myebooksbuy
My Books

The whole shelf

All free summaries — page 291

46,038 public-domain books, summarised. Page 291 of 960.

Cover of A three-fold promise

A three-fold promise

Marian Isabel Hurrell

A young boy struggles to uphold his mother’s final requests while trapped under the cold, rigid authority of a stern uncle. This story follows his journey from lonely obedience to a life-changing reunion.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of "About My Father's Business": Work Amidst the Sick, the Sad, and the Sorrowing

"About My Father's Business": Work Amidst the Sick, the Sad, and the Sorrowing

Thomas Archer

Seeking the face of God in the faces of the suffering, this collection of essays documents the quiet, often heroic labor of those who dedicated their lives to the destitute of Victorian London. It serves as a somber yet hopeful meditation on the nature of true charity.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

William Eleroy Curtis

From a rough-hewn frontier cabin to the center of the American storm, this chronicle follows the rise of a singular figure who guided a fractured nation through its darkest trial with steady, melancholy resolve.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Amphitryon

Amphitryon

Molière

The gods are jealous, but they are also profoundly petty, as this sharp comedy of mistaken identity reveals the chaos that ensues when a deity decides to assume the life and shape of a mortal man.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of An Old Town By the Sea

An Old Town By the Sea

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

This portrait of a fading colonial port captures the lingering ghosts of New England history through the eyes of a writer who cherished its quiet, weathered streets.

History - American6 min read
Cover of At the Foot of the Rainbow

At the Foot of the Rainbow

Gene Stratton-Porter

The promise of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow is a myth, but for two men in the Indiana river bottoms, the true treasure lies in the quiet, hard-won labor of a life shared.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine

Various

A collection of nineteenth-century intellectual discourse, these pages capture the shifting currents of British life, from the gravity of the courtroom and the hearth to the feverish pulse of international politics and colonial reform.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Brigands of the Moon

Brigands of the Moon

Ray Cummings

HOOK A high-stakes interplanetary heist unfolds aboard a luxury space-liner, where a navigator and his comrades must outwit ruthless lunar pirates to protect a priceless cargo of rare ore.

Novels5 min read
Cover of Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police: A Tale of the Macleod Trail

Corporal Cameron of the North West Mounted Police: A Tale of the Macleod Trail

Ralph Connor

A disgraced Scottish athlete seeks redemption in the rugged wilds of the Canadian frontier, finding his true character while serving in the North West Mounted Police.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Cousin Phillis

Cousin Phillis

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell

A quiet life of scholarship and labor is upended when a young woman’s heart is captured—and then seemingly discarded—by an ambitious newcomer.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Creed and Deed: A Series of Discourses

Creed and Deed: A Series of Discourses

Felix Adler

A call for ethical action over empty dogma, this collection of lectures argues that the true measure of humanity lies not in the creeds we profess, but in the deeds we perform.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of Curiosities of Olden Times

Curiosities of Olden Times

S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

This collection of historical miscellany invites readers into the dusty, forgotten corners of the past, where the line between solemn tradition and utter absurdity frequently dissolves. It serves as a cabinet of curiosities, documenting the strange habits, beliefs, and legal eccentricities that shaped earlier…

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation: With Modifications To Obsolete Language By Monica Stevens

Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation: With Modifications To Obsolete Language By Monica Stevens

More, Thomas, Saint

When the world turns dark and your own courage falters, how do you find the strength to remain steadfast? This profound meditation offers a path through the deepest valleys of human fear and uncertainty.

Classics of Literature7 min read
Cover of Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume 2 (of 2): Comprising Their Life and Work as Recorded in Their Diaries, from 1812 to 1883

Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume 2 (of 2): Comprising Their Life and Work as Recorded in Their Diaries, from 1812 to 1883

Montefiore, Judith Cohen, Lady

A tireless champion for the persecuted, this narrative documents the extraordinary later years of a man who traveled the globe to serve as a voice for the voiceless.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Early Bardic Literature, Ireland

Early Bardic Literature, Ireland

Standish O'Grady

This inquiry into the origins of Irish myth invites readers to look past the cold cataloging of archaeologists and rediscover the living, breathing soul of a nation’s ancient literature.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of England and Germany

England and Germany

Emile Joseph Dillon

A veteran foreign correspondent diagnoses the systemic failures of the British leadership, arguing that the nation’s lack of foresight and organized planning has allowed Germany to gain a dangerous, long-term advantage in the global order.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Five of Maxwell's Papers

Five of Maxwell's Papers

James Clerk Maxwell

Scientific inquiry is a bridge between the abstract rigors of mathematics and the tangible, vibrating reality of the physical world. This collection captures the precision and philosophical depth of a foundational thinker at work.

Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry7 min read
Cover of Gems (?) of German Thought

Gems (?) of German Thought

Unknown

Thor’s hammer, flung across the earth to claim the land as a divine inheritance, serves as the central metaphor for this unsettling collection of German nationalist sentiment. It documents a profound shift in mindset during the early twentieth century.

German Literature5 min read
Cover of General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 3 (of 3)

General Anatomy, Applied to Physiology and Medicine, Vol. 3 (of 3)

Xavier Bichat

The human body is not a single, monolithic machine, but a complex tapestry of distinct tissues, each governed by its own vital laws. This profound shift in understanding defines the foundational work of modern clinical anatomy.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of General Washington's spies on Long Island and in New York

General Washington's spies on Long Island and in New York

Morton Pennypacker

This historical record reconstructs the clandestine correspondence of the Culper Ring, revealing how a small group of civilians transformed intelligence-gathering during the American Revolution.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Golden Grain Garnered from the World's Great Harvest-field of Knowledge: Comprising Selections from the Ablest Modern Writers of Prose, Poetry, and Legendary Lore

Golden Grain Garnered from the World's Great Harvest-field of Knowledge: Comprising Selections from the Ablest Modern Writers of Prose, Poetry, and Legendary Lore

Unknown

HOOK A curated treasury of prose, poetry, and legend, this collection serves as a nineteenth-century literary compass designed to guide readers toward wisdom, reflection, and the enduring beauty of the written word.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Herbert Hoover: The Man and His Work

Herbert Hoover: The Man and His Work

Vernon L. (Vernon Lyman) Kellogg

This biography chronicles the ascent of a quintessential American engineer from an Iowa childhood to his role as a global humanitarian and economic strategist during and after the First World War. It provides a rare, close-up study of the temperament and technical methods that defined his public service.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Hero Tales of the Far North

Hero Tales of the Far North

Jacob A. (Jacob August) Riis

This collection of Nordic biographies gathers the lives of warriors, kings, and scientists, tracing the enduring spirit of a people who shaped history through resilience and faith.

History - European6 min read
Cover of History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868

History of the Impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, by the House of Representatives, and his trial by the Senate for high crimes and misdemeanors in office, 1868

Edmund G. (Edmund Gibson) Ross

The attempt to remove a sitting President in 1868 stands as a pivotal moment in American history, serving as a cautionary tale about the intersection of partisan ambition and constitutional integrity. Through the eyes of a participant, this account examines the fragile equilibrium between the executive and…

History - American7 min read
Cover of Horace Walpole and His World: Select Passages from His Letters

Horace Walpole and His World: Select Passages from His Letters

Horace Walpole

The refined and restless mind of an eighteenth-century aristocrat is captured here in a collection of private letters that bridge the divide between grand political upheaval and the trivialities of high-society gossip.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts

Edwin Paxton Hood

This portrait of an intellectual giant reveals how a man of fragile health and secluded habits permanently altered the landscape of English devotion through the simple power of song.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Kate Bonnet: The Romance of a Pirate's Daughter

Kate Bonnet: The Romance of a Pirate's Daughter

Frank R. Stockton

This is a tale of a daughter’s devotion navigating the absurdity of a gentleman-turned-pirate father. It balances the high-seas dangers of the colonial Caribbean with the quiet, persistent loyalty of those left behind.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of King Henry VIII

King Henry VIII

William Shakespeare

Political ambition and the fragile nature of royal favor collide in this historical portrait of a monarch’s court. It is a work defined by sudden falls from grace and the persistent, heavy shadow of the crown.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Medical Thoughts of Shakespeare

Medical Thoughts of Shakespeare

Benjamin Rush Field

This collection serves as a methodical index of the medical knowledge, terminology, and health-related metaphors found throughout the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare. It organizes these observations into a technical, diagnostic framework for the reader.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of Miriam Monfort: A Novel

Miriam Monfort: A Novel

Catherine A. (Catherine Ann) Warfield

A young heiress finds herself trapped by the cold machinations of a predatory guardian, leading to a desperate flight across land and sea. This gothic-tinged novel explores the struggle for autonomy against those who would trade a woman’s freedom for her inheritance.

Novels7 min read
Cover of Myths & Legends of our New Possessions & Protectorate

Myths & Legends of our New Possessions & Protectorate

Charles M. (Charles Montgomery) Skinner

This collection gathers the folklore of territories newly acquired by the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, blending historical anecdote with the supernatural. It serves as an atmospheric guide to the stories that shaped the cultural identity of these regions.

History - Other5 min read
Cover of Old Fogy: His Musical Opinions and Grotesques

Old Fogy: His Musical Opinions and Grotesques

James Huneker

A cantankerous, brilliant relic of a bygone era, the titular narrator offers a blistering, witty defense of the classical canon against the perceived decadence and "noise" of the modern musical world.

