myebooksbuy
My Books

The whole shelf

All free summaries — page 531

34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 531 of 714.

Cover of The Day of the Boomer Dukes

The Day of the Boomer Dukes

Frederik Pohl

HOOK A bored traveler from the distant future imports advanced weaponry into mid-century New York, inadvertently sparking a catastrophic conflict between street gangs and local law enforcement.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of The Dead Boxer: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two

The Dead Boxer: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two

William Carleton

A young man is driven to the brink of ruin by a public humiliation, only to find his path to redemption blocked by a web of ancient family grudges and a mysterious, vengeful crone.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Disturbing Charm

The Disturbing Charm

Berta Ruck

A mysterious parcel arrives for a professor, containing a "Disturbing Charm" that claims to solve the world’s most persistent problem: people falling in love with the wrong partners.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Everlasting Mercy

The Everlasting Mercy

John Masefield

A man born to the devil finds his soul transformed through a sudden, overwhelming encounter with grace. This raw, rhythmic narrative chronicles a life reclaimed from the depths of dissipation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Evolutionist at Large

The Evolutionist at Large

Grant Allen

This collection of essays invites readers to view the natural world through the lens of evolutionary biology, turning everyday hedgerow discoveries into windows onto deep time. It bridges the gap between casual observation and scientific inquiry with warmth and clarity.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of The Fall of the Nibelungs

The Fall of the Nibelungs

Margaret Armour

This epic of the medieval German tradition chronicles the rise of the legendary hero Siegfried, his tragic betrayal, and the catastrophic, blood-soaked vengeance that ultimately obliterates an entire royal house. It is a foundational work of Western literature, enduring through centuries for its unflinching…

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of The Fifth-Dimension Tube

The Fifth-Dimension Tube

Murray Leinster

The barrier between realities shatters when a scientific experiment opens a door to a perilous, higher-dimensional world. A race against time begins as ruthless criminals attempt to weaponize this discovery against both Earth and a golden civilization.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The First Distiller

The First Distiller

Tolstoy, Leo, graf

A simple peasant is tempted by a demon who discovers that abundance, not scarcity, is the true path to human ruin. This morality play serves as a piercing, dark fable on the corruption of the soul through excess.

Humour6 min read
Cover of The Four Seasons

The Four Seasons

Carl Ewald

Four elemental princes negotiate a cycle of seasons to heal a broken, barren world. Their eternal, uneasy truce transforms the earth into a theater of life, growth, and inevitable decay.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of The Gingerbread Boy and Joyful Jingle Play Stories

The Gingerbread Boy and Joyful Jingle Play Stories

Laura Rountree Smith

Domestic chores and childhood lessons transform into whimsical adventures when everyday objects and animals come to life. These tales celebrate the rewards of diligence and the transformative power of a cheerful spirit.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Green Satin Gown

The Green Satin Gown

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

The life of a young person in the early twentieth century often hinged on simple choices, quiet burdens, and the sudden, often overwhelming, arrival of responsibility. These stories explore the quiet dignity found in small, everyday acts of endurance and kindness.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The History of Antiquity, Vol. 6 (of 6)

The History of Antiquity, Vol. 6 (of 6)

Max Duncker

The ancient world’s shift from fractured kingdoms to a singular, sprawling dominion unfolds here through the relentless expansion of the Persian Empire. This volume captures the rise and consolidation of a superpower that redefined the geography of civilization.

History - Ancient7 min read
Cover of The interpretation of dreams and moles, with other curious matters, relating to love and courtship

The interpretation of dreams and moles, with other curious matters, relating to love and courtship

Anonymous

A glimpse into a past where the flight of a bird or the shape of a mole could dictate the course of a life, revealing the anxieties and hopes of an era.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)6 min read
Cover of The Irish Crisis

The Irish Crisis

Charles E. (Charles Edward) Trevelyan

The Great Famine serves as the backdrop for a detailed administrative account of how the British government navigated, managed, and ultimately conceptualized the profound social collapse of mid-nineteenth-century Ireland.

