Why these books? Why now?

Past Present Editions was originally formed simply out of a love for classic literature and a sense of duty to preserve it. But as we reviewed the growing collection it became clear that there were prescient and valuable messages being told in these books.

Many of these works confront the same cultural, political, and existential questions we face today. Perhaps now more than ever. Marcus Aurelius wrote about the struggles of leading with integrity under impossible pressure, Kafka wrote about the individual crushed by systems too large and indifferent to see him, and Larsen wrote about the complexities of race and identity under social coercion. All issues that could accurately describe humanity’s current plight.

In some cases, the books on our list were critical warnings, reflections, and guideposts, not just of the moments they were written, but the near and distant future as well. In others they were struggles with simply how to be a decent human. And still others were just simply strange and fun great reads.

What unified these books is that they are all bold, influential, and ahead of their time, and yet they all still speak with timeless clarity.