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3,125 public-domain books, summarised. Page 45 of 66.

Cover of Due West

Due West

Maturin M. (Maturin Murray) Ballou

A traveler’s keen eyes and open heart turn a ten-month journey around the globe into a vivid, permanent education. See the world through a nineteenth-century lens, where every distant shore holds a mirror to one’s own home.

Travel Writing7 min read
Cover of An Essay on Professional Ethics: Second Edition

An Essay on Professional Ethics: Second Edition

George Sharswood

The legal profession demands more than technical skill; it requires a deep, unwavering commitment to moral integrity. This classic treatise explores the ethical foundation upon which a life in the law must be built.

Law & Criminology6 min read
Cover of Raleigh

Raleigh

Edmund Gosse

The life of a man who embodied the fire and tragedy of the Elizabethan age, this biography traces the rise and fall of a courtier, navigator, and writer who lived at the edge of greatness.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

This narrative serves as a quintessential guide to self-improvement, offering a candid, pragmatic look at the life of one of history’s most influential figures as he transforms from a runaway apprentice into a statesman.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Grimm's Fairy Stories

Grimm's Fairy Stories

Jacob Grimm

HOOK These timeless tales map the strange, often brutal logic of the human heart, where the smallest acts of kindness or cruelty determine a hero’s fate.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Last Words: A Final Collection of Stories

Last Words: A Final Collection of Stories

Juliana Horatia Ewing

A collection of tender, evocative tales and reflections, this volume captures the delicate intersection of childhood imagination and the quiet demands of duty. It remains a poignant, gentle testament to the joys of the garden.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Semiramis, and Other Plays

Semiramis, and Other Plays

Olive Tilford Dargan

This collection of three verse dramas explores the volatile intersection of personal desire and the crushing weight of public history. With a tone that shifts between grandiosity and intimate desperation, the work examines how the pursuit of love and ambition often leads to ruin.

Plays/Films/Dramas6 min read
Cover of Human, All-Too-Human: A Book for Free Spirits, Part 1: Complete Works, Volume Six

Human, All-Too-Human: A Book for Free Spirits, Part 1: Complete Works, Volume Six

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

A weary philosopher finds his voice by dismantling the idols he once worshipped, trading grand systems for the sharp, solitary light of the independent mind. This is an invitation to witness the liberation of a thinker who has finally decided to belong to no one but himself.

Philosophy & Ethics7 min read
Cover of Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Complete

Divine Comedy, Longfellow's Translation, Complete

Dante Alighieri

A traveler traverses the landscapes of the afterlife, guided by reason and faith, to confront the consequences of human choice and the ultimate nature of the divine.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of Fred Fenton on the Crew

Fred Fenton on the Crew

Allen Chapman

This story follows the earnest, athletic Fred Fenton as he navigates the social and competitive waters of his town, balancing the demands of a high-stakes rowing team against local mysteries and school-yard rivalries.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Wild Nature Won By Kindness

Wild Nature Won By Kindness

Mrs. (Eliza Elder) Brightwen

This collection of gentle, observational essays documents the rewarding process of domesticating wild creatures through patience and empathy. It serves as a classic manual for finding kinship with the smallest lives in one’s immediate environment.

Nature/Gardening/Animals6 min read
Cover of Eight Keys to Eden

Eight Keys to Eden

Mark Clifton

When a colony on a lush, unreachable world falls silent, a brilliant investigator must navigate the thin, terrifying threshold between human logic and the unknown.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Alroy: The Prince of the Captivity

Alroy: The Prince of the Captivity

Disraeli, Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield

A visionary Jewish leader attempts to reclaim the ancient throne of David in the twelfth-century East, balanced between divine inspiration and the corrupting allure of worldly power.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume IV, Georgia Narratives, Part 2

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume IV, Georgia Narratives, Part 2

United States. Work Projects Administration

The memories of those who survived the system of enslavement in Georgia offer a direct, unfiltered testament to a world defined by both harrowing labor and the enduring persistence of the human spirit.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Complete Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe: Including Essays on Poetry

The Complete Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe: Including Essays on Poetry

Edgar Allan Poe

A master of the macabre and the melancholic, this collection gathers the lyrical output of a singular American voice. It presents a haunting vision where beauty and loss are forever locked in a mournful embrace.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Talks To Teachers On Psychology

