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47,382 public-domain books, summarised. Page 969 of 988.

Cover of Harper's Young People, October 10, 1882: An Illustrated Weekly

Harper's Young People, October 10, 1882: An Illustrated Weekly

Various

This collection offers a window into the Victorian era’s inquisitive, didactic spirit, where juvenile literature served as a blend of moral instruction, scientific curiosity, and wholesome escapism.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of History of the United Netherlands from the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce, 1603-04

History of the United Netherlands from the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce, 1603-04

John Lothrop Motley

The death of Elizabeth I leaves the nascent Dutch Republic vulnerable, forcing its leaders to navigate a treacherous new landscape of royal vanity, shifting alliances, and the brutal, grinding reality of a siege that defies logic.

History - European6 min read
Cover of "I'm Greatly Concerned About Your Soul."

"I'm Greatly Concerned About Your Soul."

M. A. C.

A stranger’s sudden, tearful display of concern for another’s spiritual welfare acts as the catalyst for a profound personal transformation. This narrative serves as a testament to the power of earnest, individual intercession.

Religion/Spirituality6 min read
Cover of In the Far North: 1901

In the Far North: 1901

Louis Becke

Where heat-waves dance over the wastes of North Queensland, drought and financial ruin press a lonely cattleman to the absolute brink of despair until an unexpected act of past mercy returns to him in his darkest hour.

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of Injuneered

Injuneered

W. C. (Wilbur C.) Tuttle

HOOK When a wealthy, eccentric traveler arrives in the dusty town of Piperock with a circus in tow, the ensuing chaos proves that some things—and some animals—are simply too wild to be tamed.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Le Selve

Le Selve

Ouida

HOOK A principled stranger attempts to reform a lawless Italian forest community, only to find that his ideals of justice are no match for the deep-seated brutality and ancient superstitions of the people he serves.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Marcus: the Young Centurion

Marcus: the Young Centurion

George Manville Fenn

The son of a disgraced general defies his father to seek glory in the Gallic Wars, only to find that the reality of combat demands more than the romantic dreams of youth.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud (Being secret letters from a gentleman at Paris to a nobleman in London)

Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud (Being secret letters from a gentleman at Paris to a nobleman in London)

Lewis Goldsmith

HOOK This collection of intelligence reports from Napoleonic Paris exposes the inner workings of a regime built upon systematic plunder, state-sponsored vice, and the total subversion of individual liberty.

History - European6 min read
Cover of Miscellaneous Poems

Miscellaneous Poems

George Crabbe

These stark, deeply moral verses explore the wreckage of human ambition and the fragile, often belated search for divine mercy. They are the sharp observations of a poet who finds truth in the shadows of society.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé

Monsieur, Madame, and Bébé

Gustave Droz

The sanctity of the marriage bed and the follies of the drawing-room meet in these intimate, lighthearted chronicles of French bourgeois life. This collection of sketches offers a window into the private anxieties and public pretenses of nineteenth-century society, where the weight of social expectation often…

French Literature6 min read
Cover of Mr. Joseph Hanson, The Haberdasher

Mr. Joseph Hanson, The Haberdasher

Mary Russell Mitford

A grandiloquent haberdasher sweeps into a provincial town with flashy salesmanship, only to have his matrimonial ambitions derailed by a local political feud and a surprising personal history.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, February 25, 1893

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, February 25, 1893

Various

This collection of wit, satire, and parliamentary reportage captures the pulse of Victorian life at a moment of intense political and social friction. It serves as a sharp-tongued mirror to the preoccupations of early 1893, blending the trivial with the profound through a uniquely British lens.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Revenge

Revenge

Arthur Porges

A scorned biochemist, denied recognition and payment for eradicating the world’s opium supply, decides to punish a dismissive society by systematically destroying its most beloved vices.

Novels6 min read
Cover of Richard Carvel

Richard Carvel

Winston Churchill

The story of a Maryland gentleman’s journey from colonial privilege to revolutionary fire, this account charts a path through kidnapping, exile, and the hardening of a young man’s soul. It remains a classic of historical fiction because it captures the precise tension of a world breaking in two.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Some Broken Twigs

Some Broken Twigs

Clara Frances McKee Beede

The world is a tapestry of both dismal days and beautiful blooms, where broken twigs and jagged trails serve as necessary markers for those finding their way out of the woods.

Poetry7 min read
Cover of Supplement to "Punch, Or The London Charivari."—October 14, 1914: "Punch" and the Prussian Bully

Supplement to "Punch, Or The London Charivari."—October 14, 1914: "Punch" and the Prussian Bully

Various

This collection of political cartoons captures the rise of German militarism and imperial ambition, documenting decades of European tension through a sharp, satirical lens. It serves as a visual record of a changing continent, seen from the perspective of London.

