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.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is a memoir by Harriet Jacobs and was first published in 1861 under the assumed name "Linda Brent". As the title suggests, it tells of her life as a slave and chronicles the harassments, horrors, tortures and traumas that she, and other slaves, endured. It is a narrative that draws attention not only to the conflicts between owner and slave but also that between men and women. An eye-opening account. A must read.

The plot thickens and larger issues may be at stake in the second book of Mayer Alan Brenner's "Dance of Gods" series. Originally published by DAW Books, the books are a witty and intelligent science / fantasy crossover.

"A winner ... I was utterly hooked. Its not a belly-laugh-inducing parody of a fantasy so much as an off-the-wall kind of fantasy in its own right..." --Interzone

Plot-lines collide and family secrets are revealed in the third book of Mayer Alan Brenner's "Dance of Gods" series. Originally published by DAW Books, the books are a witty and intelligent science / fantasy crossover.

"Ya gotta love a series with a hero named 'Maximillian the Vaguely Disreputable'. READ THIS SERIES, shouts your FAQmaker, it's fast and furious, and fun..." -- The Recommended Fantasy Author List

1894 Best Seller.

A fictionalised 'autobiography' of the true story of a dog named 'Beautiful Joe'. Joe's abusive original owner savagely mistreated him. The book became very popular and greatly contributed to the worldwide awareness of animal cruelty.

Lewis "Lew" Wallace was a lawyer, governor, Union general in the American Civil War, and American statesman. He is best remembered for Ben-Hur, an historical fiction set amongst the characters of the New Testament. It was America's best selling novel for nearly sixty years after it's publication.

Follow the wikipedia link to see a great photo of the author.

Will Shetterly is a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate and author of many novels

The floridian magical realism of Dogland follows the Nix family as they move across the country to create DOGLAND and the US moves into the turbulent sixties

Though the novels setting in a tourist attraction featuring hundreds of dog breeds might seem pure whimsy, it is apparently autobiographical.