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34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 53 of 714.

Cover of The Analysis of Mind

The Analysis of Mind

Bertrand Russell

The mind is not a ghostly entity residing within the body, but a collection of physical occurrences and habits. By stripping away traditional metaphysical assumptions, the nature of human thought emerges from the observable data of behavior.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of This Giddy Globe

This Giddy Globe

Oliver Herford

This Giddy Globe is a spirited, satirical geography textbook written for the amusement of those who find conventional learning too dry. It presents the world not as a steady, serious stage for human history, but as a flighty, spinning, and often absurd spheroid that refuses to be taken seriously.

Humour6 min read
Cover of Southern Stories: Retold from St. Nicholas

Southern Stories: Retold from St. Nicholas

Various

HOOK This collection captures the spirit of the American South through a tapestry of diverse voices, blending historical anecdotes, regional folklore, and the quiet adventures of youth into a vivid portrait of a changing landscape.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Red Room

The Red Room

H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

A young man, armed with skepticism and a revolver, spends a single night in a notoriously haunted room to prove that ghosts are nothing more than superstition. He discovers, instead, that some terrors are far more primitive than phantoms.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Stories from the Ballads, Told to the Children

Stories from the Ballads, Told to the Children

Mary Macgregor

HOOK These pages breathe life into the ancient, wandering songs of minstrelsy, capturing a world where fairy spells, daring rescues, and true love hold sway over the human heart.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of English Fairy Tales

English Fairy Tales

Unknown

The door is unlocked, the key is waiting, and a world of giants, talking animals, and foolish mortals lies just beyond the threshold. Step inside to discover the enduring, often mischievous, and occasionally dark heartbeat of the English nursery tradition.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Principles of Orchestration, with Musical Examples Drawn from His Own Works

Principles of Orchestration, with Musical Examples Drawn from His Own Works

Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

HOOK This masterclass in sound design demystifies the symphony orchestra, revealing how to blend individual voices into a cohesive, brilliant, and imaginative sonic landscape.

Music5 min read
Cover of The Aeroplane Speaks. Fifth Edition

The Aeroplane Speaks. Fifth Edition

H. (Horatio) Barber

A technical manual disguised as a living conversation, this guide brings the early mechanics of flight to life by granting the aeroplane itself a voice to explain the perils of the sky.

Engineering & Technology5 min read
Cover of The Red Triangle: Being Some Further Chronicles of Martin Hewitt, Investigator

The Red Triangle: Being Some Further Chronicles of Martin Hewitt, Investigator

Arthur Morrison

A secret society leaves a mark of blood upon its victims, signaling a conspiracy that stretches from the diamond houses of London to the halls of the Admiralty.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Gitanjali

Gitanjali

Rabindranath Tagore

HOOK A lyrical exploration of the soul’s longing for the divine, this work captures the universal dance between human imperfection and the infinite.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of Hazel Squirrel and Other Stories

Hazel Squirrel and Other Stories

Samuel E. (Samuel Edward) Lowe

The inhabitants of the animal kingdom lead busy, perilous, and wonder-filled lives that mirror the joys and troubles of the human world.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Little Wizard Stories of Oz

Little Wizard Stories of Oz

L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

The Land of Oz is a place where even a straw man can dream of adventure, and the simplest stroll often leads to a magical encounter. These charming, bite-sized tales capture the whimsical spirit of a world where kindness and imagination triumph over every obstacle.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Jacobite Rebellions (1689-1746): (Bell's Scottish History Source Books.)

The Jacobite Rebellions (1689-1746): (Bell's Scottish History Source Books.)

J. Pringle (James Pringle) Thomson

These collected primary accounts trace the turbulent decades of the Jacobite risings, charting Scotland’s bloody path from the battlefields of 1689 to the final, crushing defeat of the Stuart cause in 1746.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Amabel Channice

Amabel Channice

Anne Douglas Sedgwick

The heavy, grey silence of a lonely country house conceals a secret that has defined a mother’s life and distorted her son’s path. This haunting portrait of shame and redemption explores the fragile boundary between duty and truth.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Ruth Fielding Down East

Ruth Fielding Down East

Alice B. Emerson

A resilient young screenwriter travels to the rugged Maine coast, only to discover that her stolen manuscript has fallen into the hands of a mysterious hermit.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus

Cyropaedia: The Education of Cyrus

Xenophon

This classic work of biographical fiction explores the making of a legendary ruler, blending historical tradition with philosophical inquiry to examine the virtues required to lead and inspire.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of Idylls of the King

