If you think 18th century economic philosophy is by definition dry and boring, check out Bernard Mandeville's 1714 poem "The Fable of the Bees." It espouses the benefits of selfishness as a way of increasing economic prosperity — a common enough idea today, but one that was so scandalous at the time of its publication that Mandeville was convicted by a grand jury and widely denounced by the most prominent thinkers of the day in blistering

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""Reader, she married me." For one hundred seventy years, Edward Fairfax Rochester has stood as one of literature's most romantic, most complex, and most mysterious heroes. Sometimes haughty, sometimes tender-professing his love for Jane Eyre in one breath and denying it in the next-Mr. Rochester has for generations mesmerized, beguiled, and, yes, baffled fans of Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece. But his own story has never been told....

Jane Eyre ranks as one of the greatest and most perennially popular works of English fiction. Although the poor but plucky heroine is outwardly of plain appearance, she possesses an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit and great courage. She is forced to battle against the exigencies of a cruel guardian, a harsh employer and a rigid social order. All of which circumscribe her life and position when she becomes governess to the daughter of the mysterious,...

This clever and funny literary mash-up rewrites Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" so that Jane is a vampire slayer and Rochester's wife is a werewolf. After learning of her parents' history as slayers, Jane must follow her true calling while trying to remain true to her heart.