Essays & Short Works
- Philosophical Travelogues
- Essays on Society and Culture
- Essays for Personal Growth
- Explorations in Science and Thought
- Explorations in Psychology
- Political Essays and Reflections
- Political Essays and Manifestos
- Philosophical Essays on Existence
Tea-table Talk
As the New York Times said in 1903, this lesser-known work by Jerome K. Jerome does not display "the wit of Congreve or even the glitte…
The Essays of Francis Bacon
Voltaire was an atheist. Diderot was Enlightened. But trite titles seldom encompass completely the beliefs of any individual. And this one f…
My Path to Atheism
My Path to Atheism is a remarkable document in many ways, not least that it was written by a woman in Victorian England, not the most open f…
African-American Collection
Celebrate the rich tapestry of African American literature with this diverse anthology, curated to honor Black History Month. This collectio…
The Golden Age
The Golden Age is a collection of reminiscences of childhood, written by Kenneth Grahame and originally published in book form in 1895, in L…
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
John Locke wrote four essays on human (or humane) understanding. Here are a few quotes from the book: "I see no reason to believe, that…
The Relations of Saint Teresa of Avila
The Relations of Saint Teresa of Avila offers a profound glimpse into the spiritual journey of one of Christianity's most revered mystics. I…
On a Chinese Screen
On a Chinese Screen is a captivating collection of essays by W. Somerset Maugham, offering a window into the complexities of life in early 2…
The Seven Lamps of Architecture
The Seven Lamps of Architecture, published in May 1849, is an extended essay written by the English art critic and theorist John Ruskin. The…
The Moral Equivalent of War
The Moral Equivalent of War, the last public utterance of William James, is significant as expressing the opinions of a practical psychologi…
Eminent Victorians
On Modern Library's list of 100 Best Non-Fiction books, "Eminent Victorians" marked an epoch in the art of biography; it also help…
As a Man Thinketh
The burgeoning conflict between science and organized religion in the Nineteenth Century had many cultural offshoots, one of the most signif…
Tolstoy on Shakespeare
In this thought-provoking essay, Leo Tolstoy presents a critical examination of William Shakespeare's works, exploring the playwright's them…
Essays
In his profound collection of essays, Ralph Waldo Emerson explores the intricate relationship between the individual and the universe. Throu…
The Treaty with China
"A good candidate for 'the most under-appreciated work by Mark Twain' would be 'The Treaty With China,' which he published in the New Y…
Mysticism and Logic
This anthology collects a number of fascinating strands of Bertrand Russell's thought. "Mathematics and the Metaphysicians" detail…
Letters to His Son on the Art of Becoming a Man of the World
Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, was at one time Ambassador to the Hague, negotiated the second Treaty of Vienna, was a founding gover…
The Wound Dresser
The Wound Dresser offers a poignant glimpse into the heart of the American Civil War through the eyes of Walt Whitman. This collection of le…
Christmas Short Works Collection
Celebrate the spirit of the season with the Christmas Short Works Collection, a delightful anthology of public domain stories, essays, poems…
The World I Live In
The World I Live In by Helen Keller is a collection of essays that poignantly tells of her impressions of the world, through her sense of to…