Tolstoy is most famous for his two major novels, Anna Karenina and War and Peace, but he also produced several minor masterpieces, of which The Death of Ivan Illyich
is the most outstanding. In this tale he deals with the subject of
death, which for civilised people of our time has become a taboo.
Before
opening this book the reader should be warned: this is strong meat, not
to be tasted by the squeamish. Whether the reader finds the hero's
spiritual conversion convincing or not, he/she cannot fail to be
impressed by the sheer power and artistry of...

Gogol's "The Government Inspector" must be one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted plays in the history of drama. This work shows the wisdom, humour and subtlety that is missing in many English translations. The work is part of a series aimed at school and university students.