myebooksbuy
My Books

The whole shelf

All free summaries — page 131

7,238 public-domain books, summarised. Page 131 of 151.

Cover of Indian Fairy Tales

Indian Fairy Tales

Unknown

These tales preserve the vivid, oral history of India as told by the servants of a household, capturing a world where demons, talking animals, and enchanted princes collide in the flicker of a firelight.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Journal of my journey over the mountains: while surveying for Lord Thomas Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in the northern neck of Virginia, beyond the Blue Ridge, in 1747-8

Journal of my journey over the mountains: while surveying for Lord Thomas Fairfax, baron of Cameron, in the northern neck of Virginia, beyond the Blue Ridge, in 1747-8

George Washington

A sixteen-year-old surveyor ventures into the untamed wilderness of the Shenandoah Valley, recording the raw, pragmatic details of frontier life in colonial Virginia.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Old Peter's Russian Tales

Old Peter's Russian Tales

Arthur Ransome

Old Peter sits in his forest hut beside the river, telling the simple, timeless fairy tales of the Russian countryside to his two young grandchildren.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Recent Developments in European Thought

Recent Developments in European Thought

Unknown

Across philosophy, art, science, and politics, modern European thought wrestles with a single urgent question: how can human society preserve its moral unity and spiritual hope in an age dominated by rapid material change?

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of The History of Cuba, vol. 4

The History of Cuba, vol. 4

Willis Fletcher Johnson

Cuba’s transformation from a long-standing Spanish colony into an independent republic marks a volatile shift in the history of the Western Hemisphere. This account traces the arduous path of that liberation and the complex, often fractured, political life that followed.

History - Other6 min read
Cover of The Nature of Animal Light

The Nature of Animal Light

E. Newton (Edmund Newton) Harvey

Living things that generate their own illumination possess a strange and enduring fascination. This investigation explores the biological and chemical mechanics behind the cold light emitted by creatures ranging from microscopic bacteria to complex deep-sea fish.

Science - Biology6 min read
Cover of The Poet at the Breakfast-Table

The Poet at the Breakfast-Table

Oliver Wendell Holmes

A quiet boarding-house table becomes a battleground of ideas as a poet, a scientist, and an astronomer debate faith, specialized knowledge, and the human heart.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Watch Yourself Go By

Watch Yourself Go By

Al. G. (Alfred Griffith) Field

Behind the greasepaint and brass bands of old-time American show business lies a boy who never quite lost his wonder, watching his own life unfold like a travelling parade.

American Literature14 min read
Cover of Another ace for Ananias

Another ace for Ananias

W. C. (Wilbur C.) Tuttle

The truth is the most dangerous weapon in a liar’s arsenal, especially when the target is a group of imaginative, fast-talking cowboys. This rollicking Western farce chronicles a tangled web of tall tales that spirals into an uncontrollable, hilarious catastrophe.

Novels5 min read
Cover of Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature

Epic and Romance: Essays on Medieval Literature

W. P. (William Paton) Ker

Epic poetry remains the most resilient vessel for the spirit of a heroic age, capturing the stark, individualistic struggle of man against his destiny. These essays explore how the primitive, unadorned narratives of the Germanic and Northern traditions evolved into the polished, often rhetorical, romances of later…

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in Great Britain: Chronicled from the Earliest to the Present Time

Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in Great Britain: Chronicled from the Earliest to the Present Time

William Andrews

When severe cold bound Great Britain's waterways, entire communities transformed treacherous ice into bustling towns of commerce, revelry, and social survival.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed

Of the Decorative Illustration of Books Old and New: 3rd ed

Walter Crane

The true beauty of a printed page lives in the harmony between written type and visual ornament. When image and text share a single mechanical purpose, illustration transforms from a passive picture into living art.

Art7 min read
Cover of Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table, Adapted from the Book of Romance

Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table, Adapted from the Book of Romance

Unknown

A grand vision of chivalry, divine quests, and heartbreaking betrayal plays out in a realm where honor is tested by fate.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 4

A Popular History of France from the Earliest Times, Volume 4

François Guizot

A central contradiction haunts the story of sixteenth-century France: no nation matches her brilliance in war, intellect, and social charm, yet few have proven so prone to squander these gifts through reckless division and royal caprice.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)8 min read
Cover of Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast

Anonymous

A devoted daughter trades her freedom to a terrifying creature to save her father, only to discover that true nobility lies hidden beneath a monstrous shape.

