Join thousands of book lovers
Sign up to our newsletter and receive discounts and inspiration for your next reading experience.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.You can, at any time, unsubscribe from our newsletters.
As Hobbie Elliot and Patrick Earnscliff went across the Liddesdale hills of the Scottish Borders, going to Hobbies home, the moon suddenly revealed the figure of a human dwarf, who, on being spoken to, refused their offers of assistance. Next morning Hobbie and Earnscliff went to confront the strange being by daylight; and having helped him in collecting stones for constructing a hut, they supplied him with food and other necessaries. In a short time he had completed his dwelling, and became known to the neighbors as Elshender the Recluse. From that point on, Elshie, a loner goat shepherd, regarded by the locals as being in league with the Devil becomes embroiled in a complex tale of love, revenge, betrayal, Jacobite schemes and a threatened forced marriage.
Sir Geoffrey Peveril and Major Bridgenorth had been boys together, and although they adopted different views in religion and politics, the Roundhead major had saved the Royalist's life after the battle of Bolton-le-Moors, and Lady Peveril had brought up major's girl, Alice, with her own son. Kids grew up together, fond of each other, but they get separated in turmoil times. When Sir Geoffrey's son, Julian, became the companion of the young earl, he renewed his intimacy with Alice, but Major Bridgenorth doesn't give consent to their love, and both Julian and his father are accused of involvement with the Popish Plot, a conspiracy to assassinate the king.
Quentin Durward is an archer who has left behind poverty in Scotland to join the Archers of the French King Louis's Scottish Guard and finds him-self involved in the medieval rivalry between Louis XI of France and Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The conflict starts when Louis incites the citizens of Liège to revolt against Charles, and they murder Charles's brother-in-law, under the command of the bandit-captain William de la Marck. In the meantime, the Burgundian heiress Isabelle de Croye takes refuge at Louis's court, but Louis betrays her and decides to give her hand in marriage to the bandit-captain de la Marck. Quentin is appointed to be her personal guard on the journey to Flanders, and he is determined to prevent the treachery and earn the lady's love.
Set just after the English Civil War, the novel is inspired by the legend of the Good Devil of Woodstock, which in 1649 supposedly tormented parliamentary commissioners who had taken possession of a royal residence at Oxfordshire. The story deals with the escape of Charles II in 1652, during the Commonwealth, and his final triumphant entry into London.
Kenilworth is set in 1575, and centers on the secret marriage of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and Amy Robsart, daughter of Sir Hugh Robsart. The tragic series of events begins when Amy flees her father and her betrothed, Tressilian, to marry the Earl. Amy passionately loves her husband, and the Earl loves her in return, but he is driven by ambition. He is courting the favor of Queen Elizabeth I, and only by keeping his marriage to Amy secret can he hope to rise to the height of power that he desires...
It is the time of the Scottish Jacobite uprising of 1745 which sought to restore the Stuart dynasty in the person of Charles Edward Stuart, known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie". A young English dreamer and soldier, Edward Waverley, is sent to Scotland that year. He journeys north from his aristocratic family home, Waverley-Honour, in the south of England, first to the Scottish Lowlands and the home of family friend Baron Bradwardine, then into the Highlands and the heart of the rebellion and its aftermath.
Ned is a young Englishman who is bitten by the bug of Californian gold rush. He always dreams about going to California and working in the gold fields in spite of stern warnings from his uncle Mr Shirley. But everything is not as easy it seems, especially, the harsh conditions of the gold miners and the difficulties they face in their tasks at hand. But will Ned survive the hardships or will he fail miserably and return to England empty handed? R M Ballantyne was a famous children's author and a renowned artist.
Living in the Wild West wasn't always a dream job. There were often skirmishes with the rival groups and an on-going tussle with the Native Americans, who wanted to preserve their own space. But can a group of "mountain men" survive in these environments or will they succumb to the pressure? R.M. Ballantyne was a famous children's author and a renowned artist.
