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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 686 of 988.

Cover of The causes of prostitution

The causes of prostitution

James Peter Warbasse

Society often blames individual women for their circumstances, yet the true origins of systemic exploitation lie in economic disparity, inadequate education, and the pervasive indifference of a culture that profits from human misery.

Gender & Sexuality Studies6 min read
Cover of The Christmas Kalends of Provence: And Some Other Provençal Festivals

The Christmas Kalends of Provence: And Some Other Provençal Festivals

Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone) Janvier

This evocative travelogue captures the fading beauty of traditional Provençal life, weaving together ancient Christmas customs, the vibrant culture of local poets, and the enduring grandeur of Roman theater under the Mediterranean sun.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of The Christmas Story from David Harum

The Christmas Story from David Harum

Edward Noyes Westcott

Generosity wears a rough coat in a small upstate town, where a sharp-witted banker turned horse-trader uses a quiet Christmas morning to settle an old score and rewrite a widow's desperate future.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The dreams of Chang and other stories

The dreams of Chang and other stories

Ivan Alekseevich Bunin

The world is a vast, indifferent stage where human ambition and suffering play out against the backdrop of an eternal, uncaring sea. These stories capture the fleeting nature of existence with cold, crystalline precision.

Short Stories6 min read
Cover of The Earl's promise

The Earl's promise

Riddell, J. H., Mrs.

A young woman inherits a fortune and finds herself ensnared in the volatile social and legal traps of an Irish community, where secrets of murder and ruin dictate the fates of the landed and the desperate.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Federal Reserve Monster

The Federal Reserve Monster

Unknown

The Federal Reserve system is not a savior of industry, but a parasitic "octopus" designed to siphon the wealth of the American people into the pockets of an invisible financial elite.

Economics6 min read
Cover of The Fifteen Watt Tungsten Lamp

The Fifteen Watt Tungsten Lamp

Clair Elmore Anderson

The early tungsten lamp often flared with a sudden, startling brilliance when first switched on, a phenomenon this laboratory study meticulously documents and explains for the burgeoning field of electrical engineering.

Engineering & Technology6 min read
Cover of The Fighting Scrub

The Fighting Scrub

Ralph Henry Barbour

A young boy finds his place at a demanding boarding school by joining the ranks of the "scrub" team, the unsung group that trains to help the varsity squad succeed.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The gabled farm

The gabled farm

Catharine Shaw

This story follows a family’s search for peace through both the simple joys of a summer holiday and the profound, sobering realities of loss and service.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 985, November 12, 1898

The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. XX, No. 985, November 12, 1898

Various

This November 1898 issue of a Victorian magazine serves as a vibrant, kaleidoscopic window into the life, anxieties, and cultural expectations of the educated girl at the turn of the century.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave

The Go Ahead Boys and the Treasure Cave

Ross Kay

The spirit of discovery lures four friends into a perilous test of survival and wit, as a shipwreck strands them on an uncharted island hiding the secrets of a pirate’s legacy.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Golden Canyon

The Golden Canyon

G. A. (George Alfred) Henty

A desperate search for lost fortunes drives these young protagonists through dangerous canyons and across frozen seas, where courage is the only currency that truly matters.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Hymns of Ann Griffiths, of Dolwar Fechan, Translated into English Verse

The Hymns of Ann Griffiths, of Dolwar Fechan, Translated into English Verse

Ann Griffiths

HOOK A series of lyrical, meditative poems from a nineteenth-century Welsh farm, these hymns trace a solitary pilgrim’s journey toward divine grace, transforming personal suffering into a vision of universal redemption.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of The Lame Lover: A Comedy in Three Acts

The Lame Lover: A Comedy in Three Acts

Samuel Foote

In a world of professional liars, a man who has lost a leg to a misfortune discovers that the truth is the most inconvenient accessory of all. This sharp, biting farce exposes the vanity of the legal profession and the absurdity of high-society manners in the eighteenth century.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Lanchester tradition

The Lanchester tradition

G. F. (Godfrey Fox) Bradby

The ghosts of great men rarely sleep peacefully, and at Chiltern School, the shadow of a legendary former headmaster threatens to stifle every spark of modern change.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Lay of Marie and Vignettes in Verse

The Lay of Marie and Vignettes in Verse

Matilda Betham

A tribute to the medieval spirit, this collection weaves the legend of a forgotten female minstrel into a series of romantic verse narratives, exploring the intersection of chivalric duty and the hidden, personal life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse

