Walden

The last novel Ernest Hemingway saw published, "The Old Man and the Sea" has proved itself to be one of the enduring works of American fiction.

Departing from literary convention, Kate Chopin failed to condemn her heroine's desire for an affair with the son of a Louisiana resort owner, whom she meets on vacation.

Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral (1773) is the first book of poetry published by an African American author. Written while Wheatley was a slave in Boston, the collection was published in England.

Edgar Allan Poe is credited with having pioneered the short story, having perfected the tale of psychological horror, and having revolutionized modern poetics. The entirety of Poe's body of imaginative work encompasses detective tales, satires, fables, fantasies, science fiction, verse dramas, and some of the most evocative poetry in the English language.

One of the most inspiring books in history, this landmark contribution to the world of writing is a dedication to Thoreau's experiment in simple and self-sufficient living.