The disregard of a dying woman's bequest, a girl's attempt to help an impoverished clerk, and the marriage of an idealist and a materialist intersect at an estate called Howards End. There, the lives of three families become entangled. The Wilcoxes, who own the estate, are a wealthy family who made their fortune in the American colonies. The Schlegel siblings-Margaret, Helen, and Tibby-are lively socialites whose spirited and active lifestyles are...

Discourse on Method is a philosophical and autobiographical work by the French philosopher René Descartes. It was published in 1637 and is considered one of the most influential works in the history of modern Western philosophy. The main purpose of Discourse on Method is to outline Descartes' method of systematic doubt and his search for certain knowledge. Descartes was skeptical of traditional sources of knowledge, such as authority, tradition,...

Probably written in the latter half of the 14th century in the South-West-Midlands dialect, Piers Plowman is a remarkable example of allegorical, alliterative verse that conveyed, for the first time ever, the authentic voice, spirit and character of the ordinary people of England. Very little is known about William Langland, the presumed author, but it is very much a product of the medieval mind combining Christian belief with dramatic poetry in...

Shy Mole is cleaning his underground house until the spring weather lures him above for a cautious encounter with the worldly Water Rat. Their exploration of the Wild Wood includes lunch with Otter and hilarious adventures at Toad Hall.

Published to great acclaim and fierce controversy in 1866, Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment has left an indelible mark on global literature and our modern world, and is still known worldwide as the quintessential Russian novel. Readers of all backgrounds have debated its historical, cultural, and spiritual dimensions, probing the moral and ethical dilemmas that Dostoevsky so brilliantly stages throughout his narrative. Yet, at its heart, this...

In The Rights of Man, Thomas Paine defends the representational form of government. He posits that all men are born with God-given rights that cannot be, taken from them by any government. Paine's position on inalienable rights played a major role in the Bill of Rights being included in the Constitution. This seminal work is as pertinent today as when it was first, written.