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What Every Woman Knows (1908) is a play by J. M. Barrie. It ran for 384 performances at the Duke of York''s Theatre in London and was produced on Broadway as well, making it one of the most successful plays of the year. Inspired by the women''s suffrage movement, Barrie sought to explore the intersection of gender and class in Scottish aristocratic society. Adapted numerous times for film and consistently revived on stage, What Every Woman Knows is an enduring work of English theatre by an author whose reputation as the creator of Peter Pan has largely overshadowed the rest of his brilliant career. Behind every great man, an even better woman makes his success possible. In J. M. Barrie''s masterful play, a Scottish family worried for their daughter''s future seizes the chance to marry her off to a promising young man. Having discovered a young university student in their vast library, they offer to pay for his education if he agrees to take Maggie''s hand. Left with no real choice in the matter, John Shand marries into the Wylie family and attempts to launch a career in politics. As his reputation grows--due in no small part to his wife''s hard work--Shand begins to forget his impoverished roots, dreaming instead of a future all his own. Funny and deeply critical of the institution of marriage, What Every Woman Knows is a story of romance, ambition, and humility from a legendarily gifted Scottish storyteller. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of J. M. Barrie''s What Every Woman Knows is a classic work of Scottish literature reimagined for modern readers.
Set in Malta, a European island off the coast of Italy, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe follows a rich Jewish merchant, Barabas, who enjoys the privileges that his wealth allows. When the governor of Malta, Ferneze, summons Barabas to his office, Barabas is intrigued and complies immediately. However, when the governor tells Barabas of a deal he is keeping with the Turks, Barabas is appalled. Ferneze demands that Barabas gives up half of his wealth in order to help the government pay tribute to the Turks, but the merchant refuses to cooperate, protesting the injustice. Filled with anger, Ferneze then decides to seize all of Barabas'' assets, including his home. Unable to dispute the decision, Barabas leaves to begin plotting his revenge. First, he is determined to recover the treasure he has hidden around his home, which Ferneze turned into a convent to mock Barabas'' own religious beliefs. After his plan to steal back some of the hidden fortune in his house is successful, Barabas begins to enact his revenge. Using his daughter as a pawn, Barabas promises to marry her to two men. As Barabas continues his cunning scheme to harm Ferneze, a chain of tragedies ensues, involving manipulation, murder, and even the threat of war. Christopher Marlowe''s The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta was an immediate success following its first performance in 1592. Compelled by the drama, characterization and the complex themes of religion, class, capitalism, and prejudice, audiences have been invested in Marlowe''s tragedy for centuries. This edition of The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe is now presented in an easy-to-read font and features a striking new cover decision, creating an accessible reading experience. With these accommodations, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta is restored to modern standards while the original genius and vivid imagery of Marlowe''s work is preserved.
Ladies Must Live (1917) is a novel by Alice Duer Miller. Inspired by her work as an activist for women''s rights, Miller presents a romantic comedy exploring the effects of class and gender on love, friendship, and work. Adapted for theater and film, Ladies Must Live is a charming novel from a writer whose reputation as a popular poet should extend to her fiction as well. "Certain human beings are admitted to have a genius for discrimination in such matters as objects of art, pigs or stocks. Mrs. Ussher had this same instinct in regard to fashion, especially where fashions in people were concerned. She turned toward hidden social availability very much as the douser''s hazel wand turns toward the hidden spring. When she crossed the room to speak to some woman after dinner, whatever that woman''s social position might formerly have been, you could be sure that at present she was on the upward wing." At a gathering of prominent socialites, a story of ambition and romance emerges. While Christine longs to marry the soon-to-be-divorced Ralph, she finds herself in competition with Nancy, a woman she detests. As the night goes on, discussions over wealth, women''s rights, and politics turn heated, engagements are made and broken, and a tragic event changes hearts and minds forever. Ladies Must Live is both a romantic comedy and a biting critique on social convention from Alice Duer Miller, whose political work as a women''s rights activist informs her characters and their frequently contentious interactions. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Alice Duer Miller''s Ladies Must Live is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.
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