Fiction : Classics

Set in the booming West coast oil fields at the turn of the 20th century, a tale that follows the rise of rugged prospector Daniel Plainview who becomes an independent oilman after hitting it rich with the strike of a lifetime. He realizes the American dream, and is destroyed by it. more...

Price: $15.00

The legendary 1951 scroll draft of On the Road, published word for word as Kerouac originally composed it Though Jack Kerouac began thinking about the novel that was to become On the Road as early as 1947, it was not until three weeks in April 1951, in an apartment on West Twentieth Street in Manhattan, that he wrote the first full draft that was satisfactory to him. Typed out as one long, single-spaced paragraph on eight long sheets of tracing paper that he later taped together to form a 120 foot scroll, this document is among the most significant, celebrated, and provocative artifacts in contemporary American literary history. It represents the first full expression of Kerouac’s revolutionary aesthetic, the identifiable point at which his thematic vision and narrative voice came together in a sustained burst of creative energy. It was also part of a wider vital experimentation in the American literary, musical, and visual arts in the post-World War II period. It was not until more than six years later, and several new drafts, that Viking published, in 1957, the novel known to us today. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of On the Road, Viking will publish the 1951 scroll in a standard book format. The differences between the two versions are principally ones of significant detail and altered emphasis. The scroll is slightly longer and has a heightened linguistic virtuosity and a more sexually frenetic tone. It also uses the real names of Kerouac’s friends instead of the fictional names he later invented for them. The transcription of the scroll was done by Howard Cunnell who, along with Joshua Kupetz, George Mouratidis, and Penny Vlagopoulos, provides a critical introduction that explains the fascinating compositional and publication history of On the Road and anchors the text in its historical, political, and social context. more...

Price: $25.95

First published in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has consistently been Jane Austen's most popular novel. It portrays the initial misunderstandings and later mutual enlightenment between the opinionated Elizabeth Bennet and the proud and haughty Mr. Darcy. Jane Austen's wit sparkles in this superb comedy of manners in Regency England. more...

Price: $4.95

A Tale of Two Cities is Charles Dickens's great historical novel, set against the violent upheaval of the French Revolution. The most famous and perhaps the most popular of his works, it compresses an event of immense complexity to the scale of a family history, with a cast of characters that includes a bloodthirsty ogress and an antihero as believably flawed as any in modern fiction. more...

Price: $4.95

The Go-Getter is Kyne’s most celebrated book. It tells the story of Bill Peck, a disabled World War I veteran who, despite his disadvantages, triumphs over the many problems thrown his way to create success and happiness for himself. The Go-Getter is a story that inspires and truly shows how to be victorious in the face of setbacks through application of tenacity and determination. Peter B. Kyne (12 October 1880 – 25 November 1957), was an American novelist who wrote between 1904 and 1940. Many of his works were adapted into screenplays starting in the silent era. He is credited in 110 films between 1914 and 1952. He was born and died in San Francisco, California. [Adapted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Bernard_Kyne] more...

Price: $4.95