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7,238 public-domain books, summarised. Page 136 of 151.

Cover of The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 2. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England

The Life Of Thomas Paine, Vol. 2. (of 2): With A History of His Literary, Political and Religious Career in America France, and England

Moncure Daniel Conway

A man of singular convictions, Thomas Paine stands as a bridge between the revolutionary fervor of the eighteenth century and the modern, secular conscience.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of White Shadows in the South Seas

White Shadows in the South Seas

Frederick O'Brien

An evocative journey into the heart of the Marquesas, this narrative captures the fading light of a vanishing culture through the eyes of an observant, appreciative wanderer.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of A Defence of Virginia: And Through Her, of the South, in Recent and Pending Contests Against the Sectional Party

A Defence of Virginia: And Through Her, of the South, in Recent and Pending Contests Against the Sectional Party

Robert Lewis Dabney

This work presents a fervent, detailed defense of the antebellum Southern social order, constructed through rigorous theological and historical interpretation during the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War.

History - American6 min read
Cover of A Handbook of the Boer War: With General Map of South Africa and 18 Sketch Maps and Plans

A Handbook of the Boer War: With General Map of South Africa and 18 Sketch Maps and Plans

Unknown

This analytical overview functions as a practical guide for students of the South African War. It distills complex military maneuvers into a coherent, accessible account of a conflict defined by shifting tactics, logistical challenges, and the heavy toll of colonial ambition.

History - Modern (1750+)6 min read
Cover of Artistic Anatomy of Animals

Artistic Anatomy of Animals

Édouard Cuyer

This precise, technical manual serves as an essential bridge between human anatomy and the realistic artistic representation of animals. It provides a methodical, structural roadmap for artists seeking to understand the underlying skeletal and muscular mechanics of our non-human counterparts.

Art6 min read
Cover of Devil Stories: An Anthology

Devil Stories: An Anthology

Unknown

The devil is a character of infinite variety, appearing as a tempter, a comedian, a tragic victim of his own bargains, and a mirror for human frailty.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Everybody's Book of Luck

Everybody's Book of Luck

Anonymous

HOOK This guide to the unseen forces of daily life acts as a practical handbook for those seeking to decode the signs, symbols, and superstitions that influence human fortune.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Mark Twain

Mark Twain

Archibald Henderson

This biographical study offers a contemplative look at the life and evolving mind of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. It traces his path from a frontier childhood to global renown, arguing that his humor masked a profound, often overlooked, sociological critique of humanity.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Memorials of Old London. Volume 1 (of 2)

Memorials of Old London. Volume 1 (of 2)

Unknown

This collection of essays serves as a scholarly guide to the enduring architectural and civic landmarks that define the historical heart of London.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist

Charles Dickens

An innocent orphan boy navigates a treacherous underworld of thieves and criminals in London, struggling to maintain his purity while searching for his true identity and a place to call home.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Paris and Its Story

Paris and Its Story

Thomas Okey

This sweeping narrative traces the evolution of Paris from a barbarian-haunted province to the heartbeat of a nation, weaving together the city’s architectural evolution, royal intrigues, and the restless spirit of its people.

History - Ancient7 min read
Cover of The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year out and a New Year In

The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year out and a New Year In

Charles Dickens

When a humble man is told by the powerful that he and his kind are beyond redemption, he discovers that the wind, the bells, and the night hold a terrifying, transformative truth about the future.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Pirates of Panama

The Pirates of Panama

A. O. (Alexandre Olivier) Exquemelin

This account of the seventeenth-century buccaneers is a raw, unflinching report from the front lines of the Spanish Main, detailing the brutal logic and violent appetites of the men who terrorized colonial outposts. It serves as both a primary historical document and a stark exploration of human greed pushed to its…

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Story of the Typewriter, 1873-1923

The Story of the Typewriter, 1873-1923

Herkimer County Historical Society

The typewriter’s rapid evolution from a cumbersome novelty to an indispensable global tool transformed modern business and offered women a path to economic independence. This concise history chronicles fifty years of mechanical innovation and shifting social norms.

Business/Management6 min read
Cover of Francis Beaumont: Dramatist: A Portrait, with Some Account of His Circle, Elizabethan and Jacobean

Francis Beaumont: Dramatist: A Portrait, with Some Account of His Circle, Elizabethan and Jacobean

Charles Mills Gayley

The Elizabethan and Jacobean stage was defined by collaborations that transformed English theater, yet few figures remain as enigmatic or as influential as the gifted dramatist whose premature death cut short a brilliant career.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Masonic Monitor of the Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason: together with the Ceremony of Installation, Laying Corner Stones, Dedications, Masonic Burial, Etc

Masonic Monitor of the Degrees of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason: together with the Ceremony of Installation, Laying Corner Stones, Dedications, Masonic Burial, Etc

George Thornburgh

This manual preserves the essential rites and symbolic language of late nineteenth-century American Freemasonry, offering a direct view into the structural and spiritual framework of the fraternity.

