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British Literature — page 122

5,898 public-domain british literature books, summarised. Page 122 of 123.

Cover of A Christmas Story: Man in His Element

A Christmas Story: Man in His Element

Samuel W. (Samuel Ward) Francis

A bachelor takes over his sister's chaotic household to prove that firm, detached authority is the secret to perfect domestic order.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Daughter of To-Day

A Daughter of To-Day

Sara Jeannette Duncan

The artistic temperament is a fragile vessel, and its collision with the immovable rocks of conventional life rarely ends without tragedy. This story explores the fatal collision between one woman’s desperate, hungry need for greatness and the cold, unyielding boundaries of her world.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A Doctor of the Old School

A Doctor of the Old School

Ian Maclaren

A stubborn Scottish physician spends forty years riding through storm and snow to tend his rural parish, asking no reward beyond the quiet knowledge of a lifetime spent in service.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of A motley jest

A motley jest

Oscar Fay Adams

Classic dramatic figures drift ashore onto a mysterious island and into unfamiliar Venetian streets, blending timeless tragedies and comedies into an imaginative afterlife.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Amy Herbert

Amy Herbert

Elizabeth Missing Sewell

A girl raised in quiet, godly contentment must learn to navigate the envy and social hierarchies of her wealthy cousins. Her journey toward maturity demands a faith that survives both luxury and profound personal loss.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Beauchamp's Career

Beauchamp's Career

George Meredith

A young naval officer’s uncompromising idealism collides with the rigid social machinery of Victorian England, forcing him to choose between his radical political convictions and the expectations of his aristocratic family.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Carlyon Sahib: A Drama in Four Acts

Carlyon Sahib: A Drama in Four Acts

Gilbert Murray

A fallen colonial administrator fights to preserve his legacy, only to be dismantled by the daughter who once worshiped him. This is a study of power, moral rot, and the crushing weight of hidden sins.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Eugene Aram

Eugene Aram

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

HOOK A scholar hides a dark secret in a quiet village, struggling to balance his love for a gentle woman with the haunting weight of his own past.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Heedless Hetty

Heedless Hetty

Annette Lyster

A young housemaid struggles to overcome a chronic lack of focus that threatens the safety of the delicate, invalid child in her care. Can she learn to replace her impulsive whims with a sense of purpose?

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Hetty's garden-party, and what came of it

Hetty's garden-party, and what came of it

Emma Leslie

An ambitious young girl's desperate attempt to mimic the grand social circles of her wealthy relatives precipitates a cascade of household debt, neighborhood estrangement, and personal humiliation.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Kate's ordeal

Kate's ordeal

Emma Leslie

A young woman seeking independence in the big city discovers that the pursuit of social status and worldly vanity can lead to devastating moral consequences.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105 December 9, 1893

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 105 December 9, 1893

Various

A Victorian weekly periodical captures the political squabbles, theatrical absurdities, and literary chatter of late-1893 England through biting satire and verse.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-01-14

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, 1920-01-14

Various

This volume captures the irreverent, post-war spirit of 1920s London, offering a kaleidoscopic view of a society eager to laugh at its own bureaucracies, fads, and lingering anxieties. It stands as a vivid, witty time capsule of a world trying to recover its equilibrium.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, May 2, 1891

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, May 2, 1891

Various

Satirical observations on political posturing and Victorian daily routine expose the subtle hypocrisies of late-nineteenth-century British life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 104, January 14, 1893

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 104, January 14, 1893

Various

This weekly periodical captures the quintessential spirit of Victorian satire, blending sharp political commentary with whimsical social observations to offer a snapshot of life in 1893 London.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, May 9, 1917

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, May 9, 1917

Various

A vibrant, sharp-tongued weekly dispatch from the heart of the Great War, capturing the peculiar intersection of national anxiety, domestic rationing, and the persistent, defiant British urge to find the absurd in the tragic.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The confessions of a well-meaning woman

The confessions of a well-meaning woman

Stephen McKenna

A social climber maneuvers through the wreckage of her family’s prestige, clinging to the fading veneer of Edwardian aristocracy while her son’s scandals threaten to strip away her remaining status.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Uncle Tweazy and his quizzical neighbours, vol. 2 of 3

Uncle Tweazy and his quizzical neighbours, vol. 2 of 3

Author of the Observant pedestrian, Montrose, Mystic cottager, &c. &c.

