Kellscraft Studio On-Line Books

-- This is a superb gardening book from the Arts & Crafts period with lists of plants that are able to be grown in the NY City growing zone. Chapters include: Vines, Roses, Annuals, Garden Furniture, etc. Excellent photo illustrations with several color tinted photos. NOTE: The photos slow down the loading of the chapter pages, so plan on @ 2 minutes full download time with a 56k modem. DSL/Cable modems will still load fast....

American Woman Abroad, The. Written and illustrated by Blanche McManus. NY: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1911.
-- A fascinating book on life for a woman travelling through Europe alone, with other female friends and with her husband. It also includes wonderful illustrations by Blanche McManus. Topics include: The Cost of Living Abroad, The Lone Woman Traveller, Tips and Tipping, The Woman Traveller and the French Cafe, Winter Sports in Switzerland, French Law for Foreigners, etc....

Among English Inns, Josephine Tozier. Boston: L. C. Page and Company. 1904.
-- A nice travel book by a group of American women travelling by train, boat and bicycle through southeastern England. This is their adventures at the numerous inns they visit along the way....

Among the Tibetans. Isabella L. Bishop. London: The Religious Tract Society. 1894.
-- This is an interesting travel book describing travel through Tibet in the late 1800's. Nice descriptions of the people and land, but a little too focussed on the christian missionary mentality. Worth the read though....

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, The. Edited by Frank Woodworth Pine. Garden City, NY: Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. 1916.
-- This is an illustrated version of Franklin's autobiography. Note that this book edited out 3 paragraphs where Franklin referred to his youthful daliances, which I have edited back in with notes where added. This edition also includes an Appendix of four articles: Electrical Kite, The Way to Wealth, The Whistle, and A Letter to Samuel Mather. Also includes a Bibliography.....

Bachelor Ballads, illustrated by Blanche McManus: David McKay, Publisher, 1898.
-- Wonderful illustrations by Blanche McManus added to a series of late 18th and 19th century authors poems songs, including the full version of Auld Lang Syne (by Robert Burns), The Hunting Song (by Sir Walter Scott), The Betrothed (by Rudyard Kipling) and others by Charles Lamb, John Quincy Adams, William Makepeace Thackeray, Ben Johnson and many others!

Ballads and Barrack Room Ballads. Rudyard Kipling. New York: MacMillan and Company. 1899.
-- A great collection of Kipling's poetry including Mandalay, Gunga Din, The Lost Legion, In the Neolithic Age, The English Flag, and many others! Enjoy!....

Battlefield Adventures. Clifton Johnson. Illustrated by Rodney Thomson. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1915.
-- This is a fascinating oral history account of eyewitnesses to Civil War battles. Johnson records their words as accurately as possible, and almost 50 years after the battles were fought, the horrors of war still come through. White and black attitudes on slavery, Rebels and Yankees are frankly recorded here. This is a must read, for as Johnson states in his preface: "But why should we not face the reality and see war in all its savagery? Nothing can so hasten the coming of the time when war as a method of settling disputes will not be tolerated as a clear understanding of its essential barbarism."....

Beasts of the Field. William J. Long. Illustrated by Charles Copeland. Boston: The Athenæum Press. 1901.
-- A turn-of-the Twentieth Century naturalist tales, told through a native American naming convention for the animals met along the way. A nice read, reminiscent of the Adirondack camp tales...

Best Stories to Tell to Children. Sara Cone Bryant. Illustrated by Patten Wilson. Boston & NY: Houghton, Mifflin Company. 1912.
-- An interesting book of old children's stories, including the "Gingerbread Man," "The Little Fir Tree," "The Three Little Pigs," "The Three Bears" etc... One story comes from a different time in America, "Epaminondas and his Auntie," and should be read with an understanding of black stereotypes of the early 1900's....

Blackboard Sketchings. Frederick Whitney. Illustrated with Photographs. Springfield, MA: Milton Bradley Company. 1908.
-- A great book for teachers, Art teachers and others, who want to add a little something extra to the classroom experience. Nicely illustrated with step-by-step instructions on how to draw lesson illustrations on a blackboard. The only problem: does anyone use blackboards anymore?.........

Bluebeard. Clifton Johnson. Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. NY: The Macaulay Co. 1920.
-- This is a series of stories loosely strung together. Nice tales, including: Bluebeard, The Little Jackal, The Blind Ogre, The Boy in a Peach, Andrew Coffey and many others....

Blue Fairy Book, The Vol. I. Andrew Lang. NY.: Longmans, Green and Co. 1920.
-- A great collection of classic fairy tales. This first volume contains the great classics in the original, unadulterated form, political correctness be damned! Here's Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Yellow Dwarf, Rumpelstiltzkin, Beauty and the Beast, and many more!....

Birds Every Child Should Know. Neltje Blanchan. NY: Grosset & Dunlap. 1907.
--A nice book to introduce children to the world of birds. Photo illustrated with well-written information....

Birds In The Bush Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Company. 1895.
--Excellent nature book, easy reading with descriptions of an obsessive birder from 100 years ago. Covers his travels, and birding, in New England. A must read for today's birders...

Biography of a Grizzly. Earnest Seton-Thompson. The Century Co. 1912.
--An interesting book on the hard life of a grizzly, especially with the settling of the West. Sad at times, and nicely illustrated by the author...

Book of Boston. Robert Shackleton. Illustrated by R.L. Boyer. Philadelphia: Penn Publishing Co. 1916.
--An interesting look at Boston at the turn of the 20th century, along with a lot of historical information for New England. Nicely illustrated also....

Book of Tea, The. Okakura Kakuzo. NY: Duffield & Company. 1919 edition (first published in 1906). (Buy a print copy here!)
-- A wonderful little book, easily read in one sitting. It focuses on the Japanese Art of Tea, but the author offers a rarely seen perspective on Eastern and Western cultures. Okakura Kakuzo gives a brief history of tea in China, and the stages of tea-drinking in that country. His main focus is on Zen and its connection to Teaism, and of the influence of the Zen monks in establishing and refining the Japanese Tea Ceremony. This book is a highly-recommended read....

Boston: A Guide Book. Edwin M. Bacon. Illustrated. Boston: Athenaeum Press. 1903 edition.
-- A great guide book of Boston that takes you through the neighborhood historical points all across the City and the surrounding area. Included are the cities of Salem, Wellesley, Newton, Quincy, Blue Hill Reservation, plus many others. Heavily illustrated. Well written and reads like a walking tour of Boston, with lots of history thrown in. Highly recommended!....

