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Uncle Tom's Cabin
by Harriet StoweThe lives and losses of slaves in the American south are portrayed in Harriet Beecher Stowe's unflinching indictment of slavery.When a benevolent landowner decides to sell two slaves—Uncle Tom and Eliza—in order to raise funds, the lives of the two slaves follow divergent paths. While Eliza escapes to eventual freedom, Uncle Tom is repeatedly sold until he ends up working on the prosperous Legree plantation, where his very life becomes forfeit to his violent master.Be it mystery, romance, drama, comedy, politics, or history, great literature stands the test of time. ClassicJoe proudly brings literary classics to today's digital readers, connecting those who love to read with authors whose work continues to get people talking. Look for other fiction and non-fiction classics from ClassicJoe.
Whose Body
by Dorothy SayersThe debut of the great detective Lord Peter Wimsey.
When a mysterious corpse is found in the bathtub of an architect, the official inspector is keen to blame the architect herself, but Lord Peter Wimsey isn’t so sure.
He sets out to discover the identity of the body, and whether or not it has a connection to another disappearance, but when he tracks down the killer, he may have met his match.
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We Have Always Lived in the Castle
by Shirley JacksonThe final novel from one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. Most of the Blackwoods are dead. They were poisoned by arsenic, and the suspected murderer - Constance Blackwood - still lives in their family estate. In fact, she never leaves. Nor does her Uncle Julian, who is confined to a wheelchair.
The only person to leave the house is her sister, the third remaining Blackwood, Merricat, and even she keeps her visits to town to a minimum. The townsfolk don't like the Blackwoods; understandable, when one of them could be a mass murderer. Constance, Merricat, and Julian maintain a semblance of a normal, if highly reclusive, life, aided - if Merricat is to be believed - by several magical wards and charm. But when one of these charms is disrupted, her estranged cousin Charles turns up for a visit, and threatens to throw the Blackwoods' fragile peace into chaos.
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War and Peace
by Leo TolstoyWar and Peace broadly focuses on Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 and follows three of the most well-known characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a count who is fighting for his inheritance and yearning for spiritual fulfillment; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, who leaves his family behind to fight in the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, the beautiful young daughter of a nobleman who intrigues both men.
Villette
by Charlotte BronteCharlotte Brontë reached the height of her artistic power in Villette, an accomplished and deeply felt final novel. The critical acclaim it received eclipsed that of Jane Eyre, with rave reviews from George Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and more.
The autobiographical narrator, Lucy Snowe, flees England and her tragic past to become a governess in a French boarding school in the town of Villette. There, her struggle for independence is challenged by both her friendship with a worldly and handsome English doctor and her feelings for an autocratic schoolmaster, and Brontë’s modern heroine must decide if there is any man in her society with whom she can live and still feel free.
Yet in spite of the adversity, Lucy recounts her turbulent life’s journey—one that is one of the most insightful fictional studies of 19th century woman’s consciousness in literature. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
Vile Bodies
by Evelyn WaughOne of Evelyn Waugh’s most conspicuously modern novels. The Bright Young Things are young and decadent, living out their youths in London in the space between the two World Wars. Adam is in love with Nina, though his courtship is not without its obstacles. It seems like things might work out for the couple – at least, until war breaks out. Vile Bodies was adapted by Stephen Fry into the film Bright Young Things. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
Twilight Sleep
by Edith WhartonA classic evisceration of upper-class, urban America, with the style that only Edith Wharton can bring to the task. Pauline Manford is desperate to fill her time and her life—the wife of a successful lawyer, she wants for nothing but this fulfillment. Using increasingly outlandish means of attaining it, she finally finds her way to a dubious psychoanalyst, and an equally questionable guru. Can Pauline find satisfaction, or will the banality of her life keep her forever unfulfilled? Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you high quality, classic works of literature in e-book form. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
Trouble for Lucia
by E. F. BensonThe sixth and final volume of E.F. Benson's wildly satirical take on the Edwardian English upper class. The books were recently adapted by the BBC into a mini-series starring Sherlock's Mark Gatiss. In their final showdown, Miss Elizabeth Mapp and Mrs. Emeline "Lucia" Lucas face off in Tilling, vying for the top spot in the village's social scene. When Lucia is elected Mayor, she decides to keep her competition close by naming her Mayoress. Her plan isn't entirely successful, and the two work ceaseless to undercut and one-up each other. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