When an eccentric, disillusioned uncle and his observant nephew encounter a village paragon, hidden past sorrows collide with relentless local gossip and elaborate masquerades.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Dead-sea fruit, Vol. 3 (of 3)

Dead-sea fruit, Vol. 3 (of 3)

M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon

An aging worldling’s pursuit of a phantom happiness leaves a trail of regret, resolved only when younger lives break free from his mistakes.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Four Ghost Stories

Four Ghost Stories

Mrs. Molesworth

Genuine encounters with the unexplained leave ordinary people grappling with shadows, memory, and the strange echoes of souls departed before their time.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Mohawks: A Novel. Volume 2 of 3

Mohawks: A Novel. Volume 2 of 3

M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon

A decadent, treacherous Georgian society serves as the backdrop for a high-stakes struggle between forbidden love and a sinister, long-concealed past.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 108, June 22nd, 1895

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 108, June 22nd, 1895

Various

Step into the vibrant, satirical world of late-Victorian England through this snapshot of a classic weekly periodical, where political absurdities and everyday eccentricities meet sharp wit.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Ralph Clavering

Ralph Clavering

William Henry Giles Kingston

An arrogant boy’s claim to a wealthy English estate is shattered by a sudden, disruptive revelation, forcing him to confront his own profound snobbery and find a path toward genuine redemption.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Career of Claudia

The Career of Claudia

Frances Mary Peard

A quiet, observant young woman steps into the traditional English countryside with modern ambitions, only to find her self-assurance tested by the unpredictable turns of the heart.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 370, January 29, 1887

The Girl's Own Paper, Vol. VIII, No. 370, January 29, 1887

Various

A Victorian weekly miscellany combining serialized fiction, educational music history, natural history observations, dressmaking instructions, and chatty editorial correspondence for young women.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of A People's Man

A People's Man

E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

When a charismatic outsider enters the turbulent world of British politics, he must choose between a revolutionary strike and the subtle temptations of power.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of May; vol. I

May; vol. I

Mrs. (Margaret) Oliphant

A beloved son's sudden death shatters a long-enduring Scottish family, forcing a gentle daughter to navigate profound grief, shifting households, and the alien presence of new heirs.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, March 21, 1891

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 100, March 21, 1891

Various

A Victorian satirist eyes the modern street, where an unstoppable runner collides with terrified citizens while the municipal authorities debate whether to arrest the athlete or ignore the chaos.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 108, February 9, 1895

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 108, February 9, 1895

Various

Wit, satire, and theatrical absurdities collide in a snapshot of late-Victorian British life, capturing the anxieties and humor of a changing world.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, June 13, 1917

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 152, June 13, 1917

Various

Published in the shadow of the Great War, this British periodical blends sharp political satire, light verse, and domestic absurdities to capture the resilience of wartime humor.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, October 11, 1890

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 99, October 11, 1890

Various

Late Victorian society glides through its high-society drawing rooms and legal halls entirely unaware of how absurd its self-serious rituals appear to a keen observer.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Queenie's whim, Volume 2 (of 3)

Queenie's whim, Volume 2 (of 3)

Rosa Nouchette Carey

A young village school-mistress discovers unexpected wealth while navigating quiet romances, sorrowful losses, and the rigid expectations of English country life.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Ronald and I

Ronald and I

Alfred Pretor

Deep in the English countryside and stretching to sunlit shores abroad, a series of sharply observed sketches captures eccentric villagers, youthful pranks, and the quiet weight of memory.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Last of the Barons

