“The device on his shield was a young oak tree pulled up by the roots, with the Spanish word Desdichado, signifying Disinherited.” The novel opens with Mrs. Murray walking with two of her grandchildren along the banks of Loch Arroch in the Scottish border country. They appear to be well-to-do and distinguished, but all is not well within the family and sacrifices are necessary. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

Catherine Vernon has a firm hand on her family and on the family business. Her plans for her young protege Edward, whom she loves like a son, are disturbed by the arrival of Hester, a 14-year-old girl who is just as strong willed. The conflict between Catherine and Hester is resolved through their mutual love for Edward. On one level a love story, Hester is unusual for its time in its portrayal of women in business. - Summary by Anne Erickson

This book discusses a great variety of plants and their seeds in a simple, yet interesting way that children will enjoy. As the books says, "Plants are great travelers; they often wander far and wide. Sometimes they even cross the ocean and take up their abode in a new land.” The importance of why seeds “travel” and the various means by which they move are investigated.

"The Honey-bees are buzzy-fuzzy little pepper pots" Thus this wonderful nature writer begins to tell us about bees, their habits, their way of living and their many contributions to the world and to ourselves. The author writes for all ages and everyone can listen to and enjoy this book. - Summary by Phil Chenevert

Seed Babies piques the child's interest about how seeds grow. It provides interesting information about seeds in a conversational style between two brothers and the various seeds they encounter. These seeds offer grammatical advice, chastises poor reasoning, provide enlightening information, and will often encourage the boys to go and discover answers to their questions themselves. In turn, the author lets the reader know that she too hopes that they will plant some seeds and make discoveries of their own...

THE HEPTAMERON, first published posthumously in 1558, is divided into seven complete days containing 10 stories each, and an eighth day containing only 2 stories. The stories, many of which deal with love and infidelity, resulted in "accusations of looseness" by critics of the day. The author, Margaret of Navarre (also known as Margaret of Angoulême) became an influential woman in the intellectual and cultural circles of the French Renaissance. From an 1892 essay by the translator George Saintsbury: "In so large a number of stories with so great a variety of subjects, it naturally cannot but be the case that there is a considerable diversity of tone...

THE HEPTAMERON (here Volume 3 of 5), first published posthumously in 1558, is divided into seven complete days containing 10 stories each, and an eighth day containing only 2 stories. The stories, many of which deal with love and infidelity, resulted in "accusations of looseness" by critics of the day. The author, Margaret of Navarre (also known as Margaret of Angoulême) became an influential woman in the intellectual and cultural circles of the French Renaissance. From an 1892 essay by the translator George Saintsbury: "In so large a number of stories with so great a variety of subjects, it naturally cannot but be the case that there is a considerable diversity of tone...

THE HEPTAMERON (here Volume 4 of 5), first published posthumously in 1558, is divided into seven complete days containing 10 stories each, and an eighth day containing only 2 stories. The stories, many of which deal with love and infidelity, resulted in "accusations of looseness" by critics of the day. The author, Margaret of Navarre (also known as Margaret of Angoulême) became an influential woman in the intellectual and cultural circles of the French Renaissance. From an 1892 essay by the translator George Saintsbury: "In so large a number of stories with so great a variety of subjects, it naturally cannot but be the case that there is a considerable diversity of tone...

THE HEPTAMERON, first published posthumously in 1558, is divided into seven complete days containing 10 stories each, and an eighth day containing only 2 stories. The stories, many of which deal with love and infidelity, resulted in "accusations of looseness" by critics of the day. The author, Margaret of Navarre (also known as Margaret of Angoulême) became an influential woman in the intellectual and cultural circles of the French Renaissance. From an 1892 essay by the translator George Saintsbury: "In so large a number of stories with so great a variety of subjects, it naturally cannot but be the case that there is a considerable diversity of tone...

Nickols Powers is in love with the beautiful Charlotte and desperate to marry her. Charlotte however, is independent and reluctant to accept his religious views as a good wife should. However, she may still be convinced by the charismatic preacher building a new church in her own backyard.

Charlotte Powers is a woman who loves life, and is set to marry Nickols just as soon as she can figure herself out. However, coming home and meeting the charismatic pastor that seems to have influenced all her friends, tips her worldview, and she doesn't know what to do. Rev. Mr. Goodloe: Larry Wilson Nickols Powers Jr: Levi Throckmorton Judge Nickols Powers & Mr. Todd: ToddHW Billy Harvey: Shakira Searle Charlotte Morgan: Sarah Terry Martha: Beth Thomas Dabney: Joseph Tabler Mammy: Rosslyn Carlyle Harriet...

