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34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 632 of 714.

Cover of Elbow-Room: A Novel Without a Plot

Elbow-Room: A Novel Without a Plot

Charles Heber Clark

This collection of sketches captures the absurd, low-stakes friction of small-town life, where absent-minded inventors and stubborn neighbors collide with hilarious, innocent persistence. It serves as a refreshing reminder that the happiest man is often the one who knows how to laugh at the nonsense of existence.

Humour6 min read
Cover of Embryology: The Beginnings of Life

Embryology: The Beginnings of Life

Gerald R. (Gerald Rowley) Leighton

The mystery of how a single microscopic cell transforms into a complex human being remains one of the most profound inquiries in biological science. This volume serves as an accessible guide to that intricate process.

Science - Biology6 min read
Cover of English Society

English Society

George Du Maurier

This collection serves as a visual and literary chronicle of late nineteenth-century British manners, capturing the nuanced social hierarchies of the era through a gentle, observant lens.

Art5 min read
Cover of Esmeralda

Esmeralda

Frances Hodgson Burnett

A young American woman, trapped by her mother’s social ambitions in Paris, finds the strength to reclaim her lost home and the man she loves. This is a story of quiet defiance and the endurance of simple, honest bonds.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Essays of Michel de Montaigne

Michel de Montaigne

An wandering mind turns its gaze inward, weighing the peculiarities of human habit against the absolute limits of mortal time.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Fables for the Times

Fables for the Times

Henry Wallace Phillips

These irreverent, sharp-edged tales reimagine classic fables with a cynical, modern sensibility. They strip away moralizing artifice to reveal the chaotic, often absurd nature of human—and animal—ambition and vanity.

Humour6 min read
Cover of 'Farewell, Nikola'

'Farewell, Nikola'

Guy Boothby

The shadows of Venice stretch long and deep in this tale, where a charismatic, dangerous occultist commands the fates of those foolish enough to cross his path. Secrets of the past collide with the anxieties of the present in a city built on water and hidden horrors.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of Flash-lights from the Seven Seas

Flash-lights from the Seven Seas

William L. (William Le Roy) Stidger

These impressionistic vignettes capture a world in flux, offering glimpses of an Orient defined by ancient traditions, colonial tensions, and the persistent, hopeful reach toward modernity.

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of Fred Fearnot's New Ranch: and How He and Terry Managed It

Fred Fearnot's New Ranch: and How He and Terry Managed It

H. K. (Harvey King) Shackleford

Fred Fearnot and Terry Olcott are two young men of exceptional grit and marksmanship who transition from the cutthroat world of Wall Street to the open spaces of a Texas ranch. They seek not only profit but a life of mastery, where their ability to handle both financial markets and frontier threats defines their…

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Funny Little Socks: Being the Fourth Book

Funny Little Socks: Being the Fourth Book

Sarah L. Barrow

A trio of whimsical tales, this collection celebrates the innocence of childhood through domestic play, moral lessons, and lighthearted, rhythmic storytelling.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Further Experiences of an Irish R.M

Further Experiences of an Irish R.M

E. Oe. (Edith Oenone) Somerville

A weary magistrate navigates the collision of rigid English expectations and the unpredictable, riotous spirit of the Irish countryside in this collection of wry, observant tales.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of George Eliot Centenary, November 1919: Catalogue of Relics, Manuscrips, Prints, Paintings, Photographs & Books relating to George Eliot

George Eliot Centenary, November 1919: Catalogue of Relics, Manuscrips, Prints, Paintings, Photographs & Books relating to George Eliot

Coventry (England). Public Libraries Committee

This record of a 1919 exhibition preserves the intimate material history of one of literature’s greatest novelists, mapping the bridge between her real-world roots and the enduring landscapes of her fiction.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Gerald Eversley's Friendship: A Study in Real Life

Gerald Eversley's Friendship: A Study in Real Life

J. E. C. (James Edward Cowell) Welldon

This observant, deeply melancholy narrative follows the quiet, scholarly life of a boy whose intense devotion to a school friend and a noble family shapes his path from a lonely youth into a life of solitary public service.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Guy Deverell, v. 1 of 2

Guy Deverell, v. 1 of 2

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

A man of high social standing finds his peaceful life unraveling when a mysterious guest arrives at his country estate, bringing with him the heavy, unspoken weight of a long-buried family secret.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Harold's Town and its vicinity

Harold's Town and its vicinity

Freeman Bunting

This guidebook captures the spirit of Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt, two historically rich English towns just beyond the reach of London’s urban sprawl. It serves as an essential companion for the Victorian-era traveler seeking antiquity, architectural beauty, and rural tranquility.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Harold : the Last of the Saxon Kings

