Modern Classics

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Last Witnesses, by Svetlana Alexievich, read by Julia Emelin, Yelena Shmulenson and Allen Lewis Rickman. What did it mean to grow up in the Soviet Union during the Second World War? In the late 1970s, Svetlana Alexievich started interviewing people who had experienced war as children, the generation that survived and had to live with the trauma that would forever change the course of the Russian nation.

Tom Ripley is quietly living in luxury at his chateau at Villeperce. He has a past, however, that would not bear too much close scrutiny. He is certain that he has covered his tracks where murder and forgery are concerned. But when a certain American couple move in next door, he soon realises his every move is being shadowed. Ripley fears his secrets may be discovered, and he will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening.

High in the Himalayas near Darjeeling, the old mountaintop palace shines like a jewel. When it was the General's 'harem' palace, richly dressed ladies wandered the windswept terraces; at night, music floated out over the villages and gorges. Now, the General's son has bestowed it on an order of nuns, the Sisters of Mary. Well-intentioned yet misguided, the nuns set about taming the gardens and opening a school and dispensary for the villagers.

Three grownup Tales from the Dreamtime in one novella…Open the door and enter the Dreamtime, the world of fairytales, the flower of all that is delightful and mysterious, frightening and amazing.

With methods so powerful they can conquer an adversary’s spirit, you can use Master Tzu’s strategies to overcome any challenge, from warfare to self-defense to business negotiations. This book starts with the classic 1910 translation of The Art of War, adds modern and historical insight, and demonstrates how to put the master’s timeless wisdom to use in your everyday life. In this fashion, The Art of War becomes accessible for the modern mind, simultaneously entertaining, enlightening, and practical.

Possibly the foremost classic of military strategy. The Art of War was written by Sun Tzu (Sunzi, Sun Wu), a quasi-legendary figure. The work dates from the 6th to the 3rd century BCE. It is known worldwide as required reading for students of political and military science and history. Most editions of this work include a great amount of commentary from various editors, making the work more difficult to understand. We have dispensed with that here, and only include the core treatise in straightforward, modern prose.

"Wonderful compilation" -- Henry Fogel, Dean, Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University; former president, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, American Symphony Orchestra League "An enjoyable read, and a great conversation starter." -- James McCarthy, Limelight magazine, Australia "...for those seeking to shake up their listening habits and explore musical rarities -- Opera America A sequel, volume three. Some 90 composers profiled. Provides answers to questions like those found in the Obscure Composers 3 Quiz: 1. After his passing, some of his compositions were found as wrappings ...

Orphaned at a young age. Rejected by her stepfamily. Shipped off to boarding school. Has Jane finally found her fairy tale as a live-in tutor for the daughter of the infamously moody yet strangely compelling rap artist Edward Richmond, aka “E.R.”? Maybe Beauty and the Beast. Except she’s no beauty - just plain Jane. And his rock-and-roll lifestyle disturbs and even endangers her. It’s safer following her principles than passion. Yet Jane finds herself simultaneously attracted and repelled by this reputed “bad boy” who seems oddly determined to win her approval.

It is 1797, and the African kingdom of Segu, born of blood and violence, is at the height of its power. Yet Dousika Traore, the king's most trusted advisor, feels nothing but dread. Change is coming. From the East, a new religion, Islam. From the West, the slave trade. These forces will tear his country, his village and the lives of his beloved sons apart, in Maryse Condé's glittering epic.

This collection of poetry explores the beauty and danger that can be found in AI. Every image was created by an AI generator that interpreted the poetry (word by word). While the images are aesthetically beautiful (or disturbing in some cases) they do absolutely no justice to the poetry. It is up to you, the reader, to interpret my words, without guidance and without preconceived notions. Can you look past the artificial and see the art?

Driven mad by three years of endless telegrams, phonecalls, mail, reporters and snoopers in the wake of his hugely successful novel On the Road, Jack Kerouac, 'King of the Beats', needs peace, quiet and sobriety: surrounded and outnumbered he has to 'get away to solitude again or die'. Amidst the wild beauty of the Californian landscape, Kerouac struggles to come to terms with his own myth and its malign impact upon his life.

