# data[].attributes.description
Mentor and guide to the Lost Generation of expatriate American writers, including Hemingway and Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein (18741946) is perhaps better known for her Parisian salon than her literary works. Yet her innovative approach to writing and her originality of thought make the impact of her books on contemporary literature enormous.Tender Buttons, published in 1914, is vintage Stein. She pushes abstraction to its farthest limits by experimenting with words purely as words in a style more akin to painting than literature. Interested in their melody and color, Stein favors verbs and prepositions in unusual combinations and attempts to avoid using nouns. According to Sherwood Anderson, Tender Buttons "gives words an oddly new intimate flavor and at the same time makes familiar words seem almost like strangers ... For me the work of Gertrude Stein consists in a rebuilding, an entire new recasting of life, in the city of words."Often compared with music and Cubist imagery, the exhilarating prose and thought-provoking experimental techniques of Tender Buttons offer readers a rewarding sojourn through one of Stein's most influential works.

# data[].attributes.description
Kama means desire, love, and lust; sutra means teachings and "verses." The Kama Sutra, then, is the book of love, teaching the best methods of cultivating sensual pleasure, sexual desire, and loving union. A classic of world literature for 1,700 years, this is the most explicit and fascinating book ever written for lovers.This immortal work also serves as a window into Indian culture and mysticism. Its unique approach combining meditations on politics and social customs with counsel on love and intimacy  features frank, direct advice on bodily pleasures, from aphrodisiacs and kissing to orgasm-delaying techniques. This edition is the renowned translation by the great 19th-century explorer and writer Richard Burton. Its crisp style sets a new standard for Sanskrit translation, and its unblushing faithfulness to the original text sparked controversy in certain corners of the Victorian world. A wellspring of erotic knowledge, it remains an inspiration to readers of every era.

# data[].attributes.description
Written in 1861 and published eight years later, this influential essay by the great English philosopher and economist is still relevant and its arguments significant. Believing that the subjugation of women was primarily political and psychological in origin, Mill urged the establishment of "complete equality in all legal, political, social, and domestic relations between men and women."Arguing for both legal reforms and a social revolution, he focuses on women's exclusion from the political process, their lack of any rights in marriage, and the benefits to be obtained by their liberation. Moreover, if they are to share the freedoms enjoyed by men, equal opportunities for employment and education for women are also necessary.For its time, the work was radical and far-reaching in its demands; but despite its repeated emphasis on forms of oppression and recognition of the difficulties endured by women, it is essentially an optimistic work maintaining a firm belief that increased equality and liberty for women were inevitable.Carefully researched and clearly expressed with great logic and consistency, the book remains a landmark in the struggle for human rights. In this inexpensive edition, it will certainly be welcomed by feminists but will also appeal to anyone interested in the philosophical, human, and social issues underlying the idea of freedom and equality for all people, regardless of gender.

# data[].attributes.description
"In America, black is a country," declared Amiri Baraka, who insisted that the lives and destinies of the nation's white and black citizens are inseparably intertwined. His statement, like many others in this compilation of quotations, reflects the black experience in America and touches upon the role of racial identity. Other citations voice a broader perspective, including Maya Angelou's remark, "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."This original collection of quotations cites approximately 100 well-known African-Americans from all walks of life. Twentieth-century notables include Louis Armstrong, Muhammad Ali, Julian Bond, and Ralph Ellison, in addition to earlier figures such as George Washington Carver and Frederick Douglass. Sources include poetry and works of fiction as well as song lyrics. Arranged alphabetically by author, the quotations cover a wide variety of subjects. Brief captions identify the quoted individuals and the achievements for which they are best known.

# data[].attributes.name
The Epistles of Paul and Acts of the Apostles

# data[].attributes.description
Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus, bent on destroying the city's Christian community, when a blinding flash of light stopped him in his tracks. Forever changed, the former persecutor of Christians adopted the name Paul and became one of the faith's most famous and active converts. Paul's living example, showing that no sinner is beyond redemption, added a powerful weight to his missionary work. The apostle's letters to churches that he established or visited constitute a substantial part of the New Testament. This volume features a selection of books from the King James edition of the Bible featuring Paul's own words, and a view of his life and ministry.Martin Luther described Paul's Epistles to the Romans  or Romans  as the "most important piece in the New Testament" and "well worth a Christian's while, not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul." Acts of the Apostles  or Acts  discusses Jesus' resurrection and ascension and the ministry of the original Twelve Apostles, in addition to Paul's conversion and the extension of Christianity through him to the "remotest part of the earth."

