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By: John W. Arctander (1849-1920) | |
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Apostle of Alaska: The Story of William Duncan of Metlakahtla
This is this story of William Duncan, an English missionary, who established a colony among the Tsimshian people of the Pacific Northwest. He worked there from 1856 until his death in 1918 at the age of 86. - Summary by Fritz |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 057
Fifteen short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. Natural cataclysm is the subject of several readings: the 1899 Alaskan earthquake, which uplifted cliffs at Yakutat Bay 47 feet; a terrifying forest fire in Northern Wisconsin in 1899; the fiery sunsets which followed the volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883; a storm at sea which sank the English frigate Anson in 1807; and the explosion of a hydrogen-filled dirigible over Chicago in 1919. Natural beauty, also a topic, includes a guide to the Antrim coast of Ireland, observations on Black Walnut trees and the communal life of Yellow-Jacket wasps, and an essay on how to paint reflections... |
By: Ruth Ogden (1853-1927) | |
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Little Queen of Hearts
A charming children's story following the trials and tribulations of the simple life of Marie-Celeste as she endears herself to everyone whose life she touches. With her parents, she moves to Windsor Castle to live with her orphaned cousin and learns about Queen Victoria, her life, home and family as well as other aspects of English life, sharing her knowledge and innocent insight in a delightful way. | |
By: Frank Evers Beddard (1858-1925) | |
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Book of Whales
A Book of Whales is a natural history of whales for the layman. - Summary by A. Gramour |
By: William Ruschenberger (1807-1895) | |
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Elements of Conchology
The fifth of the Series of First Books of Natural History, embraces that branch of our subject which treats of the Mollusca, or soft animals, and consequently, includes the Elements of Conchology. In the beauty and singularity of their forms, the variety and brilliancy of their colors, shells only yield to flowers…. Limited as this little volume is, it may prove a key to stores of information, even more interesting to many than the numerous fictions of the day. “Truth is stranger than fiction,” has been often said; and the beautiful truths brought to us by a study of animal life, in its various forms, are certainly more admirable and wonderful than any fiction of man’s creation... |
By: Eva March Tappan (1854-1930) | |
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World’s Story Volume III: Egypt, Africa and Arabia
This is the third volume of the 15-volume series of The World’s Story: a history of the World in story, song and art, edited by Eva March Tappan. Each book is a compilation of selections from prose literature, poetry and pictures and offers a comprehensive presentation of the world's history, art and culture, from the early times till the beginning of the 20th century. Topics in Part III include Egypt, Northern, Western and Central Africa, South Africa and Arabia. - Summary by Sonia Cast list for The Death of Cleopatra: Dolabella: Tomas Peter Charmian: Monika M... |
By: Mrs. Humphry | |
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Manners for Men
Many men who go out into the world while still very young to earn their living have few opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of social observances. Should this little manual of manners be of use to any such in enabling them to master the theory, as it were, of social customs in the educated classes, it will have attained its aim. |
By: François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848) | |
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Memoirs of Chateaubriand Volume IV
After the extinction of Napoleon's comet on St Helena, Chateaubriand covers the Bourbon Restoration in this volume, meeting a dazzling array of literary and political figures, as his diplomatic career advances. - Summary by Nicole Lee |
By: Ellis Parker Butler (1869-1937) | |
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Confessions of a Daddy
The wry humor of Ellis Parker Butler, who gave us the classic Pigs Is Pigs, takes us into his own married life where Marthy and Hiram live quietly in their Colorado town. They don't have trouble with anyone of their neighbors. Why should they, as they don't have any kids that could cause the neighbors trouble? And oh, luckily they don't have kids because how could Hiram otherwise afford to give his wife, Marthy a new silk dress? Really lucky. The neighbors kids are cute and all but ugh, they are much better off without kids and their expenses and sicknesses and trouble... |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 058
Sixteen short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. The human condition is variously explored in Chesterton's essay "The Contented Man," Shōtoku Taishi's "Laws" outlining the proper relationships between rulers and governed in 7th century Japan, the Egyptian "Story of Sinuhe" composed circa 1800 B.C. with its theme of divine providence and mercy, "The Four Minute Men of Chicago" invoking patriotism during World War I, and in Arthur Moss' secularist essay "Natural Man... |
By: Mary Johnston (1870-1936) | |
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Chronicles of America Volume 05 - Pioneers of the Old South
In this remarkably detailed and sweeping fifth installment, Mary Johnston takes us from discoveries and settlements to the evolution into the first colonies, specifically Virginia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, and finally Georgia. Group: Chronicles of America Series |
By: John Dewey (1859-1952) | |
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Human Nature And Conduct - Part 1, The Place of Habit in Conduct
