"The first great adventure story in the Western canon, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty, and power; about marriage and family; about travelers, hospitality, and the yearning for home. In this fresh, authoritative version--the first English translation of The Odyssey by a woman--this stirring tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic comes alive in an entirely new way. Written in iambic pentameter verse...

Erich Auerbach (1892–1957) was Sterling Professor of Romance Languages at Yale University. He is widely recognized as one of the foundational figures of comparative literature. Edward W. Said (1935–2003) was professor of literature at Columbia University and the author of Orientalism. The classic book that has taught generations how to read Western literature More than half a century after its translation into English, Erich Auerbach's Mimesis...

Jessie L. Weston (1850-1928) wrote fourteen books, most of them on Arthurian legend. Acknowledged by T. S. Eliot as crucial to understanding "The Waste Land," Jessie Weston's book has continued to attract readers interested in ancient religion, myth, and especially Arthurian legend. Weston examines the saga of the Grail, which, in many versions, begins when the wounded king of a famished land sees a procession of objects including a bleeding lance...

"Good-Bye to All That: An Autobiography" by Robert Graves is a seminal work that vividly captures the harrowing experiences of a young British officer during World War I. Published in 1929, the book provides a candid and unflinching portrayal of life in the trenches, exploring the brutality and absurdity of war. Graves recounts his childhood, education, and early literary career, interweaving personal anecdotes with his wartime experiences. The autobiography...