# data[].attributes.description
The President's inaugural address reflects the current state of the nation and offers insights into the coming administration. This collection features the voices of twenty Chief Executives, from George Washington's 1789 oration to the 2009 speech by Barack Obama. Highlights include John F. Kennedy's exhortation to "Ask not what your country can do for you," Franklin D. Roosevelt's assertion that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," and Abraham Lincoln's wartime vision of "a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."An ideal resource for students of political science and American history, this compendium of stirring speeches will inspire readers of every political persuasion.

# data[].attributes.description
There's a corpse in the bathtub, wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez spectacles. Enter Lord Peter Wimsey, the original gentleman sleuth. Urged to investigate by his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, Lord Peter quickly ascertains that the sudden disappearance of a well-known financier is in some way connected to the body in the bathroom. But discovering exactly which way they're related leads the amateur detective on a merry chase. Written by a master of the detective story, this atmospheric tale abounds in the cozy delights of an English murder mystery. Dorothy L. Sayers ranks with Agatha Christie as a defining author of the genre. A novelist, essayist, and medieval scholar, Sayers was among the first women to receive an Oxford degree, and her translations of Dante remain in wide circulation. This novel marks the debut of her most popular creation, Lord Peter Wimsey, whose continuing adventures unfold amid the lively world of upper-crust British society in the 1920s.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
The Emperor Jones, Anna Christie and The Hairy Ape

# data[].attributes.description
Winner of the Nobel Prize for literature and four Pulitzer prizes, Eugene O'Neill is generally acknowledged as America's greatest playwright. This volume includes three of the writers early, influential works:The Emperor Jones presents a forceful powerful psychological portrayal of brute power, fear, and madness as it traces events in the life of the self-proclaimed ruler of a West Indian island, who attempts to flee both his angry countrymen and personal demons.The Hairy Ape combines elements of class struggle and surreal tragedy as it explores the dehumanization of a crew member on a transatlantic liner.Anna Christie displays O'Neill's skills of character development as he focuses on the relationship of a sailor and his long-lost daughter, who reveals an unsavory secret about her past.Essential reading for students of theater and literature, this collection will appeal to anyone interested in the seminal work of a writer who became one of the most vital forces in the American theater.

# data[].attributes.description
This anthology comprises some of history's most hateful public addresses, consisting of speeches invoking racism, genocide, anti-Semitism, terrorism, and other extreme views. Selections range from an oration by Robespierre during the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution to Osama bin Laden's threats related to the terrorist actions of  9/11.Additional speeches include Andrew Jackson's Seventh Annual Message to Congress in 1835, promoting the Indian Removal Act; Jefferson Davis' 1861 announcement of Southern secession; and Joseph R. McCarthy's "Wheeling" speech of 1950, in which the senator claimed knowledge of Communist loyalists within the U. S. government. Other speakers include Hitler, Mussolini, Mao Tse-Tung, and Stalin. Each speech features a brief introduction that places it in historical context.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

# data[].attributes.description
"Question with boldness even the existence of a god," Thomas Jefferson asserted, "because if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear." America's third president regarded Jesus as a moral guide rather than a divinity, and in The Jefferson Bible, he highlights Christ's ethical teachings from the Gospels. Discarding the scriptures' supernatural elements and dogma, this volume reflects the deist view of religion, focusing on Jesus' message of absolute love and service.Jefferson undertook his self-appointed task in 1794, consulting not only the King James Bible but also Greek, French, and Latin versions. He selected verses from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and arranged them in chronological order to form a single narrative. Although Jefferson shared his interpretation with friends and family, he declined to publish it, in keeping with his conviction that religion is a private matterand also to avoid providing his political enemies with ammunition. Not until the turn of the twentieth century did the book appear in print, when it became a tradition to present it to new members of Congress. Unique and influential, this volume reflects not only the thinking of one of the nation's most brilliant statesmen, but also the ideology of the Enlightenment era.