This carefully crafted book collection is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. The Coral Island: A Tale of the Pacific Ocean The Madman and the Pirate Under the Waves: Diving in Deep Waters The Pirate City: An Algerine Tale Gascoyne, the Sandal-Wood Trader R M Ballantyne was a famous children's author and a renowned artist.
Paradise is a piece of land near a thirteenth-century Cathedral in England and a quiet small town nearby is a hotbed of local gossip. Mark Ransford is a local doctor and a guardian of Mary and Dick Bewery. His assistant Pemberton Bryce is in love with Mary, but Dr. Ransford doesn't approve it. One day, after a visit to the doctor's house, a certain man finds death as he falls from the Cathedral. Bryce is convinced that Dr. Ransford is involved in the death and starts an investigation. Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863-1933) was an English author and journalist, one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the Golden Age. After his journalist career Fletcher first started writing poems, then historical fiction, and finally moved on to write detective mysteries.
"The Way of an Indian" is one of the few books that look at the colonial expansion of American wild west through the eyes of a Native Indian. The book faithfully captures their spiritual beliefs, agency and speech to show what it was like to be the original inhabitants of a land that was taken away from them. A must read western classic! Excerpt: "White Otter's heart was bad. He sat alone on the rim-rocks of the bluffs overlooking the sunlit valley. To an unaccustomed eye from below he might have been a part of nature's freaks among the sand rocks. The yellow grass sloped away from his feet mile after mile to the timber, and beyond that to the prismatic mountains...." Frederic Remington was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the Old American West, specifically concentrating on the last quarter of the 19th-century American West and images of cowboys, American Indians, and the U. S. Cavalry. Remington's fame made him a favorite of the Western Army officers fighting the last Indian battles.
When three partners find a fortune in the Gold Rush it invites a lot of unwanted attention, deceit and death! Excerpt: "The sun was going down on the Black Spur Range. The red light it had kindled there was still eating its way along the serried crest, showing through gaps in the ranks of pines, etching out the interstices of broken boughs, fading away and then flashing suddenly out again like sparks in burnt-up paper. Then the night wind swept down the whole mountain side, and began its usual struggle with the shadows upclimbing from the valley, only to lose itself in the end and be absorbed in the all-conquering darkness..." Bret Harte was an American short story writer and poet, best remembered for his short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a career spanning more than four decades, he wrote poetry, fiction, plays, lectures, book reviews, editorials, and magazine sketches in addition to fiction. As he moved from California to the eastern U.S. to Europe, he incorporated new subjects and characters into his stories, but his Gold Rush tales have been most often adapted and admired.
This carefully crafted book is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. "Astoria" tells the story of survival and the difficulties faced by the people who undertook the tremendous Oregon Trail in 1810-1812 encountering harsh environment and hostile native Indians and still carrying on with their journeys. This is the founding story of Astoria and the people who made it possible... Excerpt: "Two leading objects of commercial gain have given birth to wide and daring enterprise in the early history of the Americas; the precious metals of the South, and the rich peltries of the North..." Washington Irving (1783-1859) was an American short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century.
Excerpt: "It was very dark, and the wind was increasing. The last gust had been preceded by an ominous roaring down the whole mountain-side, which continued for some time after the trees in the little valley had lapsed into silence. The air was filled with a faint, cool, sodden odor, as of stirred forest depths. In those intervals of silence the darkness seemed to increase in proportion and grow almost palpable. Yet out of this sightless and soundless void now came the tinkle of a spur's rowels, the dry crackling of saddle leathers, and the muffled plunge of a hoof in the thick carpet of dust and desiccated leaves..." Bret Harte was an American short story writer and poet, best remembered for his short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a career spanning more than four decades, he wrote poetry, fiction, plays, lectures, book reviews, editorials, and magazine sketches in addition to fiction. As he moved from California to the eastern U.S. to Europe, he incorporated new subjects and characters into his stories, but his Gold Rush tales have been most often reprinted, adapted, and admired.
