An elderly Manhattan lawyer, whose office is on Wall Street, and whose clients include John Jacob Astor, hires a scrivener to copy legal documents by hand. Bartleby becomes a huge asset to the business, as he is able to handle a large volume of work. Then, one day, Bartleby responds with "I would prefer not to," when asked to proofread a simple document. From then on, Bartleby's output comes to a screeching halt and the lawyer discovers that he is living in the office. Taking pity on his employee, the lawyer allows him to stay, until he is forced to relocate, leaving Bartleby behind for the...

This collection of literature attempts to compile many of the classic, timeless works that have stood the test of time and offer them at a reduced, affordable price, in an attractive volume so that everyone can enjoy them.

"Ah, Bartleby Ah, humanity " Set in 19th century Wall Street, "Bartleby, the Scrivener" is now among the most noted of American short stories. It has been considered a precursor of absurdist literature, touching on several of Franz Kafka's themes.

Herman Melville (1819 - 1891) was an American novelist, poet, and writer of short stories. His contributions to the Western canon are the whaling novel Moby-Dick (1851); the short work Bartleby, the Scrivener (1853) about a clerk in a Wall Street office; the slave ship narrative Benito Cereno (1855); and Billy Budd, Sailor (1924). When asked which of the great American writers he most admired, Vladimir Nabokov replied: "When I was young I liked Poe, and I still love Melville, whom I did not read as a boy." Around his twentieth year he was a schoolteacher for a short time, then became a seaman...