# data[].attributes.description
What would Christmas be without such charming and heartwarming poems as "A Visit from St. Nicholas"? That famous poem, also known as "The Night Before Christmas," is only one of the many sparkling highlights of this festive collection, a rich and varied compilation of yuletide verse that will enchant readers of all ages.These poems range from serious seasonal reflections by Martin Luther ("From Heaven Above to Earth I Come") and John Milton ("On the Morning of Christ's Nativity") to flights of fancy such as Lewis Carroll's "Christmas Greeting from a Fairy to a Child" and Kenneth Grahame's "Carol of the Field Mice" from The Wind in the Willows. Other contributors include Christina Rossetti, Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Emily Dickinson, Thomas Hardy, John Donne, Ben Jonson, and Sir Walter Scott. Twenty-five timeless black-and-white etchings, engravings, and drawings enhance this treasury of verse.

# data[].attributes.description
Widely known in America as author of The Prophet, which sold more copies in the 20th century than any other book but the Bible, the great Lebanese-American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran (18831931) first became known to Americans in 1918 with the publication of The Madman.Thought-provoking and inspiring, the book is a collection of memorable, life-affirming parables and poems, many of them casting an ironic light on the beliefs, aspirations, and vanities of humankind  and many reminiscent of the work of Tagore and Nietzsche, both of whom were strong influences on Gibran.Among the 35 poems and parables in this volume are "How I Became a Madman," "The Two Hermits," "The Wise Dog," "The Good God and the Evil God," "Night and the Madman," "The Three Ants," "When My Sorrow Was Born," "And When My Joy Was Born," and many more.The book includes several illustrations by the author, whose exquisite drawings are reminiscent of Rodin and the best of Blake. ". . . the greatest of Arab Romantics and father of a 20th-century Romantic tradition whose impact on Arab writers has been at least as strong as that of 19th-century figures such as Wordsworth and Keats on their English-speaking counterparts."  Dr. Suheil Bushrui, Director of the Kahlil Gibran Chair on Values and Peace, University of Maryland

# data[].attributes.name
The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims

# data[].attributes.description
"Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God."  Brother LawrenceThis simply written little book about prayer and Christian life conveys a humble man's thoughts on the importance of experiencing God's love. A seventeenth-century French Carmelite, Brother Lawrence spent much of his time in the kitchen of a Paris monastery. Of this experience, he said: "The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen ... I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."A collection of Lawrence's messages given to those who lived around him, this book contains The Practice of the Presence of God and The Spiritual Maxims. Both have much to say to modern man about living a spiritual life in a busy world. More widely read today than ever, these two classics  each an easily accessible primer of practical Christian devotion  comprise a particularly good selection with which to begin spiritual studies.

# data[].attributes.description
From high school drama students to community theater actors, performers everywhere are looking for inexpensive material to entertain audiences. This collection of a dozen royalty-free, one-act plays provides the perfect solution. Classic dramas include Aristophanes' The Birds, J. M. Synge's Riders to the Sea, and Eugene O'Neill's The Moon of the Caribbees. Other works include August Strindberg's The Stronger, Susan Glaspell's Trifles, Louise Saunders' The Knave of Hearts, and Oscar Wilde's A Florentine Tragedy, in addition to plays by Moliere, Anton Chekhov, William Butler Yeats, James M. Barrie, and Edna St. Vincent Millay.

# data[].attributes.name
Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals

# data[].attributes.description
What is morally permissible, and what is morally obligatory? These questions form the core of a vast amount of philosophical reasoning. In his Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, Immanuel Kant developed a basis for the answers.In this landmark work, the German philosopher asks what sort of maxim might function as a guide to appropriate action under a given set of circumstances. By universalizing such a maxim, would morally permissible behavior not become clear? Suppose that everyone were to behave in accordance with this maxim. If everyone followed the maxim in the same way without harm to civilized culture, then the behavior would be morally permissible. But what if no one followed the maxim? Would civilization thereby be at risk? In such a case, the behavior would be morally obligatory.Kant's test, known as the Categorical Imperative, is a logical proof of the Golden Rule and the centerpiece of this work. It constitutes his best-known contribution to ethical discussion, and a familiarity with his reasoning in this book is essential to students of philosophy, religion, and history.

