Books like Hong lou meng by Tsʻao, Hsüeh-chʻin.

A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ allegorical novella about Ebenezer Scrooge, whose miserly ways are transformed through visits from Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

Candide: A Tale of Conviviality and Optimism in a Wretched World

In Dickens’s sweeping novel, the protracted Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in the Court of Chancery pulls together a disparate cast— from heirs torn by legal costs to a mysterious ward, a cunning lawyer, and a destitute street sweeper— exposing London’s social decay.

A spirited eleven‑year‑old orphan named Pollyanna moves in with her stern Aunt Polly in Beldingsville, Vermont, and spreads optimism through her "Glad Game," uplifting residents while facing resistance from those who refuse her help.

Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron is a 14th‑century collection of 100 Italian tales told by ten young people who flee the plague‑ravaged Florence to a villa in Fiesole, each day presenting stories framed by a rule and a closing canzone.

Thomas Hardy’s bleak final novel follows Jude Fawley, a stonemason from rural Wessex, whose search for faith, love and independence collides with society’s harsh conventions and leads to tragedy.

Madeleine Thien’s memoir‑style novel traces an intergenerational Chinese family from Mao’s Cultural Revolution to present‑day Vancouver, exploring how political upheaval reshaped musicians, parents and children across time.

A tale of manners and expectations in the city versus the countryside, exploring the clash between Polly and her wealthy friend Fanny Shaw.

Set in 1905 England, The Edwardians follows the contrasting lives of brother Sebastian and sister Viola as they navigate the glittering highs and looming decline of aristocratic society, exploring tradition, love, and rebellion.

A collection of the Forsyte family novels by John Galsworthy, exploring middle‑class English life, social customs, and family dynamics through the saga of the fictitious Forsyte family.

Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset’s historical epic follows 14th‑century Norwegian woman Kristin Lavransdatter through devotion, love, family, and societal upheaval, set against a richly detailed backdrop of medieval Norway.

Based upon the historical bandit Song Jiang and his companions, this Chinese equivalent of the English classic Robin Hood and His Merry Men is an epic tale of rebellion against tyranny and has been thrilling and inspiring readers for hundreds of years. This edition of the classic J. H. Jackson translation features a new preface and introduction by Edwin Lowe, which gives the history of the book and puts the story into perspective for modern readers. First translated into English by Pearl S. Buck in 1933 as All Men Are Brothers, the original edition of the J.H. Jackson translation appeared under the title The Water Margin in 1937. In this updated edition, Edwin Lowe addresses many of the shortcomings found in the original J.H. Jackson translation, and replaces the original grit and flavor of Shuihui Zhuan found in Chinese versions, including the sexual seduction, explicit descriptions of brutality and barbarity, and the profane voices of the thieving, scheming, drinking, fighting, pimping lower classes of Song Dynasty China. Similarly, the Chinese deities, Bodhisattvas, gods and demons have reclaimed their true names, as has the lecherous, over-sexed and ill-fated Ximen Qing. All of which was sanitized out when first published in 1937. While Chinese in origin, the themes of The Water Margin are universal enough that it has served as a source of inspiration for numerous movies, television shows and video games up to the present day. About the Author: Shi Naian is one of the respected elders of Chinese literature. In addition to authoring Water Margin, he was also the teacher of Lo Kuan-chung, author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. J. H. Jackson first came into contact with Chinese culture through his involvement with Presbyterian missionary efforts. His translation of The Water Margin was the first to closely follow the text of the Chinese original. It was his only translated work. Edwin Lowe is Associate Lecturer of Chinese Studies in the Department of Asian Studies at Macquarie University, Sydney. He researches Chinese strategic and defense studies, comparative cultural and philosophical approaches to warfare, and the evolving nature of conflict and warfare.

This novel by Mo Yan is a historical epic about women in 20th-century China, focusing on the protagonist Mother's experiences and struggles.

Tells the story of 108 legendary heroes from the end of the Song Dynasty who fought for justice and poverty relief.