History - European6 min read
Cover of The Arctic Queen

The Arctic Queen

Unknown

A mortal maiden ventures to the frozen top of the world, challenging an eternal Arctic queen for the soul of her lost lover.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 12: 4 Kings: The Challoner Revision

The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 12: 4 Kings: The Challoner Revision

Unknown

This chronicle records the final, turbulent centuries of the Israelite monarchy, charting a tragic descent from regional power to total collapse and exile. It remains a foundational text of historical narrative, exploring the interplay between divine law and political ruin.

History - Ancient6 min read
Cover of The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 60: 2 Thessalonians: The Challoner Revision

The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Book 60: 2 Thessalonians: The Challoner Revision

Unknown

This brief letter offers guidance to a community unsettled by fear, urging them to remain grounded in their faith rather than swayed by rumors of an imminent end of the world.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of The Emperor

The Emperor

Georg Ebers

This historical novel captures the sensory richness of second-century Alexandria on the eve of a momentous imperial visit, weaving a tale of personal dignity against the backdrop of an empire in flux. Through the struggles of a prideful steward and his daughters, it examines the tension between grand history and…

Historical Novels6 min read
Cover of The Fly Leaf, No. 1, Vol. 1, December 1895: A Pamphlet Periodical of the New—the New Man, New Woman, New Ideas, Whimsies and Things

The Fly Leaf, No. 1, Vol. 1, December 1895: A Pamphlet Periodical of the New—the New Man, New Woman, New Ideas, Whimsies and Things

Various

A spirited manifesto for the burgeoning American writer, this inaugural issue champions a modern, irreverent literary voice against the stifling dominance of established, traditionalist periodicals.

American Literature7 min read
Cover of The Last of the Barons

The Last of the Barons

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

The crown of England shifts like sand under the heels of a king, while the ambitions of great men and the simple hopes of the humble collide in a world where power is the only currency.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Man Who Wins

The Man Who Wins

Robert Herrick

The life of a man is often measured by what he conquers, but this story reveals the hollow price of a victory built upon the calculated suppression of one’s own heart.

American Literature5 min read
Cover of The Master of Aberfeldie, Volume 3 (of 3)

The Master of Aberfeldie, Volume 3 (of 3)

James Grant

A young woman trapped in a loveless marriage finds her secret, war-torn past colliding with a desperate search for redemption. Amidst the heat of the Egyptian campaign, old hearts find their way home.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Medici Boots

The Medici Boots

Pearl Norton Swet

A pair of ornate, cursed boots inherited by an unsuspecting young woman transform her into a murderous vessel for a fifteenth-century spirit, threatening to destroy her and all who love her.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery5 min read
Cover of The Story of Gombi

The Story of Gombi

H. De Vere (Henry De Vere) Stacpoole

The final act of a lifelong hunter is mirrored in the gruesome, trophy-filled sanctuary of his Lincolnshire home. A single, macabre souvenir sets the stage for a haunting recollection of colonial hunting in Africa.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Toffee turns the trick

Toffee turns the trick

Henry Farrell

The fixage pills caused a major change in Marc's life--they not only made him a babe in arms--but Toffee's to boot! This frantic, whimsical tale explores the volatile intersection of a man’s subconscious desires and the chaos of the waking world.

Humour6 min read
Cover of Woodbine-Arbor

Woodbine-Arbor

Anonymous

A serene portrait of industrious childhood, this mid-19th-century tale follows six siblings as they transform a small plot of land into a thriving, fragrant retreat, learning lessons of virtue and cooperation along the way.

Children & Young Adult Reading5 min read
Cover of A Book of Epigrams

A Book of Epigrams

Unknown

This collection offers a mosaic of human observation, distilling complex emotions and sharp social critiques into the brief, elegant form of the epigram. It is a mirror held up to the enduring contradictions of life.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of A Christmas snowflake: a rhyme for children

A Christmas snowflake: a rhyme for children

Anna J. (Anna Jane) Granniss

A small, lonely snowflake, concerned that the bare ground will prevent Santa’s arrival, inspires a flurry of its peers to descend and transform the world in time for Christmas morning.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of A vision of life

A vision of life

Darrell Figgis

A visionary journey through the soul’s struggle for meaning, these poems capture the tension between the siren call of worldly pleasure and the rigorous, often painful, demands of moral duty.

