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30,104 public-domain books, summarised. Page 46 of 628.
James Watt
Andrew Carnegie
The life of an engineer who mastered the invisible forces of steam to reshape the modern world, told by a titan of industry who saw his own success reflected in the inventor’s struggle.
On the Stairs
Henry Blake Fuller
The passage of time reveals everything. In a world shifting from the rigid hierarchies of the nineteenth century to the modern era, two men trace diverging paths of status, vitality, and influence.
The Book of Tea
Kakuzo Okakura
The tea-cup is a vessel of infinite possibility, holding a mirror to the soul while offering a sanctuary from the relentless pressures of a modern, hurried world.
An Abridgment of the Architecture of Vitruvius: Containing a System of the Whole Works of that Author
Vitruvius Pollio
The wisdom of classical design unfolds in a structured blueprint, turning ancient practical engineering into an enduring science of harmony, utility, and enduring form.
The History of Sulu
Najeeb M. (Najeeb Mitry) Saleeby
The Sulu Archipelago, defined by its fierce sea currents and rich cultural history, emerges as a complex intersection of indigenous autonomy and colonial ambition. Through meticulous archival research, the narrative maps the rise of a powerful sultanate and its protracted, often tragic, struggle against Spanish…
The Practical Distiller: An Introduction To Making Whiskey, Gin, Brandy, Spirits, &c. &c. of Better Quality, and in Larger Quantities, than Produced by the Present Mode of Distilling, from the Produce of the United States
Samuel McHarry
A masterclass in early American spirits production, this guide argues that domestic distillation, when practiced with scientific precision, can surpass the quality of imported luxury liquors and foster national economic independence.
The scorpion
Anna Elisabet Weirauch
This is a portrait of a young woman’s search for identity and belonging in a world that denies her nature. It remains a poignant exploration of the ache of being an outsider.
Julius Caesar
William Shakespeare
Great men are often brought down not by their enemies, but by the weight of their own ambitions and the shifting loyalties of those they trust. This seminal drama captures the volatile intersection of personal honor and political survival in the final days of the Roman Republic.
Two Centuries of Costume in America, Volume 1 (1620-1820)
Alice Morse Earle
Two Centuries of Costume in America chronicles the evolution of American dress from the early seventeenth-century arrival of the Pilgrims to the onset of the nineteenth century. It reveals how clothing served not merely as protection against the elements, but as a rigid instrument of social hierarchy and moral…
Agricultural Implements and Machines in the Collection of the National Museum of History and Technology: Smithsonian Studies in History and Technology, No. 17
John T. Schlebecker
This survey of historical agricultural machinery documents the evolution of farming in America through the physical objects preserved in the Smithsonian’s national collection.
The book of one syllable
Esther Bakewell
A cautionary collection of simple tales, these stories serve as moral mirrors for children, illustrating how small choices and unchecked desires ripple outward to shape a lifetime of character.
The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island
Edward Stratemeyer
A group of spirited boarding-school students trade the classroom for a winter adventure, only to find themselves embroiled in a tense mystery involving an embittered hermit and his hidden treasure.
Bert Lloyd's Boyhood: A Story from Nova Scotia
J. Macdonald (James Macdonald) Oxley
A young boy’s journey from the sheltered comforts of a Halifax home to the awakening responsibilities of early adulthood unfolds through the formative trials of school, faith, and friendship.
Euthyphro
Plato
A chance encounter outside a courthouse turns into a relentless inquiry into the nature of holiness, exposing how little we truly know about our most deeply held moral convictions.
The sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and of Harald the Tyrant (Harald Haardraade)
Snorri Sturluson
The Sagas of Olaf Tryggvason and Harald the Tyrant offer an unvarnished window into the lives of two Norse kings whose ambitions reshaped the landscape of Northern Europe. These accounts capture the brutal, shifting loyalties of a world defined by the sword and the nascent reach of the Christian faith.
