"Pragmatism" by William James is the most famous single work of American philosophy. Its sequel, "The Meaning of Truth," is its imperative and inevitable companion. The definitive texts of both works are together in this volume, "Pragmatism and the Meaning of Truth." Pragmatism resulted from a series of lectures delivered by William James in 1906 and 1907. This series of lectures illustrates well the fundamental attributes of pragmatism. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Pragmatism is a valuable corrective to modern uses of the word, since the voice that speaks in its pages embodies precisely the opposite values from the pejorative senses the word has acquired. William James was a challenging thinker who deserves to be read and still has much to teach. As for Pragmatism, it remains a provocative, valuable, and important work, a classic of American thought. Pragmatism's sequel, "The Meaning of Truth," is its imperative and inevitable companion. The definitive texts of both works are together in this volume. In Pragmatism James attacked the transcendental, rationalist tradition in philosophy and tried to clear the ground for the doctrine he called radical empiricism. When first published, the book caused an uproar. It was greeted with praise, hostility, ridicule. Determined to clarify his views, James collected nine essays he had written on this subject before he wrote Pragmatism and six written later in response to criticisms by Bertrand Russell and others. He published "The Meaning of Truth" in 1909, the year before his death. "Pragmatism and the Meaning of Truth" show James at his best full of verve and good humor. Intent upon making difficult ideas clear, he is characteristically vigorous in his effort to explain his views.

Pragmatism And The Meaning Of Truth

William, James

ReadaClassic.com

Destitute and wracked by throat cancer, Ulysses S. Grant finished writing his Personal Memoirs shortly before his death in 1885. Today their clear prose stands as a model of autobiography. Civil War soldiers are often celebrated for the high literary quality of the letters they sent home from the front lines; Grant's own book is probably the best piece of writing produced by a participant in the War Between the States. Apart from Lincoln, no man deserves more credit for securing the Northern victory than Grant, and this chronicle of campaigns and battles tells how he did it. (The book also made a bundle of money for his family, which had been reeling from the failure of Grant's brokerage firm.) This is not an overview of the entire Civil War; as the North was beating the South on the third day of Gettysburg, for example, Grant was in Mississippi capturing Vicksburg. But it is a great piece of writing, one that can be appreciated even by readers with little interest in military history.

The Complete Personal Memoirs Of Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

More than a 100 years after his death, Charles Dickens is still entertaining readers with his classic "A Christmas Carol," the timeless classic which popularized the terms "Merry Christmas," "Tiny Tim," and "Scrooge"-in addition to influencing the way much of the world celebrates Christmas. Charles Dickens, (1812-1870), was the most popular English novelist of the Victorian era, and one of the most popular of all time. He created some of literature's most iconic characters, with the theme of social reform running throughout his work. The continuing popularity of his novels and short stories is such that they have never gone out of print. Much of his work first appeared in periodicals and magazines in serialised form, a popular way of publishing fiction at the time. Other writers would complete entire novels before serial publication commenced, but Dickens often wrote his in parts, in the order they were meant to appear. The practice lent his stories a particular rhythm, punctuated by one "cliffhanger" after another, to keep the public eager for the next installment. His work has been praised for its mastery of prose, and for its teeming gallery of unique personalities, by writers such as George Gissing and G. K. Chesterton, though the same characteristics have prompted others, such as Henry James and Virginia Woolf, to criticize him for sentimentality and implausibility.

Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol--annotated Edition

Charles, Dickens

<p>With an emphasis on character traits such as honesty, gratitude, and responsibility, "Ethics: An Early American Handbook" calls attention to the critical importance of character development and the role of well-formed conscience in making morally sound decisions. An understanding of the principles of ethics was never more needful than it is today. Children and adults alike will benefit from this reprint of an 1890 textbook on ethics. Written by Jacob Abbott, "Ethics: An Early American Handbook" contains the lessons that parents once used to instill moral principles in the hearts and minds of their children - in the days when Americans were renowned worldwide for their honesty and trustworthiness. Chapter titles include: Truth - in which you will find out five ways people lie, and why each should be avoided. Profanity - why it is not only offensive, but dangerous. Obedience - why this unpopular virtue is so necessary. Conscience - why you will never be happy if you have a troubled conscience. Conscientiousness - why it's vital to do the best job you possibly can. Forgiveness - the three reactions you can have to being wronged, and why it's so important to forgive. Additional chapters in "Ethics: An Early American Handbook" focus on the topics of industry, honesty, fidelity, justice, politeness, gratitude, benevolence, purity, repentance, treatment of enemies, and duty. (Duty to God, duties to parents, duties at school, duties to playmates, and even duties to animals!) Parents should read this classic aloud to their children and discuss it with them. This book will hopefully inspire citizens of all ages to improve their own character, which will ultimately improve the character of our whole nation.</p>

Ethics: An Early American Handbook

Education & Teaching

ABBOTT, JACOB

Schools & Teaching

Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482), the wife of King Henry VI of England, was a heroine, not of romance and fiction, but of stern and terrible reality. Her life was a series of military exploits, attended with dangers, privations, sufferings, and wonderful vicissitudes of fortune, scarcely to be paralleled in the whole history of mankind. She was born and lived in a period during which there prevailed in the western part of Europe two great and dreadful quarrels, which lasted for more than a hundred years, and which kept France and England, and all the countries contiguous to them, in a state of continual commotion during all that time. The Queen consort of England for many years, Margaret of Anjou was one of the principal figures in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses, having led the Lancastrian faction. Due to Henry's frequent bouts of insanity, Margaret ruled the kingdom in her husband's place. It was Margaret of Anjou who, in May 1455, called for a Great Council which excluded the Yorkist faction, and thus provided the spark which ignited the civil conflict that lasted for over thirty years, decimated the old nobility, and caused the deaths of thousands of men, including her only son Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales.

Margaret of Anjou: Makers of History Series (Illustrated Edition)

History

Europe

<p>The "History of Cyrus the Great" by Jacob Abbott is a truly magnificent account of the story of the life of Cyrus The Great, founder of the Persian empire. Narrrated by two Greek historians (Herodotus and Xenophenon), the life of Cyrus is brought to life once more in Abbott's great masterpiece. While the Iranians regarded Cyrus the Great as "The Father," Babylonian revered him as "The Liberator,, Hellenes saw him as the "Law-Giver" and the Jews viewed him as "The Anointed of the Lord." Cyrus the Great was the emperor who proclaimed, at the pinnacle of power 2500 years ago, that "... he would not reign over the people if they did not wish it." He also promised not to force any person to change his religion and faith and guaranteed freedom for all. The Charter of Cyrus the Great remains an important document that should be studied in the history of human rights. The first chapters in Jacob Abbott's classic tell about the birth of Cyrus the Great and his visit to Media as a young prince when his grandfather Astyages was king of Media. Chapter 4-8 describes the accession of Cyrus to the throne, his conquest of Lydia and Babylon, and the liberation of Jews. Chapter 10 tells the story of Panthea, a Susian captive who was treated with dignity and respect, before being reunited with her Assyrian husband Arbadates (a general). The last chapter tells about the death of Cyrus the Great. A very interesting read.</p>

History of Cyrus the Great: Makers of History Series (Illustrated Edition)

Americas

Mary Queen of Scots: Makers of History Series (Illustrated Edition)

