Born in the late 5th century AD, Boethius was a Roman statesman and philosopher who would come into the service of the Ostrogothic ruler of Italy, Theodoric the Great. Ultimately, he would rise to the position of magister officiorum, the head of all the government and court services. In 523 A.D., he would find himself accused of treasonous correspondence with Justin I, a charge that would land him in prison and ultimately lead to his execution. During...

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. The Covered Wagon tells the epic story of a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. First published in 1922, this historical novel offers something for everyone-action, intrigue, humor, and a classic love triangle. It is based on actual firsthand accounts of the grueling four-month overland journey, featuring cameos by famous frontiersmen Kit Carson and Jim Bridger. Both...

In “De Anima”, Aristotle seeks to uncover what separates the living from the dead. He steers a course between two extremes, with all of reality as nothing more than atoms on one side and the mind as independent from the body on the other side. Ultimately, he invents a third kind of position that views mental phenomena to be thoroughly dependent on, though not reducible to, physical events.

First published posthumously in 1779, "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion" is Scottish philosopher David Hume's classic work of religious philosophy. This detailed and exhaustive examination of the nature and existence of God was begun by Hume in 1750, but not completed until shortly before his death in 1776. Hume was an important and influential English Empiricist, along with other English philosophers such as Francis Bacon, John Locke, and Thomas...

Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was one of the most influential figures of the 18th century. His political philosophy has been pointed to as a major contributing factor in causing the French Revolution. Social and economic inequality has been a pervasive element of human existence for the entirety of recorded history. The causes of this inequality are principal to the discussion of political, legal, and economic theory. Rousseau acknowledges...

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. "He has bequeathed his nation a body of imperishable verse from which Americans will forever gain joy and understanding." — John F. Kennedy about Robert Frost America's beloved poet Robert Frost explores the profound beauty of nature in this collection of his early works. Although he carefully crafts his poems, they are written with the common man in mind so that...

"Ecco Homo: How One Becomes What One Is" is an insightful reflection by Friedrich Nietzsche upon his own life and his impact on the world of philosophy. The work, the last original work he wrote, was written in 1888, weeks before the onset of the insanity that would plague him until his death in 1900. Not published until 1908, "Ecce Homo" is an autobiography of sorts and Nietzsche offers his personal perspective and criticism on his various philosophical...

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. Jean-Jacques Rousseau's thesis that children are naturally good at birth violated the traditional Christian doctrine of origin sin. His argument that education should arise from children's natural instincts and impulses rather than trying to civilize and socialize them challenged traditional schooling. Rousseau's defenders see him as a pioneering thinker whose revolutionary...

E. E. Cummings, was an American poet, essayist, painter, author, and playwright. His body of work encompasses 2,900 poems, two autobiographical novels, four plays and several essays, as well as numerous paintings and drawings. He is remembered as an unsurpassed voice of 20th century poetry, as well as one of the most popular, even today. Cummings attended Harvard, receiving both his bachelor's and master's by 1916. A year later, he enlisted in the...

Winston S. Churchills “A History of the English-Speaking Peoples” is the literary masterwork of the twentieth century’s greatest historical figure. Beginning with Marlboroughs victory at Blenheim in 1704 and ending with Wellingtons defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815, Churchill recounts Britains rise to world leadership over the course of the eighteenth century. In this volume Churchill provides an excellent illustration of his unique literary...