A classic mystery/detective story in the Sherlock Holmes tradition, the hidden room suggested by the title of this book does not remain a mystery for very long as the book progresses. Written in the first person, the husband of his (Carlton Davies) former lover is found dead one night at the stroke of midnight, and Davies finds his ex-lover standing over the dead body immediately after the shot was fired, with a gun in her hand. It was no secret that she never truly loved her husband, who had blackmailed her into marrying him...

Station Life in New Zealand is a collection of cheerful and interesting letters written by Lady Mary Anne Barker (nee Mary Anne Stewart) that is a New Zealand "classic". These letters are described in the Preface as "the exact account of a lady's experience of the brighter and less practical side of colonisation". The letters were written between 1865 and 1868 and cover the time of her travel with her husband (Frederick Broomie) to New Zealand and life on a colonial sheep-station at their homestead "Broomielaw", located in the Province of Canterbury, South Island of New Zealand...

Station Amusements in New Zealand is a collection of vignettes about life on a sheep station in colonial New Zealand during the 1860s and is a further embellishment of events presented in Mary Anne Barker’s first book "Station Life in New Zealand". Mary Anne Barker and her husband Frederick Broomie lived at their sheep station “Broomielaw” under the foothills of the Southern Alps of Canterbury, New Zealand for three years from 1865 – 1868. Mary Anne Barker wrote in Chapter I: “I purpose therefore in these sketches to describe some of the pursuits which afforded us a keen enjoyment at the time, --an enjoyment arising from perfect health, simple tastes, and an exquisite climate...

In this extended essay, Mary Antin asks us to consider three questions: First: A question of principle: Have we any right to regulate immigration? Second: A question of fact: What is the nature of our present immigration? Third: A question of interpretation: Is immigration good for us? In doing so, she asks us to step back from the usual discussion around immigration, which tends to focus on practical matters, and consider the underlying principles involved. What do we owe our fellow humans and what is our national mission as Americans?

In 1914, over one million immigrants arrived in the United States, following in the footsteps of approximately ten million others who had arrived in the preceding decade. Faced with so many newcomers, many of them from backgrounds new to the American mix, voices in government and in the press had begun arguing in favor of more severely restrictionist immigration policies. In They Who Knock at Our Gates, Mary Antin broke down the discussion into three basic questions. First, the ethical question --...

A charming collection of 14 short American history plays for the very young - ranging from Christopher Columbus to George Washington to Susan B Anthony.

Mary Fortune is best known for The Detective's Album, the longest-running early detective serial anywhere in the world. Written under the name Waif Wander and narrated by detective Mark Sinclair, The Detective's Album was serialized for forty years in the Australian Journal from 1868 to 1908. (Wikipedia) These stories were read from scans from the University of Queensland library - there is no online Etext

"Never have bright romance and black scandal been more attached to the name of lovely woman," writes a quaint and susceptible chronicler, " than to that of fair Anne Boleyn." Certainly no girl ever flashed so meteor-like above the satellites of an English court, and no woman ever went to her doom under more awful accusations. Since fiction could not be half so amazing as the facts of Anne Boleyn's story, I have kept this novel of her fortunes true to those facts, and have gone, for their knowledge, not only to the histories written of this period, but in many cases to the sources of those histories...

Published in 1903, this selection of dialogues by Mary MacLane entails a mystery of wondering who she is speaking with. Is it the statue she describes at first? Is it an imaginary friend? Is it the author’s alter-ego? Or perhaps, is it a friend she knows in-the-flesh whom the author wished no one to recognize the identity of? These questions are never truly answered for how could a statue send word by postal mail or know some of the deeper vulnerabilities of the author without her knowing them...

Described as "the first blogger", Mary MacLane lived a tortured life, ahead of her time. Her beloved father died when she was a young child, and at the age of 8, her stepfather moved the family from its home in Winnipeg, Canada to Montana in the United States, where young Mary had a hard time making friends. Her sensational autobiographical style of writing was considered scandalous, as she told of her bohemian lifestyle, feminist politics and open bisexuality. Although popular during her lifetime, among a sensation-seeking public, and being credited with influencing such writers as Scott Fitzgerald and Edith Wharton, her work lost its popularity after her death at the age of 48.

