myebooksbuy
My Books

The whole shelf

All free summaries — page 495

47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 495 of 988.

Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 58, No. 362, December 1845

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 58, No. 362, December 1845

Various

This mid-nineteenth-century literary periodical serves as a vibrant, kaleidoscopic window into the Victorian intellectual climate, gathering military history, travelogues, political commentary, and fiction into one authoritative monthly collection.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 364, February 1846

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 364, February 1846

Various

This collection offers a kaleidoscopic view of the mid-Victorian intellectual landscape, blending sharp political analysis, historical retrospection, and the serialized fiction that defined the era’s literary appetite.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 63, No. 392, June, 1848

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 63, No. 392, June, 1848

Various

This collection offers a visceral window into the political anxieties and cultural preoccupations of the mid-nineteenth century, capturing a world in the throes of seismic change. It is a vital primary record of how a prominent British periodical viewed the volatile landscape of 1848, from the collapse of European…

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Burr Junior

Burr Junior

George Manville Fenn

HOOK A young boy leaves the comfort of his home to face the daunting social hierarchies of a traditional English boarding school, where he finds that physical courage and unlikely friendships are his best defenses against bullies.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2. No. 17, February, 1921: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and Filosophy

Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Vol. 2. No. 17, February, 1921: America's Magazine of Wit, Humor and Filosophy

Various

This collection of early twentieth-century American humor captures the irreverent, restless spirit of the post-World War I era. Through a mix of short jokes, cynical verse, and observational commentary, it offers a distinct, unfiltered look at the preoccupations of the 1920s.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Charlemagne

Charlemagne

Ferdinand Schmidt

Charlemagne stands as a foundational titan of European history, a ruler who bridged the divide between a fractured, tribal past and a unified, Christian imperial future. This biography traces his transformation from a Frankish warrior-king into the architect of a continent-spanning empire.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Cupology: How to Be Entertaining

Cupology: How to Be Entertaining

Clara

Fortune-telling and social etiquette collide in this guide to domestic amusement, proving that a teacup holds as many secrets as a deck of cards.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of Dick Darling's Money

Dick Darling's Money

Various

An industrious office boy navigates a series of perilous encounters with criminals and jewel thieves in this fast-paced tale of integrity and unexpected fortune.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Drift from Two Shores

Drift from Two Shores

Bret Harte

These diverse sketches and stories capture the fractured, wandering soul of the American West. Through eccentric characters and shifting landscapes, they reveal a world defined by its transient arrivals and departures.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Erewhon Revisited Twenty Years Later, Both by the Original Discoverer of the Country and by His Son

Erewhon Revisited Twenty Years Later, Both by the Original Discoverer of the Country and by His Son

Samuel Butler

The mystery of a forgotten land invites a return, revealing how swiftly a departure can turn into a myth. What happens when a man encounters the religion built upon his own accidental legend?

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Evolution of Life and Form: Four lectures delivered at the twenty-third anniversary meeting of the Theosophical Society at Adyar, Madras, 1898

Evolution of Life and Form: Four lectures delivered at the twenty-third anniversary meeting of the Theosophical Society at Adyar, Madras, 1898

Annie Besant

This work explores the grand, interconnected tapestry of existence, positing that human consciousness and the natural world are twin aspects of a singular, evolving divine purpose.

Philosophy & Ethics7 min read
Cover of Excursions in North Wales: A Complete Guide to the Tourist Through That Romantic Country

Excursions in North Wales: A Complete Guide to the Tourist Through That Romantic Country

John Hicklin

The ancient mountains and storied ruins of North Wales offer a sanctuary for the curious traveler. This guide transforms a journey through rugged landscapes into an exploration of history, legend, and the natural world.

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of Familiar Talks on Science: World-Building and Life

Familiar Talks on Science: World-Building and Life

Elisha Gray

The physical world is not a static backdrop, but a dynamic, interconnected system where the sun acts as an architect of life and geological change. Natural phenomena, once considered mysterious, are revealed here as wonders governed by consistent, universal laws.

Science - Earth/Agricultural/Farming6 min read
Cover of Family fare

Family fare

United States. Agricultural Research Service. Human Nutrition Research Division

Feeding a family with both nutrition and economy in mind requires planning, knowledge of ingredients, and a repertoire of reliable recipes. This practical handbook distills government research into a guide for everyday home cooking.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of Fanny's First Novel

Fanny's First Novel

Frank Frankfort Moore

A shy, overlooked daughter of a celebrated music master finds her voice by penning a secret novel, only to discover that fame demands a price her private heart may not be able to pay.

Novels5 min read
Cover of Fore!

Fore!

Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan

A dedicated golfer is someone who has made his peace with the red-hot adjectives and the inevitable heartbreak of the fairways. These stories offer a sharp, knowing look at the people who populate the world of the club.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Fragments of voyages and travels, including anecdotes of a naval life

Fragments of voyages and travels, including anecdotes of a naval life

Basil Hall

A spirited and firsthand account of life in the British Royal Navy, this work captures the rigors, absurdities, and camaraderie of the sea through the eyes of a young officer coming of age.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of François the waif

François the waif

George Sand

The story follows an abandoned child, known as a “waif,” who finds a home with a kind miller’s wife and eventually matures into a man who claims his own destiny. It is a pastoral romance set in the French countryside, celebrated for its depiction of simple, profound devotion and the resilience of the human heart in…

French Literature6 min read
Cover of From the Easy Chair, Volume 1

From the Easy Chair, Volume 1

George William Curtis

The perspective of an observant, mid-nineteenth-century gentleman offers a window into the shifting social habits, cultural milestones, and civic anxieties of a nation navigating its own adolescence.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Frying Pan Farm

Frying Pan Farm

Elizabeth Brown Pryor

A portrait of a vanishing American landscape, this chronicle traces the transformation of Virginia’s rural heartland from a self-sufficient farming community into a modern suburban memory.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Giotto

Giotto

Harry Quilter

The history of an artist who first gave painting a human voice, this volume serves as both a biography and a critical guide for the modern eye. It reconstructs the life and enduring influence of the Italian master.

Art6 min read
Cover of Gray Lady and the Birds: Stories of the Bird Year for Home and School

Gray Lady and the Birds: Stories of the Bird Year for Home and School

Mabel Osgood Wright

A teacher guides children toward a deeper understanding of the natural world, fostering a protective affection for the birds that inhabit their New England home. This instructional narrative blends storytelling with field observation to encourage environmental stewardship.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Harry Joscelyn

Harry Joscelyn

Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant

The quiet rhythms of rural English life are irrevocably disrupted when a young woman travels to Italy, seeking to bridge the vast, silent distance between her family and a long-vanished brother.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Historical Characters in the Reign of Queen Anne

Historical Characters in the Reign of Queen Anne

Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant

This elegant biographical study examines the intersection of power, personality, and literary genius during a transformative era in British history. It invites readers into the private rooms and public theaters of the early eighteenth century.

History - British6 min read
Cover of How Mr. Rabbit Lost his Tail: Hollow Tree Stories

How Mr. Rabbit Lost his Tail: Hollow Tree Stories

Albert Bigelow Paine

In the heart of the Big Deep Woods, the residents of a hollow tree gather by the fire to trade tall tales, settle ancient family history, and share the warmth of friendship during a long, snowy winter.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Hugh Selwyn Mauberley

Hugh Selwyn Mauberley

Ezra Pound

The modern artist stands as a fragile, displaced observer, struggling to preserve a sense of grace against an age that prizes only the loud, the profitable, and the ephemeral. This work captures the slow, inevitable erosion of the individual who refuses to conform to a society obsessed with mass production.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Hymns in Human Experience

Hymns in Human Experience

William J. (William John) Hart

A testament to the enduring power of music in the human heart, these pages explore how ancient hymns have served as anchors, comforts, and expressions of faith through the most profound trials of life.

Music6 min read
Cover of Immensee

Immensee

Theodor Storm

The story of a brief, untethered youth and the haunting, inescapable silence of a love left behind, this novella captures the ache of things that might have been.

German Literature6 min read
Cover of Jaundice: Its Pathology and Treatment: With the Application of Physiological Chemistry to the Detection and Treatment of Diseases of the Liver and Pancreas

Jaundice: Its Pathology and Treatment: With the Application of Physiological Chemistry to the Detection and Treatment of Diseases of the Liver and Pancreas

George Harley

The yellow tint of the skin is not merely a cosmetic concern, but a complex chemical signal from the liver and pancreas, demanding precise diagnostic investigation.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of John Gutenberg, First Master Printer: His Acts and Most Remarkable Discourses and his Death

John Gutenberg, First Master Printer: His Acts and Most Remarkable Discourses and his Death

Franz von Dingelstedt

The life of a visionary is often marked by obscurity, and this account follows the inventor of the printing press through his final years of struggle, blindness, and exile.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Landmarks of Charleston: Including Description of an Incomparable Stroll

Landmarks of Charleston: Including Description of an Incomparable Stroll

Thomas Petigru Lesesne

This guide invites visitors to trace the evolution of Charleston from a colonial British outpost to a modern city, mapping its storied architecture, historic gardens, and enduring landmarks.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Leighton

Leighton

A. L. (Alfred Lys) Baldry

A life defined by the pursuit of aesthetic perfection, this account explores the career of a renowned Victorian artist who sought to elevate British culture through the enduring, statuesque beauty of the classical tradition.

Art7 min read
Cover of Letters Concerning Poetical Translations: And Virgil's and Milton's Arts of Verse, &c

Letters Concerning Poetical Translations: And Virgil's and Milton's Arts of Verse, &c

William Benson

An articulate defense of the English language’s inherent musicality, this work argues that the secret to great poetry lies not in mere meaning, but in the sophisticated architecture of sound and rhythm.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Life among the butterflies

Life among the butterflies

Vance Randolph

A curious, precise investigation into the hidden lives of winged insects, offering a window into the complex biological machinery and survival strategies of the creatures that grace our gardens.

