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In 1945, Maugham was invited by the American "Red Book" magazine to draw up a book list, enumerating what he considered the world's top ten novels, and wrote a series of book reviews for it, commenting on the writing process, writing techniques, and artistic features of these masterpieces one by one, thus creating this book "Masters and Masterpieces." The ten novels and their authors are: Fielding and "Tom Jones", Austen and "Pride and Prejudice", Stendhal and "The Red and the Black", Balzac and "Petro Goriot", Dickens and "David Copperfield", Flaubert and "Madame Bovary", Melville and "Moby-Dick", Emily Brontë and "Wuthering Heights", Dostoevsky and "The Brothers Karamazov" and Tolstoy and "War and Peace". Maugham's way of commenting on these ten novel masters is very simple, that is, "knowing people and judging the world." Maugham did this not intentionally to sing a different tune or to sensationalize, but to remove all pretense and use his profound insight into human nature and his rich experience as a novelist to truly consider the writers and works he reviewed, leading readers to taste and appreciate them. As a result, this review by a great novelist about his own great novelist has become a classic of literary criticism and a unique literary guide for ordinary readers.

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The Crescent Moon (1903) is mainly translated from the Bengali poetry collection "Children's Collection" published in 1903, and some are directly created in English. In the collection of poems, the poet vividly describes children's games, skillfully expressing children's psychology and their lively imagination. Its special and timeless artistic charm brings us to a pure world of children and evokes our beautiful memories of childhood life. This book is the pinnacle work of a saint in poetry, an immortal piece of maternal love and innocence, and a gorgeous picture of intertwined dreams and reality.

"The River War" is Churchill's second book. The book records the second war launched by Britain against the Sudan. It describes the battles large and small in detail and contains Churchill's comments on political and other social events. "River War" is not only a description of the war, but also a story about the fate of the people in the area. With powerful insight, Churchill recounted how the war changed the destinies of the peoples of Britain, Egypt, and Sudan.

This volume is Goethe's novel "The Studying Times of Wilhelm Meister". William Meister is a passionate young man full of ideals and vitality. He was born in a citizen class family, but he is dissatisfied with the mediocrity and profit-seeking of the citizen class. He hopes to transform society through dramatic art and aesthetic education, and falls in love with the actress Mariana. After a misunderstanding with Mariana, William wanders around and meets all kinds of people. William initially sought the art of drama, but eventually acquired the art of life, becoming a seeker who constantly pursues the perfection of human nature and lofty social ideals.

Collecting articles from Pamuk's Norton Lectures at Harvard University, the author discusses his creative process as a novelist, the relationship between fiction and reality in novels, the way novels produce effects on readers, and other topics. The title comes from Schiller's classic distinction between two different literary styles: "naive" and "sentimental." Pamuk came to his own conclusion in a dialogue with Schiller's literary concepts: Novelists are both naive and sentimental, and novel creation is to achieve a certain balance between that intuitive, simple naivety and reflective, deconstructive sentimentality. Pamuk also elaborated on a point throughout the book in these articles, that is, the difference between modern novels and ancient literature (such as epics) is that novels must have a center, and all the details in the book should point to this center. This center is the meaning of the novel, or the meaning of life itself, that can be slowly approached and experienced during reading.

An interview with Nabokov, the master of novels, full of witty words, Lolita, butterflies, creative cards, memory, death, inspiration, Russia... Everything about Nabokov. Interviewed by well-known media such as "Paris Review", "Playboy", "Time", "New York Times", BBC Radio, etc., With vicious tongue + charming + wisdom, a true self-narration. "On My Own" is a self-edited collection of essays by Nabokov, the author of "Lolita" and the master of novels. It is based on interviews from well-known media such as "The Paris Review", "Time", "The New York Times", "Playboy", and BBC Radio. 22 Interviews, 11 letters to the editor, and 14 essays outline a clear and firm self-portrait. Different from other works of fiction, "Expressing My Own Opinions" is a true self-narration; most of the classic "venomous tongue" quotations circulating in the world with a unique Na-style style come from this book. Facing various tough questions raised by the media, Nabokov put forward a series of firm opinions on life, literature, education, movies and other topics: how "Lolita" almost burned down; how he was obsessed with butterflies for a lifetime; what is the most ideal way of travel; what is the ultimate standard of translation and creative art... He ignored the mediocre people who could not understand his works and was happy to slaughter those sacred cows in the literary world that he did not agree with. Readers can understand Nabokov through these sparkling words and embark on the charming, dangerous and challenging spiritual island in his mind.

