How are you all doing? Things seem to get better, but if you prefer to stay home still, follow us to Southern Europe with 10 gems from our catalog.

Western culture started in Ancient Greece. In a long lost manuscript, Aristotle gives an in-depth explanation of The Constitution of Athens. This recording is in modern Greek, but we also have a translation into English.

Who knows if Portuguese author Luís Vaz de Camões was versed in Greek philosophy. In any case, he explores a number of decidedly philosophical themes in the poetry collected in Sonetos – Poemas Filosoficos.

Not quite so serious are the children’s stories written by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. The well-known kid-lit author draws her inspiration from ancient myths of Croatia in her collection Priče iz Davnine.

When Washington Irving visited Granada in 1828, he asked to stay in the Alhambra. There, he was inspired to A Series of Tales and Sketches of the Moors and Spaniards, a selection of which was translated into Spanish.

For a long time, the Ottoman empire ruled over large parts of Europe, including what is today’s Albania. One of their most cruel rulers was immortalised by Alexandre Dumas in his series Celebrated Crimes: Ali Pacha.

As an outlaw in the mountains lives Ibo, while his former partner in crime, Albert, now works as a policeman. When Ibo kidnaps Albert’s fiancee, this leads to an outright guerilla war in the Catalan novel La Punyalada by Marian Vayreda.

A single bad decision where they lose all their money brings the downfall of the Malavoglia family in Sicily. The aftermath is described in the family saga I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga. We also have an English translation of this scathing social commentary.

Another dramatic family breakdown is told by Terence. Pamphilus leaves town when his mistress is upset about his recent marriage. Upon returning, his wife has a newborn child, but he could not possibly be the father… Find out if he was right or wrong in Hecyra: The Mother-in-Law.

John Graham Gillam was definitely wrong when he underestimated the Turkish campaign in WWI. His Gallipoli Diary details the 9 months in 1915/16 when he tried to keep 4000 soldiers supplied with the necessities.

Only four authors and five works are contained in the collection Stories by Foreign Authors – Spanish. However, they should whet your appetite for further discoveries in the depths of our catalog.

Enjoy – and stay healthy and safe!