A Modern Utopia is a 1905 novel by H. G. Wells. Because of the complexity and sophistication of its narrative structure, A Modern Utopia has been called "not so much a modern as a postmodern utopia." The novel is best known for its notion that a voluntary order of nobility known as the Samurai could effectively rule a "kinetic and not static" world state so as to solve "the problem of combining progress with political stability".

An excellent collection of creepy ghost stories from some of the most notable names of early horror fiction, including: “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood, “The Shadows On The Wall” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, “The Messenger” by Robert W.Chambers, “Lazarus” by Leonid Andreyev, “The Beast With Five Fingers” by W.F. Harvey, “The Mass Of Shadows” by Anatole France, “What Was It” by Fitz-James O’brien, “The Middle Toe Of The Right Foot” by Ambrose Bierce, “The Shell Of Sense” by Olivia Howard Dunbar, and more!

This inspirational audiobook encapsulates African American history and invites conversations at all levels. Carole Boston Weatherford’s riveting text is an informative reminder of yesterday, a hopeful image for today, and an aspirational dream of tomorrow. Starting from 1619 and stretching more than four hundred years, this audiobook features such pivotal moments in history as the arrival of enslaved people in Jamestown, Virginia; Nat Turner's rebellion; the integration of the US military; and more.

Considering herself unsuitable for any other contribution to the war effort, Monica Dickens opts for nursing, imagining herself gliding through the wards, serene in a pure white halo cap. On enrolment, however, she is promptly stripped of all illusions. Intelligent and headstrong, Monica struggles to submit to the iron rule of the Matron and toils over the mountains of menial work that are a trainee's lot. But there are friends among the staff and patients, night-time escapades to dances with dashing army men and her secret writing project to keep her going.

Burmese Days describes corruption and imperial bigotry in a society where, 'after all, natives were natives'. When Flory, a white timber merchant, befriends Indian Dr Veraswami, he defies this orthodoxy. The doctor is in danger: U Po Kyin, a corrupt magistrate, is plotting his downfall. The only thing that can save him is membership of the all-white Club, and Flory can help. Flory's life is changed further by the arrival of beautiful Elizabeth Lackersteen from Paris, who offers an escape from loneliness and the 'lie' of colonial life.

Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus is a novel written by Mary Shelley, first published in 1818. This Gothic classic tells the haunting tale of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who defies the natural order by creating life from death. However, his monstrous creation becomes a terrifying and tragic figure, struggling with isolation and rejection from society. Shelley's story explores themes of ambition, the consequences of playing God, and the destructive potential of knowledge.

Josef Vadassy, a Hungarian refugee and language teacher living in France, is enjoying his first break for years in a small hotel on the Riviera. But when he takes his holiday photographs to be developed at a local chemists, he suddenly finds himself mistaken for a Gestapo agent, and a charge of espionage is levelled at him. To prove himself innocent to the French police, he must discover which one of his fellow guests at his pension is the real spy. As he desperately tries to uncover the true culprit's identity, Vadassy must risk his job, his safety and everything he holds dear.

Max Weber declared that compared to the Arthashastra, Machiavelli's "The Prince" is harmless. The Arthashastra -- "The science of politics and political economy" -- is an extended treatise on how to found and rule an empire. The author Chanyaka (also known as Kautilya) was the masterful advisor to ruler Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan empire, one of the greatest our world has ever seen.

After Mary Shelley died, Adam Frankenstein left her League of Supernatural Hunters. But when asked to work under contract, he was happy to take their money. Someone was experimenting on New Orleans’ homeless, and Adam’s mission was to find them. An easy job until he discovered the League’s star scientist, Dr. Laura Wells’ hidden lab and inhumane experiments. When Wells escaped, Adam tracked her to Houston. Undercover as a U.S. Marshal he would capture the elusive doctor and recover the stolen works of Dr. Moreau. Hellhounds and werewolves weren’t something Adam feared. There was ...