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5,112 public-domain books, summarised. Page 88 of 107.

Cover of Great short stories, Volume 1 (of 3)

Great short stories, Volume 1 (of 3)

Unknown

A dark room, a locked door, and a bloody mystery that defies all human reason.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery9 min read
Cover of Lost Illusions

Lost Illusions

Honoré de Balzac

A vain provincial poet, armed with beauty and ambition, trades the quiet devotion of his family for the glittering, predatory trap of nineteenth-century Paris.

French Literature11 min read
Cover of Ten Years Later

Ten Years Later

Alexandre Dumas

Between the crumbling courtly shadows of Blois and the silent, high-walled battlements of the Bastille, a grand era of high-hearted bravado quietly slips away, giving ground to a cooler, more calculating world of statecraft, wealth, and cold ambition.

Adventure10 min read
Cover of The Battaile of Agincourt

The Battaile of Agincourt

Michael Drayton

A swift, sweeping English epic revives the 1415 invasion of France, transforming historical bloodshed into a fierce celebration of national pride and martial valor.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 378, April, 1847

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 378, April, 1847

Various

A high-minded Victorian periodical wrestles with the legacy of Oliver Cromwell, the wildness of Irish soldiers, the dread of European vampires, and the economic shocks threatening a rapidly expanding British Empire.

History - British6 min read
Cover of The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world

The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world

J. G. (John George) Wood

Behind the grand claims of nineteenth-century imperial exploration lies an intricate world of everyday human ingenuity, where complex social orders, exquisite craftsmanship, and sharp-witted diplomacy flourish far beyond the borders of Western industrial civilization.

Archaeology & Anthropology10 min read
Cover of A History of American Literature Since 1870

A History of American Literature Since 1870

Fred Lewis Pattee

A vast continent puts away its old songs and finds a raw, loud voice in the dirt, the cities, and the camps.

American Literature8 min read
Cover of An Old-Fashioned Girl

An Old-Fashioned Girl

Louisa May Alcott

A country girl brings her warm common sense into a fashionable city household, quietly altering every life she touches.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Daddy-Long-Legs

Daddy-Long-Legs

Jean Webster

Sent from the cold monotony of an orphanage to an elite women's college, a spirited young woman writes monthly letters to the anonymous benefactor funding her education, creating a brilliant portrait of self-discovery, independence, and unexpected love.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Man Overboard!

Man Overboard!

F. Marion (Francis Marion) Crawford

A ghost story of chilling precision, this tale proves that guilt can weigh down a man's boots far more heavily than ocean water.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Strenuous Life: The Works of Theodore Roosevelt, Volume 12 (of 14)

The Strenuous Life: The Works of Theodore Roosevelt, Volume 12 (of 14)

Theodore Roosevelt

A call to action for a rising superpower, this collection demands that citizens and statesmen reject soft ease in favor of relentless, principled effort.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The Sexual Life of the Child

The Sexual Life of the Child

Albert Moll

Childhood holds its own secret life of feeling and impulse long before adult maturity arrives.

Parenthood & Family Relations6 min read
Cover of The Chronicles of Clovis

The Chronicles of Clovis

Saki

A cynical youth glides through Edwardian drawing rooms, using sharp wits and relentless mischief to expose the absurdity of polite society.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

William Shakespeare

Three monumental tragedies of tragic inheritance, fractured minds, and fatal betrayal unfold within a single critical edition that meticulously captures every textual variant, historical quarto, and scholarly debate of the early modern stage.

British Literature12 min read
Cover of Alcibiades I

Alcibiades I

Unknown

A brilliant young noble stands on the verge of political power, convinced of his own supreme readiness to lead, only to be stopped by an elder philosopher who relentlessly lays bare his absolute lack of self-knowledge.

Classics of Literature5 min read
Cover of A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication

A Newly Discovered System of Electrical Medication

Daniel Clark

A subtle shift in polarity turns electricity from a mere stimulant into a precise medical tool.

Engineering & Technology6 min read
Cover of Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature

Evidence as to Man's Place in Nature

Thomas Henry Huxley

A rigorous examination of primate anatomy strips away centuries of myth to reveal humanity’s precise place alongside the great apes.

