The story begins in the near future, as burgeoning population pressures force humanity to terraform and colonize Mars. After a brief but violent civil war between the two planets, the genetically engineered survivors begin a new wave of colonization, spreading across the galaxy. Everything is looking up for the human race... until the colonies encounter the Qu, technologically advanced aliens on a religious mission to remake the universe. Although humans fight valiantly, the Qu easily overpower humanity; as punishment, the aliens decide to genetically modify the survivors, turning most of them into mindless, animalistic creatures before departing.

Convinced that the veil is a symbol of unjust male authority over women, in The Veil and the Male Elite, Moroccan feminist Fatima Mernissi aims to investigate the origins of the practice in the first Islamic community.

A classic, pioneering account of the lives of women in Islamic history, republished for a new generation This pioneering study of the social and political lives of Muslim women has shaped a whole generation of scholarship. In it, Leila Ahmed explores the historical roots of contemporary debates, ambitiously surveying Islamic discourse on women from Arabia during the period in which Islam was founded to Iraq during the classical age to Egypt during the modern era. The book is now reissued as a Veritas paperback, with a new foreword by Kecia Ali situating the text in its scholarly context and explaining its enduring influence.   “Ahmed’s book is a serious and independent-minded analysis of its subject, the best-informed, most sympathetic and reliable one that exists today.”—Edward W. Said   “Destined to become a classic. . . . It gives [Muslim women] back our rightful place, at the center of our histories.”—Rana Kabbani, The Guardian

In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. Thriving industrial societies disappeared. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and releases a miasma of poisonous spores into the air. At the periphery of the sea, tiny kingdoms are scattered on tiny parcels of land. Here lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens; a nation given fragile protection from the decaying sea's poisons by the ocean breezes; and home to Nausicaä . Nausicaä, a young princess, has an emphatic bond with the giant Ohmu insects and animals of every creed. She fights to create tolerance, understanding and patience among empires that are fighting over the world's remaining precious natural resources.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a classic novella written by American author Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Published in 1892, this compelling and thought-provoking work of feminist literature has garnered significant attention over the years, leading to steady sales and enduring popularity. Set in the late 19th century, the story revolves around a nameless female narrator who is struggling with what is then diagnosed as "nervous depression" or "hysteria." Her husband, John, who is also her physician, prescribes the "rest cure," a common treatment at the time. As part of this treatment, the narrator is confined to a room in their summer house, isolated from the outside world, and forbidden from any intellectual or creative activity. The only stimulus she has is the room's yellow wallpaper, which she becomes increasingly fixated upon. The novella is a powerful exploration of the protagonist's descent into madness as she grapples with her confinement, the stifling expectations of society, and her own deteriorating mental state. The yellow wallpaper itself becomes a symbol of her inner turmoil and the oppressive nature of the patriarchal society she inhabits. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper" as a form of social commentary, critiquing the prevailing medical and societal attitudes towards women's mental health and autonomy. The book's feminist themes, vividly depicted psychological horror, and its critique of the medical establishment struck a chord with readers then and continues to resonate with modern audiences. Over the years, "The Yellow Wallpaper" has been studied in literature courses, feminist discussions, and mental health contexts. Its enduring relevance and powerful message have contributed to consistent sales and a lasting legacy in the world of literature. This classic novella continues to captivate and challenge readers, making it a must-read for those interested in exploring the intersection of gender, mental health, and societal norms.

A short story from Edgar Allan Poe. Very short and eerie! Two people, who have been renamed Eiros and Charmion after death, discuss the manner in which the world ended. Eiros, who died in the recent apocalypse, explains the circumstances to Charmion, who died ten years previously. A new comet had been detected in the Solar System, and as it approached the Earth, people experienced, in turn, exhilaration, then pain, and then delirium. Was it a loss of nitrogen in the atmosphere that contributed to the catastrophe when the comet nucleus hit the planet?

