Nathaniel Hawthorne

"We dream in our waking moments, and walk in our sleep." --- Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter: A Romance is an 1850 work of fiction in a historical setting, written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The book is considered to be his "masterwork". Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the book, Hawthorne explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt.

Handsome, readable, affordable, a new edition of one of the great works of American literature. The magnum opus of revered writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter is arguably one of the greatest novels written during the nineteenth century. It is the story of Hester Prynne—a young woman accused of, tried for, and publicly punished for adultery. Set during the seventeenth century in Boston, she receives harsh ridicule from the radical Puritan community for her actions. From the affair she conceives a child and struggles to rebuild her life and her reputation. Throughout the book Hawthorne explores controversial themes of sexuality, romance, guilt, shame, infidelity—all of which are still pertinent topics more than 150 years after its initial publication. The Scarlet Letter is a timeless story of morality, legality, struggle, and shame in a world that was so intolerant of the very things that make us human. The Clydesdale Classics series features literary phenomena with influence and themes so great that, after their publication, they changed literature forever. From the musings of literary geniuses like Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the striking personal narrative of Harriet Jacobs in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, this new series is a comprehensive collection of our history through the words of the exceptional few.

Twice-Told TalesByNathaniel HawthorneA Short Story CollectionTwice-Told Tales is a short story collection in two volumes by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first was published in the spring of 1837, and the second in 1842. The stories had all been previously published in magazines and annuals, hence the name. Hawthorne was encouraged by friend Horatio Bridge to collect these previously anonymous stories; Bridge offered $250 to cover the risk of the publication. Many had been published in The Token, edited by Samuel Griswold Goodrich. When the works became popular, Bridge revealed Hawthorne as the author in a review he published in the Boston Post. The title, Twice-Told Tales, was based on a line from William Shakespeare's The Life and Death of King John (Act 3, scene 4): "Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, / Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man." The book was published by the American Stationers' Company on March 6, 1837; its cover price was one dollar. Hawthorne had help in promoting the book from Elizabeth Peabody. She sent copies of the collection to William Wordsworth as well as to Horace Mann, hoping that Mann could get Hawthorne a job writing stories for schoolchildren. CONTENTSTHE GRAY CHAMPIONSUNDAY AT HOMETHE WEDDING-KNELLTHE MINISTER'S BLACK VEILTHE MAYPOLE OF MERRY MOUNTTHE GENTLE BOYMR. HIGGINBOTHAM'S CATASTROPHELITTLE ANNIE'S RAMBLEWAKEFIELDA RILL FROM THE TOWN PUMPTHE GREAT CARBUNCLETHE PROPHETIC PICTURESDAVID SWANSIGHTS FROM A STEEPLETHE HOLLOW OF THE THREE HILLSTHE TOLL-GATHERER'S DAYTHE VISION OF THE FOUNTAINFANCY'S SHOW-BOXDR. HEIDEGGER'S EXPERIMENT LEGENDS OF THE PROVINCE HOUSE: I. HOWE'S MASQUERADE II. EDWARD RANDOLPH'S PORTRAIT III. LADY ELEANORE'S MANTLE IV. OLD ESTHER DUDLEYTHE HAUNTED MINDTHE VILLAGE UNCLETHE AMBITIOUS GUESTTHE SISTER-YEARSSNOWFLAKESTHE SEVEN VAGABONDSTHE WHITE OLD MAIDPETER GOLDTHWAITE'S TREASURECHIPPINGS WITH A CHISELTHE SHAKER BRIDALNIGHT-SKETCHESENDICOTT AND THE RED CROSSTHE LILY'S QUESTFOOTPRINTS ON THE SEASHOREEDWARD FANE'S ROSEBUDTHE THREEFOLD DESTINY