American Classics Member Section

One of the classics of twentieth-century literature, The Great Gatsby is now available in a definitive, textually accurate edition.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a personal account of the life of the famous American statesman, businessman, philosopher, inventor and scientist.

Using bold imagery and beautifully written language to illustrate his points, Emerson formulates a belief system where nature itself is a divine entity that we can know directly.

Civil Disobedience is Thoreau's primary essay on how to interact with Government. Here the author argues that a citizen must always uphold conscience over what is prescribed by law.

Originally published by William Randolph Hearst in 1921, Peter Kyne's The Go Getter has become a continual source of inspiration for salesman, entrepreneurs and employers.

"The Old Man and the Sea" is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal -- a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream.

This book, which is Gibran's masterpiece, has become one of the beloved classics of our time.

Jay Gatsby is still in love with Daisy, whom he met during the war when he was penniless. Having made himself wealthy through illegal means, he now lives in a mansion across the bay from the home of Daisy Buchanan, who has since married for money.

The CliffsNotes study guide on F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby supplements the original literary work, giving you background information about the author, an introduction to the work, and critical commentaries.

Fahrenheit 451 is Ray Bradbury's classic novel of censorship and defiance, as resonant today as it was when it was first published more than 50 years ago.