Poetry6 min read
Cover of Ernest Maltravers

Ernest Maltravers

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

A young man’s impulsive, romantic journey through the landscapes of Europe and the trials of maturity leads him to confront the heavy, unforeseen consequences of his own fleeting desires.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Essay on the Literature of the Mexican War

Essay on the Literature of the Mexican War

W. T. (William Thornton) Lawson

This critical examination surveys the contemporary literature of the 1846–1848 conflict between the United States and Mexico, evaluating how early chroniclers documented the expansion of American territory and military strategy.

Essays, Letters & Speeches7 min read
Cover of Harper's Young People, December 16, 1879: An Illustrated Weekly

Harper's Young People, December 16, 1879: An Illustrated Weekly

Various

This vintage weekly anthology offers a portal into the Victorian imagination, blending moral instruction, imaginative fiction, and the earnest curiosities of nineteenth-century American childhood.

Children & Young Adult Reading6 min read
Cover of Harper's Young People, May 31, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly

Harper's Young People, May 31, 1881: An Illustrated Weekly

Various

A curated window into the nineteenth-century American imagination, this illustrated weekly blend of moral tales, nautical adventures, and community puzzles captures the spirit of a bygone childhood.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Kenelm Chillingly

Kenelm Chillingly

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

A philosophical young gentleman walks away from a life of privilege to test his own nature, inadvertently finding himself the protector of the vulnerable and a meddler in the messy, human drama of village life.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Letters to his mother, Ann Borrow, and other correspondents

Letters to his mother, Ann Borrow, and other correspondents

George Borrow

A restless spirit traverses the globe and the British countryside, chronicling his solitary odysseys and domestic concerns with a sharp, idiosyncratic eye for detail. This collection of letters captures the private voice of a man defined as much by his wanderlust as by his fierce devotion to home.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Lie on the Beam

Lie on the Beam

John Victor Peterson

A lone engineer at a fog-shrouded Venusian spaceport must outwit a Martian destroyer using only his radio controls to turn the invaders' own navigation beam against them.

Adventure6 min read
Cover of Lyra Frivola

Lyra Frivola

A. D. (Alfred Denis) Godley

HOOK This collection of light verse captures the sharp wit and academic absurdity of late Victorian Oxford, where the rigors of classical education collide with the chaotic political realities of the day.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Mademoiselle Olympe Zabriski

Mademoiselle Olympe Zabriski

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

A wealthy socialite finds his carefully cultivated life upended by a mysterious, silent infatuation that defies his own aristocratic expectations. This tale of obsession and misunderstanding serves as a witty, poignant examination of how easily a rigid identity can be fractured by the allure of the unknown.

American Literature6 min read
Cover of Maud Florence Nellie

Maud Florence Nellie

Christabel R. (Christabel Rose) Coleridge

Flamboyant fifteen-year-old Florrie Whittaker insists she does not care about rules, consequences, or her family's scolding—until her stubbornness pulls back the curtain on a web of long-hidden secrets, missing heirs, and family reconciliations.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Memoirs of Madame la Marquise de Montespan

Memoirs of Madame la Marquise de Montespan

Madame de Montespan

These pages offer a rare, unapologetic window into the glittering and treacherous heart of the court of Louis XIV, as seen through the eyes of the King’s most famous mistress.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Peachmonk

Peachmonk

John Eyerman

A society debutante receives a mysterious red lily, setting off an outrageous string of noble secrets, absurd abductions, and high-society intrigue across Edwardian London.

Crime, Thrillers and Mystery6 min read
Cover of Personal Sketches and Tributes: Part 2 from Volume VI of The Works of John Greenleaf Whittier

Personal Sketches and Tributes: Part 2 from Volume VI of The Works of John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier

These collected reflections offer an intimate, enduring portrait of 19th-century American intellectual life, capturing the moral urgency of the abolitionist movement alongside tender tributes to the literary figures who shaped the era.

Biographies6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, February 11, 1914

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, February 11, 1914

Various

This volume gathers the satirical wit, whimsical verse, and sharp political commentary of a storied British institution during the final winter of the pre-war era. It offers a candid, laughter-filled window into a world poised on a precipice.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-02-11

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-02-11

Various

This collection offers a candid, witty window into the post-war anxieties of 1920s Britain, blending biting political commentary with the absurdities of daily life. It serves as a time capsule for a nation caught between the exhaustion of the Great War and the frantic, often ridiculous, attempt to return to normalcy.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, July 24, 1841

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, July 24, 1841

Various

This inaugural collection captures the irreverent, biting spirit of mid-Victorian London, where political satire and absurd humor collide in a weekly parade of wit.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Restricted Tool

Restricted Tool

Malcolm B. Morehart

After stumbling upon a discarded alien device, a hunter discovers he possesses technology that could change the world, only to realize he has been propelled into a future where his "miracle" is merely mundane.

Science-Fiction & Fantasy5 min read