The Floating Press: 2252 books

By the time Manx author Hall Caine published his second novel, A Son of Hagar, he was well on his way to becoming one of the most popular writers of his time. Combining love triangles, illicit romance, and a deep and abiding appreciation for Manx and Cumberland culture, this book is a must-read for fans of Victorian-era romance.

This eclectic collection of short stories from acclaimed humor writer Jerome K. Jerome is just the ticket when you're in the mood for something light. Wide-ranging in their subject matter, the stories include character sketches, tales of romance gone wrong, and even a few charming stories about cats.

When an unexpected inheritance makes humble housemaid Nellie Million wealthy beyond her wildest dreams, the tables are turned. Beatrice Lovelace, Nellie's one-time mistress -- now virtually penniless -- becomes Nellie's lady's maid, helping to guide her through the pitfalls of associating with the upper classes.

Master of Victorian fiction Charles Dickens was at his best when comparing and contrasting different classes of society. In this imaginative short story, a traveling circus sets up shop in an affluent neighborhood. When the performers begin mingling with the community's bankers and businessmen, hijinks ensue.

An abiding interest in the differences and similarities between American and European culture underlies much of Henry James' fiction, and that theme is also present throughout this collection of essays, many of which address various battles of World War I.

Fans of Romeo and Juliet will delight in the novella Vendetta, Honore de Balzac's unique take on the timeless theme of star-crossed lovers. Corsican immigrants Ginevra Piombo and Luigi Porta fall hopelessly in love, unaware of the fact that their respective families have long been ensnared in a multi-generational...

Russell Conwell was an influential and highly successful Baptist minister who introduced ideas about prosperity and abundance that were, at the time, highly controversial in the world of Christianity. Contrary to then-popular opinion, Conwell believed that Christians and other spiritually-minded people...

Benjamin Farjeon was an Anglo-Jewish writer known for his staggering literary output. He produced dozens of lengthy novels over the course of his career, as well as plays, stories, and essays. The novel Miser Farebrother is a thoroughly entertaining account of a brazen beggar who takes up residence in a stately country manor and lives there rent-free for years.

Master of humorous verse Harry Graham strikes again in this concise collection. Perverted Proverbs is a satirical send-up of the trite adages and aphorisms that have long been passed down from generation to generation. With tongue firmly in cheek, Graham offers a bracing antidote to your grandpa's favorite sayings.

Irish statesman John Edward Redmond was a remarkable political figure who was well known for bringing together clashing factions and crafting mutually amenable compromises. The last years of his career were dedicated to securing Irish Home Rule, a triumph that was ultimately nullified by the advent of World War I. This probing biography details the final fight of Redmond's political life.

For thousands of years, crystals have been recognized by those with a spiritual bent as possessing special metaphysical powers and significance. This classic 1922 text offers a comprehensive guide to crystals, as well as clear and concise instructions that will allow you to use these special minerals for a variety of spiritual and magical purposes.

Popular nineteenth-century writer Elizabeth Gaskell packed her fiction with the kind of riveting social details that keep contemporary readers and fans of historical drama glued to the page. This collection of short stories offers a comprehensive introduction to her body of work, which rivaled Dickens' in terms of popularity at the height of her career.

Although Jane Austen is best known for novels such as Pride and Prejudice that deal with romantic entanglements and class conflicts, she was also a skilled essayist and humor writer. In "Love and Freindship" (sic), Austen sends up the epistolary novels that were popular in her day, as well as skewering some of the satire-worthy ideas about love and marriage that were common in the era.

In this charming tale from American author Edward Bellamy, a group of young friends strikes upon a novel idea for a get-together: they decide to pretend it is 50 years in the future and adopt clothing, behaviors, opinions and mannerisms reflecting what they predict their older selves will be like.