The Turn of the Screw is Henry James's well-known, gripping psychological tale. The narrator, a governess for two children, sees the ghosts of the former governess and her lover and fears that they are attempting to corrupt the children. It is never made clear whether or not the ghosts are real, or if they are only in the narrator's imagination. ..

Young Jim Hawkins finds a map in the sea chest of a mysterious old man who dies in his mother's inn. Jim believes that the red "X" marks the location of buried pirate's treasure. Along with Squire Trelawney and Dr. Livesey, Jim boards the Hispañola to journey to the island treasure. Little do they know that among the vessel's crew is pirate Long John Silver, who intends to claim the treasure. ..

This title is from the Hayes Barton Press "Originals" series, a collection of classic fiction and nonfiction works from world literature published in the VitalBook format. Look for new titles soon, as we expand to include more works from both Western and Eastern cultures. Available exclusively from the VitalSource Store...

One of the classics of Chinese philosophy, The Tao Te Ching, translated as "The Classic of the Way", is the main text of Taoism attributed to Lao Tzu. In it, he asserts that only through simplicity and by maintaining balance with the world can one achieve happiness...

This essay, written in 1869 by John Stuart Mill, marks the beginning of liberal feminism. In it, Mill argues that women should have the same personal freedom as men, and that by making it so, all of society would benefit...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a classic short story by American writer Washington Irving. After Ichabod Crane moves to the town of Sleepy Hollow, he sets his mind to marrying Katrina von Tassel. However, he is eventually frightened away by his rival, Brom Bones, who masquerades as the Headless Horseman. ..

Prince Lev Nilolayevich Myshkin becomes involved in a rivalry for the hand of a beautiful woman. His rival, a dark and violent man, is the polar opposite of the prince, an innocent and trusting man. Typically, Dostoevsky delves into the complexity of human nature and its struggles in a complex society. ..

Two old men, fed up with the gods' continual meddling in human affairs, which has made life unendurable, petition the king of the birds for the creation of a utopian city. The plan involves the birds' providing their world as a buffer between the Olympian deities and the human world. The birds agree and frustrate the gods by preventing the smoke of sacrifices from reaching Olympus. Eventually, the gods are forced to abdicate sovereignty over the world to the birds...

This title is from the Hayes Barton Press "Originals" series, a collection of classic fiction and nonfiction works from world literature published in the VitalBook format. Look for new titles soon, as we expand to include more works from both Western and Eastern cultures. Available exclusively from the VitalSource Store...

Guy de Maupassant is considered by many to be one of the pioneers of the modern short story, producing hundreds of short stories. Included in this collection are some of his most well-known works, including Boule de Suif, Clair de Lune, Useless Beauty, and Moonlight...

During the French Revolution, many members of the upper class fell victim to the Guillotine. The Scarlet Pimpernel takes place during this terrifying and exciting period. Percy and Marguerite Blakeney, prominent members of British society, become embroiled in a political intrigue when they are linked with the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, a group of Englishmen who rescue the innocent from the hands of the revolutionaries. With this story, Baroness Orczy pioneered the character of the master of disguise...

McSpadden's children's book is a sentimental rendering of the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood. Stories about Robin and his band have been told for generations in ballads, poems, plays, and novels. He is the charming robber who lived in the woods with his band, robbing the rich, protecting women and the poor, and thumbing his nose at law-enforcement and the aristocracy. ..

This title is from the Hayes Barton Press "Originals" series, a collection of classic fiction and nonfiction works from world literature published in the VitalBook format. Look for new titles soon, as we expand to include more works from both Western and Eastern cultures. Available exclusively from the VitalSource Store...

Aristotle presents his theory of aesthetics, the origins and development of tragedy and comedy, and the rules of epic poetry in this treatise. The Poetics is one of the most influential works on poetry ever written. ..

This title is from the Hayes Barton Press "Originals" series, a collection of classic fiction and nonfiction works from world literature published in the VitalBook format. Look for new titles soon, as we expand to include more works from both Western and Eastern cultures. Available exclusively from the VitalSource Store...

The classic novel for children written by Italian author Carlo Collodi is about a wooden puppet carved by the poor woodcarver Gepetto, who wishes the puppet were a real boy. The Blue Fairy grants Gepetto's wish by animating the puppet and setting the task before Pinocchio to discovery bravery, truth, and unselfishness in order to become human. Pinocchio runs into trouble with assorted unsavory characters who exploit his naivete. And yet it is through lessons learned through these misadventures that he ultimately realizes his humanity. ..