Collins Classics – serie

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. The animals at Manor Farm have had enough of Farmer Jones – he’s drunk, reckless and cares little for their welfare. When the boar, Old Major, shares his revolutionary plans, the animals are convinced they can thrive on their own once the despot Jones is removed. But as the pigs vie for power, they begin to bear an uncanny resemblance to the tyrants they have overthrown …George Orwell’s renowned fable and satirical portrait of politics became an instant success upon its publication after the Second World War. The novel has continued to captivate readers of all ages, and has secured Orwell’s position as one of the great writers of the twentieth century.

One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'. HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. Big Brother is Watching You Winston Smith rewrites history. It’s his job. Hidden away in the Records Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, he helps the Party and the omnipresent Big Brother control the people of Oceania. But the notebook he’s begun to write in is against the rules – in fact, the Thought Police could arrest him simply for having it. Despite the danger, a seed of rebellion has begun to grow in Winston’s heart – one that could have devastating consequences.In George Orwell’s final novel, he explores a dystopian future in which a totalitarian government controls the actions, thoughts and even emotions of its citizens. Its lasting popularity is testament to Orwell’s powerful prose, and is a passionate warning for today.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. Tranquility is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind The extraordinary writings of Marcus Aurelius (CE 121-180), the only Roman emperor to have also been a Stoic philosopher, have for centuries been praised for their wisdom, insight and guidance by leaders and great thinkers alike. Never intended for publication, Meditations are the personal notes of a warrior-king studying his unique position of power, surrounded by loss and human fragility.Boldly confronting many of our greatest questions, Meditations wrestles with the complexities of human nature, rationality and moral virtue. This timeless and significant text will provide both inspiration and comfort to the twenty-first-century reader.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Since its publication in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has stood the test of time as the definitive guide to effective communication and relationship building. In this edition, based on the original text, global bestselling author Dale Carnegie shares invaluable, easy-to-apply principles that empower you to connect with others, navigate social dynamics and make a lasting impact. Whether you’re looking to enhance your personal relationships or advance your career, this timeless classic offers the tools you need to thrive.Learn how to: Persuade others to embrace your point of view.Form friendships quickly and effortlessly.Break free from a mental rut.Increase your earning power.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. 'Do you understand, sir, do you understand what it means when you have absolutely nowhere to turn?' Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov – an impoverished student drop-out and amateur philosopher – callously murders a pawnbroker in the slums of St Petersburg. Pursued by the law and his own ravaged conscience, Dostoyevsky’s iconic anti-hero spirals into crisis as the noose tightens, and everything he thought he knew about morality and sin is corrupted by his hideous act of violence.In this psychological masterpiece of good and evil, Dostoyevsky questions what murder does to the soul and whether redemption is possible. One of the great works of world literature, Crime and Punishment is an epic of human nature, guilt and salvation.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey work of the stars…First published in 1855, and edited, revised and expanded over thirty years, ‘Leaves of Grass’ has become one of the most celebrated poetry collections in the history of American literature. A master of free verse, Walt Whitman captures the true spirit of his homeland and its people through his poetry. He explores a wide range of themes, encompassing American identity and cultural values, democracy, nature and the mysteries of the human spirit.Featuring the poems of the original 1855 edition, ‘Leaves of Grass’ remains an influential work within the American literary tradition, studied and treasured around the world.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘The reaches opened before us and closed behind, as if the forest had stepped leisurely across the water to bar the way for our return. We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness.’At the peak of European Imperialism, steamboat captain Charles Marlow travels deep into the African Congo on his way to relieve the elusive Mr Kurtz, an ivory trader renowned for his fearsome reputation. On his journey into the unknown Marlow takes a terrifying trip into his own subconscious, overwhelmed by his menacing, perilous and horrifying surroundings.The landscape and the people he meets force him to reflect on human nature and society, and in turn Conrad writes revealingly about the dangers of imperialism.