# data[].attributes.description
When it first opened in Paris in late 1896, Ubu Roi immediately outraged audiences with its scatological references and surrealist style. Spectators rioted during the premiere (and final) performance and unrelenting controversy over the play's meaning followed. The quality and stunning impact of the work, however, was never questioned.Early drafts of the play were written by Jarry in his teens to ridicule one of his teachers. The farce was done in the form of stylized burlesque, satirizing the tendency of the successful bourgeois to abuse his authority and become irresponsibly complacent. Ubu  the cruel, gluttonous, and grotesque main character (the author's metaphor for modern man)  anticipated characteristics of the Dada movement. In the 1920s, Dadaists and Surrealists championed the play, recognizing Ubu Roi as the first absurdist drama.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
Agamemnon, The Libation-Bearers and The Furies

# data[].attributes.description
Perhaps the greatest of the Greek tragedians, Aeschylus wrote 90 plays, but only seven have survived complete. Among them is this classic trilogy dealing with the bloody history of the House of Atreus.In Agamemnon, the warrior who defeated Troy returns to Argos and is murdered by his wife Clytemnestra for sacrificing their daughter Iphigenia before the start of the Trojan War. In The Libation-Bearers, Orestes, Agamemnons son, avenges his father by murdering his mother. In The Furies, Orestes flees to Delphi, pursued by the divine avengers (Erinyes) of his mother. After being purified by Apollo, he makes his way to Athens and is there tried (and acquitted) at the court of Areopagus.Written in a grand style, rich in diction and dramatic dialogue, the plays embody Aeschylus concerns with the destiny and fate of individuals as well as the state, all played out under the watchful eye of the gods. Still powerful and provocative after 2,500 years, these great tragedies offer unparalleled insight into the world of ancient Greece and the origins of the Western dramatic tradition.

# data[].attributes.description
Encompassing a broad range of subjects, styles, and moods, English poetry of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries is generally classified under the term "Romantic," suggesting an emphasis on imagination and individual experience, as well as a preoccupation with such theme as nature, death, and the supernatural.This volume contains a rich selection of poems by England's six greatest poets: William Blake (24 poems, including "The Tyger" and "Auguries of Innocence"), William Wordsworth (27 poems, including "Ode: Intimations of Immortality" and "I wandered lonely as a cloud"), Samuel Taylor Coleridge (10 poems, including "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and "Kubla Khan"), Lord Byron (16 poems, including "The Prisoner of Chillon" and selections from Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage), Percy Bysshe Shelley (24 poems, including "Ode to the West Wind" and "Adonis"), John Keats (22 poems, including all the great odes, "Isabella," and "The Eve of St. Agnes").For this edition, Stanley Appelbaum has provided a concise Introduction to the Romantic period and brief commentaries on the poets represented. The result is a carefully selected anthology that will be welcomed by lovers of poetry, students, and teachers alike.

# data[].attributes.subtitle
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Richard III

# data[].attributes.description
Comedy, tragedy, and history  this anthology presents a trio of Shakespeare's most frequently studied and performed works. Each represents one of the playwright's primary genres, and together they run the gamut of the Elizabethan theater experience, from lighthearted romance to star-crossed passion to ruthless ambition: A Midsummer Night's Dream, a celebration of the imaginative powers of love, replete with mischievous fairies, mistaken identities, and magical transformationsRomeo and Juliet, a gripping drama in which young love is thwarted by a bitter feud and a tragic twist of fateRichard III, a portrait of a cunning and ambitious villain who seduces, betrays, and murders his way to the throneAll plays are complete and unabridged and feature informative footnotes.

# data[].attributes.description
Despite having written War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy, at the age of 51, looked back on his life and considered it a meaningless, regrettable failure. A Confession provides insight into the great Russian writer's movement from the pursuit of aesthetic ideals toward matters of religious and philosophical consequence.Authentic and genuinely moving, this memoir of midlife spiritual crisis was first distributed in 1872 and marked a turning point in the author's career as a writer: in subsequent years, Tolstoy would write almost exclusively about religious life, especially devotion among the peasantry.Generations of readers have been inspired by this heartfelt reexamination of Christian orthodoxy and subsequent spiritual awakening. Ranked among the best books on the subject, this timeless work is for anyone who has ever worried about the fleeting nature of life and speculated about the value of existence.