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A riveting psychological portrait of obsession, intellect, and survival. On a transatlantic voyage, a world-renowned chess master accepts a casual challenge from a group of passengers—only to be unexpectedly outmatched by an anonymous opponent. As curiosity grows, the man reveals the harrowing circumstances under which he developed his skill: solitary confinement, psychological torment, and an all-consuming reliance on chess as his only means of mental survival. Written in exile shortly before his death, Stefan Zweig’s Chess is a haunting novella that explores the limits of the human mind under extreme duress. At once a suspenseful intellectual duel and a profound meditation on totalitarianism, identity, and inner resistance, Chess remains one of Zweig’s most enduring and acclaimed works.

“I’m alone in my room for days, it doesn’t hurt. Wasn’t I alone in the world for years anyway?” Franz Kafka’s work, The Metamorphosis, published in 1915, is the peak of the author’s narrative art. It is among the most read books in the world. It is a disturbing and exciting story that leaves the reader with questions. It is about Gregor Samsa, who wakes up one day and realizes that he has turned into a giant insect. It expresses the corrupt family relations in petty bourgeois circles and the tragedy of the individual who rebels against the stereotypes. It depicts loneliness and metamorphosis in a unique style. “He is the greatest German writer of our time…” -Vladimir Nabokov.

"BEHOLDING THE SUN, MOON AND STARS, ENJOYING EARTH AND SEA, A MAN IS NEITHER HELPLESS NOR ALONE!" Born a slave in Phrygia, Epictetus completed his life as a Stoic philosopher. Based on simplicity, intellect, trust, freedom of choice, seizing the moment and cultivating a peaceful mind, his philosophy keeps lighting the way to a more meaningful life from two thousand years ago.

"Alors quand la nuit tu regardes le ciel, il sera comme si toutes les étoiles riaient… Pourtant dans l'une des étoiles je vis et je rirai. Tu auras des étoiles qui savent comment rire!" Il ria encore. "Et quand ta tristesse est consolée (avec le temps toutes les tristesses passent), tu sera ravi de m'avoir connu. Tu seras toujours mon ami. Tu voudras rire avec moi. Tu ouvriras ta fenêtre, et tes amis seront surpris de te voir rire pendant que tu regardes le ciel! Ensuite tu leur dira ‘oui, les étoiles me font toujours rire!’. Et ils penseront que tu es fou. Ca sera ma petite blague que j'ai joué sur toi…"

A single chance encounter can unravel an entire life. In this powerful psychological novella, Stefan Zweig distills a lifetime of regret into a single, unforgettable day. An English widow recalls a secret encounter that shattered her orderly life, when a chance meeting with a desperate young man drew her into a dangerous swirl of passion and compassion. With elegance and emotional precision, Zweig explores obsession, guilt, and the fragile line between restraint and desire—revealing how one impulsive act can echo across decades and expose the depths of the human soul.

"All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others." Overworking, mistreated and exploited animals start a revolution. They take control of the Manor’s farm with their motivating slogans. The farm animals request progress, justice, and equality. The struggle is real, the animals aim to achieve a completely democratic society based on the belief that "All Animals are Created Equal". Ironically, sooner than expected, the totalitarian rule is once again reestablished due to some animals’ mere nature. The book reflects events going back to the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. Since its publication, the work is named one of the greatest books of the 20th century, if not of all times. George Orwell’s classic satire perfectly illustrates ...

"So when you look at the sky at night, it will be as if all the stars were laughing; as though in one of the stars I live and I will be laughing…You will have stars that know how to laugh!" And he laughed again. "And when your sorrow is comforted (with time all sorrows pass) you will be glad that you have known me. You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will open your window, and your friends will be surprised to see you laughing as you look up at the sky! Then you will say to them, ‘Yes, the stars always make me laugh!’ And they will think you are crazy. It will be my little joke that I will have played on you…"

"EVERYONE SEES WHAT YOU APPEAR TO BE, FEW EXPERIENCE WHAT YOU REALLY ARE." The Prince stunned Europe at the time of its publication with its defense of relentless strategies on how to gain power and its disregard of traditional forms of morality. Machiavelli was inspired by his own experience of working for the swirling Florentine republic, dismissing old principles of political theory and accepting the intricate, ephemeral composition of politics. Machiavelli was famous for centuries with The Prince, his witty and derisive work about power liaisons. The main topics of this ground-breaking, and prominent, writer is that being adaptable is the way to being successful and that efficient leadership is sometimes only attained by sacrificing morality.

“EVIL INDEED IS THE MAN WHO HAS NOT ONE WOMAN TO MOURN HIM.” The Hound of Baskervilles is a third of the four crime novels featuring detective Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The book tells the story of a murder inspired by the legend of a terrifying, evil hound of a supernatural origin. No one with a compass of logic would typically take a story like this seriously, but now Sir Charles Baskerville is dead - and the footprints of an enormous hound have been found near his body. As Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend, Dr. John Watson, continue to investigate, they will learn that nothing is as it seems... This book, which will make you hold your breath while reading, takes you to the strange world of crimes and murders that challenge the human mind while making you f...