R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

The sea yields no secrets without labor, and even the rocks off Scotland’s coast demand a heroic cost in sweat and courage.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of The Mad Pranks of Tom Tram, Son-in-law to Mother Winter: To Which Are Added His Merry Jests, Odd Conceits, and Pleasant Tales

The Mad Pranks of Tom Tram, Son-in-law to Mother Winter: To Which Are Added His Merry Jests, Odd Conceits, and Pleasant Tales

Crouch, Humphrey, active 1635-1671

A roguish, irrepressible trickster navigates a world of gullible townsfolk, peddlers, and petty authorities, leaving chaos and laughter in his wake through a series of increasingly elaborate deceptions.

Humour6 min read
Cover of The Magnificent Lovers (Les Amants magnifiques)

The Magnificent Lovers (Les Amants magnifiques)

Molière

A royal mother and her daughter, caught between rival princes and an astrologer’s web of lies, find that true love thrives best when destiny is shaped by merit rather than courtly artifice.

French Literature6 min read
Cover of The Man of Letters as a Man of Business

The Man of Letters as a Man of Business

William Dean Howells

THE MAN OF LETTERS AS A MAN OF BUSINESS is a candid examination of the tension between the artistic impulse and the cold reality of the marketplace. It explores how authors must navigate the dual, often conflicting roles of creator and breadwinner.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The mate of the Vancouver

The mate of the Vancouver

Morley Roberts

A sailor’s life of quiet routine is shattered by a web of obsession, murder, and high-stakes adventure that spans the sea and the rugged wilderness of British Columbia.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 262, July 7, 1827

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 262, July 7, 1827

Various

This collection serves as a Victorian-era cultural digest, capturing the diverse intellectual interests and moral preoccupations of 1820s British society through a mix of history, travelogue, poetry, and social commentary.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Nation in a Nutshell

The Nation in a Nutshell

George M. (George Makepeace) Towle

This concise history traces the American narrative from its prehistoric origins and early European contacts through the transformative struggles of the nineteenth century. It provides a structured, thematic overview of a nation’s rapid political, material, and social evolution.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of The Old Pincushion

The Old Pincushion

Mrs. Molesworth

The sudden disappearance of a family inheritance leaves two children stranded, but a series of small, domestic accidents leads them to an unexpected discovery.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The phantoms of the foot-bridge: 1895

The phantoms of the foot-bridge: 1895

Charles Egbert Craddock

The phantoms of the foot-bridge: 1895 is a haunting, atmospheric exploration of guilt, class, and the lingering echoes of the past. It follows an haunted, fleeing stranger and his encounter with a mountain family, where ghosts are as real as the landscape itself.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The Rover Boys in the Jungle

The Rover Boys in the Jungle

Edward Stratemeyer

A trio of spirited brothers trades the regulated life of a military academy for the untamed wilds of Africa to rescue their long-lost father.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Sargasso of Space

The Sargasso of Space

Edmond Hamilton

Stranded in a graveyard of drifting, abandoned starships, the crew of the *Pallas* must outwit a band of murderous survivors to secure the fuel needed for their escape.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Six River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence

The Six River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence

Harry Gordon

HOOK Four boys and their pets navigate the treacherous waters of the St. Lawrence River, pursued by criminals and mystery alike. They seek a fabled lost channel and the secret treasures hidden within.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of The Spirit of Christmas

The Spirit of Christmas

Henry Van Dyke

A heavenly debate over human suffering yields to a simple revelation, turning an ancient seasonal tradition into a quiet, lifelong practice of unselfish devotion.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of The Story of a Baby

The Story of a Baby

Ethel Turner

A young couple’s domestic bliss unravels into a haunting struggle for possession, testing the boundaries of love, duty, and individual ambition in the sprawling landscape of colonial Australia.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Story of John Paul Jones

The Story of John Paul Jones

Chelsea Curtis Fraser

A storied life of seafaring defiance, this biography recounts the meteoric rise of an audacious Scottish immigrant who became the foundational architect of the United States Navy. Through relentless naval combat and a fierce, unyielding spirit, he etched his name into the annals of history as a master of the high seas.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of The Sugar Creek Gang Goes North

