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34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 323 of 714.

Cover of The Girl of the Period, and Other Social Essays, Vol. 2 (of 2)

The Girl of the Period, and Other Social Essays, Vol. 2 (of 2)

E. Lynn (Elizabeth Lynn) Linton

These sharp, unsentimental essays dissect the manners and anxieties of Victorian society, exposing the rigid expectations that governed the lives and reputations of men and women alike.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Gorilla Hunters

The Gorilla Hunters

R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

The spirit of nineteenth-century exploration lives in this vigorous account of three companions who venture into the African interior to track the mysterious, formidable gorilla. It is a story of grit, camaraderie, and the relentless pursuit of scientific discovery in a wild, untamed landscape.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Greene murder case

The Greene murder case

S. S. Van Dine

An isolated, decaying mansion becomes a claustrophobic stage for a series of unnatural deaths that baffle the police but invite the scrutiny of a brilliant, aristocratic amateur.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of The heart of Happy Hollow

The heart of Happy Hollow

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Happy Hollow is a collection of short stories capturing the rhythms, struggles, and quiet dignity of African American life at the turn of the twentieth century. It portrays a world where, amidst both hardship and joy, human character remains the ultimate measure of worth.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Iowa

The Iowa

Foster, Thomas, of Washington, D.C.

This monograph provides a scholarly, detailed account of the history, migration, and treaty relations of the Ioway people as documented in the late nineteenth century.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of The Landlord at Lion's Head

The Landlord at Lion's Head

William Dean Howells

A volatile young man struggles to escape his humble origins as a hotel landlord, only to find that his true character remains tethered to the very roots he desperately tries to outgrow.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume 3 (of 3)

The Life and Writings of Henry Fuseli, Volume 3 (of 3)

Henry Fuseli

An intellectual journey through the history of Italian painting, this volume blends rigorous formal criticism with a sharp, uncompromising assessment of the decline of contemporary art.

Art6 min read
Cover of The Man Who Was Good

The Man Who Was Good

Leonard Merrick

A woman’s devotion to an actor leads her into a life of abandonment and hardship, where she must navigate the precarious dignity of those who earn their own way. In a world of fleeting opportunities, she discovers that the past is a ghost that refuses to be buried.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Poems of Madison Cawein, Volume 2 (of 5): New world idylls and poems of love

The Poems of Madison Cawein, Volume 2 (of 5): New world idylls and poems of love

Madison Julius Cawein

This collection of verse captures the fleeting alchemy of the human heart, where the changing seasons of the American landscape serve as a mirror for the rise, decay, and haunting memory of romantic love.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of The Poetical Works of James Beattie

The Poetical Works of James Beattie

James Beattie

These verses capture a scholar’s struggle to reconcile the quietude of rural solitude with the turbulent demands of ambition, fame, and the persistent weight of human mortality.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Snare

The Snare

Rafael Sabatini

A reckless soldier’s drunken indiscretion spirals into a web of political espionage and murder, testing the limits of honor during the brutal Peninsula War.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Subtropical Garden

The Subtropical Garden

W. (William) Robinson

This guide advocates for a garden defined by architectural grandeur and bold, graceful foliage rather than mere splashes of color, proving that tropical effects thrive in temperate climates.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of The Tempering

The Tempering

Charles Neville Buck

The mountain boy who yearns for a life beyond his isolated cabin must forge his identity in the fires of political intrigue, personal loss, and the global upheaval of the First World War.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Valley of Vision

The Valley of Vision

Henry Van Dyke

This collection of stories and dreams navigates the moral landscape of the First World War, finding that the deepest insights into human nature often emerge from the darkest valleys of suffering.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The War Terror

The War Terror

Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve

A scientific detective navigates the paranoia of the First World War, using laboratory instruments to expose spies, radicals, and criminals hiding behind the masks of modern society.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of Zanetto

Zanetto

Willard Gibson Day

This collection presents two distinct one-act operas—Zanetto and Cavalleria Rusticana—bound together as a souvenir libretto. While the former is a delicate, allegorical study of fleeting youth and unrequited longing, the latter is a raw, violent drama of Sicilian honor and betrayal. Together, they offer a stark…

Plays/Films/Dramas6 min read
Cover of A Book of Marionettes

A Book of Marionettes

Helen Haiman Joseph

This graceful, expansive study invites readers into the timeless, whimsical world of the marionette, tracing its journey from antiquity to the early twentieth century. It serves as both a historical record and a passionate defense of an enduring art form.

