History of a CrimeVictor Hugo
Published in 1877, long after it was written, it is an account of the 1852 coup d'état that brought Napoleon into power and forced Hugo into an exile of eighteen years. The work covers those momentous early days of Napoleon rule that changed the course of French history. The deepest feelings and patriotic emotions... read more »
Up the ChimneyShepherd Knapp
One of a series of plays set at Christmas time intended for young boys and girls. It is intended, not only for acting, but also for reading. What sort of a Christmas play do the boys and girls like, and in what sort do we like to see them take part? It should be a play, surely, in which the dialogue is simple and... read more »
Down the ChimneyShepherd Knapp
One of a series of plays set at Christmas time intended for young boys and girls. It is intended, not only for acting, but also for reading. What sort of a Christmas play do the boys and girls like, and in what sort do we like to see them take part? It should be a play, surely, in which the dialogue is simple and... read more »
Man And SupermanGeorge Bernard Shaw
After the death of her father, Ann Whitefield becomes the joint ward of two men: the respectable Roebuck Ramsden and John Tanner, author of 'The Revolutionist's Handbook'. Believing marriage would prevent him from achieving his higher intellectual and political ambitions, Tanner is horrified to discover that Ann... read more »
PygmalionGeorge Bernard Shaw
This play is based on the Greek myth of Pygmalion. It tells the story of Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics (based on phonetician Henry Sweet), who makes a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can successfully pass off a Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, as a refined society lady by teaching her... read more »
The Christmas DinnerShepherd Knapp
The Christmas Dinner is an 18-page play about Christmas. It is intended, not only for acting, but also for reading. What sort of a Christmas play do the boys and girls like, and in what sort do we like to see them take part? It should be a play, surely, in which the dialogue is simple and natural, not stilted and... read more »
In the Yule-Log Glow #1Various
If, gentle reader, you will step across this threshold now as the moon rises in the keen Christmas air and will find a place by the ruddy ingle within doors you may hear if you will, a Babel of voices from many lands telling over the adventures of the road and falling into the good fellowship of the happy Christmas... read more »
Operation HaystackFrank Herbert
It's hard to ferret out a gang of fanatics; it would, obviously, be even harder to spot a genetic line of dedicated men. But the problem Orne had was one step tougher than that! Field Agent Lewis Orne must contend with genetic manipulation and dig deep into a complex political situation to untangle deep embedded... read more »
The Defeat of Youth and Other PoemsAldous Huxley
In this rare volume of poetry, Aldous Huxley is characteristically, uncompromisingly erudite; yet surprisingly forceful, passionate, and erotic. read more »
Betty's Bright IdeaHarriet Beecher Stowe
And this holy time, so hallowed and so gracious, was settling down over the great roaring, rattling, seething life–world of New York in the good year 1875. Who does not feel its on–coming in the shops and streets, in the festive air of trade and business, in the thousand garnitures by which every store hangs out... read more »
The Haunted Man and the Ghost's BargainCharles Dickens
Redlaw is a teacher of chemistry who often broods over wrongs done him and grief from his past. He is haunted by a spirit, who is not so much a ghost as Redlaw's phantom twin and is "an awful likeness of himself...with his features, and his bright eyes, and his grizzled hair, and dressed in the gloomy shadow of his... read more »
Subspace SurvivorsE. E. "Doc" Smith
NOTE: this is the original short story. For the full length novel, see the link below.