Essays, Letters & Speeches5 min read
Cover of Outdoor pastimes of an American hunter

Outdoor pastimes of an American hunter

Theodore Roosevelt

The American wilderness, once a vast frontier for the professional hunter, reveals its final secrets through the eyes of a man who lived the transition from pioneer life to conservationist.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Paradise Garden: The Satirical Narrative of a Great Experiment

Paradise Garden: The Satirical Narrative of a Great Experiment

George Gibbs

A sheltered young man, raised in isolation to avoid the corrupting influence of women, is thrust into the modern world and discovers that human nature is far more complex than his books ever suggested.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Princess Zara

Princess Zara

Ross Beeckman

The fate of two strangers, bound by a grand, unseen design, converges in the shadow of the Russian autocracy. This is a tale of political intrigue, forbidden love, and the lethal cost of conviction.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Purpose in Prayer

Purpose in Prayer

Edward M. (Edward McKendree) Bounds

The prayer-chamber is the true engine of spiritual life, where earnest, persistent intercession transforms the believer and unlocks the infinite resources of the divine.

Religion/Spirituality7 min read
Cover of Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found: A Book of Zoology for Boys

Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found: A Book of Zoology for Boys

Mayne Reid

This accessible guide serves as a foundational survey of the world’s mammals, blending natural history with travelogue-style observations. It functions as a primer for young readers, stripping away dense scientific nomenclature in favor of clear, descriptive accounts of animal behavior and geography.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Ranching, Sport and Travel

Ranching, Sport and Travel

Thomas Carson

The memoir of a restless, self-reliant Victorian adventurer who traded the tea gardens of India for the rugged challenges of the American frontier before circling the globe.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Sermons on the Card, and Other Discourses

Sermons on the Card, and Other Discourses

Hugh Latimer

An urgent call to spiritual sincerity, these sermons strip away the veneer of religious ritual to demand a raw, honest accounting of the soul before its Creator.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Shoshone-Bannock Subsistence and Society

Shoshone-Bannock Subsistence and Society

Robert F. (Robert Francis) Murphy

SHOSHONE-BANNOCK SUBSISTENCE AND SOCIETY provides a rigorous examination of the seasonal migration, political structure, and territorial history of the Shoshone and Bannock peoples during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It reconstructs the complex interplay between nomadic survival and the encroaching…

Archaeology & Anthropology5 min read
Cover of Some Account of the Life of Mr. William Shakespear (1709)

Some Account of the Life of Mr. William Shakespear (1709)

Nicholas Rowe

This foundational document marks the transition of a legendary playwright from a popular stage icon into a subject of formal study and literary canonization. It serves as the primary gateway through which the eighteenth-century world began to understand the man behind the plays.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoples

South and South Central Africa: A record of fifteen years' missionary labors among primitive peoples

Hannah Frances Davidson

The chronicle of a decade and a half of missionary endeavor in Southern and South Central Africa, this account captures the collision of disparate cultures and the enduring zeal of early twentieth-century evangelism.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, October 1878, No. 12

St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, October 1878, No. 12

Various

This nineteenth-century periodical gathers the imagination, industry, and play of a bygone childhood into a single, vibrant collection of fiction, science, and correspondence. It serves as a time capsule, capturing the Victorian-era desire to educate, amuse, and inspire the young minds of the 1870s.

Children & Young Adult Reading5 min read
Cover of Stories of Great Men

Stories of Great Men

Faye Huntington

A collection of brief, educational biographies, this volume introduces young readers to figures of history who left their mark on the world through leadership, invention, and faith. Each sketch offers a compact portrait of greatness, framed by the author’s desire to inspire moral character and intellectual…

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Sutherland and Caithness in Saga-Time

Sutherland and Caithness in Saga-Time

James Gray

This exploration unearths the forgotten history of the far north of Scotland, bridging the gap between Norse saga traditions and the emerging power of the medieval Scottish Crown.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Tales from Tennyson

Tales from Tennyson

Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson, Baron

This collection reimagines the legendary Arthurian cycle through the lens of Victorian romanticism, transforming complex poetic verses into accessible prose narratives for a younger audience.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Adventures of My Cousin Smooth

The Adventures of My Cousin Smooth

Timothy Templeton

A satirical portrait of the mid-nineteenth-century American political machine, this work follows an irrepressible agent through the chaotic, self-important corridors of the Franklin Pierce administration.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 110, December, 1866: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 110, December, 1866: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics

Various

This collection captures a pivotal moment in American intellectual life, weaving together the passing of a poetic age, the expansion of global horizons, and the rigorous refinement of historical and literary criticism.

Art6 min read