“I don’t fear death... but they do.” Muriel McAuley has lived in the Scottish fishing village of Witchaven all her life. She was born there, and she intends to die there. But when an overseas property developer threatens to evict the residents from their homes and raze Witchaven to the ground in the name of progress, all seems lost… until the day a mysterious fog bank creeps inland. THE HAAR To some it brings redemption… to others, it brings only madness and death. What macabre secrets lie within… THE HAAR Romantic and deranged, THE HAAR is a gore-soaked folk-horror fairy tale from David Sodergren, author of The Forgotten Island and Maggie’s Grave.

One of the leading examples of Victorian-gothic horror, The King in Yellow is a collection of ten inter-related stories that explore the despair and madness that affect characters that come into contact with the forbidden play, The King in Yellow. Since its publication in 1895, The King in Yellow has inspired other horror-genre writers including H. P. Lovecraft, and the text is referenced by many works of fiction, in music, and by the hit television series True Detective, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library_We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

A short story from Edgar Allan Poe. Very short and eerie! Two people, who have been renamed Eiros and Charmion after death, discuss the manner in which the world ended. Eiros, who died in the recent apocalypse, explains the circumstances to Charmion, who died ten years previously. A new comet had been detected in the Solar System, and as it approached the Earth, people experienced, in turn, exhilaration, then pain, and then delirium. Was it a loss of nitrogen in the atmosphere that contributed to the catastrophe when the comet nucleus hit the planet?

The Poetic Edda comprises a treasure trove of mythic and spiritual verse holding an important place in Nordic culture, literature, and heritage. Its tales of strife and death form a repository, in poetic form, of Norse mythology and heroic lore, embodying both the ethical views and the cultural life of the North during the late heathen and early Christian times. Collected by an unidentified Icelander, probably during the twelfth or thirteenth century, The Poetic Edda was rediscovered in Iceland in the seventeenth century by Danish scholars. Even then its value as poetry, as a source of historical information, and as a collection of entertaining stories was recognized. This meticulous translation succeeds in reproducing the verse patterns, the rhythm, the mood, and the dignity of the original in a revision that Scandinavian Studies says "may well grace anyone's bookshelf."

In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. Thriving industrial societies disappeared. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Corruption, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and releases a miasma of poisonous spores into the air. At the periphery of the sea, tiny kingdoms are scattered on tiny parcels of land. Here lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens; a nation given fragile protection from the decaying sea's poisons by the ocean breezes; and home to Nausicaä . Nausicaä, a young princess, has an emphatic bond with the giant Ohmu insects and animals of every creed. She fights to create tolerance, understanding and patience among empires that are fighting over the world's remaining precious natural resources.

"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a classic novella written by American author Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Published in 1892, this compelling and thought-provoking work of feminist literature has garnered significant attention over the years, leading to steady sales and enduring popularity. Set in the late 19th century, the story revolves around a nameless female narrator who is struggling with what is then diagnosed as "nervous depression" or "hysteria." Her husband, John, who is also her physician, prescribes the "rest cure," a common treatment at the time. As part of this treatment, the narrator is confined to a room in their summer house, isolated from the outside world, and forbidden from any intellectual or creative activity. The only stimulus she has is the room's yellow wallpaper, which she becomes increasingly fixated upon. The novella is a powerful exploration of the protagonist's descent into madness as she grapples with her confinement, the stifling expectations of society, and her own deteriorating mental state. The yellow wallpaper itself becomes a symbol of her inner turmoil and the oppressive nature of the patriarchal society she inhabits. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote "The Yellow Wallpaper" as a form of social commentary, critiquing the prevailing medical and societal attitudes towards women's mental health and autonomy. The book's feminist themes, vividly depicted psychological horror, and its critique of the medical establishment struck a chord with readers then and continues to resonate with modern audiences. Over the years, "The Yellow Wallpaper" has been studied in literature courses, feminist discussions, and mental health contexts. Its enduring relevance and powerful message have contributed to consistent sales and a lasting legacy in the world of literature. This classic novella continues to captivate and challenge readers, making it a must-read for those interested in exploring the intersection of gender, mental health, and societal norms.

Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey–with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake–through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining.