Publishers Weekly #1 Best Seller for 1902.

This novel was the grandfather of the Western genre and follows a natural gentleman as he is entangled with the new Wyoming state's 1890s Johnson County War - the ugly side of the consolidation of The American West. A cabal of large vested interests and a diffuse collection of small players fight for control of access rights to publicly owned common range land. Rhetoric and actions escalate and culminated in some nasty lynchings, the use of a gang of hired Texan killers (with the tacit approval of the state Governor), the murder of a small rancher, the siege of the Texans by a posse of 200, and their eventual rescue by the U.S. sixth cavalry at the orders of the president.

The Decameron is a collection of 100 very readable novellas finished in 1353. It is known for its bawdy tales that span the spectrum from erotic to tragic. The tales are told by a party of ten fleeing the black plague, on each of 10 days they each tell a tale on a particular theme. The stories remain compelling for the modern reader while providing a unique window into medieval life.

Essays was first published in 1580. In it Montaigne essentially invented the literary form of the essay, a short subjective treatment of a given topic. Montaigne's stated goal in his book is to describe man, and especially himself, with utter frankness. The modernity of thought in Montaigne's essays, coupled with their sustained popularity, made them arguably the most prominent work in French philosophy until the Enlightenment. Their influence over French education and culture is still strong.

Although it was published posthumously in 1677, it is his most famous work, and is considered his magnum opus. Spinoza follows a methodical presentation of axioms, definitions, and propositions to show that the ethical and content life can be attained through reason and thought.

Wealthy and widowed, Lizzie Eustace comes into possession of a very valuable heirloom necklace, the Eustace Diamonds. But Lizzie also possesses a penchant for lying. When the strongbox in which the diamonds are usually kept is stolen, Lizzie becomes the subject of much gossip and scandal. Eventually, a mystery is unravelled and the police discover much more than they initially expected. The truth is not always what it appears to be. First published in 1872, The Eustace Diamonds is the third in Trollope's "Palliser" series.