Marguerite Yourcenar Book order

This collection includes: How Wand-fo was Saved, Marko's Smile, The Milk of Death, The Last Love of Princess Genji, The Man Who Loved the Nereids, Our Lady of the Swallows, Aphrodissia; the Widow, Kali Beheaded, The End of Marko Kraljevic, The Sadness of Cornelius Berg, and a Postscript by the Author. "From China to Japan, the Balkans to India, Oriental Tales addresses love, conquest, betrayal, murder, religion, and passion in an eloquent and exquisite telling."--Kirkus Reviews.

Fires consists of nine monologues and narratives based on classical Greek stories. Antigone, Clytemnestra, Phaedo, Sappho are all mythical figures whose stories are mingled with contemporary themes. Interspersed are highly personal narratives, reflecting on a time of profound inner crisis in the author's life. "The unwritten novel among the fantasies and aphorisms of Fires is a classic tale."-Stephen Koch, New York Times Book Review Consists of 9 monologues and narratives based on classical Greek stories. Interspersed are highly personal notations, reflecting a time of profound innner crisis in the author's life.

Hadrian, approaching death, writes a long valedictory letter to the young Marcus Aurelius, next-but-one in the line of succession. Hadrian describes his accession and explains the philosophy that informed his rule over the powerful and far-flung Empire.