A woman takes a holiday in the Austrian mountains, spending a few days with her cousin and his wife in their hunting lodge. When the couple fails to return from a walk, the woman sets off to look for them. But her journey reaches a sinister and inexplicable dead end. She discovers only a transparent wall behind which there seems to be no life. Trapped alone behind the mysterious wall she begins…
In 1914 a room full of German schoolboys, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their schoolmaster to troop off to the ‘glorious war’. With the fire and patriotism of youth they sign up. What follows is the moving story of a young ‘unknown soldier’ experiencing the horror and disillusionment of life in the trenches.
Don Quixote has become so entranced reading tales of chivalry that he decides to turn knight errant himself. In the company of his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, these exploits blossom in all sorts of wonderful ways. While Quixote's fancy often leads him astray--he tilts at windmills, imagining them to be giants--Sancho acquires cunning and a certain sagacity. Sane madman and wise fool, they ro…
Both the experienced detective, Mr Lestrade, and consulting expert, Mr Sherlock Holmes, have concluded that this horrible series of events is the work of a MADMAN, not a common criminal. No other explanation makes sense. Someone is smashing statues of Napoleon and the police have no idea why. Luckily, Holmes and Watson are on hand to help. Little do they know that these few small crimes will…
Just arrived in Paris and looking for adventure, D'Artagnan finds more than he bargains for. Within hours he has offended three of the King's musketeers - and has to duel with all of them! Within days he's in love...and embroiled with spies, politicians, English noblemen, and being seduced by the most beautiful - and deadly - woman in France: Milady de Winter! Filled with intrigue, mystery, pas…
The heroine of Tolstoy's epic of love and self-destruction, Anna Karenina has beauty, wealth, popularity and an adored son, but feels that her life is empty until she encounters the impetuous officer Count Vronsky. Their subsequent affair scandalizes society and family alike, and brings jealousy and bitterness in its wake. Contrasting with this is the vividly observed story of Levin, a man stri…
While travelling from Switzerland to Australia, William, Elizabeth and their four sons, Fritz, Ernest, Jack and Franz, are caught in a terrible storm. Shipwrecked on a desert island, they are left to fend for themselves, equipped with supplies salvaged from the wreckage and surrounded by an array of animals. Every day brings new challenges to overcome, and the family must use their wits to s…
from the back cover: When Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley leave school, their feet are set on very different paths. Kind, foolish Amelia returns to her comfortable home and wealthy family, to await a suitable marriage, while Becky must look out for herself, earning her own living in a hard world. But Becky is neither kind nor foolish, and with her quick brain and keen eye for a chance, her fortu…