King Lear is a prosperous but older man who plans to distribute his wealth among his three daughters in accordance to their declarations of love. Two shower him with compliments while the other is unable to participate in a false display of affection. King Lear decides to step down from the throne and gift his daughters with the spoils of his kingdom. As a test, the size of their inheritance will correlate with how well they flatter him. The two...

Written shortly after he became Biship of Hippo, "Confessions" highlights Augustine's childhood in Numidia and his riotous youth and early manhood in Carthage, Rome, and Milan. It also chronicles his continuing struggle with sin and his efforts to find satisfaction in Manichaenism and Neoplatonism. Particularly poignant are his mother's tireless efforts to rescue him from self-destruction and his dramatic conversion to the Christian faith at age 32....

Originally published over one hundred years ago, "Roughing It" tells the (almost) true story of Mark Twain's rollicking adventures across the United States. A hilarious account of how the author tried finding wealth in the rocks of Nevada, it was published before his most famous works and shows why he would grow to become one of the most beloved American writers of all time. The story follows many of Twain's early adventures, including a visit to...

The Palliser family comes to the forefront in a classic novel of politics and propriety from the series that inspired the BBC serial The Pallisers. With the Whigs and Tories at a standstill in attempts to form a working government, a compromise is finally reached, and the hardworking-and hardheaded-Plantagenet Palliser is installed as prime minister. But even as he gets used to the power and privilege of the high office, Palliser slowly and distressingly...

Hamlet, set in Denmark, tells the story of the titular prince and his supposed madness after his uncle Claudius kills his father, marries his mother, and takes the throne. Shakespeare's most popular and most performed play, Hamlet has spawned countless interpretations and continues to intrigue audiences with its timeless themes of revenge and moral corruption.

Presents a dramatization of one of William Shakespeare's most well-known comedies. Blending tragedy and comedy, it presents contrasts and ambiguities, the complexities of which lie in the character Shylock, its captivating villain. Is he a villain, a buffoon or tragic hero?