John Dewey, an early 20th Century American philosopher, psychologist, educational theorist saw Social Psychology as much a physical science as Biology and Chemistry. This project encompasses Part 1 of 4 of his book Human Nature and Conduct. Dewey's uses the word "HABIT" as a specialized catch-all word to describe how a person and his/her objective environment interact. This interaction is the basis for moral judgement. Dewey writes: "All habits are demands for certain kinds of activity; and they constitute the self.” In other places he also asserts that "Habits are Will." - Summary by William Jones, Soloist |
By: H. G. Wells (1866-1946) | |
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War That Will End War
.About the First World War, and the author's conclusions. Whether or not you agree with these articles/essays, H G Wells does make many valid points about the war, and it's effect on people, especially in Britain. I suppose he cannot be blamed for getting the concept and the title wrong, in hindsight, as there were barely 22 years to pass before the Second World War with Germany began. Wells highlights the corruption both in Britain and Germany during the terrible conflict, and the humanitarian price which had to be paid... |
By: Charles Babbage (1791-1871) | |
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Passages from the Life of a Philosopher
Some men write their lives to save themselves from ennui, careless of the amount they inflict on their readers. Others write their personal history, lest some kind friend should survive them, and, in showing off his own talent, unwittingly show them up. Others, again, write their own life from a different motive—from fear that the vampires of literature might make it their prey. I have frequently had applications to write my life, both from my countrymen and from foreigners. Some caterers for the public offered to pay me for it... |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 059
Sixteen short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. Volume 59 contains an eclectic mix of readings, ranging from a description of a Coney Island elephant colossus to meditations on mental telepathy and baseball. Philosophical essays by Leibniz, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Francis Bacon and William Blake touch on the topics of truth, prejudice, poetic genius, suicide, and preparation for a Christian life. An educator at a women's college in the early 1920's bemoans the decline in the way high school girls dress for school and recommends a "serge jumper dress, made with a washable under blouse... |
By: Edna Adelaide Brown (1875-1944) | |
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Chinese Kitten
Lucy and Dora are so excited to learn they will be sleeping in a tent at the beach! Then Mother and Uncle Dan tell them that their kitten, Timmy is not invited, and Father says he might even run away. Arrangements must be made for Timmy... but will he agree to their plans? This charming story follows two sisters over the course of about a year and the things that they do with their family. The Chinese kitten is a part of an old chess set that the girls get from their aunt because one of the girls lost her necklace during a camping trip. Lots of working on needle point, washing dishes, going to school, and different holidays and what they do during them. |
By: Alice Calhoun Haines (1874-1965) | |
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Luck of the Dudley Grahams
The Luck of the Dudley Grahams is the story of the four Graham children and their recently widowed mother, trying to make ends meet by taking boarders into their somewhat eccentric home, as told by 17-year-old Elizabeth to her diary. She chronicles their struggles with the boarders, housekeeping on a very tight budget, and the adventures of her three younger siblings. If the category existed at the time, this would be more of young adult novel than a children's book, as Elizabeth has her moments of angst and worry about herself, her family, and their future. - Summary by Colleen McMahon |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 060
Fifteen short nonfiction works in the public domain independently chosen by the readers. Volume 60 features excerpts from two German philosophers, Christian von Wolff and Hegel, as well as British theologian Edward Stillingfleet. It contains essays on women as inventors , Uruguayan society , political economy pipe smoking and personal dislikes . Days to remember are chronicled in first hand accounts of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , and a 1830's hydrogen balloon ascension over New York City ... |
By: Justin McCarthy (1830-1912) | |
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History of Our Own Times From the Accession of Queen Victoria to the General Election of 1880, Volume I
An engaging history of Great Britain in the heyday of Queen Victoria and of her empire by the liberal Irish Member of Parliament, Justin McCarthy. He brings us the larger than life personalities of the day, Victoria and Albert, Russell and Peel, O'Connell and Palmerston, Gladstone and Disraeli, and relates great events, the Afghan War, the Irish famine, and the Crimean War without ever losing sight of the hopes and fears of the common people at home and abroad. |
By: Thomas Barlow Wood (1869-1929) | |
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Story of a Loaf of Bread
According to the author in the preface, he has "ventured to write this little book with some diffidence, for it deals with farming, milling and baking, subjects on which everyone has his own opinion." The earlier chapters give a brief sketch of the growing and marketing of wheat, followed by chapters on various aspects that impact the quality of wheat, the baking process and the characteristic of the final product, bread. The author aimed at making the reader realise that the farmer’s share in the production of the staple food of the people is by no means the simple affair it appears to be. - Summary by Leni |
By: John Tulloch (1823-1886) | |
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Rational Theology and Christian Philosophy volume 1
This work addresses the birth and development of a rationalist stream in the Christianity of England in the seventeenth century. In this volume, Tulloch focuses on five latitudinarian churchmen, examining their lives and thought. - Summary by Barry Ganong |
By: Pliny the Elder (23-79) | |
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Natural History Volume 5