Scottish Cathedrals and Abbeys
Dugald Butler
This volume serves as a comprehensive guide to the architectural evolution and historical significance of Scotland’s most venerable ecclesiastical ruins. It meticulously charts the shift from primitive Celtic oratories to the sophisticated Romanesque and Gothic styles that defined the nation’s medieval cathedrals…
Ben Comee
M. J. (Michael Joseph) Canavan
The quiet of a colonial childhood in Lexington abruptly shatters as war calls young men into the brutal, snowy wilderness, where survival requires more than just courage; it demands a transformation into something altogether colder.
Official Report of the Niger Valley Exploring Party
Martin Robison Delany
A rigorous and principled account of an 1859 expedition to the Niger Valley, this text maps a bold vision for African American self-reliance and the strategic dismantling of the global slave-labor economy.
Dave Darrin on Mediterranean Service
H. Irving (Harrie Irving) Hancock
Two young American ensigns navigate the perils of espionage and international intrigue while serving on a U.S. warship stationed in the Mediterranean during the Great War.
The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3 (of 3): Literally Translated, with Notes
Strabo
The ancient world comes alive through the eyes of a traveler who mapped the edges of the Roman Empire, blending meticulous observation with the sweeping lore of a civilization at its peak. This final volume of a seminal geographical survey offers a panoramic view of the Mediterranean, the Near East, and beyond,…
The Strange Adventures of Captain Dangerous, Vol. 2: Who was a sailor, a soldier, a merchant, a spy, a slave
George Augustus Sala
A sprawling, picaresque life unfolds across the eighteenth century, following a restless protagonist whose survival depends on his quick wit and moral elasticity. This narrative captures the grime and grandeur of a world defined by empire, rebellion, and social upheaval.
Daughters of the Puritans: A Group of Brief Biographies
Seth Curtis Beach
These portraits celebrate the intellect and moral vigor of seven nineteenth-century American women who transformed their era through literature, social activism, and personal sacrifice.
Political Women, Vol. 1
Menzies, Sutherland, active 1840-1883
Beneath the gilded surface of the seventeenth-century French court, powerful noblewomen wielded influence that rivaled the authority of kings and cardinals.
The English Husbandman: The First Part: Contayning the Knowledge of the true Nature of euery Soyle within this Kingdome: how to Plow it
Gervase Markham
A masterclass in early seventeenth-century agrarian craft, this guide translates the complex, localized wisdom of English soil management into a comprehensive manual for the practical, working farmer.
The Motor Maids at Sunrise Camp
Katherine Stokes
A group of spirited young women embarks on a summer camping trip to the Adirondack mountains, only to find themselves entangled in a web of local mountain mysteries and long-forgotten secrets.
Human, All-Too-Human: A Book for Free Spirits, Part 2
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
A collection of keen, provocative insights, this work serves as an intellectual laboratory for the restless thinker. It invites readers to dismantle their most comfortable assumptions about morality, art, and the nature of the human spirit.
Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year
E. C. (Ernest Clark) Hartwell
This collection of classic literature and historical accounts serves as a guided introduction to the great stories and figures that have shaped the Western imagination. It acts as both a source of entertainment and a bridge toward a lifelong habit of reading.
An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals
David Hume
Moral philosophy finds its truest anchor in the simple, observable utility of human actions. By examining how we naturally praise and blame, we discover that our shared well-being is the ultimate measure of virtue.
The Man Who Knew
Edgar Wallace
A brilliant investigator known only for his absolute omniscience finds himself outmaneuvered by a web of impersonation, chemical seduction, and cold-blooded murder.
With the Guards' Brigade from Bloemfontein to Koomati Poort and Back
Edward P. Lowry
The British Empire marches across the veldt, caught between the idealism of a chaplain and the grim, grinding realities of a colonial war. This chronicle documents the persistence of faith amidst the debris of conflict.
A Treasury of Heroes and Heroines: A Record of High Endeavour and Strange Adventure from 500 B.C. to 1920 A.D
Clayton (Author of A treasury of heroes and heroines) Edwards
This collection presents a sweeping panorama of human resolve, capturing the lives of those who defined their eras through extraordinary action. It juxtaposes the legendary and the literary against the figures of authentic history.
