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All free summaries — page 471
34,239 public-domain books, summarised. Page 471 of 714.
London in 1731
Gonzales, Manoel, Don
A methodical walk through eighteenth-century London reveals a sprawling metropolis governed by precise civic rules, ancient institutions, and relentless commercial drive.
Lost Leaders
Andrew Lang
This collection of essays serves as a gentle, erudite bridge to the nineteenth-century mind, capturing the fleeting pleasures of a world that valued leisure, literature, and the quiet observation of human habits. It invites the reader to step out of the rush of modern life and into the steady, observant gaze of a…
Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq
Henry Hunt
A fiery radical reformer recounts his transformation from a spirited country gentleman into a defiant prisoner of the state. These memoirs offer an unfiltered glimpse into the early nineteenth-century struggle against entrenched political corruption.
Minnesota and Dacotah
C. C. (Christopher Columbus) Andrews
The vast, untamed reaches of the mid-nineteenth-century American frontier transform before the reader's eyes, revealing a land on the precipice of rapid settlement and profound historical change.
More About Peggy
Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.
HOOK A determined young woman navigates the complexities of Victorian social life, balancing the demands of managing a household with the unpredictable stirrings of her own heart.
Nequa
Alcanoan O. Grigsby
The pursuit of a more equitable world takes an unexpected turn when a harrowing Arctic expedition leads a crew of explorers into a hidden, technologically advanced civilization beneath the Earth’s surface.
O'Flaherty V.C.: A Recruiting Pamphlet
Bernard Shaw
A returning war hero finds that the peace of his Irish village is far more chaotic and demanding than the trenches he escaped.
Pagan Origin of Partialist Doctrines
John Claudius Pitrat
This work challenges the historical authenticity of mainstream Christian beliefs, arguing they are not scriptural but are instead imported from ancient Pagan traditions. It serves as a rigorous, polemical inquiry into the foundations of religious orthodoxy.
Paris War Days: Diary of an American
Charles Inman Barnard
This diary captures the transformation of Paris during the harrowing opening weeks of the First World War, documenting a city shifting from exuberant peace to the somber, disciplined reality of a nation under siege.
Pearse's Commercial Directory to Swansea and the Neighbourhood, for 1854
Ebenezer Pearse
A meticulous mid-nineteenth-century survey of a Welsh port, this volume captures the bustling commerce, infrastructure, and social organization of a town on the cusp of industrial expansion.
Polly's first year at boarding school
Dorothy Whitehill
Polly Pendleton arrives at Seddon Hall as a nervous newcomer, but she quickly finds her place among the spirited girls of the boarding school. Through seasonal milestones, competitive sports, and shared secrets, she transforms from an uncertain girl into a central figure of the school’s community.
Quicksilver: The Boy With No Skid to His Wheel
George Manville Fenn
A retired country doctor decides to adopt a boy from a local orphanage, only to find that transforming a "wild" foundling into a polished gentleman is far more complicated than his theories suggest. This Victorian tale explores the friction between social classes, the endurance of childhood spirit, and the…
Reflections on the motive power of heat
Kelvin, William Thomson, Baron
The hidden logic of the steam engine reveals the fundamental limits of nature, proving that energy is never truly lost, only transformed as it flows between different states of heat.
Scarhaven Keep
J. S. (Joseph Smith) Fletcher
A theater professional vanishes near a crumbling coastal fortress, pulling a casual acquaintance into a dark web of impostors, hidden inheritances, and maritime intrigue. This brisk mystery navigates the intersections of class, reputation, and the dangerous secrets buried within a remote English village.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 344, August 5, 1882
Various
This collection of technical reports and industrial news captures the Victorian era’s boundless faith in engineering, natural history, and the rapid pace of global innovation. It acts as a window into a world feverishly documenting its own progress.
Seward's Folly
Edison Marshall
A disillusioned Confederate veteran seeks a new beginning in the frozen north, only to find himself entangled in an international struggle for the future of Alaska.