Boston Illustrated, Edwin M. Bacon. Illustrated. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co. 1886 edition.
-- A great work on the history of Boston by the neighborhoods through the architecture of the period. Heavily illustrated. Well written and reads like a walking tour of Boston, with lots of history thrown in. Highly recommended!....

Boston: Its Byways & Highways. Written and illustrated by John Albert Seaford. Le Roy Phillips: Publisher. Boston. No publication date. [ca. 1914]
--A great little book with wonderful sepia-tone sketches of Boston at the turn of the 20th Century.......

Broken Soldier and the Maid Of France, The. Henry Van Dyke. Illustrations by Frank E. Schoonover. NY: Harper & Brothers Publishers. 1919.
-- A patriotic story first written during W.W.I telling of a soldier's fear of fighting and death and his vision of Joan D'Arc. Part of the overall work of Henry Van Dyke ......

Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express. Elmer Sherwood. Illustrated by Neil O'Keefe. Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing Co. nd, ca. 1910.
--An interesting children's book portraying a youthful Buffalo Bill Cody. Probably little in the way of historical accuracy, but interesting, nonetheless....

Bundle of Yarn, A. Fred W. Shibley. Providence, RI: H. Gregory.1899.
--An odd and unique 'bundle' of short stories, some written in the first person other in the third-person. They tell of life in Rhode Island from the early to late 1800's. Written in the vernacular of New England speech, it makes for an interesting read....

Butterflies. Clarence Weed. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Company.
-- A well-written and understandable book for beginners and advanced students of butterfly studies. Nicely illustrated, although some of the photographs of butterflies are not as clear as they could be.....

Canterbury. Canon Danks. Illustrated by Ernest Haslehust. Boston: Dana Estes & Co. [n.d.: ca. 1900]
-- Interesting description and history of the city and church of Canterbury, with some wonderful illustrations by Haslehust.....

Cambridge. Noel Barwell. Illustrated by Ernest Haslehust. London: Blackie and Son, Ltd. [n.d.: ca. 1920]
-- Interesting description and history of the area of Cambridge and related colleges, with some wonderful illustrations by Haslehust.....

Camping Out. C. A. Stephens. NY: Hurst and Company. [n.d.: ca. 1910]
-- A very interesting tale of 4 young men in search of the 'mother lode' in the wilderness of Maine, on the heights of Mt. Katahdin! First in a series if adventure books.....

Cape Coddities. Dennis and Marion Chatham. Illustrated by Harold Cue. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1920. (Buy a print copy here!)
--A great little book filled with Cape Cod charm written when cars were just beginning to be used on the Cape. Nice watercolor touches on some of the illustrations done by a previous owner of the book...

Castles of England and Wales. E. J. MacDonald. Illustrated by Herbert J. Finn. New York: Thomas Nelson and Sons. [n.d.: ca. 1920?]
-- Interesting description and history of the castles of England and Wales, with wonderful illustrations by Finn. Nice read.......

Child's Garden of Verse, A . Robert Louis Stevenson. a compilation, ca 1900.
--Stevenson's wonderful look at childhood through verse This version consists of A Child's Garden of Verse, The Child Alone, Garden Days, and Envoys..... [This work is based on a potential blended book. We will be replacing it with an original edition version as soon as possible...]

Child's Own Book, The. Volume 1. Charles Welsh, Ed. The Young Folk's Library. Illustrated. Hall & Locke Company. 1901.
-- This is a classic collection of all the old stories and fairy tales. They're all here: Ali Baba, Aladdin, Genies, the Yellow Dwarf, Little Red Riding Hood, Blue Beard, Beauty and the Beast, The Royal Ram, The White Cat, Puss in Boots, Jack and the Bean-Stalk, Jack the Giant Killer, plus many, many more! Note that these are not all stories that end happily - Little Red Riding Hood is not rescued by the wood-cutter here........

Children's Blue Bird. Georgette LeBlanc, (Madame Maeterlinck). Translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos. Illustrated by Herbert Paus. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1913.
-- Based upon her husband's play, The Blue Bird, Ms Maeterlinck creates a narrative version fit for children and adults. Wonderful illustrations by Herbert Paus. This play and story was the beginning of the phrase 'Blue Bird of Happiness' ...

Children's Life of the Bee, The. Maurice Maeterlinck. NY: Dodd, Mead & Company. 1919.
-- A nice book by Maeterlinck based upon his earlier work for adults (The Life of the Bee) rewritten here for children. Nicely illustrated in color....

Clerk of the Woods, The. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1903.
-- Excellent nature book, easy reading with descriptions of an obsessive birder from 100 years ago. Covers his travels, and birding, in New England. A must read for today's birders...

Colonial Life in New Hampshire. James H. Bassett. Boston: Athenaeum Press. 1899.
-- A nice historical discussion of the early history of New Hampshire, up to and including roles of the state in the Revolutionary War. Sections include: Customs of the Settlers, Indians of New Hampshire, and the Beginnings of the Revolution. Good for students and adults ...

Compleat Angler, The. Isaak Walton. Illustrated by Boyd Hanna. Mount Vernon: Peter Pauper Press.
No copyright date, [ca 1947].
-- The classic (1670's) book on fly-fishing. Wonderfully illustrated by Boyd Hanna. A must-read for any fly-fisherman!....

Country School, The. Clifton Johnson. NY: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. 1907.
-- A great look at a time long gone for most of us: the one-room country schoolhouse in the United States. Johnson describes schools from the post-Revolutionmsry days, up to the late 1800's. Nice descriptions of teachers' lives and the students they taught. Includes games and recess activities by the children. Good for students and adults ...

Days Off. Henry Van Dyke. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1907.
--One of a series to be added here, this volume is a series of short stories on the benefits (and pitfalls) of taking days off from the regular grind... even a day off from a vacation!......

Death. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1912.
--A philosophical look at death, life and what comes afterwards... An interesting perspective...

District School As It Was, The. Warren Burton. Edited and Illustrated by Clifton Johnson. Boston: Lee and Shephard. 1897.
--A nice retrospective of life in a New England school right around 1800. A number of illustrations and an introduction added by Clifton Johnson...

