TheFalloftheHouseofUsherisashortstorybyAmericanwriterEdgarAllanPoe,firstpublishedin1839.ItiswidelyconsideredEdgarAllanPoe'sgreatestwork,andamasterpieceofGothichorror.Thestorybeginswiththeunnamednarratorarrivingatthehouseofhisfriend,RoderickUsher,whocomplainsofanillnessandaskingforhishelp.Roderick'sconditioncanbedescribedaccordingtoitsterminology.Itincludesaformofsensoryoverloadknownashyperesthesia,hypochondria,andacuteanxiety.ItisrevealedthatRoderick'stwinsister,Madeline,isalsoillandfallsintocataleptic,deathliketrances.ThenarratorisimpressedwithRoderick'spaintings,andattemptstocheerhimbyreadingwithhimandlisteningtohisimprovisedmusicalcompositionsontheguitar.Rodericksings"TheHauntedPalace",thentellsthenarratorthathebelievesthehousehelivesintobealive,andthatthissentiencearisesfromthearrangementofthemasonryandvegetationsurroundingit.

Sincepublication,AnneofGreenGableshassoldmorethan50millioncopiesandhasbeentranslatedinto20languages.AnneofGreenGablesisa1908novelbyCanadianauthorLucyMaudMontgomery.Writtenforallages,ithasbeenconsideredachildren'snovelsincethemid-twentiethcentury.ItrecountstheadventuresofAnneShirley,an11-yearoldorphangirlwhoismistakenlysenttoMatthewandMarillaCuthbert,amiddleagedbrotherandsisterwhohadintendedtoadoptaboytohelpthemontheirfarminPrinceEdwardIsland.Theoriginalbookistaughttostudentsaroundtheworld.Ithasbeenadaptedasfilm,made-for-televisionmovies,andanimatedlive-actiontelevisionseries.Playsandmusicalshavealsobeencreated,withproductionsannuallyinCanadasince1964ofthefirstmusicalproduction,whichhastouredinCanada,theUnitedStates,EuropeandJapan.

《八十天环游地球》是法国作家儒勒·凡尔纳的代表作。它讲述的是这样一个故事：英国绅士福格与朋友打赌两万英镑，要在八十天内环游地球一周回到伦敦。他和仆人“万事达”克服了路途中的重重艰难险阻，在环绕地球一圈并回到伦敦时，虽然迟到五分钟，却又意外地获得胜利。作者借助引人入胜的旅途故事，激励读者在遇到困难时要充满信心，勇于克服。

Moby-DickisanovelconsideredanoutstandingworkofRomanticismandtheAmericanRenaissance.IshmaelnarratesthemonomaniacalquestofAhab,captainofthewhalerPequod,forrevengeonMobyDick,awhitewhalewhichonapreviousvoyagedestroyedAhab'sshipandseveredhislegattheknee.Althoughthenovelwasacommercialfailureandoutofprintatthetimeoftheauthor'sdeathin1891,itsreputationasaGreatAmericanNovelgrewduringthetwentiethcentury.D.H.Lawrencecalleditoneofthestrangestandmostwonderfulbooksintheworld,andthegreatestbookoftheseaeverwritten.CallmeIshmaelisoneofworldliterature'smostfamousopeningsentences.

AnneofGreenGablesisa1908novelbyCanadianauthorLucyMaudMontgomery.Writtenforallages,ithasbeenconsideredachildren'snovelsincethemid-twentiethcentury.ItrecountstheadventuresofAnneShirley,an11-yearoldorphangirlwhoismistakenlysenttoMatthewandMarillaCuthbert,amiddleagedbrotherandsisterwhohadintendedtoadoptaboytohelpthemontheirfarminPrinceEdwardIsland.Sincepublication,AnneofGreenGableshassoldmorethan50millioncopiesandhasbeentranslatedinto20languages."AnneofGreenGablesisa1908novelbyCanadianauthorLucyMaudMontgomery.Writtenforallages,ithasbeenconsideredachildren’snovelsincethemid-twentiethcentury.ItrecountstheadventuresofAnneShirley,an11-yearoldorphangirlwhoismistakenlysenttoMatthewandMarillaCuthbert,amiddleagedbrotherandsisterwhohadintendedtoadoptaboytohelpthemontheirfarminPrinceEdwardIsland.Sincepublication,AnneofGreenGableshassoldmorethan50millioncopiesandhasbeentranslatedinto20languages."