Art6 min read
Cover of A Guide to Mythology

A Guide to Mythology

Helen A. (Helen Archibald) Clarke

This collection serves as a foundational primer for young readers, bridging the gap between simple storytelling and the structural analysis of comparative mythology. It organizes global traditions into a cohesive exploration of human belief and imagination.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of A Manual of Mending and Repairing

A Manual of Mending and Repairing

Charles Godfrey Leland

Practicality meets the spirit of nineteenth-century ingenuity in this comprehensive guide to restoration. It argues that mending is not merely a chore, but an art and a science, offering readers the technical knowledge to salvage almost anything—from fractured porcelain and delicate books to structural…

How To ...6 min read
Cover of Adventures in New Guinea

Adventures in New Guinea

James Chalmers

The world’s largest island, caught between colonial ambition and ancient tradition, reveals its rugged interior and its people through the eyes of a persistent traveler navigating a landscape of both immense beauty and great peril.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of An American Girl Abroad

An American Girl Abroad

Adeline Trafton

The world is wide and waiting for the intrepid soul. This lighthearted travelogue captures the wonder, mishaps, and quiet observations of a young woman discovering the historical and cultural landscapes of Europe in the late nineteenth century.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of An Amicable Controversy with a Jewish Rabbi, on The Messiah's Coming: With an Entirely New Exposition of Zechariah, on the Messiah's Kingdom

An Amicable Controversy with a Jewish Rabbi, on The Messiah's Coming: With an Entirely New Exposition of Zechariah, on the Messiah's Kingdom

John Ranicar Park

This rigorous, methodical inquiry attempts to reconcile the conflicting interpretations of biblical prophecy by arguing that the book of Zechariah describes a purely spiritual, rather than temporal, kingdom of the Messiah.

Religion/Spirituality7 min read
Cover of Artist and Model (The Divorced Princess)

Artist and Model (The Divorced Princess)

René de Pont-Jest

A tale of social climbing, illicit passion, and the heavy price of scandal, this narrative traces the unraveling of a marriage between a Russian princess and her husband, and the subsequent path toward redemption for all involved.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of Beneath an Umbrella (From "Twice Told Tales")

Beneath an Umbrella (From "Twice Told Tales")

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A solitary observer ventures into a stormy New England night to find comfort in the shared fragility of his fellow townspeople. He discovers that even in the darkest weather, the human spirit persists.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")

Biographical Stories: (From: "True Stories of History and Biography")

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A young boy, confined to a dark room while recovering from an eye injury, learns to see the world through the vibrant, remembered lives of famous historical figures.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Captain Boldheart & the Latin-Grammar Master: A Holiday Romance from the Pen of Lieut-Col. Robin Redforth, aged 9

Captain Boldheart & the Latin-Grammar Master: A Holiday Romance from the Pen of Lieut-Col. Robin Redforth, aged 9

Charles Dickens

A young boy casts off the constraints of his schooling to command a pirate ship, finding glory, treasure, and the ultimate vengeance against his tormentors on the high seas.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Captain Ravenshaw

Captain Ravenshaw

Robert Neilson Stephens

A swaggering, penniless soldier of fortune in Elizabethan London finds himself protecting a young girl from the predatory schemes of wealthy gallants.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Careless Jane and Other Tales

Careless Jane and Other Tales

Katharine Pyle

In a world where childhood disobedience leads to supernatural peril, these cautionary verses follow naughty children who must outwit witches, storks, and sandmen to find their way home.

Children & Young Adult Reading5 min read
Cover of Cinderella

Cinderella

Anonymous

A young woman endures a life of domestic servitude with grace, only to find her fortunes transformed by magic, a midnight deadline, and a single, delicate glass slipper that holds the key to her destiny.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Coaching, with Anecdotes of the Road

Coaching, with Anecdotes of the Road

Lennox, William Pitt, Lord

The golden age of travel on four wheels unfolds through a vibrant collection of memories, accidents, and highwayman legends that celebrate the vanishing art of the stage-coach.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Coelebs In Search of a Wife

Hannah More

The search for a companion is a journey not of the heart alone, but of the spirit. True compatibility requires a shared foundation of faith and character, tested by the trials of everyday life.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Cordova: A city of the Moors

Cordova: A city of the Moors

Albert Frederick Calvert

The ancient capital of Moorish Spain stands as a testament to lost grandeur, where the remnants of a once-supreme civilization linger in the narrow, flower-scented streets and the enduring architecture of the Great Mosque.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of Edward MacDowell: A Study