Five Little Peppers at School
Margaret Sidney
The boisterous, irrepressible Pepper siblings navigate the trials and triumphs of boarding school life, balancing rigorous studies with their signature penchant for mischief and heartfelt camaraderie.
Our Home in the Silver West: A Story of Struggle and Adventure
Gordon Stables
A family of Scottish settlers seeks a new beginning in the untamed Argentine frontier, facing the harsh realities of pioneer life, violent conflict, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Artists' Wives
Alphonse Daudet
The artistic life demands a singular, all-consuming devotion that rarely leaves room for the practical demands of a household. This collection of sketches explores the friction that arises when the ethereal world of the studio collides with the mundane realities of marriage.
Line and Form (1900)
Walter Crane
The mastery of art begins where the hand meets the paper, tracing the fundamental boundaries that define the world.
Bushido, the Soul of Japan
Inazo Nitobe
Bushido, the Soul of Japan remains an essential guide to the Japanese character, illuminating the moral architecture of a nation through the lens of its historic knightly code. It invites readers to understand how feudal values continue to shape the contemporary Japanese soul.
The Greatest Highway in the World: Historical, Industrial and Descriptive Information of the Towns, Cities and Country Passed Through Between New York and Chicago Via the New York Central Lines. Based on the Encyclopaedia Britannica
New York Central Railroad Company
This guide chronicles the storied landscapes and industrial hubs along the rail route connecting New York and Chicago. It transforms a standard transit schedule into a rich narrative of American history and progress.
Light On the Child's Path
William Allen Bixler
Children learn to walk the narrow way of righteousness through the gentle guidance of nature, the wisdom of scripture, and the promise of a heavenly home. Every act of kindness is a seed planted for an eternal harvest.
The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. IV (of X)—Great Britain and Ireland II
Unknown
Great literature often reveals itself in the quiet, reflective moments of a life, captured here in a curated selection of British prose spanning the eighteenth century. This volume serves as a deliberate survey of a transformative era in English letters.
The Foundations of the Origin of Species: Two Essays written in 1842 and 1844
Charles Darwin
These early sketches capture the birth of a revolutionary scientific vision, revealing a mind meticulously assembling the argument for natural selection long before it was unveiled to the world.
The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte. Vol. 3 (of 4)
William Milligan Sloane
This historical account chronicles the zenith and unraveling of a continental empire, charting the shift from a triumphant, self-assured hegemony to the desperate, fragmented defense of a crumbling power.
The Old Tobacco Shop: A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure
William Bowen
A curious boy finds a doorway to wonder within the smoke and relics of a local merchant’s shop. What follows is a dreamlike journey into the extraordinary, bridging the gap between the mundane and the magical.
The Big Brother: A Story of Indian War
George Cary Eggleston
This story of survival follows three children and a young companion who, separated from their families during the violence of the Creek War, must build a hidden life within the wilderness to stay alive. It is a taut, earnest adventure centered on the ingenuity and devotion required to protect the vulnerable when…
The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln
Wayne Whipple
This biography chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln, transforming the legendary statesman into a relatable figure whose rise from a frontier log cabin to the White House remains a profound American touchstone.
The Moon and Sixpence
W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham
HOOK A middle-aged stockbroker abandons his family and comfort for the single-minded, often brutal pursuit of painting, eventually finding his masterpiece in the isolation of Tahiti.
The Cheerful Smugglers
Ellis Parker Butler
A domestic experiment in taxation turns a happy household into a den of petty spies, proving that even the most well-meaning rules can dismantle the peace they were intended to protect.
Boy Scouts Handbook: The First Edition, 1911
Boy Scouts of America
To forge a character that is physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight, one must cultivate a life of practical skill, civic duty, and constant observation of the natural world.
Book of Wise Sayings: Selected Largely from Eastern Sources
W. A. (William Alexander) Clouston
Pithy observations on the human condition transcend geography and time, offering a perennial guide for the practical, moral, and intellectual challenges of daily existence.