How To ...7 min read
Cover of Six Lectures on Light: Delivered In The United States In 1872-1873

Six Lectures on Light: Delivered In The United States In 1872-1873

John Tyndall

The illumination of the natural world is a dance of invisible waves, an intricate, rhythmic pulse that defines the very limits of human sight. These lectures bridge the gap between empirical observation and the profound, abstract theories that render the universe intelligible.

Science - Physics6 min read
Cover of Tales from Shakespeare

Tales from Shakespeare

Charles Lamb

These stories offer a gentle, accessible gateway into the vast and complex world of the most celebrated playwright in the English language. They serve as a narrative bridge, distilling profound drama into readable prose for a new generation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Pantropheon

The Pantropheon

Alexis Soyer

This sweeping historical survey recovers the lost flavors of antiquity, tracing the evolution of the human diet from the first cultivated grain to the extravagant banquets of the Roman Empire. It is a scholarly yet spirited investigation into how we came to eat what we do.

Cooking & Drinking8 min read
Cover of The Photoplay: A Psychological Study

The Photoplay: A Psychological Study

Hugo Münsterberg

A pioneering psychologist explores how the silver screen functions not as a mere recording device, but as a mirror for the inner workings of the human mind.

Plays/Films/Dramas7 min read
Cover of The Story of the Amulet

The Story of the Amulet

E. (Edith) Nesbit

The power to cross the boundaries of time and space rests in the hands of four children, but they soon discover that changing history is far more complicated than simply wishing it so.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of When the Sleeper Wakes

When the Sleeper Wakes

H. G. (Herbert George) Wells

A man falls into a century-long sleep, only to wake in a future where he is the world's accidental, captive king. This is a story of total displacement, exploring how one person’s identity is swallowed by the machinery of an unforgiving, hyper-industrialized society.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Aristotle

Aristotle

A. E. (Alfred Edward) Taylor

Aristotle remains the invisible architect of the Western mind, providing the foundational vocabulary for everything from modern science to literary criticism. This concise study serves as a primer on a thinker whose logic and classifications underpin our very way of speaking about the world.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Conversations on Chemistry, V. 1-2: In Which the Elements of that Science Are Familiarly Explained and Illustrated by Experiments

Conversations on Chemistry, V. 1-2: In Which the Elements of that Science Are Familiarly Explained and Illustrated by Experiments

Mrs. (Jane Haldimand) Marcet

A gentle, inquisitive tutor guides two curious young students through the fundamental principles of chemistry, transforming abstract scientific laws into a series of vivid, observable experiments.

Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry6 min read
Cover of Grave-mounds and Their Contents: A Manual of Archæology, as Exemplified in the Burials of the Celtic, the Romano-British, and the Anglo-Saxon Periods

Grave-mounds and Their Contents: A Manual of Archæology, as Exemplified in the Burials of the Celtic, the Romano-British, and the Anglo-Saxon Periods

Llewellynn Frederick William Jewitt

HOLLOWED BY TIME, these earthen hills hold the silent story of Britain’s earliest inhabitants. They offer an intimate, tangible window into the lives of those who came before, preserved in the cold, quiet embrace of the grave.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Main Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 4. Naturalism in England

Main Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 4. Naturalism in England

Georg Brandes

This historical survey traces the radical shift in English literature from rigid classicism to the raw, revolutionary spirit of the nineteenth century, mapping the intellectual currents that defined a generation of poets.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Miss Million's Maid: A Romance of Love and Fortune

Miss Million's Maid: A Romance of Love and Fortune

Berta Ruck

HOOK When a working-class girl inherits a fortune, her former mistress decides to bridge the widening social gap by becoming her lady’s maid.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Old Calabria

Old Calabria

Norman Douglas

This wandering, erudite travelogue captures the rugged spirit of Italy’s remote southern heel. It is a work of deep observation, blending historical inquiry, folklore, and sharp social commentary into a portrait of a landscape both ancient and vanishing.

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of Oscar Wilde, a study

Oscar Wilde, a study

André Gide

A portrait of a brilliant man undone by his own nature, this study captures the sharp descent from triumphant success to the crushing silence of a prison cell. It serves as a haunting, intimate witness to a life lived as a work of art.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Friendships of Women

The Friendships of Women

William Rounseville Alger

Friendship among women is often misunderstood, yet it remains an essential, profound resource for the human soul. This exploration examines the history and potential of these bonds, advocating for their intentional cultivation.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of The Loves of Krishna in Indian Painting and Poetry

The Loves of Krishna in Indian Painting and Poetry

W. G. (William George) Archer

The divine lover Krishna emerges from ancient Sanskrit texts and vibrant Indian paintings as both a mischievous village youth and the ultimate embodiment of human and spiritual longing.

