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42,801 public-domain books, summarised. Page 819 of 892.

Cover of Her Season in Bath: A Story of Bygone Days

Her Season in Bath: A Story of Bygone Days

Emma Marshall

The glittering veneer of 1779 Bath masks the quiet, earnest lives of those who look toward the stars rather than the ballroom. This story traces the unlikely intersection of fashionable society and the nascent scientific pursuit of the heavens.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Hidden Creek

Hidden Creek

Katharine Newlin Burt

A young woman, orphaned and thrust into the rugged isolation of the Wyoming frontier, must navigate a dangerous transformation from naive girlhood to the piercing, often painful, reality of adulthood.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. 1 of 6, slice 9 of 9. England, early history

Holinshed's Chronicles, vol. 1 of 6, slice 9 of 9. England, early history

Raphael Holinshed

The rise and fall of Anglo-Saxon England culminates in the dramatic clash at Hastings, a pivotal moment where divine judgment and human ambition rewrite the fate of a kingdom.

History - British7 min read
Cover of Humors Looking Glasse

Humors Looking Glasse

Samuel Rowlands

A satirical mirror held up to the seventeenth century, this collection of character sketches captures the vanity, folly, and social pretension of a city obsessed with its own image. Through biting verse, the text anatomizes the archetypes of London life—the swaggering braggart, the unfaithful spouse, and the…

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Inaugural Presidential Address

Inaugural Presidential Address

Bill Clinton

This address marks a turning point in American history, calling a new generation to rise above political division and economic uncertainty. It invites the nation to reinvent itself through collective service and bold, persistent experimentation.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Infinity's Child

Infinity's Child

Charles V. De Vet

In a world reduced to ash and occupied by a brutal foreign regime, a dying man discovers he is not merely a soldier in the resistance, but a projection of a cosmic mind. This philosophical science fiction story explores the terrifying burden of existence, where one man’s struggle for autonomy becomes a literal…

Novels6 min read
Cover of Ingleside

Ingleside

Madeline Leslie

This narrative tracks a young woman’s mission to mend broken lives through faith and service, illustrating how spiritual conviction reshapes both the individual and the rural community of Grantbury.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Jackie sees a star

Jackie sees a star

Marion Zimmer Bradley

A young boy’s vivid, persistent imaginary friend becomes a global sensation when his detailed cosmic predictions manifest as a real-world astronomical event. The story explores the friction between childhood wonder, parental skepticism, and the cold scrutiny of the scientific community.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Janet's boys

Janet's boys

Annette Lyster

This story of resilience and maternal devotion follows a family fractured by financial ruin and a perilous separation. It centers on the quiet endurance of a mother who loses her children to a cruel relative's care.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Jarwin and Cuffy

Jarwin and Cuffy

R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

John Jarwin, a shipwrecked sailor, finds himself marooned on a lush Pacific island with only his loyal terrier, Cuffy, for company. Together, they struggle to survive and eventually find their way home through unexpected friendships and grace.

Adventure5 min read
Cover of Jibby Jones

Jibby Jones

Ellis Parker Butler

The Mississippi River is a vast, living classroom for those who know how to look, and a curious boy named Jibby Jones is about to teach his new friends that the greatest adventures are fueled by equal parts observation and imagination.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Killer

Killer

James E. Gunn

A man flees his past only to find himself trapped in a paradise that reflects his own fractured psyche. This haunting tale examines the destructive power of projection and the thin line between love and lethal obsession.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy6 min read
Cover of Long Odds

Long Odds

Harold Bindloss

A man haunted by his past in the African bush risks everything to honor a pledge, testing his character against the brutal realities of a colonial frontier.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Marjorie Dean, Post-Graduate

Marjorie Dean, Post-Graduate

Josephine Chase

A spirited group of college graduates returns to campus to champion democracy and friendship, navigating the tensions between old-fashioned social hierarchies and the modern, energetic independence of the new woman.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Más vale maña que fuerza: Proverbio en un acto

Más vale maña que fuerza: Proverbio en un acto

Manuel Tamayo y Baus

A clever wife proves that domestic harmony is won not through force, but through subtle, gentle influence. This classic Spanish one-act play demonstrates that a soft touch often secures what harsh demands cannot.

