Popular American essayist, novelist, and journalist CHARLES DUDLEY
WARNER (1829-1900) was renowned for the warmth and intimacy of his
writing, which encompassed travelogue, biography and autobiography,
fiction, and more, and influenced entire generations of his fellow
writers. Here, the prolific writer turned editor for his final grand
work, a splendid survey of global literature, classic and modern, and
it's not too much to suggest that if his friend and colleague Mark
Twain-who stole Warner's quip about how "everybody complains about the
weather, but nobody does anything about it"-had assembled this set, it
would still be hailed today as one of the great achievements of the book
world. Highlights from Volume 20 include: . excerpts from Henrik Ibsen's
A Doll's House . a survey of Icelandic literarture . hymns from the
Rig-Veda . selections from the Upanishads . the writings of Washington
Irving . selections from Henry James . Japanese literature, medieval and
modern literature . and much, much more.