"How Steel Was Tempered" is a novel written by Soviet writer Ostrovsky in 1933. The novel uses the experience of the protagonist Paul Korchagin as a clue to describe a generation of young people who have gone through a series of hardships such as hard life, revolutionary wars, and post-war reconstruction. They were eventually tempered into steel and became outstanding proletarian revolutionary heroes. This is a youth hymn that praises the great spirit and has become a spiritual model for countless young people to learn from.

"David Copperfield" is an important representative novel by Dickens. It is a great crystallization of the author's personal experience, observations and rich imagination. This book is narrated in the first person, telling the story of the protagonist working as a child laborer, learning shorthand, interviewing congressional debates, diligently self-study, and becoming a writer. It has a lot of autobiographical elements.

"Walden" is a record of the American writer Thoreau who lived alone by Walden Pond, describing what he saw, heard and thought during more than two years. The first feature that distinguishes this work from previous literary works is its detailed description and extension of nature. The changes in scenery caused by the changing of the seasons, as small as the fight between two ants, are all vividly reproduced in Thoreau's wonderful pen, and the descriptions are not superficial, but have the precision of a naturalist.

This book tells the story that the story took place four to five hundred years ago, when the age of chivalry in Europe was over. However, the protagonist of the book, Mr. Don Quixote, became obsessed with reading chivalry novels and became obsessed with it. He found the armor, spears and shields that his great-grandfather had used, dressed up as a knight, and rode out to travel around the world. He believed that he was the greatest knight in history, and he was dedicated to eradicating violence and fighting injustice for the people and the country. He was not afraid of hardship and strong enemies, and fought bravely and tenaciously against the monsters he thought were monsters...

This book mainly tells the story of the submarine Nautilus traveling around the world on the bottom of the sea. "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" depicts various adventures. Sometimes there are dangers and critical moments, and sometimes the scenery is beautiful and intoxicating. The whole book is full of exotic sentiments, as colorful as a myth, and embodies mankind's longing for heaven and earth, and the dream of flying freely since ancient times.

This book selects 24 short stories and short stories by Mark Twain, all of which are popular works, including "Running for Governor", "The Stolen White Elephant", "Millions of Pounds", "The Man Who Corrupted Hedleyburg", etc. Mark Twain was famous for his humor and vividness. His stories always made people excited and made them laugh. After laughing, they would think deeply again. The stories he wrote are not only pistachios of life, but also full of simple and noble emotions. Because of this, he is called "a source of the American spirit." Readers can not only enjoy the beauty, but also get spiritual sublimation.

This book is set in Paris and London during the French Revolution. It revolves around Dr. Manet's family in Paris and the Saint-Antoine district of Paris, headed by the Defage couple. It tells the story of Dr. Manet who was imprisoned for 18 years for writing a letter to the court to report the marquis brother's indiscriminate use of human life. However, Charles Da, the nephew of the marquis who hated his family's sins, However, Nye fell in love with Lucy, the daughter of Dr. Manette; Dr. Manette repaid evil with kindness. For the happiness of his daughter, he suppressed his hatred of the Evermond family in his heart, and accepted Charles Darnay as his son-in-law with tolerance and forgiveness. Carton, who loved Lucy deeply, went to the guillotine in place of Charles Darnay for Lucy's happiness. This book has a rigorous structure, twists and turns, drama, and vivid characters. It profoundly reflects the class antagonism and human conflicts during the French Revolution, embodies the author's humanitarian thoughts against violence, and can be called the pinnacle of Dickens's twilight years.