The Last of the Barons

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

The Wars of the Roses rage as a mighty king-maker falls victim to betrayal and political storm, reshaping England’s destiny.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The promotion of the admiral, and other sea comedies

The promotion of the admiral, and other sea comedies

Morley Roberts

Kidnapped by waterfront toughs and thrust into the forecastle of a merchant ship, a British admiral discovers a world where fists and fortitude matter more than gold braid.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Roll-Call Of The Reef

The Roll-Call Of The Reef

Arthur Quiller-Couch

When a furious gale batters the treacherous Cornish coast, a remote quarryman’s cottage becomes the meeting place for a strange survivor, a spectral soldier, and the unquiet dead of two shipwrecks.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Shakespeare garden club: A fantasy

The Shakespeare garden club: A fantasy

Mabel M. Moran

A gathering of Shakespeare’s most famous heroines convenes in Stratford-upon-Avon to plan a civic beautification project for the riverbanks.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Tale of Chloe: An Episode in the History of Beau Beamish

The Tale of Chloe: An Episode in the History of Beau Beamish

George Meredith

At a fashionable spa ruled by an exacting wit, a devoted woman watches her returning lover betray her with a naive young duchess, leading to a fatal sacrifice.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of A Vindication of the Press

A Vindication of the Press

Daniel Defoe

A passionate defense of the written word argues that society thrives not through censorship, but through the unruly, essential freedom to publish.

British Literature7 min read
Cover of A Yellow Aster, Volume 2 (of 3)

A Yellow Aster, Volume 2 (of 3)

Caffyn, Mannington, Mrs.

An awakening heart struggles against an unyielding nature, bound by an experimental marriage that tests the limits of human comprehension and emotional truth.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Dilemmas of Pride, (Vol 1 of 3)

Dilemmas of Pride, (Vol 1 of 3)

Mrs. (Margracia) Loudon

Wealth, status, and ruthless social ambition collide in a grand English demesne where family ties buckle under the heavy weight of pride.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Godolphin, Volume 5

Godolphin, Volume 5

Lytton, Edward Bulwer Lytton, Baron

A brilliant, drifting aristocrat finds his world of pleasure upended by profound loss and a high-born marriage that mirrors his own isolated heart.

British Literature5 min read
Cover of Mount Royal: A Novel. Volume 2 of 3

Mount Royal: A Novel. Volume 2 of 3

M. E. (Mary Elizabeth) Braddon

An unhealed past and a reluctant marriage collide along the rugged Cornish coast when a woman's former lover unexpectedly re-enters her domestic sphere.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Nobody's Man

Nobody's Man

E. Phillips (Edward Phillips) Oppenheim

Political ambition collides with personal betrayal and secret scandals in a shifting British landscape where statesmen navigate the perilous waters of a new democratic order.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, September 2nd, 1914

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, September 2nd, 1914

Various

The Great War has arrived, and with it, the familiar rhythm of London life begins to stutter, replaced by a strange cocktail of patriotic fervor, anxiety, and sharp, biting wit. This collection of writing captures a nation in the first disorienting month of a conflict that no one yet realizes will redraw the map of…

British Literature6 min read
Cover of Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 93, September 24, 1887

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 93, September 24, 1887

Various

A weekly chronicle of Victorian satire, theatrical reviews, and travel grumbles captures the shifting political winds and leisurely pursuits of late-September Britain.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Grand Cham's Diamond: A Play in One Act

The Grand Cham's Diamond: A Play in One Act

Allan Monkhouse

A suburban family's mundane evening is upended when a priceless diamond lands in their living room, sparking a chaotic and comedic battle of wits.

British Literature6 min read
Cover of The Story of Jessie

The Story of Jessie

Mabel Quiller-Couch

When a cherished granddaughter is abruptly snatched away to a bleak city life, an elderly country couple and a resilient child must hold onto faith through years of agonizing separation.

British Literature6 min read