Thiscaptivatingtaleofadventure,"TheMysteriousIsland"tellsthetaleoffivemenandadogwholandinaballoononafaraway,Throughtheuseoftheiringenuitythefivemanagetosurviveonthisislandwilderness.Manysecretsandadventuresawaitthegroupastheyendeavortodiscoverythemysteryofthis"mysteriousisland".JulesVernewasaFrenchnovelist,poet,andplaywright.VerneisgenerallyconsideredamajorliteraryauthorinFranceandmostofEurope,wherehehashadawideinfluenceontheliteraryavant-gardeandonsurrealism.TheMysteriousIslandisconsideredbymanytobeJulesVerne'smasterpiece.

JulesVernewasaFrenchnovelist,poet,andplaywright.VerneisgenerallyconsideredamajorliteraryauthorinFranceandmostofEurope,wherehehashadawideinfluenceontheliteraryavant-gardeandonsurrealism.TheMysteriousIslandisconsideredbymanytobeJulesVerne'smasterpiece.Thiscaptivatingtaleofadventure,"TheMysteriousIsland"tellsthetaleoffivemenandadogwholandinaballoononafaraway,Throughtheuseoftheiringenuitythefivemanagetosurviveonthisislandwilderness.Manysecretsandadventuresawaitthegroupastheyendeavortodiscoverythemysteryofthis"mysteriousisland".

ThomasHardy'sfinalnovel"JudetheObscure"beganasaserialpublicationonDecember1894beforebeingpublishedinbookformthefollowingyear.ItisthestoryofitstitularcharacterJudeFawley,ayounglower-classmanwithdreamsofbeingascholar,andhisrelationshipswithhiswife,Arabella,andhisfree-spiritedcousin,SueBridehead.ThenovelfollowsthelifeofJudefromhisyouthlivinginavillageinsouthernEnglandwhereheworksinabakeryandstudiesClassicalGreekandLatininhissparetimewithhopesofonedaybecomingascholaratChristminster,afictionalcitymodeledafterOxford.HisdreamsaredashedhoweverwhenhebecomesensnaredbydeceitintomarriagewithArabellaDonn,acoarseandsuperficialgirl.Whatfollowsisaclassicandtragictalethatplaysuponmanythemes,principallyofwhichistheideathatone'sruinousdownfallistheproductofhavinglivedasinfullife.Havingbeenharshlycriticizedinitsdayforitsscandalousportrayals,"JudetheObscure"hassincebeenrecognizedasoneofHardy'sfinestandmostintricateworks.

在美国，很多人都读过《麦加菲读本》，美国媒体更称其为“影响美国五代人的心灵读本”。其主编者威廉·H.麦加菲，是美国知名的教育家。他先后担任过弗吉尼亚大学道德哲学教授、迈阿密大学语言学教授，以及俄亥俄大学校长。他用了20多年时间，从浩瀚的西方经典文学中选编了一套读本，希望通过这些散文、诗歌、戏剧、哲理故事中浅显而美妙的文字，让美国的小朋友们在提高文学修养的同时，也可以感受道德教育的力量。该读本一经面世，就有近万所美国学校将它选为教材。1961年以后，在西方每年销量仍达到3万册以上。可以说，没有哪一套个人主编的教材能超过这套书的发行量！

TheBlackCatisashortstorybyEdgarAllanPoe.ItwasfirstpublishedintheAugust19,1843,editionofTheSaturdayEveningPost.Itisastudyofthepsychologyofguilt,oftenpairedinanalysiswithPoe's"TheTell-TaleHeart".Inboth,amurderercarefullyconcealshiscrimeandbelieveshimselfunassailable,buteventuallybreaksdownandrevealshimself,impelledbyanaggingreminderofhisguilt.Thestoryispresentedasafirst-personnarrativeusinganunreliablenarrator.Heisacondemnedmanattheoutsetofthestory.Thenarratortellsusthatfromanearlyagehehaslovedanimals.Heandhiswifehavemanypets,includingalarge,beautifulblackcat(asdescribedbythenarrator)namedPluto.Thiscatisespeciallyfondofthenarratorandviceversa.Theirmutualfriendshiplastsforseveralyears,untilthenarratorbecomesanalcoholic.Onenight,aftercominghomecompletelyintoxicated,hebelievesthecattobeavoidinghim.Whenhetriestoseizeit,thepanickedcatbitesthenarrator,andinafitofrage,heseizestheanimal,pullsapen-knifefromhispocket,anddeliberatelygougesoutthecat'seye.