Ben Blair is a hard-working cowboy who is in love with his childhood friend Florence Baker. But there's a catch! Ben was born out of wedlock and Florence wants a rich man from a good family. When Florence leaves for New York Ben follows her into the big city to tell her how much he loves her. But Florence has her heart set on another man whose real nature is cleverly hidden from her view.... Will Lillibridge or William Otis Lillibridge was born in Iowa into a prairie community and spent his adult life in Dakota where he worked on a ranch and had the first-hand experience of a farm life. Lillibridge was also a qualified dentist.
The Scarlet Plague is a post-apocalyptic tale set in 2073, sixty years after an uncontrollable epidemic, the Red Death, has depopulated the planet. James Howard Smith is one of the few survivors of the pre-plague era left alive in the San Francisco area, and he travels with his grandsons Edwin, Hoo-Hoo, and Hare-Lip, who live as primeval hunter-gatherers in a heavily depopulated world. Smith, whom they call "Granser", decides to tell them the story of the disease alternately referred to as scarlet plague, scarlet death, or red death. Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. His amazing life experience also includes being an oyster pirate, railroad hobo, gold prospector, sailor, war correspondent and much more. He wrote adventure novels & sea tales, stories of the Gold Rush, tales of the South Pacific and the San Francisco Bay area - most of which were based on or inspired by his own life experiences.
Walden details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built in the woods near Walden Pond, Massachusetts. Thoreau compresses the time into a single calendar year and uses passages of four seasons to symbolize human development. Part memoir, part personal quest, the book is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, where Thoreau hoped to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection. Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, surveyor, and historian. A leading transcendentalist, Thoreau is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay Civil Disobedience, an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.
When Gabriel Weltstein visits New York in 1988 (98 years after the publication of this novel) he is mesmerized by the city and its modern technologies including air travel! But little does he know that he is soon going to see the underbelly of the city and those who control everything. Gabriel finds himself outmatched against the Oligarchs who run the entire rapacious and oppressive social and economic order. Can Gabriel escape his worst nightmare? Can he un-see what he has seen and survive to tell the tale? And what is the "Brotherhood of Destruction" and what do they want? Read on! Ignatius Donnelly (1831-1901) was a U.S. Congressman, populist writer, and amateur scientist. In 1882, Donnelly published Atlantis: The Antediluvian World, his best known work, detailing theories concerning the mythical lost continent of Atlantis.
The year is 2600 AD or 419 B.O.M. (the Brotherhood of Man) when Anthony Meredith, a scholar from the future, comes across an important manuscript of Avis Everhard written around 1912-1932 when "Iron Heel" came to power in USA. "Iron Heel" is an oligarchic regime where the power and money is concentrated in the hands of a few rulers and Avis and her husband Ernest are involved in a conspiracy to overthrow it. Although Meredith knows the fate of Avis and Ernest but what they saw and suffered would shake you to the core. This novel is a prophetic dystopia that is said to have inspired George Orwell, the author of 1984, who described Jack London as having made "a very remarkable prophecy of the rise of Fascism". Orwell believed that Jack London's understanding of contemporary politics had made him a better prophet "than many better-informed and more logical thinkers." Jack London (1876-1916) was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. London was part of the radical literary group "The Crowd" in San Francisco and a passionate advocate of unionization, socialism, and the rights of workers. He wrote several powerful works dealing with these topics, such as his dystopian novel The Iron Heel, his non-fiction exposé The People of the Abyss, and The War of the Classes. Some of his most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in the Klondike Gold Rush, as well as the short stories "To Build a Fire", "An Odyssey of the North", and "Love of Life". He also wrote of the South Pacific in such stories as "The Pearls of Parlay" and "The Heathen", and of the San Francisco Bay area in The Sea Wolf.
