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SoBrief

19th Century Book Summaries

The Diary Of A Superfluous Man
by Ivan Turgenev • 1850
A dying nobleman chronicles a life of watching, never daring, forever unnecessary.
3.84
4k+
The Diary Of A Superfluous Man Summary
The Diary Of A Superfluous Man
A dying nobleman chronicles a life of watching, never daring, forever unnecessary.
by Ivan Turgenev 1850 332 pages
3.84
4k+ ratings
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
by Edgar Allan Poe • 1999
A boy stows away, survives mutiny and cannibalism, then sails into a white Antarctic void.
3.5
15k+
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Summary
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
A boy stows away, survives mutiny and cannibalism, then sails into a white Antarctic void.
by Edgar Allan Poe 1999 288 pages
3.5
15k+ ratings
Dracul
by Dacre Stoker • 2018
Before he wrote Dracula, Bram Stoker was saved by a nanny who slept in earth.
4.14
19k+
Dracul Summary
Dracul
Before he wrote Dracula, Bram Stoker was saved by a nanny who slept in earth.
by Dacre Stoker 2018 497 pages
4.14
19k+ ratings
Blood and Thunder
by Hampton Sides • 2006
To conquer the Southwest, America sent an illiterate tracker who became both a hero and a butcher.
4.30
20k+
Blood and Thunder Summary
Blood and Thunder
To conquer the Southwest, America sent an illiterate tracker who became both a hero and a butcher.
by Hampton Sides 2006 460 pages
4.30
20k+ ratings
Guns of the Dawn
by Adrian Tchaikovsky • 2015
A gentlewoman conscripted into a swamp war discovers her king may have started it.
4.17
5k+
Guns of the Dawn Summary
Guns of the Dawn
A gentlewoman conscripted into a swamp war discovers her king may have started it.
by Adrian Tchaikovsky 2015 658 pages
4.17
5k+ ratings
Dom Casmurro
by Machado de Assis • 1899
A reclusive lawyer writes his life story, building a case against his wife that only he believes.
4.33
38k+
Dom Casmurro Summary
Dom Casmurro
A reclusive lawyer writes his life story, building a case against his wife that only he believes.
by Machado de Assis 1899 176 pages
4.33
38k+ ratings
The Apache Wars
by Paul Andrew Hutton • 2016
A boy's kidnapping, a chief's brutal murder, and a shaman's vengeance ignited America's longest war.
4.12
1k+
The Apache Wars Summary
The Apache Wars
A boy's kidnapping, a chief's brutal murder, and a shaman's vengeance ignited America's longest war.
by Paul Andrew Hutton 2016 514 pages
4.12
1k+ ratings
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins • 1859
A moonlit heath, a frantic stranger, a drawing master: snared in a plot to steal an heiress's life.
4.02
100k+
The Woman in White Summary
The Woman in White
A moonlit heath, a frantic stranger, a drawing master: snared in a plot to steal an heiress's life.
by Wilkie Collins 1859 672 pages
4.02
100k+ ratings
The Earth Is Weeping
by Peter Cozzens • 2016
Why the Army lost, the tribes rarely united, and the buffalo's death decided the Indian Wars.
4.29
3k+
The Earth Is Weeping Summary
The Earth Is Weeping
Why the Army lost, the tribes rarely united, and the buffalo's death decided the Indian Wars.
by Peter Cozzens 2016 544 pages
4.29
3k+ ratings
The Widow of the South
by Robert Hicks • 2005
A grieving widow buries 1,500 fallen soldiers in her garden, seeking purpose among the dead.
3.78
18k+
The Widow of the South Summary
The Widow of the South
A grieving widow buries 1,500 fallen soldiers in her garden, seeking purpose among the dead.
by Robert Hicks 2005 436 pages
3.78
18k+ ratings
Pudd'nhead Wilson
by Mark Twain • 1893
In antebellum Missouri, a baby swap, a murder, and a fool's fingerprint collection collide in court.
3.75
19k+
Pudd'nhead Wilson Summary
Pudd'nhead Wilson
In antebellum Missouri, a baby swap, a murder, and a fool's fingerprint collection collide in court.
by Mark Twain 1893 160 pages
3.75
19k+ ratings
Far From the Madding Crowd
by Thomas Hardy • 1874
An heiress running her own farm sends a careless valentine and ignites a deadly obsession.
3.97
100k+
Far From the Madding Crowd Summary
Far From the Madding Crowd
An heiress running her own farm sends a careless valentine and ignites a deadly obsession.
by Thomas Hardy 1874 433 pages
3.97
100k+ ratings
Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens • 1861
An orphan becomes a gentleman overnight, funded by a shadowy patron with a ruinous secret.