这世界上绝大多数人即便不是基督徒，相信也都听说过亚当、夏娃和伊甸园的故事。其实，真正将《圣经·旧约》中只有500字的简单叙事内容赋予气势宏伟的语言和曲折离奇的情节，并使之成为一部史诗巨作的，是17世纪英国著名诗人约翰·密尔顿，这部鸿篇巨著名曰《失乐园》。约翰·密尔顿（1608—1674）是英国文学史上最伟大的六大诗人之一，他的无韵体史诗《失乐园》与荷马的《荷马史诗》、但丁的《神曲》（“最经典英语文库”已经分三册出版面世）并称为西方三大诗歌。《失乐园》这部史诗描写了这样的故事情节：魔鬼撒旦逃离了地牢，来到上帝为人类始祖亚当和夏娃建立的伊甸园，诱惑他们偷吃了区分善恶树的禁果。他们无知并堕落，引发上帝震怒。一气之下，上帝将亚当和夏娃逐出了伊甸园。他们两人的行为，成为人类原罪的起源，并因此导致死亡、痛苦、饥荒、瘟疫在地球上泛滥。然而，上帝并没有赶尽杀绝，而是赐予了人类救赎的机会，差遣耶稣基督做救赎，使人类可以通过坚韧的信念和诚心的悔改重新回归乐园。

彼得是一只淘气的小兔子，他跑到农夫的菜园偷吃蔬菜，虽然最后有惊无险地逃脱了，但那过程着实把他吓坏了，总算得到了教训……这就是家喻户晓的小兔彼得的故事，一场童趣的大冒险。小兔彼得的故事流传至今已经110年。在英语国家，几乎每个孩子都有小兔彼得的书。一个多世纪以来，“小兔彼得”一直畅销不衰，成为世界童书史上的不朽经典；它的作者波特女士也因此名垂史册，在世界儿童文学史上占据了重要一席。本书收录了作者的全部作品，包括《小兔彼得的故事》《小松鼠纳特金的故事》等23篇童话和《三只小老鼠》等四篇童谣。这些活泼逗趣的故事绝对是小朋友们睡前故事的不二选择；而节奏明确、朗朗上口的童谣则非常适合小朋友大声朗读。全书700多幅精致传神的插画和文字相映成趣，更能给小读者带来极大的艺术享受。

Dumas'classicstory,firstserializedin1844,hasenthralledreaderswithitsfast-pacedplot,endearingcharacters,andromanticideals,immortalizedbythemotto"oneforall,allforone."Atimelesstaleofadventure,romance,intrigue,andrevenge,Thisisacaptivatingstory.Ahistoricalromance,thisnoveltellsoftheadventuresofthehot-headedyoungGascon,d'ArtagnanandhisthreecompanionsAthos,PorthosandAramisastheygallantlydefendtheQueenofFrance,usingtheirwitandtheirswords.TheymustfoilthenefariousplottingofCardinalRichelieuagainsttheKingandQueen,despitehisappearanceasanally.D'ArtagnanandthethreeMusketeersmustalsoovercomethevillainousmachinationsofMiladydeWinter,whoselethalcriminalitythreatensthoseinpoliticalpowerandtheloveofd'ArtgnanforConstanceBonacieux.

Inthispathbreakingbook,renownedcorporateexpertLynnStoutdebunksthemyththatcorporatelawmandatesshareholderprimacy.Andshelooksatnewmodelsofcorporatepurposethatbetterservetheneedsofinvestors,corporations,andsociety.

在萧伯纳一生的创作中，他始终秉持这样的信念，即戏剧要承载重要的社会使命。他反对“为艺术而艺术”的文学主张，认为一切伟大的艺术都是“载道”的，戏剧是教育与宣传的工具，其目的不是供人娱乐，而是鞭挞社会，因此，戏剧必须取材于现实生活，作家在处理题材时，须阐明其社会意义。为了表现思想冲突，萧伯纳采用了争辩式对白，这样，在演出过程中就要求观众积极参与到剧中来。萧伯纳出生于一个清贫却要维持“上等人”门面的家庭。父亲酗酒。母亲有一副美好的歌喉，因与丈夫不和，最终到伦敦以教唱歌为生。不快乐的童年，使萧伯纳自幼就体会到“贫穷就是罪恶”。这一理念，成了他最初几个剧本的主题。萧伯纳离开爱尔兰来到伦敦后，目睹了维多利亚时期繁荣的消失。一次比一次规模更大的资本主义经济危机，使知识分子受到强烈震撼。伦敦出现了各种标榜社会主义的小团体。他们举办的演讲和辩论，吸引了萧伯纳。他坚信，资本主义社会必须改革。后来，他开始到大英博物馆阅览室阅读马克思的《资本论》。对马克思政治经济学的研究，给他的戏剧创作带来巨大影响。其作品曾被好莱坞拍过电影，叫《窈窕淑女》。在中国上映时，曾引发极大轰动。

