The Floating Press: 2252 books

Renowned author Robert W. Chambers dabbled in virtually every literary style under the sun, garnering acclaim from top writers and critics along the way. The story collection A Young Man in a Hurry brings together some of Chambers' most engrossing shorter pieces.

Despite the fact that it was originally published in 1919, this etiquette book for men is decidedly un-stuffy. In a series of short essays, author Ralph Bergengren serves up heartfelt -- and often hilarious -- advice on how gentlemen should comport themselves in matters pertaining to dress, social interactions,...

Later in his career, author G. A. Henty would become world-famous for his gripping action-adventure novels. However, in this, one of his earliest publications, Henty provides a thrilling first-person account of his own experiences and observations as a war correspondent on the front lines of the Abyssinian Expedition to Ethiopia.

After finishing college, Jean Lanni did what many new college graduates of his era did: spent some quality time traveling around the universe. But instead of the typical souvenirs like t-shirts or shot glasses, he brought back a remarkable creature as a souvenir of his intergalactic wanderings. In this delightful short story, Droozle tires of being a novelty and begins to speak his mind.

Once a beloved clergymen and pillar of the quaint village community that he served, Robert Carlton has fallen upon hard times, brought to his knees by an unspeakable tragedy that soon spirals into a scandal. Cast out of his ecclesiastical role, Carlton is forced to learn how to fend for himself, as none...

Though he was largely overlooked during his own lifetime, British poet John Clare is now recognized by critics as one of the most significant writers of his generation. Unlike most of the other poets who rose to acclaim during the nineteenth century, Clare came from a humble, working-class family and...

In this engaging novel from "Dean of American Letters" William Dean Howells, a sheltered young woman from the Midwest makes her way to New York to pursue a career as an artist. Once there, she experiences a vertiginous degree of culture shock as she falls in with a crowd of counterculture intellectuals.

Young Philip Meldrum lives a somewhat unusual life with his Uncle Joseph, a prominent philanthropist who happens to be highly suspicious of all women and has drilled this mistrust into the mind of his teenage nephew. For the most part, Philip spends his time attending to his uncle's correspondence...

In his breakthrough bestseller, The First Hundred Thousand, author Ian Hay brought humor and wit to a solemn subject in a first-hand account of a soldier's experience in World War I. He employs a similarly light touch in Getting Together, a discussion of the political and cultural relationship between England and the U.S. that unfolds like a pleasant fireside chat between friends.

Writer Marie Corelli rocketed to remarkable literary fame in the late nineteenth century, largely on the strength of her irresistibly action-packed plots. Vendetta is no exception. Readers will instantly be drawn in to this tale, which begins with a family tragedy and soon shifts course into a story of satisfying revenge.

Working under the pseudonym "Herbert Strang," English authors Charles James L'Estrange and George Herbert Ely paired up to pen a series of enduringly popular adventure stories intended for younger readers. Tom Willoughby's Scouts is a timeless action-adventure tale that will appeal to thrill-seeking readers of all ages.

In this short story with a strong and instructive Christian message, a misunderstanding between brothers Alfred and Samuel gets heated and leads to a dreadful argument. Originally written as a parable for younger readers, "The Penitent Boy" teaches an important lesson about honesty.

William James was a towering intellectual figure with a vast knowledge base that transcended typical disciplinary boundaries. In this collection of essays, William James explores the topics of memory and cognition through the lenses of philosophy, psychology, and his own personal life experiences, all recounted in his uniquely engaging writing style.

For a fascinating glimpse into eighteenth-century morals and values, take a look at Samuel Richardson's Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded. A blockbuster of a bestseller in its day, Pamela recounts the tribulations of a poor housekeeper who is forced constantly to fend off the prurient advances of her employer....