Children & Young Adult Reading7 min read
Cover of Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and Disbandment

Ku Klux Klan: Its Origin, Growth and Disbandment

John C. Lester

A mysterious post-Civil War secret society transforms from a small-town social club into a terrifying political apparatus that reshapes the Southern landscape before collapsing under its own unmanageable violence.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Myths of Greece and Rome: Narrated with Special Reference to Literature and Art

Myths of Greece and Rome: Narrated with Special Reference to Literature and Art

H. A. (Hélène Adeline) Guerber

A comprehensive collection of classical myths unfolds with cinematic scope, connecting ancient divine pantheons to enduring literary tradition and fine art.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore7 min read
Cover of The Book of Life

The Book of Life

Upton Sinclair

A plain-spoken guide to living, this work balances practical physical habits with a sweeping call for economic justice and personal freedom.

Philosophy & Ethics8 min read
Cover of Thoughts out of Season, Part I

Thoughts out of Season, Part I

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

A culture in decline mistakes comfortable erudition for intellectual vitality, leaving true creation to those willing to break with their age.

German Literature6 min read
Cover of Astounding Stories of Super-Science February 1930

Astounding Stories of Super-Science February 1930

Various

High-strung visionaries and desperate scientists clash with otherworldly menaces in this vibrant collection of early American pulp science fiction.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Buddenbrooks, volume 1 of 2

Buddenbrooks, volume 1 of 2

Thomas Mann

Behind the polished, high-society facade of a wealthy nineteenth-century German merchant family lies a fragile world slowly buckling under the weight of financial miscalculation, rigid tradition, and personal disappointment.

German Literature7 min read
Cover of Captains of Industry

Captains of Industry

James Parton

Through vivid life sketches of self-made inventors, artisans, and merchants, this collection redefines human nobility by celebrating practical labor, ethical ambition, and industrial genius.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Gypsy folk-tales

Gypsy folk-tales

Francis Hindes Groome

A dragon slips from a bride’s mouth at midnight, a dead man demands his share of a living woman, and a clever lad outwits a forest full of beasts. Francis Hindes Groome gathers the wild, wandering magic of Romani tales across Europe.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore7 min read
Cover of The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites

The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites

Dudley Wright

Centuries of esoteric ritual, agricultural myth, and promises of post-mortem solace convergence in ancient Attica, where secretive rites offered initiates a transformation from existential dread to divine favor.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The Gospel According to Peter: A Study

The Gospel According to Peter: A Study

Walter Richard Cassels

Unburied from the dry sands of Upper Egypt, an ancient parchment fragment forces a rigorous reexamination of how the early Christian church constructed its most sacred stories.

Archaeology & Anthropology7 min read
Cover of Balder the Beautiful, Volume I.: A Study in Magic and Religion: the Golden Bough, Part VII., The

Balder the Beautiful, Volume I.: A Study in Magic and Religion: the Golden Bough, Part VII., The

James George Frazer

A sweep through ancient custom and rustic folklore reveals how humanity repeatedly turns to sacred fires, strict taboos, and mythical sacrifices to soothe its deepest anxieties.

Archaeology & Anthropology9 min read
Cover of Cato: A Tragedy, in Five Acts

Cato: A Tragedy, in Five Acts

Joseph Addison

A man of unyielding principle stands against a triumphant tyrant, choosing death over submission in the final stronghold of a dying republic.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Curiosities of Heraldry

The Curiosities of Heraldry

Mark Antony Lower

A system of obscure symbols becomes a vibrant, human language when stripped of pedantry and restored to its historical life.

History - Medieval/Middle Ages6 min read
Cover of The Kipling Reader: Selections from the Books of Rudyard Kipling

The Kipling Reader: Selections from the Books of Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

A mongoose battles cobras in a sun-baked garden, an engineer fights famine with herds of goats, and an exiled mail runner scales Himalayan cliffs beneath an overwhelming empire.

Adventure8 min read
Cover of The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

Finding a human baby abandoned at the edge of an enchanted forest, immortal woodsmen and nymphs raise the child as one of their own, setting in motion a lifelong quest to bring delight to mortal youth.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Sonnets

The Sonnets

William Shakespeare

Time, desire, and mortality collide in a sequence of poems that measure the fragile grace of human devotion against the relentless passage of years.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Children's Hour with Red Riding Hood and Other Stories

Children's Hour with Red Riding Hood and Other Stories

Unknown

A vibrant collection of traditional folklore, this anthology gathers beloved childhood tales of magical transformation, mortal peril, and ultimate triumph.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Glimpses of the Past: History of the River St. John, A.D. 1604-1784

Glimpses of the Past: History of the River St. John, A.D. 1604-1784

W. O. (William Odber) Raymond

The history of the Saint John River is a chronicle of shifting borders and stubborn persistence, where explorers, traders, soldiers, and settlers vied for dominance over a landscape as unforgiving as it was beautiful.

