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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 494 of 988.

Cover of The Balladists

The Balladists

John Geddie

The Scottish ballad is a voice without a name, a vessel of history and folklore that reveals the heart of a people through song. It survives as a testament to the enduring power of oral tradition.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of The Boer in Peace and War

The Boer in Peace and War

Arthur M. Mann

This account offers a contemporary snapshot of Boer society at the turn of the twentieth century, detailing the customs, prejudices, and pastoral life of a people standing on the brink of profound historical change.

History - European6 min read
Cover of The Botanical Lore of the California Indians: with Side Lights on Historical Incidents in California

The Botanical Lore of the California Indians: with Side Lights on Historical Incidents in California

John Bruno Romero

HOOK This work preserves the medicinal wisdom of California’s indigenous people, offering a rare glimpse into the botanical secrets that sustained tribes through generations of profound environmental and cultural change.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, May 1884, No. 8

The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, May 1884, No. 8

Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle

This periodical serves as a Victorian-era bridge between the formal classroom and the home, offering structured intellectual enrichment for the self-taught student. It captures a distinct moment in nineteenth-century American efforts to democratize higher learning.

Journals6 min read
Cover of The Compleat Surgeon

The Compleat Surgeon

M. (Charles Gabriel) Le Clerc

This manual serves as a comprehensive guide for the seventeenth-century practitioner, distilling the complexities of surgical science into a portable, accessible reference. It navigates the foundational anatomy of the human body and the practical application of clinical treatments.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of The Confessions of a Collector

The Confessions of a Collector

William Carew Hazlitt

A career spent chasing rare books and coins offers a glimpse into the vanished world of 19th-century collecting, where a sharp eye could turn a dusty shop discovery into a lifetime of scholarly satisfaction.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Croxley Master: A Great Tale Of The Prize Ring

The Croxley Master: A Great Tale Of The Prize Ring

Arthur Conan Doyle

A desperate medical student, lacking funds for his final exams, enters a brutal, high-stakes prize fight against a local champion. His survival depends on his wits as much as his fists.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Destroyer: A Tale of International Intrigue

The Destroyer: A Tale of International Intrigue

Burton Egbert Stevenson

In this high-stakes thriller, a brilliant inventor’s weapon capable of destroying battleships from afar becomes the focus of a desperate international power struggle between France and Germany.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of The Divine Comedy by Dante, Illustrated, Purgatory, Volume 3

The Divine Comedy by Dante, Illustrated, Purgatory, Volume 3

Dante Alighieri

A traveler journeys through the mountain of repentance, seeking to wash away the stains of his humanity and ascend toward the stars. This epic poem maps the difficult, necessary labor of the soul as it sheds earthly pride for divine light.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of The Great Miss Driver

The Great Miss Driver

Anthony Hope

A young woman inherits a vast estate and must navigate the stifling social expectations of an English borough, armed only with her wits and a penchant for defiance.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Last Ditch

The Last Ditch

Will Levington Comfort

A haunted American adrift in the East trades the wreckage of his past for a perilous spiritual quest, only to find that his most challenging mission is the love of a woman.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Little Review, January 1915 (Vol. 1, No. 10)

The Little Review, January 1915 (Vol. 1, No. 10)

Various

This periodical serves as a vibrant, combative arena for early twentieth-century modernism, gathering poetry, social critique, and theatrical dialogue into a single, defiant manifesto for the avant-garde.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of The Lure of the Pen: A Book for Would-Be Authors

The Lure of the Pen: A Book for Would-Be Authors

Flora Klickmann

Professional advice is rarely as sharp, or as stern, as the guidance offered to the aspiring writer in these pages. A seasoned editor provides a candid, no-nonsense manual for those who harbor dreams of seeing their words in print.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of The Magic Curtain: A Mystery Story for Girls

The Magic Curtain: A Mystery Story for Girls

Roy J. (Roy Judson) Snell

The stage of the Chicago Civic Opera House hides more than just scenery. A young girl, disguised as an usher to get close to the music, discovers that the most dangerous mysteries occur behind the velvet drapes.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Mob: A Play in Four Acts

The Mob: A Play in Four Acts

John Galsworthy

This play follows the tragic, inevitable collision between a man of conscience and the fervor of a nation at war. It is a stark, unsparing examination of what happens when personal integrity refuses to bend to the will of the crowd.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail

The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail

Ralph Connor

High up in the rugged Kicking Horse Pass, the North West Mounted Police maintain a lonely vigil. As the Canadian Pacific Railway pushes westward, duty calls one man to secure the frontier against those who threaten its fragile peace.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Petrol Engine: A Text-book dealing with the Principles of Design and Construction, with a Special Chapter on the Two-stroke Engine

The Petrol Engine: A Text-book dealing with the Principles of Design and Construction, with a Special Chapter on the Two-stroke Engine

Francis John Kean

A clear and authoritative guide to the mechanical heart of the early motor car, written for the student and the curious engineer.

