Класична зарубіжна проза

Pickman’s Model is a collection of horror stories by American writer Howard Lovecraft (1890–1937). In the story Pickman’s Model, the artist paints pictures of horrific images that are considered the fruit of his sick imagination. A friend of the artist comes to Pickman’s private secret gallery. The artist shows new painting, a huge image of a red-eyed creature that devours human victims. The friend finds a photograph that proves that Pickman painted the horrible monsters not from imagination, but he used real-life models.

Charming Lady Susan Vernon is a widow, who seduces both single and married men alike. As she has been left in a financially precarious state due to the death of her first husband, she uses flirting to gain her objectives and maintain a semblance of her former opulent lifestyle. As a widow and a mother, her main goals are to quickly marry off her daughter Frederica to a wealthy man, and to marry someone even richer.

South Sea Tales is a collection of short stories by the American classic writer Jack London (1876–1916).

The outstanding English writer, publicist and journalist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) wrote historical, adventure and fiction novels. But he entered world literature as the creator of the extraordinary detective Sherlock Holmes, for whom there are no hopeless cases.

The novel Glimpses of the Moon (1922) by American author Edith Wharton tells the romantic adventures of Nick Lansing and Susy Branch. They have agreed to get married and spend a year at the expense of their wealthy friends, spending their honeymoon in their mansions and villas. But if one of them meets a suitable match, they may end their marriage. This is a comedy of errors that will charm all fans of Wharton’s work.

The second volume of Scotland Yard Book by the English writer Edgar Wallace (1875-1932) offers the thriller novel Black, which was first published in 1926, and two short stories. Black is a mysterious story about a Londoner named James Morelake, who has many secrets and an interesting set of skills.

«Persuasion» is the last novel completed by the esteemed English writer Jane Austen (1775–1817). It was published at the end of 1817, six months after her death.

The Horror in the Museum is a collection of horror stories by the American writer H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937). George Rogers is the owner of a private waxen things museum in London. His friend Stephen Jones ridicules Rogers for telling wild stories about rituals and sacrifices to nameless ancient gods. Jones accepts Rogers’ offer to spend the night at the museum, where he falls victim to Rhan-Tegoth.

The War of the Worlds is a science fiction novel by the English writer H. G. Wells (1866-1946). This is one of the earliest novels detailing the conflict between humanity and an alien race. Aliens from Mars plan to invade Earth as their planet's resources are dwindling.

Anne of Ingleside is a novel by the Canadian writer Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874–1942), which is a continuation of the novel Anne’s House of Dreams. The children of the happy couple of Anne and Gilbert grow up, study, and find friends—and, they can always be comforted and encouraged by their parents. And, at the end of the novel, the couple is going to celebrate their fifteenth wedding anniversary, which is a nice occasion that calls for a “second honeymoon.”

The Man in the Queue is a detective novel by the British writer Josephine Tey. It was the first in her series of six novels featuring the Scotland Yard detective Inspector Grant.

The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath is a story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. In his dreams, Randolph Carter sees a majestic city, but he is unable to approach it. After the city appears in his dreams, he prays to the gods of dream to reveal the city’s whereabouts. But then the city vanishes from his dreams altogether. Carter resolves to beseech the gods in person at Kadath—on the mountain above which the gods of dream live. The priests in a temple that borders the Dreamlands tell Carter that nobody knows the location of Kadath, and warn him of great danger should he continue with his quest.

The Last Tycoon is an unfinished novel by the American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940).
Cecilia Brady, daughter of influential Hollywood producer Pat Brady, is in love with her father’s business partner, Monroe Stahr. But Cecilia’s father is increasingly dissatisfied with Stahr as a business partner and wants to get rid of him. Since he is unable to achieve his goal through blackmail, he does not hesitate to hire a professional killer. Stahr survives and also hires a killer to kill Brady...

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopia by George Orwell, written in 1948, published in 1949, and is relevant as never before. Today, in the era of the Internet, the social media are monitoring our every gesture, purchase, action, and comment online. They are constantly present in our lives and predict our every desire, our choices being carefully followed. Political organizations also play upon the feelings of network users. Big Brother is no longer a writer’s fiction, but the framework of the modern world.

In the novel Miss Billy—Married (1914) by American author Eleanor Porter, the heroine is hesitant about choosing a future husband. It is quite obvious who she loves, but William’s sister intervenes and almost ruins everyone’s lives because Billy did not listen to her advice.

Adam’s Diary is a humorous narration about the Book of Genesis. It begins with him meeting Eve who is described as an annoying creature, and who has a penchant for naming things, which Adam could do without. Eve’s Diary is a humorous short story by Mark Twain in the style of a personal journal kept by Eve, the first woman in the Biblical Creation accounts. The book uses original illustrations by Lester Ralph.

The Adventures of Gerard is a collection of stories Arthur Conan Doyle (1859—1930) about Brigadier Gerard, a soldier in the Napoleonic army.

"In the Midst of Life. Tales of Soldiers and Civilians" includes collected works by the American classic, journalist, author of sardonic and horrible stories, and American Civil War veteran Ambrose Bierce (1842—1913).

Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopia by George Orwell. The main character of the novel, Winston Smith, is a censor at the Ministry of Truth. All its employees and he are watched by Big Brother; everyone is spying upon everyone else; even at home, citizens are followed through special screens. Today, in the age of the Internet, the social media are monitoring our every gesture, purchase, action, and online comment. They are constantly present in our lives and anticipate our every desire, our choices being carefully monitored.

In the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), the dramatic story of Michael Henchard is described. The life path of Henchard—The Man of Character—was determined by fate at the moment of anger and a cruel joke in his youth. Despite the achievements of all subsequent years of life, a shameful act weighs on him and leads to an inevitable collapse.