The story takes place in France in the seventeenth century. The queen accidentally transferred the jewelry given to her by the king to her lover, the Duke of Buckingham. Minister Richelieu discovered this and regarded it as a great opportunity to display his ambitions. At the same time, d'Artagnan, who had practiced swordsmanship as a fledgling, came to Paris to join the musketeer captain Treville. He met the three musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis unexpectedly, and they formed an irreversible friendship without fighting. D'Artagnan meets the queen's maid by chance and falls in love with her at first sight, but unexpectedly learns that Richelieu, the powerful red-coated leader, wants to sow discord between Britain and France for his own plan to destroy the country, intending to create a royal scandal and cause King Louis XIII to misunderstand the queen. In order to fight against the evil conspiracy of the red-dressed leader and protect the queen's innocence, the people with a sense of justice started a battle of wits and courage with the enemy...

Dickens (1812-1870) was a famous British realist novelist in the 19th century. "David Copperfield" is his semi-autobiographical novel. It depicts a broad social picture through the narration of the unfortunate experience of an orphan. It creates a series of typical characters with superb skills and shows the author's generous and broad humanistic feelings. It was once praised by the literary giant Tolstoy as the best British novel.

An old man named Geppetto had no children. He carved a puppet out of wood and named him Pinocchio. Although Pinocchio always wanted to be a good boy, he could not change his bad habits. He skipped school, lied, made bad friends, was fooled several times and refused to change his ways. Later, a fairy taught him that every time he lied, his nose grew longer. He lied three times in a row, and his nose grew so long that it was impossible for him to even turn around in the room. At this time, Pinocchio began to wake up, but he still couldn't resist the temptation of the bad boys and followed them to the "Land of Toys" again. A few months later, a pair of donkey ears sprouted from Pinocchio's head, and he soon became a full-blown donkey and was sold to a circus. Soon, Pinocchio broke his leg during the performance, and was sold by the circus owner to a businessman to skin the drum heads. At the critical moment, it was the fairy who rescued him. Pinocchio decided to change his ways and finally one day became a child of flesh and blood.

"Dead Souls" tells the story of a speculative liar Chichikov who buys and sells dead souls. He first went to a certain city to clear up relations with officials, and then went to the outskirts of the city to buy dead serfs from landlords who had not yet canceled their household registrations. He wanted to mortgage them as living serfs to the supervisory committee in order to defraud a large deposit. He visited many landowners and bought a large number of dead serfs. When he went through the legal transaction procedures with the help of his long-established relationship, his dirty deeds were exposed. The prosecutor was frightened to death by the rumors, and Chichikov had to escape in a hurry. This novel depicts an ugly and decadent picture of autocratic serfdom, and bitterly satirizes the greed and cruelty of human nature.

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On the map of Arai, there is an orange horizontal line, which is the JR Chuo Line railway track. The Chuo Line starts in Tokyo and runs through the city in an inverted S-shape, from Shinjuku to the west to Takao. Kanda Station\u002F Try the soba shop "Matsuya" and the dessert shop "Takemura" frequented by Shotaro Ikenami. Ochanomizu Station\u002F On the Jimbocho used bookstore street with a history of 100 years, there is the Uchiyama Bookstore Musashi Sakai Station where Lu Xun often visited\u002F The public bath "Ziboyu" is " Takao Station is the inspiration for the "Abura" in "Spirited Away" \u002F Although it is the terminal station, take the Chuo Main Line from Takao, and the next stop is Kanagawa Prefecture in "Slam Dunk"... After reading this book, as long as you buy a ticket, you should be able to discover your own Chuo Line, your own personalized Tokyo!

"A Simple Heart" contains the novellas "Memories of a Madman" and "Autumn Rhythm" and the short story "A Simple Heart" by the famous French writer Flaubert. "Memories of a Madman" and "Autumn Rhythm" are his early works. "Memories of a Madman" describes the passion and melancholy of a young man who is silently in unrequited love and obsessed with love. "Autumn Rhythm" tells the story of a lonely, depressed young man who eagerly desires to experience the taste of love, but ends up dying of melancholy because of love. "A Simple Heart" writes about the ordinary and touching life of a maid. Through the details of daily life, the author creates a simple and touching image of a working woman, showing her beautiful and kind heart and brave and witty qualities.