Don't For Boys. Henry Altemus Company. Philadelphia: Henry Altemus Company. 1902.
-- This is an interesting little book filled with advice for young men of all ages. Words to live by...

Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. L. Frank Baum. 1908.
--The second book in the Oz series. Instead of Toto, we have Eureka, the kitten! A good read for kids and adults.... [This work is based on a potential blended book. We will be replacing it with an original edition version as soon as possible...]

Double Garden, The. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1911
--Philosopher, naturalist, and essayist - this book is a collection of his writing from the turn of the century (1900). Essays cover the following topics: Dogs, Bees, old flowers, early automobiles, suffrage, and much more! ........

Dream Days Kenneth Grahame. Thomas Nelson & Son. London, Edinburgh, Dublin and New York. n.d. (ca. 1900).
-- This is a wonderful series of reminiscences by Grahame of his early childhood in England. I highly recommend this book. By the author of the Wind in the Willows.....

Dutch and English on the Hudson. Maud Wilder Goodwin. New Haven: Yale University Press. 1919.
--Textbook edition of the history of settlement of the New York area from the Dutch through English occupation. The time covered is from the 1630's through the 1700's. A nice work with a great bibliography..........

Dutch Bulbs. Una Silberrad and Sophie Lyall. Illustrations by Mima Nixon. London: Adam and Charles Black. 1909.
--Beautifully illustrated with wonderful watercolors by artist Mima Nixon, this book covers the history and commercial growing of bulbs in Holland at the turn of the 20th century.

Early American Craftsmen. Walter A Dyer. Illustrated with photographs. NY: The Century Company. 1915.
--Everything you've ever wanted to know about early American craftsmen. Chapters cover Furniture makers, Pewter craftsmen, Silver worker, Glass manufacture, Potters, Windsor Chair manufacture, and Architects. All from around the Revolutionary War period. (This book sponsored by Dragons Breath)

Essentials of Lettering, The. Thomas E. French and Robert Meiklejohn. Illustrated. NY:McGraw-Hill Company, Inc. 1912.
-- This is a great book for the calligraphers in all of us. Detailed instructions are provided for the student on how to hold the pen and create wonderful letters, including Gothic, Old English, Uncial, Roman, Art Nouveau, and French Script. Nicely illustrated.......

Everyday Birds. Bradford Torrey. Illustrations. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1901.
--A nice book for young bird lovers. Teachers: This is a good book to use with young students. Nicely illustrated.......

Fairy Tales. Hans Christian Andersen. Retold and translated by Dr. L. Sohr, with Original drawings by Gertraude Hecht Appelmann. Copyright by Anton Appelmann, Urberads (Hessen); Alle Redste vorbehahen. — Printed in Germany. Gesamtherstellung: GroBbudbinderei Fritzsdie/Ludwig, Darmstadt. Buch- und Offsetdrunk: Wiking Drukerei GmbH, Darmstadt. [no publication date]
-- The Swineherd; The Storks; Some Distinction Must Be; The Emperor’s New Robes; The Flying Trunk; The Angel; The Snowman; The Princess Who Slept On A Pea; The Daisy; Twelve In The Mail-Coach...

Familiar Features of the Roadside. F. Schuyler Mathews. New York: D Appleton and Company. 1897.
-- This is a wonderful nature book, easily read, that details the types of plants and animals found along the roadside of the more rural areas of the U.S. Ever wonder what an owl's hoot looks like in a musical score? How about a Bluebird's? And what are the different varieties of ragweed? Roses? It's all here!.....

Familiar Studies of Wild Birds. F. N. Whitman. Boston: The Gorham Press. 1920.
-- This is a nice book of a photographer's study of wild birds he found around the area in the 1900's. Kingbirds, Owls, Wrens, and many other birds are written about here, and more importantly, photographed in their natural environments. This nature photographer also gives detailed information to the photographer just trying their hand at bird photography and how to go about it. Information that works well today in the digital world.....

Field-Days in California. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1913.
-- This is the last book by Bradford Torrey, published postumously weeks after he passed away at the age of 69. This book chronicles his last few years as a resident of California, persuing his favorite hobby: admiring nature and birdwatching. Nice description also of the local region and the people he meets. A must read for any birder today!.....

Finger Plays. Emilie Poulsson. Music by Cornelia C.Roeske. Illustrated. Boston: Lothrop, Lee and Shepard Co. 1921 edition.
-- This a jpeg design from the original book. A nice children's activity book with variations on the rhyme: "Here's the Church, Here's the Steeple, Look insde and See all the people."....

First Through The Grand Canyon. John Wesley Powell. Edited by Horace Kephart. NY: Outing Publishing Company. 1915.
--A real-life adventure story! The diary of John Wesley Powell's trip through the entire length of the Grand Canyon. His was the first known party to explore the entire canyon length. Contains a map of the journey and daily logs.....

Fisherman's Luck. Henry Van Dyke. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1913.
--Ever wander along a willow-lined stream bank and wonder how the fishing would be? How many types of open fires can there be? More than you think.... A wonderful, meandering stream of thought about fishing and lovers, mountains and strawberries, I highly recommend this book and author......

Florida Sketch-Book, A. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1894.
-- This is another nice book by nineteenth century writer and enthusiastic birder, Bradford Torrey, as he roams through Florida in search of his favorite hobby. Nice description also of the local region and the people he meets. A must read for any birder today!.............

Florida Trails. Winthrop Packard. Many Photographs. Boston: Small, Maynard and Co. 1910.
-- This is a nice book on the musings of the author as he wandered the trails of Florida during the winter months.. A nice book for any naturalist, young or old, looking for an escape from the colder northern climes. By the same author of Woodland Paths...

Footpath Way, The. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1892.
-- This is another nice book by nineteenth century writer and enthusiastic birder, Bradford Torrey, as he roams through New England in search of his favorite hobby. Nice description also of the local region and the people he meets. A must read for any birder today!.............

Footing it in Franconia. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1901.
-- a nice book by nineteenth century writer and enthusiastic birder, Bradford Torrey, as he roams through the Franconia Notch, NH, area in search of his favorite hobby, birds and observing nature. Nice description also of the local region and the people he meets. A must read for any birder today!.............

Fresh Fields. John Burroughs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1904 Photographs by various artists.
-- Part of the 23 Volume Riverby Edition series; a wonderful collection of essays regarding nature in England....