"I NEVER MAKE EXCEPTIONS. AN EXCEPTION DISPROVES THE RULE." Ten years ago, Mary Morstan’s father went missing and every year after this incident, packages containing a precious pearl began to arrive. Sherlock and Watson’s help is needed to unravel the mystery behind those packages. The Sign of the Four is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s second Sherlock Holmes novel, published in the magazine as a story before turning into a book. The adventure stretching from India to London draws attention to Sherlock’s human characteristics at the forefront. As he always does, Doyle takes the readers’ breath away in this novel.

The moments we really lIve In are tImes when we can do whatever we want. Pollyanna, which has sold millions in many languages since its publication in 1913 and has been adapted to the cinema many times, once again confronts the reader with the concept of happiness, which is getting more and more difficult to describe. It is time to take a closer look at the "glad game", which is an integral part of Pollyanna's life which is full of grief... The glad game is not just the skill of finding something to make you feel happy in every negative experience. It is also about being aware that happiness can only be possible with work and effort. Happiness is not unconditional and effortless. Happiness is an action. It is not belong to the one who expects it, but the one who can reinvent it for the ben...

"Introduction to Economics" is the first course that introduces you to the fundamentals of economic reasoning. It involves rationality, mathematics and experience. Today, the notion no longer seems to be convincing. Generally, economics revolves around a central concept called homo economicus which refers to a prototype of a rational, economic human being. In other words, it describes an individual who acts independently and who tries to match limited resources to unlimited needs. Nonetheless, this rational being does not exist anymore. We are living in a world full of people who spend more than they earn, confuse needs with desires, "sacrifice their future happiness for familiar unhappiness". How did we become like this? When and why did the economics lose this rational human being? What ...

"I Never Make Assumptions. Assuming is a Bad Habit." A STUDY İN SCARLET is the first book of popular Sherlock Holmes series written by author Arthur Conan Doyle. The story features the introduction of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson through mutual friends and a mystery revolving around a corpse found at a derelict house in Brixton, England. The novel establishes many peculiarities and the working styles of Sherlock and Watson, who would become the most famous detective duo in popular fiction. Arthur Conan Doyle went on to write over fifty Sherlock Holmes short stories, and three more full length novels. The Sherlock Holmes stories have been adapted into many successful television series and feature films. A STUDY İN SCARLET is highly recommended for those who enjoy well fictioned detective ...

"A conscience is that still small voice that people won’t listen to." Did you know that in the original story of Pinocchio, set in Tuscany, Italy, Pinocchio ended up dying in a horrible way? Or that the ending was changed to make the book more suitable for children? Written by the Italian writer Carlo Collodi, Pinocchio is an adventurous and provoking fairy tale with moral values. In the story, Pinocchio begins life as a talking piece of pine that refuses to be a table’s leg. The poor carpenter Geppetto turns this pine into a mischievous puppet boy named Pinocchio. Pinocchio has only one dream, to become a real child. Nonetheless, his unbridled curiosity, deceit and selfishness put him in constant danger. Throughout the book, Pinocchio encounters many distracting obstacles preventing him f...

ALLAH weiß über alles Bescheid. Glaubt ja nicht, dass Er unachtsam dessen ist, was ihr an Ungerechtigkeit zu verspüren bekommt. Denn ALLAH ist zu seinen Geschöpfen barmherziger, als eine Mutter zu ihrem Kind. Ohne die Gegenleistung deines Gebetes zu verfolgen: Vertraue Ihm all deine Sorgen und Angelegenheiten an und hinterfrage Seinen Willen und Seine Entscheidungen nicht! Denn ein Diener kontrolliert seinen Schöpfer nicht! Und gewiss, zweifelt er auch nicht an Ihm! Du kannst dir sicher sein: Wenn du dich ALLAH mit vollkommener Ergebenheit näherst, kommt Er dir mit Gnade und Segen entgegen. Und genau das, wirst du dann tief in deinem Herzen zu verspüren bekommen. Du hast so viele Menschen in deiner Umgebung, die ihr wahres Ich verstecken und hinter einer Maske leben. Diese "falschen Gesich...

“True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid.” Step into a magical world where anything is possible and adventure awaits around every corner! When young Dorothy Gale is swept away by a powerful cyclone, she finds herself in the dazzling, mysterious land of Oz. Joined by a brainless Scarecrow, a heartless Tin Man, and a cowardly Lion, Dorothy sets out on a perilous journey down the Yellow Brick Road to find the great Wizard of Oz, who alone can help her return home. But the path is filled with strange creatures, powerful magic, and dangerous enemies, including the Wicked Witch of the West. Will Dorothy and her friends find the courage, wisdom, and compassion they need to face their fears and achieve their deepest wishes? L. Frank Baum’s timeless tale of friendship, bravery, and sel...

