by Rachel Field (1938)
This number-one bestselling novel is based on the true story of one of the most notorious murder cases in French history. The heroine, Henriette Deluzy-Desportes, governess to the children of the Duc de Praslin, found herself strangely drawn to her employer; when the Duc murdered his wife in the most savage fashion, she had to plead her own case before the Chancellor of France in a sensational murder trial that helped bring down the French king. After winning her freedom, Henriette took refuge in America, where she hosted a salon visited by all the socialites of New York and New England. This thrilling historical romance, full of passion, mystery, and intrigue, has laid claim to the hearts and minds of readers for generations.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
Young Jody adopts an orphaned fawn he calls Flag after a fatal encounter with his mother and makes it a part of his family and his best friend. But life in the Florida backwoods is harsh, and so, as his family fights off wolves, bears, and even alligators, and faces failure in their tenuous subsistence farming, Jody must finally part with his dear animal friend. ---------- Also contained in: - Reader's Digest Best Loved Books for Young Readers: Volume Nine
Jorge Luis Borges
Seis problemas para don Isidro Parodi is a celebrated work by Jorge Luis Borges (World Master), recognized for masterclass storytelling and lasting literary resonance.
Albert Camus
Caligula, suivi de Le malentendu is a celebrated work by Albert Camus (Nobel Laureate), recognized for masterclass storytelling and lasting literary resonance.
Willard Motley
Willard Motley’s 1947 masterpiece, *Knock on Any Door*, is **a gritty, naturalistic novel that traces the tragic downfall of Nick Romano**; a former Catholic altar boy who spirals into a life of crime and ultimately dies in the electric chair at age 21. **Plot Overview** The story follows Nick, a young immigrant whose life begins to unravel after his father’s business fails, forcing the family to relocate to a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Chicago. Caught up in petty crimes, he is sent to a brutal reform school that serves only to harden his resistance to authority. His life spirals through family conflicts, sordid sex, a tragic marriage, and ultimately culminates in his arrest for the murder of a police officer, setting the stage for a dramatic courtroom trial.