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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 279 of 988.

Cover of Observations of a Naturalist in the Pacific Between 1896 and 1899, Volume 1: Vanua Levu, Fiji

Observations of a Naturalist in the Pacific Between 1896 and 1899, Volume 1: Vanua Levu, Fiji

H. B. (Henry Brougham) Guppy

The volcanic heart of a Pacific island reveals its deep-time history through the patient, methodical examination of its peaks, springs, and coastal rock formations.

Nature/Gardening/Animals7 min read
Cover of Old Christmas

Old Christmas

Washington Irving

This observant journey captures the fading charm of traditional English yuletide customs, offering a window into a world where communal warmth once defied the winter chill.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Satan's Invisible World Discovered

Satan's Invisible World Discovered

George Sinclair

This collection serves as a seventeenth-century polemic against skepticism, arguing that the existence of the supernatural is a prerequisite for a moral universe. It remains a grim, authoritative record of a worldview where the veil between the physical and the demonic was considered paper-thin.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)6 min read
Cover of Tablets

Tablets

Amos Bronson Alcott

The garden is the threshold of the soul, a place where the simple labor of tending soil ripens into the deeper cultivation of one’s own character. Through quiet observation and rhythmic toil, the world’s noise falls away, leaving only the truth of the present moment.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of The Botanist's Companion, Volume II: Or an Introduction to the Knowledge of Practical Botany, and the Uses of Plants. Either Growing Wild in Great Britain, or Cultivated for the Puroses of Agriculture, Medicine, Rural Oeconomy, or the Arts

The Botanist's Companion, Volume II: Or an Introduction to the Knowledge of Practical Botany, and the Uses of Plants. Either Growing Wild in Great Britain, or Cultivated for the Puroses of Agriculture, Medicine, Rural Oeconomy, or the Arts

William Salisbury

Practical botany in the early nineteenth century serves as both a scientific pursuit and a manual for survival. This volume functions as a bridge between the wild flora of Great Britain and the necessities of domestic, agricultural, and medical life. It captures a time when the study of a plant’s anatomy was…

Science - Biology6 min read
Cover of The Call of the South: 1908

The Call of the South: 1908

Louis Becke

This is a collection of vivid, loosely linked recollections from the South Pacific, capturing the grit, beauty, and frequent violence of colonial-era island life. It serves as a rugged, first-hand record of a world defined by the sea and the shifting fortunes of those who traversed it.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Moon of Skulls

The Moon of Skulls

Robert E. (Robert Ervin) Howard

A lone, iron-willed Puritan ventures into a hidden African kingdom to rescue a captive girl, confronting an ancient, blood-drenched civilization ruled by a vampire queen.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Sixty-First Second

The Sixty-First Second

Owen Johnson

A stolen ruby triggers a high-stakes investigation that mirrors the precarious collapse of a financial empire. In this tense drama of New York society, the truth is obscured by the frantic ambitions of the city’s elite.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The Splash of a Drop

The Splash of a Drop

A. M. (Arthur Mason) Worthington

The fleeting, microscopic grace of a falling drop is captured here, unveiling a hidden architecture of liquid motion. Science transforms the ephemeral into a permanent, exquisite record of physical laws.

Science - Physics6 min read
Cover of Villages of the Algonquian, Siouan, and Caddoan Tribes West of the Mississippi

Villages of the Algonquian, Siouan, and Caddoan Tribes West of the Mississippi

David I. (David Ives) Bushnell

The expansive American frontier once hummed with the daily lives of native nations, whose architecture reflected both the ingenuity of their cultures and their intimate relationship with the land.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of A Girl's Ride in Iceland

A Girl's Ride in Iceland

Mrs. (Ethel) Alec-Tweedie

A spirited account of an adventurous journey across the wild landscapes of Iceland, this narrative captures the wonder of Northern exploration through the eyes of a Victorian woman determined to see the world on her own terms.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of A Journey Through France in War Time

A Journey Through France in War Time

Joseph G. (Joseph Green) Butler

An industrialist’s firsthand account of a mission to wartime France, this chronicle captures the resilience of a nation under fire and the deep, historic ties between the French and American people.

History - European6 min read
Cover of A Little Book of Old Time Verse: Old Fashioned Flowers

A Little Book of Old Time Verse: Old Fashioned Flowers

Unknown

This collection of English verse gathers the enduring echoes of romantic longing, capturing the fleeting nature of beauty and the relentless passage of time through centuries of song. It offers a meditative retreat into the classic language of the heart.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of A Little Bush Maid

A Little Bush Maid

Mary Grant Bruce

A spirited young girl living on a vast Australian sheep station navigates the joys of childhood and the complexities of the wild, forming an unlikely bond with a mysterious, reclusive neighbor.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 01

A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 01

Unknown

These early dramatizations mark the literal birth of English theater, moving from the pulpit to the public square. They serve as a foundational archive of how humanity first began to stage its own moral and intellectual struggles.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Adventures in Contentment

Adventures in Contentment

David Grayson

Seeking a reprieve from the feverish pursuit of material success, a man retreats to the soil of a small farm to discover that true wealth lies in the simple beauty of daily work and companionship.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Ambassador Morgenthau's Story

Ambassador Morgenthau's Story

Henry Morgenthau

The eyewitness account of a diplomat reveals how Germany orchestrated the entry of the Ottoman Empire into the First World War and enabled the catastrophic destruction of the Armenian people.

