Alma Books

One of the most celebrated novelists in the English language, George Orwell was also a prolific essay writer and literary reviewer, penning articles on such diverse subjects as the craft of writing, international politics and British cookery, and on such varied authors as Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling and P.G. Wodehouse. This volume collects all of Orwell's major essays, including 'Shooting an Elephant', 'Inside the Whale', 'Politics and the English Language', 'Why I Write' and 'Politics vs. Literature', as well as a comprehensive selection of shorter pieces on a variety of literary and political subjects. As a whole, this collection will provide useful insights into Orwell as a committed intellectual and serve as an indispensable companion to his fiction.

Alongside his celebrated Gothic horror story 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', this volume contains all of Robert Louis Stevenson's supernatural tales, showcasing both his mastery of the genre and his interest in the otherworldly and the weird ways the human brain can distort reality. Also included are 'The Body Snatcher', the chilling tale of an avenging ghost; 'Olalla', one of the great horror stories in the English language and possibly one of the best werewolf stories ever written, and 'The Waif Woman', in which Stevenson tries to recreate the style of an Icelandic saga and explore the destructive effects of greed. Contents: 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', 'Markheim', 'Thrawn Janet', 'Olalla', 'The Bottle Imp', 'The Isle of Voices', 'The Body Snatcher', 'The Waif Woman' ABOUT ALMA CLASSICS: Alma Classics is committed to making available a wide range of literature from around the globe. Most of the titles are enriched by an extensive critical apparatus, notes and extra reading material, as well as a selection of photographs. The texts are based on the most authoritative edition and edited using a fresh, accessible editorial approach. With an emphasis on production, editorial and typographical values, Alma Classics aspires to revitalize the whole experience of reading classics.

The only novel completed by the master of the short-story form, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym relates the rollicking adventures of a boy from Nantucket as he stows away on a whaling ship and experiences the hardships and dangers of life at sea - including a mutiny, violent storms and near-starvation - before voyaging to the farthest regions of the southern hemisphere. The result is a yarn as thrilling as any of Poe's horror stories. Alongside Pym's exploits, this collection includes many celebrated tales, such as 'The Cask of Amontillado', 'The Gold Bug' and 'Hop-Frog', as well as Poe's second, unfinished novel, The Journal of Julius Rodman, all of which bear witness to the narrative genius of one of America's greatest storytellers. Contents: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, Loss of Breath, Mystification, How to write a Blackwood Article, A Predicament, The Balloon Hoax, The Cask of Amontillado, The Gold Bug, Hop-Frog, The Journal of Julius Rodman

This collection contains all of Lear’s most celebrated verse and prose productions, from the 1846 volume of limericks, A Book of Nonsense, to his Nonsense Songs, which includes The Owl and the Pussy Cat, long considered one of the nation’s favourite poems, and lesser-known pieces composed in the same waywardly imaginative vein. Embodying his passion for nonsense, Lear’s limericks, stories, poems, alphabets and miscellaneous pieces, each accompanied by one of the author’s beguiling original illustrations, are fun, lyrical, lively and hilarious, and have enchanted children and adults since their first appearance in print. Alma Classics is committed to making available a wide range of literature from around the globe. Most of the titles are enriched by an extensive critical apparatus, notes and extra reading material, as well as a selection of photographs. The texts are based on the most authoritative edition and edited using a fresh, accessible editorial approach. With an emphasis on production, editorial and typographical values, Alma Classics aspires to revitalize the whole experience of reading classics.

In January 1936, the thirty-two-year-old George Orwell left his home in London and travelled to the industrial north of England with the intention of experiencing first-hand the conditions in which the working-class poor were compelled to live their lives. During his two-month expedition he visited Manchester, Wigan and Liverpool in the north-west, then Sheffield, Leeds and Barnsley in Yorkshire, recording his impressions as he went in a diary that would later form the basis of one of the most significant works of literary reportage ever written. Part sociological survey, part polemic about the potential benefits of socialism - as well as the failures and idiosyncrasies of many of its middle-class exponents - The Road to Wigan Pier represents a unique record of a country riven by class inequality and plagued by unemployment, inadequate housing, unsafe working conditions and other social ills, and provides an invaluable insight into the evolution of Orwell's political consciousness.

