Series: Chartwell Classics

Dive into a world of romance, village life, and even a little silliness in Jane Austen's timeless novel. Despite the fact that Jane Austen set out to write a story with a heroine whom she said that "no one but myself will much like," Emma has resonated with readers since its original publication in 1815 and has been retold many...

In Irish Folk and Fairy Tales, William Butler Yeats delivers a vast collection of stories, songs, and poetry from his home country and Ireland's historical and legendary past. These writings helped secure Yeats' recognition as a leading proponent of Irish nationalism and cultural independence, and they also helped him spearhead the Irish Literary Revival. Originally published in two separate books...

A classic tale to share with the next generation, Little Women is a coming-of-age story of virtue and true love in nineteenth-century America. A true classic, Little Women follows the lives of Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March, four spirited sisters living in Civil War-era America. Join the Marches as they navigate New England life with a father at war,...

Published after Jane Austen's death in 1817, Persuasion is a poignant and passionate story of love, disappointment, loss, and redemption. Twenty-seven-year-old Anne Elliot is resigned to an unhappy fate and is forced to move with her family to humbler lodgings when an old, lost love reenters her life. The handsome young naval officer, whose marriage proposal she was persuaded to...

Enjoy Jane Austen's mastery of irony, dialogue, and realism in the unforgettable love story Pride and Prejudice, then share this classic piece of literature with a new generation. When headstrong and independent Elizabeth Bennet is required to find a wealthy husband, her encounter with the arrogant Mr. Darcy leads to one of the most entertaining and satisfying courtships ever imagined....

The Call of the Wild and White Fang, two American classics by Jack London, are presented together in this elegantly designed jacketed hardcover edition featuring an introduction by Jack London scholar Kenneth K. Brandt. The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906) are two classic American adventure novels depicting the evolution of two dogs in the wild. The...

Revel in the sumptuous language of Edgar Allan Poe's best works. The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe features key works, spanning from 1827 to his death in 1849, from the famous Gothic American writer, especially Poe's spine-chilling short stories and melodious poems. Included in this indispensable edition, with an introduction by renowned author Daniel Stashower, are 21...

Explore Dickens' classic tale of order and disorder, death and resurrection with A Tale of Two Cities. Taking place in London and Paris in the eighteenth century, in the years leading up to and during the French Revolution, Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities is one of injustice, revenge, rebirth, love, and sacrifice. Originally published in thirty-one weekly installments...

Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein pioneered the deeply explored battle between monster and man. Follow three narratives in this ageless tale that navigates fear, fixation, love, and desire, while finding an anchor in humanity. The combination of fantastical elements and scientific exploration makes this Mary Shelley novel one of the first true models of science fiction. This new edition of Frankenstein...

Relive the glorious excess of the roaring 1920s with this beautifully designed, jacketed hardcover edition of The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald's best-known novel is set in hedonistic Jazz Age Long Island and tells the story of millionaire Jay Gatsby and his pursuit of his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. A novel that touches on the topics of materialism, class, desire,...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories adds the best-known works of Washington Irving to the Chartwell Classics series. Washington Irving's short stories have captured the imaginations of generations since they were originally published in the early nineteenth century. His stories are sometimes chilling and sometimes reflections of society, but they are consistently filled with adventure and a joy...

First serialised in a French magazine from 1869 to 1870, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is an incredible adventure story that popularised science fiction throughout the world. Professor Aronnax, a marine biologist, joins harpoonist Ned Land in search of a mysterious sea creature in the open ocean, only to discover that the beast is actually a submarine piloted by...

Explore Brontë's world of crime and punishment, nature and culture, and love and loss. Since its original publication in 1847, the tempestuous relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine has long echoed on the moors. After being spurned by his lover and degraded by his adoptive family, Heathcliff leaves his home in Yorkshire, only to return wealthy, educated, and seeking retribution. Obsession,...

Journey into Dante's nine circles of Hell in the epic poem, Inferno, with this elegant, unabridged edition featuring the classic translation by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). The Divine Comedy, written in the early fourteenth century by Dante Alighieri, continues to be essential reading for lovers of literature. The Inferno is the first part of Dante's masterpiece, The Divine...

There is no better place to begin exploring the cosmic horror and eldritch tales of Lovecraft than in this exquisitely dark collection. The Essential Tales of H. P. Lovecraft collects one of the author's most popular novellas and six of his most famous short stories. Venture into his macabre world with these classics: At the Mountains of Madness The Call...

Filled with passion, love, and suspense, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling classic. Rumours abound that the Paris Opera House is haunted by a ghost. Nobody has ever seen it, but it makes itself known through malevolent acts. First published in book form in 1911, this gothic novel by Gaston Leroux has been fascinating readers for more than...