Friends on the Shelf. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1906.
-- a collection of mini-biographies written by Bradford Torrey, including authors such as William Hazzlit, Edward FitzGerald, Thoreau, Keats, Stevenson and Anatole France. Additional commentaries include 'Quotability,' 'In Defence of the Traveler's Notebook,' and 'Concerning the Lack of an American Literature.' .............

From St. Lawrence to Virginia. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: Macmillan & Co. 1913
-- The author is a writer and photographer who was unknowingly an ethnographer of his time, recording vanishing cultures at the turn of the last century. This book deals with vignettes of rural life from New York Adirondacks to the mountains of West Virginia. Profusely illustrated with the author's original photographs.....

Golden Age, The. Kenneth Grahame. Chicago: Stone & Kimball. 1895.
-- This is a wonderful series of reminiscences by Grahame of his early childhood in England. I highly recommend this book. By the author of the Wind in the Willows.....

Games For Everybody, May C. Hofmann. NY: Dodge Publishing Co. 1905.
-- A wonderful book of games for children and adults from the age prior to computers, TV, radio, and headphones. This book is chock full of childrens' interactive games as well as adult games for family gatherings and parties. A great book for parents and teachers.....

Golden Fleece and the Heroes who Lived Before Achilles, The. Padraic Colum. Illustrated by Willy Pogany. NY: MacMillan Company. 1921.
-- This is a wonderful book of the early Greek mythologies - the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts; Hercules, Prometheus the Titans and the lesser gods and goddesses. Nicely illustrated with Art Deco drawings of the period. A recommended read....

Grandmother's Story of Bunker Hill Battle , Oliver Wendell Holmes. Illustrated by H. W. McVickar. NY: Dodd, Meade & Co. 1875.
-- A wonderfully illustrated book of the Holmes Poem. This is one of the earlier versions of illustrations done by McVickar. A nice read....

He Dropped Into Poetry. Winthrop Packard. Canton, Mass: Winthrop Packard. 1940.
-- The naturalist, Winthrop Packard, tries his hand at poetry, some serious, some humerous. A nice read....

Heroic Legends. Agnes Grozier Herbertson. Illustrated by Helen Stratton. Published in London, 1908. American version (from which these web pages are based) was ca. 1910, but no date listed in the edition.
-- These are European legends from the Middle Ages, covering topics such as knights, damsels, dragons, King Arthur and El Cid. Interesting reading and wonderful illustrations.....

Hiawatha. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. NY: Grossett & Dunlap. No publication date.
-- What can be said about such a classic? This version has a Notes and Glossary section. Of course, when I read this work, all I can see is Katherine Hepburn reciting parts of the poem to Spencer Tracy in Desk Set.......

High History of the Holy Graal. Sebastian Evans, Translator. Illustrated by Jessie M. King. NY: E. P. Dutton & Co.. 1903.
-- The original translated from the 13th century manuscript. Originally written in Old French, this translation remains as faithful as possible to the manuscript. The earliest tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, as they relate to the search for the Holy Grail. This is not a child's version; the language is a challenge to read, and there are many bloody battles in these tales ......

Historic Towns of New England. Lyman P. Powell. NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1898.
-- A revealing look at the history of 14 towns in the New England area, including: Boston, Salem, Hartford, Providence, Cambridge, Deerfield, Newport, New Haven, Rutland, MA., Concord, Plymouth, Cambridge, and Cape Cod towns. Many, many drawings, maps and photographs. Great historical information......

History of the Great Fire in Boston. Russell H. Conwell. Boston: B. B. Russell. 1873.
-- Detailed description of the great fire of 1872, written soon after the fire occurred. Describes the fire as it swept through the City as well as the aftermath of destruction and rebuilding.......

History of the Babylonians and Assyrians, A. George Stephen Goodspeed, PhD. NY: Charles Scribners' Sons. 1921.
-- Detailed history of the archaeological investigations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the history known at the time of the Babylonians and Assyrians. Nice map of the Middle East, showing the locations of Nineveh, Ur, Babylon and other cities, as well as the Babylonian names of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, etc. A nice read for the student of ancient history......

Highways and Byways of the Mississippi Valley. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: MacMillan Company. 1906.
-- One of a series of books written by Johnson of a vanishing America: Rural life. He specifically visited rural towns, villages and farms across the country at the turn of the twentieth century to document what he felt was a way of life that was disappearing 100 years ago. These works are a wonderful resouce of information about life in America outside of the growing cities. This book pertains to life in America from Mississippi to Minnesota along the Mississippi River. Note that this book contains strong language and racist thoughts expressed by the people interviewed. Please read my COMMENTARY to this web edition which describes why you should read this book but keep in mind I don't recommend this book for young children. More importantly, this book requires a lot of discussion. Read it carefully and wisely.......

Highways and Byways of the Pacific Coast. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: MacMillan Company. 1915 edition.
-- One of a series of books written by Johnson of a vanishing America: Rural life. He specifically visited rural towns, villages and farms across the country at the turn of the twentieth century to document what he felt was a way of life that was disappearing 100 years ago. In this volume, he travels through Arizona, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon and a special trip through Yosemite National Park. As in all of his books, Johnson lets the people he meets tell their own stories. Colorfully written in the dialects of the region, it makes for interesting reading......

House-Boat on the River Styx. John Kendrick Bangs. Illustrated by Peter Newell. 1896 edition.
-- An amusing look at life in Hades (different from the christian version of Hell...) with all th dignitaries of the past: Socrates, Homer, Phidias, Thackerey, Johnson, Shakespeare, Washington, Lord Byron, etc, are all here, with Charon hired as the all-around Butler. Antics ensue when the House-Boat is turned into a gentleman's club house! Lots of political and social humor... Nicely illustrated...

How to Attract the Birds. Neltje Blanchan. Numerous photographs. NY: Doubleday, Page & Company. 1916 edition.
-- A great book for all ages with descriptions for birdhouses, how to make your own birdseed mixes to attract different birds and general information on bird behavior. Profusely illustrated with photographs from nature....

How to Find Happyland. Van Dresser. Illustrated by F. E. Storer. (n.d. ca 1907, by the inscription).
-- An interesting series of morality tales for young children. Nicely illustrated...

In The Wilderness. Charles Dudley Warner. Houghton, Osgood and Company. 1878.
-- An early 'environmentalist' look at the Adirondacks and wilderness living, as well as reflections on life in New England in the late 1800's........