Archaeology & Anthropology5 min read
Cover of Philip Hale's Boston Symphony Programme Notes

Philip Hale's Boston Symphony Programme Notes

Philip Hale

A great critic does not ask an audience to admire his taste; he hands them the keys to a masterwork and steps quietly aside.

Essays, Letters & Speeches6 min read
Cover of History of Frederick the Second, Called Frederick the Great

History of Frederick the Second, Called Frederick the Great

John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott

Absolute power, inherited cruelty, and strategic genius converge to shape a European empire through decades of unrelenting bloodshed and personal sacrifice.

Biographies9 min read
Cover of Journeys and Experiences in Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile: Including a Side Trip to the Source of the Paraguay River in the State of Matto Grosso, Brazil, and a Journey Across the Andes to the Rio Tambo in Peru

Journeys and Experiences in Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile: Including a Side Trip to the Source of the Paraguay River in the State of Matto Grosso, Brazil, and a Journey Across the Andes to the Rio Tambo in Peru

Henry Stephens

A keen eye for detail and an appetite for local color mark this expansive record of South American travel. Henry Stephens captures the continent's urban hubbub, regional quirks, and rugged backcountry through direct observation, presenting a landscape defined as much by its unvarnished daily life as by its geography.

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 06

The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition, Vol. 06

Robert Louis Stevenson

A young boy inherits a dying pirate’s sea chest, embarking on a perilous voyage that exposes the shifting, treacherous boundaries between honorable gentlemen and ruthlessly charming rogues.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of Practical Pointers for Patentees

Practical Pointers for Patentees

Franklin Allison Cresee

This straightforward 1912 manual offers realistic guidance for turn-of-the-century inventors looking to commercialize their patented ideas. F. A. Cresee bridges the gap between mechanical creation and financial success with crisp, practical business advice.

Business/Management5 min read
Cover of Prof. Koch's Method to Cure Tuberculosis Popularly Treated

Prof. Koch's Method to Cure Tuberculosis Popularly Treated

Max Birnbaum

Medical science stands on the precipice of a revolution, poised to convert humanity’s most devastating, stealthy enemy into a manageable and curable ailment through targeted microscopic intervention.

Health & Medicine5 min read
Cover of The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

R. A. (Reuben Archer) Torrey

He works invisibly, moving across human hearts with the sovereign freedom of a gathering wind.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches

The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches

Cotton Mather

A desperate religious settlement, convinced the forces of darkness are encircling its borders, turns its own righteous fear inward upon its neighbors.

History - American5 min read
Cover of James B. Eads

James B. Eads

Louis How

An inventive mind confronts shifting waters and political inertia, shaping national trade and defense through sheer technical mastery and persistent will.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Ralph on the Engine

Ralph on the Engine

Allen Chapman

The iron road is a place of sharp whistles, shifting signals, and constant vigilance, where a young man’s character is tested as surely as the steam pressure in his boiler.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of The Daffodil Mystery

The Daffodil Mystery

Edgar Wallace

When an arrogant London store owner is found dead with a cluster of yellow flowers pressed to his body, an international detective must unravel a web of embezzlement, revenge, and secrets stretching from Shanghai to Highgate.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of The School and Society: Being three lectures

The School and Society: Being three lectures

John Dewey

A vision of education grounded in real-world activity replaces rigid, passive classrooms with vibrant spaces of communal inquiry and creative expression.

Sociology6 min read
Cover of Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible: Apocrypha

Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible: Apocrypha

Anonymous

Faith, political upheaval, and moral endurance converge in a dramatic tapestry of narrative, prophecy, and practical wisdom. These books capture a resilient community fighting to preserve its identity under foreign rule.

History - Ancient9 min read
Cover of Handbook of Birmingham: Prepared for the Members of the British Association, 1886

Handbook of Birmingham: Prepared for the Members of the British Association, 1886

British Association for the Advancement of Science

A comprehensive Victorian survey reveals how a midland manufacturing town transformed from an obscure parish into an industrial, intellectual, and scientific powerhouse.