Talks To Teachers On Psychology

William James

Psychology is not a cold science of labels, but the study of the living, breathing stream of consciousness we all experience. Understanding how we learn, act, and find purpose is the teacher’s greatest tool.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Wall Between

The Wall Between

Sara Ware Bassett

A long-standing feud between two New Hampshire neighbors crumbles when an unexpected guest bridges the divide, proving that even the most stubborn traditions of hate cannot withstand the warmth of genuine connection.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Anne Brontë

A young mother arrives at a desolate, crumbling manor seeking refuge, only to find her guarded silence provoking the intense curiosity—and eventual obsession—of a local farmer. This is a harrowing, unflinching portrait of a woman’s struggle to preserve her integrity and her son’s future against the destructive…

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Far Past the Frontier

Far Past the Frontier

James A. (James Andrew) Braden

Two boys from Connecticut leave behind a future of farm labor to pursue wealth and independence in the untamed Ohio wilderness. Driven by ambition and a longing for adventure, they face the perils of the frontier and the complicated politics of the indigenous tribes.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mary Jane's City Home

Mary Jane's City Home

Clara Ingram Judson

The Merrill family trades the familiarity of their old home for the bustling, concrete expanse of Chicago. Through the eyes of young Mary Jane, the city becomes a landscape of endless discovery, from neighborhood backyards to expansive public parks.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Canterville Ghost

The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde

Haunted mansions are rarely a match for a practical American family armed with stain remover and a complete lack of superstition.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Book of All-Power

The Book of All-Power

Edgar Wallace

A young engineer is drawn into a perilous web of Russian revolution and superstition, where a mysterious, fabled tome becomes the ultimate prize for those desperate to survive the collapse of an empire.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Telegraph Messenger Boy

The Telegraph Messenger Boy

Edward Sylvester Ellis

The story of a young man who climbs from humble beginnings to professional success, this narrative serves as a testament to the virtues of diligence, integrity, and physical courage in a challenging world.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The War in South Africa, Its Cause and Conduct

The War in South Africa, Its Cause and Conduct

Arthur Conan Doyle

The British Empire confronts a crisis of reputation, seeking to justify its military actions in South Africa against a wave of international condemnation. It is an argument for national honor, written from the conviction that the war was both necessary and humanely waged.

History - British6 min read
Cover of The Wonder

The Wonder

J. D. (John Davys) Beresford

A young boy exhibits an intelligence that surpasses all human understanding, yet he finds himself entirely alone, trapped in a world that lacks the capacity to comprehend his existence.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The Madigans

The Madigans

Miriam Michelson

A household of motherless sisters navigates the trials of childhood in a rough-and-tumble Nevada mining town, perpetually at war with their own eccentricities and the rigid expectations of their social superiors.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Critias

Critias

Plato

This incomplete dialogue presents a haunting, foundational myth of human civilization, contrasting a virtuous, primitive Athens with the opulent, hubristic empire of Atlantis. It serves as a philosophical exploration of power, decline, and the fragility of societies.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of The tortoiseshell cat

The tortoiseshell cat

Naomi Royde-Smith

A young woman finds herself adrift in the complex social currents of 1920s London, navigating the demands of professional life and the intense, often confusing attractions of those around her.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV

The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV

Ovid

This vast tapestry of ancient myth chronicles a world in constant flux, where human lives are fragile, divine whims are absolute, and every ending is merely the prologue to a transformation.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of The Status Civilization

The Status Civilization

Robert Sheckley

A man wakes up on a prison planet with no memory of his past crime, only to discover that on this world, murder is a path to social advancement. He must navigate a brutal, lawless society to uncover the truth about his own identity and the secret history of two worlds.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Best Russian Short Stories

Best Russian Short Stories

Unknown

This collection gathers seminal Russian short fiction, offering a window into a literary tradition defined by unvarnished naturalism, profound psychological depth, and an instinctive, radical empathy for the disinherited.

Russian Literature6 min read
Cover of The House of Mirth

The House of Mirth

Edith Wharton

A woman of extraordinary beauty discovers that her social grace is a currency that depreciates with time. She must navigate a ruthless elite that offers comfort only as long as she remains useful.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851

The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851

Various

This volume offers a wide-angled lens into the mid-19th-century world, capturing the vibrant intellectual and social energy of 1851 through reports, literary critiques, and cultural snapshots. It serves as a fascinating, multifaceted time capsule of a rapidly changing global society.