Harold : the Last of the Saxon Kings

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

Caught between an old world of pagan portents and a new order of feudal chivalry, a doomed king fights to shield his realm from foreign conquerors and internal betrayal, only to meet his tragic destiny on the battlefield.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Harper's Young People, March 15, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly

Harper's Young People, March 15, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly

Various

This collection of serial stories, correspondence, and puzzles serves as a window into the recreational life and moral education of late nineteenth-century American youth. It captures the rhythm of an era through the eyes of children engaged in the dual pursuits of rigorous self-improvement and imaginative play.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Hints on Driving

Hints on Driving

C. S. Ward

Mastering a four-in-hand team requires the steady hand of a professional and the calm nerves of a seasoned traveler. This guide transforms the art of the coachman into a craft of precision, safety, and deep respect for the horse.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Historical Record of the Thirteenth Regiment of Light Dragoons: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1715, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1842

Historical Record of the Thirteenth Regiment of Light Dragoons: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1715, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1842

Richard Cannon

This administrative history chronicles over a century of British military service, transforming a tactical roster into a formal record of institutional loyalty, discipline, and endurance. It captures the methodical evolution of a single regiment from the battlefield to the parade ground.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. 3 of 6, slice 6 of 9: England, 1483-1485, Richard III

Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. 3 of 6, slice 6 of 9: England, 1483-1485, Richard III

Raphael Holinshed

A definitive historical account of the rise and fall of Richard III, this narrative chronicles a reign defined by fratricide, usurped authority, and the swift, violent arrival of the Tudor dynasty.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Index to University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History, Volume 1: 1946-1950

Index to University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History, Volume 1: 1946-1950

University of Kansas

This collection serves as a formal, rigorous archive of mid-century biological research, documenting the distribution and classification of North American fauna. It acts as an essential reference point for those interested in the foundational cataloging of species as they were understood between 1946 and 1950.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Jack Carstairs of the power house

Jack Carstairs of the power house

Sydney Sandys

This story of a young electrical engineer is a bracing, muscular portrait of professional ambition and moral combat in the early twentieth century. It captures the raw friction between the technical demands of a burgeoning industry and the messy, often treacherous realities of human ambition.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Justice in the By-Ways, a Tale of Life

Justice in the By-Ways, a Tale of Life

F. Colburn (Francis Colburn) Adams

Beneath a polished facade of polite society lies a network of hypocrisy, where systemic cruelty and institutional decay bind the vulnerable to the whims of the powerful.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 2

King Eric and the Outlaws, Vol. 2

Bernhard Severin Ingemann

This sweeping historical narrative captures a kingdom fractured by treachery, where the crown, the church, and the common people collide in the shadow of the Middle Ages. It is a tale of shifting loyalties, dark political intrigue, and the desperate struggle to preserve order against those who would tear it down.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Kit of Greenacre Farm

Kit of Greenacre Farm

Izola L. (Izola Louise) Forrester

An energetic young woman, desperate to save her family’s farm, initiates a series of impulsive adventures that transform her household and lead to an unexpected archaeological discovery.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Langford of the Three Bars

Langford of the Three Bars

Kate Boyles Bingham

In the rugged expanses of the South Dakota cattle country, a powerful rancher and a struggling attorney join forces to break the iron grip of a notorious rustler.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Life's Enthusiasms

Life's Enthusiasms

David Starr Jordan

A vital life requires storing up pure passions early, before time and cynicism wear them away.

Essays, Letters & Speeches5 min read
Cover of Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 12, No. 33, December, 1873

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 12, No. 33, December, 1873

Various

This volume serves as a time capsule of Gilded Age sensibility, blending travelogues, contemporary fiction, and social commentary into a singular, sprawling portrait of the nineteenth-century world. It captures the restless intellectual and geographical curiosity of the 1870s, moving fluidly from the exoticism of…

Journals6 min read
Cover of Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk

Little Jack Rabbit and Chippy Chipmunk

David Cory

A curious rabbit ventures through the woods to greet the changing seasons, navigating the joys of friendship and the constant threat of nearby predators.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of London Impressions: Etchings and Pictures in Photogravure

London Impressions: Etchings and Pictures in Photogravure

Alice Meynell

The city of London reveals itself not through grand monuments, but through the shifting interplay of light, soot, and the relentless, hurried movement of millions. This meditation on the capital captures the peculiar atmosphere of a place where fire, smoke, and humanity are perpetually intertwined.

