Fiction : Classics

In his journal, John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Adam Trask came to California from the East to farm and raise his family on the new, rich land. But the birth of his twins, Cal and Aron, brings his wife to the brink of madness, and Adam is left alone to raise his boys to manhood. One boy thrives, nurtured by the love of all those around him; the other grows up in loneliness, enveloped by a mysterious darkness. First published in 1952, East of Eden is the work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love’s absence. A masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a powerful and vastly ambitious novel that is at once a family saga and a modern retelling of the Book of Genesis. more...

Price: $18.00

This generous abridgment of Stanley Lombardo’s translation of the Odyssey offers more than half of the epic, including all of its best-known episodes and finest poetry, while providing concise summaries for omitted books and passages. more...

Price: $7.95

Formerly India's most corrupt tourist guide, Raju—just released from prison—seeks refuge in an abandoned temple. Mistaken for a holy man, he plays the part and succeeds so well that God himself intervenes to put Raju's newfound sanctity to the test. Narayan's most celebrated novel, The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor. more...

Price: $15.00

Since its publication in 1678, The Pilgrim's Progress has never been out of print. It is a Christian allegory of the journey from this world (the "City of Destruction") to the next/heaven (the "Celestial City"). A layman, Christian, undertakes the journey bearing the load of sin, and leaves his family behind when they refuse to accompany him. The work is considered one of the most significant in English literature. more...

Price: $4.95

Conrad reputedly wrote Under Western Eyes (1911) in response to Crime and Punishment , which he detested. The action takes place in Russia and Switzerland and shows Conrad's cynicism of revolutionary movements and ideals. It also condemns the impact on the poor and innocent by the actions of the powerful. more...

Price: $3.99