Classici

Taking place in the years leading up to the First Reform Bill of 1832, Middlemarch explores nearly every subject of concern to modern life: art, religion, science, politics, self, society, human relationships. Among her characters are some of the most remarkable portraits in English literature: Dorothea Brooke, the heroine, idealistic but naive; Rosamond Vincy, beautiful and egoistic: Edward Casaubon, the dry-as-dust scholar: Tertius Lydgate, the brilliant but morally-flawed physician: the passionate artist Will Ladislaw: and Fred Vincey and Mary Garth, childhood sweethearts whose charming courtship is one of the many humorous elements in the novel's rich comic vein.

Compiled by Charles Dickens, and including chapters by Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins and Adelaide Anne Procter, A House to Let is a composite tale of mystery and intrigue set amid the dark streets of Victorian London. Advised by her doctor to have a change of scenery, the elderly Sophonisba takes up lodgings in London. Immediately intrigued by a nearby “house to let,” she charges her two warring attendants, Trottle and Jarber, to unearth the secret behind its seeming desertedness. Rivals to the end, they each seek to outdo the other to satisfy their mistress’ curiosity; however, it is only after repeated false starts—and by way of elaborate tales of men lost at sea, circus performers, and forged death certificates—that they happen upon the truth. Charles Dickens is one of England’s most important literary figures. His works enjoyed enormous success in his day and are still among the most popular and widely read classics of all time.

Gilbert Markham is deeply intrigued by Helen Graham, a beautiful and secretive young woman who has moved into nearby Wildfell Hall with her young son. He is quick to offer Helen his friendship, but when her reclusive behaviour becomes the subject of local gossip and speculation, Gilbert begins to wonder whether his trust in her has been misplaced. It is only when she allows Gilbert to read her diary that the truth is revealed and the shocking details of the disastrous marriage she has left behind emerge. Told with great immediacy, combined with wit and irony, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a powerful depiction of a woman's fight for domestic independence and creative freedom.

Compiled by Charles Dickens, and counting Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins among its contributors,The Haunted House is an ingenious tale of the supernatural with touches of pure Dickensian comedy. When the narrator espies a deserted house from his railway carriage, he cannot resist the challenge of taking up residence in a place no one else will inhabit. Local legend has terrified the nearby villagers, and they, in turn, convince his servants to abandon ship. Undaunted, he and his sister invite a group of friends to join them. Having shared out the household tasks, the guests are then commissioned to rout out the supernatural from their respective rooms. On Twelfth Night they meet to share their ghostly tales. The result is a feast of lively and bizarre storytelling, uniting the finest in Victorian literary talent. "As a document of self-revelation, The Haunted House is of the utmost significance for anyone interested in exploring the genius of Charles Dickens." - Peter Ackroyd in the Foreword Tales included are: Mortals in the House by Charles Dickens Ghost in the Clock Room by Hesba Stretton Ghost in the Double Room by George Augustus Sala Ghost in the Picture Room by Adelaide Anne Procter Ghost in the Cupboard Room by Wilkie Collins Ghost in Master B.'s Room by Charles Dickens Ghost in the Garden Room by Elizabeth Gaskell Ghost in the Corner Room by Charles Dickens

Mrs. Lucas, Lucia to her intimates, resides in the village of Riseholme, a pretty Elizabethan village in Worcestershire, where she vigorously guards her status as "Queen" despite occasional attempts from her subjects to overthrow her. Lucia’s dear friend Georgie Pillson both worships Lucia and occasionally works to subvert her power.

Dieser Mann ist ein Gewinner. Deshalb vertreibt er sich, gerade achtzig geworden, die Zeit mit Preisausschreiben. Vor allem aber lebt er in seinen Erinnerungen. Schon in der Schule war seine Liebe zu den Frauen größer als die zur Mathematik. Er arbeitete in einer Reifenwerkstatt und als Fensterputzer, bis er eines Morgens die Papiere eines tödlich verunglückten Motorradfahrers fand. Da verwandelte sich der junge Kent Andersson aus Schweden in Dr. Kurth Wasser, den DDR-Flüchtling und approbierten Arzt. Der ist als Schlafforscher ebenso begabt wie als Womanizer. Irgendwo zwischen Hochstapler und Glückspilz erfindet er sich immer wieder neu – und steht uns dabei vielleicht näher als wir denken.

A DARK NIGHT'S WORK, a short fiction novel, was written by Elizabeth Gaskell in 1863.