works have struck fear in audiences for generations, solidifying Poe's place in the American literature canon. Fans of Poe will not be...
Civil Disobedience and Other Essays is a collection of some of Henry David Thoreau's most important essays. Contained in this volume are the following essays: Civil Disobedience, Natural History of Massachusetts, A Walk to Wachusett, The Landlord, A Winter Walk, The Succession of Forest Trees, Walking, Autumnal Tints, Wild Apples, Night and Moonlight, Aulus Persius Flaccus, Herald of Freedom, Life Without Principle, Paradise (to be) Regained, A Plea for John Brown, The Last Days of John...
Aphra Behn (1640-1689) is historically recognized as the first woman to make a living through writing; her plays, novels, poems and pamphlets have met with fresh notoriety since the 20th Century. Her work was particularly significant to a group of contemporary writers known as The Female Wits, as well as to later feminist writers like Virginia Woolf. Stories of comedy and intrigue, complete with and masks, mistaken identities, visual deceptions, and complicated love triangles reflect Behn's...
These are essays, indeed, but generally not the sort taught in schools – or that I taught for forty years: not in the elegant Intro/Thesis/Proof/Conclusion tradition but more in the older tradition of Michel de Montaigne and les essais, and of satire. That is, they are «attempts,» explorations, and, well, also traps, where I wander around a bit in apparent innocence and then spring on readers a possibly outrageous idea, one they wouldn’t have considered for a moment if I hadn’t lulled them (you)...
In his day, John Ruskin (1819-1900) held the power to make or break artists with his critical reviews. He served as benefactor to many artists, and was a huge supporter of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. His legacy holds the titles poet and artist as well, as he wrote works that were very popular during his lifetime, and remain relevant today. Around the 1850's, however, Ruskin underwent a major change concerning his religious beliefs and completely gave up art criticism, turning his attention...