The Plum in the Golden Vase or, Chin P'ing Mei is an anonymous sixteenth-century work that focuses on the domestic life of Hsi-men Ch'ing, a corrupt, upwardly mobile merchant in a provincial town, who maintains a harem of six wives and concubines. The novel, known primarily for its erotic realism, is also a landmark in the development of the narrative art form--not only from a specifically Chinese perspective but in a world-historical context.With the possible exception of The Tale of Genji (1010) and Don Quixote (1615), there is no earlier work of prose fiction of equal sophistication in world literature. Although its importance in the history of Chinese narrative has long been recognized, the technical virtuosity of the author, which is more reminiscent of the Dickens of Bleak House, the Joyce of Ulysses, or the Nabokov of Lolita than anything in the earlier Chinese fiction tradition, has not yet received adequate recognition. This is partly because all of the existing European translations are either abridged or based on an inferior recension of the text. This translation and its annotation aim to faithfully represent and elucidate all the rhetorical features of the original in its most authentic form and thereby enable the Western reader to appreciate this Chinese masterpiece at its true worth.

    This book contains the complete novels of Jane Austen.- Lady Susan- Sense and Sensibility- Pride and Prejudice- Mansfield Park- Emma- Persuasion- Northanger Abbey- Love And Friendship And Other Early Works

    And this tree, so complete in itself, Is only part of the mountain. And the mountain runs down to the sea. And the sea, so complete in itself, Rests like a raindrop On the hand of God. Ruskin Bond's Book of Verse brings together the poetry of one of India's best-loved writers. This charming collector's edition is a treasury of poems on love and nature, travel, humour and childhood, and will be a lasting source of delight to readers.

    

    This pair of wicked game masters wants to destroy the human race by turning brainwashed videogamers into an unstoppable army of doom! They're also running an endangered species hunting club on the side, and their next target is none other than Daniel. He'll have no choice but to turn to the aliens' rebellious son who needs help to stand up to his malicious parents. But can Daniel trust the progeny of this treacherous twosome? Or will it be "Game Over" for the alien hunter?

    With rich and fascinating tales of swords, tigers, tea, flowers and dogs, the writings of the Masters challenge every perception - and seek to bring all readers closer to enlightenment. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

    This collection features dozens of newly translated poems interspersed with legends and stories of their lives, presenting an intimate portrait of their communion and allowing readers to eavesdrop on their unique spiritual dialogue.

    You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

    However, he very soon gets caught up in a terrifying murder.

    The Mencius, in which he recounts his dialogues with kings, dukes and military men, as well as other philosophers, is one of the Four Books that make up the essential Confucian corpus. It takes up Confucius's theories of jen, or goodness and yi, righteousness, explaining that the individual can achieve harmony with mankind and the universe by perfecting his innate moral nature and acting with benevolence and justice. Mencius' strikingly modern views on the duties of subjects and their rulers or the evils of war, created a Confucian orthodoxy that has remained intact since the third century BCE.

    This landmark collection brings together the best of his verse, including many pieces that have never before appeared in English.   These poems span the whole of Nabokov’s career, from the newly discovered “Music,” written in 1914, to the short, playful “To Véra,” composed in 1974. Many are newly translated by Dmitri Nabokov, including The University Poem, a sparkling novel in verse modeled on Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin that constitutes a significant new addition to Nabokov’s oeuvre. Included too are such poems as “Lilith”, an early work which broaches the taboo theme revisited nearly forty years later in Lolita, and “An Evening of Russian Poetry”, a masterpiece in which Nabokov movingly mourns his lost language in the guise of a versified lecture on Russian delivered to college girls. The subjects range from the Russian Revolution to the American refrigerator, taking in on the way motel rooms, butterflies, ice-skating, love, desire, exile, loneliness, language, and poetry itself; and the poet whirls swiftly between the brilliantly painted facets of his genius, wearing masks that are, by turns, tender, demonic, sincere, self-parodying, shamanic, visionary, and ingeniously domestic.

    The Black Cat; The Fall of the House of Usher, The Raven; The Tell Tale Heart, The Masque of the Red Death, the Premature Burial and six others that are a shuddering delight to read and listen to. Turn off the lights, settle down and hear these stories read to you as only LibriVox readers can perform them. (Summary by Phil Chenevert)THE TELL-TALE HEART.THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF M. VALDEMARTHE BLACK CAT.THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHERTHE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH.THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO.THE PREMATURE BURIALBERENICELIGEIAHOP-FROGTHE RAVENTHE PIT AND THE PENDULUM

    The doors to Hell House were closed and locked for nine years.Now, in 1940, another team of psychic and scientific experts, including the 15 year-old "Ghost Boy" Benjamin Franklin Fischer--the most gifted physical medium in modern history--has returned to explore the secrets of the most haunted house in the world--only to find Hell House eagerly awaiting its newest guests.This novella was written, with permission from Richard Matheson, as a prequel to his classic haunted house novel, Hell House (1971), and originally appeared in the tribute anthology He Is Legend (Gauntlet Press, 2009).

    Somehow, her family never seems to notice that the laundry gets done, the house is picked up, dinner mysteriously appears on the table, and then cleans up after itself. Instead of being her children's idol and her husband's lover, she's become a funny little footnote in her own life. That is until she takes her children on vacation to Disneyworld in sunny Florida, where she just happens to end up in a hotel room right next to her college flame, Alan James. Old passions ignite and new excitement sparks as Laura and Alan bring new meaning to "The Most Magical Place on Earth." But when Laura and Alan's spouses unexpectedly show up in Florida, a comedy of errors ensues, and only one thing is for certain: Laura's life will never be the same again. Note: This book was formerly published under the title The Adulterer's Unofficial Guide to Family Vacations. What critics are saying about Leslie Langtry's books: "Mixing a deadly sense of humor and plenty of sexy sizzle, Leslie Langtry creates a brilliantly original, laughter-rich mix of contemporary romance and suspense." - Chicago Tribune "Langtry gets the fun started from page one with a myriad of clever details." - Publishers' Weekly "Darkly funny and wildly over the top, this mystery answers the burning question, 'Do assassin skills and Girl Scout merit badges mix…' one truly original and wacky novel!" -RT BOOK Reviews "Another wicked blend of action, romance, mystery and dark humor, Guns Will Keep Us Together gives readers bullets, buff guys and bad boys…I hope the Bombay family continues on with their deadly misadventures. -News and Sentinel

    Now Celia would accompany him to beautiful Catalina for a family wedding. There he would wine, dine and seduce the stunning ad executive…for he knew she desired him. Yet how would she react when Evan told her she’d be playing the role of his fake fiancée? Money Man’s Fiancée Negotiation Finally, Ash Williams had found his runaway mistress. Melody Trent couldn’t even remember him, but Ash was determined to discover the truth. Had he fathered her child? And the only way to bring her to his home was to claim her as his fiancée – even if she had no memory of him whatsoever! KINGS OF THE BOARDROOM They need the right women to melt their steel-hard hearts!