The publication of "Ball of Suet" in 1880 made Maupassant famous in one fell swoop, which represented Maupassant's outstanding achievements in short story creation. The author compares "Ball of Suif", a prostitute who is at the bottom of society and is discriminated against, with all kinds of sanctimonious so-called upper-class figures, fully showing the former's beautiful soul with a strong sense of justice and compassion and the latter's extremely selfish, shameless and ugly soul.

"China in the Eyes of Tagore" is a collection of speeches and talks given by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore in Beijing, Shanghai and other places when he came to China in 1924. The topics of the speeches include the career of the poet, the ideal of freedom, the value of spiritual civilization, the friendship between China and India, the unity and development of Asia, the concept of education, etc. Some of the articles were translated by Xu Zhimo, who was the accompanying translator at the time. The language of this book is approachable and rich in philosophy, reflecting Tagore's deep friendship for China and his pursuit of love, beauty, peace and freedom.

"Point of View" is the last collection of essays published by the famous British writer and "story master" Somerset Maugham during his lifetime. It is not only a collection of brilliant essays, but also a collection of literary criticism that is knowledgeable and considerate about the world. The characters and themes involved range from the novels of the great poet Goethe to the spiritual cultivation and life story of a Hindu sage, from the self-centeredness and sharpness of three French writers famous for their diaries. The acrimony is reflected in the generosity and kindness of the British theologian and archbishop Tillotson, as well as his plain and natural style. In particular, through the interpretation of the life experiences and artistic characteristics of several short story masters he admired, including Edgar Allan Poe, Kipling, and especially Maupassant, Chekhov and Mansfield, this book provides a wonderful and in-depth discussion and analysis of the short story, a literary form for which he himself is a master. Maugham used his insight in shaping novel characters and his superb story-telling skills to vividly paint a group of images of literati from different eras, different countries, and different fields, and then penetrate into their literary world and inner soul. What he finally opened up is the universal human nature and human heart - from "literary heart" to "human heart".

In October 1936, Mr. Lu Xun passed away in Shanghai. Mr. Lu Xun Memorial Committee is\

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"Jane Eyre" is the masterpiece of the famous British female novelist Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre, who was born into poverty, lost her parents at an early age and was bullied by others. The hard life in boarding school made her stubborn and strong. When she was working as a governess in Thornfield, she fell in love with the eccentric male master Rochester. And just as they were holding their wedding, she discovered that Rochester also had a wife who suffered from genetic mental illness and had been locked in the attic. Desperate Jane Eyre left Thornfield, and when she faced her heart again and returned to Thornfield, she found that the place was in ruins.

This book contains 11 articles on legends, with a special focus on the One-Eyed God. In "The One-Eyed Monk", he proposed that in ancient sacrifices, in order to distinguish the god from ordinary people, the god was left with only one eye and one foot, and his resentful spirit wandered in the mountains and fields, eventually forming the image of the one-eyed monk as a monster today. Other chapters also discuss the origins of Japanese folklore such as the Bridge God, the Fish King, and the Giant.

Hans, a college student, came to the Alpine Lung Disease Sanatorium to visit his cousin Joachim. Unexpectedly, he also contracted the lung disease and had to stay for treatment. The people in the sanatorium came from all over the world, with different personalities and ideas. Hans was an ideal young man, but after interacting with these people, his thoughts became confused and his spirit became depressed. The Russian woman Clavgia made him even more fascinated. He forgot about his career and important responsibilities, and the mountain became a "magic mountain" from which he could not extricate himself. Seven years passed in the blink of an eye. His cousin died of illness, Clavgia left, and those close friends also went their separate ways. Life shattered his fantasies one by one, making him feel painful and lonely. The artillery fire of the World War woke him up. Looking back on the past, Hans felt that he had been sleeping on the "Magic Mountain" for seven years, so he resolutely embarked on a journey to the front line.

Buck was originally a pet dog of Judge Miller's family. After being civilized, he has been living in a warm valley in southern California. He was later sold to the cold, remote and gold-rich Alaska in the northern United States and became a sled dog.

