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3,125 public-domain books, summarised. Page 52 of 66.

Cover of Silas Marner

Silas Marner

George Eliot

A lonely, disillusioned weaver finds his life transformed when a golden-haired foundling wanders into his cottage, replacing his lost obsession with hoarded coins.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of In the land of the gods

In the land of the gods

Alice Mabel Bacon

Ancient folklore and modern domestic life converge in these tales, where the boundaries between the living, the dead, and the divine remain perpetually porous.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The House of the Seven Gables

The House of the Seven Gables

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A decaying mansion, burdened by a centuries-old curse and the weight of ancestral sins, imprisons the final, fragile remnants of a proud but shattered family.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama 1497-1499

A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama 1497-1499

Ernest Georg Ravenstein

The first maritime expedition to reach India from Europe by sailing around Africa reveals a world of unexpected encounters, precarious diplomacy, and the rigid, enduring ambition of a kingdom determined to dominate global spice trade routes.

History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)6 min read
Cover of The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer

The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer

Arthur Schopenhauer

The human mind is a battlefield where we fight not for truth, but for victory. This collection of posthumous writings captures a brilliant, cynical, and relentlessly honest map of that struggle.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of The Roman Traitor, Vol. 2

The Roman Traitor, Vol. 2

Henry William Herbert

A desperate conspiracy threatens to topple the Roman Republic, pitting the relentless ambition of a disgraced aristocrat against the unwavering vigilance of a consul sworn to save the state.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851

Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, July, 1851

Various

This collection offers a multifaceted glimpse into the mid-nineteenth-century American mind, blending historical reflection, scientific inquiry, and serialized fiction within a single periodical volume.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Makers of British Botany

Makers of British Botany

Unknown

This collection of biographical essays chronicles the evolution of British botanical science, tracing its development from the pioneering taxonomies of the seventeenth century to the complex ecological and physiological research of the early twentieth.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Folk-Lore and Legends: North American Indian

Folk-Lore and Legends: North American Indian

Anonymous

Through a collection of mythic narratives and moral parables, these accounts offer an enduring glimpse into the imaginative landscapes and cultural beliefs of North American indigenous peoples.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines

H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard

Three men venture into a pathless African wilderness to solve a missing-person mystery, only to discover a hidden civilization and a fabled hoard of diamonds.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Tales of the Malayan Coast: From Penang to the Philippines

Tales of the Malayan Coast: From Penang to the Philippines

Rounsevelle Wildman

The Far East of the late nineteenth century comes alive in this collection of adventurous encounters, where the steaming jungles of Malaya meet the expanding reach of American and British influence.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates

Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates

Plato

A man stands trial in Athens, refuses to abandon his principles in the face of death, and spends his final hours debating the nature of the soul.

Classics of Literature7 min read
Cover of Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War

Mr. Dooley in Peace and in War

Finley Peter Dunne

A sharp-tongued Chicago saloonkeeper offers a running, irreverent commentary on the politics and pretensions of the late nineteenth century. He finds the humor in human folly, whether it lives in the White House or next door.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Of Natural and Supernatural Things: Also of the first Tincture, Root, and Spirit of Metals and Minerals, how the same are Conceived, Generated, Brought forth, Changed, and Augmented

Of Natural and Supernatural Things: Also of the first Tincture, Root, and Spirit of Metals and Minerals, how the same are Conceived, Generated, Brought forth, Changed, and Augmented

Basilius Valentinus

The natural world is a veil, and beneath it lies a hidden, spiritual architecture governed by divine law. To study the transmutation of metals is, for the initiate, to participate in the ongoing creation of God.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of What Is Man? and Other Essays

What Is Man? and Other Essays

Mark Twain

The human being is a machine of flesh, driven by the singular, unyielding impulse to satisfy its own temperament and secure personal contentment. This collection of essays examines the architecture of that internal engine with relentless, inquisitive skepticism.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of An Australian Lassie

An Australian Lassie

Lilian Turner

A spirited, imaginative girl attempts to transform her family’s fortunes by staging a ghostly intervention, only to discover that the complexities of real life are far more demanding than her storybook dreams.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria in the Light of Recent Discovery

History of Egypt, Chaldea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria in the Light of Recent Discovery

L. W. (Leonard William) King

This survey serves as a rigorous supplement to established historical narratives, documenting the pivotal archaeological findings that redefined our understanding of ancient civilizations in Egypt and Western Asia at the turn of the twentieth century.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of English: Composition and Literature

English: Composition and Literature

W. F. (William Franklin) Webster

The art of clear expression is not a burden to be endured, but a skill to be mastered by those who wish to command the attention of the world.