by Horace McCoyA classic hard-boiled novel, trading back alleys and detectives offices for a dance marathon. Robert is an aspiring director which, in Depression-era Hollywood, means that he’s an out-of-work extra. This might explain why he lets Gloria, similarly unemployed and similarly hunting for a break, talk him into being her partner in a marathon dance competition, despite having only just met her. But hey, there’s free food and a place to sleep (for 10 minutes every hour), so that can’t be terrible, right? But as the days and weeks wear on, Gloria’s gloominess and talk of dying become more and more frequent, leaving Robert to wonder what he’s gotten himself into. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
Their Eyes Were Watching God
by Zora Neale HurstonOne of the most important novels of the twentieth century, Their Eyes Were Watching God illuminates a Southern love story unlike any other. Initially rejected by audiences for its portrayal of its strong black female protagonist, the work has since been epitomized in the canon of African-American literature, solidifying Zora Neale Hurston as one of our most influential voices.Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Yearling
by Marjorie RawlingsAn American, bestselling classic and a Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Yearling epitomizes the love between a child and a pet. When young Jody Baxter adopts an orphaned fawn he calls Flag, he makes it a part of his family—and his best friend. But life in the Florida backwoods isn’t easy, and as his family fights off wolves, bears, alligators, and economic ruin in farming, Jody and his family realize that the maturing Flag is endangering their survival, and Jody is forced to face the reality of the situation and to make the toughest decision he’ll ever have. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Woman in White
by Wilkie CollinsOne of the earliest and most entrancing mystery novels ever written. The young Walter Hartright is employed as the wealthy Limmeridge House. He meets Laura, the patriarch's niece, and the mysterious white-clad Anne, her near-double, and becomes enmeshed in a dastardly plot by Laura's new husband, the scheming Percival Glyde, to steal her fortune. It will take all of Walter's wiles to solve the mystery of the woman in white and set things right. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Wimsey Papers
by Dorothy L. SayersChoice selections from the Wimsey family’s correspondence during World War II. Intended by Dorothy Sayers primarily as a form of commentary on the war, on topics ranging from British life and government to foreign powers and dreams for the post-war future, it serves as a fascinating appendix to the adventures of Lord Peter Wimsey and his companions. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Willows
by Algernon BlackwoodAlgernon Blackwood’s best known novella, “The Willows,” is considered by H.P. Lovecraft to be the finest supernatural tale in English literature and is an example of early modern horror and weird fiction. When two friends take a break from a canoe trip down the River Danube, they discover the corpse of a peasant in the woods. Returning to their canoe, they find their oars missing, and as night sets in, a general sense of creepiness and unease permeates the wild, rural, and ultimately threatening environment. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Well of Loneliness
by Radclyffe HallThe Well of Loneliness is the fifth and best-known novel by English author and poet Radclyffe Hall. Becoming a runaway bestseller in its notoriety, it was originally banned by the British after a legal trial and all copies were ordered to be destroyed due to its lesbian plot and characters. After years and appeals, the novel’s ban was overturned, and today it remains one of the most formative and influential lesbian works of the twentieth century. The novel tells the story of a tomboyish and aristocratic Stephen, who hunts, wears pants, and cuts her hair short—and comes to realize she’s attracted to women. She grows to be a war hero, a bestselling writer, and a loyal lover. But while Stephen’s ambitious drive her, society confines her, and she’s forced into desperate actions. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Waste Land
by T. S. EliotOne of the greatest poems in the English language. The Waste Land is T.S. Eliot's masterpiece, a beautiful examination of themes of decay and despair. Like many of his works, it alludes frequently to famous pieces of literature and legend, in this case most prominently to the legends of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King. Several images and lines from The Waste Land have become lodged in the popular consciousness, including "April is the cruellest month" and "I will show you fear in a handful of dust." Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Valley of Decision
