Born into wealth and aristocracy, Edith Wharton (1862–1937) was a member as well as an observer of fashionable New York society. Aspirations to authorship consigned her to outsider status among the idle rich; nevertheless, she drew upon her privileged social position to create witty and psychologically insightful novels and short stories about people from all walks of life. This well-rounded introduction to Wharton's works features the complete text of her Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, The Age of Innocence, as well as her haunting novella, Ethan Frome. Several excerpts from her highly influential guide to interior design, The Decoration of Houses, offer samples of Wharton's nonfiction style. The collection also includes four short stories as well as several poems.

Primer of influential and innovative works features A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in its entirety, excerpts from Ulysses, the short story collection Dubliners, the play Exiles, and Chamber Music, an early book of poems.

Selections from the ever-popular English author's works include the complete text of two of her novels, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion, in addition to excerpts from her letters and Juvenilia.

Noted for his sympathetic portrayals of the downtrodden members of nineteenth-century Russian society, Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–1881) has exercised immense influence on modern writers. His fiction, rich in philosophical and psychological insights, anticipated the development of psychoanalysis and existentialism. This anthology offers an excellent introduction to Dostoyevsky as well as a portable collection for readers already acquainted with the Russian author's works. Three novellas appear here in their entirety: Poor Folk, The Double, and Notes from the Underground. An excerpt from Crime and Punishment provides a compelling sample of Dostoyevsky's masterwork, and short stories include "Another Man's Wife" and "White Nights."

"The Old Maid (The 'Fifties)" by Edith Wharton. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

Features The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, and The Invisible Man, as well as five famous short stories, including "The Stolen Bacillus," the first work dealing with bio-terrorism.

D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) created controversial works that explore the dehumanizing effects of modern life. But in his lifetime the novelist, poet, playwright, and essayist was regarded as little more than a pornographer. Today Lawrence is praised for his artistic vision as well as his integrity, and his books and other writings rank among the English literary canon. This anthology presents the complete text of Lawrence's masterpiece, Sons and Lovers. Additional features include an essay, "Psychoanalysis and the Unconscious," and the short stories "The Prussian Officer," "Odour of Chrysanthemums," and "England, My England." Additional selections include "Snake" and other poems.