The whole shelf
All free summaries — page 499
47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 499 of 988.

With Manchesters in the East
Hurst, Gerald B. (Gerald Berkeley), Sir
The Territorial soldier of the Great War was often a man of humble civilian origins whose quiet devotion to duty, rather than professional martial training, defined his contribution to the global conflict. This account preserves the memory of those citizen-soldiers who served in the East, capturing the mixture of…

A Hand-book of Precious Stones
Meyer D. Rothschild
This guide demystifies the world of gems, blending scientific rigor with the practical wisdom of a merchant to teach readers how to identify, evaluate, and appreciate precious stones.

A Soldier of the Legion: An Englishman's Adventures Under the French Flag in Algeria and Tonquin
George Manington
A young Englishman exchanges civilian life for the harsh discipline and jungle skirmishes of the French Foreign Legion.

Abroad with Mark Twain and Eugene Field
Henry W. (Henry William) Fischer
This collection of reminiscences captures the candid, off-the-cuff brilliance of two legendary American humorists during their restless, wandering years abroad.

Andersonville: A Story of Rebel Military Prisons
John McElroy
A harrowing, firsthand account of life and death within the Confederacy's most notorious prison, this record chronicles the endurance of Union soldiers facing starvation, disease, and the collapse of humanity behind a wooden stockade.

Bamboo Tales
Ira L. (Ira Louis) Reeves
These sketches of military life capture the frantic, brutal, and often absurd reality of the American occupation of the Philippines at the turn of the twentieth century.

Barbara Lynn: A Tale of the Dales and Fells
Emily J. Jenkinson
The rugged landscapes of the Westmorland dales provide the backdrop for a quiet, atmospheric meditation on duty, intellectual longing, and the weight of ancestral history.

Beneficiary Features of American Trade Unions
James Boyd Kennedy
A foundational study of how American trade unions evolved from simple labor collectives into complex social safety nets through the development of mutual insurance and benefit programs.

Betsy Gaskins (Dimicrat), Wife of Jobe Gaskins (Republican)
W. I. (William I.) Hood
A cautionary tale of rural hardship in the 1890s, this work blends domestic fiction with a polemical defense of Populist economic theories, centering on a couple caught in the tightening grip of a national financial crisis.

Bowser the Hound
Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess
A lost and weary hound finds his way home through the winter woods, guided not by his own nose, but by the clever, meddling, and surprisingly empathetic interventions of a local crow.

Brenda, Her School and Her Club
Helen Leah Reed
A spirited young Bostonian must navigate the shifting dynamics of her social circle when an unexpected arrival challenges her status as the leader of her close-knit group of friends.

Brother Against Brother
John R. (John Roy) Musick
The tragedy of a family divided by the American Civil War serves as the backdrop for a tale of reconciliation, proving that even the deepest political fissures can be bridged by human affection and shared history.

Bully and Bawly No-Tail (the Jumping Frogs)
Howard Roger Garis
Young frog brothers navigate a series of perils, clever escapes, and domestic mishaps in these whimsical, episodic tales of woodland life. They rely on quick thinking and surprising tricks to outsmart their natural foes.

Captured by the Navajos
Charles A. (Charles Albert) Curtis
Across the rugged, sun-drenched landscapes of the American Southwest during the Civil War, a small detachment of soldiers and two courageous brothers navigate the perils of frontier life. This classic adventure follows their struggle for survival, rescue, and growth amidst the harsh realities of a changing borderland.

Comic Insects
F. A. S. (Francis Andrew Spilsbury) Reid
These rhyming fables invite readers into an imaginary classroom where tiny creatures shed their silence to impart moral lessons. Through verse and illustration, the natural world transforms into a series of cautionary tales and cheerful observations.

Craters of the Moon: A Guide to Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho
United States. National Park Service. Division of Publications
This practical guide offers a deep, multifaceted examination of the volcanic landscapes of Idaho’s Craters of the Moon, blending geological history with visitor logistics and natural observation.

