New Classics

This book reveals, for the first time, the story behind the writing of ‘Desiderata’. Beloved by millions, the poem was first published in 1927, but its true origins, along with the life of its author, have largely been lost to literary history. This account by actor and author Tim Dalgleish includes not only the story of ‘Desiderata’ but two additional, previously unpublished, chapters from a forthcoming biography of Max Ehrmann. This new material helps bring Max Ehrmann, the author of 'Desiderata', out of the shadows.

An immediate triumph when it was published in 1947, The Plague is in part an allegory of France’s suffering under the Nazi occupation, as well as a timeless story of bravery and determination against the precariousness of human existence.

Many years before the current surge of interest in the Law of Attraction, author Prentice Mulford wrote what we talk about and think about is what we attract to ourselves in our lives. Prentice Mulford was instrumental in the founding of the popular philosophy New Thought, along with other notable writers including Ralph Waldo Emerson. Mulford's book, Thoughts are Things, served as a guide to this new belief system and is still popular today. He explained how, for example, people who talk about suffering eventually bring suffering to themselves in some form.

I’ve been in love with Zoe London from the moment I first set eyes on her. My obsession runs deep—so much so that I have her dorm room bugged. And that’s why I know I have to become Santa Claus. When she agrees to sit on a Santa Claus’s lap and have her picture taken as part of a bet, there’s no way I’m going to let some other man have the job. I might be a stalker, but I’m also going to be Santa this year, and I’ll give my princess anything she wants.

Oblomov is the best known novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov, first published in 1859. Oblomov is also the central character of the novel, often seen as the ultimate incarnation of the superfluous man, a symbolic character in 19th-century Russian literature. Oblomov was compared to Shakespeare's Hamlet as answering "No!" to the question "To be or not to be?" Oblomov is a young, generous nobleman who seems incapable of making important decisions or undertaking any significant actions.

Originally published in 1903, this classic masterpiece, written as a series of thoughtful essays, reflects the central truth which is the foundation of all modern success works: “As we think, so we become.” This fundamental truth, which some have called "The Secret" or the "Law of Attraction", was clearly and convincingly argued for the first time in James Allen's masterpiece, As a Man Thinketh. Allen reveals how our thoughts shape our character, and manifest themselves in our finances, health, appearance, and environment.

Sketches New and Old is a compilation of fictional stories written by Mark Twain. Among them is "A Ghost Story". In each story, one can catch a great sense of Twain's humor and creativity. These classic sketches from Twain are no longer than 10 minutes each, but all show his quick-witted humor in response to the events of the day.

Arrogant warlords just killed one of his crew and destroyed his ship. He unleashes a torrent of human fed anger the likes of which they have never seen before. And, what is this Prophecy thing about humans, anyway. . . and why does he have to be involved? An addictive, heart-stopping, military science fiction and space opera thriller you just can’t put down, so, warn your family and friends you’ll be in another universe for a while… Grab your copy right now, put on your battle armor and web into your ship-couch as you join Captain Derek Hamilton and his warrior crew on the wild ride ...

A funny, charming and moving book that will keep you hooked until the end. This is the story of a cat called Mateo and his owner, a poor bricklayer who struggled to make ends meet. But it is also the story of three children and their unpredictable behaviour, and the story of an old lady and her peculiar little world, and the story of a beautiful model and her crazy boyfriend… Age 9+

The Dove’s Nest and Other Stories is a collection of both finished and unfinished short stories written by Katherine Mansfield. The collection was published posthumously, not long after Mansfield’s death in 1923, by her husband, John Middleton Murry.

On the eve of the First World War, sociology student Vandyck Jennings goes on an expedition with two of his friends to search for a society rumored to consist only of women. On the way to what they will name “Herland,” Van and his friends ponder the type of women they hope or expect to see when they get there … but they find no fantasies when they arrive. Herland is an all-female, community-driven utopia. Van and his friends are skeptical of a society that doesn’t even need men to procreate, but women and girls who live there have been raised in a world removed the patriarchy of the world.

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.

The Tao Te Ching, also known as The Tao and Its Characteristics, is an ancient spiritual book of expressions and aphorisms on the mysterious nature of the "tao" - a mysterious, force-like principle of the universe which emphasizes the discipline and philosophy of "non-action". The underlying principles of the Tao Te Ching includes strength tempered with humility and self-restraint for efficient, focused participation in the harmonious flow of life.

New Atlantis is an incomplete utopian novel by Sir Francis Bacon. Bacon portrayed a vision of the future of human discovery and knowledge, expressing his aspirations and ideals for humankind. The novel depicts the creation of a utopian land where "generosity and enlightenment, dignity and splendour, piety and public spirit" are the commonly held qualities of the inhabitants of the mythical Bensalem.

The Emperor's New Clothes is a beloved fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen that tells the story of a vain emperor who is deceived into believing he is wearing magnificent, magical garments that are invisible to those who are unfit for their positions. As the emperor parades through town in his 'new clothes,' it is a young child who points out the truth that no one else dares to speak: the emperor isn’t wearing anything at all. This timeless tale is both humorous and thought-provoking, offering lessons about vanity, pride, and honesty.

"The Girl of Many Crowns" is the true and inspiring story of Judith, the first princess of France, who is a pawn in a complex political game of chess as her father, King Charles, tries to hold on to his kingdom. King Charles, grandson of Emperor Charlemagne, is beset on every side by Vikings, rebel lords, and greedy neighboring monarchs. He marries 12-year-old Judith to Aethelwulf, the aging King of Wessex, for political advantage. When she is widowed, less than two years later, he arranges a second marriage for her.

Calamity is confronting two big transitions: the death of her beloved father and the beginning of menopause, a physical shift that has rekindled her gift for finding lost things. Suddenly, she is getting hot flashes that seem to forge objects out of thin air, most notably a four-year old boy. As Calamity takes the child into her care, she discovers that all is not as it seems. Then, Calamity must reawaken to the mysteries surrounding her own childhood and the early disappearance of her mother.

Emily is growing up as a talented, unique person with great insight, wit, and imagination, and conveying it in poetry and her diary.

Though Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for his detective stories, he also wrote other short stories that are masterpieces of mystery and suspense. In some stories, a supressed uneasiness gradually builds up and evolves into sheer horror; in others, the story line unexpectedly changes and comes to an unlikely conclusion.

In "The New Catacomb", deceit and revenge are buried in the deep recesses of a Roman archeological site.

This is Under Milk Wood as you've never heard it before. The last completely original audio-only production of Thomas' masterpiece, Under Milk Wood, was in 1954 (two months after Thomas's death). It has been reprised countless times since then for stage, TV, and in book form, but this wholly new version, headed by Iwan Rheon as First Voice, keeps Thomas' original script but brings a bold, modern soundscape and authentic Welsh voices to his vivid storytelling.