3.80
800k+
Great Expectations Summary
Great Expectations
An orphan becomes a gentleman overnight, funded by a shadowy patron with a ruinous secret.
by Charles Dickens 1861 544 pages
3.80
800k+ ratings
History of Modern Art
by H. Harvard Arnason • 1968
How a century of painters dismantled perspective, freed color, and rebuilt art from scratch.
4.01
8k+
History of Modern Art Summary
History of Modern Art
How a century of painters dismantled perspective, freed color, and rebuilt art from scratch.
by H. Harvard Arnason 1968 848 pages
4.01
8k+ ratings
Tales of Edgar Allan Poe
by Edgar Allan Poe • 1849
Gothic tales where guilt betrays the killer, cats witness murder, and no fortress keeps out death.
4.19
9k+
Tales of Edgar Allan Poe Summary
Tales of Edgar Allan Poe
Gothic tales where guilt betrays the killer, cats witness murder, and no fortress keeps out death.
by Edgar Allan Poe 1849 304 pages
4.19
9k+ ratings
Daisy Miller
by Henry James • 1879
In Europe, an American girl flouts convention, and one man can't decide: innocent or reckless flirt?
3.37
38k+
Daisy Miller Summary
Daisy Miller
In Europe, an American girl flouts convention, and one man can't decide: innocent or reckless flirt?
by Henry James 1879 164 pages
3.37
38k+ ratings
The Son
by Philipp Meyer • 2013
A Comanche captive builds a Texas empire, and every generation after him pays the debt.
4.03
38k+
The Son Summary
The Son
A Comanche captive builds a Texas empire, and every generation after him pays the debt.
by Philipp Meyer 2013 561 pages
4.03
38k+ ratings
The Republic for Which It Stands
by Richard White • 2017
America rebuilt itself after 1865 into something no one voted for. A history of broken promises.
4.16
1k+
The Republic for Which It Stands Summary
The Republic for Which It Stands
America rebuilt itself after 1865 into something no one voted for. A history of broken promises.
by Richard White 2017 962 pages
4.16
1k+ ratings
Sentimental Education
by Gustave Flaubert • 1869
Paris, the 1840s. A young dreamer falls for a married woman and never quite recovers.
3.81
25k+
Sentimental Education Summary
Sentimental Education
Paris, the 1840s. A young dreamer falls for a married woman and never quite recovers.
by Gustave Flaubert 1869 460 pages
3.81
25k+ ratings
The Island of Doctor Moreau
by H.G. Wells • 1896
A castaway lands on an island of beasts carved into men by a surgeon playing god.
3.73
100k+
The Island of Doctor Moreau Summary
The Island of Doctor Moreau
A castaway lands on an island of beasts carved into men by a surgeon playing god.
by H.G. Wells 1896 143 pages
3.73
100k+ ratings
Charles Dickens in Love
by Robert Garnett • 2012
Dickens' heroines didn't come from his imagination but from a broken heart and a hidden affair.
3.93
70
Charles Dickens in Love Summary
Charles Dickens in Love
Dickens' heroines didn't come from his imagination but from a broken heart and a hidden affair.
by Robert Garnett 2012 368 pages
3.93
70 ratings
A House of Tailors
by Patricia Reilly Giff • 2004
Trading Breisach's war for Brooklyn's tenements, Dina must stitch a life from homesickness and hope.
3.96
1k+
A House of Tailors Summary
A House of Tailors
Trading Breisach's war for Brooklyn's tenements, Dina must stitch a life from homesickness and hope.
by Patricia Reilly Giff 2004 160 pages
3.96
1k+ ratings
Daughters of the Samurai
by Janice P. Nimura • 2015
Japan sent three girls to America for a decade. They came home unable to speak Japanese.
3.90
2k+
Daughters of the Samurai Summary
Daughters of the Samurai
Japan sent three girls to America for a decade. They came home unable to speak Japanese.
by Janice P. Nimura 2015 336 pages
3.90
2k+ ratings
Olivia Twist
by Lorie Langdon • 2018
She survived as Oliver Twist. Now a society lady, the thief who knew her secret is back.
3.88
4k+
Olivia Twist Summary
Olivia Twist
She survived as Oliver Twist. Now a society lady, the thief who knew her secret is back.
by Lorie Langdon 2018 331 pages
3.88
4k+ ratings
Wench
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez • 2010
An enslaved woman at a free-state resort must choose: her friend's freedom or her children's safety.