In India. G. W. Steevens. NY: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1899.
-- A British author's view of Indian life at the turn of the last century. An interesting interpretation of the country and the Indian government workers........

In The South Seas. Robert Louis Stevenson. NY: Charles Scribners' Sons. 1907.
-- Stevenson's tales of his travels through the South Sea islands from June 1888 through January 1889. Nice tales of native islanders, headhunters and sailing adventures.....

Inca Land. Hiram Bingham. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1922.
--A wonderful, detailed narrative of Bingham's travels around Peru in 1915, funded by Yale University and The National Geographic Society. Bingham is best known as the discoverer of the ruins of Machu Picchu, and he describes this find toward the end of this book. Interesting anthropological information of the native Peruvians as well as detailed history of the last years of the Inca Empire....

Indian Boyhood. Charles A. Eastman. Illustrated by E. L. Blumenschein. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1915.
-- A fascinating remembrance of a Sioux youth from the 1860's, and his life growing up on the plains. An undercurrent runs through this book of the Author's love of his childhood and the conflict with the growing influence of the white world. A good read for all ages...

Indian Life in Town and Country. Herbert Compton. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1904.
--This is an interesting look at life in India at the height of British control. Written by a British writer, there is of course the western European bias present in early 20th cetury writings of colonial life. That being said, it is a fascinating view of India of the turn of the last century.........

Inland Voyage, An. Robert Louis Stevenson. London: Chatto & Windus. 1919.
--Stevenson and friend voyage up the rivers of Europe with a lively record of the adventure for you to read....

Isle of the Shamrock. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: Macmillan & Co. 1901.
-- The author is a writer and photographer who was unknowingly an ethnographer of his time, recording vanishing cultures at the turn of the last century. This book deals with vignettes of rural life from Ireland. Profusely illustrated with the author's original photographs...

Japanese Twins, The. Lucy Fitch Perkins. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1912.
-- This children's book was written at a time when Japanese power was in the ascendency prior to WWI. It is a good example of the culture of the time, and helps to explain the evolution of Japanese culture today, and needs to be read in this light. A fascinating look at a bygone culture......

Johnny Crow's Garden. L. Leslie Brooke. Eau Claire, Wisconsin: E. M. Hale and Company. Special Edition Published by Arrangement with Frederick Warne and Company, Ltd. N.D. (ca. 1903).
-- Wonderfully illustrated nonsense rhymes by L. Leslie Brooke. Great for young or old...

Jungle Book, The . Rudyard Kipling. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1899.
-- This is the original Jungle Book; no Disney niceties here. All the characters are here: Shere Khan, Kaa, Baloo and Bagheera. Great tales to get reacquainted with...

Jungle Book2, The . Rudyard Kipling. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1899.
-- This is the sequel to the original Jungle Book. Great stories, including Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, Quiquern, The White Seal, Toomai of the Elephants, and others...

Just So Stories. Rudyard Kipling. Illustrated by J.M. Gleeson and Paul Bransom. The Country Life Press, Garden City, NY 1912.
-- Another wonderful Kipling book that relates the stories of how many animals acquired their characteristics: The Elephant's trunk, the Camel's hump, the Rhinoceros' skin, and many more. A great read for all ages....

Kim. Rudyard Kipling. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co. 1901.
-- A fascinating tale of an English child raised as an Indian at the height of the British Empire. It's full of spies, intrigue, Buddhism and northern India culture. A good yarn, in the Kipling tradition...

King of the Golden River, The. John Ruskin. Boston: L. C. Page & Co. 1906.
-- This is a nice little fairy tale-type story by Ruskin. I am not sure if this was his original creation or based upon an old tale. It has evil siblings, a good-hearted child and mysterious nature spirits. An interesting read at many levels...

Last of the Legions. Arthur Conan Doyle. New York: George H. Doran Company 1922.
-- This is an interesting series of tales about the end of the Roman Legion and the end of the Empire, and the rise of the Christian era.....

Legends of the Rhine. Wilhelm Ruland. Cologne: Hoursch & Bechstedt, Publishers. [ca. 1906]
-- This is a great series of legends from the Rhine of the Middle Ages. Filled with knights, maidens and sites along the Rhine. A great read ...

Light Beyond, The. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1916. (William Briggs, 1917)
--A philosophical look at death, life and what comes afterwards... An interesting perspective... Enters into the realm of Spiritualism popular in the early 1900's.....

Life of the Bee, The. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1910.
--A scientific and philosophical discussion on the life cycle of the bee and life in the hive. With, of course, Maeterlinck's perspective on how this relates to human life....

Literary Pilgrimages of a Naturalist. Winthrop Packard. Small, Maynard & Company. 1911.
-- A great book for the literary person with a naturalist bent. Packard visits the homes of great authors and describes the natural world that influenced the authors in their writing. Naturally included in Thoreau, but also includes Wordsworth, Emerson, Hawthorne, Thaxter, and Whittier, among others....

Little Bear. Laura Rountree Smith. Illustrated by Dorothy Dulin. Chicago: A. Flanagan Company. 1922.
-- A cute little children's book, nicely illustrated, about a bear with no name and his adventures finding it. Red Riding Hood makes an appearance too!...

Little Gardens. Charles M. Skinner. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1904.
-- A nice Arts and Crafts look at small-scale gardens! Perfect for the smaller urban gardens...

Little Journeys to the Homes of Famous Women. Elbert Hubbard. East Aurora, New York: Roycrofters. 1911.
-- A nice Arts and Crafts look at famous women of the 18th and 19th centuries. Includes Madame De Stael, Elizabeth Fry, Mary Lamb, Jane Austen, Empress Josephine and Mary Wollstonecroft Shelley......

Locusts and Wild Honey. John Burroughs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1907.
-- Part of the 23 Volume Riverby Edition series; a wonderful collection of essays about bees, fishing, rain and Canada....

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. George Eyre-Todd. Ilustrated by E.W. Haslehust R.B.A. London: Blackie and Son Limited. No Date. (ca. 1900)
-- Nicely Illustrated book, part of the Blackie & Son's 'Beautiful' Series. 12 wonderful color illustrations by E. W. Haslehust......

Magic Forest, The. Edward Stewart White. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. 1913.
-- Lost in the wilderness of Canada, a young boy learns the ways of the northern Native Americans first-hand, and learns something of himself...