Idylls of the King

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron

A vision of Camelot unfolds through a series of lyrical narratives, tracing the rise and inevitable fracturing of an idealistic fellowship under a blameless king. The beauty of a dream meets the harsh friction of human frailty in this enduring work.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Voyage Out

The Voyage Out

Virginia Woolf

A young woman journeys to South America, seeking to understand the world beyond her sheltered upbringing. In this transformative travelogue, she finds that life and love are not the neat, predictable affairs her mentors promised.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Boy Scouts in the Canal Zone

Boy Scouts in the Canal Zone

G. Harvey (George Harvey) Ralphson

A group of spirited American teenagers travels to the Panama Canal to thwart a shadowy international conspiracy targeting the massive infrastructure of the Gatun Dam. The narrative follows their daring investigative work as they outmaneuver saboteurs in both New York City and the dense jungles of the tropics.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Down the River

Down the River

Oliver Optic

A young boy and his sister flee the oppressive cruelty of their legal guardians, embarking on a dangerous river voyage to find a life of their own.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Laurence Sterne in Germany: A Contribution to the Study of the Literary Relations of

Laurence Sterne in Germany: A Contribution to the Study of the Literary Relations of

Harvey W. (Harvey Waterman) Hewett-Thayer

A critical survey of a literary phenomenon, this study maps how an English humorist captured the imagination of a foreign culture, shaping its emotional landscape for decades. It investigates the reception, imitation, and eventual scholarly assessment of a singular voice across the borders of the eighteenth century.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Confessions of Arsène Lupin

The Confessions of Arsène Lupin

Maurice Leblanc

Master thieves, elaborate ruses, and aristocratic intrigue define a world where justice is settled not by the heavy hand of the law, but by superior wit and theatrical daring.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of Messengers of Evil: Being a Further Account of the Lures and Devices of Fantômas

Messengers of Evil: Being a Further Account of the Lures and Devices of Fantômas

Pierre Souvestre

A mysterious arch-villain terrorizes Paris, leaving a trail of bodies, forged notes, and ruined lives that outsmart the city's best detectives.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of Frances Kane's Fortune

Frances Kane's Fortune

L. T. Meade

This volume presents a collection of moralizing tales centered on the lives of young women facing sudden shifts in fortune, duty, and emotional loyalty. These narratives examine the tension between personal desire and the heavy weight of familial obligation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Colonel Carter's Christmas and The Romance of an Old-Fashioned Gentleman

Colonel Carter's Christmas and The Romance of an Old-Fashioned Gentleman

Francis Hopkinson Smith

This collection brings together two distinct narratives exploring the intersection of tradition, honor, and the changing social landscape of early twentieth-century America. These stories offer a quiet, character-focused meditation on the persistence of old-fashioned integrity in a modernizing world.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

John Masefield

This critical guide traverses the vast landscape of the Shakespearean canon, offering a concise, play-by-play analysis that seeks to uncover the master’s evolving vision and the underlying human truths in his work.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of How to Behave: A Pocket Manual of Republican Etiquette, and Guide to Correct Personal Habits: Embracing an Exposition of the Principles of Good Manners

How to Behave: A Pocket Manual of Republican Etiquette, and Guide to Correct Personal Habits: Embracing an Exposition of the Principles of Good Manners

Samuel R. (Samuel Roberts) Wells

Good manners are the quiet architecture of a well-lived life, revealing the character of the individual through the simple grace of daily habits. This manual serves as a practical blueprint for navigating the complexities of nineteenth-century American social life.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of Dio's Rome, Volume 5: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English Form

Dio's Rome, Volume 5: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English Form

Cassius Dio Cocceianus

The arc of the Roman Empire, as seen by a man who lived through its most turbulent shifts, is captured in this sweeping historical record. It is a chronicle of power, betrayal, and the relentless machinery of statecraft.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The Cricket

The Cricket

Marjorie Benton Cooke

HOOK A headstrong, imaginative girl navigates the indifference of her wealthy parents by inventing her own world, eventually finding her match in a war-weary soldier who recognizes her wild spirit.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Ground Plan of the English Parish Church

The Ground Plan of the English Parish Church

A. Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton) Thompson

The evolution of the English parish church is a story written in stone, where local tradition and liturgical necessity slowly transformed humble, aisleless structures into the soaring, complex edifices we recognize today.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of The New Tenant

The New Tenant

E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

A murdered man on the moor, a cottage with a hidden room, and a love story shadowed by suspicion draw a country household into accusation, secrecy, and a trial that seems to leave no room for innocence.