The Sugar Creek Gang Goes North

Paul Hutchens

The Sugar Creek Gang returns to the Minnesota wilderness, where a simple summer vacation turns into a high-stakes search for a missing child. This wholesome, suspenseful adventure chronicles how a group of boys navigates danger while learning lessons about faith, morality, and the consequences of one's actions.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Tragic Bride

The Tragic Bride

Francis Brett Young

Gabrielle Hewish is a girl born into the decaying isolation of an Irish estate, whose life is irrevocably altered by a brief, doomed romance and a subsequent, suffocating marriage. Her story is a quiet, haunting study of emotional numbness and the dangerous, transformative power of connection.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The valley of Arcana

The valley of Arcana

Arthur Preston Hankins

A young widow seeking high-stakes adventure plunges into the California wilderness, only to find that nature’s beauty conceals mortal dangers and the tests of true companionship.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The well in the wood

The well in the wood

Bert Leston Taylor

A young girl follows her dog into a whimsical woodland, discovering a realm where animals debate philosophy, recite poetry, and hold club meetings.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Wilderness Trail

The Wilderness Trail

Francis William Sullivan

The Northland demands everything—courage, silence, and the strength to survive the iron cold—as a young factor is caught in a web of corporate vengeance and family secrets.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of The World English Bible (WEB): Romans

The World English Bible (WEB): Romans

Anonymous

A letter written by an apostle to a fledgling community of believers in the capital of the Roman Empire, this text serves as a profound meditation on faith, guilt, and the nature of grace.

Religion/Spirituality7 min read
Cover of The Yellow Flag: A Novel. Volume 2 (of 3)

The Yellow Flag: A Novel. Volume 2 (of 3)

Edmund Yates

The sudden death of a wealthy businessman on a lonely road, rather than in the expected railway carriage, pulls the threads of a double life taut, revealing secrets that threaten to unravel multiple households.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of This Then is Upland Pastures: Being some out-door essays dealing with the beautiful things that the spring and summer bring

This Then is Upland Pastures: Being some out-door essays dealing with the beautiful things that the spring and summer bring

Adeline Knapp

These reflective nature essays invite us to step out of our artificial lives and find, in the blooming upland pastures, a truer understanding of our own humanity.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Timothy's Quest: A Story for Anybody, Young or Old, Who Cares to Read It

Timothy's Quest: A Story for Anybody, Young or Old, Who Cares to Read It

Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin

A courageous young boy searches for a home for his baby charge, only to discover that the most unlikely hearts are often the ones most in need of opening.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck

Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck

Allen Chapman

Tom Fairfield returns to Elmwood Hall to find his reputation under siege, requiring both physical stamina on the gridiron and quiet investigative persistence to clear his name of malicious accusations.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Toni, the Little Woodcarver

Toni, the Little Woodcarver

Johanna Spyri

This story of a young boy’s quiet perseverance and the kindness of strangers reveals the profound impact of simple, earnest faith on the human spirit. It serves as a gentle testament to the idea that even in the face of crushing hardship, hope is often found in the most unexpected places.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Try Again

Try Again

Oliver Optic

A resilient young orphan confronts poverty and false accusations in this classic tale of moral fortitude. By choosing integrity over convenience, he transforms his struggles into a path toward a better life.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Twenty Years on Horseback

Twenty Years on Horseback

W. M. (William Marion) Weekley

The rugged hills of nineteenth-century West Virginia provide the backdrop for this evocative account of a circuit-riding minister’s life, defined by arduous travel, deep faith, and the simple hospitality of mountain communities.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Two Boys and a Fortune

Two Boys and a Fortune

Matthew White

A sudden inheritance and a hidden truth entangle two brothers in a web of anxiety and moral crisis. This story explores how a windfall can test the bonds of family and the weight of conscience.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Uarda : a Romance of Ancient Egypt

Uarda : a Romance of Ancient Egypt

Georg Ebers

Amidst the political shadows and golden decadence of ancient Thebes, a disgraced priest and a princess navigate a dangerous web of intrigue, forbidden love, and shifting loyalties to the Pharaoh.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Under the guns

Under the guns

Annie Wittenmyer

The life of a wartime volunteer is defined not by the grand movements of armies, but by the weight of a single letter from a dying soldier and the persistence required to see a hungry man fed.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Vanderdecken

Vanderdecken

H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole

A bored young millionaire and a savvy adventurer set sail in a creaky schooner to track down a legendary pirate, only to find their voyage upended by a stowaway and a sea full of mysteries.

Adventure6 min read