Secondhand Classics Bargain Book Box DSH1133

Secondhand Classics Bargain Book Box

Immerse yourself in a profound collection of twenty-two essential literary works spanning ancient philosophy, foundational poetry, modern theatre, and canonical novels that shaped the course of literature. This selection features towering figures from George Orwell and Jane Austen to Plato and Samuel Beckett, offering a journey through Western civilization's most influential and enduring texts. This box provides a robust library foundation for any serious reader, mixing sharp social commentary with timeless human drama and profound philosophical inquiry. Each book is secondhand and may show signs of wear.

1. Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
   This controversial novel explores the illicit affair between Connie Reid, a privileged but neglected wife of an incapacitated aristocrat, and Mellors, the family's gamekeeper, contrasting rigid class structures with the liberating power of physical passion; Lawrence uses the affair to critique industrial society's spiritual sterility and advocate for a deeper, more primal connection to life and nature; the novel remains a powerful statement on sexuality and social boundaries.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
   The witty and beloved classic centers on Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters as they navigate the complexities of social etiquette, marriage, and class distinctions in Georgian England; the story primarily focuses on Elizabeth's tempestuous relationship with the proud Mr. Darcy, charting their mutual misunderstandings and eventual realization of true affection; Austen delivers a masterful comedy of manners that remains profoundly relevant.

3. The Theban Plays by Sophocles
   This volume collects the three legendary tragedies of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, which together explore the inescapable nature of fate, the conflict between divine law and human decree, and the tragic price of hubris; the plays recount the doomed fate of the royal house of Thebes, dealing with themes of incest, murder, and political rebellion with profound dramatic force; they are cornerstones of Western tragic theatre.

4. The Republic by Plato
   One of the most influential works of philosophy and political theory ever written, The Republic is framed as a dialogue primarily led by Socrates, exploring the nature of justice and the ideal state; Plato proposes a society governed by philosopher-kings and details his allegory of the cave, profoundly shaping subsequent discussions on ethics, education, and metaphysics; it remains a foundational text for political thought.

5. Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez
   This haunting novella reconstructs the events leading up to the murder of Santiago Nasar, revealing a town complicit in the tragedy as everyone knew the crime was going to happen, yet no one intervened; Márquez masterfully blends journalistic precision with magical realism to explore themes of honor, fate, collective guilt, and the complex, tragic nature of memory; the narrative unfolds with relentless, inescapable suspense.

6. Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
   Set in the seedy, violent underworld of 1930s Brighton, this chilling novel follows Pinkie Brown, a 17-year-old sociopathic gang leader capable of shocking violence, who murders a journalist to cover up a previous crime; Greene explores Pinkie's dark Catholic theology and his desperate need for meaning, contrasting his spiritual conviction with the simple, secular goodness of Ida Arnold, who seeks justice for the victim.

7. Washington Square by Henry James
   A compelling psychological portrait of Catherine Sloper, a plain, shy heiress caught between her cynical, emotionally distant father and the charming, potentially fortune-hunting suitor, Morris Townsend; set in mid-19th century New York society, the novel explores themes of innocence corrupted, paternal tyranny, and the devastating consequences of emotional manipulation and betrayal; James delivers a subtle, masterful study of character.

8. Emma by Jane Austen
   The narrative centers on Emma Woodhouse, a beautiful, clever, and wealthy young woman in a small village who decides she is a natural matchmaker, despite her utter lack of success; her misguided attempts to arrange the lives and loves of those around her lead to humorous complications and deep embarrassment, forcing her to confront her own arrogance and the true feelings of her long-time friend, Mr. Knightley.

9. Epitaph of a Small Winner by Machado de Assis
   This highly original Brazilian novel is narrated from beyond the grave by the deceased, cynical aristocrat Braz Cubas, who recounts his life story with unflinching wit and detachment; Braz mocks his own failures, societal conventions, and the very concept of historical progress, offering a darkly comic and philosophical meditation on the absurdity of human existence and memory.

10. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
    A seminal dystopian novel set in the perpetually warring state of Oceania, where the population is controlled by the totalitarian Party and its omnipresent leader, Big Brother; Winston Smith, a low-ranking Outer Party member, begins a perilous rebellion through forbidden thought and a secret love affair, only to be caught and subjected to terrifying psychological torture in Room 101.

11. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
    Nietzsche’s profound philosophical novel is narrated by the prophet Zarathustra, who descends from isolation in the mountains to teach humanity about the Übermensch (Overman), the death of God, and the doctrine of the eternal recurrence; written in a highly poetic, biblical style, it passionately advocates for self-mastery, the creation of one's own values, and the rejection of conventional morality.

12. Shelley's Poems: Longer Poems, Plays and Translations, Volume Two by Percy Bysshe Shelley
    This second volume of the Everyman’s Library collection brings together Shelley's more extensive and ambitious works, including dramatic poems and his translations of classical texts; it showcases his radical political and philosophical ideals, his mastery of lyrical verse, and his passionate commitment to human freedom and imaginative power; the collection highlights his significant contribution to Romantic literature.

13. The Satyricon by Petronius
    A fragmented, satirical Roman novel providing a brutally candid and often hilarious depiction of first-century Roman life, focusing on the adventures of the former slave Encolpius and his companions; the narrative contains vivid, scandalous episodes, most famously the lengthy description of Trimalchio’s Feast, offering a rare, cynical glimpse into the excesses and depravity of Nero’s Rome.

14. The Romantic Poets
    This volume compiles a comprehensive selection of works from the key figures of the British Romantic movement, including Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley, and Keats; the collection highlights the movement's defining characteristics: intense emotion, reverence for nature, the celebration of the individual, and a profound interest in the sublime and the supernatural; it is an essential collection of influential poetry.

15. Milton Poems by John Milton
    A collection of the essential poetic works of John Milton, widely regarded as one of the greatest poets in the English language, second only to Shakespeare; this volume features his powerful political sonnets, his early lyrical works, and selections from his epic poems, demonstrating his profound theological depth, classical learning, and his unwavering commitment to liberty of conscience and intellectual freedom.

16. Silas Marner by George Eliot
    The novel tells the tragic story of Silas Marner, a linen weaver wrongly accused of theft who withdraws from society, becoming a bitter, lonely miser after his heart is broken; his life is dramatically transformed and his humanity restored when he discovers a young golden-haired child, Eppie, taking the place of his stolen gold, leading to themes of redemption, community, and the power of love.

17. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
    This seminal work of absurdist theatre features two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who wait endlessly and pointlessly for the arrival of a mysterious figure named Godot, who never appears; the play explores the profound themes of human existence, futility, memory, and the search for meaning in a chaotic universe, all while employing minimal action and darkly comic dialogue.

18. The Agamemnon by Aeschylus (translated by Louis MacNeice)
    This is a modern translation of Aeschylus's profound tragedy, the first play in the Oresteia trilogy, detailing the return of King Agamemnon from the Trojan War and his subsequent murder by his vengeful wife, Clytemnestra; the translation beautifully captures the original's lyrical power and its exploration of divine vengeance, the weight of inherited curses, and the inexorable march of fate.

19. The Cocktail Party by T.S. Eliot
    A sophisticated verse play set during a fashionable cocktail party, where the light social comedy quickly gives way to a serious and deeply spiritual examination of marital dissatisfaction and the desperate search for meaning in modern life; the characters are guided by an enigmatic doctor who offers them two stark paths: a return to ordinary delusion or a journey toward spiritual sacrifice and salvation.

20. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
    This modernist masterpiece recounts the Bundren family's arduous journey across the Mississippi countryside to fulfill their matriarch Addie's dying wish to be buried in her hometown; narrated through the stream-of-consciousness perspectives of fifteen different characters, the novel reveals the complex, often dark, motives and emotional struggles of each family member amidst the tragic and absurd circumstances of their quest.

21. The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
    The novel centers on the brilliant and passionate Maggie Tulliver and her steadfast, conventional brother, Tom, tracing their deeply complex and often tragic relationship as they navigate life in rural England; Eliot explores Maggie's intellectual yearnings and emotional intensity, contrasting her spirit with the rigid moral and social expectations of her community and ultimately leading to a heartbreaking, fated conclusion.

22. Smoke and Other Early Stories by Djuna Barnes
    This collection brings together the early, largely unseen short fiction of Djuna Barnes, renowned for her unique, often unsettling style and her contributions to modernist literature; the stories offer evocative and intense portraits of American and European life, exploring themes of gender, art, and emotional alienation with a sharp, experimental sensibility; it offers a vital look at the foundations of her radical voice.