Colectia „Marii Clasici" subsumeaza textele autorilor pe care istoria literaturii romane i-a transformat in mituri fundamentale. Un demers simbolic care a convertit lectura acestora constrangere placuta... Pentru a iesi din acest paradox, am insotit fiecare dintre capodopere cu o fisa de portofoliu, ilustrata cu imagini inedite din viata si opera autorului, si un dosar critic care cuprinde un studiu introductiv si o selectie a celor mai inspirate fragmente de analize si comentarii literare. Istoria literaturii romane din secolul al XIX-lea inregistreaza prin Ioan Slavici extinderea ariei de existenta a geografiei culturale nationale. Articolele publicistice, Novelele din popor si romanul Mara infrunta posteritatea, fiind unele dintre expresiile spiritualitatii romanesti. In evolutia prozei epice romanesti, Ioan Slavici este cel care face trecerea de la „ideea de taran" la aceea de taran ca tipologie umana intrinsec definita, in concordanta cu ceea ce Mihai Eminescu numea poporului romanesc". - Lucian Pricop
Ioan Slavici was a Transylvanian-born Romanian writer and journalist. He made his debut in Convorbiri literare ("Literary Conversations") (1871), with the comedy Fata de birău ("The Mayor's Daughter"). Alongside Eminescu he founded the Young Romania Social and Literary Academic Society and organized, in 1871, the Putna Celebration of the Romanian Students from Romania and from abroad. At the end of 1874, he settled in Bucharest, where he became secretary of the Hurmuzachi Collection Committee, then he became a professor, and then an editor of the newspaper Timpul ("The Time"). Alongside I. L. Caragiale and G. Coşbuc, he edited the Vatra ("The Heath") review. During the first World War, he collaborated at the newspapers Ziua ("Daytime") and Gazeta Bucureştilor ("The Bucharest Gazette"). He was awarded the Romanian Academy Award (1903).