Biographies5 min read
Cover of At Last: A Novel

At Last: A Novel

Marion Harland

Happiness is a labor of endurance, a long-term reclamation of the self from the wreckage of early misunderstandings and the crushing weight of family expectation.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10

Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 09 of 10

John Fletcher

These plays capture the volatile spirit of Jacobean drama, blending sharp wit, desperate survival, and high-stakes romance across five distinct, character-driven narratives.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Christianity Unveiled: Being an Examination of the Principles and Effects of the Christian Religion

Christianity Unveiled: Being an Examination of the Principles and Effects of the Christian Religion

Holbach, Paul Henri Thiry, baron d'

HOOK This polemic examines how religious dogma has historically been used to enforce despotism, arguing that true human progress depends on replacing superstition with reason and social responsibility.

History - Religious6 min read
Cover of Commercialized Prostitution in New York City

Commercialized Prostitution in New York City

George J. (George Jackson) Kneeland

This clinical investigation exposes the systematic mechanics of early 20th-century urban vice, revealing how property owners, police, and proprietors profited from a sprawling, entrenched industry of exploitation.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Domesday Book

Domesday Book

Edgar Lee Masters

The death of a young woman ripples outward, revealing the secret, messy, and often hypocritical lives of those she left behind. It is a sprawling, investigative portrait of an American town attempting to make sense of a life that defied its narrow boundaries.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of England's Case Against Home Rule

England's Case Against Home Rule

A. V. (Albert Venn) Dicey

The United Kingdom faces a fundamental constitutional crisis as political sentiment shifts toward Irish autonomy. This rigorous analysis examines the severe risks posed by proposed legislative changes to the established union.

History - British6 min read
Cover of "Evacuation Day", 1783, Its Many Stirring Events: With Recollections of Capt. John Van Arsdale, of the Veteran Corps of Artillery, by Whose Efforts on That Day the Enemy Were Circumvented, and the American Flag Successfully Raised on the Battery

"Evacuation Day", 1783, Its Many Stirring Events: With Recollections of Capt. John Van Arsdale, of the Veteran Corps of Artillery, by Whose Efforts on That Day the Enemy Were Circumvented, and the American Flag Successfully Raised on the Battery

James Riker

This historical account chronicles the dramatic final withdrawal of British forces from New York City in 1783, centering on the courageous act of a local soldier who defied the enemy to raise the American flag.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, Part 2 (of 2)

Exploration of the Valley of the Amazon, Part 2 (of 2)

William Lewis Herndon

A maritime officer traverses the rugged Andes and the untamed waters of the Amazon basin to assess the commercial viability of a vast, untapped wilderness. This detailed report serves as a nineteenth-century blueprint for potential economic expansion.

Archaeology & Anthropology7 min read
Cover of Familiar Letters on Chemistry, and Its Relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture

Familiar Letters on Chemistry, and Its Relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture

Liebig, Justus, Freiherr von

The unseen mechanics of the natural world hold the key to human prosperity, linking the chemistry of the laboratory to the life of the field and the wealth of nations. By mastering these invisible forces, society can transcend the limitations of traditional agriculture and industry.

Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry6 min read
Cover of Famous Prima Donnas

Famous Prima Donnas

Lewis Clinton Strang

These profiles capture the fleeting radiance of turn-of-the-century stage stars, documenting the rise of women who defined the American musical theater long before the era of recorded fame.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Fidelity: A Novel

Fidelity: A Novel

Susan Glaspell

A woman returns to the suffocating town that cast her out years ago, only to discover that her past is still alive and her future is entirely her own to define.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Fort Gibson: A Brief History

Fort Gibson: A Brief History

Grant Foreman

A remote garrison carved from a rugged wilderness, this military outpost served as a vital anchor for the United States on the shifting frontier of the nineteenth century.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Fox Trapping: A Book of Instruction Telling How to Trap, Snare, Poison and Shoot: A Valuable Book for Trappers

Fox Trapping: A Book of Instruction Telling How to Trap, Snare, Poison and Shoot: A Valuable Book for Trappers

A. R. (Arthur Robert) Harding

The fox is a creature of legend, possessing a cunning that challenges the very best of woodsmen. This manual acts as a master class in outwitting one of nature’s most elusive and sharp-witted animals.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of From a Cornish Window: A New Edition

From a Cornish Window: A New Edition

Arthur Quiller-Couch

A life of active inquiry requires both the discipline to challenge bad ideas and the grace to find wonder in the quiet corners of the world.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of From the heart of a friend

From the heart of a friend

Unknown

Friendship is a profound, sacred, and often difficult attainment that acts as a sanctuary for our joys, our sorrows, and our deepest intellectual pursuits.