Old Arkhip sits every day by the roots of a wizened, hunchbacked willow, fishing and exchanging whispered stories with the ancient tree. One of these takes Arkhip three decades back in time, to a quiet day in early spring when a strange encounter shook him momentarily from the rural bliss in which he lived, catapulting him into a world of crime, corruption, violence and murder. A quintessential example of Chekhov’s artistry, ‘The Willow’ is here accompanied by thirty-two other short stories – some of them never or rarely translated into English – which are representative of the three main phases of the author’s career: the short, light-hearted pieces of the late 1880s, the darker, more pessimistic tales of his maturity and the psychologically nuanced stories he wrote towards the end of his life. Taken together, this collection is further proof of Chekhov’s unparalleled skills as a practitioner of the short-story genre.

As Mabel Waring takes off her cloak and steps into the drawing room of Clarissa Dalloway, she immediately realizes that something is not right: her pale-yellow silk dress, which she has had specially made for the occasion, is clearly old-fashioned, dowdy and out of place. Everyone seems to be looking at her in dismay or mocking her appearance. Crushed at once by her insecurity, Mabel is pervaded by a sense of self-loathing, and feels utter revulsion for the social world she has tried so hard to impress. Written in 1924 and perhaps intended for inclusion in Mrs Dalloway, a book Woolf was working on at the time, 'The New Dress' is here accompanied by most of the short stories she published in her lifetime and six other posthumously published narratives that share the milieu and some of the characters of her celebrated novel. Together, they reveal their author as one of the finest practitioners in the field of short fiction.

A new edition of The Peter Rabbit Stories, illustrated by Anna Currey. Contains 77 colour illustrations and a glossary for young readers. This collection brings together in a single volume the four books that feature the famous young rabbit with the blue jacket and a penchant for mischief and disobedience: The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies and The Tale of Mr Tod. From Peter’s early adventures in the kitchen garden of Mr McGregor to his late exploits in the rescue of his cousin Benjamin’s baby bunnies, these stories show why Beatrix Potter remains one of the most beloved children’s authors this country has ever produced. Alma Junior Classics series of illustrated classics includes some of the greatest books ever written for younger readers and new translations of unjustly neglected international works. Our aim is to give our list an international feel and offer young readers to opportunity to connect with other cultures and literatures – this applies not only to the titles we chose but also to the illustrators we commission – so that we can bring a bit of novelty into the canon of British children’s literature. All children’s classics contain extra material for young readers, including a profile of the author, a section on the book, a list of characters, a glossary and a test-yourself quiz.

When the immoral libertine Monsieur de Franval marries and fathers a daughter, he decides to inculcate in her a sense of absolute freedom, an unconventional education that involves the two becoming secret lovers. But Franval's virtuous, God-fearing wife becomes suspicious and confronts him, setting off a tragic chain of events. Part of Sade's The Crimes of Love cycle, this shocking tale – which was among the writings banned for publication until the twentieth century – tests the limits of morality and portrays the disastrous consequences of freedom and pleasure.

The pampered daughter of a wealthy Georgian plantation owner of Irish descent, sixteen-year-old Scarlett O’Hara soon realizes that young men can’t resist her charms, despite her forthright manners and her refusal to embrace her mother’s ladylike ways. Her romantic intrigues lead her to an early marriage, but when the war between the Union and the Southern States breaks out and she is left a young widow, Scarlett’s life is turned upside down, and she finds herself embroiled, together with the world surrounding her, in a long struggle for survival. Both a coming-of-age tale and a historical epic, Gone with the Wind is regarded as one of the great American novels, and is perhaps one of the most popular stories in the Western canon. Famously inspiring the iconic 1939 Oscar-winning film starring Vivien Leigh as Scarlett and Clark Gable as the rakish but cynical Rhett Butler, it is Margaret Mitchell’s only published novel, and a living testament to the irrepressible resilience of the American spirit. ABOUT THE SERIES: Alma Classics Evergreens is a series of popular classics. All the titles in the series are provided with an extensive critical apparatus and extra reading material, including a section of photographs and notes. The texts are based on the most authoritative edition (or collated from the most authoritative editions or manuscripts) and edited using a fresh, intelligent editorial approach. With an emphasis on the production, editorial and typographical values of a book, Alma Classics aspires to revitalize the whole experience of reading the classics.