Sir Humphrey Gilbert's Voyage to Newfoundland
Hayes, Edward, active 1602
A harrowing first-hand record of ambition, maritime disaster, and religious conviction, this sixteenth-century narrative captures England's violent, fumbling early steps toward empire.
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 8 (of 8): South Africa and Its Future
Unknown
This collection of expert perspectives serves as a strategic blueprint for the reconstruction of South Africa following the conclusion of the Boer War. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the political, economic, and social challenges facing the region at the dawn of the twentieth century.
State of the Union Addresses
Benjamin Harrison
These annual reports serve as a direct window into the administrative ambitions and national anxieties of the United States during the final years of the nineteenth century.
Strangers at Lisconnel
Jane Barlow
The daily rhythms of a remote Irish hamlet are rarely disturbed by outsiders, yet the arrival of strangers—and the departure of those seeking better fortunes—shapes the very soul of the community.
The Amateur Poacher
Richard Jefferies
This is an intimate, observational account of a boy’s transition from childhood fascination with old firearms to the clandestine world of woodland poaching and the solitary, ancient rhythms of the English countryside.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 06, No. 37, November, 1860: A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics
Various
A vibrant, panoramic snapshot of mid-nineteenth-century intellectual life, capturing the era’s literary ambitions, social tensions, and the restless, inquisitive spirit of the American mind on the brink of profound change.
The Battle of the Big Hole: A History of General Gibbon's Engagement with Nez Percés Indians in the Big Hole Valley, Montana, August 9th, 1877
G. O. (George O.) Shields
A harrowing account of the 1877 military engagement in Montana, this historical narrative details the tactical precision and brutal human cost of the conflict between U.S. forces and the Nez Percé people.
The Belted Seas
Arthur Colton
A restless sailor recounts a life spent chasing fortune and folly across the South American coast, accompanied by a crew of dreamers, smugglers, and wandering souls.
The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts
Abbie Farwell Brown
This collection of legends explores the ancient, mystical bond between holy figures and the natural world, suggesting that kindness toward creatures is a universal language accessible to any heart willing to listen.
The Boy Hunters
Mayne Reid
The pursuit of a fabled creature drives three brothers into the heart of the American wilderness, where survival hinges on their wits and their knowledge of the natural world.
The Business of Being a Woman
Ida M. (Ida Minerva) Tarbell
The modern woman’s search for meaning often leads her away from her most vital influence, yet the path to true fulfillment lies in reclaiming the dignity of her essential, home-centered work.
The Call of the Beaver Patrol
G. Harvey (George Harvey) Ralphson
A group of resourceful Boy Scouts tracks down a gang of opportunistic criminals hidden within the rugged, ice-bound wilderness of Alaska. Armed with little more than their scouting skills and tenacity, these teenagers unravel a mystery involving a stolen code and a missing companion.
The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine (November 1912): Vol. LXXXV: New Series Vol. LXIII, November 1912 to April 1913
Unknown
This collection of essays, fiction, and commentary serves as a time capsule, capturing the political anxieties, social mores, and cultural fascinations of the American public on the eve of the First World War.
The Champagne Standard
Lane, John, Mrs.
This collection of essays serves as a sharp-eyed critique of early 20th-century social pretensions, exploring the hollow rituals of status and the domestic absurdities found in both England and America.
The Details of the Rocket System
Congreve, William, Sir
A specialized guide to the deployment of Congreve rockets, this technical manual serves as an early nineteenth-century blueprint for mobile, high-intensity artillery. It reveals the mechanical ingenuity and logistical ambition behind a weapon that once promised to revolutionize warfare.
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 11
Unknown
The survival of a new nation often hinges not on the battlefield, but on the quiet, desperate mechanics of credit, diplomacy, and the fragile trust between allies. This collection of documents illuminates the machinery of the American Revolution from behind the curtain.
The Early Introduction of Bogus Freemasonry in the United States of America and Texas Among Colored Masons
C. L. (Charles L.) Mitchell
This polemical account exposes the fractious history of 19th-century African American Freemasonry, arguing that many established grand lodges were illegitimate due to their failure to adhere to original, ancient organizational requirements.
