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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 811 of 988.

Cover of Heavenly Gifts

Heavenly Gifts

Aaron L. Kolom

A lonely janitor’s pious prayers inadvertently trigger a global catastrophe, as her requests for simple gifts from a mail-order catalogue are misinterpreted by an alien enterprise as high-stakes trade.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Heir Apparent

Heir Apparent

Alan Edward Nourse

The open reaches of space beckon to the restless soul, but the gravitational pull of a conventional life threatens to anchor the boldest spirits to Earth. Whether one chooses to pursue the infinite or the intimate, the cost of the path not taken remains a haunting, lifelong burden.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of History of Steam on the Erie Canal

History of Steam on the Erie Canal

Anonymous

The Erie Canal stands at a crossroads of nineteenth-century innovation, where the immense promise of steam power consistently founders against the stubborn physics of narrow, shallow waterways. This technical report serves as a cold, analytical autopsy of failed attempts to replace horse-drawn barges with…

Engineering & Technology7 min read
Cover of Homecoming

Homecoming

Miguel Hidalgo

A war-weary soldier wanders through a radioactive, mutated wasteland to find his family, only to face the crushing reality of what time and catastrophe have wrought. This haunting journey captures the futility of holding onto the past in a world that has irrevocably changed.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Houlihan's Equation

Houlihan's Equation

Walter J. Sheldon

A brilliant nuclear engineer discovers a colony of leprechauns building a spaceship to flee a self-destructive humanity. He uses their desperation to solve a critical scientific problem, ultimately deciding the fate of both his civilization and theirs.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of I thought of Daisy

I thought of Daisy

Edmund Wilson

A disillusioned young intellectual navigates the glittering art circles and gritty reality of 1920s New York, searching for meaning through love affairs with two very different women.

Romance6 min read
Cover of Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico in 1880: Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1883, pages 429-466

Illustrated Catalogue of the Collections Obtained from the Indians of New Mexico in 1880: Second Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1880-81, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1883, pages 429-466

James Stevenson

This meticulous 1883 government report captures a crucial moment of ethnological field recording, offering an unadorned catalog of the material cultures, stone implements, and distinct pottery styles found across New Mexico’s Indigenous pueblos.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of In Case of Fire

In Case of Fire

Randall Garrett

A delicate balance of human frailty keeps the gears of interstellar politics spinning.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Jean Craig Finds Romance

Jean Craig Finds Romance

Kay Lyttleton

The Craig family’s move to the Connecticut countryside is supposed to be a quiet retreat, but for two sisters, it becomes an unexpected proving ground for independence, ambition, and the complexities of the heart.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Kathleen in Ireland

Kathleen in Ireland

Etta Blaisdell McDonald

A young girl’s journey across the Irish countryside weaves together local folklore, family devotion, and the quiet beauty of a land caught between ancient myths and modern life.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Literature of the Indian Languages: A Bibliographical Catalogue of Books, Translations of the Scriptures, and Other Publications in the Indian Tongues of the United States, With Brief Critical Notes

Literature of the Indian Languages: A Bibliographical Catalogue of Books, Translations of the Scriptures, and Other Publications in the Indian Tongues of the United States, With Brief Critical Notes

Henry Rowe Schoolcraft

This catalogue serves as a formal record of mid-19th-century efforts to document and translate literature into indigenous North American languages. It functions as a foundational index for those studying the intersection of linguistics, missionary work, and colonial administration.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Little Sally Waters

Little Sally Waters

Ethel Calvert Phillips

A young girl spends a seaside summer navigating small heartaches, the arrival of new friends, and the simple, profound pleasures of childhood. It is a gentle portrait of growing up in a world of dolls and sunshine.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Lucia's trust

Lucia's trust

Catharine Shaw

A reluctant young woman discovers that the heavy burden of duty is actually a path toward grace, finding unexpected fulfillment in the very responsibility she once dreaded.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Maru: A Dream of the Sea

Maru: A Dream of the Sea

H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole

This haunting tale of memory and loss follows a young islander’s journey from a doomed atoll into the vast, indifferent Pacific. It is a story of how a single soul navigates a world that is at once beautiful, terrifying, and fundamentally beyond his understanding.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mary Christmas

Mary Christmas

Mary Ellen Chase

The arrival of a mysterious, colorfully dressed peddler irrevocably shifts the quiet, predictable landscape of a New England family’s childhood. Through her, they learn that the world is far older and more magical than their textbooks suggest.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Memoranda Sacra

Memoranda Sacra

J. Rendel (James Rendel) Harris

True faith is not a static refuge, but a path of progressive enlargement where the soul expands to mirror the nature of its Creator.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Memories of my life

Memories of my life

Francis Galton

This autobiography offers a rare, clear-eyed view into the mind of a Victorian polymath, charting a life defined by restless curiosity and a lifelong drive to measure the world.

