Dover Publications imprint: 4855 books

Born into slavery on a Maryland farm, Josiah Henson (1789–1883) worked as a foreman, married, and became a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Faced with the prospect of separation from his family, Henson fled with his wife and children to Ontario, where he became a leader in the Afro-Canadian...

"I went on 'The Road' because I couldn't keep away from it; because I hadn't the price of the railroad fare in my jeans; because I was so made that I couldn't work all my life on 'one same shift'; because — well, just because it was easier to than not to." Jack London's "road"...

One of the most frequently cited texts on Dante's life and writings, this invaluable study illuminates the Divine Comedy as well as the great Florentine poet's other works. Author Paget Toynbee was the most influential Dantean scholar of his era, and this, his most widely known work, presents an exceptional...

Renowned as a wit, poet, dramatist and one of the great conversationalists of his age, Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) nevertheless fell victim to the forces of repression and prudery in late Victorian England. As a result of his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas, Wilde was found guilty of homosexual offenses...

The most famous friendship in English literature arose between a distinguished eighteenth-century writer and his young admirer. The result is this brilliant narrative and its enduring portrait of an age as well as person. James Boswell profiles critic, author, and poet Samuel Johnson, recapturing...

Wise, witty, and immensely readable, these short but thought-provoking discourses examine life, death, and everything in between: truth, adversity, love, superstition, health, ambition, fame, and many other timeless topics. Francis Bacon — renowned as a scientist, scholar, and statesman — regarded...

Carefully selected passages from 55 years of journal entries: thoughts, religious sentiments, impressions of books, authors, contemporaries, much more. Splendid, revealing record of Emerson’s personal beliefs, as well as a social and historical record of his age. "Beyond all doubt this . . . volume will extend the sphere of Emerson’s influence."—Springfield Republican. Biographical notes.

Urged by American Ambassador to Rome Richard Washburn Child to write his autobiography, Benito Mussolini hesitated only slightly before he dictated thoughts on his private and public life. This volume reprints the Italian dictator's extraordinary comments, capturing the spirit and personality of Il Duce...

"I have an old copy of this book that I've had for years and would never let go of, no matter how many times I moved and thinned out my books. This is a re-release and I'm really happy to see it back in print. Part two of the book is the real treasure. It is an alphabetical list of herbs that gives...

Born in a Virginia slave hut, Booker T. Washington (1856–1915) rose to become the most influential spokesman for African Americans of his day. In this eloquently written book, he describes events in a remarkable life that began in bondage and culminated in worldwide recognition for his many accomplishments....

In the waning days of the 19th century and on the eve of a new technological era, French, English, and American inventors (as well as a host of charlatans, stuntmen, and profiteers) were racing to be the first to achieve powered, heavier-than-air flight. At the center of this activity were two little-known...

With a simple microscope and this book, you can embark on 59 wonderful adventures in the natural world — make discoveries about the structures of numerous microscopic animals; find out what everyday objects and foods really look like at the cellular level; gain an understanding of how to prepare...

"There is not one page of this enchanting book which does not contain something to interest the common reader as well as the serious student. Regarded simply as a history of flowers, it adds to the joys of the country." — B. E. Todd, Spectator. If you want to know how pleurisy root, lungwort,...

It was the realization of a dream as old as mankind. On December 17, 1903, two bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, achieved the first sustained, powered, heavier-than-air flight in a machine of their own design and construction. This book offers a concise and fascinating history of that remarkable...