A swift and violent autumn wind howled in the woods outside the door. Countless dead leaves clinging to the big trees were pitifully blown off by the wind, and then lifted up into the clouds, flying all over the sky. The hunters finished their dinner without taking off their leather boots. Their faces were flushed and they were in high spirits. These people were half nobles, half squires, and half farmers from the province of Normandy. They were wealthy, physically strong, and strong enough to break the horns of cows squatting in the market. They had spent a whole day hunting in the mountain farm owned by Bailong Duier, the village chief of Aiba Township, and were now eating around a big table in the villa-like farm. The owner of the farm was their host. They roared and talked, laughed like wild animals, stretched out their necks without restraint, rested their elbows on the tablecloth, their eyes wide open under the lamplight, and their bodies were heated by a huge furnace that spit out a bloody gleam to the ceiling; all they talked about was hunting and hunting dogs.

This book is a record of the life and emotions of the little Jewish girl Anne Frank when she hid in a secret room two years before her death during World War II. Anne originally lived in Frankfurt, Germany. After the rise of the Nazis, she and her family took refuge in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. During the 25 long months, she used her pen and her dreams to write down every day's events and her own growth. As a growing girl, Anne expressed her views on the adult world, her enthusiastic and lively nature, her unknown writing talent and her first love in "Annie's Diary".

"The Great Gatsby" is Fitzgerald's masterpiece. The novel describes how Gatsby, who was born in poverty, used all means to acquire wealth, and transformed from a pauper into a "great" rich man in people's hearts. No one knew Gatsby's past. Some said he was a spy, others said he ran an illegal business and became rich overnight. He bought a luxurious mansion and played every night. He doesn't care about rumors, he only cares about a love that doesn't belong to him...

Strickland is a successful securities broker. He has both fame and fortune, a happy family, and a comfortable life that others envy. One day, when he was over 40 years old, he suddenly disappeared without a word after leaving a note. He abandoned his wealth, status, and family, endured ridicule, doubt, and hunger, and insisted on studying painting in a foreign country. However, his colorful paintings were not recognized by the outside world, and he fell into the abyss of poverty and illness. After some twists and turns, Strickland decided to live in Tahiti, far away from modern society. The local natural environment inspired his creation, and a stunning work was born from his pen. However, he ordered it to be burned after his death. The freedom and happiness of dreams, the cruelty and corruption of reality, when the moon symbolizing dreams is deep in the heart, how should the sixpence at the feet be placed?

"Eugénie Grandet" is Balzac's most famous work and "one of the most outstanding pictures" in "The Human Comedy". The novel tells the story of a family destroyed by money. The innocent and beautiful Eugenie is the only daughter of the stingy and shrewd rich man Old Grandet. She falls in love with her penniless cousin Charles from Paris. For his sake, she does not hesitate to anger her money-loving father and spends all her private savings to help him go to India. As a result, the relationship between father and daughter broke down, and they lost their father and wasted their youth in the agonizing wait. In the end, what they waited for was a heartless man who made a fortune from human trafficking.

In 1872, Mr. Phileas Fogg made a bet with his fellow members at the London Reform Club that he would travel around the world in eighty days. Under the circumstances at that time, this was indeed a difficult thing to do, because passengers must control the time very accurately, that is to say, they have to get on the ship as soon as they get off the train, and they have to get on the train as soon as they get off the ship. If there is any delay, the entire travel plan will be out of touch and all efforts will be wasted. But Mr. Fogg and his servant Know-It-All set out from London and passed through four continents: Europe, Africa, Asia, and the United States. They overcame countless natural and man-made obstacles with their firm will. They also rescued an Indian woman and married her, and finally returned to London after traveling around the world in eighty days. In this book, the author introduces the strange customs and rich geographical knowledge of various places through touching storylines.

