The whole shelf
All free summaries — page 174
47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 174 of 988.
The Naturalist on the River Amazons
Henry Walter Bates
A keen-eyed naturalist wanders the vast Amazonian basin for over a decade, cataloging a world of vibrant insects and creatures while documenting the slow, quiet rhythms of life along the river’s edge.
A Mad Love
Charlotte M. Brame
A young woman’s hidden marriage to an aristocrat is shattered by his powerful family, forcing her to trade her rural anonymity for the spotlight of fame and a tragic quest for vengeance.
Antwerp to Gallipoli: A Year of the War on Many Fronts—and Behind Them
Arthur Ruhl
HOOK Witness the transformation of a world in collapse, as a reporter travels from the front lines in France to the besieged trenches of Gallipoli and the retreating borders of Russia.
Astoria
Washington Irving
A sweeping chronicle of the Pacific Fur Company’s ill-fated attempt to build a commercial empire on the shores of the Columbia River, blending historical rigor with the spirit of high adventure.
Beer, its history and its economic value as a national beverage
F. W. (Frederick William) Salem
This examination of the brewing industry serves as both a historical record and a spirited defense of beer as a tool for social improvement and national economic health. It presents the case that the transition from hard spirits to malt liquors is the surest path toward a more temperate society.
Bohemia, from the earliest times to the fall of national independence in 1620: With a short summary of later events
C. Edmund (Charles Edmund) Maurice
This history of a central European kingdom tracks the long, turbulent struggle for sovereignty, religious reform, and the preservation of a distinct cultural identity. It captures the rise of a nation through its internal conflicts and its eventual, permanent subjugation by the Hapsburgs.
Double Challenge
Jim Kjelgaard
A young man and his loyal collie navigate the wild mountains of the Mahela, struggling to clear his father’s name after a wrongful accusation of poaching turns their peaceful life into a desperate, high-stakes flight.
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
The grandeur of a thousand years is captured in this sweeping chronicle, tracing the slow, inexorable dissolution of the world’s most powerful empire. It is a vast, panoramic inquiry into how a civilization eventually unravels.
Makers of Electricity
James J. (James Joseph) Walsh
These biographical sketches explore the lives of early electrical pioneers, arguing that their profound scientific achievements were inseparable from their deep-seated religious faith and commitment to moral duty.
Poems of Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge
This collection captures the restless, visionary intensity of a poet whose work bridges the gap between the grounded realities of the natural world and the shimmering, often terrifying landscape of the human subconscious.
Sixty Years of California Song
Margaret Blake Alverson
Man must reap and sow and sing; love and forgive and sing; rear the young with tenderness and sing. Then, silently, step forth to meet whatever is—and sing.
The Adventures of Reddy Fox
Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
A boastful young fox learns the hard way that cleverness is no substitute for caution when he draws the dangerous attention of a determined boy and his hound.
The American Country Girl
Martha Foote Crow
A call to action for rural young women, this work examines how to transform farm life from a cycle of isolated drudgery into a modern, efficient, and spiritually rewarding experience.
The Buddha's Path of Virtue: A Translation of the Dhammapada
F. L. (Frank Lee) Woodward
The path to inner peace is not found in rituals or outward displays, but through the rigorous, quiet discipline of the individual mind. This ancient collection of verses serves as a foundational guide for those seeking to understand the core ethics of Buddhist practice.
The English Novel in the Time of Shakespeare
J. J. (Jean Jules) Jusserand
A scholarly yet accessible investigation into the evolution of prose fiction, tracing how the English novel moved from the lofty, artificial ideals of the Renaissance toward the gritty realism of later centuries.
The Road
Jack London
A restless spirit recounts life on the American rails, offering an unflinching, visceral look at the desperate, wandering world of the nineteenth-century tramp.
The State of Society in France Before the Revolution of 1789: And the Causes Which Led to That Event
Alexis de Tocqueville
The French Revolution was not a sudden rupture, but the inevitable culmination of centuries of centralization that systematically stripped the nobility of responsibility while leaving their petty privileges intact.
Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon, Volume 1 (of 3)
H. (Henry) Parker
The wisdom and wit of the Sri Lankan countryside live in these pages, where clever jackals, vengeful spirits, and resourceful villagers navigate a world governed by fate, humor, and the unpredictable whims of nature.
Wood and garden
Gertrude Jekyll
This work is an evocative, year-round meditation on the art of cultivation, blending practical horticultural expertise with a deep, painterly appreciation for the English landscape. It serves as an essential guide for those who view the garden as a living canvas.
A Book of the Play: Studies and Illustrations of Histrionic Story, Life, and Character
Dutton Cook
The history of the stage is a collection of curiosities whispered from the side-wings. These pages gather the legends, trials, and peculiar customs that shaped the evolution of the British theatre.
Balzac
Frederick Lawton
The portrait of a colossal literary ambition, this account traces the feverish life of a man who attempted to map the entirety of human existence through the sheer force of his imagination.
Index of Project Gutenberg Works on Black History: A 2019 Project Gutenberg Contribution for Black History Month
Various
This collection serves as a foundational archive of Black history, weaving together centuries of authentic narratives, scholarly journals, and foundational political treatises to document the struggle for freedom and identity in America.
Some Salient Points in the Science of the Earth
Dawson, John William, Sir
This work serves as a final, reflective testament from a seasoned geologist, bridging the heroic age of discovery with the burgeoning complexities of late nineteenth-century natural science. It is an exploration of the earth’s history, told through the rugged landscape of Canada and the persistent, unyielding…
Sumerian Liturgies and Psalms
Stephen Langdon
These ancient hymns and laments give voice to the grief and devotion of a vanished civilization, capturing the prayers of a people reaching out to their gods amidst the ruins of their cities. They remain a profound, haunting record of the human search for solace in the face of inevitable loss.
The Fighting Chance
Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers
In the gilded, restless world of New York’s high society, an heir to a crumbling fortune and a woman burdened by a cynical family legacy must decide if they possess the strength to save one another from self-destruction.
The Funny Side of Physic
Addison Darre Crabtre
A century and a half of medical hubris and human gullibility unfolds here, revealing the thin line between the life-saving physician and the calculating charlatan. Through a blend of historical record, personal memoir, and biting anecdote, this work invites the reader to peer behind the curtain of the healing arts…
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 04
Unknown
The collapse of ancient authority did not mark the end of the world, but rather the violent, chaotic birth of the nations we recognize today. This collection gathers historical accounts to illustrate the transition from the fall of Rome to the rise of Charlemagne.
Edmund Dulac's Fairy-Book: Fairy Tales of the Allied Nations
Edmund Dulac
A vivid collection of international folklore, this volume gathers traditional tales of wonder, transformation, and heroism from across the allied nations. It captures the enduring human impulse to see our own deepest longings mirrored in the language of myth.
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 6
Charles Herbert Sylvester
This expansive collection offers a curated pathway through the classics, blending high-stakes drama with reflective prose and verse designed to broaden the horizons of a developing reader. It serves as a literary compass, connecting historical accounts, legendary poetry, and moral tales into a single, cohesive…
Lulu's Library, Volume 2 (of 3)
Louisa May Alcott
These enchanted tales weave together the trials of nature, the wisdom of the seasons, and the quiet triumph of kindness over cruelty. Within these pages, the natural world becomes a mirror for the human heart.
Narrative of the Circumnavigation of the Globe by the Austrian Frigate Novara, Volume II: (Commodore B. Von Wullerstorf-Urbair,) Undertaken by Order of the Imperial Government in the Years 1857, 1858, & 1859, Under the Immediate Auspices of His I. and R. Highness the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, Commander-In-Chief of the
Scherzer, Karl, Ritter von
This expansive chronicle records the mid-19th-century scientific survey of the globe, capturing the complex intersection of imperial ambition, natural history, and the rapidly shifting landscapes of a colonial world.