Journals7 min read
Cover of Gardening Indoors and Under Glass: A Practical Guide to the Planting, Care and Propagation of House Plants, and to the Construction and Management of Hotbed, Coldframe and Small Greenhouse

Gardening Indoors and Under Glass: A Practical Guide to the Planting, Care and Propagation of House Plants, and to the Construction and Management of Hotbed, Coldframe and Small Greenhouse

F. F. (Frederick Frye) Rockwell

Bringing winter indoors with the fragrance of blossoms and the vibrant green of life requires little more than consistent attention and a fundamental understanding of how plants grow.

How To ...5 min read
Cover of Original sonnets on various subjects

Original sonnets on various subjects

Anna Seward

A delicate, formal collection of verses, this volume captures the refined sensibility of the late eighteenth century through the dual lenses of original sonnets and classical adaptation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Retrospect

A Retrospect

James Hudson Taylor

A chronicle of faith and travel, this work traces the formation of a missionary movement through the lens of personal reliance on divine provision. It serves as an intimate record of a life defined by spiritual conviction and the practical challenges of nineteenth-century life in China.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Thought-Forms

Thought-Forms

Annie Besant

Thoughts are not merely fleeting abstractions, but tangible, living entities that ripple through the unseen worlds. This text reveals how human emotions and ideas manifest as colored, vibrating forms that shape the reality around us.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of In Nesting Time

In Nesting Time

Olive Thorne Miller

The soul of the bird is not found in a specimen case, but in the patient, observant study of a living, breathing individual.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 4

Slave Narratives: A Folk History of Slavery in the United States from Interviews with Former Slaves, Volume XIV, South Carolina Narratives, Part 4

United States. Work Projects Administration

These accounts offer the raw, unvarnished memories of individuals who lived through the final years of American slavery, capturing the textures of their daily survival and the profound upheaval of their transition to freedom.

Biographies8 min read
Cover of Virginia of Elk Creek Valley

Virginia of Elk Creek Valley

Mary Ellen Chase

The mountains of Wyoming offer a sanctuary for young hearts seeking adventure and self-discovery. In this gentle tale, city-bred friends find that the vast, open West is the ultimate classroom for courage and character.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Erasmus and the Age of Reformation

Erasmus and the Age of Reformation

Johan Huizinga

A quiet, scholarly voice examines a titan of the Renaissance, capturing the intricate dance between a man of intellect and a world caught in the throes of violent change.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Jack O' Judgment

Jack O' Judgment

Edgar Wallace

The law is often a blunt instrument, but the shadow known as Jack o' Judgment promises a swifter, sharper reckoning for those who believe themselves untouchable. This brisk, atmospheric mystery pits a ruthless criminal mastermind against an elusive vigilante whose identity remains a tantalizing enigma until the…

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Richard II: Makers of History

Richard II: Makers of History

Jacob Abbott

Before the rise of modern constitutional power, a ten-year-old boy inherits a crown and is swept into a world of bloody peasant revolts, ruthless family rivals, and the glittering, dangerous pageantry of medieval chivalry.

History - British6 min read
Cover of The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Orczy, Emmuska Orczy, Baroness

HOOK A fop by day and a savior by night, a mysterious English hero risks his life to snatch doomed aristocrats from the blade of the French Revolution.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Albert Gate Mystery: Being Further Adventures of Reginald Brett, Barrister Detective

The Albert Gate Mystery: Being Further Adventures of Reginald Brett, Barrister Detective

Louis Tracy

A seasoned barrister with a penchant for analytical puzzles finds himself ensnared in a web of international intrigue, following the sudden, mysterious disappearance of a promising young diplomat.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The history of magic

The history of magic

Éliphas Lévi

The shadows of the ancient world hold the secrets of the modern mind, revealing how the hidden arts have shaped the course of human history. Through a blend of philosophy and myth, this exploration traces the evolution of magic from the dawn of civilization to the revolutions of the nineteenth century.

History - Other8 min read
Cover of Starman's Quest

Starman's Quest

Robert Silverberg

HOOK A young man leaves the confined, lifelong isolation of a deep-space starship to search for his runaway brother on an Earth he has never known.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. 5 (of 5)

The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. 5 (of 5)

Marguerite, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of Navarre

A collection of witty, cynical, and often ribald tales, these stories explore the complexities of human desire, deceit, and moral contradiction among the French courtly elite.

Classics of Literature5 min read
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