Best of
Fiction

1891

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes


Arthur Conan Doyle - 1891
    A scandal in Bohemia --A case of identity --The Boscombe Valley mystery --The five orange pips --The adventure of the blue carbuncle --The adventure of the speckled band --The adventure of the engineer's thumb --The adventure of the noble bachelor --The adventure of the beryl coronet --The adventure of the copper beeches.

The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes


Arthur Conan Doyle - 1891
    So get ready for some serious investigating and suspense filled adventure through 37 short stories plus the complete novel of The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The Complete Fairy Tales


Oscar Wilde - 1891
    This volume collects exquisite and poignant tales of true beauty, selfless love, generosity, loyalty, brilliant wit, and moral aestheticism, such as "The Birthday of the Infanta," "The Selfish Giant," The Nightingale and the Rose," and "The Happy Prince," among others.A true classic of wonder for all ages.

A Scandal in Bohemia (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, #1)


Ronald Holt - 1891
    From shopkeepers to kings, everyone wants the help of Sherlock Holmes, but can he solve these mysteries?

The Uncensored Picture of Dorian Gray


Oscar Wilde - 1891
    This volume restores all of the material removed by the novel's first editor.Upon receipt of the typescript, Wilde's editor panicked at what he saw. Contained within its pages was material he feared readers would find "offensive"--especially instances of graphic homosexual content. He proceeded to go through the typescript with his pencil, cleaning it up until he made it "acceptable to the most fastidious taste." Wilde did not see these changes until his novel appeared in print. Wilde's editor's concern was well placed. Even in its redacted form, the novel caused public outcry. The British press condemned it as "vulgar," "unclean," "poisonous," "discreditable," and "a sham." When Wilde later enlarged the novel for publication in book form, he responded to his critics by further toning down its "immoral" elements.Wilde famously said that "The Picture of Dorian Gray" "contains much of me" Basil Hallward is "what I think I am," Lord Henry "what the world thinks me," and "Dorian what I would like to be--in other ages, perhaps." Wilde's comment suggests a backward glance to a Greek or Dorian Age, but also a forward-looking view to a more permissive time than his own repressive Victorian era. By implication, Wilde would have preferred we read today the uncensored version of his novel.

The Adventures of Robin Hood


Joseph Walker McSpadden - 1891
    Escape to Sherwood Forest and join the jolly Fellowship of the Greenwood with these rollicking tales of the celebrated archer and gentleman thief. Lively episodes introduce each of the famous merry men and other colorful characters, including the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham, lovely Maid Marian, and King Richard the Lionhearted.

The Picture of Dorian Gray and Three Stories


Oscar Wilde - 1891
    Dorian Gray, a naive and irresistible young man, is lured by decadent Lord Henry Wotton into a life of depravity. Dorian becomes steeped in sin, but his face remains perfect, unlined - while only his portrait, locked away, reveals the blackness of his soul.

The Duel


Anton Chekhov - 1891
    When Laevsky, a lazy youth who works for the government, tires of his dependent mistress, Nadyezhda Fyodorovna, Von Koren, the zoologist, delivers a scathing critique of Laevsky’s egotism, forcing the young man to examine his soul. "Of a truth, the right hand of God has planted this vine! Lord! Lord! One man vanquishes thousands and another tens of thousands. Nikolay Vassilitch," he said ecstatically, "let me tell you that to-day you have conquered the greatest of man's enemies--pride."The Duel is a tale of human morality weakness, the possibility of forgiveness, and a man’s ultimate ability to change his ways. It is classic Anton Chekhov, revealing the multifaceted essence of human nature.

Tales of Soldiers and Civilians and Other Stories


Ambrose Bierce - 1891
    He left behind him theDevil’s Dictionary and a remarkable body of short fiction. This new collection gathers some of Bierce’s finest stories, including the celebrated Civil War fictions ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge‘ and ‘Chickamauga‘, his macabre masterpieces "The Damned Thing" and "Moxon's Master", and his hilariously horrific "Oil of Dog" and "My Favorite Murder".--back coverTABLE OF CONTENTSIntroductionSuggestions for Further ReadingA Note on the TextFrom In the Midst of LifeSoldiers:A Horseman in the SkyAn Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeChickamaugaA Son of the GodsOne of the MissingKilled at ResacaThe Affair at Coulter’s NotchThe Coup de GrâceParker Adderson, PhilosopherAn Affair of OutpostsThe Story of a ConscienceOne Kind of OfficerThe Mocking-BirdCivilians:The Man Out of the NoseThe Man and the SnakeThe Boarded WindowFrom Can Such Things Be?Can Such Things Be?:Moxon’s MasterA Tough TussleA Resumed IdentityThe Night-Doings at “Deadman’s”The Realm of the UnrealThe Damned ThingHaïta the ShepherdThe Ways of Ghosts:Present at a HangingA Wireless MessageSoldier Folk:Three and One Are OneFrom Negligible TalesNegligible Tales:A Bottomless GraveJupiter Doke, Brigadier-GeneralThe City of the Gone AwayThe Major’s TaleCurried CowA Revolt of the GodsThe Parenticide Club:My Favorite MurderOil of DogFrom AntepenultimataA Bivouac of the DeadFrom The OpinionatorThe Controversialist:The Short StoryExplanatory NotesGlossary of Military TermsBattle Sites and Battle Leaders

Aunt Hannah and Martha and John (The Remingtons #1)


Pansy - 1891
     John Remington begins pastoring at the Belleville church with his new bride, Martha at his side. And what John and Martha lack in experience, they make up for with enthusiasm. In the face of nosy neighbors and church gossips, they’re certain their faith and vigilant prayer will carry them through. But when the congregation misunderstands Aunt Hannah’s act of kindness, their faith will be tested in ways they never could have imagined. You can read more about Aunt Hanna and Martha and John; their story continues in John Remington, Martyr.