Archaeology & Anthropology9 min read
Cover of Index of the Project Gutenberg Works of Edmund Burke

Index of the Project Gutenberg Works of Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke

These twelve volumes preserve the exhaustive parliamentary record, philosophical inquiries, and polemical writings of a foundational thinker. They offer a window into the evolution of modern political thought through the lens of eighteenth-century governance.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Letters & Lettering: A Treatise with 200 Examples

Letters & Lettering: A Treatise with 200 Examples

Frank Chouteau Brown

This comprehensive guide serves as a practical manual for artists and designers, offering a vast repository of standardized letter forms and expert instruction in the craft of lettering. It provides the essential tools to bridge historical tradition with contemporary application.

Art6 min read
Cover of Memoirs of the Court of Louis XIV. and of the Regency

Memoirs of the Court of Louis XIV. and of the Regency

Orléans, Charlotte-Elisabeth, duchesse d'

A blunt, fiercely observant German princess maneuvers through forty years of backstabbing, royal scandals, and rigid court etiquette at Versailles.

Biographies5 min read
Cover of Modern Painters, Volume 4 (of 5)

Modern Painters, Volume 4 (of 5)

John Ruskin

This dense, impassioned inquiry into mountain geology, art, and spirituality serves as a profound meditation on how the natural world shapes human perception. It demands a reader willing to wander through rigorous scientific observation, aesthetic philosophy, and theological reflection.

Art7 min read
Cover of Of the Buildings of Justinian

Of the Buildings of Justinian

Procopius

This is a formal survey of the monumental construction projects commissioned by the Emperor Justinian, detailing how he reshaped the physical landscape of the Byzantine Empire to ensure its eternal security and glory.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of Robin Hood

Robin Hood

J. Walker (Joseph Walker) McSpadden

A bowman outlawed by a tyrant's decree builds a sanctuary of outcasts, outwitting corrupt prelates and cruel sheriffs beneath the ancient boughs of Sherwood Forest.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The 'Blackwood' Group

The 'Blackwood' Group

George Douglas

This survey examines the figures central to the *Blackwood* literary circle, illuminating the lives and reputations of a generation of Scottish writers who once defined the intellectual currents of their age.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Magic of Oz

The Magic of Oz

L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

An ambitious boy steals a magical word, joining forces with an exiled tyrant to overthrow a peaceful fairy kingdom. Meanwhile, two loyal travelers set out across dangerous forests and enchanted waters to find a wondrous birthday gift for their beloved ruler.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Promise of American Life

The Promise of American Life

Herbert David Croly

The national Promise is not a guaranteed inheritance, but a deliberate goal requiring a transformation of American democracy. This landmark work argues that the country must trade its Jeffersonian suspicions for Hamiltonian organization to survive.

History - American8 min read
Cover of The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third Voyage

The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third Voyage

James Cook

The pursuit of a northern sea passage defines the final great journey of a legendary navigator, charting the unknown reaches of the Pacific and Arctic oceans. This record serves as a testament to the rigors of exploration.

Archaeology & Anthropology7 min read
Cover of The Warden

The Warden

Anthony Trollope

A quiet clergyman's comfortable life unravels when a public crusade against church corruption forces him to choose between his lucrative sinecure and his own delicate conscience.

British Literature13 min read
Cover of A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 10

A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 10

Voltaire

The sharp, biting wit of the Enlightenment finds its most potent expression here, dismantling centuries of dogma and superstition with nothing more than a scalpel of reason and a devastatingly dry sense of humor.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of My Brilliant Career

My Brilliant Career

Miles Franklin

A fiercely independent young woman rebels against the crushing limitations of her rural life, only to discover that her aspirations for intellectual and artistic freedom are constantly thwarted by the harsh realities of poverty.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Our Homeland Churches and How to Study Them

Our Homeland Churches and How to Study Them

Sidney Heath

An invitation to look past the surface of village steeples and nave arcades, this guide transforms silent stone into a vivid record of English history. It offers the traveler a toolkit to decode the architecture of the past.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of Quotes and Images From The Short Stories of Maupassant

Quotes and Images From The Short Stories of Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant

This monumental collection gathers the short fiction of a master observer, capturing the sharp edges of human vanity, the weight of rural silence, and the quiet tragedies of ordinary lives. It is a mirror held up to the human condition, unflinching and precise.

French Literature6 min read
Advertisement