PlatoThe RepublicSocrates, a provocative philosopher, engages in a dialogue with several interlocutors to define justice and imagine the ideal city. Through these exchanges, he explores education, power, truth, and the role of rulers. He defends the idea of a government guided by knowledge and…Same genre
Charles DarwinOn the Origin of SpeciesDarwin, a passionate naturalist, observes the living world and seeks to understand the mechanisms that govern the diversity of species. Drawing on his travels and research, he develops a revolutionary theory based on natural selection. This idea challenges established beliefs…Same genre
Karl MarxThe Communist ManifestoWritten on the eve of the 1848 revolutions, this short text presents history as a succession of struggles between classes. Marx and Engels describe the rise of the bourgeoisie, the way industry transformed labour, and the formation of a working class they hold bound to…Same genre
Niccolò MachiavelliThe PrinceAn ambitious ruler seeks to seize and maintain power in an unstable and dangerous world. Through concrete examples and direct strategies, he learns to manipulate alliances, anticipate threats, and impose his authority. The author lays bare the mechanisms of power, where…Same genre
Friedrich NietzscheBeyond Good and EvilIn nine sections of aphorisms, Nietzsche attacks the prejudices of philosophers and their claim to a disinterested truth. He examines where moral values come from, distinguishes a master morality from a slave morality, and questions the religious certainties of his time. His…Same genreSame era
Fyodor DostoevskyThe Brothers KaramazovFyodor Karamazov, a debauched father, is set against his eldest son Dmitri over an inheritance and the same woman. Around them Ivan, tormented by the problem of evil, and Alyosha, a novice at the monastery, take opposite paths, while the servant Smerdyakov looks on. When the…Same genreSame era
James JoycePortrait of the ArtistStephen, a sensitive and ambitious young man, grows up in an Ireland marked by religion and social conventions. Very early, he feels out of step with his environment and develops intense reflections on art, faith, and identity. His path is punctuated by doubts, revolts, and…Same genreSame era
Franz KafkaThe TrialOne morning Josef K., a senior clerk at a bank, is arrested in his lodgings by two warders who tell him nothing of the charge and leave him free to go to work. The case proceeds without being explained to him, in the attic of a suburban tenement where a court sits among piles…Same genreSame era
Virginia WoolfMrs DallowayClarissa Dalloway, a woman of London high society, prepares a party while revisiting her memories and life choices. Over the course of the day, her thoughts intertwine with those of other characters, including Septimus, a former soldier scarred by the war. Their parallel yet…Same genreSame era
Anatole FranceThe Red LilyJacques, a man torn between passion and disillusionment, maintains a complex relationship with Thérèse, a seductive and elusive woman. Their affair evolves through attraction, jealousy, and power games. In a refined social environment, feelings mingle with interests and…Same genreSame era
Joseph ConradThe Secret AgentAdolf Verloc, a double agent living in London, leads an outwardly ordinary life while engaging in clandestine activities. Assigned a dubious mission, he becomes caught in a chain of events that quickly escapes his control. Around him, his wife Winnie and others suffer the…Same genreSame era
Mary ShelleyFrankensteinVictor Frankenstein, a brilliant young scientist, succeeds in creating life from dead matter, but immediately rejects his creature, horrified by its appearance. Left to itself, the being develops consciousness and emotions, but faces rejection and solitude. Its search for…Same genre
