Study guides: books, letter t - Page 5 | Just Great DataBase

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

Political influence and power games have always been at the center of literary inspiration sources. A famous Italian political expert, Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a great treatise “The Prince” on the philosophy of politics that talks about this topic in innovative ways and unusual approaches. The book is divided into 26 chapters that each describe different state models, various types...

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Raven” in 1845. It is cited and recognized for many reasons, including its style, melodically composed text and ambiance. Inside the book, there are many reflections of folk culture, religious symbols, Antique characters and classical plots.  At first, the reader finds himself in a middle of a dark room late at night. There’s a man who is...

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

“The Red Badge of Courage” is an American novel about the civil war written by Stephen Crane. Unlike many other war novels, this story focuses on the inner feelings of a member of the Union Army who at one point fled the battlefield. The book was written at the end of the 19th century by an author who was born after the actual events depicted. But the text strikes the reader with its...

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

“The Remains of the Day” is a novel of the British writer of Japanese origin, Kazuo Ishiguro, published in 1989. “The Remains of the Day” is called the most English novel of the end of the 20th century. This novel is about the butler Stevens who has dedicated his life to the loyal service of Lord Darlington. But now the house in which he has been serving for many years...

The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy

The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy is a novel that received a very controversial feedback in the Victorian society. It is the story about the complicated relationships, love triangles that sometimes have nothing in common with love, but only with rationality. The desires and goals of the characters are rarely noble and some of them who are relatively “pure” are miserable during...

The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells

The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells is a realistic sentimental novel that is considered the classic of realistic writing until the present day. Howells portrayal of the love triangle between young Tom and the two Lapham daughters, smart Penelope and beautiful Irene, was often criticized for being plain and too mundane for the romantic story, but the critics almost always agreed at...

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road is a dystopian post-apocalyptic novel by Cormac McCarthy, the bleak setting of which served as the inspiration to the lots of the movie directors, writers and game designers. The story of The Road is the story without hope and even the happy ending is just a bright spot that seems to fade soon with the rest of the light on the dying Earth. The novel tells us the story of the father and...

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote “The Scarlet Letter: A Romance” at the end of the 19th century when public morals were still strict and unforgiving. But the events of the novel are set in the 17th century when the Puritan society possessed full control over human choices.  The plot of the novel is centered about a lapse from the virtue of a young woman named Hester Prynne. She has to...

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

“The Secret Life of Bees” of the authorship of Sue Monk Kidd is a book about a 14-year old girl who lost her mother. It is a story about losses and gains, faith and forgiveness. It is also a story about people who have faced the tough decision of choosing what really matters. Lily Melissa Owens still vaguely remembers the day when her mother died. Her father, T. Ray, treats her badly...

The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad

The Secret Sharer is the short story by Joseph Conrad that is considered a true masterpiece of the genre. On its pages the author presents his audience the tension of the adventure novel, the mystic secret of a Gothic novel and the investigation worthy of a detective story. It tells us about the events in the life of a young captain on his ship, who feels not enough confidence to be accepted by...

The Song of Roland by Unknown

“The Song of Roland” is the oldest French rhymed text. It is the historical epic poem that depicts the events of the Battle of Roncevaux Pass. It is a fascinating text that is a must read for any citizen of the world. Even those who aren’t fond of poetry must read “The Song of Roland”. It is exciting, thrilling, impressive and useful for your general knowledge of...

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

“The Sound And The Fury” is a major creation of a great American writer William Faulkner. The author has perfected his writing style while compiling the novel, especially the parts that employ the stream of consciousness tool. The book was published in 1929 and it took the novel a couple of years to gain acknowledgment of the critics.  Words. Lots of words, different words, in...

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

There’s no way to describe Scottish literature better than Robert Stevenson did it in his gothic novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. It is a lengthy story that constitutes the culmination of author’s mastery. We are only left wondering what would be the fate of Stevenson’s talent if the destiny were just a little more kind to this man and his life...

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The legendary Albert Camus composed “The Stranger” in 1942. The book is also often referred to as “The Outsider” – in the light of the themes of the novel that are about absurd philosophy, consequences, death, conflict of the soul and human personalities.  The protagonist of the book is named Meursault and he is the one that narrates the story. He is a...

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

"The Sun Also Rises” was published in 1926 and at that time its author, Ernest Hemingway, received dubious feedback on his creation. Today it is considered to be one of the best novels created by Hemingway and an outstanding representative of modernist literature. The book is centered on a trip of a group of expatriates, one of them is Jake Barnes, who travel to Spain for the festival...

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a comedy that can be seen as controversial if we apply today’s moral standards to it. It involves things that are now considered forced marriage, abusive relations and domestic psychological violence. We should take into consideration that the severe misogyny was the usual thing in Shakespearean times and a strong-willed woman who...

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

“The Tell-Tale Heart” is a perfect example of Edgar Allan Poe’s beliefs about how the story should be written. It is short, concise, can be finished in one sitting, and relates to many readers. How many times do people feel annoyed by little things? And how many times do you actually do something about it? The novel fascinates readers with its simplicity and intrigues the minds...

The Tempest by William Shakespeare

The great poet of all times, William Shakespeare, is known not only for his distinctive style, but also for great productivity. Even though this is one of the reasons why some experts still have doubts over the real authorship of his works. “Tempest” is believed to be his last work and might as well be his best. It is also much more organized in style and is believed to signify...

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien

Most of the war stories that have acquired wide attention among the public are about World War I or World War II. Tim O’Brien wrote a popular book about Vietnam War that was published in 1990 and provoked a lively debate, both among political and historical circles.  “The Things They Carried” is a collection of stories about a writer who is also a veteran. During the plot...

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

“The Three Musketeers” is a historical novel about four names the whole world knows about: d’Artagnan, Athos, Parthos, and Aramis. Alexandre Dumas was exposed to the great political events in French history, which gave him lots of material to base his text on.  One-of-a-kind France, formidable villains, political intrigues, mystique characters – all this and much...