Maine Woods, The. Henry David Thoreau. Boston: Ticknor and Fields. 1864.
-- The classic by Thoreau, detailing his adventures through the Maine regions of Katahdin, Chesuncook and the Alagash. Hard to find, complete with Appendix, in etext on the web....

Mandalay. Rudyard Kipling. Illustrated by Blanche McManus. New York: M. F. Mansfield & A. Wessels. 1899.
-- Nice little mini-book illustrated by McManus using Kipling's memorable poem as it's basis...

Mansion, The. Henry Van Dyke. With Illustrations by Elizabeth Shippen Green. NY: Harper & Brothers. 1911.
-- An interesting Christmas tale, and one of the author's better-known works. It reminds the reader Van Dyke was always a minister, no matter what else he was.....

Maurice Maeterlinck. Edward Thomas. 2nd edition. London: Methuen & Co. 1911.
--A detailed look at the life and writings of Maurice Maeterlinck. Also includes a thorough synopsis and analysis of his plays...

Measure of the Hours, The. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1907.
--A philosophical discussion on a variety of topics: Time, society, Rome, Flowers, perfume, war and much more... An interesting read...

Mediaeval Tales. Introduction by Henry Morley, LLD. New York: Ballantyne Press. 1886.
--This is a great collection of medieval tales, covering Charlemagne, Orlando, The Cid, the Gesta Romanorum (morality tales), Dr. Faustus and many more!....

Memories of the Good Old Days. Leila M. Wells. Printed by Pok-O-Moonshine. 1969. (Buy a print copy here!)
--Part of a three volume set of Adirondack Remembrances by Leila Wells. A great educational resource for elementary teachers.......... See also: Once Upon a Time and Times Have Changed.....

Modern Steerage Winthrop Packard. With photographs. The World Today. June, 1904.
-- This is an interesting look at third-class steerage passage on the newest liner of the time, sailing from England to New York City. Illustrates the strides made to make a safer journey for imigrants sailing the Atlantic at the turn of the 20th Century. An article from a monthly magazine...

Moonstone, The. Wilkie Collins. New York: A. L. Burt Company. [N.D.] Ca. 1920.
-- Colonial India, English soldiers, a magnificent diamond, Hindu gods, a mystery, British police, what more could anyone want? A classic ....

Mountain Paths. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Alexander Teixeira Mattos. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1919.
--Philosopher, naturalist, and essayist - this book is a collection of his writing from the turn of the century (1900). Essays about death, spiritualism, war, insects.....

Musée de l'Armée. Hôtel des Invalides. [N.D.] Ca. 1920.
-- French photo pamphlet souvenir showing a small portion of the Museum's collecting just after WWI, including a photo of the railroad car where the Armistice was signed, ending the war....

My Garden. Louise Beebe Wilder. Illustrated by Will Simmons. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Page & Company. 1920.
-- This is a wonderful book for the intellectual gardener. Latin plant names abound, as well as common names. Lists are provided in each chapter for roses, irises, lilies, shrubs, trees and herbs. A nice book for any gardener....

Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, Volume 1. Charles M. Skinner. 4 Photographs. Philadelphia: J. B Lippincott. 1896.
-- This is the first volume of a 2 volume set, containing a wonderful compilation of 'modern' myths and legends from Native Americans and early European settlers, through the Civil War. As Skinner states, "It is where myth and history combine that legend is most interesting and appeals to our fancy or our sympathy most strongly; and it is not too early for us to begin the collation of those quaint happenings..." A great read....

Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, Volume 2. Charles M. Skinner. 4 Photographs. Philadelphia: J. B Lippincott. 1896.
-- This is the second volume of a 2 volume set, containing a wonderful compilation of 'modern' myths and legends from Native Americans and early European settlers, through the Civil War. As Skinner states, "It is where myth and history combine that legend is most interesting and appeals to our fancy or our sympathy most strongly; and it is not too early for us to begin the collation of those quaint happenings..." A great read....

Nature's Invitation. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin Company. 1904.
-- Excellent nature book, easy reading with descriptions of an obsessive birder from 100 years ago. Covers his travels, and birding, in New Hampshire, Florida, Texas and Arizona. A must read for today's birders...

New American Nights. Robert Louis Stevenson. NY: Current Literature Publishing Company. 1909.
-- A collection of writings originally published in 1882 in 2 volumes, this edition compiles both editions in one. A fun read in the style of the original Arabian Nights tales ...

New Barnes Readers, The: Book 1.The A. S. Barnes Company. Illustrated by Mabel D. Hill. NY:
The A.S. Barnes Company. 1916.
-- Nice children's book, with great illustrations. As one story sums up: "To be as we are is the best thing in the world."...

New England and Its Neighbors. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: Macmillan & Co. 1902.
-- The author is a writer and photographer who was unknowingly an ethnographer of his time, recording vanishing cultures at the turn of the last century. This book deals with vignettes of rural life from Maine to Delaware. Profusely illustrated with the author's original photographs...

New England Country, The. Clifton Johnson. Photographs and Illustrations by Clifton Johnson. Boston: Lee & Shephard. 1893.
-- Quiet reflection in words, photographs and illustrations, regarding daily life in rural New England at the end of the 1800's. Profusely illustrated with the author's original photographs...

New England Traits. George Lunt. NY: Hurd & Houghton. 1873.
-- A nice reminicence of Early New England life in the Newburyport area of Massachusetts spanning the Revolution through the early 1800's. A good look at some of the 'traits' of New Englanders from someone who saw it first-hand...

Nomads of the North. James Oliver Curwood. Illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull. NY: Grosset & Dunlap. 1919.
-- An interesting story of a bear and a dog, and their adventures in the Canadian wilderness. Villians, heros and life in the camps of the North. Very similar to "Call of the Wild".....

Nooks and Corners of Old London. Charles & Marie Hemstreet. Illustrated by Photographs. NY: James Pott & Company. 1910.
-- A nice reminiscence of Old London; each paragraph is a unique view of a certain part of the City. Nice photographs also.....

Old Ballads, Historical and Narrative, forming a Supplement to Percy's Reliques, and Ellis's Specimens of Antient Specimens.
Volume 1. R. H. Evans. London: W. Bulmer and Co. 1810.
-- This is a great set of original English songs and ballads dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. Love, sex, betrayal, death, dragons, lullabies... it's all here! This is the 1st of a 4 volume set. More volumes to come!.....