One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'. HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Elizabeth Bennet, full of vivacity and wit, lives a quiet country existence with her four sisters. To the delight of their mother, determined to find her daughters suitable matches, the eligible Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley arrive in the neighbourhood, bringing with them dancing, wealth – and opportunity. Unimpressed at first by Darcy’s haughty air, Elizabeth vows to have nothing to do with him. But as she makes her own errors of judgement, the pair begin to understand each other and come to realise that first impressions are not always as they seem.Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen’s much-loved tale of marriage and society in Georgian England, continues to delight modern readers with its social comedy, well-drawn characters and subtle nuances.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for. Meg longs for marriage; Amy wants to be a painter; Beth is content to stay at home; Jo wants adventure and a life without limits. Four decidedly different sisters, growing up during the American Civil War, each face their own unique challenge. Little Women tells the story of the March sisters. Through parties, travel, illness, arguments, dinners, love affairs and ice-skating escapades, we follow these unforgettable women as they come of age.First published over 150 years ago, Little Women is a quintessential American classic that has become a stage and screen favourite ever since, capturing the hearts of millions of readers across the world.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. ‘There are things in that wallpaper that nobody knows about but me, or ever will’ Hailed as one of the most distinctive and compelling literary voices of her era, Charlotte Perkins Gilman is praised today for her ground-breaking, feminist writing. Collected here, both The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland are extraordinary for scrutinising the patriarchal norms of turn-of-the-century America.In The Yellow Wallpaper a woman frantically paces the empty nursery at the top of a secluded mansion. Her husband John, a physician, is of no comfort and she can’t bear to sit with the new baby as his crying makes her much too nervous. And then there’s the putrid, yellow wallpaper which seems to shift and creep around the room before her very eyes…Herland, first published in 1915, follows a group of three men as they arrive in a female-only society. Peace and tranquillity thrive in this utopian land, forcing the explorers to question how their own corrupted, male-dominated world can survive.

One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'. HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘The flower bloomed and faded. The sun rose and sank. The lover loved and went. And what the poets said in rhyme, the young translated into practice.’Written for her lover Vita Sackville-West, ‘Orlando’ is Woolf’s playfully subversive take on a biography, here tracing the fantastical life of Orlando. As the novel spans centuries and continents, gender and identity, we follow Orlando’s adventures in love – from being a lord in the Elizabethan court to a lady in 1920s London.First published in 1928, this tale of unrivalled imagination and wit quickly became the most famous work of women’s fiction. Sexuality, destiny, independence and desire – all come to the fore in this highly influential novel that heralded a new era in women’s writing.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. He whom Love touches not walks in darkness. At an elite Athenian drinking party in 416 BCE, a group of friends take their turn to speak in praise of Eros, god of love. At this symposium the guests, including statesmen, playwrights, poets and Plato’s teacher, the famed philosopher Socrates, discuss love’s role in beauty, virtue, immortality, and shaping the world they live in.Plato’s deft retelling weaves together myth, drama and philosophy in search of deeper understanding of love. Held up as an example of the Socratic Method, central to the development of western thought, teaching and debate, The Symposium went on to shape philosophy for centuries to come.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Confessions describes Saint Augustine’s conversion to Christianity and is the basis for his reputation as one of Christianity's most influential thinkers.

One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'. HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Winston Smith rewrites history. It’s his job. Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, he helps the Party, and the omnipresent Big Brother, control the people of Oceania.Winston knows what a good citizen of Oceania must do: show his devotion for Big Brother and the Party; abstain from all vices; and, most importantly, possess no critical thoughts of their own. The new notebook he’s begun to write in is definitely against the rules – in fact, the Thought Police could arrest him simply for having it. Yet, as Winston begins to write his own history, a seed of rebellion begins to grow in his heart – one that could have devastating consequences.In George Orwell’s final and most well-known novel, he explores a dystopian future in which a totalitarian government controls the actions, thoughts and even emotions of its citizens, exercising power through control of language and history. Its lasting popularity is testament to Orwell’s powerful prose, and is a passionate political warning for today