There has always been, and will always be, the problem of surviving the experience that any trained expert can handle...when there hasn't been any first survivor to be an expert! When no one has ever gotten back to explain what... read more »
The Children's Book of Christmas StoriesVarious
From some of the windows bright lights were already beginning to stream until it was almost as bright as day. But the little child seemed to have no home, and wandered about listlessly from street to street. No one took any notice of him except perhaps Jack Frost, who bit his bare toes and made the ends of his... read more »
The Battle of LifeCharles Dickens
A Christmas love story and the only one of Dickens' Christmas stories without a supernatural theme, is about a group of philosophical friends who meet over breakfast in the woods to discuss the serious questions of life while the four daughters of one of them sing dance naturally. It's a book about the virtues of a... read more »
King WinterAnonymous
King Winter, the embodiment of the Christmas Spirit, leaves his palace of snow to bring winter to the land and reward obedient children with holiday sweets. read more »
A Kidnapped Santa ClausL. Frank Baum
Santa Claus lives in the Laughing Valley. On one side of the Valley is the mighty Forest of Burzee, home of the fairies. At the other side stands a terrible mountain that contains the caves of the daemons: Selfishness, Envy, Hatred, and Repentance. The daemons, thinking they have great cause to dislike old Santa... read more »
Christmas Stories And LegendsVarious
A great many years ago in a land far away from us there was a certain king who was dearly beloved by all of his people. Men admired him because he was strong and just. In all of his dealings they knew they could depend upon him. Every matter that came to his consideration was carefully weighed in his mind and his... read more »
The Life and Adventures of Santa ClausL. Frank Baum
Draw close to the fire, all you who believe in the spirit of Christmas, whether you call it Santa Claus, or simply good will to men; and listen to the story of Nicholas the Wandering Orphan who became Nicholas the Wood-carver, a lover of little children. Follow him through his first years as a lonely little boy, who... read more »
Some Christmas StoriesCharles Dickens
In this charming collection of short stories, Dickens presents a galaxy of beautifully drawn characters. He presents the branches of Christmas tree as ladders which one climbs in the journey from childhood to youth. Going through the book evokes the sweet memories of childhood. read more »
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower CameRobert Browning
"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" is a poem by English author Robert Browning, written in 1855 and first published that same year in the collection entitled Men and Women. The poem has influenced many other authors including modern horror writer Stephen King in his seven book epic, 'The Dark Tower', featuring... read more »
Black BeautyAnna Sewell
Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered colt with a strong spirit. As a young colt, he is free to gallop in the fresh green meadows with his beloved mother, Duchess, and their kind master. But when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labor and... read more »
The Lady of the LakeWalter Scott
With buoyant spirit Scott wrote The Lady of the Lake, and its extraordinary success justified his expectations. Scott, in speaking of this poem, says, "The ancient manners, the habits and customs, of the aboriginal race by whom the Highlands of Scotland were inhabited, had always appeared to me peculiarly adapted to... read more »
The Pied Piper of HamelinRobert Browning
The town of Hamelin is filled with rats! There are rats in the cupboards, rats in the marketplace, rats in the doghouses, even rats in the pots and pans. The rats are eating all the food, chewing through the houses, and chasing away the cats. The people of Hamelin don't know what to do! Then a mysterious stranger... read more »
Moby DickHerman Melville
On a previous voyage, a mysterious white whale had ripped off the leg of a sea captain named Ahab. Now the crew of the Pequod, on a pursuit that features constant adventure and horrendous mishaps, must follow the mad Ahab into the abyss to satisfy his unslakeable thirst for vengeance. Narrated by the cunningly... read more »
Caesar and CleopatraGeorge Bernard Shaw
Set in Egypt, Caesar and Cleopatra, is a drama in which the 50-year-old Roman general meets the childish young Queen and exerts a fatherly influence on her. read more »
Betty Gordon at Mountain CampAlice B. Emerson
Betty Gordon enjoys a Christmas vacation with the Littell family in Washington. One day, while out shopping, Betty meets an unhappy girl named Ida Bellethorne, who works in a store. After Betty loses a locket in the store Ida finds and gives it to the owner but when Betty goes back to the store the owner pretends... read more »
Betty Gordon in the Land of OilAlice B. Emerson
Betty Gordon leaves for Oklahoma to see her Uncle Dick with Bob Henderson, who hopes to find his aunts, the Saunders sisters. While they journey on the train Bob overhears two sharpers talking on how they can cheat old women out of their farms and make a fortune in oil. You can imagine Bob's surprise when he hears... read more »
Betty Gordon in WashingtonAlice B. Emerson
In this volume Betty goes to the National Capitol to find her uncle and has several unusual adventures. Let me go with you, Betty?" coaxed Bobby. "Carter will take us in the machine. I won't bother you, and if you have personal business to attend to, I'll wait for you in the library or some place. Cooking and making... read more »
Betty Gordon at Boarding SchoolAlice B. Emerson
The girl, who was watching a wiry little bay horse contentedly crop grass that grew in straggling whisps about the fence posts, looked up and showed an even row of white teeth as she smiled. read more »