Biographies5 min read
Cover of Miles Murchison

Miles Murchison

Agnes Giberne

The life of a working-class family shifts from modest stability to profound, life-altering tragedy, followed by a gentle, redemptive path toward finding one’s true purpose. This quiet story explores the endurance of faith and the unexpected connections forged between different social ranks.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Miriam's Schooling and Other Papers

Miriam's Schooling and Other Papers

William Hale White

This collection of narratives explores the quiet, often agonizing struggles of conscience and the persistence of individual human longing against the weight of rigid religious and social structures.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Miss McDonald

Miss McDonald

Mary Jane Holmes

A young bride’s flight from an unwanted marriage leads to years of separation, financial ruin, and personal growth. This narrative explores the heavy cost of impulsive choices and the slow, difficult path toward genuine maturity.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Miss Peck's Adventures: The Second Part of The Conceited Pig

Miss Peck's Adventures: The Second Part of The Conceited Pig

Anonymous

The journey of a self-important hen and her companions offers a cautionary tale about the perils of vanity and the folly of neglecting one’s own station in life.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Nature and Culture

Nature and Culture

Harvey Rice

The natural world and the human spirit are mirrors reflecting the same divine design, waiting for the diligent mind to unlock their shared laws.

Philosophy & Ethics6 min read
Cover of New York: The Nation's Metropolis

New York: The Nation's Metropolis

Unknown

New York is a sprawling, restless monument to human ambition, defined by the constant collision of beauty and industrial utility. It stands as a testament to the nation’s unceasing, sometimes brutal, drive for progress.

Architecture6 min read
Cover of Newshound

Newshound

Stephen Marlowe

In a 22nd-century society where newspapers do not just report the news but manufacture it, a cynical journalist must navigate a lethal web of corporate intrigue to survive.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 216, December 17, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Notes and Queries, Number 216, December 17, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Various

This weekly Victorian miscellany serves as a collaborative clearinghouse for historical, linguistic, and antiquarian discovery. It functions as a nineteenth-century forum where scholars and curious laypeople trade knowledge to solve obscure intellectual puzzles.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Off-Hand Sketches, a Little Dashed with Humor

Off-Hand Sketches, a Little Dashed with Humor

T. S. (Timothy Shay) Arthur

These tales of domestic folly and social pretense reveal the quiet ironies of mid-nineteenth-century life, where a misplaced word or a sudden financial crisis can expose the fragility of a reputation.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Philip: The Story of a Boy Violinist

Philip: The Story of a Boy Violinist

Virginia C. Young

A young boy leaves the darkness of the coal mines to pursue a musical destiny, discovering that the true chords of life are struck through sacrifice, friendship, and the courage to face the inevitable.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Pottery decoration under the glaze

Pottery decoration under the glaze

M. Louise (Mary Louise) McLaughlin

This manual serves as a foundational guide for the dedicated artisan, demystifying the complex, often unforgiving process of decorating pottery beneath a protective glaze. It is a practical testament to the beauty achievable through patience and technical discipline.

Art5 min read
Cover of Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)

Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt’s fourth volume of presidential addresses and state papers captures the energetic, moralizing, and deeply didactic tenor of his leadership at the height of his influence. It presents a portrait of a president who views his role as a teacher-in-chief, moving across the country to frame the…

American Literature7 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98, June 28 1890

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 98, June 28 1890

Various

London’s high society—a world of shifting allegiances and sudden, mysterious stars—is skewered here through biting satire and the sharp, observational wit of an era obsessed with its own vanity.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 104, May 6, 1893

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 104, May 6, 1893

Various

The pages of this Victorian periodical capture the fleeting pulse of London life, where political maneuvering, theatrical critiques, and street-corner humor collide in a single, crowded week. It is a snapshot of an empire at play and at odds, documented with biting wit and an observant eye.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punchinello, Volume 2, No. 33, November 12, 1870

Punchinello, Volume 2, No. 33, November 12, 1870

Various

This weekly periodical serves as a vibrant, satirical snapshot of American public life in 1870, blending sharp political commentary with relentless mockery of cultural trends, theater, and the era’s self-important "great men.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Quarterdeck and Fok'sle: Stories of the Sea

Quarterdeck and Fok'sle: Stories of the Sea

Molly Elliot Seawell

Two boys find their destinies on the high seas, navigating the rigid codes of the naval academy and the daring exploits of the Revolutionary War.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Race and nationality

Race and nationality

Franz Boas

The persistent myth that human conflict is rooted in biological race serves only to mask the aggressive, often destructive ambitions of nationalism. By dismantling these pseudo-scientific claims, a more rational path toward global federation emerges.