Biographies & Memoirs

Community & Culture

"An Old Man's Love," the last novel written by Anthony Trollope, tells the story of William Whittlestaff, who lost the woman he loved to a richer, more lively rival many years before, lives alone at Croker Hall in Hampshire, looked after by his loyal, odd housekeeper Mrs Baggett. Mr Whittlestaff impulsively takes in as his ward the orphaned daughter of an old friend, nineteen year-old Mary Lawrie, much to Mrs Baggett's disapproval. She - rightly - suspects that Mary's arrival will eventually lead to her master falling in love with the girl, who will supplant her as head of the household. The reserved, unworldly Mary gradually warms towards the lonely bachelor, and he eventually asks her to be his wife. Mary has only briefly experienced love three years before, with John Gordon, a penniless Oxford student who was sent away by her step-mother as a bad prospect. Mary accepts Mr Whittlestaff, but not before making him aware of the history of her short and painful dealings with John Gordon. He dismisses this knowledge, allowing that Mary 'may think of him' from time to time, but privately presuming the young man to be safely out of her life.But John Gordon unexpectedly arrives at Croker Hall. Fresh from the diamond fields of South Africa where he has made a considerable fortune in order to make himself worthy of Mary, he has come to renew his suit, and she finds herself caught in an impossible situation, feeling incapable of jilting the man whose proposal she has so recently accepted. Mr Whittlestaff, though well aware who it is that Mary really loves, is unwilling to be rejected himself once again, and reluctant to release her from her promise. John Gordon, unable quite to give up hope, goes to stay for a few days with an old university friend, Montagu Blake, a curate who lives nearby. Thus the battle is on for the hand of Mary Lawrie...

Anthony Trollope: An Old Man's Love Volumes I and II

Literature & Fiction

TROLLOPE, ANTHONY

Literary

"The Landleaguers" was the last novel Anthony Trollope wrote. Though Trollope had planned for Landleaguers to have 40 chapters, he barely made it into the 49th when he had the stroke that ended his writing and, shortly thereafter, his life. "The Landleaguers" is set in Ireland, a country which Trollope had visited. The earlier Irish woe Trollope had chronicled was the potato famine; in "The Landleaguers," it is the often bloody conflict between English protestants and Irish Catholics. Trollope loved Ireland and his novels often reflect that, but "The Landleaguers", with its realistic depiction of terrorism, seems to despair of Ireland's future. There is a subplot involving the daughter of an American supporter of the Irish campaign against the English; the daughter has come to London to further her career and there are sexual intrigues there. A landlord's son is murdered by rural terrorists, a crime that replays the real-life assassination of Lord Frederic Cavendish in Dublin in 1882, and "The Landleaguers" traces the violent disruption of civil life as tenants, organized in the Land League, plot to force their landlords to give them a better deal. But part of Trollope's imaginative response to the crisis takes the form of an intriguingly uncharacteristic sub-plot, in which a young American woman travels to London and tries to make a name for herself on the operatic stage, while her father becomes a landleaguing Member of Parliament. Trollope's son Henry wrote a brief foreword to the novel and added a two-sentence postscript announcing the fates that Trollope had planned for the novel's main characters.

Anthony Trollope:The Landleaguers

First published in 1905, “Princess Priscilla's Fortnight” by Elizabeth von Arnim is a fairy tale telling the story of Priscilla, a popular and celebrated German princess, who grows tired of her lavish and pampered life. Through the instruction of her mentor, Herr Fritzing, she learns there is a wide and varied world outside the castle walls, and yearns to escape. The marriage proposal of an eligible prince makes Priscilla realize that if she wants to escape the life she secretly detests, now is the time. So she runs away with Fritzing and a bribed chamber maid-possibly the last two people who have the street smarts to help the Princess on the "outside". Somehow they make it, undetected, to a small town in England where they intend to live a simple and peaceful life. Unfortunately for Princess Priscilla, “simple and peaceful” is not what ensues. The Princess, used to being obeyed and her every move observed by her entourage, now must live in anonymity and endure the condescension of the town ladies and pastors wives who presume to be above her in rank. Priscilla also must endure culture clashes many times brought on by the utter lack of common sense held by the runaways. Priscilla's story is full of lessons for those who think that by searching far they will find their happiness, and do not see that it is lying all the while at their feet. Von Arnim's characters are vibrant, her language unique, and readers will find themselves laughing out loud as they journey along with Priscilla and Fritzi on their adventure. Elizabeth von Arnim was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, a fact that readers will find obvious as they read this fascinating book.

The Princess Priscilla's Fortnight

ELIZABETH VON ARNIM

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