Nature/Gardening/Animals6 min read
Cover of Malayan Literature: Comprising Romantic Tales, Epic Poetry and Royal Chronicles

Malayan Literature: Comprising Romantic Tales, Epic Poetry and Royal Chronicles

Chauncey C. (Chauncey Clark) Starkweather

These collected tales and chronicles weave a tapestry of oriental romance, supernatural intrigue, and royal morality, capturing the enduring spirit of an ancient narrative tradition.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Mason of Bar X Ranch

Mason of Bar X Ranch

Henry Holcomb Bennett

HOOK A reckless, wealthy socialite is banished to a rugged Nevada ranch, where he must trade his fast-paced life of dissipation for the hard-won respect of cowboys and the pursuit of a dangerous criminal.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Maxims and counsels of St. Francis de Sales for every day of the year

Maxims and counsels of St. Francis de Sales for every day of the year

Francis, de Sales, Saint

The path to inner peace is not found in grand gestures, but in the quiet, daily surrender of one’s own will to a higher purpose, practiced with gentle persistence rather than anxious striving.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of Memoirs of Sir Wemyss Reid 1842-1885

Memoirs of Sir Wemyss Reid 1842-1885

T. Wemyss (Thomas Wemyss) Reid

The life of a Victorian journalist reveals the intersection of personal ambition, national politics, and the rapid, often turbulent, evolution of the British press during the nineteenth century.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Memorials of the Sea: My Father: Being Records of the Adventurous Life of the Late William Scoresby, Esq. of Whitby

Memorials of the Sea: My Father: Being Records of the Adventurous Life of the Late William Scoresby, Esq. of Whitby

William Scoresby

This portrait of a legendary Arctic commander captures the grit and ingenuity of a life defined by the unforgiving demands of the northern whale fishery. It serves as both a biography and a tribute to a vanished maritime era.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mind Amongst the Spindles. A Miscellany, Wholly Composed by the Factory Girls

Mind Amongst the Spindles. A Miscellany, Wholly Composed by the Factory Girls

Unknown

These voices emerged from the deafening machinery of mid-nineteenth-century Massachusetts, proving that the mind could flourish even amidst the relentless rhythm of the spinning jenny. They offer a rare, unmediated glimpse into the intellectual lives of women who were far more than the sum of their labor.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Mr. Wicker's Window

Mr. Wicker's Window

Carley Dawson

A young boy, burdened by the fear of losing his mother, discovers a secret world of magic and adventure hidden within a dusty Georgetown antique shop.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous

Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous

Unknown

This practical guide dispels the common fear of wild fungi, inviting the American public to harvest a nutritious, spontaneous food source that has long gone to waste in our forests.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of My Pet Recipes, Tried and True: Contributed by the Ladies and Friends of St. Andrew's Church, Quebec

My Pet Recipes, Tried and True: Contributed by the Ladies and Friends of St. Andrew's Church, Quebec

Various

A collection of time-tested kitchen wisdom, this volume preserves the domestic culture of Quebec at the turn of the century through the shared recipes of a local church community. It serves as a culinary time capsule, blending traditional methods with the practical needs of household management.

Cooking & Drinking5 min read
Cover of Northcliffe boys

Northcliffe boys

Charlotte Grace O'Brien

A boy’s steady integrity and gentle persistence bring hope to his struggling family, proving that even a simple life can be a powerful force for good.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 172, February 12, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Notes and Queries, Number 172, February 12, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Various

A repository of Victorian curiosity, this periodical serves as a vibrant clearinghouse for the obscure, the scholarly, and the unexplained, inviting readers to document the vanishing minutiae of history, language, and folklore.

History - Other6 min read
Cover of Our Little Cuban Cousin

Our Little Cuban Cousin

Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade

A young girl living through the upheaval of the Spanish-American War finds her quiet island home transformed by the promise of freedom and a new relationship with her northern neighbors.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Peeps at Many Lands: Turkey

Peeps at Many Lands: Turkey

Julius R. Van Millingen

This guide offers a rare, immersive window into the Ottoman Empire during a pivotal moment of political transition, capturing the daily rhythms, diverse cultures, and enduring landscapes of a world on the cusp of modernity.

History - Other5 min read
Cover of Pittsburgh Main Thoroughfares and the Down Town District: Improvements Necessary to Meet the City's Present and Future Needs

Pittsburgh Main Thoroughfares and the Down Town District: Improvements Necessary to Meet the City's Present and Future Needs

Frederick Law Olmsted

HOOK This technical report offers a meticulous, visionary blueprint for transforming a congested, industrial landscape into a modern, navigable city. It serves as a masterclass in urban planning for the early twentieth-century American metropolis.

Architecture6 min read