Penguin Books Ltd

Our lives are driven by a fact that most of us can't name and don't understand. It defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed. This title shows how the brain chemistry of introverts and extroverts differs, and how society misunderstands and undervalues introverts.

Robinson Crusoe, set ashore on an island after a terrible storm at sea, is forced to make do with only a knife, some tobacco, and a pipe. He learns how to build a canoe, make bread, and endure endless solitude. That is, until, twenty-four years later, when he confronts another human being.

The city of Verona, torn apart by the violent feud between the families of Montague and Capulet, is a powder keg waiting to explode; the Prince of Verona, seeking to restore order, has declared any breach of the peace punishable by death. But for Montague Romeo, and his lover, the Capulet Juliet, the enmity of their families is immaterial.

Although not among George Eliot's most admired works, this story is set in Florence at the end of the 15th century. It re-creates the picturesque complexion of the city and the characters of the historical figures, Charles VIII, Machiavelli and Savanorola.