Crusaders of New France: A Chronicle of the Fleur-de-Lis in the Wilderness
William Bennett Munro
New France once stood as the center of a grand Bourbon vision, a wilderness empire that stretched from the icy Gulf of St. Lawrence to the warm, distant waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Cycling art, energy, and locomotion
Robert P. (Robert Pittis) Scott
A pioneering examination of human kinetics and mechanical design, this work explores the transition from the high-wheeled "Ordinary" to the modern "Safety" bicycle through the lens of physics, engineering, and the enthusiast’s experience.

Dandy Dick: A Play in Three Acts
Arthur Wing Pinero
A dignified clergyman finds his carefully curated life unraveling when he is inadvertently drawn into the disreputable world of horse racing. His struggle to maintain professional decorum amidst mounting chaos forms the heart of this enduring farce.

Dave Dawson with the R.A.F
Robert Sidney Bowen
A young American pilot and his British comrade go behind enemy lines to secure intelligence that could halt a Nazi invasion. Their daring mission tests the limits of courage and the strength of their bond.

Dennison Grant: A Novel of To-day
Robert J. C. Stead
HOOK A man rejects his father’s hollow wealth to forge a life in the Canadian foothills, only to find that personal integrity and romantic longing are harder to master than the rugged wilderness.

Dig Here!
Gladys Allen
A summer holiday in a quiet New England town turns into a frantic treasure hunt when two girls discover a cryptic note and a locked house.

Divorce versus Democracy
G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton
The preservation of the family bond is not merely a private affair, but a vital democratic bulwark against the encroachment of the wealthy and powerful.

Dorothy Dix—her book
Dorothy Dix
This collection of observations offers a candid, sharp-tongued guide to the complexities of domestic life, written by a columnist who viewed marriage as a demanding, often baffling, yet essential trade.

Drawn at a Venture: A Collection of Drawings
Fougasse
The sharp, observational humor of a post-war sensibility captures the small, absurd frustrations of daily life. These sketches transform mundane social encounters into moments of gentle, enduring recognition.

Dyke Darrel the Railroad Detective
A. Frank Pinkerton
The exploits of a celebrated railway detective unfold in this vintage thriller, a breathless race against time featuring train robberies, underground prisons, and a calculated quest for vengeance.

El Diablo
Brayton Norton
A young entrepreneur faces a ruthless labor cartel and a deadly secret while struggling to keep his fishing business afloat in the treacherous waters off Southern California.

English Pharisees, French Crocodiles, and Other Anglo-French Typical Characters
Max O'Rell
This collection of social commentary offers a sharp, witty, and deeply subjective comparison of the English and French characters, written by an author who spent a lifetime observing both.

Evelyn Byrd
George Cary Eggleston
A portrait of resilience during the final, desperate years of the Civil War, this narrative centers on the quiet courage of those who held their ground when victory had become an impossibility.

False Dawn (The 'Forties)
Edith Wharton
A young man stakes his future on a collection of radical art, only to be disowned by a father who cannot see the genius hidden beneath the dust. This is a story of vision, inheritance, and the tragic irony of timing.

Foxglove Manor: A Novel, Volume 1 (of 3)
Robert Williams Buchanan
The Reverend Charles Santley, a man of profound intellectual doubt, hides a burning, animal nature behind his clerical robes. His struggle to reconcile his faith with his forbidden desires leads to a psychological unraveling that threatens the peace of his quiet village.

From School to Battle-field: A Story of the War Days
Charles King
In the transition from the classroom to the front lines of the American Civil War, two inseparable schoolboys find their bond tested by social prejudice, false accusation, and the chaos of early combat.

Harbor Tales Down North: With an Appreciation by Wilfred T. Grenfell, M.D
Norman Duncan
Life on the jagged, ice-choked coast of Labrador is a relentless test of endurance, where human character is forged in the crucible of wind, wave, and isolation. These narratives capture the stark, salt-sprayed reality of existence in the northern harbors, where every man must be a master of his own survival.