Naturalis Historia is an encyclopedia published circa AD 77-79 by Pliny the Elder. It is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman empire to the modern day and purports to cover the entire field of ancient knowledge, based on the best authorities available to Pliny. The work became a model for all later encyclopedias in terms of the breadth of subject matter examined, the need to reference original authors, and a comprehensive index list of the contents. The scheme of his great work is vast and comprehensive, being nothing short of an encyclopedia of learning and of art so far as they are connected with nature or draw their materials from nature... |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 061
Seventeen short nonfiction works in the public domain independently chosen by the readers. Volume 61 features articles and essays on both current and timeless topics, ranging from whether marijuana is addictive to what constitutes foolish behavior . Sermons in Stone, an essay by Oscar Wilde on classic sculptures displayed at the British Museum, is complemented by an actual sermon , while Frederick William Shelton muses on the fleeting beauty of a ripe peach . Truth and lies, luck, and individuality are essay topics by Mark Twain and John Stuart Mill... |
By: Michael Combrune | |
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Theory and Practice of Brewing
This is an elaborate treatise on how to brew beer. That art is as noble today as it was in 1761, when this book was first published, and Mr. Combrune was a master of his art. After reading his work on this topic, a glass of beer can be enjoyed on quite a different level. - Summary by Carolin |
By: Laura E. Howe Richards (1850-1943) | |
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Abigail Adams and Her Times
This is a young person's biography of Abigail Adams that will appeal to readers of all ages. In the author's own words, "I am not writing a history; far from it. I am merely throwing on the screen, in the fashion of today, a few scenes to make a background for my little pen-picture-play. " - Summary by Ciufi Galeazzi |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 062
Fifteen short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. Volume 62 features several introspective essays: by T. S. Eliot , Stephen Leacock , Carlyle , and Jonathan Swift . Life questions are further explored by theologians Agrippa von Nettesheim and Spurgeon , while spiritualist Andrew Jackson Davis presents his understanding of death and dying . Public and political life are examined by Eltwood Pomeroy , Henry Ward Beecher , Franklin Hanford , and Nicolas de Condorcet ... |
By: Grace Livingston Hill (1865-1947) | |
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Unwilling Guest
A young society woman travels to the country to visit her aunt, only to end up as the unwilling guest of a neighboring family. The daughter is not so sure how to deal with this unpleasant circumstance. The young man of the household has met her before. Through them, she gains new perspectives on life, faith, and love. - Summary by LikeManyWaters |
By: Various | |
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Short Nonfiction Collection, Vol. 063
Twenty short nonfiction works in the public domain, independently chosen by the readers. Volume 63 features essays on a variety of topics: the emotion of the multitude in drama , audience , corpulence and diet , charity , the forgotten man , murder , suicide , free masonry , the poetic principle , and the evils of slavery . Excerpts from Kierkegaard explore his philosophy. Biographical sketches include Calamity Jane, Joseph Glidden, Lucy Bakewell Audubon, and J. M. W. Turner, while Joseph Conrad speaks to his own life in A Familiar Preface. Rounding out the volume is a fascinating 1674 meet-up with a miraculous sea-monster . Summary by Sue Anderson |
By: Thomas Southwood Smith (1788-1831) | |
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Use Of The Dead To The Living
In 1827 Thomas Southwood-Smith published The Use of the Dead to the Living, a pamphlet which argued that the current system of burial in the United Kingdom was a wasteful use of bodies that could otherwise be used for dissection by the medical profession. "If, by any appropriation of the dead, I can promote the happiness of the living, then it is my duty to conquer the reluctance I may feel to such a disposition of the dead, however well-founded or strong that reluctance may be". Southwood-Smith's lobbying helped lead to the 1832 Anatomy Act, the legislation which allowed the state to seize unclaimed corpses from workhouses and sell them to surgical schools... |
By: Rosa Nouchette Carey (1840-1909) | |
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Other People's Lives
A series of stories by Rosa Nouchette Carey who was a popular English novelist, whose works reflected the wholesome values of her time. They often contained the grit and realism of the day. Carey often wrote about the domestic fiction of the period, which she was presumed to have had personal acquaintance with such as - families making do on small means, coming to terms with bereavement and new responsibilities, moving into a new neighbourhood or a different house and allegiances, frictions and jealousies among members of a large family. - Summary by Lynda Marie Neilson |
By: Pliny the Elder (23-79) | |
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Boys' and Girls' Pliny Vol. 1
The Natural History of Pliny the Elder is one of the largest single works to have survived from the Roman Empire. The full work consists of 37 books, covering more than 20.000 topics ranging from astronomy and mathematics to botany and precious stones. The book became a model for later encyclopaedias and gives a fascinating overview of the state of scientific knowledge almost 2000 years ago. This version of the Natural History has been adapted for a younger audience. This first volume contains Book I and Book II out of a total of 9 books. |
By: Laura Lee Hope | |
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Bobbsey Twins on the Deep Blue Sea
This is the 11th in the original series of books about the Bobbseys -- two sets of twins in one family, solving mysteries and having adventures. Bert and Nan are 12, Flossie and Freddie are six. There is a father who works, a mother who stays home, a cook, a handyman, and an assortment of animals. - Summary by Nan Dodge |