History - British6 min read
Cover of The King Of Beaver, and Beaver Lights: From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899

The King Of Beaver, and Beaver Lights: From "Mackinac And Lake Stories", 1899

Mary Hartwell Catherwood

On the isolated shores of Lake Michigan, a magnetic prophet builds a kingdom, only to watch it succumb to the fragile, human passions of his followers.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Lady from Nowhere: A Detective Story

The Lady from Nowhere: A Detective Story

Fergus Hume

A mysterious murder in a quiet London suburb unravels a tangled history of past crimes and hidden identities. This detective story follows the trail of a woman known only as "The Lady from Nowhere.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Lay Anthony: A Romance

The Lay Anthony: A Romance

Joseph Hergesheimer

A young man’s fiercely protected innocence becomes a heavy, mysterious burden as he navigates a world of casual cynicism, eventually finding his only true anchor in a love that transcends the physical reach of his life.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Life of Abraham Lincoln

The Life of Abraham Lincoln

Henry Ketcham

This portrait of a backwoods lawyer who rose to preserve a fracturing nation traces a journey from the log cabin to the martyr’s grave. It captures the quiet persistence of a man tasked with history’s heaviest burden.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the History of Penny Postage, Vol. 1 (of 2)

The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the History of Penny Postage, Vol. 1 (of 2)

Hill, Rowland, Sir

A visionary reformer transforms a cumbersome, exclusionary communication system into a universal service, proving that lowering costs can paradoxically ignite growth and social progress.

Biographies8 min read
Cover of The Little Colonel in Arizona

The Little Colonel in Arizona

Annie F. (Annie Fellows) Johnston

HOOK A resilient family navigates the loneliness of the Arizona desert, discovering that ambition and friendship are the true keys to transforming a wilderness into a home.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding

The Little Colonel's Knight Comes Riding

Annie F. (Annie Fellows) Johnston

The arrival of an unexpected suitor turns a quiet summer into a season of romantic tension and self-discovery for a young woman coming of age in the Kentucky countryside.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Little Green Goblin

The Little Green Goblin

J. B. (James Ball) Naylor

A bored schoolboy escapes his mundane life by climbing into a feather-bed balloon with a mischievous sprite, only to discover that total freedom is far more complicated—and dangerous—than he imagined.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of The Lords of the Ghostland: A History of the Ideal

The Lords of the Ghostland: A History of the Ideal

Edgar Saltus

The search for the divine is a journey through human imagination, where fears and dreams coalesce into the gods we have created. This survey of religious history suggests that every faith is merely a refraction of an ancient, shared ideal.

History - Religious6 min read
Cover of The Master Mummer

The Master Mummer

E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

An impulsive act of kindness pulls three struggling artists into a dangerous web of international intrigue and aristocratic secrets, centering on the mysterious, vulnerable girl they rescue from a train-bound stranger.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Militants: Stories of Some Parsons, Soldiers, and Other Fighters in the World

The Militants: Stories of Some Parsons, Soldiers, and Other Fighters in the World

Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews

These stories explore the quiet, internal battles of men and women who must reconcile their public roles with the private, demanding realities of love and conscience.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 484, April 9, 1831

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 17, No. 484, April 9, 1831

Various

This collection offers a curated glimpse into the intellectual curiosities, historical anecdotes, and social customs of early 19th-century Britain. It serves as a time capsule of Regency-era thought, ranging from architectural history to parliamentary trivia.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of The National Cook Book, 9th ed

The National Cook Book, 9th ed

Hannah Mary (Bouvier) Peterson

This mid-nineteenth-century culinary manual provides a comprehensive look at the daily foodways of American households, focusing on practical, straightforward instruction. It serves as a window into a time when home kitchens were the center of self-sufficiency.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of The Origin and Ideals of the Modern School

The Origin and Ideals of the Modern School

Francisco Ferrer Guardia

An ardent educator challenges church and state to build a revolutionary classroom where children think without fear, dogma, or coercion.

History - Modern (1750+)6 min read
Cover of The Other World

The Other World

Frank Frankfort Moore

HOOK This collection of tales explores the porous boundary between our own reality and the shadow-realm of the supernatural, where human desire and ancient, unseen forces often collide.

Novels5 min read
Cover of The Pampas and Andes: A Thousand Miles' Walk Across South America

The Pampas and Andes: A Thousand Miles' Walk Across South America

Nathaniel H. (Nathaniel Holmes) Bishop

A seventeen-year-old’s journey across South America captures the raw, untamed landscape and the stark social contrasts of a continent in the mid-19th century. This narrative offers a rare, youthful perspective on a world long before it was mapped by modern tourism.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The pioneer West

The pioneer West

Unknown

Westward the course of empire takes its way; a fifth act shall close the drama with the day. Time’s noblest offspring is the last.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The Punster's Pocket-book

The Punster's Pocket-book

C. M. (Charles Molloy) Westmacott

This exuberant collection serves as a nineteenth-century manifesto for the art of the pun, treating wordplay not as a low-brow annoyance, but as a sophisticated hallmark of a truly nimble and educated mind.

