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42,801 public-domain books, summarised. Page 758 of 892.

Cover of Pretty Michal

Pretty Michal

Mór Jókai

Pretty Michal is a sweeping, gothic-inflected historical romance set in 17th-century Hungary, where the lives of a sheltered minister’s daughter and a spirited young man are violently upended by social rigidities and the grim shadow of the executioner’s trade.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, January 19, 1916

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 150, January 19, 1916

Various

Beneath the polished front of Edwardian wit, a nation at war confronts its own anxieties through pointed satire, domestic absurdities, and trench-side humor.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-04-07

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-04-07

Various

A satirical slice of post-war British life, this single issue of Punch captures a nation navigating the absurdities of housing shortages, high taxes, and social change with dry, understated humor.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 101, September 26, 1891

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 101, September 26, 1891

Various

A satirical chronicle of Victorian life, this collection gathers the wit, anxieties, and social pretensions of 1891 into a sharp, humorous mirror of a changing England.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, April 4, 1917

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, April 4, 1917

Various

This archival edition captures the biting satire and resilient spirit of London during the darkest months of the First World War. It serves as both a historical record and a masterclass in resilient humor.

Humour6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, April 2, 1919

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, April 2, 1919

Various

This volume captures the weary, witty spirit of a nation poised between the end of the Great War and the uncertainty of a fragile peace. It serves as a sharp-eyed mirror to the social and political anxieties of 1919.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, March 19, 1919

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, March 19, 1919

Various

Life in post-Armistice Britain moves forward with a mix of absurd bureaucratic confusion, weary relief, and sharp, persistent laughter.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Rollo in Society: A Guide for Youth

Rollo in Society: A Guide for Youth

George S. (George Shepard) Chappell

A pious country boy encounters the dizzying, decadent nightlife of 1920s Manhattan in this sharp, affectionate satire of jazz-age urban sophistication.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Rollo's Philosophy [Fire]

Rollo's Philosophy [Fire]

Jacob Abbott

This is a gentle, pedagogical exploration of the physical world, presented as a series of deliberate conversations between a curious boy and his patient mentors.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Rosemary in Search of a Father

Rosemary in Search of a Father

C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson

A lonely American expatriate in Monte Carlo finds his life transformed when a young girl mistakes him for the father she has only ever imagined.

Novels6 min read
Cover of 'Round the yule-log: Christmas in Norway

'Round the yule-log: Christmas in Norway

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen

A young officer, confined to a gloomy city lodging by illness during his first Christmas away from home, finds his solitude transformed by the shared folklore of his landladies and their young guests.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of Signs & Wonders

Signs & Wonders

J. D. (John Davys) Beresford

This collection of stories explores the thin, trembling membrane between the ordinary world and the vast, unexplained forces that haunt human consciousness.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Simon Called Peter

Simon Called Peter

Robert Keable

The Great War acts as a crucible for a young chaplain, stripping away his clerical certainties and forcing him to confront the raw, unvarnished nature of human desire. This narrative captures a soul adrift, caught between the rigid conventions of his past and the visceral reality of life in the shadow of death.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Six lectures on painting

Six lectures on painting

George Clausen

Artists must learn to see the world not merely as a collection of objects, but as a complex interplay of light, shadow, and color that demands thoughtful, disciplined interpretation.

General6 min read
Cover of Sketches in Duneland

Sketches in Duneland

Earl H. (Earl Howell) Reed

This evocative collection of observations captures a vanishing world of solitude and wild beauty along the shifting sands of the Lake Michigan shoreline. It serves as both a tender portrait of coastal outcasts and a meditation on the relentless intrusion of the modern age.

Environmental Issues6 min read
Cover of South America

South America

Gardiner G. (Gardiner Greene) Hubbard

A sweeping survey of a continent defined by its colossal rivers, imposing mountains, and the persistent, unfulfilled promise of its vast natural wealth.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Spacemen lost

Spacemen lost

George O. (George Oliver) Smith

The vast silence of interstellar space becomes a desperate stage for a rescue mission when a lifeship disappears into the void, turning an ordinary transit into a race against time, cold, and uncertainty.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Stephen H. Branch's Alligator, Vol. 1 no. 23, September 25, 1858

Stephen H. Branch's Alligator, Vol. 1 no. 23, September 25, 1858

Unknown

A defiant editor, imprisoned for libel, chronicles his personal history, political struggles, and moral philosophy through the pages of a singular, embattled weekly publication.

