2011 January

In this dark gothic tale, Matthew Lewis tells the gripping story of the pious Spanish monk Ambrosio whose sexual obsession leads to murder and his eventual downfall

Presented as a fictional memoir, Defoe recounts the life of Moll Flanders, a woman born to a prisoner in Victorian London, and how she grew up to become a con-artist.

In this subtle tale of life in a small Victorian town, inhabited largely by women, Gaskell tells the story of two middle-aged spinsters to compose a picture of life in the 1830s.

Although Franklin died before it could be completed, the memoirs of the founding father and inventor are not just a work of historical importance but a compelling and inspiring read.

Having decided to head to the new world in search of a rich husband, Eugenia Munster and her brother journey to New England to visit their cousins. But soon the gulf between the old world of Europe and the new world of America becomes clear.

Rob Roy follows Frank Osbaldistone as he pursues a thief into Scotland just before the Jacobite Rising of 1715. As he journeys north, Osbaldistone repeatedly encounters the legendary outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor and reports on a divided Scotland.

Written in 1516, More’s radical book helped established the concept of utopia with its description of a communal island society that foreshadowed the ideas of communism, gender equality and religious freedom.

The ultimate companion to Burns Night celebrations, this collection brings together traditional Burns Supper poems and songs with which to mark the birthday of the iconic Scottish poet.

Bored by her marriage, Hedda Gabler seeks escape. But when a friend falls for Ejlert, a former lover of Hedda, Ibsen’s heartless heroine decides to engineer his brutal demise.

Bringing together ninety of O. Henry’s short stories, this collection demonstrates his trademark wit and ability to surprise the reader. Among the famous stories brought together in this volume are The Gift of the Magi, The Furnished Room, The Cop and the Anthem and the complete Cabbages and Kings.