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34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 211 of 714.

Cover of John Marr and Other Poems

John Marr and Other Poems

Herman Melville

This collection captures the restless, meditative spirit of a writer looking backward from the twilight of his life. It gathers verses that find their strength not in polished grace, but in the rugged, haunting echoes of a long career spent confronting the indifference of the sea and the fractured soul of a nation.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Killer

Killer

James E. Gunn

A man flees his past only to find himself trapped in a paradise that reflects his own fractured psyche. This haunting tale examines the destructive power of projection and the thin line between love and lethal obsession.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Main-Travelled Roads

Main-Travelled Roads

Hamlin Garland

The main-travelled road is a dusty, wearying path that leads from a dull town to a life of relentless toil. It carries the poor and the broken through the vast, indifferent expanse of the American West.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Memories of a Hostess: A Chronicle of Eminent Friendships: Drawn Chiefly from the Diaries of Mrs. James T. Fields

Memories of a Hostess: A Chronicle of Eminent Friendships: Drawn Chiefly from the Diaries of Mrs. James T. Fields

Annie Fields

The vibrant intellectual currents of nineteenth-century Boston come alive through the private journals of a woman who stood at the center of an extraordinary literary circle.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills

My Experiences in Manipur and the Naga Hills

Johnstone, James, Sir

This memoir documents the rugged life of a British colonial administrator navigating the complex cultural landscapes and volatile border politics of the remote eastern frontier of India during the late nineteenth century.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Norwegian Life: An Account of Past and Contemporary Conditions and Progress in Norway and Sweden

Norwegian Life: An Account of Past and Contemporary Conditions and Progress in Norway and Sweden

Unknown

This survey of Scandinavia captures the social fabric, historical evolution, and cultural spirit of Norway and Sweden at the turn of the twentieth century. It offers a multifaceted, compiled portrait of two nations defined by their resistance to the encroaching homogeneity of the modern world.

History - Other6 min read
Cover of Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom

Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom

Trumbull White

The year 1898 ignited a transformation in the global order, chronicled here through the lens of a nation turning its eyes toward the Caribbean and the end of an empire. This account captures the feverish transition from diplomatic friction to naval battle and, finally, to the administrative reality of a post-war world.

History - American8 min read
Cover of Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman

Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman

E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung

A gentleman thief finds his greatest thrill in the pursuit of danger, whether navigating the dark streets of London or the front lines of war.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Talks on the study of literature

Talks on the study of literature

Arlo Bates

To engage deeply with literature is to move beyond the superficial consumption of words, transforming the act of reading into an exercise of the imagination that enriches the human spirit.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industry

The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industry

Walker C. Smith

The tragedy at Everett serves as a searing indictment of industrial warfare, where the collision between organized labor and entrenched corporate power erupted into a violent, fatal confrontation on the Washington coast.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The Last Galley

The Last Galley

Arthur Conan Doyle

The sweep of history and the shadows of the unknown converge in these varied accounts of human experience. From the fall of ancient empires to the quiet terrors of the modern world, these narratives examine what remains when civilizations crumble and individuals face the inexplicable.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Literature and History of New Testament Times

The Literature and History of New Testament Times

J. Gresham (John Gresham) Machen

This study invites readers to step inside the world of the first-century Mediterranean, bridging the gap between ancient history and the modern experience of faith. It serves as a rigorous, accessible handbook for understanding the origins of the Christian church.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The origins of art

The origins of art

Y. (Yrjö) Hirn

Artistic creation is not a luxury of the refined few, but a fundamental biological and social necessity rooted in the universal human impulse to transmit feeling. This inquiry traces the evolution of art from primitive social utilities to the complex, self-contained expressions of the modern era.

Art7 min read
Cover of The Poet Li Po, A.D. 701-762

The Poet Li Po, A.D. 701-762

Arthur Waley

HOOK This exploration of a legendary Tang Dynasty figure separates the man from the myth, challenging his long-held status as China’s greatest poet.

Biographies5 min read
Cover of The Underground City

The Underground City

Jules Verne

A retired mining engineer discovers a long-lost coal seam beneath the Scottish highlands, only to find that he and his companions are not the only inhabitants of the vast, hollowed-out world within.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of A concise history and directory of the city of Norwich for 1811

A concise history and directory of the city of Norwich for 1811

Christopher Berry

This meticulous register captures the pulse of a bustling English city on the brink of the nineteenth century, offering an intimate census of its people, trade, and institutions.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy

A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy

Henry Pemberton

Henry Pemberton’s 1728 work serves as an elegant, accessible bridge between the daunting mathematical density of the Principia and the curious minds of the eighteenth-century public. It transforms complex gravitational laws and optical theories into a coherent, reasoned argument for the mechanical nature of the…