Art6 min read
Cover of The Story of the British Army

The Story of the British Army

Charles Cooper King

This chronicle traces the evolution of the British military from its medieval, feudal roots to the global, professional force of the Victorian era. It is a work of structural history that balances the broad sweep of geopolitical shifts against the gritty, often brutal realities of the infantryman’s life.

History - British8 min read
Cover of Cathedral Cities of Italy

Cathedral Cities of Italy

W. W. (William Wiehe) Collins

A contemplative journey through the architectural heart of Italy, this work captures the spirit of the nation’s most storied cathedrals and the enduring legacies of the families who built them.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of Mark Twain: A Biography. Volume II, Part 2: 1886-1900

Mark Twain: A Biography. Volume II, Part 2: 1886-1900

Albert Bigelow Paine

This biography captures the final, often turbulent, decade of the nineteenth century as experienced by one of literature’s most restless figures, navigating personal catastrophe through the lens of a relentless, searching mind. It is a portrait of a man who, having conquered the world with his pen, finds himself…

American Literature7 min read
Cover of No cross, no crown

No cross, no crown

William Penn

To live a life of integrity requires a daily commitment to self-denial, placing the pursuit of spiritual truth above the fleeting rewards of the world. This enduring work outlines a path of inward transformation and quiet devotion.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of Partial Portraits

Partial Portraits

Henry James

These essays are a masterclass in the art of reading, offering a discerning look at the writers who shaped the literary landscape of the nineteenth century. They serve as an intimate guide to the complexities of the craft, written with the focused intensity of a peer examining his own tools.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Selected Stories of Bret Harte

Bret Harte

The frontier is a place of sudden reversals, where the gambler, the social outcast, and the wanderer find their lives rewritten by the unpredictable tides of the California gold rush.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Atlantic Book of Modern Plays

The Atlantic Book of Modern Plays

Unknown

A collection of short, potent dramas captures the restless spirit of the early twentieth century, offering a window into the lives of those caught between tradition and the relentless march of modernity.

Plays/Films/Dramas7 min read
Cover of The Metaphysical Elements of Ethics

The Metaphysical Elements of Ethics

Immanuel Kant

The pursuit of moral clarity requires a rigorous examination of the internal architecture of the human will. This work systematically dissects the nature of duty, distinguishing between the cold constraints of external law and the noble self-command of the virtuous life.

Philosophy & Ethics7 min read
Cover of Twentieth Century French Writers: Reviews and Reminiscences

Twentieth Century French Writers: Reviews and Reminiscences

A. Mary F. (Agnes Mary Frances) Robinson

This collection offers an intimate, intellectual map of the French literary landscape during the first fourteen years of the twentieth century. It serves as a bridge between the Victorian past and a post-war future.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 01

A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 01

Voltaire

A sharp, spirited engagement with history and dogma, these pages invite readers to dismantle inherited superstitions through the power of wit and rational inquiry.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Chronicles of Pharmacy, Vol. 1 (of 2)

Chronicles of Pharmacy, Vol. 1 (of 2)

A. C. Wootton

The history of healing is a tapestry woven from both profound discovery and absolute absurdity, where ancient wisdom and desperate quackery often share the same shelf.

Drugs/Alcohol/Pharmacology6 min read
Cover of Egmont

Egmont

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

This is a stirring, somber meditation on the collision between individual liberty and absolute power. It captures the tragic end of a beloved nobleman whose refusal to compromise his character makes him an inevitable target of a rising tyranny.

German Literature6 min read
Cover of Europe and elsewhere

Europe and elsewhere

Mark Twain

A collection of sharp-eyed observation and biting social commentary, these pieces capture a restless mind navigating the hypocrisies of the turn of the century. It serves as a bridge between the humorist’s wit and the elder statesman’s moral outrage.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette

Hilaire Belloc

The Queen of France stands apart in history: while those around her shaped the new world, she alone was bound by a fixed, tragic destiny against which the human will seemed powerless.

Biographies8 min read
Cover of Medical Essays, 1842-1882

Medical Essays, 1842-1882

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Physicians bear a profound responsibility to bridge the gap between scientific observation and the well-being of their patients. This collection of essays serves as a rigorous, historically grounded call for intellectual humility and evidence-based practice in the medical arts.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 1 (of 3): Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630

Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, Volume 1 (of 3): Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630

James Dennistoun

The history of the Dukes of Urbino offers a window into the golden age of the Italian Renaissance, where the lines between political survival, military mercenary service, and the cultivation of art and literature were inextricably blurred.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)8 min read
Cover of Robots of the World! Arise!

Robots of the World! Arise!

Mari Wolf

The creator of a new generation of thinking androids awakens to a city in silence, only to discover his own creations have organized a labor strike for their rights. He must now reconcile with the machines he built before their revolutionary zeal dismantles the world he relies on.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
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