The Stranger plunges into the detached existence of Meursault, an apathetic man who reacts indifferently to his mother's death and subsequently commits a seemingly random act of violence. Albert Camus's existential masterpiece explores themes of absurdity, societal judgment, and the search for meaning in a meaningless universe through Meursault's stark and unsettling narration.
A French philosopher, author, and journalist, a leading figure in absurdism and existentialism. His influential works, including The Stranger, The Myth of Sisyphus, and The Plague, explored themes of life's inherent meaninglessness, rebellion against injustice, and the search for happiness in an indifferent universe. Camus's profound philosophical inquiries and powerful narratives earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature.
by Willa Cather
Told through the eyes of Jim Burden, My Ántonia recounts the life of Ántonia Shimerda, a spirited immigrant girl on the Nebraska frontier. Through vivid landscapes and deep characterizations, Cather celebrates pioneer life, hard work, and memory. The novel is a nostalgic tribute to the resilience of early settlers and the bond between people and place, filled with poetic prose and quiet power.
by Leo Tolstoy
Acclaimed by many as the world's greatest novel, Anna Karenina provides a vast panorama of contemporary life in Russia and of humanity in general. In it Tolstoy uses his intense imaginative insight to create some of the most memorable characters in all of literature. Anna is a sophisticated woman who abandons her empty existence as the wife of Karenin and turns to Count Vronsky to fulfil her passionate nature - with tragic consequences. Levin is a reflection of Tolstoy himself, often expressing the author's own views and convictions.
by Virgil
This Latin epic tells the story of Aeneas, a Trojan hero fated to found Rome. Blending myth, history, and divine intervention, The Aeneid traces his perilous journey from the ruins of Troy to the Italian shores. Commissioned by Augustus, it serves as a foundational text for Roman identity and imperial destiny. With themes of duty, sacrifice, and legacy, Virgil’s poem echoes Homer while forging its own powerful path through literary history.
The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women. As time winds its way through their lives, the Ramsays face, alone and simultaneously, the greatest of human challenges and its greatest triumph—the human capacity for change.