Science - Physics7 min read
Cover of A Wanderer in Venice

A Wanderer in Venice

E. V. (Edward Verrall) Lucas

This travel narrative is a graceful, impressionistic companion for the armchair traveler, capturing the fading majesty of Venice through a lens of deep affection and scholarly curiosity.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Beacon Lights of History, Volume 01: The Old Pagan Civilizations

Beacon Lights of History, Volume 01: The Old Pagan Civilizations

John Lord

The story of human progress unfolds not merely through dates and maps, but through the enduring thoughts and moral struggles of the great figures who shaped the foundations of civilization.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of Concerning the bi-literal cypher of Francis Bacon discovered in his works

Concerning the bi-literal cypher of Francis Bacon discovered in his works

Elizabeth Wells Gallup

A bold investigation claims that the Shakespearean canon hides a secret, encoded history, suggesting that Francis Bacon used a sophisticated typographical puzzle to reveal his true identity as a royal heir.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

Cossack Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

R. Nisbet (Robert Nisbet) Bain

A collection of vibrant, centuries-old Ukrainian folk narratives, these stories capture the struggle between cunning humans and supernatural forces. They offer a vivid window into the heart of Cossack oral tradition.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Dick Sands, the Boy Captain

Dick Sands, the Boy Captain

Jules Verne

Fifteen-year-old Dick Sands is forced to take command of a whaling schooner after a tragic accident at sea, only to find his leadership tested by a treacherous saboteur and an unexpected landing in the heart of Africa. This classic tale explores the burden of sudden responsibility and the endurance of the human…

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Girls and Women

Girls and Women

Harriet E. (Harriet Eliza) Paine

This guide for young women balances the pursuit of individual ambition with the demands of domestic duty, offering a steady, thoughtful compass for navigating the transitions of nineteenth-century life.

Gender & Sexuality Studies6 min read
Cover of H. G. Wells

H. G. Wells

J. D. (John Davys) Beresford

A perceptive exploration of an author’s evolving consciousness, this work examines how a singular mind uses literature to challenge the rigid boundaries of early 20th-century life.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Jerusalem Explored, Volume 2—Plates: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and Sections

Jerusalem Explored, Volume 2—Plates: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and Sections

Ermete Pierotti

A meticulous visual inventory of a city layered in history, this collection offers a rare, ground-level window into the architecture and topography of 19th-century Jerusalem. Through precise mapping and detailed rendering, the work invites readers to explore the physical foundations of a sacred landscape.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of John Knox and the Reformation

John Knox and the Reformation

Andrew Lang

This biography strips away the hagiography surrounding Scotland’s most famous reformer, presenting a man driven by fierce conviction and political pragmatism. It offers a rigorous, skeptical look at the volatile birth of the Scottish Kirk.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5

Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5

Charles Herbert Sylvester

This volume serves as a curated gateway to the vast landscapes of classic literature, blending high adventure, historical chronicle, and the moral weight of legend into an accessible, educational mosaic. It invites readers to explore the variety of human experience through the eyes of poets, novelists, and explorers.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Our Friend John Burroughs

Our Friend John Burroughs

Clara Barrus

A devoted portrait of a celebrated naturalist, this biographical work captures the quiet rhythms of a life spent in close communion with the American landscape and the wild creatures that inhabit it.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Political and Literary essays, 1908-1913

Political and Literary essays, 1908-1913

Cromer, Evelyn Baring, Earl of

This collection of essays offers an intimate look at the administrative philosophy and literary tastes of a prominent British imperial statesman. It bridges the gap between the practical demands of governance and the enduring questions of historical critique.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Recollections of the Civil War: With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties

Recollections of the Civil War: With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties

Charles A. (Charles Anderson) Dana

These recollections serve as a clear-eyed lens into the high-stakes machinery of the American Civil War, viewed from the shoulder of a man who moved between the front lines and the Cabinet room.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of 'Round the Year in Myth and Song

'Round the Year in Myth and Song

Florence Holbrook

The cycle of the seasons serves as a mirror for the human experience, guiding the reader through the natural world’s rhythms and the enduring wisdom of classical mythology.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Tales and Novels

Tales and Novels

Maria Edgeworth

These tales explore the friction between personal integrity and social performance, where the quiet weight of character ultimately outweighs the clamor of the fashionable world.

