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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 260 of 988.

Cover of Seekers in Sicily: Being a Quest for Persephone by Jane and Peripatetica

Seekers in Sicily: Being a Quest for Persephone by Jane and Peripatetica

Elizabeth Bisland

Two women travel through the sun-drenched landscapes of Sicily, seeking the remnants of ancient myth and the elusive spirit of Persephone. Their journey is a lyrical blend of classical scholarship and the sensory delights of Italian life.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of Some of Æsop's Fables with Modern Instances

Some of Æsop's Fables with Modern Instances

Aesop

This collection of ancient wisdom uses the simple, timeless language of animals to hold a mirror to the complexities of human nature, proving that our instincts and follies remain largely unchanged across the centuries.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Sporting Society

Sporting Society

Unknown

The pursuit of sport in the nineteenth century was more than a pastime; it was the rigorous, sometimes perilous, social language of a class. These sketches capture the field in all its grit, glory, and absurdity.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Stories by English Authors: Germany (Selected by Scribners)

Stories by English Authors: Germany (Selected by Scribners)

Unknown

These five distinct narratives offer windows into the German-speaking world, capturing intimate human experiences—from the redemptive power of music and art to the sharp ironies of romance and moral reckoning.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Stories by English Authors: London (Selected by Scribners)

Stories by English Authors: London (Selected by Scribners)

Unknown

This collection of short fiction serves as a poignant, unvarnished window into the stark social stratifications of late 19th-century London, documenting both the trivial obsessions of the wealthy and the crushing struggles of the poor.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Te Tohunga: The ancient legends and traditions of the Maoris

Te Tohunga: The ancient legends and traditions of the Maoris

W. (Wilhelm) Dittmer

This collection serves as a vessel for the foundational cosmogony and heroic cycles of the Maori people, transcribed through the lens of a turn-of-the-century observer. It functions as a bridge between the oral preservation of ancient myth and the static permanency of the printed page.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully Explained

The Astral World—Higher Occult Powers: Clairvoyance, Spiritism, Mediumship, and Spirit-Healing Fully Explained

Joel Tiffany

A rigorous exploration of the human soul’s architecture, this work argues that our capacity for spiritual growth is not a matter of faith, but a predictable consequence of how we perceive our place in the universe.

Philosophy & Ethics7 min read
Cover of The Bible, King James version, Book 21: Ecclesiastes

The Bible, King James version, Book 21: Ecclesiastes

Anonymous

To find meaning in a world where everything fades is the ultimate human pursuit. This ancient meditation confronts the inevitable disappointment of worldly ambition and the brief, repetitive nature of life itself.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The Black Diamond

The Black Diamond

Francis Brett Young

A sprawling, visceral chronicle of a young miner’s flight from the stifling soot of the coal pits into the uncertain, rugged freedom of the English countryside.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The Burning Secret

The Burning Secret

Stefan Zweig

A young boy’s fragile, idolizing love for his mother and a predatory stranger shatters during a summer holiday, forcing him to confront the dark, adult complexities hidden behind the facade of his family life.

German Literature6 min read
Cover of The Child's Rainy Day Book

The Child's Rainy Day Book

Mary White

When the skies turn gray and the outdoors are no longer an option, these pages offer a structured, imaginative blueprint to transform a quiet afternoon into a world of creative industry.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 1 (of 10): From the Beginning of the War to the Landing of the British Army in France

The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 1 (of 10): From the Beginning of the War to the Landing of the British Army in France

Edward Parrott

This chronicle serves as a formal, patriotic introduction to the First World War, written for young readers at the dawn of the conflict. It frames the Great War as a moral necessity, blending historical context with the urgent fervor of the era.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The cosmic cloud

The cosmic cloud

Edmond Hamilton

A desperate band of cosmic explorers ventures into a lightless void to confront a hidden menace threatening the future of the entire galaxy. They must navigate a world of shadow to thwart an armada of silent, sightless invaders.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of The Darrow Enigma

The Darrow Enigma

Melvin L. (Melvin Linwood) Severy

A physician finds himself entangled in a bizarre murder investigation where the victim’s death seems impossible, forcing him to rely on a brilliant, eccentric friend to unravel the truth.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery5 min read
Cover of The History of Margaret Catchpole, a Suffolk Girl

The History of Margaret Catchpole, a Suffolk Girl

Richard Cobbold

A spirited Suffolk girl finds her life upended by a dangerous attachment to a smuggler, leading her from domestic service to the gallows and eventually to the distant shores of Australia. Her journey tests the limits of loyalty, redemption, and the social structures of the early nineteenth century.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The History of the Negro Church

The History of the Negro Church

Carter Godwin Woodson

The church stands as the central pillar of African American life, evolving from a fragile hope among the enslaved into a complex institution that shapes the intellectual, social, and political destiny of a people.