Language & Communication8 min read
Cover of Spacehounds of IPC

Spacehounds of IPC

E. E. (Edward Elmer) Smith

The vast, unforgiving void of interplanetary space is not a playground, but a battleground where engineering ingenuity is the only difference between survival and total annihilation.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore

Marjorie Dean, College Sophomore

Josephine Chase

A sophomore at Hamilton College navigates academic life, sports, and the persistent antagonism of a rival clique. She works to foster unity and fairness among the student body while facing off-campus challenges and hazing.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects

The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects

Edward J. Ruppelt

The skies hold mysteries, but most have terrestrial answers. This authoritative account peels back the curtain on the military’s decades-long investigation into unidentified flying objects, balancing official skepticism against the stubborn persistence of the unknown.

History - Modern (1750+)6 min read
Cover of Ting-a-ling

Ting-a-ling

Frank R. Stockton

In this whimsical collection of interconnected tales, a tiny fairy and a benevolent giant navigate a world of magic, absurd bureaucracy, and sudden, matter-of-fact wonder.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Encyclopedia of Needlework

Encyclopedia of Needlework

Thérèse de Dillmont

A comprehensive masterclass in needlework, this volume serves as an exhaustive technical guide for the dedicated crafter. It provides structured, step-by-step instruction on an vast array of traditional techniques, from plain sewing to intricate lace-making.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of An Essay on Man

An Essay on Man

Alexander Pope

The poet seeks the hidden clockwork of the human heart, mapping our shared failures and divine sparks. He argues that our flaws are not accidents but essential parts of a grand, balanced design.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The Grammar School Boys of Gridley

The Grammar School Boys of Gridley

H. Irving (Harrie Irving) Hancock

A group of quick-witted grammar school students navigate small-town rivalries, local justice, and a series of perilous encounters with a persistent criminal in this brisk, turn-of-the-century adventure.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847

Various

A multifaceted window into the nineteenth-century intellectual landscape, this collection captures the era’s urgent debates on political philosophy, folklore, and the shifting boundaries of social morality.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Outlines of Dairy Bacteriology, 8th edition: A Concise Manual for the Use of Students in Dairying

Outlines of Dairy Bacteriology, 8th edition: A Concise Manual for the Use of Students in Dairying

H. L. (Harry Luman) Russell

The invisible, teeming world of microorganisms dictates the quality, safety, and flavor of every dairy product we consume. By mastering the science of these tiny life forms, the practical dairy operator transforms a volatile, perishable liquid into a stable and wholesome commodity.

Science - Biology6 min read
Cover of The Corner House Girls at School

The Corner House Girls at School

Grace Brooks Hill

A quartet of sisters discovers that independence and curiosity carry a price, especially when a mysterious circus runaway enters their quiet lives.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Mud and Khaki: Sketches from Flanders and France

Mud and Khaki: Sketches from Flanders and France

Vernon Bartlett

The struggle of the common soldier in the Great War is captured here not through grand strategy, but through the intimate, gritty details of daily survival in the trenches of France and Flanders.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61

Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61

Abner Doubleday

A firsthand account of the tension and tactical maneuvering that defined the opening shots of the American Civil War from within the walls of a besieged federal outpost.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Rollo in Rome

Rollo in Rome

Jacob Abbott

A young boy travels through the eternal city, learning that the true depth of history is best discovered through patience, careful observation, and the occasional guidance of a trusted mentor.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Gospel of Luke, an exposition

The Gospel of Luke, an exposition

Charles Rosenbury Erdman

This commentary serves as a devotional and analytical guide to the third Gospel, meticulously tracing the life of Jesus from his miraculous birth to his final ascension into heaven. It offers a structured, verse-by-verse exploration of the narrative, designed to illuminate the theological significance of the…

