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An "A" for "adultery" marks Hester Prynne as an outcast from the society of colonial Boston. Although forced by the puritanical town fathers to wear a bright red badge of shame, Hester steadfastly resists their efforts to discover the identity of her baby's father. The return... Read Full Overview

The canonical American masterpiece of sin, guilt, and revenge, in an authoritative new edition from Penguin Classics with a foreword by Tom Perrotta

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) was a prominent American novelist and short story writer known for his exploration of moral complexity and human nature. Born in Salem, Massachusetts. His most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter (1850), is considered a masterpiece of American literature... Read Full Overview

The Scarlet Letter is a classic tale of love, betrayal, and redemption set in the strict Puritan society of 17th century New England. This edition of the book is beautifully bound and features an introduction by an expert in American literature, making it a must-have for any... Read Full Overview

Nathaniel Hawthorne's masterpiece, an iconic fable of guilt and redemption set in Puritan Massachusetts, has long been considered one of the greatest American novels. The story of Hester Prynne--found out in adultery, pilloried by her Puritan community, and abandoned, in different... Read Full Overview

"Thou and thine, Hester Prynne, belong to me." With these chilling words a husband claims his wife after a two-year absence. But the child she clutches is not his, and Hester wears a scarlet "A" upon her breast, the sign of adultery visible to all. Under an assumed name, her... Read Full Overview

Introduction by Kathryn Harrison Commentary by Nathaniel Hawthorne, W. D. Howells, and Carl Van Doren A stark tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration... Read Full Overview

A key figure in the development of American literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne was also profoundly influenced by his ancestors and the Christianity that underscored their Puritan heritage. A literary classic, The Scarlet Letter presents a profound meditation on the nature of sin,... Read Full Overview

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic novel set in Puritanical Boston in the mid-17th century. It tells the story of Hester Prynne, a young woman who is publicly shamed and ostracized for having a child out of wedlock. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet "A" on... Read Full Overview

Have you ever tried to read The Scarlet Letter but realized midway through the second sentence that you were already lost? No Fear: The Scarlet Letter will change all that. No need to worry about losing the thread anymore: whenever Hawthorne's sentences become too convoluted... Read Full Overview

An "A" for "adultery" marks Hester Prynne as an outcast from the society of colonial Boston. Although forced by the puritanical town fathers to wear a badge of shame, Hester steadfastly resists their efforts to discover the identity of her baby's father. Masterful in its symbolism... Read Full Overview

Designed to appeal to the book lover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautifully bound pocket-sized gift editions of much loved classic titles. Bound in real cloth, printed on high quality paper, and featuring ribbon markers and gilt edges, Macmillan Collector's... Read Full Overview