Old Coventry. Florence Weston. Coventry: W.W. Curtis Ltd., Cheylesmore Press. 1919.
-- A nice, small booklet of Coventry, England, from the early 1900's. ....

Old Plymouth Trails. Winthrop Packard. Many Photographs. Boston: Small, Maynard and Co. 1920.
-- This is a nice book on the musings of the author as he wandered the trails southeastern Massachusetts through the year. A nice book for any naturalist, young or old.. By the same author of Woodland Paths...

On The Manufacture of a Flat Top Teacher's Desk. American Woodworking Machinery Company. Rochester, NY: American Woodworking Machinery Company. 1922.
-- Want to build an Arts & Crafts Period desk? Here's a little booklet that gives you all the plans and instructions! This is a little gem of a booklet used by shop teachers and vocational programs to teach students the fine art of woodworking, with a tangible result. The specs also include the straight-back chair for the desk!...

On the Origin of Species. Charles Darwin. 1859. 1st edition.
--In honor of the wise decision in Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District to finally, and clearly, show 'intelligent design' for what it is -- a continuation of the attempt to teach creationism in the classroom, Kellscraft Studio is proud to list the 1st edition copy of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species here at our site. Students of America: take this opportunity to understand how important this decision is and always remember: we adults aren't always right. Read your Darwin and open your mind to what the scientific world has to offer. Just because over 80% of Americans believe in creationism over Evolution doesn't make them right. Read on!!

Once Upon a Time. Leila M. Wells. Printed by Denton Publications. 1971. (Buy a print copy here!)
--Part of a three volume set of Adirondack Remembrances by Leila Wells. A great educational resource for elementary teachers.......... See also: Memories of the Good Old Days and Times Have Changed.....

Our Little African Cousin. Mary Hazelton Wade. L. J. Bridgman, Illustrator. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: Boston: L.C. Page Company. 1902 edition.
--This book is part of a series of children's books written 100 years ago. That said, this is a book that is presented here as part of the historical record, not as a recommended children's book. It is an important read to understand all of our past and current bias against cultures different from ourselves. It also describes elephant and gorilla hunts that most find abhorrent today. Still, an important read, with all of this in mind....

Our Little Arabian Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1910 edition.
--This book is part of a series of children's books written 100 years ago. This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Saudi Arabia through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Belgian Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1911 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Belgium through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Dutch Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1907 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Holland through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Egyptian Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1912 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Egypt through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little English Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1905 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in England (mainly the London area) through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little French Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1918 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in France through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Indian Cousin. Mary Hazelton Wade. L. J. Bridgman, Illustrator. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: Boston: L.C. Page Company. 1901 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life of Native Americans through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. This Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Mexican Cousin. Edward C. Butler. Boston: L.C. Page &Co.. 1906.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Mexico through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Photographic illustrations....

Our Little Russian Cousin. Mary Hazelton Wade. L. J. Bridgman, Illustrator. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1901 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Russia through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century, prior to the fall of the Tzar.. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Scotch Cousin. Blanche McManus [Author and Illustrator]. Part of the Little Cousin Series. Boston: The Page Company. 1918 edition.
--This is a nice little book for children (and adults!): it presents life in Scotland through the eyes of its children at the turn of the 20th century. Recommended for young readers. Nice illustrations....

Our Little Servian Cousin Clara Vostrovsky Winlow. Illustrated by John Goss. Boston: L. C. Page & Co. 1919.
-- Part of a series of books written for children to learn about other kids around the world. Nice illustrations by John Gross....

Park Street and Its Vicinity. Robert Means Lawrence. Illustrated. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1922.
-- This is a nicely written and readable history of Park Street, in the heart of Boston. From the settlement of Boston, Park Street has always been part of the boundary of the Boston Commons, and many of the buildings described in this book still stand. Defined at one end by the State House and at the other by Park Street Church, this short street has seen a lot of history......

Pedigreed Cheeses of France, The. Blanche McManus [magazine article, written and illustrated by McManus]. In: The American Cookery, November 1917. Pages 251 - 258.
-- A nice article on the history, production techniques and French culture of cheese! A fun read...

People of the Mist, The. H. Rider Haggard. New York: McKinlay, Stone and McKenzie. 1915 edition.
-- early adventure story by one of the masters of the genre. Mystery in the deepest Africa; human sacrifice; precious jewels; fanatic priests; dangerous struggles with a giant crocodile. What more could anyone ask for?........

Philosophic Bearings of Darwinism, The and The Three Methods of Evolution. John Wesley Powell. Washington: Judd & Detweiler. 1892/1893.
-- These are two very interesting papers presented by Powell to the Biological Society of Washington (one at the Darwin Memorial Meeting in 1892 and one at the Philosophical Society of Washington in 1893) regarding the relatively new concept of Evolution and the philosophical model of it as described by Powell. "In Darwin's writings I find no word of reproach. Denunciation and ridicule, greater than any other man has endured, never kindled a spark of hatred in his breast. Wrapped in the mantle of his philosophy he received no wounds, but lived with and loved mankind .".........

Picturesque Hudson, The. Clifton Johnson. Photographs by Clifton Johnson. NY: Macmillan & Co. 1915.
-- The author is a writer and photographer who was unknowingly an ethnographer of his time, recording vanishing cultures at the turn of the last century. This book deals with vignettes of the length of the Hudson River, from Glens Falls to New York City. It includes the early history of the area during early settlement through the Revolution. Profusely illustrated with the author's original photographs...

Pigs is Pigs. Ellis Parker Butler. Illustrated by Will Crawford. New York: A. L. Burt Company. 1906.
-- What does one do with two guinea-pigs when they are shipped via the railroad but charged the domestic pig rate and not the pet rate? How many cabbages can those guinea-pigs eat? And where did all those extra mouths to feed come from anyway? An amusing little story....

Poems. Maurice Maeterlinck. Translated by Bernard Miall. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company. 1915.
-- An interesting collection of poems by Nobel-laureate. An interesting read....

Province House, The. Nathaniel Hawthorne. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Co. 1900.
-- A nice series of stories of early New England, with Hawthorne's wonderful skill blending history with romantic ideals...