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of The Grain Ship

The Grain Ship

Morgan Robertson

A veteran sailor’s tales of the high seas unfold in these linked stories, where the line between nautical duty and the supernatural blurs into a fight for survival.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Totem and taboo

Totem and taboo

Sigmund Freud

The dark origins of human society and religion are mirrored in the private, compulsive rituals of the mentally ill. By connecting ancestral taboo with modern neurosis, a radical map of the human psyche is drawn.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Lord Jim

Lord Jim

Joseph Conrad

A man’s life is defined by a single moment of cowardice, a choice that haunts his conscience and drives him to seek redemption in the farthest corners of the world.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Shadow World

The Shadow World

Hamlin Garland

This book documents a years-long investigation into the reality of spiritualism, recording the struggle to balance scientific skepticism with the persistent, inexplicable phenomena observed in the presence of various mediums.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of My Ántonia

My Ántonia

Willa Cather

A nostalgic and evocative portrait of the American frontier, this narrative captures the enduring bond between two childhood friends as they navigate the shifting landscapes of youth, hardship, and the inevitable passage of time.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of On Love

On Love

Stendhal

That you should be made a fool of by a young woman, why, it is many an honest man's case. Such is the opening gambit of this searching, often eccentric inquiry into the mechanics of human passion.

Gender & Sexuality Studies7 min read
Cover of Over the Rocky Mountains to Alaska

Over the Rocky Mountains to Alaska

Charles Warren Stoddard

This account of a turn-of-the-century voyage captures the transition from the bustling, frontier ambition of the American West to the silent, subarctic majesty of the Alaskan wilderness. It is a travelogue of fading empires and untouched landscapes.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

The Rape of the Lock, and Other Poems

Alexander Pope

The world of eighteenth-century society, with its trivial feuds and towering vanities, is captured here with a razor-sharp wit that finds cosmic significance in the smallest of human follies.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Faust: A Tragedy

Faust: A Tragedy

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A scholar’s bargain with the devil becomes a harrowing voyage through the heights of human ambition and the depths of personal ruin. This legendary drama examines whether a restless soul can ever find contentment in a world of fleeting pleasures and moral shadows.

Classics of Literature6 min read
Cover of The Forsaken Inn: A Novel

The Forsaken Inn: A Novel

Anna Katharine Green

An eerie, dilapidated inn hides a lethal secret behind its oak-paneled walls. A haunting investigation unfolds, revealing a legacy of betrayal, lost love, and the relentless reach of past crimes.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of The House of Souls

The House of Souls

Arthur Machen

The veil between our mundane world and a terrifying, ancient reality is gossamer-thin. In these pages, the shadows of Victorian London harbor forces that defy sanity and rewrite the laws of existence.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Half a Hero: A Novel

Half a Hero: A Novel

Anthony Hope

The political arena is a place of shifting alliances and hidden debts, where a man’s public triumphs are often shadowed by the weight of a secret, unvarnished past. This narrative explores the steep cost of ambition when the ideals of a leader collide with the rigid expectations of the ruling class.

Novels5 min read
Cover of Aunt Jo's scrap-bag, Volume 6

Aunt Jo's scrap-bag, Volume 6

Louisa May Alcott

This collection of short stories and sketches offers a gentle, fireside view of nineteenth-century childhood, blending moral instruction with whimsical imagination. It serves as a window into a vanished world of farm-house kitchens, imaginative play, and the simple joys of a slower era.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Lucile Triumphant

Lucile Triumphant

Elizabeth M. Duffield

A group of inseparable friends embarks on a grand European tour that transforms from a lighthearted sightseeing adventure into a dramatic race against the gathering shadows of the Great War.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals

The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals

Charles Darwin

Human expressions are not merely social cues, but vestiges of survival instincts shared across the animal kingdom. By tracing the biological origins of tears, frowns, and smiles, a profound continuity between man and beast is revealed.

Psychiatry/Psychology6 min read
Cover of The Woman from Outside: [On Swan River]

The Woman from Outside: [On Swan River]

Hulbert Footner

In the isolated Canadian North, a stoic police sergeant hunts a mysterious man living in the wilderness, only to become entangled with a woman who has forgotten her own past.

Adventure6 min read
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