"Delving deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when outside forces disrupt their delicate balance of life." --

The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century and an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil's skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber's 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are the 1925 film depiction featuring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical.

From the author of The Way Things Work, whose books have won numerous awards and sold millions of copies-and delighted readers young and old alike-this is a lively, detailed, and lavishly illustrated account of the building of a cathedral, and the community around it, through many decades. Caldecott Medal winner David Macaulay's imaginary Cathedral of Chutreaux remains a touchstone for budding architects as well as those interested in medieval history....

A monster created by scientist Victor Frankenstein from parts of corpses and brought to life develops loathing for himself and hatred for his creator as he learns to think for himself.

Melmoth the Wanderer (1820) is a novel by Charles Maturin. Written toward the end of Maturin's life, Melmoth the Wanderer was the author's fifth and most successful novel. Inspired by the story of the Wandering Jew and the Faustian legend, the novel is a powerful Gothic romance divided into nested stories, each one delving deeper into the mystery of Melmoth's life. Often interpreted for its criticisms of 19th century Britain and the Catholic Church,...

New York Times–bestselling author Dorothy Eden brings Gilded Age New York and Victorian England to dazzling life in this romantic saga about an American heiress who defies society's expectations by refusing to live without love   The daughter of one of New York City's brash new millionaires and an impoverished socialite, Christabel Spencer inherited both her father's passionate nature and her mother's beauty and breeding. An American debutante...

"When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she's not only North Carolina's richest woman, she's also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family's estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate--along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish--pass...

"For history readers, travelers, and scholars alike, an indispensable behind-the-scenes guide to the great cathedrals of Paris from one of our leading scholars. Eminent French literature professor R. Howard Bloch has become renowned for his insider tours of Paris, given to college students abroad. Long sought after for his encyclopedic knowledge of French cathedrals, Bloch has at last decided to share his intimate knowledge with a wider audience....

The Damnation of Theron Ware (1896) is a novel by Harold Frederic. Inspired by his upbringing in Utica, New York, The Damnation of Theron Ware is a story of faith, community, and rural life from an underappreciated master of American realism. A bestseller in the year of its publication, the novel has earned praise for its criticism of cultural and religious hypocrisy in nineteenth century provincial life. "No such throng had ever before been seen...