Book 0


The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.In "CliffsNotes on Light in August, " you meet the character of Joe Christmas, the protagonist, whom critics say is the only tragic figure in 20th-century literature. Joe's journey of self-realization and self-acceptance makes us aware that people must become a part of the community and assume responsibility not only for their own actions but also for the actions of fellow man.This concise supplement to William Faulkner's "Light in August" helps you understand the overall structure of the work, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author. With expert commentaries and critical analyses, this study guide helps you explore the themes of involvement and responsibility to the community. Other features that help you study includeA brief synopsis of the novelChapter summaries and analysesIn-depth character analysesCritical essays on style and structureAn interactive quiz to test your knowledgeEssay topics and review questionsClassic literature or modern modern-day treasure - you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Cliffs Test Preparation Guides help students prepare for and improve their performance on standardized tests ACT Preparation Guide CBEST Preparation Guide CLAST Preparation Guide ELM Review GMAT Preparation Guide GRE Preparation Guide LSAT Preparation Guide MAT Preparation Guide MATH Review for Standardized Tests MSAT Preparation Guide Memory Power for Exams Police Officer Examination Preparation Guide Police Sergeant Examination Preparation Guide Police Management Examinations Preparation Guide Postal Examinations Preparation Guide Praxis I: PPST Preparation Guide Praxis II: NTE Core Battery Preparation Guide SAT Preparation Guide SAT II Writing Preparation Guide TASP Preparation Guide TOEFL Preparation Guide with 2 cassettes Advanced Practice for the TOEFL with 2 cassettes Verbal Review for Standardized Tests Writing Proficiency Examinations You Can Pass the GED Cliffs Quick Reviews help students in introductory college courses or Advanced Placement classes Algebra I Algebra II Anatomy & Physiology Basic Math and Pre-Algebra Biology Calculus Chemistry Differential Equations Economics Geometry Linear Algebra Microbiology Physics Statistics Trigonometry Cliffs Advanced Placement Preparation Guides help high school students taking Advanced Placement courses to earn college credit AP Biology AP Calculus AB AP Chemistry AP English Language & Composition AP English Literature & Composition AP United States History Cliffs Complete Study Editions are comprehensive study guides with complete text, running commentary and glossary Chaucer's Prologue Chaucer's Wife of Bath Hamlet Julius Caesar King Henry IV, Part I King Lear Macbeth The Merchant of Venice Othello Romeo and Juliet The Tempest Twelfth Night See inside back cover for listing of Cliffs Notes titles Registered trademarks include: GRE, MSAT, the Praxis Series, and TOEFL (Educational Testing Service): AP, Advanced Placement Program, and SAT (College Entrance Examination Board); GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Council); and LSAT (Law School Admission Council.) Crime and Punishment

Explore Arthur Miller's superior play about good and evil, self-identity and morality by looking into CliffsNotes on The Crucible. Boost your insight (and impress your teachers as a result!) by using this study guide to gain understanding about the play's central story, set during the Salem witch hunts in the 1600s. You'll also discover parallels to contemporary witch hunts -- such as the McCarthy investigations of the 1950s -- and the paranoia and fear that accompany them. And that's not all! CliffsNotes on The Crucible provides critical commentaries, a list of characters, and background information about Arthur Miller and his prolific writing career.

These Notes present a clear discussion of the action and thought of Faulkner's "The Unvanquished," and a concise interpretation of its artistic merits and its significance.


The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

Take a journey into old London with "CliffsNotes on The Prince and the Pauper" as two boys -- one the heir to the throne of England and the other the unloved son of a beggar and thief -- trade clothes for an afternoon and, as a result, they trade lives as well.

Are you satisfied with your lot in life? You can count on CliffsNotes to help you navigate the themes in "The Prince and the Pauper" as you think about what might happen if you had the chance to live someone else's existence. You'll also explore the life and background of the author, Mark Twain, and come to understand how he came to write this novel. Other features that help you study includeAn introduction to the novelA list of charactersInsight into Twain's method of characterizationA review section that tests your knowledgeA selected bibliography for more study

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.



The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background -- all to help you gain greater insight into great works you're bound to study for school or pleasure.

In "CliffsNotes on Schaefer's Shane, " you follow a main character's appearance out of nowhere, his unbelievable feats of skill and courage, his significant influence on a Western community, and his ride out of town and into the sunset.