A collection of 8 short stories for children, written by Mary Mapes Dodge, author of "Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates". This was her first book, and the stories were written to entertain her children. A Christmas story, tales of the Civil War, and an Indian tale are among the offerings.

Published in 1924, Precious Bane is a novel by Mary Webb which touches on ambition, prejudice and hatred but also on the power of love. Prue Sarn is a farm girl in rural Shropshire during the period of the Napoleonic Wars and is viewed with suspicion by the local community because of having been born with a harelip. Her ambitious and domineering brother betrays her and her superstitious neighbours accuse her of witchcraft. An itinerant weaver Kester Woodseaves, makes his living by weaving for the local people in their homes. Like Prue, he loves the natural world and comes to recognises Prue's inner strength and beauty.

Mary Webb was a novelist and poet and two of her novels "Gone to Earth" and "Precious Bane" have been successfully adapted for film and television. She was passionate about nature and particularly the Shropshire countryside where she grew up and spent much of her life. At the age of 20, she was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease known as Graves' disease, a thyroid condition. She was often confined to her bed but came to believe that her love of and connection with nature helped in her healing...

An exhaustive verse-by-verse study of Acts, integrating it with both the Gospels and the Old Testament, by one of the more unconventional theologians of his day. - Summary by Joanne Turner

Spiritual and practical lessons are extracted from every verse of the Book of Matthew, as well as detailed explanation of the text. The Book of Matthew is part of the New Testament in the Holy Bible and is one of the four gospels. The other 3 gospels are Mark, Luke, and John. Matthew was a tax collector before becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ. The style of his gospel suggests that he was directing his message to Jewish readers. His work aims to systematically prove that Jesus Christ is the messiah who has been prophesied about in the Old Testament. He did this by revealing each prophecy in that book fulfilled by Jesus Christ.

This is another commentary by Matthew Henry, well known for his commentaries on the Bible, this one is on Genesis, the first book of the Bible. - Summary by fiddlesticks

The story, a recording of a medium's meditation over the future writing of the text, details the narrator's (Adam Jeffson's) expedition to the North Pole during the 20th century on board the Boreal. Jeffson's fiancée, the Countess Clodagh, poisons her own cousin in order to secure a place on the ship for Jeffson, because the expedition was known to be one of the best ever planned. A millionaire, who died some years previously, had ordered in his will that he would pay 175,000,000 dollars to the first person standing at the North Pole...

This is one of the first comprehensive books about the Sikh religion in the English language. MacAuliffe had extensive access to manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings , as well as support from Sikh scholars and leaders of the time. This volume covers the life and hymns of Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru. This is volume three of six.

MacAuliffe was a senior Sikh-British administrator, prolific scholar and author. He wrote a rendition, English translation of the Sacred scriptures of the Sikh religion. He also wrote The Sikh Religion: its Gurus, Sacred Writings and Authors. He was assisted in his works by Pratap Singh Giani, a Sikh scholar. This volume covers Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das and Guru Ram Das. This is volume two of six.

Michael MacAuliffe (also known as Max Arthur Macauliffe) was a senior British administrator, prolific scholar and author. Macauliffe is renowned for his translation of Sikh scripture and history into English.This is one of the first (and still one of the few) comprehensive books about the Sikh religion in the English language. MacAuliffe had extensive access to manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings (the Granth), as well as support from Sikh scholars and leaders of the time. This volume, volume one of six, covers Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.Coordinated by JoeD & Sachin.

This is one of the first comprehensive books about the Sikh religion in the English language. MacAuliffe had extensive access to manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings , as well as support from Sikh scholars and leaders of the time. This volume covers the life and writings of Guru Gorbind Singh, the 10th Guru. This is volume 5 of 6. Summary by Kim.

This is one of the first comprehensive books about the Sikh religion in the English language. MacAuliffe had extensive access to manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings , as well as support from Sikh scholars and leaders of the time. This volume covers the life and hymns of the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th Gurus being Guru Har Gorind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Har Krishan, Guru Teg Bahadur respectively. This is volume 4 of 6.

This is one of the first comprehensive books about the Sikh religion in the English language. Macauliffe had extensive access to manuscripts of the Sikh sacred writings , as well as support from Sikh scholars and leaders of the time. This volume covers Bhagats of the Granth Sahib.