This book is Goethe's most important early work. As soon as it was published, it became popular in Europe and set off "Werther fever". Young Werther came to a small town with simple folk customs. He fell in love with the girl Lotte at first sight; Lotte also liked him, but she was engaged to Werther's friend. Werther fell into embarrassment and pain. He left here, hoping to achieve something in his career so that he could be relieved. The despicable environment and the existing order that suppressed individuality made him unbearable. He then died for love.

This book is the only novel written by female writer Margaret Mitchell in her short life. The story in the novel took place on the eve of the American Civil War. The heroine Scarlett Hao is a pampered manor lady. After experiencing the war, she finally transformed into a strong, self-reliant businesswoman. Her character has multiple characteristics such as selfishness, greed, determination, daring to love and hate, etc. She is one of the richest, fullest and most classic female images in American novels. The alluring love in the novel has become the most romantic and legendary love story in the history of American novels.

The world's best-selling English-language writer, the author whose works have been adapted into the most movies, has drawn the most vivid sketch of the richness of human nature. "Collection of Maugham's Works: Novels, Short Stories, and Travel Notes" (set of 14 volumes in total) (Special Edition by Famous Artists) Collects novels, novellas, and short stories by Maugham, the world's best-selling English writer, and selects excellent translations by well-known translators such as Fu Weici, Zhou Xuliang, and Gao Jian, who are highly respected in the literary world. This set includes "Lisa of Lambeth" and "The Shackles of Life" (illustrated book· Set (Volume 1 and 2), "The Moon and Sixpence", "The Veil", "Bihuachai Video", "Theatrical Style", "Love in Florence", "The Blade", "Past and Present", "Casuarina Tree", "British Agent", "On the Chinese Screen", "The Gentleman in the Living Room" and "Variations on a Spanish Theme", a total of 14 volumes. Somerset Maugham's writing style is humorous and acerbic, with vivid characters and rich stories. It is like a miniature version of the world. You can experience the various situations in the world between the lines and feel the immortal charm of the story. He can always miraculously capture the thoughts about life that flash in everyone's heart, allowing us to find our own shadow in the struggles of his characters. Opening Maugham's book is like chatting with an elder who knows the world: "Okay, let's talk about life."

It includes Gogol's representative works, the novels "Taras Bulba", "Nevsky Prospekt", "Portrait", "The Overcoat" and the drama "The Imperial Envoy". Gogol uses ordinary daily life as the theme to describe the misfortunes of small people, which is permeated by the author's exposure and criticism of the social roots that cause the tragedies of small people. "The Imperial Envoy" is the representative work of the Russian satirist Gogol, which was published in 1836. The story describes a playboy named Khlestakov who lost everything in a bet and was at a loss. He was passing through a city in another province from Petersburg and was mistaken for an "imperial envoy". This caused panic among the local officials and made many jokes.

"The Shackles of Life" is a recognized masterpiece by the British writer Somerset Maugham, and it is also an autobiographical novel. Since the book came out, it has been adapted for the big screen three times and was selected as one of the "Top 100 English Novels of the 20th Century". The protagonist Philip in the book has lived an unfortunate life since he was a child. Both of his parents died, he was born lame, and he spent his childhood in a strange and oppressive environment. When he entered society, he experienced the pain of disillusioned ideals and the pain of love. Although he suffered a lot, he never gave up on himself, but moved forward resolutely on the more bumpy road of life. After going through various hardships, Philip finally got rid of the shackles that had restricted his mind and spirit before, and found a direction in life that suited him.

"Oliver Twist" is the first socially critical novel by the British writer Dickens. It is set in the foggy city of London and tells the story of the tragic life experience and experiences of orphan Oliver. Oliver grew up in an orphanage and worked as an apprentice in a funeral parlor when he was only nine years old. Unable to bear the abuse, he fled to London alone, and was tricked by thieves into becoming their accomplice. Despite all kinds of inhuman hardships, Oliver still sticks to his inner innocence and kindness. This persistence finally helped him wait for a bright future: Mr. Brownlow, Mrs. Merrie and others provided a helping hand in time; at the same time, the truth about Oliver's strange life experience was also revealed step by step. While the novel profoundly reveals social ills, it also leaves a series of vivid characters in the history of British literature, and has been deeply loved by readers for more than a hundred years.