The face of Manchuria, Korea, & Russian Turkestan
E. G. (Emily Georgiana) Kemp
A journey across the rapidly changing landscapes of early twentieth-century Asia offers a rare glimpse into a world caught between ancient traditions and the encroaching forces of modern imperialism.
The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest
Lilian Garis
An inquisitive patrol of Girl Scouts spends a summer at the shore, where they trade their domestic chores for the high-stakes mystery of a forbidden island and a missing inheritance.
The Golden House
Sarah S. (Sarah Schoonmaker) Baker
A young Italian boy finds a loving, humble home in Sweden, where his artistic soul and gentle spirit touch the lives of both impoverished neighbors and wealthy aristocrats. This heartwarming tale of belonging crosses cultural boundaries with quiet grace.
The Grammar School Boys Snowbound
H. Irving (Harrie Irving) Hancock
When a group of resourceful schoolboys head into the wilderness for a winter camping trip, they find themselves locked in a battle of wits against both a brutal blizzard and a dangerous, desperate intruder.
The Inferno
Henri Barbusse
A solitary man finds an aperture in the wall of his boarding-house room, transforming himself into an accidental witness to the hidden, unvarnished lives of his neighbors. This voyeuristic experiment becomes a harrowing descent into the fundamental truths of human desire and mortality.
The Life and Letters of George John Romanes, M.A., LL.D., F.R.S
George John Romanes
This biography captures the intellectual intensity and personal warmth of a prominent Victorian naturalist, documenting a life defined by rigorous scientific inquiry and an earnest, lifelong struggle to reconcile faith with the burgeoning theory of evolution.
The Little Cryptogram: A Literal Application to the Play of Hamlet of the Cipher System of Mr. Ignatius Donnelly
Joseph Gilpin Pyle
This sharp-witted critique satirizes the Baconian theory of Shakespearean authorship by applying its own convoluted mathematical logic to the play of *Hamlet*, ultimately revealing the "hidden" prophecies of a nineteenth-century politician.
The Little Schoolmaster Mark: A Spiritual Romance
J. H. (Joseph Henry) Shorthouse
This evocative, meditative work explores the collision between aesthetic beauty and spiritual sincerity in an eighteenth-century German court, examining whether art and holiness can ever truly reconcile.
The Little Violinist
Thomas Bailey Aldrich
This narrative essay serves as a quiet, somber meditation on the cost of childhood fame. It contrasts the protected, imaginative lives of two young brothers with the exhausting reality of a child performer, ultimately grappling with the tragedy of a life cut short by the demands of the stage.
The Mentor: Walter Scott, Vol. 4, Num. 15, Serial No. 115, September 15, 1916
Hamilton Wright Mabie
The Wizard of the North stands as a towering figure whose literary genius and personal integrity defined the romantic spirit of an age. His life and works remain a testament to the enduring power of storytelling.
The Mystery of the Lost Dauphin (Louis XVII)
Pardo Bazán, Emilia, condesa de
The mystery of the lost Bourbon heir breathes through a world of shadows, spies, and royal secrets. It captures the haunting persistence of a past that refuses to stay buried, weaving a tale where the line between history and legend blurs.
The Nameless Island: A Story of Some Modern Robinson Crusoes
Percy F. (Percy Francis) Westerman
After a violent hurricane leaves them shipwrecked on a remote Pacific island, a small band of survivors must master the terrain and defend their newfound home against hostile invaders to secure their ultimate rescue.
The Paradise of Children: (From: "A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys")
Nathaniel Hawthorne
A lingering curiosity is a dangerous thing, especially when it concerns a mysterious box left in the care of two children who have never known a single day of sorrow.
The Pilgrim's Shell
Eugène Sue
A legacy of feudal tyranny drives a desperate quarryman to the Crusades, sparking a generational struggle that pits the raw labor of the common people against the entrenched cruelty of the medieval nobility.
The Pioneers
Katharine Susannah Prichard
Two families forge lives in the rugged Australian bush, bound by shared secrets, the heavy weight of the past, and the slow, inexorable pull of a new, untamed land.