Mons Spes, et novellæ aliæ

Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton

1803–1873

Best remembered for vivid historical and supernatural fiction, this prolific Victorian writer also left a surprising mark on everyday language with phrases that people still quote today. His stories mix drama, mystery, politics, and the occult in a way that helped shape popular fiction in the 19th century.

Guy de Maupassant

1850–1893

Best known for sharp, unsettling stories like "Boule de Suif" and "The Necklace," this French master of the short story had a gift for turning everyday life into something surprising, ironic, or quietly haunting. His writing is clear, vivid, and still feels strikingly modern.

John Ruskin

1819–1900

A brilliant and often provocative Victorian writer, he changed how readers thought about art, architecture, nature, and the moral purpose of work. His books range from vivid criticism to passionate social commentary, and they still feel lively, sharp, and deeply felt.

Robert Louis Stevenson

1850–1894

Best known for stories of adventure and divided selves, this Scottish writer gave the world Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. His life was as restless as his fiction, carrying him from Edinburgh to the South Pacific.