Plays/Films/Dramas6 min read
Cover of Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June"

Memories of Jane Cunningham Croly, "Jenny June"

Woman's Press Club of New York City

The life of a pioneering journalist and club founder unfolds here, documenting her quiet personal courage and the immense, enduring impact she had on the organization of women in the nineteenth century.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Midsummer at Hay-Lodge

Midsummer at Hay-Lodge

Ruth Lamb

A widowed mother and her children spend a transformative summer at their uncle’s country estate, where they learn that true happiness is found in duty, integrity, and the quiet joy of serving others.

Children & Young Adult Reading7 min read
Cover of Musical Travels Through England

Musical Travels Through England

George Veal

A wandering organist embarks on a satirical pilgrimage to "civilize" his native England through the absurd, high-flown affectations of the Italian operatic stage.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of My Doggie and I

My Doggie and I

R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne

This lighthearted yet earnest story follows a medical student and his unlikely companion, a scruffy, affectionate dog, as they navigate the challenges of urban poverty and accidental romance in Victorian London.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Mystery at Mesa Flat

Mystery at Mesa Flat

Ivar Jorgensen

In a remote patch of the Arizona desert, two government security agents stumble upon a ghost town that hides a terrifying secret beneath its dusty, unassuming surface. What begins as a routine investigation into a mysterious death quickly descends into a desperate, high-stakes battle against an invading force that…

Novels6 min read
Cover of New Nick Carter weekly; No. 28. July 10, 1897; Nick Carter at the track

New Nick Carter weekly; No. 28. July 10, 1897; Nick Carter at the track

Nicholas (House name) Carter

This swift, episodic tale follows a legendary detective as he infiltrates the gritty, high-stakes world of urban horse racing to prevent a criminal sabotage. It is a quintessential piece of late-Victorian American pulp fiction.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 01, November 3, 1849

Notes and Queries, Number 01, November 3, 1849

Various

A shared repository of queries, historical corrections, and bibliographical notes created a vibrant intellectual network for nineteenth-century scholars.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 28, May 11, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 28, May 11, 1850

Various

This collaborative periodical serves as a Victorian forum for the curious, where scholars and enthusiasts exchange historical fragments, resolve linguistic puzzles, and document the vanishing remnants of folklore and local tradition. It acts as a bridge between the private library and the public record.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 45, September 7, 1850

Notes and Queries, Number 45, September 7, 1850

Various

A small Cornish mole carrying a curse, a dispute over printing presses in an almonry, and theological debates on papal supremacy all meet within a single issue of a mid-nineteenth-century weekly.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference6 min read
Cover of Notes and Queries, Number 82, May 24, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Notes and Queries, Number 82, May 24, 1851: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc

Various

A mid-nineteenth-century repository of collective wisdom, this periodical invites readers to bridge the gaps in human knowledge through shared inquiry and meticulous documentation.

Essays, Letters & Speeches5 min read
Cover of Of High Descent

Of High Descent

George Manville Fenn

A family’s obsession with the phantom of noble heritage collides with the harsh realities of debt and crime in a rugged coastal town, testing the bonds of loyalty between father, son, and sister.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of "Old Mary": 1901

"Old Mary": 1901

Louis Becke

A young trader visits an island in the South Seas and discovers that an elderly, crippled woman holds the secrets of a lifetime defined by colonial conflict, survival, and deep tragedy.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British Museum

On the supply of printed books from the library to the reading room of the British Museum

Panizzi, Anthony, Sir

This administrative correspondence captures a sharp, public-facing dispute over the operational efficiency of the British Museum’s library during the mid-nineteenth century.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Outpost

Outpost

Jane G. (Jane Goodwin) Austin

Hook A lost child and a boy’s desperate, secret devotion anchor this story of redemption. It explores how one person’s strength can reshape the lives of everyone in their orbit.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Pansy's home story book

Pansy's home story book

Unknown

HOOK This collection of moral tales and domestic sketches serves as an earnest guide for Victorian-era youth, teaching that true heroism is found in faith, obedience, and the quiet mastery of one’s own spirit.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Princess Polly's Gay Winter

Princess Polly's Gay Winter

Amy Brooks

HOOK Follow a group of inseparable young friends through a season of school, festive parties, and character-building lessons in the quiet, sun-drenched town of Avondale.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105, September 16th, 1893

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105, September 16th, 1893

Various

HOOK This collection captures the biting, satirical pulse of late Victorian London, where political upheaval, social vanity, and the trivialities of daily life are skewered with relentless, rhythmic wit.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, April 1, 1914

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, April 1, 1914

Various

This collection captures the frantic, witty, and deeply anxious spirit of London on the precipice of the First World War. It serves as a kaleidoscopic snapshot of a society grappling with rapid change and political upheaval through the lens of satire.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-02-18

