Adrift in New York

Set in 19th century New York, this is the story of a wealthy old man who adopts his orphaned nephew and niece after his own four year old son mysteriously disappears. However, under a smooth exterior, the nephew is a conniving and avaricious villain who wants to grab all the old man's wealth for himself. This is also the story of a young boy, who doesn't know he's the sole heir to a fabulous fortune, but grows up homeless in the streets of New York. The villainous nephew proposes marriage to his cousin with a view to grabbing the entire inheritance. The story takes several twists and turns before it reaches its unexpected conclusion.

Adrift in New York was published i...

Senhora

Senhora é um dos mais importantes clássicos da literatura brasileira, e o terceiro livro do mesmo autor que analisa a situação da mulher na sociedade brasileira do século XIX. Através da história de amor e separação entre Aurélia e Fernando, o autor critica a decadência da elite cortesã, a importância dada ao dinheiro e os casamentos por interesse. O romance, dividido em quatro partes, reflete este objetivo em sua própria estrutura, em que imita uma transação comercial: preço, quitação, posse, resgate.

“Senhora” is one of the most important classics of Brazilian Literature, and the third book by this author about the situation of women in the 19th century Brazilian society. Throu...

Cinco Minutos
Cinco minutos é o primeiro romance do escritor brasileiro José de Alencar, nome proeminente do romantismo no país. Foi publicada em 1856 em forma de folhetins pelo jornal Diário do Rio de Janeiro. Ao final de alguns meses, com todos os capítulos já publicados, esses foram juntados em uma única edição que foi oferecida como brinde para os assinantes do jornal. No entanto, diversas pessoas que não assinavam o jornal, procuraram um volume do livro.

A obra é escrita na forma de carta a uma prima do autor, D..., relatando seu amor por uma jovem, Carlota, nome o qual só é revelado nos últimos capítulos do livro.

Inicia-se a história, no Rio de Janeiro, quando o narrador perde o ôn...
Jewish Children (Yudishe Kinder)

Although written from a child’s perspective, this is not a kids book but a series of funny, poignant, and sometimes disturbing stories about life in a late 19th-century Russian-Jewish village — the world of my grandparents. Sholem Rabinovich (1859-1916) was born in Pereiaslav, Ukraine and later immigrated to New York. His short stories about Tevye and his daughters were freely adapted into the musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Rabinovich’s will contained the following injunction: “Let my name be recalled with laughter or not at all.” His translator, Hannah Berman, was Irish of Lithuanian descent.

Some of these stories may be too intense for younger children.

The Stillwater Tragedy

Thomas Bailey Aldrich was an American poet, novelist and editor. Of his many books of poetry and fiction, he may be best known for his semi-autobiographical novel, The Story of a Bad Boy and his collection of short stories, Majorie Daw and Other People. The Stillwater Tragedy which was published in 1880 is set in a small New England manufacturing town whose tranquility is disturbed first by the murder of one of its prominent citizens followed soon thereafter by a general strike of all the trades-unions. As the story develops, Richard Shackford, the murdered man’s nephew, finds himself inextricably caught up in both these events.

Told in a French Garden
American friends begin to summer in a beautiful French country house when WWI breaks out. They decide not to evacuate as the war encroaches. Their interactions are interwoven by the stories that they take turns telling after dinner each night to stimulate their nightly conversation and distract their thoughts from the war.
Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain
Sixth in the Chautauqua Girls series. It picks up the characters of Dr. Stuart Everett and Joy Saunders introduced in "Ester Ried Yet Speaking" and follows them and other Christians in their work for the Master. Half-hearted and fully committed workers: all have an impact on those around them, for good or for ill.
Wise and Otherwise

Immature Mr. Tresevant (from “The King’s Daughter”) comes to Newton with his spoiled wife to be the new pastor of the church attended by Dr. and Mrs. Douglass, Mr. and Mrs. Sayles, and Mr. and Mrs. Tyndall (from “Ester Ried” and “Julia Ried”), boarding with Jerome and Abbie Sayles. Authored by Isabella M. Alden under the pen name “Pansy.” Fourth in the Ester Ried series.

Ruth Erskine's Son
Seventh book in the Chautauqua Girls series. Written by Isabella Alden under the pseudonym “Pansy.”

Erskine, Ruth's son (a 5-year-old at the end of Judge Burnham’s Daughters) is now a grown man, and Ruth is 50-something. He brings home an American wife from Paris, a woman who seems to want to tear apart mother and son. But Irene has some big secrets to hide.
Ruth Erskine's Crosses

Third book in the Chautauqua Girls series. Written by Isabella Alden under the pseudonym “Pansy.”

Ruth’s father brings home a wife and daughter, after 18 years, that Ruth had never known about. Suddenly she is no longer the queen of her home. And what’s worse, the new mother and sister are rude and antagonistic. How will Ruth bear this cross?