ARTales Library
Explore original works, translations, and curated public-domain editions. ARTales is being built as a living library: a place where texts keep their structure, context, editions, and reading layers.
Public domain
Author: Franz Kafka
Some books stay with us from their very first sentence, and Metamorphosis is certainly one of them. What first appears absurd soon becomes unexpectedly familiar: a story of alienation, family ties, and the quiet feeling of slowly becoming unintelligible to the people around us. A short work carrying far more feeling than its reputation might first suggest.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Franz Kafka
Some stories unsettle us not because of what they show, but because of how little certainty they offer. The Trial begins quietly, yet gradually turns into a world where rules remain unclear and answers seem forever out of reach. A novel both frustrating and strangely compelling — perhaps that is exactly why it lingers in the mind.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Agatha Christie
Some mysteries draw us in through their secrets; others because of the person determined to uncover them. The Mystery of the Blue Train combines elegant surroundings, carefully hidden truths, and clues that reveal their significance only gradually. Presiding over it all is Hercule Poirot, a detective whose insight into human nature is every bit as compelling as his talent for solving crimes.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Some stories are shaped less by what happened than by how long its consequences endure. The Scarlet Letter follows lives marked by guilt, secrecy, and the judgement of others, without offering easy answers. Beneath the portrait of a strict society lies a deeply human story about dignity, resilience, and the price we sometimes pay for our choices. A novel quieter than its reputation suggests, yet one that often lingers long after the final page.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Lyman Frank Baum
Sometimes the search for something important begins when the familiar world suddenly turns into something unknown. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz brings together adventure, friendship, and the quiet courage needed to keep moving forward, even without knowing what lies ahead. Beneath its colourful world and unforgettable characters lies a story that speaks surprisingly well to adult readers, too.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Lewis Carroll
What happens when we decide to follow something that makes very little sense? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland begins with a fall into a world where size changes without warning, animals speak, and questions often matter more than answers. Beneath its playful absurdity lies a story that can feel both enchanting and disorienting — perhaps that is why readers find something different in it at every stage of life.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Some adventures begin with a map, but rarely end where one expects them to. Treasure Island opens a world of shifting loyalties, dangerous choices, and characters who resist simple labels. The pirates here are neither purely heroic nor purely villainous, which is exactly what makes the story still feel alive today.
Language: English
Public domain
(Tom Sawyer’s Comrade)
Author: Mark Twain
At first glance, an adventure story — but underneath, a journey shaped by conscience, freedom, and the search for one’s own path. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn lets its protagonist move through a world without easy answers, and its questions still feel unexpectedly relevant today. Some books grow alongside their readers, and this may be one of them.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Gaston Leroux
Some love stories are far removed from fairy tales. The Phantom of the Opera unfolds in a world of music, admiration, and mystery, while quietly exploring loneliness, longing, and feelings that struggle to find their place. Perhaps that is why it lingers not only as a tale of suspense, but also with a certain melancholy.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Washington Irving
If some stories seem made for autumn evenings, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow surely belongs among them. In a landscape shaped by whispered legends and quiet uncertainty, the line between reality and imagination slowly begins to blur. Some stories do not frighten us outright — they simply make us glance over our shoulder a little longer.
Language: English
Public domain
Author: Bram Stoker
Some books become famous long before we ever open them, and Dracula is often one of them. Yet beyond the story of a mysterious count lies a world of growing unease, unfamiliar places, and tension that builds almost unnoticed. Perhaps that is why it still feels so vivid today — some fears never fade as much as we imagine.
Language: English
