Areg Balayan

This Armenian folk epic dates back over one thousand years and follows the actions of heroes working to preserve the House of Sassoun and maintain freedom from invaders. The conflict of loyalties brought on by oaths taken by the heroes lead to the decline of the House. Discover this epic tale and the fifty variants that comprise its unified text.

Get ready for a wild ride through human experience with this biting and bawdy fantasy masterpiece, Gargantua and Pantagruel. From bizarre battles to great drinking bouts, Rabelais delivers comedic commentary on religion, education, bodily functions, and more. This is literature at its smartest and smuttiest.

Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata is a compelling story of passion and regret set within the world of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. After the death of his parents, Kikuji meets his father's former mistress, Mrs. Ota, and is quickly swept up in a forbidden affair that affects not only them but also Mrs. Ota's daughter. The delicate art of the tea ceremony is woven throughout the narrative, highlighting the profound meaning behind every gesture. Nobel Prize-winning author Kawabata's writing is luminous, eloquently capturing the almost sensual nostalgia that binds the living to the dead.