Hard Pressed
Fred M. (Fred Merrick) White
A desperate scramble for fortune and reputation plays out on the English turf, where a web of gambling debts and high-stakes manipulation threatens to destroy an old family’s legacy.

Historic Handbook of the Northern Tour: Lakes George and Champlain
Francis Parkman
This collection of historical narratives illuminates the pivotal, blood-stained events of the colonial struggle for North America, centered on the strategic waterways and frontier outposts of New France.

Historical materialism and the economics of Karl Marx
Benedetto Croce
This rigorous intellectual inquiry dissects the theoretical foundations of historical materialism and Marxian economic thought, arguing for a nuanced understanding of their scientific and philosophical utility. It balances critical appreciation with a demand for logical precision.

Hoisting Appliances
International Correspondence Schools
This technical manual provides a comprehensive examination of the mechanical systems required to move materials and personnel vertically in mining operations. It serves as a foundational guide for engineers, focusing on the physics and structural integrity of industrial hoisting machinery.

How to Succeed as an Inventor: Showing the Wonderful Possibilities in the Field of Invention
Goodwin Brooke Smith
Navigating the treacherous waters of the patent system requires more than just a bright idea; it demands the cold, hard discipline of a businessman.

In Search of a Siberian Klondike
Washington Baker Vanderlip
The promise of untold wealth lures a prospector into the frozen, unforgiving reaches of northeastern Asia. What follows is a rugged, firsthand account of a search for gold that finds only ice, isolation, and the stubborn persistence of the human spirit.

John Stevens' Courtship: A Story of the Echo Canyon War
Susa Young Gates
HOOK Set against the backdrop of the 1857 Utah Expedition, this romance follows a stoic frontiersman and his spirited beloved as they navigate the peril and sacrifice of pioneer life.

Johnny Nut and the Golden Goose
Charles Deulin
A simpleton’s quest for a holiday meal spirals into a chaotic, magical procession, proving that even a life guided by foolishness can stumble into greatness.

Keep-Well Stories for Little Folks
May Farinholt Jones
A child’s body is a bustling, complex engine, and maintaining its smooth operation requires the steady hand of a watchful engineer. This guide to healthy living translates scientific necessity into the language of childhood wonder.

Lancaster's Choice
Miller, Alex. McVeigh, Mrs.
The tension between inherited duty and individual heart is at the center of this Victorian-era drama. A young captain must navigate his aunt’s pressure to marry for money, only to find his own path complicated by a woman who is not what she seems.

Leadwork, Old and Ornamental and for the most part English
W. R. (William Richard) Lethaby
A quiet, scholarly appreciation of a neglected medium, this study reveals how the humble plumber’s metal once defined the character of English architecture and garden design. It rescues lead from invisibility, showing that when treated with respect for its intrinsic properties, it becomes a material of enduring grace.

Life of Robert Browning
William Sharp
This life of a titan of Victorian literature balances intimate biographical detail with a critical survey of the poet’s complex, often challenging body of work. It captures the essential trajectory of a genius who remained unfazed by both early neglect and late-life adulation.

List of post offices in Canada, with the names of the postmasters ... 1860
Canada. Post Office Department
This volume serves as a rigid, administrative snapshot of Canada’s communications infrastructure on the first day of 1860. It functions as a comprehensive directory, pairing every established post office in the Province of Canada with its presiding postmaster and regional electoral division.

Love's Shadow
Ada Leverson
In the polished drawing rooms of Edwardian London, a group of young socialites discovers that the most dangerous, volatile element in their lives is not scandal, but marriage.

Madame Gilbert's Cannibal
Bennet Copplestone
A spirited, resourceful woman navigates the collision of colonial inheritance and raw, unbridled humanity when she attempts to bring a "savage" Melanesian heir to his rightful place in the British peerage.