British Literature

The autobiography of two pagans, deeply in love, who come to Christ. One follows wholeheartedly, the other holds back. Moving, thought-provoking, beautiful.

Every poem brings several thought-provoking, unanswered questions. Use our answers a starting point for discussion, or as a help when stumped.

These stories show Holmes' successes, his mistakes, his biographer, and, finally, his nemesis.

As a critic says, the worlds of childhood, dreams, nonsense and logic meet in this delightful and unexpected story.

The first major English epic poem, translated by a Nobel-Prize winning poet.

Fifteen short stories by arguably the most influential writer of the 20th Century show snapshots of life in Dublin.

Clever Emma is clueless about matchmaking. She thwarts good relationships and tries to create romance where none could exist. Finally, to her chagrin, she realizes how little she knows.

The original Gothic horror story that started a genre. Frankenstein creates a monster that yearns for companionship. Universally spurned, the monster turns to crime. Thought-provoking.

The speaker tours hell and heaven and offers insight into man's sinful nature and God's grace. Challenging.

Do rebellions really start over something so trivial as which end of a hard-boiled egg to break? Author Jonathan Swift's satire lampoons his society. The "Gulliver's Travels" book is very witty.

There's something rotten in the state of Denmark. Prince Hamlet learns that the King murdered his father — but is revenge the answer? This "Shakespeare Made Easy: Hamlet" text combines the original Elizabethan text with facing-page translation to make teaching Hamlet simple. Gorgeous language, glorious plot.

In "The Important of Being Earnest" book by author Oscar Wilde, a bored lord invents a relative as a useful excuse for avoiding unpleasant social engagements.

William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" is about a plane crash strands schoolboys on a tropical island. Their attempt to self-govern reveals the awful depths of human depravity.

John Milton's "Paradise Lost" is the story of Adam and Eve: their creation, bliss, temptation, fall, and subsequent misery. Throughout, he alludes to the future redemption by the second Adam. A masterpiece.

One of the most lyric writers of the 20th Century, Forster highlights the cultural differences between British colonials and their Indian counterparts. Can an Indian and a Brit be friends? Haunting.

The original, unabridged story of the boy who never grew up... and the girl who tried to be his mother.

Linguist Henry Higgins teaches a guttersnipe to speak properly and passes her off on high society. Are people more than mere appearances? This play was the basis for the musical My Fair Lady

Two people are in love. Marriage doesn't seem far away. But when Bertie Wooster wishes to help, the expected happy ending proves ever more elusive. Hysterically funny.

A sailor kills an albatross and finds himself punished horribly as a result. Can there be forgiveness? A haunting epic ballad.

Powerful short stories about sailing and the sea. The title is about a captain who shields a stowaway, almost at the expense of his command, his boat, and his sanity. Masterful.

One of the earliest and finest accounts of King Arthur's court. Combination Middle English text and modern day translation. His honor challenged, Sir Gawain confronts his foe, and along the way overcomes temptations. Charming.

The French Revolution, also known as the best of times and the worst of times, are backdrops for Charles Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities." A vivid picture of class struggles shown through the lens of two families on two continents. Compelling.

Three friends decide to spend a week relaxing in a boat on the Thames. Forget the relaxation! The author's dry humor and insightful commentary — compared favorably to Mark Twain's! — will keep you in stitches. One of those books you don't want to put down.

The civilized Linton children meet the wild Catherine Earnshaw and her savage adopted brother Heathcliff. The families intermarry and passion, betrayal, hatred, and death follow. Intense.

Chaucer. A band of pilgrims tell stories as they travel. A delightful gallery of verbal portraits. A bit bawdy at times, yes, but so vivid, fresh, and interesting, it's astonishing to think that these stories have been read for over 600 years. A full hundred years before Columbus came to America, people were laughing at the Wife of Bath. Now you can join in the laughter.

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