Romeo and Juliet: Literary Touchstone Classic


Book Description

Romeo and Juliet, usually the first Shakespeare your students will read, is your students' perfect introduction to the power of his poetry. While many of them will know the basic plot, this edition will provide them with the skills to thoroughly understand this classic story of true love and the destructive power of fate.




King Lear - Literary Touchstone Classic


Book Description

To make King Lear more accessible to the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic? provides in-depth explanations, as well as historical background. Convenient sidebar notes and an extensive glossary help the reader navigate the complexities of the text and enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare's verse, the wisdom of his insights, and the impact of his drama.'Which of you shall we say doth love us most?With these reckless words, Lear, the aged king of ancient Britain begins a game that will tear apart his kingdom, his family, and his own sense of self, pitting sister against sister, rewarding flattery, and punishing integrity. Lear is unable to foresee the consequences that will follow from his choice.The loyal Duke of Gloucester is likewise blinded, figuratively and literally, by flattery and deceptions, and he also learns too late the price of misplaced trust.This tragedy of the foolish king'arguably Shakespeare's greatest work'is a poignant examination of the complexities of human nature: wisdom and foolishness, vision and blindness, and true love and loyalty between parents and their children.
















The Taming of the Shrew - Literary Touchstone


Book Description

'And kiss me, Kate. We will be married o?Sunday?Petruchio, seeking his fortune in Padua, seeks to marry the strong-willed Katherine, while Lucentio and Bianca steal a marriage from under a father's nose. The Taming of the Shrew offers a Shakespearean take on feminism and a humorous but, surprisingly modern, look at the age-old battle between the sexes.With its hilarious Induction, laughably believable characters, and skillfully intertwined plots and subplots, the play provides an excellent introduction to the range of Shakespeare's comedic talents.To make The Taming of the Shrew more accessible for the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition includes a glossary of the more difficult words, as well as convenient sidebar notes to enlighten the reader on aspects that may be confusing or overlooked. In doing this, it is our intention that the reader may more fully enjoy the beauty of the verse, the wisdom of the insights, and the impact of thedrama.




Metamorphosis, The: Literary Touchstone Classic


Book Description

Beginning with one of the most shocking first sentences in all of literature, Franz Kafka details the horrific tale of an absurd life. Virtually imprisoned in his room, Gregor Samsa discovers that every aspect of his existence has amounted to nothing. Even the struggling, dysfunctional family he has sacrificed to support is thriving without his financial assistance. Slowly stripped of every bit of his humanity, Gregor realizes that no man?s life, especially his, actually matters.First published in 1915, Kafka?s surreal novel about living in an indifferent universe has long been considered a seminal work of Existentialist literature.All of the humor, zest, and richness of language?so often lost in other editions ?resonate in this new and exciting Prestwick House Literary Touchstone translation by M. A. Roberts.The Metamorphosis includes a glossary and reader?s notes to help the modern reader more fully appreciate Kafka?s complex approach to the human condition




Julius Caesar - Literary Touchstone


Book Description

"The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interred with their bones..."How do you choose between the life of your friend and the future of your homeland? In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Brutus, "the noblest Roman of them all," has only his personal integrity to help him choose which is the greatest good and where he must place his allegiance. The wrong choice will result in certain personal and national devastation. With its stirring speeches and vivid images of men at both their noblest and most terrible, the play will leave the reader with a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. To make Julius Caesar more accessible to the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Edition provides in-depth explanation, as well as historical background. Convenient sidebar notes and an extensive glossary help the reader navigate the complexities of the text and enjoy the beauty of Shakespeare's verse, the wisdom of his insights, and the impact of his drama.




The Invisible Man - Literary Touchstone Edition


Book Description

This Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classic? includes a glossary and reader?s notes to help the modern reader understand Wells? commentary on this all-too-human desire.H.G. Wells? classic The Invisible Man is an artful combination of a psychological thriller and science fiction novel. A young scientist who discovers the secret of invisibility feels initial joy at his newfound freedoms and abilities, but quickly turns to despair when he realizes the many things he has sacrificed in the pursuit of science. While he struggles to create the formula that will restore his visibility and his connection to other people, murder and mayhem ensue. The Invisible Man is a fascinating account of humanity?s obsession with science and the unforeseen consequences that arise from reckless experimentation. The novel has been captivating readers for well over a century, and it is sure to remain a timeless portrayal of the human desire to overcome the laws of nature and gai