In this prescient dystopian novella, E.M. Forster imagines a future where humanity lives underground, entirely dependent on a vast, all-encompassing Machine that controls every aspect of life. As people become more isolated and detached from the natural world, one man begins to question the system, leading to a chilling exploration of the consequences of over-reliance on technology. The Machine Stops is a powerful critique of technological dependence and a visionary tale of societal collapse.

E. M. Forster (1879-1970) was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist, and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society. Forster's humanistic impulse toward understanding and sympathy may be aptly summed up in the epigraph to his 1910 novel, Howards End: ʺOnly connect...ʺ. His 1908 novel, A Room with a View, is his most optimistic work, while A Passage to India (1924) brought him his greatest success.

Also includes Rip Van Winkle.

The Old New Land (or Altneuland in the original German) is a utopian novel published by Theodor Herzl, the founder of political Zionism, in 1902. Outlining Herzl's vision for a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, Altneuland became one of Zionism's establishing texts.

Hercule Poirot retires to a village near the home of a friend, Roger Ackroyd, to pursue a project to perfect vegetable marrows. Soon after, Ackroyd is murdered and Poirot must come out of retirement to solve the case. Includes a new introduction by Karl Wurf and an Agatha Christie bibliography.

Hercule Poirot retires to a village near the home of a friend, Roger Ackroyd, to pursue a project to perfect vegetable marrows. Soon after, Ackroyd is murdered and Poirot must come out of retirement to solve the case. Includes a new introduction by Karl Wurf and an Agatha Christie bibliography.

This man, if ever any have deserved the name, was truly a 'divine, ' and he may be justly placed on a level with Origen, so remarkable was he for learning and ingenuity, and gifted with such a rare faculty for the skilful and worthy exposition of doctrine. All that is good, noble, and sublime that his great soul had compassed he bestowed upon Muhammadanism, and he adorned the doctrines of the Koran with so much piety and learning that, in the form given them by him, they seem, in my opinion, worthy the assent of Christians. Whatsoever was most excellent in the philosophy of Aristotle or in the Sufi mysticism he discreetly adapted to the Muhammadan theology; from every school he sought the means of shedding light and honour upon religion; while his sincere piety and lofty conscientiousness imparted to all his writings a sacred majesty. He was the first of Muhammadan divines. -- Dr. August Tholuck

Beauty entwined with sin. Dark reflections on the soul. Can poetry reveal the hidden struggles of human desire and despair?

In Flowers of Evil (Les Fleurs du Mal), Charles Baudelaire examines the complex and often dark facets of human experience, from longing and decadence to despair and transcendence. This groundbreaking collection captures the contradictions of beauty and corruption, illuminating Parisian society and Baudelaire's personal struggles with striking, symbolic language. A cornerstone of modern poetry, Baudelaire's work challenges readers to confront the allure of the forbidden and the depths of the human soul.

Charles Pierre Baudelaire (April 9, 1821 - August 31, 1867) was a French poet who produced notable work as an essayist, art critic, and pioneering translator of Edgar Allan Poe. His most famous work, Les Fleurs du mal (The Flowers of Evil), expresses the changing nature of beauty in modern, industrializing Paris during the 19th century. Baudelaire's highly original style of prose-poetry influenced a whole generation of poets including Paul Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud and Stephane Mallarme among many others. He is credited with coining the term modernity (modernite) to designate the fleeting, ephemeral experience of life in an urban metropolis, and the responsibility art has to capture that experience.

A controversial scientific experiment opens the door to realms beyond human comprehension, unleashing terrifying consequences. As a trail of inexplicable deaths and madness spreads through London's upper class, a determined investigator pieces together clues that point to an ancient, otherworldly presence. When the horrible truth is finally revealed, it challenges everything believed about the nature of reality and humanity's place in the universe.

Of Mr. Machen's horror-tales the most famous is perhaps 'The Great God Pan' (1894) which tells of a singular and terrible experiment and its consequences.-H. P. Lovecraft

In twelve chapters, Nelson delves into lessons geared toward helping those who are adrift and searching for something more. It's not a Christian book so much as a life journey book, guiding readers to new paths of self enlightenment. If you want more than mere existence, The Door of Everything offers a chance to peek behind the curtains of your own mind. It opens doors to new understandings of life and spirituality. For only through personal grown like this can one rise beyond the mundane to a life full of richness and fulfillment.

A book that rips naked the hard truth of what can happen to any young woman willing to pay the price for survival in the big city

This satirical novel offers a humorous and affectionate portrayal of English society between the World Wars. The story follows a young Scotsman, Donald Cameron, who is commissioned to write about English life and culture. Through a series of comedic misadventures, including a famously funny cricket match, Macdonell pokes fun at the eccentricities and traditions of the English, while also highlighting the contrasts between English and Scottish identities. The novel is celebrated for its wit and sharp social commentary.

The space opera series is set in the thirty-first century, during the waning days of the Terran Empire. Flandry is a dashing field agent of the Imperial Intelligence Corps who travels the stars to fight off imminent threats to the empire from both external enemies and internal treachery. His long-time archenemy is Aycharaych, from the planet Chereion, a cultured but ruthless telepathic spymaster who weaves plots for the expansionistic rival empire of the alien Merseians. Similar to the James Bond stories (which started two years later), every new adventure brings Flandry another beautiful damsel to woo and rescue.

The illegitimate son of a minor nobleman, Flandry rises to considerable power within the decadent Empire by his own wits, and enjoys all the pleasures his position in society gives him. Still, he is painfully conscious of the impending fall of the Terran Empire and the subsequent Long Night of a galactic Dark Age. His career is dedicated to holding it off for as long as possible.

If this doesn't please you, you are very hard to please indeed. -- Dorothy L. Sayers.

Ayn Rand's Anthem is a dystopian novella exploring the struggle between individualism and collectivism. Set in a future society where personal identity is erased, the story follows a man who rediscovers independent thought and the meaning of freedom. A compelling and philosophical work, Anthem remains a classic critique of totalitarianism and a celebration of human potential.

The Real Diary of a Real Boy by Henry A. Shute is a humorous, semi-autobiographical novel that captures the daily life of an exuberant and mischievous eleven-year-old boy in 1860s New England. Written as a fictional diary, the book provides a vivid, nostalgic look at childhood through the lens of Henry's playful antics, friendships, and the misadventures that shape his days. Shute's narrative style brings humor and warmth to the everyday events of a small-town boy's life, making it a timeless and entertaining read.