《伤心咖啡馆之歌》是百灵鸟英文经典系列丛书的其中一本，是美国女作家卡森·麦卡勒斯于一九五一年五月出版的小说集，共收录7篇麦卡勒斯优秀的中短篇小说杰作。其中重要的篇目《伤心咖啡馆之歌》讲述了小镇上爱密利亚小姐、罗锅和马文·马西三人诡异的爱情故事。诸篇小说的背景多样，多用一种诡谲、神秘、荒诞的方式表达了一个与爱同样永恒的人类主题——孤独，并且用爱的荒谬来印证孤独的必然。

AgnesGreyisthedebutnovelofEnglishauthorAnneBront?(writingunderthepennameofActonBell),firstpublishedinDecember1847,andrepublishedinasecondeditionin1850.ThenovelfollowsAgnesGrey,agoverness,assheworkswithinfamiliesoftheEnglishgentry.ScholarshipandcommentsbyAnne'ssisterCharlotteBront?suggestthenovelislargelybasedonAnneBront?'sownexperiencesasagovernessforfiveyears.Agnes,hersisterMary,andtheirmotheralltrytokeepexpenseslowandbringinextramoney,butAgnesisfrustratedthateveryonetreatsherlikeachild.Toproveherselfandtoearnmoney,sheisdeterminedtogetapositionasagoverness.Eventually,sheobtainsarecommendationfromawell-placedacquaintance,isofferedaposition,andsecuresherparents'permission.Withsomemisgivings,shetravelstoWellwoodhousetoworkfortheBloomfieldfamily.ThechoiceofcentralcharacterallowsAnnetodealwithissuesofoppressionandabuseofwomenandgovernesses,isolationandideasofempathy.Anadditionalthemeisthefairtreatmentofanimals.AgnesGreyalsomimicssomeofthestylisticapproachesofbildungsromans,employingideasofpersonalgrowthandcomingtoage,butrepresentingacharacterwhoinfactdoesnotgaininvirtue.

我们已经在“最经典英语文库”的上一辑（第四辑）里，出版了《约翰克里斯朵夫》第一卷。现在，在第五辑里，出版罗曼罗兰（1866-1944）的《约翰克里斯朵夫》第二卷，并将在下一辑里（“最经典英语文库”的第六辑）出版《约翰克里斯朵夫》的最后一卷，第三卷。按傅雷先生的分卷形式，我们将《约翰克里斯朵夫》分成了三卷。

DombeyandSonbyCharlesDickens,publishedinmonthlypartsfrom1October1846to1April1848andinonevolumein1848.ItsfulltitleisDealingswiththeFirmofDombeyandSon:Wholesale,RetailandforExportation.Thestoryconcernsofapowerfulmanwhosecallousneglectofhisfamilytriggershisprofessionalandpersonaldownfall,showcasestheauthor'sgiftforvividcharacterizationandunfailinglyrealisticdescription.AsJonathanLethemcontendsinhisIntroduction,Dickens's"genius…isatonewiththegeniusoftheformofthenovelitself:Dickenswilledintoexistencethemostcapaciousandelasticandversatilekindofnovelthatcouldbe,onebigenoughforhisvastsentimentalyearningsandforeveryimpulseandfearandhesitationinhimthatcountervailedthoseyearningstoo.Neverparsimoniousandfrequentlycontradictory,healwaysgivesuseverythinghecan,everythinghe'splannedtogive,andthenmore."

在美国，很多人都读过《麦加菲读本》，美国媒体更称其为“影响美国五代人的心灵读本”。其主编者威廉·H.麦加菲，是美国知名的教育家。他先后担任过弗吉尼亚大学道德哲学教授、迈阿密大学语言学教授，以及俄亥俄大学校长。他用了20多年时间，从浩瀚的西方经典文学中选编了一套读本，希望通过这些散文、诗歌、戏剧、哲理故事中浅显而美妙的文字，让美国的小朋友们在提高文学修养的同时，也可以感受道德教育的力量。该读本一经面世，就有近万所美国学校将它选为教材。1961年以后，在西方每年销量仍达到3万册以上。可以说，没有哪一套个人主编的教材能超过这套书的发行量！