Essays, Letters & Speeches5 min read
Cover of Half-hours with the Highwaymen - Vol 2: Picturesque Biographies and Traditions of the "Knights of the Road"

Half-hours with the Highwaymen - Vol 2: Picturesque Biographies and Traditions of the "Knights of the Road"

Charles G. (Charles George) Harper

The open road was once a stage for desperate men, where a pistol could rewrite a fortune or end a life in the blink of an eye.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Heroes of Modern Europe

Heroes of Modern Europe

Alice Birkhead

History is a gallery of human effort, where poets, reformers, and soldiers shape the continent. These figures define the spirit of their ages, revealing that heroism is born from the crucible of struggle.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)6 min read
Cover of Hindoo Tales

Hindoo Tales

active 7th century Dandin

Ten princes wander a fractured, ancient India, weaving a complex tapestry of political intrigue, divine interventions, and daring deceptions to reclaim their lost kingdoms and honor.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of How to Observe in Archaeology: Suggestions for Travellers in the Near and Middle East

How to Observe in Archaeology: Suggestions for Travellers in the Near and Middle East

British Museum

The amateur traveler is a vital, if untrained, instrument for uncovering the past; this manual offers the technical discipline necessary to transform casual observation into genuine scientific contribution.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Hymns and Hymnwriters of Denmark

Hymns and Hymnwriters of Denmark

J. C. (Jens Christian) Aaberg

This study illuminates the spiritual heart of Denmark by tracing the evolution of its hymnody through the lives and lyrics of its most influential poets.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Inquiry Into the Origin and Course of Political Parties in the United States

Inquiry Into the Origin and Course of Political Parties in the United States

Martin Van Buren

The American Republic’s infancy was not a static era of consensus, but a rigorous, often fractious, battle between two competing visions of government. This history traces the emergence of those fundamental political divisions.

History - American7 min read
Cover of John Rutherford, the White Chief: A Story of Adventure in New Zealand

John Rutherford, the White Chief: A Story of Adventure in New Zealand

George L. (George Lillie) Craik

A shipwrecked sailor finds himself thrust into the heart of Maori society, where he must navigate tribal politics and survive a life of unexpected captivity.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of King Arthur's Socks and Other Village Plays

King Arthur's Socks and Other Village Plays

Floyd Dell

The bohemian heart of early twentieth-century New York pulses through these brief, sharp-witted stage experiments, capturing a moment when the boundaries of love and convention were being vigorously redrawn. They are sophisticated, playful, and relentlessly candid meditations on the fragility of human connection.

Humour6 min read
Cover of Letters from a Sûfî Teacher

Letters from a Sûfî Teacher

Sharaf al-Din Ahmad ibn Yahya Maniri

A collection of spiritual correspondence from the 14th century, these letters offer a rigorous, intimate map for the seeker aiming to bridge the gap between human limitation and divine reality.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Luck, or Cunning, as the Main Means of Organic Modification

Luck, or Cunning, as the Main Means of Organic Modification

Samuel Butler

This rigorous polemic challenges the foundations of modern evolutionary theory, insisting that the development of life is driven by conscious intent rather than the blind accidents of natural selection.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of Man of Many Minds

Man of Many Minds

E. Everett (Edward Everett) Evans

A young cadet discovers he possesses a secret, volatile power that makes him the last line of defense against an unseen conspiracy threatening the stability of the galaxy.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Max Carrados

Max Carrados

Ernest Bramah

A gentleman of leisure solves intricate crimes by noticing what everyone else overlooks, all while navigating a world he cannot see.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Medicine in the Middle Ages: Extracts from "Le Moyen Age Medical" by Dr. Edmond Dupouy

Medicine in the Middle Ages: Extracts from "Le Moyen Age Medical" by Dr. Edmond Dupouy

Edmond Dupouy

This sweeping inquiry chronicles the slow, turbulent separation of medical science from ecclesiastical dogma and superstition, tracing the long path from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of Mezzotints in modern music

Mezzotints in modern music

James Huneker

An unapologetic guide to the nineteenth century’s musical titans, this collection of essays captures the tension between the fading romantic era and the dawn of modernism through the eyes of a passionate, opinionated critic.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1: An Illustrated Magazine

Our Young Folks, Vol 1, No. 1: An Illustrated Magazine

Various

This inaugural volume captures the mid-nineteenth-century spirit of American childhood, offering a diverse miscellany of moral instruction, natural history, and serialized adventure. It serves as a window into an era where education, play, and character building were seamlessly woven together.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Plain Talks on Avoided Subjects

Plain Talks on Avoided Subjects

Henry N. (Henry Newell) Guernsey

Human health and morality depend upon the strict regulation of sexual impulses through the exercise of the rational mind. This guide argues that disciplined restraint is the only path to physical vigor and domestic harmony.

Health & Medicine6 min read