Told as a young boy's remembrance of the man who changed his life, "Shane" is a classic in the literature of the American West. This study guide looks into the life and background of the author, the novel's characters, and the following: Coverage of the novel's basic themesChapter-by-chapter summaries and commentariesCritical analysis of Western regional literatureComparison of "Shane," the novel and the movieSuggested essay questions to prompt your creativitySelected bibliography for further reading

Classic literature or modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.



The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background."CliffsNotes on Fathers and Sons" explores the social pressures and conflicts of mid-nineteenth-century Russia. When first published, the novel stirred terrific uproar, from conservatives and liberals alike.Follow the story of a nihilist as the novel's central figure, a person who "examines everything from a critical point of view . . . a person who does not bow to any authorities; who doesn't accept any principle on faith, no matter how hallowed and how venerated the principle is." This concise supplement to Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev's book about conflicts between generations covers the overall structure of the novel, actions and motivations of the characters, and the cultural context of the times. Features that help you study includeBackground on the authorChapter-by-chapter summaries and commentariesDescriptive character analysesCritical essay on the book's structureAn interactive quiz and suggested essay topicsClassic literature or modern modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Science Fiction

by L. David Allen

Published 26 November 1973
The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.In "CliffsNotes on Science Fiction: an Introduction, " you'll gain insight into the differing styles of science fiction, discover how true science shapes the genre, and see how science fiction serves as an important historical marker for society. You'll dive into works by some of the great masters of science fiction, including Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, Ursula LeGuin, Frank Herbert, and more.This study guide carries you along on incredible journeys by providing detailed summaries and critical analyses on some of the most popular science fiction stories. You'll find analyses of20,000 Leagues Under the SeaThe Time MachineI, RobotThe Left Hand of DarknessChildhood's EndRite of PassageAnd moreClassic literature or modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

As Faulkner matured, his vision was colored by optimism, where the world was capable of decent and worthwhile values. This collection presents stories of difficulty for both white and black people, yet the tone is one of compassion, not despair.



The original CliffsNotes study guides offer a look into critical elements and ideas within classic works of literature.

"CliffsNotes on Daisy Miller & Turn of the Screw" takes you into two of Henry James' classic works, one that centers on a pretty, spontaneous American girl traveling abroad and the other about the haunting of a governess in charge of two orphans.

Following the stories of young travelers who venture beyond their native United States, this study guide explores James' special brand of realism. Profiles of the author's life, background, and style allow a glimpse into his frequent focus -- the differences between American innocence and European sophistication. Other features that help you figure out this important work includeCharacter descriptions and plot summaries for each novelSummaries and commentaries for both booksEssays on James' techniques and contributions to the art of fictionReview questions for each of the two works

Classic literature or modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.



The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background -- all to help you gain greater insight into great works you're bound to study for school or pleasure.

In "CliffsNotes on Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield, " you follow the lost and gained fortunes of the Rev. Charles Primrose and his family, a story set in eighteenth-century England.

Moving with the main characters' journeys through deceptions, dips and rises in social positions, and discovery of true wealth, this study guide carries you along a path of discovery about the life and background of the author, the novel's characters, and the following: Brief summary of the novelChapter-by-chapter summaries and commentariesCritical analysis of genre, style, characterization, and themesCritical opinionsStudy questions and essay topics to help polish your knowledgeSelected bibliography for further reading

Classic literature or modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.


The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background.

"CliffsNotes on The Brothers Karamazov" sets forth a murder mystery surrounding the death of Fydor Karamzov whose sons are the prime suspects. Woven into this plot, Dostoevsky touches on many of life's greatest mysteries - such as the existence of God, the purpose of religion, and the search for peace and harmony in society.

With this study guide, you'll be able to follow the actions of the characters and the philosophies of the author. Detailed summaries and commentaries help you to keep track of it all. Other features that help you study includeLife and background of DostoevskyCharacter analyses of major playersA character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the charactersCritical essaysChronological chart mapping the events surrounding the murder

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure -- you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.


The Idiot

by Gary Carey

Published 5 October 1968
In "The Idiot," Prince Myshkin, a saintly man, is thrust into the heart of a society obsessed with wealth, power, and sexual conquest. He soon finds himself at the center of a violent love triangle in which a notorious woman and a beautiful young girl become rivals for his affections. Extortion, scandal, and murder follow, as Dostoevsky's "positively good man" clashes with the emptiness of a society that cannot accommodate his moral idealism.
This wonderfully fresh and faithful translation--never before published--is sure to become the definitive edition in English.