DescriptionWhen Chadwick Newsome lingers too long in Paris, his mother, a wealthy New England widow, sends her fiance, Lambert Strether, to fetch him home. Newsome refuses, extending his stay, while Strether finds himself lured by the intrigue of Parisian life. Published in 1903, The Ambassadors is regarded as a masterpiece of American fiction for its exceptional structure, its moral significance, and its depiction of the contrasting New and Old World cultures. Henry James considered this his finest novel.
DescriptionSarah Orne Jewett's stories have been hailed as "nearly perfect" and "A White Heron" itself was described by a reviewer as "a tiny classic." Taking place in 19th-century New England, "A White Heron" showcases Jewett's eye for regional detail and subtle symbolism, as she writes about a lonely 9-year-old girl named Sylvia. One day, while walking her cow home, Sylvia meets an exotic man searching for birds for his collection. The man offers her 10 dollars if she can find the heron's nest, forcing young Sylvia to decide between helping her new friend or saving the rare bird. Beautifully interpreted by narrator Sandra Piechocki, this special collection also includes 6 more of Jewett's best-loved tales, "Miss Tempy's Watchers, " "An Autumn Holiday, " "William's Wedding, " "The Dulham Ladies, " "The Only Rose, " and "Miss Esther's Guest, " all of which confirm that human nature is truly timeless.
DescriptionWho hasn't dreamed of running away to a more exciting life? Toby Tyler is one boy who did just that, spending 10 weeks working for the circus as it toured New England in the 1870s. But was this great adventure everything he dreamed it would be? Toby Tyler or, Ten Weeks with a Circus is a classic story beloved by generation after generation of children. Author James Otis Kaler actually traveled with the Phineas T. Barnum Circus as a young reporter, and he used his firsthand knowledge to acquaint children with the behind-the-scenes details of what the circus is really like, while introducing the unforgettable character of Toby Tyler.
DescriptionWritten in the winter of 1849, The Scarlet Letter unfolds the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman branded as an adulteress in the harsh Puritan world of 17th-century New England. As Hester calls on her inner strength to transcend her shame, the scarlet letter ceases to be a stigma and finally becomes Hester's symbol of self-affirmation. This dramatic reading heightens the sense of lyric poetry that permeates every line of Nathaniel Hawthorne's great novel.