Art6 min read
Cover of Love's Labour's Lost

Love's Labour's Lost

William Shakespeare

Four young noblemen swear off romance for three years of strict study, only to fall instantly in love when a foreign princess and her court arrive at their doorstep.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Made to Measure: Deep Waters, Part 3

Made to Measure: Deep Waters, Part 3

W. W. (William Wymark) Jacobs

A battle of wills erupts in a small provincial home when a rejected suitor turns an old man’s bad advice into a relentless sit-in.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Maid of the Mist

Maid of the Mist

John Oxenham

Two survivors of a shipwreck build a life of quiet devotion while trapped on a desolate, debris-strewn sandbank. This story explores how beauty and purpose can be forged from isolation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Marion's Faith

Marion's Faith

Charles King

A soldier battles slander and betrayal on the untamed frontier, sustained only by the unwavering devotion of the woman who believes in his character when all others doubt him.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mayne Reid: A Memoir of his Life

Mayne Reid: A Memoir of his Life

Elizabeth Hyde Reid

Mayne Reid’s life unfolded as a relentless pursuit of adventure, bridging the worlds of the Irish countryside, the battlefields of Mexico, and the literary salons of London. This memoir captures the transition of a soldier-poet into a celebrated, if eccentric, master of romance.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona

Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona

Sylvester Mowry

A harsh, sun-baked borderland rich in silver and scarred by violence begs the United States government for order, statehood, and the basic protection of law.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Mirk Abbey, Volume 2 (of 3)

Mirk Abbey, Volume 2 (of 3)

James Payn

The specter of a secret marriage and a dark, vengeful past haunts a noble household, where a mother’s desperate efforts to preserve her family’s honor threaten to undo her own life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Monsieur Cherami

Monsieur Cherami

Paul de Kock

The roguish Arthur Cherami navigates the fringes of Parisian society, transforming from a destitute, debt-ridden wanderer into a man of newfound stability through a series of chaotic social encounters and unlikely romantic misadventures.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of More Italian Yesterdays

More Italian Yesterdays

Fraser, Hugh, Mrs.

These pages offer a meditative journey through the spiritual and historical landscape of Italy, tracing the echoes of saints, popes, and forgotten figures across the centuries.

History - Ancient7 min read
Cover of Motor Boat Boys Mississippi Cruise

Motor Boat Boys Mississippi Cruise

Louis Arundel

The Motor Boat Boys embark on a perilous, high-speed race down the Mississippi River, navigating treacherous currents and winding tributaries to capture the prestigious "Dixie Cup" while encountering lawless river drifters along the way.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Nor Iron Bars a Cage

Nor Iron Bars a Cage

Randall Garrett

HOOK A seasoned New York detective manages a secret, borderline-magical psychiatric program to neutralize repeat offenders, only to discover that the "cure" he oversees hides a deeply personal and tragic burden.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of Norah of Billabong

Norah of Billabong

Mary Grant Bruce

The spirit of the Australian bush breathes through these pages, capturing a world of horses, campfires, and the deep, enduring bonds of family and friendship. It is a story of resilience, where the vast, quiet landscape acts as the backdrop for both exhilarating adventure and sudden, sharp tragedy.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 199, August 20, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc

Notes and Queries, Number 199, August 20, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc

Various

This nineteenth-century periodical serves as a vibrant, communal archive for the Victorian intellectual, where the obscure questions of the day meet the collective memory of an inquisitive public. It functions as a crowdsourced repository of human knowledge.

Essays, Letters & Speeches5 min read
Cover of Nuttie's Father

Nuttie's Father

Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary) Yonge

A quiet girl, long accustomed to a small provincial life, finds her identity upended when her missing father claims her for a higher sphere.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of One hundred & one Mexican dishes

One hundred & one Mexican dishes

Unknown

A collection of diverse, rustic recipes from early 20th-century California and Mexico, this manual presents a culinary bridge between cultures. It captures a specific era’s fascination with regional flavors and traditional methods of preparation.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of Operation Terror

Operation Terror

Murray Leinster

A surveyor stumbles upon an impossible invasion, only to discover that the terrifying extraterrestrial threat is a calculated ruse designed to manipulate global politics.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Patty and Azalea

Patty and Azalea

Carolyn Wells

A young woman from the West arrives at a refined East Coast estate, bringing with her a trail of secrets, impulsive behavior, and a dramatic flair that tests the patience and kindness of her newfound family.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Poems of Sentiment

Poems of Sentiment

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

A collection of impassioned verses measuring the height of human desire and the quiet weight of its cost.

Poetry6 min read
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