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-02-18

Various

This collection of wit and commentary captures the distinct, lingering tension of post-war London, where imperial ambitions and domestic inconveniences collide in a flurry of sardonic humor. It offers an essential, unvarnished look at the social and political anxieties of early 1920.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari Volume 107, September 22nd, 1894

Punch, or the London Charivari Volume 107, September 22nd, 1894

Various

This collection captures the sharp, satirical heartbeat of late-Victorian London, where the trivial and the monumental collide in an endless dance of wit and skepticism.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Remarks upon the First Report of the Royal Commission on Ritual in connection with the integrity of the Book of Common Prayer: A lecture delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Brighton Branch of the English Church Union, Nov. 27, 1867

Remarks upon the First Report of the Royal Commission on Ritual in connection with the integrity of the Book of Common Prayer: A lecture delivered at the Annual Meeting of the Brighton Branch of the English Church Union, Nov. 27, 1867

Mayow Wynell Mayow

The Church of England stands at a crossroads, where the survival of its historic identity depends upon resisting the legislative dismantling of its foundational ritual law.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of Rhoda Fleming

Rhoda Fleming

George Meredith

A woman’s fall from grace ripples outward, pitting the rigid pride of her rural family against the reckless, shifting whims of the London elite. It is a story of how the best of intentions can lead to the brink of catastrophe.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Rome and Turkey in Connexion with the Second Advent

Rome and Turkey in Connexion with the Second Advent

Edward Hoare

The return of Christ is not a distant, abstract mystery, but a tangible event signaled by the shifting tides of empires and the unfolding of ancient biblical prophecies.

History - Religious6 min read
Cover of Scenes and Adventures in Affghanistan

Scenes and Adventures in Affghanistan

William Taylor

A firsthand account of the First Afghan War, this narrative chronicles the grueling march of British troops across harsh landscapes and the persistent, shadow-filled dangers of a hostile campaign.

History - British6 min read
Cover of Scotch marriages, vol. 1

Scotch marriages, vol. 1

Sarah Tytler

The sanctity of the wedding bond and the resilience of those discarded by society take center stage in this observant collection of tales. These narratives explore the rigid social hierarchies and quiet fortitude found within nineteenth-century rural Scottish life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Some Constituents of the Poison Ivy Plant (Rhus Toxicodendron)

Some Constituents of the Poison Ivy Plant (Rhus Toxicodendron)

William Anderson Syme

Isolation of a plant’s invisible toxin requires methodical extraction, physical endurance, and a willingness to suffer the painful rash of contact dermatitis in the service of accurate chemical synthesis.

Drugs/Alcohol/Pharmacology6 min read
Cover of Some Essentials of Religion

Some Essentials of Religion

Unknown

This collection serves as a foundational guide for the layperson, offering theological clarity on the core tenets of the Christian faith through the lens of early twentieth-century Anglican thought.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of Spirit-of-iron (Manitou-pewabic)

Spirit-of-iron (Manitou-pewabic)

Harwood Steele

The frontier of the Canadian Northwest finds its match in a man as unyielding as the landscape itself. This is a story of duty, deception, and the iron will required to forge a nation from the wild.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Stories by American Authors, Volume 9

Stories by American Authors, Volume 9

Various

This anthology captures the distinct, often melancholic atmosphere of late 19th-century American life, tracing the quiet tensions of rural communities, the lingering echoes of the Civil War, and the solitude of those living on the fringes of society. It is a collection that prizes character study and emotional…

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear Too

The Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear Too

Alfred Elwes

This is a cautionary tale about a bear who lacks the one virtue that makes any life bearable: good temper. It is a story of appetites, anger, and the social consequences of selfishness.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Adventures of Herr Baby

The Adventures of Herr Baby

Mrs. Molesworth

A four-year-old boy attempts to fix a broken household treasure and ends up wandering through a foreign city in search of a replacement.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Animals' Christmas Tree

The Animals' Christmas Tree

John P. (John Punnett) Peters

Inspired by the wonder of human festivities, the creatures of the forest gather to organize their own holiday celebration. What begins as a joyous project of communal harmony threatens to descend into chaos when selfishness takes root.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Blue Balloon: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley

The Blue Balloon: A Tale of the Shenandoah Valley

Reginald Horsley

A humble youth from Virginia finds himself caught in the machinery of war, using his ingenuity and a homemade balloon to navigate the perilous lines between Confederate and Federal forces.

Adventure6 min read