In order to liven up the literary history of Great Britain in the 1890s (as if Oscar Wilde, Stevenson, Kipling, Hardy, etc., were not lively enough) Max Beerbohm wrote short biographies of six imaginary writers. Though their works of course no longer exist, he leaves the impression that the literary world is really none the poorer. It is, of course, the six men themselves (Beerbohm himself is the seventh man of the title) who are worth our attention. ( Nicholas Clifford) Note that the Gutenberg edition of Seven Men is incomplete, but the missing sections may be found separately James Pethel http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/759 E.V. Laider http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/761

Sir Henry Maximilian "Max" Beerbohm was an English essayist, parodist, and caricaturist. The Happy Hypocrite: A Fairy Tale for Tired Men is a short story with moral implications. Beerbohm's tale is a lighter, more humorous version of Oscar Wilde's classic tale of moral degeneration, The Picture of Dorian Gray. The Happy Hypocrite tells the story of a man who deceives a woman with a mask in order to marry her.

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne is one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre. He is also known as the father of Modern Skepticism. His pieces became famous for his apparent effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography. His main work, Essais (translated literally as "Attempts" but traditionally as "Essays"), contains some of the still most widely influential essays ever written. This is the second volume of that important work.

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne is one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre. He is also known as the father of Modern Skepticism. His pieces became famous for his apparent effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography. His main work, Essais (translated literally as "Attempts" but traditionally as "Essays"), contains some of the still most widely influential essays ever written. This is the third volume of that important work.

Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Published in two volumes, in 1605 and 1615, Don Quixote is considered the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature and one of the earliest canonical novels, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published.... The story follows the adventures of a hidalgo named Mr. Alonso Quixano who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha...

Don Quixote is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Published in two volumes, in 1605 and 1615, Don Quixote is considered the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age and the entire Spanish literary canon. As a founding work of modern Western literature and one of the earliest canonical novels, it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published.... The story follows the adventures of a hidalgo named Mr. Alonso Quixano who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his sanity and decides to set out to revive chivalry, undo wrongs, and bring justice to the world, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha...

The Miser is a comedy of manners about a rich moneylender named Harpagon. His feisty children long to escape from his penny-pinching household and marry their respective lovers. Although the 17th-century French upper classes presumably objected to the play's message, it is less savage and somewhat less realistic than Molière's earlier play, Tartuffe, which attracted a storm of criticism on its first performance.

A dozen men jailbreak from a naval prison, and steal the newest destroyer tied up at the docks to escape in: the fastest ship in the navy. However a young officer was the only one on board, and is now a part of the voyage to escape. Things get tense when he awakens, and finds his boyhood rival and enemy is one of the jailbreakers on board! Can the officer find a way to sabotage their escape, without being thrown overboard himself? - Summary by Joe DeNoia

The Titan: the latest and most awesome industrial feat of modern luxury ocean liner, holding two thousand passengers, is set to sail the Northern Lane Route between New York and England. This alleged unsinkable and indestructible vessel is set to beat the record for this voyage in less than 5 days! In her crew: John Rowland; a drunk, and washed-out naval seaman. On the passenger list: Myra Selfridge, and her little daughter. A former lover who wants nothing to do with Rowland, due to his drinking...

This charming allegory will bring to the heart of the child a deep love for Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and an understanding of the graces received in Holy Communion. We follow with delight the little Dilecta in her meetings with The King; her struggles against the evil influence of Malignus, in which she is so ably helped by the Prince Guardian; from the hut in which she lived and where The King so often and so graciously visited her -- right into His Golden City.

The study of Our Lord’s life is something very precious to all souls devoted to living a Christian life, according to the Gospels. By learning about Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and His life on earth, we learn how to love Him and to serve Him, as He wills. This is a beautiful book that familiarizes the reader with Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. We will see Our Lord in His proper Geography and learn how history and culture added to the details of His precious and private life. This story of Our Lord’s life will help us understand how the prophecies were foreshadowed and fulfilled. These things are supported by the Biblical Quotations and references, chosen by the author.

The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early eleventh century, around the peak of the Heian Period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first romance novel, or the first novel to still be considered a classic... The Genji was written for the women of the aristocracy (the yokibito) and has many elements found in a modern novel: a central character and a very...