The Adventure of the Dying Detective
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes lies on his deathbed, succumbing to a mysterious, contagious tropical disease. As his condition worsens, he summons Dr. Watson, setting in motion a desperate and dangerous plan to trap a ruthless killer.
The Bostonians, Vol. I (of II)
Henry James
An intense psychological struggle unfolds in post-Civil War Boston, where a rigid, reform-minded spinster and a traditionalist Southern lawyer compete for the heart and future of a gifted young orator.
The Defenders
Philip K. Dick
Humanity has retreated beneath the surface to survive a planetary war, leaving robotic "leadys" to wage the conflict above. But when a scout team ventures to the surface, they discover a shocking, peaceful reality.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 05: (From Charlemagne to Frederick Barbarossa)
Unknown
The three centuries spanning from the decline of Charlemagne’s empire to the rise of Frederick Barbarossa redefined the European landscape. This volume captures the volatile transition from tribal chaos to the structured, if brutal, foundations of modern nations, religions, and social hierarchies.
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 04
John Dryden
These Restoration-era dramas and essays capture a world where honor, volatile romance, and the clash of empires are navigated through sharp wit and the sword’s edge.
A History of American Christianity
Leonard Woolsey Bacon
American religious life evolves from colonial transplant to a distinct, voluntary experiment, shaped by profound cultural shifts and the steady influence of its diverse denominations.
A voyage to the South Sea : Undertaken by command of His Majesty for the purpose of conveying the bread-fruit tree to the West Indies in His Majesty's ship the Bounty commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh
William Bligh
A commander chronicles the ambitious mission to transport breadfruit across the world, only to face a harrowing survival story after his crew turns against him.
"Co. Aytch," Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment
Samuel R. (Samuel Rush) Watkins
This is the unvarnished account of an ordinary infantryman’s journey through the Civil War, capturing the gritty, often absurd, and haunting reality of life in the ranks of the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
Fabiola
Nicholas Patrick Wiseman
This narrative of the early Church illuminates the courage of Roman martyrs, offering a vivid window into a world where faith was a capital offense and devotion meant certain death.
From Peking to Mandalay: A Journey from North China to Burma through Tibetan Ssuch'uan and Yunnan
Johnston, Reginald Fleming, Sir
A rare and intimate survey of the rugged, untraveled fringes of the Chinese Empire, documenting the diverse cultures and mountain landscapes of the Far West.
German philosophy and politics
John Dewey
Ideas are not mere abstract musings; they are the invisible architects of national character and the ultimate drivers of historical catastrophe. This analysis unmasks how philosophy shapes the machinery of the modern state.
Held by Chinese Brigands
Charles Gilson
A perilous journey through the rugged mountains of Southern China awaits those who dare to challenge a ruthless bandit chief. This classic adventure pits youthful courage against the shadows of a dangerous underworld.
Historic Towns of the Western States
Unknown
This survey of the American frontier chronicles the rapid transformation of wilderness outposts into modern cities, tracing the gritty, ambitious origins of the Great West through the voices of those who shaped it.
Jane--Our Stranger: A Novel
Mary Borden
HOOK A wealthy American heiress marries into the stagnant, aristocratic decadence of Paris, only to discover that her husband’s world regards her—and her earnest, moral nature—as an incomprehensible stranger.
Letters of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from Italy and Switzerland
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy
A profound musical talent traverses the sun-drenched landscapes of Italy and the formidable peaks of Switzerland, documenting a transformation that bridges the intimacy of home and the vastness of the world.
Michelangelo
Romain Rolland
The life of a solitary titan, this portrait traces the agonizing struggle of a man who viewed art as a divine obsession and earthly existence as a spiritual exile. It is an intimate, unflinching study of creative genius bound to a soul in constant, restless search of God.
Mike
P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse
A gifted schoolboy cricketer finds his world disrupted by shifting loyalties and academic scrapes, ultimately discovering a profound sense of camaraderie in the most unlikely of places.