A seminal work of Realism, and one of the most influential novels ever written.

"What is remarkable in Madame Bovary is that its mediocre beings, with their earthbound ambitions and pedestrian problems, impress us, by virtue of the structure and the writing that create them, as beings who are out of the ordinary within their ordinary manner of being." - Mario Vargas Llosa, in The Perpetual Orgy

The novel focuses on a doctor's wife, Emma Bovary, as she spirals out of control trying to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life.

"Kessel proves himself again a master not just of science fiction, but also of the modern short story, crafting compelling characters and following them through plots that never fail to please - or to defy prediction." --Metro Magazine

"Kessel's blend of dark humor and reality-stretching scenarios is consistently mesmerizing." --Booklist

"One of the best collections of the year." --Locus

"These well-crafted stories, full of elegantly drawn characters, deliver a powerful emotional punch." --Publishers Weekly

A satire on Victorian morals and marriage.

A collection of short stories highly praised by Herman Melville. Melville later dedicated Moby Dick to Hawthorne in "admiration for his genius".

A retelling of Greek myths, aimed mainly at children.

Winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize.

The impending marriage of a society couple is disturbed by the appearance of a woman. In 1993 Martin Scorsese directed an adaptation that was regarded as one of his best works.

A satire where a an ambassador, representing American materialism, takes up residence in a reputedly haunted house while serving at the Court of St. James.