History - American7 min read
Cover of The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the History of Penny Postage, Vol. 2 (of 2)

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

Hill, Rowland, Sir

The modernization of the British postal system was not a matter of mere engineering, but a hard-fought battle against entrenched bureaucracy and institutional inertia. This chronicle follows the architect of the Penny Post as he maneuvers through the corridors of power to transform a stagnant service into a global…

Biographies8 min read
Cover of The Lost Heir

The Lost Heir

G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

The stage is set for a high-stakes battle of wits as a determined young woman works to expose an impostor claiming a fortune and a connection to a war hero. This is a story of calculated deception and the quiet courage required to unmask it.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Pecan and its Culture

The Pecan and its Culture

H. Harold (Hardrada Harold) Hume

The pecan represents a burgeoning horticultural frontier, demanding both scientific rigor and patient observation from those who seek to master its cultivation. This manual serves as a definitive guide to transforming wild potential into a reliable, high-yielding orchard crop.

Nutrition6 min read
Cover of The Philosophy and Theology of Averroes

The Philosophy and Theology of Averroes

Averroës

This foundational work defends the necessity of rational inquiry within a religious framework, arguing that philosophy and scripture are complementary paths to the same truth.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of The Secret Memoirs of the Courts of Europe: William II, Germany

The Secret Memoirs of the Courts of Europe: William II, Germany

marquise de Fontenoy

This collection of recollections offers an intimate, often candid glimpse into the rigid social hierarchies and personal idiosyncrasies governing the German and Austro-Hungarian empires at the turn of the twentieth century. It serves as a bridge between the formal, public personas of monarchs and the turbulent,…

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Secret of the Totem

The Secret of the Totem

Andrew Lang

This work serves as a scholarly investigation into the origins of totemism, aiming to explain why early human groups adopted animal names and how those names evolved into the complex systems of social regulation known as exogamy.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of The story of the Gadsbys

The story of the Gadsbys

Rudyard Kipling

A young cavalry officer navigates the suffocating pressures of colonial service and the unexpected vulnerability of domestic life, eventually finding that the vows of marriage change the very nature of courage.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 19

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 19

Robert Louis Stevenson

A haunting collision between the lawless, sun-drenched desperation of the South Seas and the cold, unforgiving morality of the Scottish moors defines these final masterpieces.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of To-morrow

To-morrow

Joseph Conrad

A retired sea captain waits for a son who is never coming, while his neighbor’s daughter pays the price for playing along with his delusion.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Winning a Cause: World War Stories

Winning a Cause: World War Stories

John G. (John Gilbert) Thompson

The courage of the common soldier and the resilience of a nation mobilized for a global struggle define these accounts of a world at war. This collection serves as a historical record of the American spirit during the final, decisive chapters of the conflict that reshaped the twentieth century.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Witch Winnie's Mystery, or The Old Oak Cabinet: The Story of a King's Daughter

Witch Winnie's Mystery, or The Old Oak Cabinet: The Story of a King's Daughter

Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Williams) Champney

A group of boarding-school friends faces a series of baffling thefts and internal rivalries, only to discover that the most perplexing puzzles are often solved by looking at the furniture rather than the motives of others.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Wives of the Prime Ministers, 1844-1906

Wives of the Prime Ministers, 1844-1906

Elizabeth Lee

These portraits offer a glimpse into the private lives of women standing behind Britain’s most powerful leaders, exploring how they navigated the complexities of nineteenth-century political and social influence.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of A Hoosier holiday

A Hoosier holiday

Theodore Dreiser

A restless traveler wanders back to the heartland of his youth, searching for the ghosts of a simpler existence amidst the changing landscape of early twentieth-century America.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of A Life for a Life, Volume 3 (of 3)

A Life for a Life, Volume 3 (of 3)

Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

HOOK A tale of long-buried sin and the redemption found in truth, this novel examines the heavy price of atonement and the enduring power of a love that survives total social disgrace.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa, but Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Himself

A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa, but Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Himself

Venture Smith

Born into a royal lineage in Africa, an abducted man navigates decades of brutal servitude in America to purchase his own freedom and reclaim his family through sheer, unrelenting labor.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of A Short History of Russia

A Short History of Russia

Mary Platt Parmele

This historical survey explores the evolution of the Russian state as a governing system rather than a unified nation, examining the tension between its autocratic power and its largely passive population.

History - Other6 min read
Cover of An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)

An English Garner: Ingatherings from Our History and Literature (8 of 8)

Unknown

This collection offers a mosaic of historical accounts, personal narratives, and Elizabethan verse, capturing the texture of English life through the eyes of those who lived it. It is a vital repository for anyone seeking to touch the pulse of a transformative, often turbulent, era.