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. ‘She wished to find out about this hazardous business of “passing,” this breaking away from all that was familiar and friendly to take one’s chance in another environment…’ The elegant Clare Kendry glides through New York’s high-society circles with ease, until the day she is reacquainted with her childhood friend, Irene. Clare chooses to ‘pass’ as white, hiding her African American heritage from her bigoted husband, while Irene leads a life that embraces it. As both women observe the other, a relationship of mutual fascination, obsession and secrets begins, one that will end in devastating circumstances.Published in 1929, Nella Larsen’s Passing lays bare the complexities of identity, race, class and gender. The novella established Larsen as one of the most important female authors in American literature and is considered a literary masterpiece of the Harlem Renaissance era.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.“For a time I believed that mankind had been swept out of existence, and that I stood there alone, the last man left alive.”When a strange, meteor-like object lands in the heart of England, the inhabitants of Earth find themselves victims of a terrible attack. A ruthless race of Martians, armed with heat rays and poisonous smoke, is intent on destroying everything that stands in its way. As the unnamed hero struggles to find his way across decimated wastelands, the fate of the planet hangs in the balance . . .H. G. Wells was a pioneer of modern science fiction. First serialised in the UK in 1897, The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest stories to depict conflict with an extraterrestrial race, and has influenced countless adaptations and sequels.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.The virtuous man contents himself with dreaming that which the wicked man does in actual life.At the turn of the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud published a controversial and groundbreaking theory. Our dreams, he proposed, are as complex and multifaceted as human nature itself, and understanding the unconscious mind is key to revealing our true hopes and desires. Highly engaging and compelling, Freud’s research explores dreams and nightmares of every kind, including his own.First published in 1900, The Interpretation of Dreams is considered by many to be Freud’s most significant work, helping to establish his reputation as the founder of psychoanalysis and continuing to fascinate readers today.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Plato's Republic has influenced Western philosophers for centuries, with its main focus on what makes a well-balanced society and individual.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. A marriage unravels in this autobiographical novel from the beloved author of The Great Gatsby.‘Sometimes it is harder to deprive oneself of a pain than of a pleasure.’Set on the French Riviera in the 1920s, American Dick Diver and his wife Nicole are the epitome of chic, living a glamorous lifestyle and entertaining friends at their villa. Young film star Rosemary Hoyt arrives in France and becomes entranced by the couple. It is not long before she is attracted to the enigmatic Dick, but he and his wife hold dark secrets and as their marriage becomes more fractured, Fitzgerald laments the failure of idealism and the carefully constructed trappings of high society in the Roaring Twenties.

One of the BBC's '100 Novels That Shaped Our World'.HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Winston Smith rewrites history. It’s his job. Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, he helps the Party, and the omnipresent Big Brother, control the people of Oceania.Winston knows what a good citizen of Oceania must do: show his devotion for Big Brother and the Party; abstain from all vices; and, most importantly, possess no critical thoughts of their own. The new notebook he’s begun to write in is definitely against the rules – in fact, the Thought Police could arrest him simply for having it. Yet, as Winston begins to write his own history, a seed of rebellion begins to grow in his heart – one that could have devastating consequences.In George Orwell’s final and most well-known novel, he explores a dystopian future in which a totalitarian government controls the actions, thoughts and even emotions of its citizens, exercising power through control of language and history. Its lasting popularity is testament to Orwell’s powerful prose, and is a passionate political warning for today