Archaeology & Anthropology6 min read
Cover of Ralph Trulock's Christmas Roses

Ralph Trulock's Christmas Roses

Annette Lyster

This is a story of a solitary, embittered man who finds redemption when two orphaned children arrive on his doorstep, unexpectedly transforming his grief into a life of shared purpose.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Seven Graded Sunday Schools: A Series of Practical Papers

Seven Graded Sunday Schools: A Series of Practical Papers

Unknown

Late nineteenth-century Methodist educators faced a crisis of retention and order, discovering that traditional, single-room Sunday schools failed to keep maturing children engaged or systematically build Biblical literacy.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of Sir Isaac Brock

Sir Isaac Brock

Hugh S. (Hugh Sterling) Eayrs

A life of duty and daring, this account follows the soldier who anchored the defense of British North America during the pivotal years of the War of 1812.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Sketches from Memory (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")

Sketches from Memory (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")

Nathaniel Hawthorne

A wanderer journeys through the majestic notch of the White Mountains and across the dark waters of the Erie Canal, capturing the changing spirit of nineteenth-century New England.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Some Winter Days in Iowa

Some Winter Days in Iowa

Frederick John Lazell

The quiet observation of the Iowa landscape during the final, frozen months of the year reveals a vibrant, living world beneath the snow. This meditation on winter’s stillness invites readers to look beyond the surface of the natural world to find profound, enduring beauty.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Stephen H. Branch's Alligator, Vol. 1 no. 05, May 22, 1858

Stephen H. Branch's Alligator, Vol. 1 no. 05, May 22, 1858

Unknown

This is a feverish, idiosyncratic artifact of mid-19th-century New York—a chaotic political broadsheet that blends biting, partisan muckraking with earnest personal confession and wildly surreal anecdotes.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Summer Birds From the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Erwin E. Klaas

This focused ornithological survey chronicles the summer breeding and life cycles of birds inhabiting the Yucatan Peninsula, filling critical gaps in regional natural history. It serves as a vital record of mid-century biodiversity in a unique ecological crossroads.

Nature/Gardening/Animals6 min read
Cover of Summer of Love

Summer of Love

Joyce Kilmer

The poet kneels before his beloved, laying down a tribute of verse to celebrate a summer of love. He speaks of romance as a journey through fire, where the heart finds its true home in another’s eyes.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of Ten Degrees Backward

Ten Degrees Backward

Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler

A bachelor’s orderly, solitary life is upended when he falls in love with a woman half his age, only to discover that marriage is a far more complex negotiation than he ever imagined.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The American Missionary

The American Missionary

Various

These pages chronicle the administrative rigor, theological convictions, and practical obstacles of late 19th-century home missionary work within the United States. It serves as both a ledger of faith and a record of social development.

History - American6 min read
Cover of The American Missionary

The American Missionary

Various

A religious periodical documents the earnest, often difficult labor of spreading education and faith across post-Civil War America. It serves as a vital record of a nation struggling to reconcile its ideals with systemic inequality.

History - American7 min read
Cover of The authorized life of Marie C. Stopes

The authorized life of Marie C. Stopes

Aylmer Maude

A trailblazing scientist navigates the rigid gender norms of the early twentieth century to become a pioneer in birth control. This account captures the relentless intellectual drive of a woman who transformed her own personal struggles into a public crusade for reproductive autonomy.

General6 min read
Cover of The basket maker

The basket maker

Luther Weston Turner

The art of basket making is an ancient, honorable craft that bridges the gap between manual labor and artistic expression. It serves as a disciplined, meditative practice, demanding close attention to detail and the steady development of both motor control and aesthetic judgment.

Art6 min read
Cover of The Berserker

The Berserker

Charles V. De Vet

The Berserker is a hard-edged adventure that follows an Earth operative stranded on an alien world, where he must navigate a labyrinth of political intrigue and lethal combat to close a trans-dimensional breach. It is a story of a man defined by violence and high-stakes survival, enduring because of its lean,…

Adventure5 min read