Gothic Traditions

Explore the best books on Gothic traditions, from classic literature to modern tales. Discover eerie atmospheres, dark romances, and haunting narratives in this curated collection.

The Monk Cover
Book

The Monk

by Matthew Lewis

‘Few could sustain the glance of his eye, at once fiery and penetrating’ Savaged by critics for its supposed profanity and obscenity, and bought in large numbers by readers eager to see whether it lived up to its lurid reputation, The Monk became a succès de scandale when it was published in 1796 – not least because its author was a member of parliament and only twenty years old. It recounts the diabolical decline of Ambrosio, a Capuchin superior, who succumbs first to temptations offered by a young girl who has entered his monastery disguised as a boy, and continues his descent with increasingly depraved acts of sorcery, murder, incest and torture. Combining sensationalism with acute psychological insight, this masterpiece of Gothic fiction is a powerful exploration of how violent and erotic impulses can break through the barriers of social and moral restraint. This edition is based on the first edition of 1796, which appeared before Lewis’s revisions to avoid charges of blasphemy. In his introduction, Christopher MacLachlan discusses the novel’s place within the Gothic genre, and its themes of sexual desire and the abuse of power. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
The Italian, Or, The Confessional of the Black Penitents Cover
Book

The Italian, Or, The Confessional of the Black Penitents

by Ann Ward Radcliffe

First published in 1797, The Italian is Ann Radcliffe's classic creation of Gothic romance. Set against the backdrop of the Holy Inquisition, the narrative revolves around the sinister and mysterious monk, Father Schedoni, and the ill fated lovers, Ellena Rosalba and Vincentio di Vivaldi. With a new introduction and updated notes, this edition examines the formal, historical, and political aspects of Radcliffe's most brilliant work.
The mysteries of Udolpho Cover
Book

The mysteries of Udolpho

 

No summary available.
Item Not Found
ID: 0140434135
(Type: books)
Item Not Found
ID: 0140434062
(Type: books)
Item Not Found
ID: 1551113082
(Type: books)
Item Not Found
ID: 0393955680
(Type: books)
Count Zero Cover
Book

Count Zero

by William Gibson

In the future world of the Sprawl, an urban complex that extends from Boston to Houston, a sentient computer data base known as the Cyberspace matrix dominates humanity's fate
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World Cover
Book

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

by Haruki Murakami

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 1Q84 and The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle comes a relentlessly inventive novel that dives deep into the very nature of consciousness. “Fantastical, mysterious, and funny . . . a fantasy world that might have been penned by Franz Kafka.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer Across two parallel narratives, Murakami draws readers into a mind-bending universe in which Lauren Bacall, Bob Dylan, a split-brained data processor, a deranged scientist, his shockingly undemure granddaughter, and various thugs, librarians, and subterranean monsters collide to dazzling effect. What emerges is a hyperkinetic novel that is at once hilariously funny and a deeply serious meditation on the nature and uses of the mind.
Guilty Pleasures Cover
Book

Guilty Pleasures

by Laurell K. Hamilton

When innocent vampires are found murdered, the city's most powerful vampire hires Anita Blake, a vampire hunter known as "The Executioner," to investigate the crimes.