Excerpt: Up From Slavery chronicles the life of Booker T. Washington from his days as a child slave during American Civil War to his journey though self-education and towards his growth as a prominent African American leader. This book became a best seller upon its publication in 1905 and impressed Theodore Roosevelt so much that he invited Washington to dine at White House. "I was born a slave on a plantation in Franklin County, Virginia. I am not quite sure of the exact place or exact date of my birth, but at any rate I suspect I must have been born somewhere and at some time. As nearly as I have been able to learn, I was born near a cross-roads post-office called Hale's Ford, and the year was 1858 or 1859. I do not know the month or the day. The earliest impressions I can now recall are of the plantation and the slave quarters-the latter being the part of the plantation where the slaves had their cabins. My life had its beginning in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging surroundings." Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. Washington was from the last generation of black American leaders born into slavery and became the leading voice of the former slaves and their descendants. He was also a key proponent of African-American businesses and one of the founders of the National Negro Business League.
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth (1850) is an inspiring memoir of the African American abolitionist who in spite of going through the trauma of slavery and being separated from her family had the courage to break free from its shackles and became a lasting inspiration for many. Ain't I a Woman? (1851) is Truth's best-known speech was delivered extemporaneously, in 1851, at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron. Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, Ulster County, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, in 1828 she became the first black woman to win such a case against a white man. She gave herself the name Sojourner Truth in 1843 after she became convinced that God has called her to leave the city and go into the countryside "testifying the hope that was in her".
Excerpt: "Reader be assured this narrative is no fiction. I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery; on the contrary, my descriptions fall far short of the facts. I have concealed the names of places, and given persons fictitious names. I had no motive for secrecy on my own account, but I deemed it kind and considerate towards others to pursue this course...." "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" was one of the first books to address the struggle for freedom by female slaves; explore their struggles with sexual harassment and abuse; and their effort to protect their roles as women and mothers. After being overshadowed by the Civil War, the novel was rediscovered in the late 20th century and since then hasn't been out of print ever. It is one of the seminal books written on the theme of slavery from a woman's point of view and appreciated worldwide academically as well. Harriet Jacobs (1813-1897) was an African-American writer who was formerly a fugitive slave. To save her family and her own identity from being found out, she used the pseudonym of Linda Brent and wrote secretly during the night.
The Wyvern Mystery is a 19th century gothic mystery. The story is about a young orphaned girl named Alice Maybell, her haunted past and the present dark atmosphere that makes a chilling and suspenseful tale. Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was a leading ghost-story writer of the nineteenth century and was central to the development of the genre in the Victorian era. M. R. James described Le Fanu as "absolutely in the first rank as a writer of ghost stories".
Carmilla is narrated by a young woman preyed upon by a female vampire named Carmilla, later revealed to be Mircalla, Countess Karnstein (Carmilla is an anagram of Mircalla). Le Fanu presents the story as part of the casebook of Dr. Hesselius, whose departures from medical orthodoxy rank him as the first occult doctor in literature. The story is often anthologized and has been adapted many times in film and other media. It is a one of the earliest works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897) by 26 years. Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was a leading ghost-story writer of the nineteenth century and was central to the development of the genre in the Victorian era. M. R. James described Le Fanu as "absolutely in the first rank as a writer of ghost stories".
Excerpt: "Maisie Llewelyn had never been asked to Wolverden before; therefore, she was not a little elated at Mrs. West's invitation. For Wolverden Hall, one of the loveliest Elizabethan manor-houses in the Weald of Kent, had been bought and fitted up in appropriate style (the phrase is the upholsterer's) by Colonel West, the famous millionaire from South Australia" Maisie Llewelyn is invited as a guest to Wolverden Hall for Christmas. There is also an old church nearby, whose tower was recently rebuilt. This restoration was not very successful but was absolutely necessary. Here Maisie befriends two young girls, Yolande and Hedda, but strangely, none of the other guests seems to know the two. After Christmas, the three girls want to visit the church again and climb the steeple, because Maisie is of royal blood and the tower needs a new protective spirit. Unknown to poor Maisie, danger lurks in a dark corner to strike her. What will happen with her and what is the secret of the Wolverden Tower? Read on. Grant Allen (1848-1899) was a Canadian science writer and novelist, and a proponent of the theory of evolution. Allen also became a pioneer in science fiction, with the 1895 novel "The British Barbarians" which was published about the same time as H. G. Wells's "The Time Machine".