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Seeking escape from their unfulfilling marriages and monotonous lives in 1920s England, two women become transfixed by an advertisement to rent a medieval Italian castle for the month of April. Lotty Wilkins, who feels stifled by her solicitor husband, and pious Rose Arbuthnot, discontented in her relationship, are joined by two strangers – the glamorous socialite Lady Caroline Dester and the elderly Mrs Fisher – and embark on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected friendship that will change their lives forever.First published in 1922 and later adapted into a film, Elizabeth von Arnim’s most celebrated novel is a love letter to the power of travel, transporting readers to the sun-drenched paradise of the Mediterranean.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘We are in Transylvania; and Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things.’Earnest and naive solicitor Jonathan Harker travels to Transylvania to organise the estate of the infamous Count Dracula at his crumbling castle in the ominous Carpathian Mountains. Through notes and diary entries, Harker keeps track of the horrors and terrors that beset him at the castle, telling his fiancé Mina of the Count’s supernatural powers and his own imprisonment. Although Harker eventually manages to escape and reunite with Mina, his experiences have led to a mental breakdown of sorts.Meanwhile in England, Mina’s friend Lucy has been bitten and begins to turn into a vampire. With the help of Professor Van Helsing, a previous suitor of Lucy’s, Seward, and Lucy’s fiancé Holmwood attempt to thwart Count Dracula and his attempts on Lucy and consequently Mina’s life.Arguably the most enduring Gothic novel of the 19th Century, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is as chilling today in its depiction of the vampire world and its exploration of Victorian values as it was at its time of publication.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I stab at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee…’Few literary masterpieces cast quite as awesome a shadow as Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. Captain Ahab’s quest for the white whale is a timeless epic – a thrilling tale of vengeance and obsession, and a searing parable about humanity lost in a universe of moral ambiguity.Inspired by true events, Moby Dick is a work of astonishing psychological depth. It is perhaps the greatest sea story ever told and one of the great classics of literature.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘Greedily she engorged without restraint,And knew not eating death;’Milton’s Paradise Lost is a poem of epic proportions that tells of Satan’s attempts to mislead Eve into disobeying God in the Garden of Eden, by eating from the tree of knowledge. His interpretation of the biblical story of Genesis is vivid and intense in its language, justifying the actions of God to men. In his sequel poem, Paradise Regained, Milton shows Satan trying to seduce Jesus in a similar way to Eve, but ultimately failing as Jesus remains steadfast.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Every summer, the Ramsays visit their summer home on the beautiful Isle of Skye, surrounded by the excitement and chatter of family and friends, mirroring Virginia Woolf’s own joyful holidays of her youth. But as time passes, and in its wake the First World War, the transience of life becomes ever more apparent through the vignette of the thoughts and observations of the novel’s disparate cast.A landmark of high modernism and the most autobiographical of Virginia Woolf’s novels, To the Lighthouse explores themes of loss, class structure and the question of perception, in a hauntingly beautiful memorial to the lost but not forgotten.Chosen by TIME magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.Northanger Abbey! These were thrilling words, and wound up Catherine's feelings to the highest point of ecstasy.While holidaying in Bath, young Catherine Moreland meets Henry Tilney and his sister Eleanor who invite her to their family estate, Northanger Abbey. An avid reader of Gothic romance novels, naive Catherine soon lets her imagination run wild, fuelled by her friendship with the vivacious Isabella Thorpe. It is only when the realities of life set in around her that Catherine’s fantastical world is shattered.Considered her most entertaining and satirical work, Austen expertly parodies the Gothic romance stories of her time and reveals much about her unsentimental view of love and marriage in the eighteenth century.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics. Is Mr Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil? Heathcliff, an orphan, wild and unkempt, is taken in by Mr Earnshaw and raised as his son at Wuthering Heights on the bleak Yorkshire moors. He is drawn to Earnshaw’s daughter Catherine, and as the pair grow up together they become bound by an intense and passionate love. When Catherine’s father dies and Heathcliff is condemned to servitude, the difference in their social stations drives a wedge between them that will eventually become their downfall.A story of all-consuming love, obsession and revenge, Wuthering Heights is one of the most unique and emotive Gothic novels, and is considered Emily Brontë’s masterpiece.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘The place, with its grey sky and withered garlands, its bared spaces and scattered dead leaves, was like a theatre after the performance-all strewn with crumpled playbills.’Revered as one of the greatest ghost stories ever told, James’s The Turn of the Screw is an eerie Victorian masterpiece.When an inexperienced governess goes to work at Bly, a country house in Essex to look after a young boy Miles and his sister Flora, all manner of strange events begin to occur. The governess spots a ghostly man and woman around the grounds and is told by the housekeeper that the valet and previous governess haunt the house. It soon becomes clear that the children are inexplicably connected to these ghosts in some way and the young governess struggles to protect the children, although from exactly what, she is not sure.Exploring the psychological and sexual fears of an era, this ambiguous, suspenseful and anxiety-inspiring novella remains one of Henry James’s most well-known tales.

HarperCollins is proud to present our range of timeless literary classics.‘Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind…’Based on a lecture given at Cambridge and first published in 1929, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ interweaves Woolf’s personal experience as a female writer with themes ranging from Austen and Brontë to Shakespeare’s gifted (and imaginary) sister. ‘Three Guineas’, Woolf’s most impassioned polemic, came almost a decade later and broke new ground by challenging the very notions of war and masculinity.This volume combines two inspirational, witty and urbane essays from one of literature’s pre-eminent voices; collectively they constitute a brilliant and lucid attack on sexual inequality.