Raffles. E. W. Hornung. Illustrated by F. C. Yohn. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1908.(Buy a print copy here!)
-- The second in a series of books of the anti-hero, Raffles, and his adventures as a gentleman thief. Told, a la Sherlock Holmes stories, by Raffles' friend. A fun read.....

Rambler's Lease, A. Bradford Torrey. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1896 edition.
-- Another in the series of early environmental/nature study of New England. Highly descriptive of the birds seen along the way. Highly recommended!....

Rambles Around Old Boston. Edwin M. Bacon. Illustrated by Lester G. Hornby. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. 1921 edition.
-- This is an excellent work on the early history of Boston through the turn of the 20th Century. Well written and reads like a walking tour of Boston, with lots of history thrown in. Highly recommended!.....

Random Notes of Boston. Henry P. Dowst. Illustrated by John Albert Seaford. Publisher: Humphrey. N.D.: Library Book first stamped August 30, 1916.
-- Great illustrations of Boston around 100 years ago. Many of the buildings illustrated still exist today, but some have vanished since this work was done. Nice history notes of Boston also....

Reading the Weather. T. Morris Longstreth. Outing Publishing Company. 1915.
-- Excellent book on scientifically reading weather signs; as practical today as it was when written. Excellent information for campers as well....

Red Flower, The. Henry Van Dyke. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1918.
-- Poetry of Van Dyke from the War to end all wars (WWI). Interesting reading...

Riley Roses. James Whitcomb Riley. Illustrated by Howard Chandler Christy and decorations by Franklin Booth. New York: Grosset and Dunlap. 1909.
--Interesting set of poems by Riley. A little over-romanticized for my taste, but interesting design and illustration. This was when true book publishing was at its height...

Robin Hood. Henry Gilbert. Philadelphia: David McKay, Publisher. Illustrated by Frank Godwin. No Publication Date (Ca. 1920?)
-- This work was published as a children's book, but would really be considered young adult and above. A lot of "thees" and "thous" in the writing and some violent scenes described. This is one of the truest works of the Robin Hood legend: Marian dies and Robin Hood is slowly bled to death. This is what the later cartoon versions (animated or otherwise) left out. The Illustrations by Frank Godwin are spectacular in their execution. Some of the nicest illustration work from the turn of the century that I've seen so far.....

Romance of Old Japan. Elizabeth and Frère Champney. 90 Illustrations.. New York: The Knickerbocker Press. G. P. Putnam's Sons. 1917.
--A nice series of stories from Japan from early mythology through contact with the west in the 1860's. Heavily illustrated with drawings, prints and original photographs....

Romance of the Beaver. Radclyffe Dugmore. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company. 1914.
-- This is a nice look at the daily lives of beavers. Lots of specific information on the life cycle of beaver dams, beaver ponds and beaver meadows. Lots of photographs, but please note this edition was processed from a DJVU edition and the photographs did not scan well originally...

Romance of Old New England Rooftrees, The. Mary Caroline Crawford. Boston: L. C. Page and Company. 1902 (1908 edition).
--This is a great source of New England history from its founding through the Revolution, through the unique view of New England's original buildings. Nice source of historical information about Deborah Sampson Gannett (a woman who disguised herself as a man and fought in the Revolutionary War), the time of the Salem Witch trials, The Fairbanks murder trial in Dedham, Mass. and Brook Farm in West Roxbury, Mass., among others...

Romance of Old Philadelphia, The. John T. Faris. Illustrated with early etchings and photographs by Philip B. Wallace. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company. 1918.
--A great resource book with the earliest history of Philadelphia, from settlement through the Revolution and Washington's term in office as President. Heavily illustrated with drawings, prints and original photographs....

Roving East and Roving West. E. V. Lucas. NY: George H. Duran Company. 1921.
--An Englishman writes of his travels to India, Japan and America, describing the people and places he sees along the way. A nice read....

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Trans. by Edward Fitzgerald. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co. 1921.
--An excellent source of information for the various translation versions of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Originally written around 1100 A.D., this book contains five English translations by E. Fitzgerald. It also compares the different translations to each other to examine the nuances to be seen. Easily read at many levels! [Updated 10/29/2000: I have added in appropriate places illustrations by Blanche McManus from an earlier (1907) edition of this work. These beautiful illustrations are appropriate for this wonderful work. -- Jeff Kelley, webmaster]

Rusty Wren. Arthur Scott Bailey. Illustrated by Harry L. Smith. New York: Grossett & Dunlap. 1917.
--A nice child's story of Rusty Wren, his wife and children, and the challenges of bird life.....

SALÁMÁN AND ABSÁL. Jami. Translated by Edward Fitzgerald. London: Alexander Moring Ltd. 1904.
--Another Persian poem translated by Edward Fitzgerald and Illustrated by Blanche McManus. Includes an introduction describing the life of the poet, Jami. Appendix and Notes section help to explain the meaning of the poem. A nice read!....

Sand Dunes and Salt Marshes. Charles Wendell Townsend. Illustrated with Photographs. Boston: Dana Estes & Co. 1913.
-- this is a nice early environmental book, describing in detail the various sand dune and salt marshes, and the flora and fauna found there. The area of Ipswich, Massachusetts.......

Santa Claus's Helper. Thomas Nelson Page. Illustrated by W. Glackens. New York: Scribner and Sons. ca. 1901.
--An interesting good-over-bad Christmas story, a la Scrooge and Marley. no ghosts here, just a realization money isn't everything, and happiness comes from helping others....

Scarecrow of Oz, The. L. Frank Baum. Illustrated by John R. Neill. Chicago: The Reilly & Lee Co. 1915.
--A great follow-up to Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Trot and Cap'n Bill travel to the land of Oz and meet the Ork, the Bumpy Man, King Kruel and Googly-Goo, among others. A great book for young and old....

Second Thoughts of an Idle Fellow. Jerome K. Jerome. New York: Dodd, Meade & Company. 1898.
-- An odd and amusing series of ramblings by a bit of a curmudgeon.... An interesting read.....

Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, A. Laurence Sterne. Dodd, Mead and Co. 1900.
-- An interesting 'romance' by an Englishman travelling through France and Italy in the 1700's. An interesting read.....

Sharp Eyes, the Silver Fox. Richard Barnum. Illustrated by Walter S. Rogers. NY: Barse & Co. 1918.
--This is a nice animal story, part of a set from the Kneetime Animal Stories<