Classics: 3204 books

It was all that Constantia and Josephine—the daughters of the late Colonel Pinner—could do to bury their father. Neither of them believed he wouldn’t be back to thump his stick on the floor and criticize them for their impertinence. Contemplating the sisters’ future a week after the...

A young Englishwoman embarks on a journey to the French front lines during the First World War in an effort to meet her lover, the “Little Corporal.” Written in a modernist style that combines and explores several narratives and perspectives, “An Indiscreet Journey” is an engaging portrayal...

Mr. Hammond is doing his best to be patient as he waits for the ship carrying his wife to dock—it has been ten months since his beloved Janey left for Europe, and he is eager to see her once again. But in his eagerness, Mr. Hammond is left to wonder what could have caused the ship to be delayed....

Mr. Neave has heard countless times that he, his wife, his daughters, and his son are the ideal family. However, now an old man, Neave reflects on those he shares his life with—their desires, their understanding of him, and their role as a family—and he finds the reality is quite different from...

Before Reggie returns to his fruit farm in Rhodesia, he must propose to the woman he loves. At Colonel Proctor’s, Anne greets him at the door and, during a lull in their conversation, suggests Reggie say goodbye to her doves, as well. Mrs. Dove, tittering, always walks in front, Anne points out,...

Miss Meadows, a singing teacher, bustles into school one day in bad temper. Upon encountering her colleagues and young students, she is cold, bitter, and reproachful. But what could have brought out this sudden irritation and resentment in Miss Meadows? HarperPerennial Classics brings great...

Fiercely dependent on her identity as a lady’s maid, a woman relates her experiences and ambitions, and the paths that her vocation has taken her down in this dramatic monologue. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards...

Mrs. Parker has had a hard life, even the neighbours say so. As a girl in Stratford-on-Avon, she had never heard of Shakespeare. In her first position in London, she wasn’t allowed out of the cellar except to pray with the family. After two years of being run off her feet in a doctor’s house,...

It is Sunday and Miss Brill is sitting on her special bench in the public gardens. She likes to watch the crowd and listen to their conversations, especially now that the Season has started and the band in its rotunda is making a greater effort. Week after week she sees the same faces. There is something...

William’s heart aches. The pleasure he finds in his work is only a temporary distraction from the pain of being separated from his family, especially his wife. Every Saturday he takes the train down to the new house, full of new servants and Isabel’s Bohemian friends. It’s true that they needed...

The streets are bustling with people—musicians, children, psychics, and salesmen—because a bank holiday means that everyone is out of the house, enjoying the day. In “Bank Holiday” author Katherine Mansfield examines the sights, sounds, and feelings of people out on a holiday in the summertime. HarperPerennial...

Fenella Crane struggles to keep up with her father and grandmother as they stride toward the Picton boat. Her neatly-rolled luggage is strapped to her back and she clutches her grandmother’s umbrella closely to her. Her father looks tired and sad, she thinks, and as the second whistle blows, he...

In this short story by Katherine Mansfield, an unidentified narrator is left in charge of Mrs. Raddick’s children while their mother keeps her friend, Mrs. MacEwen, company at the casino. At twelve, Hennie is delighted with everything the world has to offer—an English bulldog, a cup of chocolate,...

With their annual vacation coming to an end, the Burnells and the Trouts spend the day at the beach. While the children dig for treasures in the sand, the adults ponder the fleeting nature of life and the best way to live. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in...