The Essential Grimm's Fairy Tales contains 59 of the best-loved bedtime stories for children worldwide, enjoyed for the better part of two centuries. Originally collected by the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, these German linguists and cultural researchers gathered legendary folklore and aimed to share the stories exactly as they heard them. This volume features all of your favourite tales,...

Explore Wilde's lavish world of Gothic fiction and his study of lost innocence, full of captivating characters, with this gorgeous, jacketed hardcover edition. Artist Basil Hallward has sent a gift—a portrait that perfectly captures young Dorian Gray's handsome features. When Lord Henry tempts Dorian with a new lifestyle of hedonism and pleasure, he realises that he would sell his soul...

This beautifully designed, jacketed hardcover edition of The Secret Garden is unabridged and includes 8 illustrations by Charles Robinson. When Mary Lennox is sent from India to the moors of England to live with her uncle after losing her parents, not only does she discover a secret garden, but she also discovers the true meaning of family, friendship, and perseverance....

Discover the mesmerizing tale of two personalities in a war over the soul of one man. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a tale of Victorian horror. The personalities of the pleasant Dr. Jekyll and the violent Mr. Hyde vie for control over a single body. This gothic horror novel is presented alongside five short stories...

Originally told as a tale by J. M. Barrie to five brothers and first produced as a play in 1904, Peter Pan is the beloved and classic story about the boy who never grows up. Follow the Darling children - Wendy, John, and Michael - as they fly over the rooftops of London to Neverland and have adventures with the...

Great Expectations is the cautionary tale of a young man raised high above his station by a mysterious benefactor. Its remarkable characters and compelling story about wealth and poverty, crime and social anxiety, and the bitterness of unrequited love are as relevant today as when the novel was published in 1860/1861. Charles Dickens's tale begins with young, orphaned Philip Pirrip,...

Comprised of three books - Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso - Dante's The Divine Comedy follows Dante Alighieri's epic poems through the different sections of the afterlife: hell, purgatory, and heaven. The Divine Comedy began as a project in 1308 and ended in 1320, the year before Dante's death. Told in the first person, Dante follows the poet Virgil through the rings...

The unabridged version of this definitive work is now available in this highly designed jacketed hardcover with a new introduction by Odysseus Makridis. Published around 380 BCE, Plato's most famous work explores the idea of justness, among other things, through a Socratic dialogue. Considered to be one of the most influential writings in the development of Western philosophy and political...

This beautifully designed, jacketed hardcover edition of Aesop's Fables includes 284 fables with 80 color and black-and-white illustrations by Milo Winter. Written down two thousand years ago in ancient Latin and Greek, the fables and morals of Aesop have been passed down through generations and were first published in English in 1484.These clever fables center around charming animal characters and...

The unabridged version of this definitive work is now available in a highly designed jacketed hardcover with a new introduction by philosophy scholar Pierre Baumann. The personal writings of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who ruled from 161 to 180 AD, not only reflect on the philosophical idea of Stoicism, but also on this powerful man's day-to-day life and issues...

First performed in 1610, The Alchemist was part of a quartet of comedies known for their wit, brilliant dialogue, and shrewd caricatures. Thought to be Jonson's best comedy, The Alchemist follows the satirical trail of deception when the gentleman Lovewit leaves his London home due to the plague, leaving behind his servant, Face, who endeavours to dupe all manner of...

Young law student Rodion Raskolnikov lives in poverty in St. Petersburg. In desperation, he sells the last of his valuables, a watch, to an elderly pawnbroker. But what the pawnbroker doesn't know is that Raskolnikov is rehearsing the crime he has resolved to commit: to rob and murder her. Though the robbery will service his own needs—and that of his...

The unabridged versions of these definitive works are now available together in this highly designed jacketed hardcover with an introduction by Marx in Soho actor Bob Weick. Considered to be one of the most influential political writings, The Communist Manifesto is as relevant today as when it was originally published. This pamphlet by the German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich...

A stunning gift edition of the age-old tale of Odysseus and his journey. This epic poem by Homer, believed to have been written between the eighth and ninth centuries BC, continues to be essential reading for young and old alike. The Odyssey follows the Greek hero Odysseus on a ten-year journey back to his home in Ithaca after fighting in...

Journey to the heart of the sea with this larger-than-life classic. Regarded as the Great American Novel, Moby Dick is the ultimate tale of seeking vengeance. Narrated by the crew member Ishmael, this epic whaling adventure follows the crew of the Pequod, as its captain, Ahab, descends deeper and deeper into madness on his quest to find and kill the...

Follow the adventures of spirited reader, Anne Shirley, as she settles into her new home, makes friends, and stirs up trouble. Farm-owning siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert want to adopt a boy to help them around the farm. In a mix-up, the orphanage sends them the active and imaginative Anne Shirley instead. They make the most of the mistake as...