Under the feckless husbandry of Mr Jones, the Manor Farm has fallen into disrepair. Pushed into hardship, the animals decide to stage a revolt, and, led by two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, they overthrow Mr Jones and drive him away from the farm. In the subsequent struggle for power, it is Napoleon who emerges as a victor: he renames the place "Animal Farm", gets rid of his enemies and, by the way he behaves - expecting to be glorifi ed above the others and turning the screw on his fellow beasts in order to keep them subjugated - begins to resemble more and more the former rulers of the farm, the hated humans. Written during the Second World War and published in 1945, this allegorical novel is a carefully constructed critique of the Russian Revolution and a sharp satire of the abuse of power. It remains unsurpassed both as a document of its time and as a testament to the versatility and creative genius of George Orwell. This new edition contains notes and extra material for students

Ravaged by years of war and civil conflict, Britain has changed its name to Airstrip One and become part of Oceania - one of the three totalitarian blocks dominating the world - ruled by a mysterious leader called Big Brother who keeps the population in thrall through strict surveillance and brutal police repression. In a society where the individual is suppressed and turned into an "unperson" for not conforming, and where not only personal thought, but also historical record and language itself are constantly being manipulated by the ruling regime, Ministry of Truth worker Winston Smith tries to make sense of the rebellious thoughts and passions that are stirring inside him, and finds himself impotent against the inexorable machine that surrounds him and threatens to crush him at any time. Arguably the greatest dystopian novel of all time and the most influential post-war work of fiction - which enriched the English language with words such as "Newspeak", "doublethink" and "thoughtcrime" - Nineteen Eighty-Four is a riveting read and a groundbreaking exploration of mass surveillance, censorship and mind control, which has a deep resonance with the world we live in.

For two and a half thousand years The Art of War has been the core text of military strategy and planning, providing leaders with enduring insights into tactics, psychology, discipline and the nature of power. Favoured by countless great generals and military tacticians throughout history, over the last century the book has found a new lease of life, inspiring business leaders, politicians and sporting figures, and offering a profound understanding of such diverse topics as managing others and outwitting competitors.

Having lived in the city of Orphalese for twelve years, the revered Prophet is about to board a ship taking him back to the isle of his birth. Before he departs, a group of people gather round and ask him to share his wisdom. Written as a collection of poetic essays, and detailing such diverse and sprawling topics as love, death, pleasure and prayer, The Prophet was an immediate success on its initial publication in 1923, and has since been translated into more than a hundred languages. This edition contains the original illustrations by the author himself ABOUT THE SERIES: Alma Evergreens is a series of popular classics. All the titles in the series are provided with an extensive critical apparatus, extra reading material including a section of photographs and notes. The texts are based on the most authoritative edition (or collated from the most authoritative editions or manuscripts) and edited using a fresh, intelligent editorial approach. With an emphasis on the production, editorial and typographical values of a book, Alma Classics aspires to revitalize the whole experience of reading the classics.

John Dolittle is a highly respected doctor in the village of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh, yet he loves animals so much that his house is soon full of them. With all his patients scared away, and the expense of feeding his menagerie mounting, a friend suggests that the Doctor become a vet instead. With the help of Polynesia the parrot, Doctor Dolittle swiftly learns the language of the animals so that he can talk to all of his new patients. However, when a message comes from Africa, telling of a terrible sickness among the monkeys there, the Doctor and his animal friends depart on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that they are never likely to forget. This new edition contains original illustrations and extra material for young readers including a glossary and a quiz-yourself section.

Dorian Gray is having his picture painted by Basil Hallward, who is charmed by his looks. But when Sir Henry Wotton visits and seduces Dorian into the worship of youthful beauty with an intoxicating speech, Dorian makes a wish he will live to regret: that all the marks of age will now be reflected in the portrait rather than on Dorian's own face. The stage is now set for a masterful tale about appearance, reality, art, life, truth, fiction and the burden of conscience. Oscar Wilde's only full-length novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a lasting gem of sophisticated wit and playfulness, which brings together all the best elements of his talent in a reinterpretation of the Faustian myth.