Classics of Literature7 min read
Cover of An Iceland Fisherman

An Iceland Fisherman

Pierre Loti

This poignant narrative explores the profound, quiet bond between a Breton woman and a fisherman, set against the unforgiving backdrop of the North Sea. It is a haunting portrait of love, loss, and the eternal, indifferent power of the ocean.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of Bar-20 Days

Bar-20 Days

Clarence Edward Mulford

The frontier is a place of quick triggers and even quicker wits, where a man’s reputation is his only true currency. In this rugged world, loyalty among the Bar-20 outfit is the only law that holds.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Bobby Blake on a Plantation

Bobby Blake on a Plantation

Frank A. Warner

The daring rescue of a drowning rival turns into a Southern adventure for three schoolboys, who must navigate dangerous swamps and outwit a cunning land thief to save a family estate.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Buddhist Psalms translated from the Japanese of Shinran Shonin

Buddhist Psalms translated from the Japanese of Shinran Shonin

Shinran

This collection of devotional poetry captures the profound surrender of a seeker who finds ultimate peace not in his own moral accomplishments, but in the boundless mercy of the Infinite. It remains a foundational testament to the Pure Land tradition, articulating a shift from rigorous, self-reliant asceticism to…

Poetry6 min read
Cover of Colonel Quaritch, V.C.: A Tale of Country Life

Colonel Quaritch, V.C.: A Tale of Country Life

H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard

A veteran soldier and a proud, land-poor squire’s daughter find their lives intertwined with a ruthless financier in the fading landscape of rural England. Their struggle for home and heart culminates in a desperate search for a hidden family fortune.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Comic Tragedies: Written by 'Jo' and 'Meg' and Acted by The 'Little Women'

Comic Tragedies: Written by 'Jo' and 'Meg' and Acted by The 'Little Women'

Louisa May Alcott

These exuberant, homemade melodramas reveal the secret creative life of a legendary childhood, capturing the earnest intensity of young writers who turned their attic into a stage for grand, sweeping passions.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)

Defense of the Faith and the Saints (Volume 1 of 2)

B. H. (Brigham Henry) Roberts

A resolute defense of faith, this collection gathers a lifetime of arguments, historical reflections, and public rebuttals written to vindicate a religion against its fiercest critics at the dawn of the twentieth century.

History - American7 min read
Cover of Elmer Gantry

Elmer Gantry

Sinclair Lewis

A profane, brawling athlete stumbles into the pulpit and discovers that holiness is the most lucrative and exhilarating racket in America. This scathing portrait of a charlatan follows the rise of a man who masterfully exploits the public’s desperate hunger for spiritual certainty.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of General Gordon

General Gordon

Seton Churchill

A soldier of immense moral intensity, this biography traces the life of a man whose unconventional genius and devout faith led him from the trenches of the Crimea to a tragic, iconic death in the Soudan.

Biographies5 min read
Cover of Handel

Handel

Romain Rolland

A masterful portrait of a musical titan, this study traces the relentless creative spirit of a composer who weathered constant rivalries and near-ruin to reshape the landscape of European music.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)

Hogarth's Works, with life and anecdotal descriptions of his pictures. Volume 3 (of 3)

John Ireland

HOOK This collection serves as a vivid, anecdotal record of a master satirist’s life and work, documenting the friction between artistic genius and the fickle, often ungrateful public of eighteenth-century England.

Art6 min read
Cover of "I was there" with the Yanks on the western front, 1917-1919

"I was there" with the Yanks on the western front, 1917-1919

Cyrus Leroy Baldridge

The Great War is often remembered through the lens of official history or polished monuments, but here it is captured in the weary, unvarnished rhythm of the men who stood in line, slogged through the mud, and waited for the next shell to fall. This intimate chronicle offers a rare perspective on the daily…

History - Modern (1750+)6 min read
Cover of In the Land of Mosques & Minarets

In the Land of Mosques & Minarets

M. F. (Milburg Francisco) Mansfield

Across the Mediterranean from Europe, the sun-drenched landscapes of North Africa offer a complex tapestry of ancient Roman remnants, enduring Islamic traditions, and the encroaching machinery of early twentieth-century French colonial infrastructure. This travelogue serves as a detailed survey of the region’s…

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of Legends of the Rhine

Legends of the Rhine

Wilhelm Ruland

A collection of centuries-old tales, this work captures the romantic spirit and haunting folklore woven into the landscape of the Rhine river valley.

German Literature6 min read
Cover of Life and marvelous adventures of Wild Bill, the Scout: being a true an exact history of all the sanguinary combats and hair-breadth escapes of the most famous scout and spy America ever produced

Life and marvelous adventures of Wild Bill, the Scout: being a true an exact history of all the sanguinary combats and hair-breadth escapes of the most famous scout and spy America ever produced

James W. (James William) Buel

HOOK A portrait of the ultimate frontier scout, this account charts the life, lethal precision, and violent end of a man who served as both a lawless wanderer and a necessary instrument of order.

Adventure6 min read