British Literature8 min read
Cover of The Bridal Wreath

The Bridal Wreath

Sigrid Undset

A young woman in medieval Norway struggles to reconcile her fierce, independent desire with the rigid expectations of her family, her faith, and her own heart.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Church of Grasmere: A History

The Church of Grasmere: A History

Mary L. (Mary Louisa) Armitt

A meticulous archival reconstruction of an ancient Cumbrian landmark, tracing the survival of faith and community through the centuries.**

History - British6 min read
Cover of The Contest in America

The Contest in America

John Stuart Mill

A rigorous defense of the American Northern cause, this work argues that the Civil War is a moral struggle against the expansion of slavery, rather than a mere political dispute over tariffs or territory.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The French Revolution: A Short History

The French Revolution: A Short History

R. M. (Robert Matteson) Johnston

This compact history strips away the clutter of historical minutiae to reveal the essential mechanisms of the French Revolution. It traces the collapse of Bourbon authority and the rise of a new, volatile political order.

History - European6 min read
Cover of The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet: Stored with all manner of rare receipts for preserving, candying and cookery. Very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex

The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet: Stored with all manner of rare receipts for preserving, candying and cookery. Very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex

Woolley, Hannah, active 1670

This manual offers an intimate glimpse into the seventeenth-century household, providing a sophisticated collection of culinary and medicinal "receipts" designed for the industrious woman. It serves as both a practical guide and a social map for the genteel home.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of The up-to-date sandwich book

The up-to-date sandwich book

Eva Greene Fuller

The sandwich, once a utilitarian staple, is here elevated to an art form, offering 400 variations that transform simple bread and fillings into sophisticated fare for the Edwardian table.

Cooking & Drinking5 min read
Cover of The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: A Curious Fable of the Cotton Plant.: To Which Is Added a Sketch of the History of Cotton and the Cotton Trade

The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: A Curious Fable of the Cotton Plant.: To Which Is Added a Sketch of the History of Cotton and the Cotton Trade

Henry Lee

HOOK This investigation traces the bizarre evolution of a medieval myth, revealing how the simple cotton plant was transformed by travelers and scholars into a flesh-and-blood creature known as the "Vegetable Lamb of Tartary.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of The Virginia Company Of London, 1606-1624

The Virginia Company Of London, 1606-1624

Wesley Frank Craven

The Virginia Company remains a singular testament to how a group of determined, if often divided, investors laid the early foundations for an English presence in North America. By charting the company’s life from its 1606 inception to its dissolution in 1624, this account reveals the complex interplay of…

History - American6 min read
Cover of A Book of Scoundrels

A Book of Scoundrels

Charles Whibley

Criminals are often measured by their impact on the law, but they deserve a more nuanced appraisal as masters of their own peculiar, dark arts. This collection elevates the rogue to the status of an artist.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of A catechism of Christian doctrine, no. 2

A catechism of Christian doctrine, no. 2

J. (Januarius) De Concilio

This definitive instructional text provides the foundational framework for American Catholic religious education, distilling complex theological mysteries into a structured, accessible guide for the faithful.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of A Guide to the Best Historical Novels and Tales

A Guide to the Best Historical Novels and Tales

Jonathan Nield

This curated index serves as a thoughtful companion for readers seeking to anchor their literary explorations in the specific rhythms and settings of the past. It offers a structured, annotated path through centuries of historical fiction, acting as both a bridge between eras and a practical map for the curious.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Arius the Libyan: A Romance of the Primitive Church

Arius the Libyan: A Romance of the Primitive Church

Nathan C. (Nathan Chapman) Kouns

This narrative chronicles the life of an ascetic theologian caught in the collision between the primitive, communal spirit of early Christianity and the burgeoning political machinery of the Roman Empire. It is a portrait of ideological endurance set against the backdrop of a changing world.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Astounding Stories, July, 1931

Astounding Stories, July, 1931

Various

This vintage collection gathers the speculative pulses of early 1930s imagination, blending high-stakes adventure with the nascent dreams of space travel and technological catastrophe.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Boat sailing in fair weather and foul

Boat sailing in fair weather and foul

A. J. (Ahmed John) Kenealy

For any aspiring mariner, this practical guide offers a deep, salt-crusted dive into the craft of small-boat sailing, blending technical instruction with the hard-earned wisdom of a lifetime at sea.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of Bob Dexter and the Storm Mountain Mystery

Bob Dexter and the Storm Mountain Mystery

Willard F. Baker

HOOK A young amateur detective finds himself caught in a web of deceit, strange ciphers, and a long-hidden treasure after befriending an injured hermit in a lonely mountain cabin.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Books and their makers during the Middle Ages

Books and their makers during the Middle Ages

George Haven Putnam

This historical study traces the evolution of the book from the fall of Rome through the seventeenth century, examining the rise of printing, the development of publishing, and the persistent struggle for intellectual liberty.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)8 min read
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