Edward MacDowell: A Study

Lawrence Gilman

This intimate portrait chronicles the life and creative evolution of an American musical pioneer, blending biographical detail with a critical analysis of his most significant compositions. It remains a foundational text for understanding the composer’s artistic struggle and his lasting legacy in early…

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Eminent doctors: Their lives and their work

Eminent doctors: Their lives and their work

G. T. (George Thomas) Bettany

These lives trace the evolution of medicine from a craft of intuition and mechanical force into the rigorous, evidence-based science that defines the modern era.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Emma McChesney and Co

Emma McChesney and Co

Edna Ferber

The professional life of a savvy traveling saleswoman takes center stage in this spirited portrait of early 20th-century American business. Through a series of interconnected stories, the narrative follows a woman who navigates the complexities of the petticoat industry with sharp wit, deep industry knowledge, and…

American Literature5 min read
Cover of Farmer George, Volume 1

Farmer George, Volume 1

Lewis Melville

A portrait of a complex monarch, this historical account strips away the myth of a simple "Farmer King" to reveal the stubborn, often divisive political operator behind the crown.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Great short stories, Volume 3 (of 3)

Great short stories, Volume 3 (of 3)

Unknown

This collection brings together an eclectic range of late 19th-century voices, showcasing tales of psychological tension, colonial ambition, and moral fragility. It serves as a window into the varied storytelling traditions of a bygone era.

Romance6 min read
Cover of Half-hours with the Telescope: Being a Popular Guide to the Use of the Telescope as a Means of Amusement and Instruction

Half-hours with the Telescope: Being a Popular Guide to the Use of the Telescope as a Means of Amusement and Instruction

Richard A. (Richard Anthony) Proctor

This practical manual serves as a bridge for the amateur astronomer, transforming the complex mechanics of the heavens into an accessible series of evening observations for any standard small telescope.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of Hints towards the formation of a more comprehensive theory of life

Hints towards the formation of a more comprehensive theory of life

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

This inquiry seeks to unify the natural and spiritual worlds, proposing that life is a singular, escalating power that manifests through the physical forms of the universe.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of Home Pastimes

Home Pastimes

James H. Head

This manual revives the Victorian parlor tradition of tableaux vivants, offering practical instructions to transform domestic spaces into stages for living, silent history paintings and literary scenes.

Art5 min read
Cover of Japan: A Record in Colour

Japan: A Record in Colour

Dorothy Menpes

This immersive account invites readers into a turn-of-the-century exploration of Japanese aesthetics, where everyday life and artistic expression are inseparable. It captures the charm of a fading era through the eyes of a traveling artist and his daughter.

Art6 min read
Cover of Japanese folk stories and fairy tales

Japanese folk stories and fairy tales

Mary F. Nixon-Roulet

This collection of Japanese folklore captures the moral heartbeat of a culture, weaving together spirits, samurai, and common folk in a series of timeless, cautionary tales.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865

Journal history of the Twenty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865

J. Hamp (John Hamilton) SeCheverell

A detailed chronicle of the Twenty-ninth Ohio Veteran Volunteers, this account preserves the sacrifices of a dedicated infantry regiment through the most pivotal campaigns of the American Civil War.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Judith, a Play in Three Acts

Judith, a Play in Three Acts

Arnold Bennett

A defiant widow saves her starving city from an invading army by infiltrating the enemy’s camp to execute their general, only to face the suffocating vanity of the leaders she liberated.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 1 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England

Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 1 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England

Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir

The tragic, ill-fated life of a British princess thrust into the cold, volatile politics of the Danish court is unsparingly examined here, revealing a history far more complex than common legend suggests.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of London and Its Environs Described, vol. 4 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round It

London and Its Environs Described, vol. 4 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round It

Anonymous

London, the metropolis of Great Britain, stands as one of the largest and richest cities upon earth. Its origins are shrouded in the mists of antiquity, where truth yields to the songs of bards and the weight of legend.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Love Romances of the Aristocracy

Love Romances of the Aristocracy

Thornton Hall

This collection of historical sketches traces the turbulent and often scandalous private lives of the British aristocracy, revealing the human drama hidden behind formal titles and ancestral lineages.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Memories, by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Fisher

Memories, by Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Fisher

Fisher, John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron

A career of ironclads, innovation, and strategic upheaval is distilled here into a candid, unconventional set of recollections. These pages capture the unfiltered voice of a man who reshaped the British Navy for the modern age.

Biographies6 min read
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