With the three works included in this volume--Paradise Lost, Samson Agonistes, and Lycidas--Milton placed himself next to Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer as one of the greatest literary genius in history.

Leo Tolstoy combined detailed physical description with perceptive psychological insight to sweep aside the sham of surface appearances and lay bare man s intimate gestures, acts, and thoughts. Murder and sacrifice greed and devotion lust and affection vanity and love one by one, in this volume of great stories, Tolstoy dissects the basic drives, emotions, and motives of ordinary people searching for self-knowledge and spiritual perfection. Chekhov said, Of authors my favorite is Tolstoy. And Turgenev marveled at the strength of his huge talent It sends a cold shudder even down my back He is...