Engineering & Technology6 min read
Cover of The Phantom Town Mystery

The Phantom Town Mystery

Carol Norton

A pair of spirited Eastern girls and their cowboy companions hunt for a lost fortune in the rugged Arizona desert. This mystery adventure explores the secrets buried within a haunted ghost town.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Recreations of a Country Parson

The Recreations of a Country Parson

Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd

A country clergyman offers a collection of meditative essays on the common trials and quiet joys of daily life. He observes the world with a mixture of gentle humor, practical wisdom, and deep faith.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The Silly Syclopedia: A Terrible Thing in the Form of a Literary Torpedo which is Launched for Hilarious Purposes Only Inaccurate in Every Particular Containing Copious Etymological Derivations and Other Useless Things

The Silly Syclopedia: A Terrible Thing in the Form of a Literary Torpedo which is Launched for Hilarious Purposes Only Inaccurate in Every Particular Containing Copious Etymological Derivations and Other Useless Things

George V. (George Vere) Hobart

A satirical dictionary for the weary soul, this work treats the burdens of modern life with absurd definitions and mock-practical advice, ensuring that no subject—from breakfast food to baseball—remains un-torpedoed.

Humour5 min read
Cover of The Spanish Curate: A Comedy

The Spanish Curate: A Comedy

John Fletcher

A sharp-witted comedy of secrets and schemes, this play captures the frantic, high-stakes collision between a neglected wife, a covetous lawyer, and an opportunistic curate.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Spoilers of the Valley

The Spoilers of the Valley

Robert Watson

The quiet of a British Columbia valley is shattered by greed, lawlessness, and the arrival of an enigmatic stranger. It is a story of frontier justice, clashing ambitions, and the struggle to protect a home from those who would exploit it.

Novels5 min read
Cover of The Story of Little Black Mingo

The Story of Little Black Mingo

Helen Bannerman

A little girl escapes a cruel guardian and a hungry crocodile with the help of a clever mongoose, leading to an explosive conclusion.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Swindler and Other Stories

The Swindler and Other Stories

Ethel M. (Ethel May) Dell

These stories follow individuals navigating the thin line between social ruin and personal redemption, often finding that the most unlikely partners are the only ones capable of true loyalty.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of The Vicar of Morwenstow: Being a Life of Robert Stephen Hawker, M.A

The Vicar of Morwenstow: Being a Life of Robert Stephen Hawker, M.A

S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

A singular, restless spirit finds his home on the wild Cornish coast, where poetry, eccentricity, and a deep, unconventional devotion collide. This life story traces the arc of a man who lived as much in his own vivid dreams as in the physical world.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Village in the Mountains

The Village in the Mountains

Sampson Vryling Stoddard Wilder

A dedicated merchant crosses paths with isolated mountaineers, igniting a spiritual transformation that ripples across borders and generations. This chronicle serves as both a travelogue of faith and a personal testament to the power of the printed word.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Vinland Champions

The Vinland Champions

Ottilie A. (Ottilia Adelina) Liljencrantz

The Vinland Champions is a dramatic historical narrative set during the Norse exploration of North America. It follows a band of young men who, while struggling under the stern leadership of the lawman Thorfinn Karlsefne, attempt to forge their own path in a perilous new land.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Wireless Operator—With the U. S. Coast Guard

The Wireless Operator—With the U. S. Coast Guard

Lewis E. (Lewis Edwin) Theiss

The ocean is a vast, unforgiving theater where the smallest error can result in catastrophe, yet duty demands that the Coast Guard remain ever-ready to face the storm. This narrative follows a young man’s baptism by salt spray and radio signals, where true character is forged in the face of peril.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Wonderful Bed

The Wonderful Bed

Gertrude Knevels

A mysterious four-poster bed serves as a gateway for three siblings, transporting them from a quiet, rainy night at their aunt’s house into a surreal, dream-like realm populated by toys and childhood fears.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Young Llanero: A Story of War and Wild Life in Venezuela

The Young Llanero: A Story of War and Wild Life in Venezuela

William Henry Giles Kingston

A young man finds his childhood home in Venezuela transformed into a battleground, forcing him to choose between a quiet life of safety and the perils of fighting for his country’s independence.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Through Swamp and Glade: A Tale of the Seminole War

Through Swamp and Glade: A Tale of the Seminole War

Kirk Munroe

This historical novel dramatizes the harrowing experiences of the Seminole people during the Second Seminole War, centering on the perspective of the young warrior Coacoochee. It captures a defining era of American expansion through a lens of resistance, betrayal, and the profound tragedy of displacement.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Virgin Saints and Martyrs

Virgin Saints and Martyrs

S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

The devotion of extraordinary women—from the early martyrs of Rome to the Victorian nurses of England—remains a powerful, if often overlooked, force in the shaping of history.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 3 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected

Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 3 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected

Mrs. (Anna) Jameson

HOOK This collection captures the vanished echoes of the nineteenth-century stage and the enduring ache of human longing across diverse cultures and distant lands.

