Secondhand Classics Bargain Book Box DSH1022

Secondhand Classics Bargain Book Box

Embark on a magnificent journey through literary history with this collection of essential Classics, spanning centuries of profound drama, romance, philosophy, and tragedy. From the haunting prose of the Brontë sisters and the social satire of Jane Austen to the enduring power of Shakespeare and the doomed love of Thomas Hardy, this box is a cornerstone for any serious reader's library. Discover the works that shaped modern literature and continue to resonate with timeless human experience. Each book is secondhand and may show signs of wear.

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker
   The tale is told through a series of diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings that chart the sinister journey of Count Dracula from his castle in Transylvania to Victorian London. When the aristocratic vampire begins to target innocent victims, a small group of courageous individuals, led by Professor Van Helsing, bands together to stop his reign of terror. This seminal gothic horror novel defined the modern vampire myth and explores themes of temptation, repressed sexuality, and primal fear.

2. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
   This beloved comedy follows two separate couples navigating the complications of love, misunderstanding, and social pressure. The witty, antagonistic relationship between Beatrice and Benedick, who publicly despise each other but are secretly tricked into falling in love, provides much of the play's humor. Meanwhile, the relationship of the younger couple, Claudio and Hero, is nearly ruined by malicious gossip and deceit.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
   Narrated by the Midwestern observer Nick Carraway, this novel captures the dazzling yet morally corrupt world of the wealthy elite on Long Island during the Roaring Twenties. The mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby throws lavish parties in his desperate, doomed attempt to recapture the heart of his lost love, the beautiful, careless Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald creates a devastating portrait of the American Dream corrupted by materialism and class divisions.

4. Medea and Other Plays by Euripides
   This collection features the works of the Greek tragedian Euripides, renowned for his psychological depth and challenging portrayals of women. Medea is the harrowing tragedy of a sorceress seeking brutal vengeance against her unfaithful husband, Jason, using her own children as instruments of destruction. These plays examine the limits of human morality, divine justice, and the devastating consequences of pride and passion.

5. Persuasion by Jane Austen
   Anne Elliot, now twenty-seven, deeply regrets having been persuaded eight years earlier to break off her engagement to the man she loved, a naval officer named Captain Wentworth, because of his lack of fortune. When Wentworth returns, wealthy and successful, Anne must navigate renewed social pressures and a battle of quiet hearts to see if a second chance at love is possible. This novel is considered Austen's most emotionally resonant and mature work.

6. Emma by Jane Austen
   Young, beautiful, and convinced of her own matchmaking abilities, Emma Woodhouse decides to dedicate herself to orchestrating the romantic lives of her friends in her small, high-society village. Her well-intentioned but often misguided interference leads to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and near-disasters, forcing her to realize the danger of pride and the complexity of true affection.

7. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
   Subtitled 'A Novel without a Hero,' this sprawling satirical masterpiece chronicles the lives of two contrasting young women after they leave finishing school: the manipulative, ambitious Becky Sharp and the sweet, passive Amelia Sedley. Following their fortunes through the Napoleonic Wars and the rigid society of early 19th-century England, Thackeray dissects the greed and hypocrisy of the upper classes with biting wit.

8. The Metaphysical Poets (Penguin Classics)
   This anthology collects the works of the 17th-century group of poets, including John Donne, George Herbert, and Andrew Marvell, who were known for their intellectual, often elaborate use of conceits (extended metaphors). Their work explores complex themes of religious devotion, sensual love, and mortality with sharp wit and intense spiritual reflection. It remains a cornerstone of English literary tradition.

9. Plays by Anton Chekhov
   This volume features a selection of Chekhov’s seminal dramatic works, known for their subtle psychological realism and exploration of the painful, often absurd lives of the Russian landed gentry at the turn of the 20th century. His plays, such as The Cherry Orchard and Three Sisters, focus less on plot and more on mood and character, capturing the quiet desperation and unfulfilled hopes of his generation.

10. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy
    Set on the desolate, brooding landscape of Egdon Heath, the novel explores the tragic consequences of fate, passion, and ill-fated choices among a close-knit rural community. The arrival of the beautiful, headstrong Eustacia Vye sets off a chain of jealousies and poor decisions that lead to inevitable sorrow and destruction. Hardy powerfully depicts how human ambition and nature can conspire against happiness.

11. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
    In a fit of drunken despair, Michael Henchard, a poor hay-trusser, publicly sells his wife and baby daughter at a country fair. Years later, having found sobriety and success as the respected Mayor of Casterbridge, his past returns to haunt him when his wife and daughter reappear. Hardy crafts a heartbreaking tragedy of character, demonstrating how one impulsive act can irrevocably shape a lifetime of suffering and regret.

12. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
    Tess Durbeyfield is a beautiful, innocent country girl who is tragically sent by her impoverished family to claim kinship with a wealthy family, believing them to be noble relatives. She endures a series of devastating misfortunes and sexual exploitation, leading to a tragic conclusion as Hardy powerfully critiques the rigid social and sexual hypocrisies of Victorian England that condemn an innocent woman.

13. Middlemarch by George Eliot
    This sprawling Victorian masterpiece intertwines the lives of multiple characters in a provincial English town, focusing on the aspirations and compromises of the idealistic Dorothea Brooke and the ambitious young doctor Tertius Lydgate. Eliot offers a penetrating, comprehensive study of marriage, social reform, and the intellectual and moral struggles of individuals within a complex society.

14. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
    This novella introduces the captivating, eccentric, and ultimately elusive Holly Golightly, a young New York socialite who uses her charm and wit to float through the city’s high society. Through the eyes of a neighbor, the narrative explores Holly’s fragile pursuit of happiness and security, revealing her deep vulnerability beneath her glamorous, unconventional facade.

15. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
    The ultimate tragedy of revenge and contemplation, the play follows Prince Hamlet of Denmark, who is haunted by the ghost of his deceased father, revealing that he was murdered by his own brother, now married to Hamlet's mother. Hamlet descends into a calculated madness as he plots his revenge, grappling with profound questions of life, death, and moral duty.

16. The Works of Thomas Hardy (Poetry Library)
    This extensive volume collects the complete or near-complete poetic output of Thomas Hardy, showcasing his profound skill beyond his famous novels. Hardy's poetry is characterized by his dark, philosophical view of life, his meticulous observation of nature, and his poignant explorations of love, war, and the relentless irony of fate.

17. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
    Set in Verona, this iconic tragedy tells the story of two young, "star-crossed" lovers from feuding families who fall instantly in love despite the violence and hatred that surrounds them. Their secret marriage and desperate efforts to stay together are thwarted by miscommunication and fate, leading to a devastating final act. It remains the quintessential tale of passionate, doomed love.

18. Orlando by Virginia Woolf
    A fantastical, satirical biography that traces the life of the aristocratic poet Orlando, who begins life as a young Elizabethan nobleman and miraculously transforms into a woman halfway through the narrative, living for centuries without aging significantly. Woolf uses Orlando’s journey through history and gender to explore the fluid nature of identity, time, and artistic expression.

19. Henry IV, Part II by William Shakespeare
    The sequel to the previous history play continues to follow the relationship between the ailing King Henry IV and his rebellious son, Prince Hal, who spends his time carousing with the rogue Sir John Falstaff. The play explores the difficult transition Hal must make from irresponsible youth to responsible monarch, culminating in the dramatic rejection of his former companion, Falstaff.

20. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
    A passionate and compelling autobiography of an impoverished, intelligent, and strong-willed orphan who secures a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. She falls deeply in love with her mysterious and brooding employer, Mr. Rochester, only to uncover a shocking, terrifying secret that threatens to destroy their happiness and challenge her moral resolve.

21. The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
    This gothic romance tells the tale of the decaying Pyncheon family, who reside in a crumbling, cursed New England mansion plagued by a centuries-old history of greed, murder, and guilt. The arrival of a distant relative and the resurgence of an old family feud force the current inhabitants to confront the dark legacy that binds them all.

22. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
    Pip, an orphan raised in rural poverty, suddenly receives a massive, anonymous fortune from an unknown benefactor, allowing him to leave his humble life and pursue a gentleman’s education in London. As he chases his new social ambitions, he slowly learns the painful truth about his wealth and the moral cost of his great expectations, leading to a dramatic self-reckoning.