Reuben Wray is a retired stage actor whose most valuable possession is a mask of Shakespeare which he guards obsessively in his cash box, attracting thieves towards the box. Upon the theft of his sole possession it is upto his grand-daugter to bring back the lost happiness of his dear old grand-father and make his Christmas worthwhile again. A heartening Christmas mystery read! Wilkie Collins (1824-1889) was an English novelist, playwright, and short story writer. His best-known works are The Woman in White (1859), No Name (1862), Armadale (1866) and The Moonstone (1868). The last is considered the first modern English detective novel.
"That prayers are answered nearly all the human race believe. But the subject has been beclouded and often made ridiculous by inconsistent superstitions. This book is a modest attempt to clear up some of the errors. Its record is as accurate as impartial observation can make it. God is not bribed. Laziness cannot bargain with him. But the prayers of the righteous and of repentant sinners availeth much. Desired ends are gained by prayer which cannot be gained by any other method. The daily experiences of devout persons establish that fact conclusively. The reasons and the methods which produce the results seem hidden, and they often bewilder the investigator. God's thoughts are far above our thoughts. But we can trust our daily experience far enough to retain our confidence in the potency of prayer. It is, therefore, a profitable and comforting study." - Russell H. Conwell; Health, Healing, and Faith" Russell Herman Conwell (1843-1925) was an American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer, and writer.
The original inspiration for his most famous essay, "Acres of Diamonds", occurred in 1869 when Conwell was traveling in the Middle East. The central idea of the work is that one need not look elsewhere for opportunity, achievement, or fortune-the resources to achieve all good things are present in one's own community. This theme is developed by an introductory anecdote, credited by Conwell to an Arab guide, about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in futile search for them. The new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property. Conwell elaborates on the theme through examples of success, genius, service, or other virtues involving ordinary Americans contemporary to his audience: "dig in your own backyard!". The book has been regarded as a classic of New Thought literature since the 1870s. Russell Conwell (1843-1925) was an American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer, and writer. He is best remembered as the founder and first president of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Pastor of The Baptist Temple, and for his inspirational lecture, Acres of Diamonds. Table of Contents: - Acres of Diamonds: Our Every-day Opportunities - The Key to Success - Increasing Personal Efficiency - Every Man His Own University - What You Can Do With Your Will Power - Health, Healing, and Faith - Praying for Money - Subconscious Religion - Why Lincoln Laughed
The Consolidator or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon is a satirical novel that mixes fantasy with political and social satire. The narrator travels to the moon mostly to get a dispassionate and crushingly granular view of recent and contemporary British political history. The consolidator is a mean of transport that is used to get to the moon - a chariot with two feathered winged creatures, each of them representing the houses of parliament. Daniel Defoe (1660-1731), born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is noted for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularize the form in Britain with others such as Samuel Richardson, and is among the founders of the English novel. He was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than five hundred books, pamphlets, and journals on various topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, and the supernatural.
The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders tells the story of the fall and eventual redemption of a lone woman in 17th-century England. It purports to be the true account of the life of the eponymous Moll, detailing her exploits from birth until old age. The titular heroine appears as a whore, bigamist, and thief, lives in The Mint, commits adultery and incest, and yet manages to retain the reader's sympathy. Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is noted for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularize the form in Britain with others such as Samuel Richardson, and is among the founders of the English novel. He was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than five hundred books, pamphlets, and journals on various topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, and the supernatural.
Sign up to our newsletter and receive discounts and inspiration for your next reading experience.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.