Harperperennial Classics: 218 books

Having killed in a fit of passion, an unnamed narrator quickly hides the victim’s body only to be haunted by the victim’s relentless heartbeat. A pioneer of the short story genre, Poe’s stories typically captured themes of the macabre and included elements of the mysterious. His better-known...

Often cited as one of the first works in modern political philosophy, The Prince is a political treatise that relates author Niccolo Machiavelli’s theories on state-building and rulership. Drawing on his experience as a diplomat, Machiavelli discusses the important policies for both republican free-states...

When Ed Loyce heads to work at his TV repair shop, he is startled to find the dead body of a complete stranger hanging from a lamp post outside. But when he calls attention to the morbid display, the strange reactions of his friends and neighbours bring him to a disturbing realization. Philip...

Ryabovitch is the picture of self-consciousness, clearly aware of his own awkward bearing, small stature, and unusual looks. While attending a glamorous party hosted by Lieutenant General von Rabbek, Ryabovitch avoids the other guests by wandering into a darkened room where he suddenly finds himself...

When a missing letter leads to blackmail, detective C. Auguste Dupin must deduce the location of it without raising the suspicion of the blackmailer. “The Purloined Letter” is the third short story by Edgar Allan Poe to feature detective C. August Dupin, widely recognized as one of the first fictional...

Within their refuge from a terrible plague called the Red Death, Prince Prospero and his court hold an opulent masquerade ball. But one uninvited guest means death for everyone. A pioneer of the short story genre, Poe’s stories typically captured themes of the macabre and included elements...

When an eclectic group of pilgrims take turns telling tales while on the road to Canterbury Cathedral, the Miller is determined to tell the best story and win the free dinner. He regales his fellow pilgrims with the best tale he knows—a rude and raunchy tale that would be considered scandalous even...

Olga seems to be the perfect woman: plump, pretty and friendly, and those around her consider her to be a darling girl. However, as over the years and through several spouses, Olga’s true character becomes increasingly evident. "The Darling" reflects author Anton Chekhov’s criticism of...

A despondent young man without connections is trapped at a menial job running a small, remote train station. On New Year’s Eve he shares a bottle of champagne with his wife, and when he drops it, she warns him that he has suffered an omen of ill-luck. HarperCollins brings great works of literature...

In the waning weeks of his life, a renowned bishop reflects on his past and his priorities. Written during the period when Anton Chekhov was gravely ill with tuberculosis, “The Bishop” reflects the author’s feelings about his own imminent death, and is considered one of his finest works. HarperCollins...

After getting held up on his way to work, Ed Fletcher worries about the repercussions he will face when he reaches his office. Little does he know that his late arrival will give him a glimpse behind the very fabric of human existence and put him at odds with powers he cannot comprehend. Philip...

The DCA is a government agency tasked with tracking down humans born with superhuman mutations, all of whom are considered a threat to the continued survival of the human race. But even seasoned veterans of the DCA worry that one day they will encounter a mutant that they cannot best—the mutant...

Henry Harris, an army doctor, is startled when a solider returns from a mission on an asteroid claiming to be a plant. When several more men return from the same asteroid also claiming to be plants, Harris travels to the asteroid himself to investigate the strange phenomenon. Philip K. Dick...

Peterson, a crew member from a spaceship visiting Mars, purchases a giant, pig-like creature called a wub. Although Captain Franco means to make a meal of the strange beast, the wub proves to be likeable and intelligent by discussing the travels of Odysseus and the impact of myth on the human spirit. Philip...