British Literature10 min read
Cover of A Little Girl in Old Quebec

A Little Girl in Old Quebec

Amanda M. Douglas

HOOK Set against the rugged, untamed beauty of early seventeenth-century New France, this story follows a spirited foundling navigating the perils and promises of a nascent colonial society.

Children & Young Adult Reading5 min read
Cover of The Third Miss Symons

The Third Miss Symons

F. M. (Flora Macdonald) Mayor

Henrietta Symons exists as a quiet study in the slow erosion of a spirit by the suffocating customs of her time. Her life is a quiet tragedy of missed connections, domestic duty, and the persistent, unrequited ache for love.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Boy Scouts of Lenox

The Boy Scouts of Lenox

Frank V. Webster

The local boys of Lenox form a scouting troop to explore the wilderness, only to find their outdoor adventure intertwined with a quest to recover a stolen family heirloom from a local thief.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Right Ho, Jeeves

Right Ho, Jeeves

P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse

A young man finds himself tangled in a series of farcical social knots, only to rely on his valet’s peerless, if occasionally ruthless, genius to restore order to his quiet, comfortable life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Child's Garden of Verses

A Child's Garden of Verses

Robert Louis Stevenson

A collection of verse that captures the fleeting, vivid reality of a child’s imagination. It transforms the familiar landscape of home and nursery into a vast, enchanted world of private discovery.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare

Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare

William Shakespeare

These retellings distill the complex dramas of the Bard into accessible, linear narratives. By stripping away the dense verse, the collection invites readers to engage directly with the foundational plots of classic Western literature.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Patriotic Poems of Walt Whitman

The Patriotic Poems of Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman

A poet’s deep, impassioned love letter to a fractured nation, tracing its journey from the crucible of civil war into the promise of a united, democratic future.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Gambler

The Gambler

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The spinning wheel offers a dangerous promise of transformation, but for those who stake their lives on the turn of a card, the only certainty is the erosion of the soul.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind

The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind

H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

The story of humanity unfolds here as a single, continuous narrative, tracing life from the cooling of the earth to the aftermath of the Great War. It offers a sweeping vision of our species, unbound by the limitations of national borders.

History - Other10 min read
Cover of The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained

The Wonder Book of Knowledge: The Marvels of Modern Industry and Invention, the Interesting Stories of Common Things, the Mysterious Processes of Nature Simply Explained

Unknown

This compendium demystifies the mechanisms of the industrial age, offering clear, non-technical explanations for the origins and operations of common objects and modern marvels. It serves as an encyclopedia of "why" and "how.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference7 min read
Cover of A War-Time Wooing: A Story

A War-Time Wooing: A Story

Charles King

A soldier finds his reputation and heart compromised when a duplicitous comrade uses his name to deceive an innocent woman. Amidst the chaos of the Civil War, the lines between duty, romance, and betrayal blur dangerously.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Wendigo

The Wendigo

Algernon Blackwood

The primal terror of the Canadian wilderness takes hold in this unsettling tale, where a hunting party encounters an ancient, malevolent force that dissolves the boundaries between man and myth.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Babbitt

Babbitt

Sinclair Lewis

This portrait of an American real-estate agent in 1920 explores the stifling pressure of social conformity and the quiet, desperate search for meaning within a world of standardized comforts.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Japanese Fairy Tales

Japanese Fairy Tales

Yei Theodora Ozaki

This collection of Japanese folklore invites readers into a world of moral instruction, supernatural wonder, and cultural tradition. Originally compiled at the turn of the twentieth century to introduce Western audiences to the richness of Japanese storytelling, these tales endure because they balance the uncanny…

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745. Volume III

Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745. Volume III

Thomson, A. T., Mrs.

The Jacobite cause was a storm of shifting loyalties and lost dreams, where brilliant courage often met a tragic, inevitable end. This chronicle captures the final, desperate chapters of that romantic and doomed struggle.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Eve's Diary, Complete

Eve's Diary, Complete

Mark Twain

This is a deceptively simple, deeply poignant account of the world’s first couple, told through the eyes of a creature discovering existence, language, and love for the very first time. It is a masterwork of gentle satire and enduring heart.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night

Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

A king, betrayed by his queen, vows to marry a new bride each day and execute her at dawn. Only one woman, gifted with the art of storytelling, can delay her own sentence by keeping him suspended in wonder.

Classics of Literature8 min read
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