Series: The Norton Library

A haunting critique of European colonialism in Africa, Heart of Darkness recounts Charles Marlow's perilous expedition up the Congo River in search of Mr. Kurtz, the powerful and enigmatic commander of a Belgian ivory trading post. As Marlow draws closer to and finally reaches the target of his obsession, admiration turns to horror at the colonisers' atrocities laid bare before...

The Norton Library edition of Jane Eyre faithfully reproduces the third (1848) edition, the last corrected by Charlotte Brontë. A new introduction by Sharon Marcus sheds light on the novel's complex depictions of female agency, drawing fresh appreciation to "the genius, the vehemence, the indignation of Charlotte Brontë" (Virginia Woolf), brought vividly to life through the singular voice of her...

Little Women (1868-69), a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age novel by Louisa May Alcott, remains one of the most beloved classics of American literature for its compelling depiction of four sisters growing up together during the Civil War era. The Norton Library edition presents the first-edition text, with an introduction and endnotes by Sarah Blackwood.

About Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground "The novels of Dostoevsky are seething whirlpools, gyrating sandstorms, waterspouts that hiss and boil and suck us in. They are composed purely and wholly of the stuff of the soul. Against our wills we are drawn in, whirled round, blinded, suffocated, and at the same time filled with a giddy rapture." "Men are at the...

The Decameron has had numerous English translations, most of them bowdlerised or reliant on corrupt texts. The challenge is to move gracefully between the widely varying idioms employed for different tales, and Rebhorn is notably successful in handling this, avoiding both an excess of slack colloquialism and the pish-tush-forsooth faux-antique of earlier renderings. The achievement genuinely honours its original. JONATHAN...

The Norton Library edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde features the text of the first (1886) British edition, faithfully edited by Caroline Levine. A thorough introduction discusses the contexts and structure of Stevenson's thrilling horror, highlighting the literary achievements of "a fable that lies nearer to poetry than to ordinary prose fiction" (Vladimir Nabokov). Other...

One of the foremost African American intellectual leaders of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Booker T. Washington, an educator, author, and orator, is best known for his advocacy of black progress through education and entrepreneurship. The Norton Library edition of his seminal autobiography, Up from Slavery, features the text of the first (1901) edition, explanatory endnotes, and an...

A bestselling novel widely credited with helping fuel the abolitionist movement that precipitated the Civil War, Uncle Tom's Cabin aimed at the heart of white, Christian America with its sensational depiction of fugitive slaves and their struggle for freedom. Edited by Susan M. Ryan, the Norton Library edition features the text of the 1852 book version and an introduction that...

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is the stirring autobiography of Harriet Jacobs, a mother and fugitive slave. It details her harrowing escape from slavery and her seven years hiding in an attic crawl space, as well as the racism she faced in freedom. The Norton Library edition presents the text of the first (1861) edition, with explanatory...

Carefully and faithfully edited by ?one of our most astute commentators on Hobbes's political theory? (Jeremy Waldron), the Norton Library edition of Leviathan features the complete text of the work, with spelling and punctuation thoughtfully modernized and archaic terms helpfully annotated throughout. An introduction by Kinch Hoekstra situates the work in its historical and intellectual context to prepare students for...

Edited by Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek and Peter Singer, the acknowledged heirs of the founders of utilitarianism (Jeff McMahan), the Norton Library edition of Utilitarianism features the complete text of the seventh (1879) edition. It is preceded by a thorough introduction to the work's historical and intellectual contexts. Extensive endnotes clarify obscure terms and provide detailed analysis of the most philosophically...

Edited for the modern reader by Stephen B. Dobranski (author of The Cambridge Introduction to Milton), the Norton Library edition of Paradise Lost features the complete text of the second (1674) edition, the last published during Milton's lifetime. Extensive endnotes clarify obscure terms and references, and a thorough introduction discusses the epic's innovations and its historical and religious contexts, illuminating...