"Die Kunst, die Herzen von Einflüsterungen zu reinigen und den Geist zum Schweigen zu bringen" Egal wie sehr der Mensch wie ein begrenztes Geschöpf scheinen mag, gleicht er einer endlosen Quelle, gar einer unglaublichen Schlucht. Mit seinem begrenzten Körper erlebt er eine unbegrenzte Welt und schlägt sich sein Leben lang mit Einflüsterungen herum, die ihm diese Welt unerträglich machen. Für jene, die nicht von ihrer Seele erzogen wurden, führen die Einflüsterungen, die ihnen das Leben zur Hölle machen, zu einer Reihe von physischen und psychischen Problemen und lassen die Erfahrungen, die sie auf diesem Weg erleben, wie unbedeutende Zufälle erscheinen. Jedoch ist es möglich, diese Einflüsterungen loszuwerden und zwar mit der Führung des Korans, der herabgesandt wurde, um dem Menschen Heil...

“The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate.” Carl Gustav Jung, one of the most controversial figures in psychoanalysis and a thinker whose influence seems destined to grow even stronger in the years to come, stands among the most significant philosopher-psychiatrists of the 20th century. A pioneering psychoanalyst, Jung initiated a profound shift in the field with the development of analytical psychology after his break with Sigmund Freud. From this rupture emerged concepts that continue to shape modern psychology; psychological types, the collective unconscious, complexes, and the association test. Jung offers not merely a theory, but a promise: the process of individuation. He charts this as a journey of self-reflection, a...

WAS DIR ALLAH GIBT, HÄNGT VON DEINER ABSICHT AB Allah hat den Schlüssel aller Schätze in Deine Hand gelegt. Du kannst deren Türe mit Deinem Gebet öffnen, wann immer Du willst. Wenn Du möchtest, kannst Du die Türen des Himmels öffnen und die lebenschenkende Regenfälle auf die Erde herunterlassen. Nur nicht gleich die Hoffnung aufgeben, wenn Du siehst, dass Deine Wünsche nicht sofort in Erfüllung gehen. Allah hält die Lösung schon bereit, bevor das Problem entsteht. Manchmal entfernt das Leben all Deine Träume von Dir... Das bedeutet, dass Allah (cc) Deine Stimme hören wollte. Unverzüglich machst Du Dein Herz und Deine Hände auf und suchst Zuflucht in Halik (dem Schöpfer), Der Dich aus dem Nichts erschaffen hat. Was für ein schönes Treffen… Es ist der Moment, in dem das Herz die wahre Liebe ...

A journey into the darkest corners of the human soul. In this haunting masterpiece, Dostoyevsky lays bare the contradictions and torments of the human condition. Told through the confessions of a reclusive, bitter “underground man”, these notes reveal a mind torn between pride and shame, reason and madness, freedom and self-destruction.

"Who In the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!" ALICE IN WONDERLAND is a novel written by British author Lewis Carroll in 1865. It tells the story of a young girl named Alice who falls down in a rabbit hole into an underground fantasy world inhabited by strange creatures. It is considered one of the best examples of the genre of literary nonsense. The tale merges with logic and gives the story lasting popularity among adults as well as children. One of the best-known and most popular works of English fiction, its narrative, structure, characters, and imagery have been immensely influential in popular culture and literature, particularly the fantasy genre. It's been 150 years since Lewis Carroll introduced Alice in Wonderland, which has become a favorite with children and adults world...

"What is Man" consist of series of dialogues between an elderly with a strong sense of humour and a young impatient man. Throughout the book, the author compares humans to machines. He argues that man has no impulse other than the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. The book is a great starter for those who are seeking to understand why many of us have lost the meaning of life. This work questions how our personal values and the environment surrounding us shape our identity. Although written in 1906, today the dialogues still shed light on how people can take actions with their own free will.

The battlefIeld Is only a vacant lot. But to them, It Is everything. In the heart of Budapest, a ragtag band of schoolboys—the Paul Street Boys—defend their cherished “grund,” a dusty patch of land that is their fortress, their treasure, their world. When the Redshirts, a rival gang, launch an ambitious campaign to seize it, play turns to war. Wooden swords and marbles become weapons, loyalty is tested, and the clash grows into something far greater than a children’s game. Ferenc Molnár’s masterpiece captures the thrill of adventure and the sting of sacrifice with unforgettable intensity. Through daring skirmishes, secret strategies, and moments of quiet courage, the boys discover that honor and friendship can demand a heavier price than any of them imagined. The Paul Street Boys is not on...