Genji Monogatari, or The Tale of Genji, is a Japanese classic novel from the eleventh century. Supposedly commissioned by members of the Imperial Family, it tells the story of the son of the Emperor's favorite concubine and his role as a privileged boy and man, but not quite recognized as royal. He is placed in a loveless marriage, but continues a number of 'friendships' with the women of the court. This translation brings us the first seventeen chapters, and there is some dispute over the authorship of later chapters. The book gives us a fascinating insight into court life of the period. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

On April 20, 2010, the Macondo well blew out, costing the lives of 11 men, and beginning a catastrophe that sank the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig and spilled over 4 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The spill disrupted an entire region's economy, damaged fisheries and critical habitats, and brought vividly to light the risks of deepwater drilling for oil and gas - the latest frontier in the national energy supply. Soon after, President Barack Obama appointed a seven-member Commission to investigate the disaster, analyze its causes and effects, and recommend the actions necessary to minimize such risks in the future...

Ned Wayburn, a popular and outstanding choreographer of the early 1900's, writes about the different styles and requirements of dancing and his way of teaching it.

This is an account of Nellie Bly's travels through Mexico in 1885. The book was originally a series of individual articles that she submitted to the Pittsburgh Dispatch newspaper for publication. In them she described the conditions of the people and the political system she found in Mexico. Her narratives focused mostly on the impoverished and disadvantaged in a country whose government was extremely corrupt. Bly was perhaps what we now term a feminist, striving for the empowerment and independence of women...

George Washington Sears, who many know better by his pen name "Nessmuk", was an outdoor writer during the last half of the 19th century, writing most often for the magazine "Field and Forest", the predecessor of today's "Field and Stream". "Woodcraft" is his book for "outers" with his tips on how to "smooth it" rather than rough it in the woods. Although some of his methods, equipment and mores may be out of date or objectionable to modern readers, his stories of true wilderness travel tinged with his subtle humor still have messages for those venturing out of doors...

Time to exercise your funny bone. This fun collection of stories from around the world will make children of all ages smile and chuckle. A LAUGHING SONG When the greenwoods laugh with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it; When the meadows laugh with lively green, And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene; When Mary and Susan and Emily With their sweet round...

Published in 1894, this is the first book by the renowned inspirational author, Dr. Orison Swett Marden. Pushing to the Front is the product of many years of hard work, and marks a turning point in the life of Dr. Marden. He rewrote it following an accidental fire that brought the five-thousand-plus page manuscript to flames. It went on to become the most popular personal-development book of its time, and is a timeless classic in its genre. Filled with stories of success, triumph and the surmounting of difficulties, it is especially well-targeted at the adolescent or young adult...

Orison Swett Marden was well-known at the turn of the 20th century for his inspirational and spiritual books of self-help. This one deals with the importance of a man developing his own will-power. Swett Marden here offers advice on how to achieve success and how to overcome disappointments through self-belief, persistence and determination, all within a spiritual and moral framework.

In this volume, Orison Swett Marden explains the road to success in simple terms for the benefit of anyone, who wishes to follow in his footsteps. Over 100 years after publication, most of these lessons are still valid today.

Do you have what it takes to be the person you want to be? This is a neat self help book in plain English by the New Thought Movement author Orison Swett Marden. He has included various essays on the principles he believes will lead to success in life. This book is a nice reading for any one who believes in "The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone," which was one of Orison Swett Marden's famous dialogues.

Dr. Marden tells how we can live up to our potential just by changing our attitude, from the normal attitude of I CAN'T to one of I CAN! To do this we need to have faith in ourselves and shut out the negative forces that come into our lives. We have to stop the negative thoughts and not listen to the nay sayers. Once we find what we want to do we can't think it to death, just take the chance and don't procrastinate, don't let doubt interfer. It's difficult to do in the beginning but will soon become a habit and will make our lives so much easier and fulfilling.

Success! Alluring, fascinating, informative. Why are some people successful while others languish on the scrap heap of life? Hard work? Luck? Nepotism? Genius? Here we have the Life Stories of Successful Men Told by Themselves. 22 people who made their mark on their chosen field, some of whom have gone down in history... Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Andrew Carnegie. Others were no less successful in their day, but whose names have not made their mark to such an extent. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

The author used a yearly calendar to focus on pieces written by Southern authors. Many of these writers are little known, having created for their own enjoyment or peace of mind, not necessarily for publication.