When Goethe was 25 years old, based on his own emotional experience, he spent four weeks writing the epistolary novel "The Sorrows of Young Werther" that shocked the world. More than two hundred years later, this work is still thundering in the hearts of readers. The young Werther fell in love with a girl named Lotte, who was already engaged to someone else. The frustration in love made Werther grief-stricken. In addition, he was incompatible with the feudal society at that time, which made Werther feel hopeless in life. After losing his love and suffering a setback in his career, the young Werther, who was not understood by the world, came to the side of his beloved Lotte for the last time and ended his life with a bullet.

In Goethe's creation in his later years, novels played an important role. Both novels "Affinity" (1809) and "The Wanderings of Wilhelm Meister" (1821-1829) are Goethe's masterpieces and classic works in German literature. Goethe mentioned many times and in many places that Affinity is his best novel. The story of the novel revolves around Charlotte, Edward, the captain and Ottilie. Charlotte and Edward are a couple who live a peaceful and harmonious life, but everything has changed since the captain and Ottilie came to their manor... Translated from the Hamburg edition of "Goethe's Selected Works", Volume 6, with reference to the Berlin edition of "Goethe's Selected Works", Volume 12.

"The Old Curiosity Shop" (The Old Curiosity Shop) is a novel published by the British writer Dickens from 1840 to 1841. In order for his granddaughter, who was not yet 14 years old, to live a happy life after his death, Torent tried his best to get rich, but unexpectedly fell into the clutches of the upstart loan shark Daniel Quilp. Quilp, a greedy vampire, used loan sharks to not only take away all the property of the old antique shop, but also wanted to take away the beautiful little Nell. The grandfather and grandson were forced to flee London and live a life of begging. In the end, little Neier, who was physically and mentally injured, died of mental exhaustion. The novel describes the tragic story of Turrent, the owner of an old antique shop, and his beautiful and kind-hearted granddaughter, Little Nell, who depend on each other for life. "The Old Curiosity Shop" is known as "Victorian melancholy".

"Gulliver's Travels" is an outstanding travel satirical novel by Jonathan Swift (translated as Jonathan Swift). The novel is written based on the experience of surgeon Gulliver's four voyage adventures. It expresses the author's thoughts in a relatively perfect artistic form. The author uses rich satirical techniques and bizarre plots of fictional fantasy to profoundly analyze the social reality of the time in Britain.

This book comprehensively uses oral literature, folk tales, documentary records and other materials, combined with the author's personal experience, actual observations and real feelings, to describe the living conditions of monkeys, wolves, foxes, deer, wild boars, dogs, cats and other animals related to folk beliefs in Japan. It reveals the status of animals in people's lives and emotions, and shows an aspect of Japanese people's natural understanding.

"It is only in the aesthetic state that we feel as if we are separated from time, and our humanity is expressed purely and completely, as if it has not been damaged in any way due to the influence of external forces." From this book. There are more masterpieces by famous people in the book, waiting for you to appreciate them.

In 1903, the famous French writer Romain Rolland was deeply aware of the dullness and decline of European culture at that time. In order to let the world "breathe the breath of heroes", he began to use words to compose a majestic symphony of life: "The Life of Beethoven", "The Life of Michelangelo" and "The Life of Tolstoy" - these are the three works included in this book. Three geniuses who created the greatest art masters fought endlessly on the journey of life's troubles and difficulties.

The second part of the "Border Trilogy". The story of "Time Travel" takes place before "Horse", in the New Mexico border area in the 1930s, where 16-year-old Billy Parham and his younger brother Boyd ran a ranch with their parents. The trap set by him and his father captured a female wolf. Billy discovered her trap while riding on patrol and decided to send her back to the mountains of Mexico. Hence this journey across the border. Billy brought the female wolf to Mexico, but was forcibly detained by local forces in a border town. He shot the female wolf with his own hands and wandered aimlessly in the mountains. When he returned home, he found that everything had been turned upside down... He and his brother were determined to retrieve everything that belonged to them. However, as the book says, the consequences of an action are often inconsistent with a person's wishes.