History - American6 min read
Cover of Stories by American Authors, Volume 7

Stories by American Authors, Volume 7

Various

A collection of late-19th-century American short fiction, this volume offers a window into the era’s shifting social landscapes, from the languid resorts of the South to the rigid hierarchies of New York and the romanticized expatriate life in Europe.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Studies in Spermatogenesis (Part 2 of 2)

Studies in Spermatogenesis (Part 2 of 2)

N. M. (Nettie Maria) Stevens

By meticulously tracking the movement of chromosomes through insect germ cells, this foundational study identifies the physical mechanism that differentiates male from female.

Science - Biology6 min read
Cover of Susan Clegg and Her Friend Mrs. Lathrop

Susan Clegg and Her Friend Mrs. Lathrop

Anne Warner

Two neighbors spend their days leaning on a fence, dissecting the absurd, often chaotic lives of their small-town peers with sharp tongues and relentless curiosity.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Suspense, Volume 2 (of 3)

Suspense, Volume 2 (of 3)

Henry Seton Merriman

HOOK Amidst the mounting tensions of the Russo-Turkish War, a stoic war correspondent finds his life and values entangled with two sisters struggling to navigate a fractured, unhappy marriage.

History - Warfare7 min read
Cover of The Accomplished Muskrat Trapper: A Book on Trapping for Amateurs

The Accomplished Muskrat Trapper: A Book on Trapping for Amateurs

Arno Erdman Schmidt

The craft of the muskrat trapper is a quiet, rhythmic pursuit, demanding both a deep knowledge of animal habits and the practical skill to transform a wild encounter into a modest winter harvest.

How To ...6 min read
Cover of The Adventures of Don Lavington: Nolens Volens

The Adventures of Don Lavington: Nolens Volens

George Manville Fenn

When a young clerk is wrongly accused of theft and swept away by a ruthless press-gang, he must navigate the brutal reality of naval service and the wild frontiers of New Zealand to reclaim his life.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The American Missionary

The American Missionary

Various

This periodical captures the urgent, practical, and often embattled spirit of nineteenth-century home missions, documenting the expansion of church-led education across the American South, the frontier, and beyond.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The American Missionary

The American Missionary

Various

This periodical serves as a vital historical record of late-19th-century American mission work, documenting the religious and social efforts of a prominent Congregationalist organization during a pivotal era of post-Civil War reconstruction.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The American Newspaper

The American Newspaper

Charles Dudley Warner

The American newspaper is a complex, profit-driven machine that shapes public consciousness, yet it often struggles to balance its commercial necessity with its role as a mirror of modern civilization.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Antelope Boy

The Antelope Boy

George L. Aiken

A surveying expedition pushes into the Pacific Northwest, only to find their path blocked by a mysterious "Prophet" who uses parlor tricks and stagecraft to manipulate local tribes and protect his hidden empire.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The boy's book of battle-lyrics

The boy's book of battle-lyrics

Thomas Dunn English

These verses transform the dry annals of American history into a vivid, rhythmic parade of heroism, carnage, and personal sacrifice. They offer a front-row seat to the nation's most violent moments, told through the eyes of those who fought.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The Broom-Squire

The Broom-Squire

S. (Sabine) Baring-Gould

A young woman, abandoned to a life of labor and a cold marriage, must navigate the social wreckage of a remote Surrey moor after a murder disrupts her fragile world.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Bungalow Boys on the Great Lakes

The Bungalow Boys on the Great Lakes

John Henry Goldfrap

A motor-driven craft braves a violent Lake Huron storm, only for its teenage captain to vanish into the blackness. What follows is a high-stakes maritime pursuit involving mystery vessels, submarines, and desperate escapes.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Confession of a Child of the Century

The Confession of a Child of the Century

Alfred de Musset

The disillusionment of a generation born into the wake of Napoleon’s fallen empire finds its voice in the fractured heart of a young man wandering a world that has lost its purpose. He seeks to reconcile the ideals of his youth with the cold, cynical reality of a society that has traded faith and glory for apathy…

French Literature7 min read
Cover of The Crimson Blind

The Crimson Blind

Fred M. (Fred Merrick) White

The discovery of a man bleeding on a conservatory floor pulls a successful novelist into a labyrinth of stolen keys, forged paintings, and a lost family heirloom. This mystery unravels through the clever persistence of an amateur investigator and a woman working undercover to clear a tarnished name.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The Cruise of the Thetis: A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection

The Cruise of the Thetis: A Tale of the Cuban Insurrection

Harry Collingwood

This tale of high-seas adventure and political intrigue follows a young Englishman who trades his quiet life for the volatile waters of the Cuban insurrection. It is a classic example of late-Victorian maritime fiction, blending technological enthusiasm with a staunch, if period-typical, moral code.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Curlytops at Uncle Frank's Ranch

The Curlytops at Uncle Frank's Ranch

Howard Roger Garis

Two young siblings venture from their quiet Eastern home to a Montana ranch, where they encounter rugged landscapes, spirited ponies, and the suspense of a wilderness adventure.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Curlytops touring around

The Curlytops touring around

Howard Roger Garis

The Martin children go on a summer road trip, finding adventure, movie sets, and wild animals in a lighthearted, episodic romp. Their journey is less about the destination than the series of accidental scrapes they stumble into along the way.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Fairy and the Witch

The Fairy and the Witch

A. D. Nelson

This short allegorical sketch for Hallowe’en dramatizes the struggle between darkness and light, ultimately advocating for mercy and the triumph of goodness through the agency of children.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The First Buckinghamshire Battalion 1914-1919

The First Buckinghamshire Battalion 1914-1919

P. L. (Philip Lowndes) Wright

A meticulous, authentic chronicle of front-line service captures the day-to-day reality of an infantry unit navigating the mud of France and the rugged peaks of Italy.

History - Warfare5 min read
Cover of The Flower Basket: A Fairy Tale

The Flower Basket: A Fairy Tale

Unknown

The allure of magic often masks a deeper, more demanding truth: that lasting contentment is a product of internal character rather than external fortune. This narrative serves as a gentle, moralizing mirror for the young.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 364, December 18, 1886

The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 364, December 18, 1886

Various

This periodical captures the late Victorian ideal of the "accomplished" young woman, blending practical life advice with serialized fiction and rigid social guidance. It serves as a time capsule of a world that viewed industry, thrift, and domestic decorum as the primary pillars of a girl’s education.

Cooking & Drinking6 min read
Cover of The hope of happiness

The hope of happiness

Meredith Nicholson

The quiet, persistent search for purpose and belonging shapes the lives of those caught between the rigid expectations of family legacy and the unpredictable pull of personal desire.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The House in Town

The House in Town

Susan Warner

A small girl navigates the jarring transition from a neglected life to the sudden luxury of a wealthy New York home, struggling to reconcile her new comforts with the moral demands of her faith.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Leper in England: with some account of English lazar-houses

The Leper in England: with some account of English lazar-houses

Robert Charles Hope

The history of the leper in England is a chronicle of profound social isolation, governed by an agonizing blend of religious ritual and harsh civil exclusion. It explores how a nation defined, contained, and eventually eradicated a misunderstood scourge.

Health & Medicine6 min read
Cover of The magnificent profession

The magnificent profession

Theodore L. Thomas

In the high-stakes, surreal corridors of the Patent Office, a young lawyer discovers that securing a patent for a revolutionary machine is far more dangerous than the invention itself.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of The Masques of Ottawa

The Masques of Ottawa

Augustus Bridle

This collection of sketches captures the political theater of post-war Canada, profiling the figures who moved the levers of power in a nation struggling to define its own identity.

Humour5 min read
Cover of The Master-Knot of Human Fate

The Master-Knot of Human Fate

Ellis Meredith

An unexpected cataclysm leaves a man and a woman as the sole survivors of their world, forcing them to confront the isolation of existence and the nature of human connection.

Novels6 min read
Cover of The Mentor: Furniture and its Makers, Vol. 1, Num. 30, Serial No. 30

The Mentor: Furniture and its Makers, Vol. 1, Num. 30, Serial No. 30

Charles R. (Charles Russell) Richards

This survey of domestic history explores how furniture evolved from the sparse, heavy utility of the Middle Ages into the refined, aesthetic craftsmanship of the eighteenth century.

Art6 min read
Cover of The Messengers

The Messengers

Richard Harding Davis

This story captures the breathless, often irrational intensity of early twentieth-century romance, where a man’s devotion is measured by his capacity for grand, impulsive gestures. It is a whimsical look at the intersection of desperate hope and the mysterious ways we interpret the world when we are in love.

American Literature6 min read