An enigmatic, mystical, ironic, ageless novel – the principal work of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov (1891 – 1940). The immortal work brings together eras and generations. There are heroes of biblical stories, “dark forces” and Moscow of the 30s of the XX century. The book astonished the Soviet reader of the 60s, as it is admired by the modern youth. It is widely known, and is often quoted. Extraordinary conception, colourful narration, fantastic plot, witty turns of phrase – everything is fused in perfect harmony. “What could I have written after “the Master … ”?” Bulgakov himself reasoned shortly before his death. Genuine leather binding, press gilding, expensive paper – a worthy mounting for an iconic work, a tribute to the genius and talent of the author.

There are fairy tales for adults, and an immortal classical example of that is Little Zaches, nicknamed Zinnober by the German writer Ernst Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann (1776 – 1822). Full of irony, the book tells the story of the author’s epoch, it describes the ugliness of absolutism, loyalty of contemporaries, bare lawlessness. The protagonist is grotesquely ridiculous, ugly and stupid, but the merciful fairy Rosabelverde endowed him with a unique ability. Whatever good happens in the presence of Zaches – it is always attributed to him, and any shameful thing done by him goes to someone else’s account. Everyone bows to Zaches, he rises as high as to become a minister. But the magician Prosper Alpanus turns up to help a young student Balthazar to remove the spell and expose the truth to ordinary people.

“The Prince” is one of the most important and famous political works by Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527), a Florentine thinker, philosopher, writer, and politician. Many rulers used it as a table-top book. Machiavelli developed a theory of a secular state devoid of the ecclesial morality. He insisted that any means were good in struggling for a sound state – violence, treachery, and deception, in particular. This might shock with its cruelty, but if you read carefully, you will see that many points of the book can really be taken for granted. They have indeed found their levels today. The book also includes “The Art of War” tractate, a sample of rough and practical approach to the tactics and strategy of war.

This book is a collection of stories about great orthodox saints, martyrs, and accomplishers of feats of arms and spiritual endeavors. This book is a source of inspiration and admiration of buoyancy, heroism, valor and self sacrifices of the orthodox warriors. Alexander Nevsky, George the Victorious, Michael of Chernigov, Michael of Tver – the reader is familiar with all of these names, but the pages reveal their images completely, providing descriptions of their lives and beliefs, feats and testaments. This edition lifts the veil over the secrets of the past, impersonating morality in our brave ancestors.

This book in a luxurious leather cover will become a gem of any library.

This legendary work by Generalissimo of the Russian Army Alexander Suvorov  (1730 – 1800), written in 1795 after the suppression of the Polish revolt, comprises the commander’s invaluable warfare considerations and instructions. In his commander’s carrier, Alexander Suvorov didn’t lose a day, time an again he zapped the outnumbered hostile armies. He is well-known for his caring for soldiers, including his participation in development of the new hard wearing uniform. The edition includes several parts (Watch Parade and Talking to Soldiers in Their Language), and is believed to be a literary monument of the Russian military thought. In this book, which was used to educate several generations of commanders, Suvorov explained his views on soldier training and tactics. This book doesn’t just reveal the strategic secrets – it also touches on ethic aspects of the war, starting with unneeded murders and ending with the call for taking care of ordinary people.

“It is time that the national idea started to pursuit economics beyond Russia and foul the native ground with invasive replanting; it is high time that we came back home and came to know all the power of our people, in the absence of true connection with which economic arrangements will never become coordinated with the needs of our people,” the author writes. A brilliant businessman and patron of 60 to 70s of the 19^th century, Vasily Kokorev (1817 – 1889) always surprised his contemporaries with his original mind and large-scale schemes. His most important work concludes his reasoning about traditionalism, the national spirit, patriotism, and the appeal for abandoning bureaucracy and copying of the West and turning to the pursuit of our own economic basics.

“The Will to Power” is a book by Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 – 1900), nearly iconic and believed to be his most important work, although it is an edition comprising the author’s notes published by his sister. Quite literally, one can say that this work produced almost every modern school of thought. Calling the morality of the day false, Nietzsche associated will to power with will to live. He saw it as the major impetus and the prime human ability. The will to power – this is the basis of the world, the most internal essence of existence. The author calls to radical reappraisal of cultural, philosophic, and religious values.

This gift book is intended for a Superman, powerful, strong, successful, having a will to succeed.

Gustave Theodor Pauly (1817 – 1867), a Russian ethnographer of the 19th century, a member of the Russian Geographical Society, although a German by birth, was known as Fyodor Khristianovich. His work Les peuples de la Russie is a series of ethnographic essays. They describe different aspects of life of various social classes. The people described in the book are representatives of the Indo-European, Caucasian, Ural-Altai peoples, inhabitants of Siberia and Russian America. In cooperation with Pauly, famous scientists and artists worked on the book to furnish it with chromolithographs, many of them being colourful everyday scenes drawn from life.