by Edith WhartonThe debut novel from one of America’s greatest authors. In Edith Wharton’s stunning debut novel, Odo Valsecca, a young Italian raised by peasants, is plucked from poverty and dropped into the lap of luxury as the newly named heir to his cousin, a duke. It is the time leading up to the French revolution, and Europe swirls with conflicting factions and ideologies, some trying to prop up the feudal and religious traditions that empowered them, and others seeking a new way. Meanwhile, in France, a revolution is brewing… Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
by Dorothy L. SayersUnpleasantness may be an understatement when there is murder afoot. Lady Dormer has a singularly strange will - if she dies before her brother, his grandson's will inherit a considerable fortune, but if she passes first, the money will go to the young artist that she has sponsored. Strange, yes, but relatively simple, until both parties pass on the same morning. It's up to Lord Peter Wimsey to determine the exact timing, and events, surrounding their deaths - a task that becomes more complicated when he starts to suspect foul play. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Touchstone
by Edith WhartonThe debut novella from one of America’s greatest authors. In a desperate attempt to find the money necessary to marry his fiancée, Stephen Glennard is willing to cross a line. He takes love letters written to him by a renowned author who has recently passed away, removes his name, and publishes them. They are a success, and he is able to be married. But when the guilt becomes unbearable and he confesses his transgression to his new wife, will she be able to forgive him? Will he be able to forgive himself? Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you high quality, classic works of literature in e-book form. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Time Machine
by H. G. WellsOne of the greatest science fiction writers of all time paints a vivid and terrifying picture of humanity's possible future. An unnamed inventor tests his latest creation - a time machine. It works, pulling him far into the future, but while exploring this new world the time machine is stolen, forcing the Time Traveller to rely on help from the innocent, idyllic Eloi to recover it from the brutal, subterranean Morlocks. The book touches on socio-political issues such as classism and industrialization. It has been adapted for film twice. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Three Musketeers
by Alexandre DumasA much-loved swashbuckling tale. Cardinal Richileu's machinations are no match for the Musketeer's determination to act "one for all and all for one"! The young D'Artagnan travels to Paris determined to join King Louis XIII's elite guards. Hot-headed and raring to prove himself, D'Artagnan challenges three strangers to a duel. These strangers are none other than the daring band of Musketeers -- Porthos, Athos and Aramis. D'Artagnan's fearless spirit impresses them and the Musketeers take him under their wing. Soon, the wicked plots of Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter propel the four musketeers to adventures on horseback, across seas and over rooftops to defend the honour of the Queen and protect the life of the King. This is a rousing tale of thrilling swordplay and royal intrigue, brave friends and the basest treachery.Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Thin Man
by Dashiell HammettThe Thin Man stars Nick Charles, a retired private detective, and his wife Nora, who get sucked into investigating a murder case, and have to navigate the complicated Wynant family, along with cops and criminals, and bring their best to the table in order to solve the crime. It was Dashiell Hammett's last novel, though its 1934 film adaptation did lead to five sequels. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
by Charlotte BronteUtterly compelling in its imaginative power and bold naturalism, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall opens in the autumn of 1827, when a mysterious woman under the assumed name Helen Graham seeks refuge at the moorland mansion of Wildfell Hall. As her neighbour Gilbert Markham comes to realize, Helen has painful secrets from her past that make her the object of gossip and jealousy. Combining the story of a man’s physical and moral decline through alcohol, a study of a broken down marriage, a disquisition on the upbringing of children, and an uncompromising critique of the position of women in Victorian society, this novel of betrayal balances a stern moral framework and an optimistic belief in universal redemption. Scandalizing its readers on publication, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a daring tale and a powerful depiction of a woman’s fight for independence and creative freedom, told with the author’s signature wit and irony. Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.
The Sword of Conan
by Robert E. HowardThe third volume of the adventures of the legendary Conan the Barbarian, one of the most iconic fantasy characters in history, on a rarified list next to Gandalf and Harry Potter. Contains "The People of the Black Circle," "The Slithering Shadow," "The Pool of the Black One," and "Red Nails." Penguin Random House Canada is proud to bring you classic works of literature in e-book form, with the highest quality production values. Find more today and rediscover books you never knew you loved.