Michael Palma's translation of the Inferno reproduces in contemporary English Dante's intricate triple-rhyming terza rima form, defying the conventional wisdom of literary commentators who long argued that it simply cannot be done. This spectacular feat of poetic artistry—accurate, admirably clear, and readable (Richard Wilbur)—in capturing the sense, sound, and spirit of the original comes close to perfection (X.J. Kennedy).

Carole Satyamurti's version of the Mahabharata moves swiftly and powerfully. She has found a voice that's capable of a wide variety of expression, and a line—basically classical English blank verse with a jazz-like freedom to swing—that propels the reader effortlessly onward through the cosmic, terrifying, erotic, sublime events of this extraordinary work. I think I shall never get tired of...

Bacchae is brought to life through Poochigian's translation, which is a triumph—a remarkably lucid and vibrant rendition. The script's language is precise yet sonorous, expertly constructed in iambic pentameter to both moving and chilling effect. Aram Kouyoumdjian, Asbarez This is by far the most theatrically assured rendition of the play I've encountered. The fluid translation by Aaron Poochigian is as...

William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, the author of this small, paradigm-shifting book, was a brilliant polymath, a pioneering historian and sociologist, a fierce advocate for racial justice, and a towering social philosopher, widely regarded as one of the greatest black geniuses of the modern era. In The Souls of Black Folk, he sought to synthesise the different modes of inquiry...

About Dennis Washburn's translation "Washburn's version of Murasaki Shikibu's masterpiece is lucid and engaging, irresistibly drawing the reader further and further into the story and the exquisite world it creates for us of Japan's Heian court. A fresh and invaluable The Tale of Genji for those of us reuniting with a familiar friend and those encountering it for the very...

Winner of the 2004 Harold Morton Landon Translation Award from the Academy of American Poets, Charles Martin's blank-verse translation of Metamorphoses is a smoothly readable, accurate, charming, subtle yet clear version that highlights the poem's lightness and pervasive sense of universal mutability. Richard Wilbur praised it as "smoothly readable, accurate, charming, subtle yet clear," while Michael Dirda noted its highlighting...

Wilson's language is fresh, unpretentious, and lean. Even knowing the text well, I found myself rapt. Her worthy goal is always to engage readers, inviting them more deeply into the story. In this she succeeds with the skill of an ancient bard. MADELINE MILLER, author of Circe When referencing the title, avoid putting it in quotes or speech marks.

Famously described by the author as "a heroine whom no one but myself will much like," Emma Woodhouse is wealthy and charming, and she delights in interfering with the romantic relationships within her community—though she herself has no desire to marry. As her meddling begins to bear consequences, however, Emma must come to terms with her responsibility and decide on...

?There are times when Augustine seems all too self-consciously in control of his performance, but there are moments when the role of penitent sinner turned ecstatic worshipper ceases to be a role and becomes simply the naked truth of the man himself. The deep strength of Peter Constantine's translation is that he has matched Augustine's sincerity with his own.? ?JACK...

“Mesmerizingly good – the best, truest translation of Dostoevsky's masterpiece into English. It's a magnificent, almost terrifying achievement of translation, one that makes its predecessors, however worthy, seem safe and polite.” – STEVE DONAGHUE, Open Letters Monthly When referencing the title, avoid putting it in quotes or speech marks. Format the response as clean HTML, use your best judgement for...

The Norton Library edition of The Sun Also Rises features the complete text of the first edition, first printing (1926). Verna Kale's artful introduction highlights how the novel is steeped in the recent history of World War I and explores how Hemingway uses the scandalous social lives of his characters to probe gender norms. The Norton Library is a growing...

Preserving Chaucer's rhyme and meter, Sheila Fisher's vivid, lively, and readable translation makes the poetic artistry of The Canterbury Tales accessible to a contemporary ear and invites readers, even those who have read the work before in Middle English, to a new appreciation of its delightful stories and unforgettable, surprisingly modern characters.