Art6 min read
Cover of William Tyndale

William Tyndale

James J. (James Joseph) Ellis

The scholar who gave common people the Bible in their own language paid for the gift with his life, leaving behind a legacy that fundamentally shaped the English tongue and the spiritual history of his nation.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 13

Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 13

Unknown

The Borders of Scotland, where history and folklore bleed together, serve as the backdrop for these collected tales of common people, hidden fortunes, and the enduring power of provincial loyalty.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Part 4

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Part 4

Mark Twain

A nineteenth-century engineer finds himself abruptly transported into the brutal, superstitious world of Camelot, where he attempts to dismantle the foundations of feudalism using the tools of modern industry.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of A Course of Mechanical, Magnetical, Optical, Hydrostatical and Pneumatical Experiments: perform'd by Francis Hauksbee, and the Explanatory Lectures read by William Whiston, M.A

A Course of Mechanical, Magnetical, Optical, Hydrostatical and Pneumatical Experiments: perform'd by Francis Hauksbee, and the Explanatory Lectures read by William Whiston, M.A

William Whiston

This rigorous catalog of eighteenth-century scientific inquiry documents the fundamental mechanics of the natural world through a series of precise, hands-on demonstrations. It remains a foundational record of the transition from speculative philosophy to experimental physics.

Science - Physics6 min read
Cover of A Cry in the Wilderness

A Cry in the Wilderness

Mary E. (Mary Ella) Waller

A young woman flees the suffocating pressures of New York City to find a new life in the Canadian wilderness, where she must confront the heavy, inherited ghosts of her mother’s past.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of A History of the Four Georges and of William IV, Volume IV

A History of the Four Georges and of William IV, Volume IV

Justin H. (Justin Huntly) McCarthy

The transformation of Britain from a rigid, exclusionary monarchy into a modern parliamentary state is not a peaceful evolution, but a hard-fought, often volatile, and deeply human struggle.

History - British7 min read
Cover of A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

John Andreas Widtsoe

Man is an eternal being, an intelligence that pre-existed its birth and persists long after death, moving through a life designed for growth and joy. This work offers a systematic, logical exposition of the beliefs held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presenting the gospel as a coherent…

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of A Residence in France During the Years 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795, Part I. 1792: Described in a Series of Letters from an English Lady: with General and Incidental Remarks on the French Character and Manners

A Residence in France During the Years 1792, 1793, 1794 and 1795, Part I. 1792: Described in a Series of Letters from an English Lady: with General and Incidental Remarks on the French Character and Manners

Charlotte Biggs

A sharp-eyed witness chronicles the crumbling of French society from 1792 to 1795, providing a harrowing, intimate look at the daily anxieties of living under the shadow of the guillotine.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of A Society Clown: Reminiscences

A Society Clown: Reminiscences

George Grossmith

HOOK This memoir offers a candid, witty window into the Victorian stage, charting the life of a performer who navigated both the prestigious Savoy Theatre and the intimate, often unpredictable world of private drawing-room entertainment.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of A system of easy lettering

A system of easy lettering

John Howard Cromwell

Mastering the visual structure of the alphabet is a fundamental requirement for anyone engaged in drafting, engineering, or decorative arts. This instructional guide provides a reliable framework for achieving precision and clarity in hand-drawn lettering.

Art6 min read
Cover of A Wonderful Night

A Wonderful Night

James H. (James Henry) Snowden

The arrival of a singular life in a humble manger serves as the central axis of human history, a light that pierces the darkness of even the most tumultuous ages.

History - Religious7 min read
Cover of Allison Bain

Allison Bain

Margaret M. (Margaret Murray) Robertson

A woman seeks sanctuary from a shattered past, finding grace through quiet service and the slow, difficult work of forgiveness. Amid the mist-covered hills of Scotland, a fragile life finds strength in duty, ultimately reaching toward a new horizon across the sea.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Angola and the River Congo, vol. 1

Angola and the River Congo, vol. 1

Joachim John Monteiro

A firsthand account of nineteenth-century exploration and trade, this narrative illuminates the natural landscape and social customs of a region spanning from the Congo River to the coastal reaches of Angola.

History - Modern (1750+)6 min read
Cover of Arrah Neil

Arrah Neil

G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford) James

During the turbulence of the English Civil War, a young nobleman and a mysterious girl are swept into a dangerous web of political intrigue, hidden identities, and desperate survival.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of Ballad Book

Ballad Book

Unknown

These ancient songs capture the essence of a world long vanished, echoing with the voices of wandering minstrels and the stark, enduring truths of human experience. They serve as a vital bridge to the youth of our literature, speaking directly to the heart through tales of tragedy, romance, and the supernatural.

British Literature7 min read