Humour6 min read
Cover of The Red Room

The Red Room

William Le Queux

A quiet motor-mechanic is pulled into a web of international espionage and murder when his mysterious neighbor invites him to view a corpse. This thriller unfolds as a high-stakes puzzle where nothing—not even the identity of the dead man—is quite what it seems.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Road Builders

The Road Builders

Samuel Merwin

In the blistering heat of the untamed American West, a tenacious engineer battles both a lethal desert and a rival railroad tycoon to drive a line of steel toward the horizon.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Roman Poets of the Republic, 2nd edition

The Roman Poets of the Republic, 2nd edition

W. Y. (William Young) Sellar

This scholarly examination traces the evolution of early Latin verse, mapping the transition from rugged, communal folk-expression to the sophisticated, individualistic artistry of the late Roman Republic.

History - Ancient7 min read
Cover of The Romance of the Red Triangle: The story of the coming of the red triangle and the service rendered by the Y.M.C.A. to the sailors and soldiers of the British Empire

The Romance of the Red Triangle: The story of the coming of the red triangle and the service rendered by the Y.M.C.A. to the sailors and soldiers of the British Empire

Arthur K. (Arthur Keysall) Yapp

The Red Triangle represents a sanctuary of comfort and faith for soldiers, offering a human touch amidst the industrial carnage of the Great War. It is the story of how a civilian organization became an essential pillar of the British military effort.

History - British6 min read
Cover of The Slowcoach

The Slowcoach

E. V. (Edward Verrall) Lucas

A family of siblings unexpectedly finds themselves owners of a wandering home, leading them on a spirited, accidental tour of the English countryside.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Spoilt Child: A Tale of Hindu Domestic Life

The Spoilt Child: A Tale of Hindu Domestic Life

Peary Chand Mitra

Spoiled by indulgence, a young heir plunges his household into chaos before encountering the severe friction of the world.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Story of a Country Town

The Story of a Country Town

E. W. (Edgar Watson) Howe

The relentless, suffocating gravity of a pioneer Kansas settlement shapes the lives of those trapped within its borders. Here, duty and austerity often prove more destructive than the harsh wilderness itself.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The Story of Rome from the Earliest Times to the End of the Republic

The Story of Rome from the Earliest Times to the End of the Republic

Arthur Gilman

This chronicle traces the rise of Rome from its mythical, rustic origins to the collapse of its republic, offering a sweeping view of the power and fragility inherent in a nation’s ascent.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The Story Tellers' Magazine, Vol. I, No. 2, July 1913

The Story Tellers' Magazine, Vol. I, No. 2, July 1913

Various

This is a vibrant artifact of early twentieth-century pedagogy, capturing a moment when storytelling was championed not merely as entertainment, but as a vital, transformative tool for education, social cohesion, and the moral development of American children.

Children & Young Adult Reading5 min read
Cover of The sunny side

The sunny side

A. A. (Alan Alexander) Milne

A collection of lighthearted essays and whimsical short stories, this volume offers a charming, witty, and deeply human look at the minor absurdities of early 20th-century life. It remains a classic for its warmth and timeless, conversational humor.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Torch-Bearers: A Satirical Comedy in Three Acts

The Torch-Bearers: A Satirical Comedy in Three Acts

George Kelly

A suburban husband returns home to find his wife has been swept into the chaotic, self-important world of amateur theater. He soon discovers that the most dangerous role his wife plays is the one she performs in their living room.

Humour6 min read
Cover of The Twenty-Fourth of June: Midsummer's Day

The Twenty-Fourth of June: Midsummer's Day

Grace S. (Grace Smith) Richmond

A wealthy young man finds a new purpose after stumbling into a traditional family home, where he sheds his aimless habits to win the heart of a spirited teacher.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The works of Richard Hurd, volume 4 (of 8)

The works of Richard Hurd, volume 4 (of 8)

Richard Hurd

This collection of intellectual dialogues and letters serves as a rigorous inquiry into the foundations of English governance, the merits of European travel, and the historical evolution of chivalric literature. It invites the reader to engage with the refined, often contentious debates of the eighteenth-century…

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 15

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 15

Robert Louis Stevenson

This collection brings together four dramatic works that explore the shadows of human character and the fragile mask of social respectability. These plays delve into the "double life," where the upright citizen and the desperate rogue often occupy the same soul.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Worshipper of the Image

The Worshipper of the Image

Richard Le Gallienne

A poet finds his life’s inspiration in a cold, inanimate face, choosing the hollow perfection of an idol over the living, breathing presence of his wife and child. This descent into obsession exacts a devastating human price, ultimately leaving only a haunting, spectral void in its wake.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Thomas Henry Huxley: A Character Sketch

Thomas Henry Huxley: A Character Sketch

Leonard Huxley

An intellectual dynamo of the Victorian age, this man of science fought for the truth with the ferocity of a gladiator and the tenderness of a devoted husband.

Biographies6 min read
Advertisement