Adam Smith's groundbreaking work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, delves into the principles that underpin economic prosperity and the functioning of free markets. Written during the Scottish Enlightenment, this influential text offers a thorough examination of political economy at the onset of the Industrial Revolution. Smith explores key concepts such as the division of labor, the pursuit of self-interest, and...

"Alone in the city, a young woman meets a man who promises to make her dreams come true."

Named by The Modern Library as the best non-fiction book of the 20th century, this autobiography plots Adams' own history against that of the U.S. during his lifetime. As a journalist, historian, and novelist born into a distinguished family that included two past presidents of the United States, Henry Adams was inescapably a part of the American experience. The Education of Henry Adams recounts his own and the country's development from 1838, the...

The second installment of French author Marcel Proust's autobiographical novel, in which the narrator focuses on his obsessive love affair with a woman named Albertine. First published in 1919, Within a Budding Grove was awarded the Prix Goncourt, bringing the author immediate fame. In this second volume of In Search of Lost Time, the narrator turns from the childhood reminiscences of Swann's Way to memories of his adolescence. Having gradually become...

The third installment of Marcel Proust's autobiographical novel, in which the narrator is accepted into the inner sanctum of Paris high society, falls in love with the fascinating Duchesse de Guermantes, renews his acquaintance with Albertine, and finds himself pursued by the predatory Baron de Charlus.

A young man is captivated by a popular Parisian courtesan and attempts to build a life with her despite his family and society's growing disapproval. An against-all-odds tale that forces one lover to make a drastic decision for the betterment of the other. A semi-autobiographical story inspired by author Alexandre Dumas' romance with Marie Duplessis. Camille centers Marguerite Gautier, a coveted courtesan who falls in love with the young gentleman,...

This Jane Austen tale deals with money and marriage, and how strongly they affect each other. Shy, fragile, Fanny Price is the consummate "poor relation." Sent to live with her wealthy uncle Thomas, she clashes with his spoiled, selfish daughters and falls in love with his son. Their lives are further complicated by the arrival of a pair of witty, sophisticated Londoners whose flair for flirtation collides with the quiet, conservative ways of Mansfield...

"The quintessential novel of the Lost Generation, The Sun Also Rises is one of Ernest Hemingway's masterpieces and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style. A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the novel introduces two of Hemingway's most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild...

"The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau" is a one-of-a-kind autobiography. Up until its publication in 1782, only two autobiographies had ever been written, and both were written by devout religious saints. Highly scandalous yet witty in nature, calling Rousseau's work an "autobiography" is a loose categorization of the text, as many of the stories and tales have been proven false, yet Rousseau told the truth about the spirit of his life through...

Nana is a novel by the French naturalist author Émile Zola. Completed in 1880, Nana is the ninth installment in the 20-volume Les Rougon-Macquart series, which was to tell "The Natural and Social History of a Family under the Second Empire."

The novel was an immediate success. Le Voltaire, the French newspaper that was to publish it in installments from October 1879 on, had launched a gigantic advertising campaign, raising the curiosity

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