Zitkala-Sa (Red Bird) 1876 - 1938 was born and raised on the Yankton Sioux reservation in South Dakota. She lived a traditional lifestyle until age eight when she left for Quaker school. Old Indian Legends is a collection of folktales that she gathered during her visits home to the reservation.

Narrative is a memoir written by the famous orator, statesman, and freed slave Frederick Douglass. Along with Uncle Tom's Cabin, it fuelled the abolitionist movement in nineteenth century United States. It is a fascinating account by a man who managed to teach himself to read by observation and eventually escape to freedom. Inspirational.

1864 Best Seller.

Southworth considered Ishmael to be her best work. It's inspirations to wisdom and goodness were drawn from the real life examples of the heroes and statesmen of the American Revolution. The novel tells the story of Ishmael, born into poverty and virtuously climbing to success.

1871 Best Seller.

From age 19 Eggleston was an itinerant preacher until travelling broke his health.

The books relates the experiences of a young man sent to be the only teacher of a backwoods rural Indiana town. It is an early example of American realist fiction.

1895 Best Seller.

One of the most influential anti-war stories ever written The Red Badge of Courage was adapted as a film in 1951 by John Huston. Crane wanted to show what war was like and achieved a ground breaking 'psychological portrayal of fear'. The story follows an archetypical 19 year old recruit in the American Civil War.

The first major writing to gain recognition for Ivan Turgenev these short stories reflect his own observations of the abuse of the peasants and the injustice of the Russian system. The publication of the stories led to his house arrest, and contributed to the abolishment of serfdom.

The first major writing to gain recognition for Ivan Turgenev these short stories reflect his own observations of the abuse of the peasants and the injustice of the Russian system. The publication of the stories led to his house arrest, and contributed to the abolishment of serfdom.