The Flight of the Shadow


George MacDonald - 1891
    Dr. MacDonald is bound even less than usual by the commonplace of conventional life, and in it are to be found some of the most strikingly imaginative and mystical of his nature pictures, and symbolisms, as where he describes the horizon looking like a 'void between a cataclysm and the moving afresh of the Spirit of God upon the face of the waters.'"Later... the sight of a rider on a white horse, dimly seen in a storm, awakes the thought of 'Death returning home on the eve of the great dawn, worn with his age-long work, pleased that it was over, and no more need of him.'"It is with a kind of chastened pity that the flower-like heroine of this book speaks of those who 'are afraid of loneliness, and hate God's lovely dark.'"These are the same souls who shrink from the idea of death; yet, says Dr. MacDonald, 'no one can be living a true life to whom dying is a terror' [from 'What's Mine's Mine']." (Katherine Weller, 'A Modern Mystic: George MacDonald')

Lord Arthur Saville's Crime; The Portrait of Mr. W. H. and Other Stories


Oscar Wilde - 1891
    Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1907. Excerpt: ... LORD ARTHUR SAVILE'S CRIME. I. It was Lady Windermere's last reception before Easter, and Bentinck House was even more crowded than usual. Six Cabinet Ministers had come on from the Speaker's Levee in their stars and ribands, all the pretty women wore their smartest dresses, and at the end of the picture-gallery stood the Princess Sophia of Carlsriihe, a heavy Tartar-looking lady, with tiny black eyes and wonderful emeralds, talking bad French at the top of her voice, and laughing immoderately at everything that was said to her. It was certainly a wonderful medley of people. Gorgeous peeress chatted affably to violent Radicals, popular preachers brushed coat-tails with eminent sceptics, a perfect bevy of bishops kept following a stout prima-donna from room to room, on the staircase stood several Royal Academicians, disguised as artists, and it was said that at one time the supper-room was absolutely crammed with geniuses. In fact, it was one of Lady Windermere's best nights, and the Princess stayed till nearly half-past eleven. As soon as she had gone, Lady Windermere returned to the picture-gallery, where a celebrated political economist was solemnly explaining the scientific theory of music to an indignant virtuoso from Hungary, and began to talk to the Duchess of Paisley. She looked wonderfully beautiful with her grand ivory throat, her large blue forget-me-not eyes, and her heavy coils of golden hair. Or pur they were--not that pale straw colour that nowadays usurps the gracious name of gold, but such gold as is woven into sunbeams or hidden in strange amber; and they gave to her face something of the frame of a saint, with not a little of the fascination of a sinner. She was a curious psychological study. Early in life she had discovered the important truth that nothing looks s...

The New Utopia


Jerome K. Jerome - 1891
    The New Utopia is a short story in which the author describes his dream about a socialist society. Jerome's short essay describes a regimented future city, indeed world, of nightmarish egalitarianism, where men and women are barely distinguishable in their grey uniforms and all have short black hair, natural or dyed. Other works include the essay collections Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow (1886) and Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow; Three Men on the Bummel, a sequel to Three Men in a Boat; and several other novels.

Naughts and Crosses


Arthur Quiller-Couch - 1891
    The sun never penetrated there beyond the third-storey windows—which is why the charwoman, his mother, was so long in discovering her child's strange gift.One day, when she and her boy were out playing, the boy stopped for a moment. He stood and smiled at her with the sun at his back—and his shadow lay upon the whitened steps. But the silhouette was not that of a little breeched boy at all, but of a little girl in petticoats—with long curls, where the charwoman's son was close-cropped!"The Magic Shadow" is one of the dozen-plus stories of everyday life—and of not-so-everyday delight and wonder—in Naughts and Crosses, by the author of The Splendid Spur.

Det forjættede land


Henrik Pontoppidan - 1891
    Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Men of Iron


Howard Pyle - 1891
    Set in the 15th century, it is a juvenile "coming of age" work in which a young squire, Myles Falworth, seeks not only to become a knight but to eventually redeem his father's honor. In Chapter 24 the knighthood ceremony is presented and described as it would be in a non-fiction work concerning knighthood and chivalry. Descriptions of training equipment are also given throughout.In 1954 it was made into a movie called The Black Shield of Falworth.

The Complete Works of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Volume 1


Alfred Tennyson - 1891
    This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

The Book Bills Of Narcissus


Richard Le Gallienne - 1891
    Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

The Boy Settlers: A Story of Early Times in Kansas


Noah Brooks - 1891
    Western adventure novel for children, first published in 1891.

The King's Cup-Bearer


Mrs. O.F. Walton - 1891
    So Hanani set forth alone, and the brothers were parted. Twelve long years, and in all probability no news had reached the family in Shushan of the absent Hanani. A journey of five months lay between them and Jerusalem; and in those days, when all the conveniences we enjoy were unknown, they would not only never expect to meet again, but they would also never anticipate[...].