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2) Beowulf
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Beowulf is one of the most universally studied of the English classics, and considered to be the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature.
The title character is a warrior with superhuman strength who honors his king by performing glorious deeds, the first of which is to rescue the royal house of Denmark from two violent monsters. After killing them, he returns triumphantly and rules his people wisely as their King...
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This brief pamphlet, also called 'The Tree of Life' was published in 1732. It is outrageously scatological but in a truly brilliant way. It is conceivable that some would read it and not realise what the subject of the story was (the male member), with its not too carefully disguised.
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In the year 778 A.D., Charles the Great, King of the Franks, returned from a military expedition into Spain, whither he had been led by opportunities offered through dissensions among the Saracens who then dominated that country. On the 15th of August, while his army was marching through the passes of the Pyrenees, his rear-guard was attacked and annihilated by the Basque inhabitants of the mountains, in the valley of Roncesvaux. About this disaster...
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The Magna Carta, or "The Great Charter of the Liberties" is one of the most important historical documents in English history and serves as a philosophical basis for democratic monarchy and civil liberties. The charter was originally drafted in response to a political crisis during the reign of King John who faced opposition from the church and from a group of rebellious barons. The Magna Carta placed restrictions on the monarch and provided an important...
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Originally published in 1915, this work gives a first-hand account of what life was like for a front line nurse during the First World War.
This book is part of the World War One Centenary series; creating, collating and reprinting new and old works of poetry, fiction, autobiography and analysis. The series forms a commemorative tribute to mark the passing of one of the world's bloodiest wars, offering new perspectives on this tragic yet fascinating...
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Arthurian legends have long been the source of countless popular tales. "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is one of the best known and most widely read. During King Arthur's New Year's celebration, a mysterious knight, with green clothes and horse, arrives with a challenge to the knights of the round table-any one of them may swing at the Green Knight with an axe if he too is willing to take a blow one year and one day after. Gawain, one of Arthur's...
10) The Dhammapada
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Passed along for centuries through oral tradition by the followers of Buddhism, "The Dhammapada" is a collection of sayings by Buddha, which concisely presents the religion's core philosophies. Widely recognized as one of the most accessible works of all the Buddhist scriptures, the verses of the work describe events in the life of Buddha through, which the wisdom of Buddha's beliefs are revealed. Unlike the proscriptive nature of the scriptures of...
11) The Rig Veda
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Considered one the four canonical texts of the Hindu religion, known collectively as "The Vedas", "The Rig Veda" is one of the most important works of Hindu scripture. The work is a collection of poems, sayings, prayers, and origin myths. Written sometime between 1700-1100 BCE, "The Rig Veda" is one of the oldest works of the Indo-European languages. The hymns included in the collection are dedicated to various deities in Hindu mythology, including...
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Foreword by Robert Benson A mystical classic now easier to understand This spiritual classic has been an enigma for centuries. Notoriously difficult to understand, this contemporary English translation ushers you into the way of knowing God that can be dark at times, and luminous at others. It offers an accessible invitation to enter into God's presence through a "cloud of unknowing." Written by an anonymous fourteenth-century monk, The Cloud of Unknowing...
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This introduction to the Twelve Steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program is offered to all alcoholic men and women whose "lives have become unmanageable" because of their powerlessness over alcohol. The purpose of this interpretation is to help members quickly work out an acceptable 24-hour schedule of A.A. living. This subject matter is founded on basic information from the book Alcoholics Anonymous.
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In The Romance of Lust, well-endowed narrator Charlie Roberts recounts the varied and prolific Victorian-era sexual experiences of his youth. Still considered scandalous by modern standards, the novel discusses subjects considered to be completely taboo at the time of its publication in the 1870s, including incest, masturbation, and homosexuality. Like many similar works of erotic fiction, The Romance of Lust was banned for a period of time.
HarperPerennial...
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Excerpt: "On going to my room to dress for dinner, I found a servant-girl engaged in making some of the arrangements which the change of apartments had necessitated. On my entrance she was going to leave the room, but seeing that she was a very nice-looking young girl, I said she need not run away in such a hurry, that surely she was not afraid of me. She gave me an arch look as if taking the measure of my capacities, and replied with a smile that...
19) Everyman
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Written in Middle English during the Tudor period, "Everyman" is the most famous example of the medieval morality play. Popular in Europe during the 15th and 16th century, morality plays were allegorical dramas in which the protagonists are met with the personifications of personal attributes and tasked with choosing either a good and godly life or evil. "Everyman" is the archetypal morality play, as the main character, Everyman, represents all of...