History - British7 min read
Cover of Miscellaneous Aphorisms

Miscellaneous Aphorisms

Oscar Wilde

To seek beauty over utility is to choose the soul’s liberation over the world’s dull machinery. True freedom requires stripping away social hypocrisy, authority, and unselfish altruism to make room for pure individual expression.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Steam-ships

Steam-ships

R. A. Fletcher

A single century transforms sea travel from unpredictable voyages governed by wind into a global network of iron and steam.

Engineering & Technology6 min read
Cover of The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses

The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses

Robert W. (Robert William) Service

A stark, rhythmic journey through the frozen Canadian wilderness, where lawless gold-seekers, tragic outcasts, and stoic pioneers face extreme isolation, brutal cold, and the relentless, hypnotic call of the untamed North.

Adventure7 min read
Cover of Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Geoponici" to "Germany": Volume 11, Slice 7

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Geoponici" to "Germany": Volume 11, Slice 7

Various

An authoritative survey sweeps from classical botanical lore and monarchical overreach to the geology, literature, and imperial politics of the Western world.

Encyclopedias/Dictionaries/Reference9 min read
Cover of English Fairy Tales

English Fairy Tales

Flora Annie Webster Steel

Courage, sly wits, and sudden magic carry plain folk through a countryside where giants wait around the turn and foolishness proves as fatal as a blade.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Napoleon's British visitors and captives, 1801-1815

Napoleon's British visitors and captives, 1801-1815

John Goldworth Alger

A sudden respite in global conflict sends a wave of curious aristocrats, fortune-hunters, and eccentrics across the English Channel into the heart of an empire ruled by their ultimate adversary.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 6: Sex in Relation to Society

Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 6: Sex in Relation to Society

Havelock Ellis

Human sexual life does not unfold in isolation; it is deeply shaped by social institutions, historical traditions, and communal expectations.

Gender & Sexuality Studies10 min read
Cover of Mexico and Central America

Mexico and Central America

Harry Alverson Franck

A vivid physical journey through 1920s Mexico and Central America reveals landscapes, working lives, and complex regional histories through direct, unvarnished boots-on-the-ground observation.

Travel Writing6 min read
Cover of Old English Poems: Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose

Old English Poems: Translated into the Original Meter Together with Short Selections from Old English Prose

Cosette Faust Newton

Heroic song, mystical vision, and practical wisdom collide in a volume that recreates the lost rhythms of early English speech, capturing both the thunder of battle and the icy quiet of exile.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Over the Teacups

Over the Teacups

Oliver Wendell Holmes

A quiet circle of aging friends gathers around the tea table to talk, exchange poems, and measure their evening years against the flight of time.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of The foundations of Japan

The foundations of Japan

J. W. (John William) Robertson Scott

Behind Japan’s swift industrial rise lies a quiet, enduring backbone: millions of small-scale farmers working microscopic plots, balancing ancient communal obligations against the demands of a modernizing state.

Archaeology & Anthropology7 min read
Cover of Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1: A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History

Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1: A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History

Unknown

Across centuries of conflict, empires rise and crumble through the ambitions, military innovations, and tragic miscalculations of world-shaping rulers and warriors.

Biographies7 min read
Cover of Jewish children

Jewish children

Sholem Aleichem

A world of quiet childhood longing opens up through small, bright windows into traditional Jewish life.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore6 min read
Cover of The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts

The Blue Bird: A Fairy Play in Six Acts

Maurice Maeterlinck

A woodcutter's two children set out on a magical quest for a elusive blue bird, only to discover that true happiness was waiting right where they started.

Mythology, Legends & Folklore7 min read
Cover of The Burgess Animal Book for Children

The Burgess Animal Book for Children

Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess

A warm and curious exploration of North American wildlife, where a patient teacher turns the forest floor into an engaging outdoor classroom.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of The Corsair King

The Corsair King

Mór Jókai

A young man leads a double life as a quiet lover in the tropics and a ruthless pirate king on the high seas, until his hidden past and the bloodshed of his crew collide in a wave of retribution.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth

Nature and human suffering intertwine across high mountain peaks, tranquil lake shores, and desolate English plains. Through quiet observation and dramatic tragedy, everyday lives reveal profound psychological depth.

British Literature7 min read
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