3.74
18k+
Wench Summary
Wench
An enslaved woman at a free-state resort must choose: her friend's freedom or her children's safety.
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez 2010 290 pages
3.74
18k+ ratings
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
by Frederick Douglass • 2004
A former slave's firsthand account of how literacy unlocked his escape from bondage.
4.13
100k+
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Summary
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
A former slave's firsthand account of how literacy unlocked his escape from bondage.
by Frederick Douglass 2004 158 pages
4.13
100k+ ratings
The Turn of the Screw
by Henry James • 1898
A governess at a remote estate finds the children charmed by ghosts only she can see.
3.38
100k+
The Turn of the Screw Summary
The Turn of the Screw
A governess at a remote estate finds the children charmed by ghosts only she can see.
by Henry James 1898 121 pages
3.38
100k+ ratings
A Tale of Two Cities / Great Expectations
by Charles Dickens • 1859
A lawyer trades his life at the guillotine; an orphan's fortune conceals a shadowy past.
4.02
17k+
A Tale of Two Cities / Great Expectations Summary
A Tale of Two Cities / Great Expectations
A lawyer trades his life at the guillotine; an orphan's fortune conceals a shadowy past.
by Charles Dickens 1859 834 pages
4.02
17k+ ratings
Wilmington's Lie
by David Zucchino • 2020
Before Jim Crow there was an 1898 coup that erased a Southern city's black leadership.
4.43
4k+
Wilmington's Lie Summary
Wilmington's Lie
Before Jim Crow there was an 1898 coup that erased a Southern city's black leadership.
by David Zucchino 2020 426 pages
4.43
4k+ ratings
Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs
by Ulysses S. Grant • 1885
Cancer-ridden and bankrupt, a president writes the war he won, racing death to save his family.
4.14
9k+
Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs Summary
Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs Personal Memoirs
Cancer-ridden and bankrupt, a president writes the war he won, racing death to save his family.
by Ulysses S. Grant 1885
4.14
9k+ ratings
City of Women
by Christine Stansell • 1986
In early New York, working-class women built a hidden city of mutual aid and sexual exchange.
3.89
500+
City of Women Summary
City of Women
In early New York, working-class women built a hidden city of mutual aid and sexual exchange.
by Christine Stansell 1986 320 pages
3.89
500+ ratings
Halt Station India
by Rajendra B. Aklekar • 2014
Bombay's oldest railway still passes through the ruins of the city it replaced.
4.38
120
Halt Station India Summary
Halt Station India
Bombay's oldest railway still passes through the ruins of the city it replaced.
by Rajendra B. Aklekar 2014 227 pages
4.38
120 ratings
Wyatt Earp
by Casey Tefertiller • 1997
Thirty seconds at the O.K. Corral made him a legend. The rest of his life was the bill.
4.00
500+
Wyatt Earp Summary
Wyatt Earp
Thirty seconds at the O.K. Corral made him a legend. The rest of his life was the bill.
by Casey Tefertiller 1997 416 pages
4.00
500+ ratings
The Downstairs Girl
by Stacey Lee • 2019
A Chinese maid's secret column challenges 1890 Atlanta, but discovery would cost her everything.
3.95
41k+
The Downstairs Girl Summary
The Downstairs Girl
A Chinese maid's secret column challenges 1890 Atlanta, but discovery would cost her everything.
by Stacey Lee 2019 374 pages
3.95
41k+ ratings
The Monk as Man
by Sankar • 2011
He fought lawsuits, begged a maharaja, and insisted a monk who cannot cook well is useless.
3.89
316
The Monk as Man Summary
The Monk as Man
He fought lawsuits, begged a maharaja, and insisted a monk who cannot cook well is useless.
by Sankar 2011 264 pages
3.89
316 ratings
Sea of Glory
by Nathaniel Philbrick • 2001
The voyage that mapped Antarctica and filled the Smithsonian, sabotaged by the tyrant who led it.
4.04
7k+
Sea of Glory Summary
Sea of Glory
The voyage that mapped Antarctica and filled the Smithsonian, sabotaged by the tyrant who led it.
by Nathaniel Philbrick 2001 452 pages
4.04
7k+ ratings
Under a Painted Sky
by Stacey Lee • 2015
Two girls disguise as boys and ride west: one flees a killing, the other slavery.
3.98
11k+
Under a Painted Sky Summary
Under a Painted Sky
Two girls disguise as boys and ride west: one flees a killing, the other slavery.
by Stacey Lee 2015 374 pages
3.98
11k+ ratings
The Great Boer War
by Byron Farwell • 1976
To beat a handful of farmers, Britain burned 30,000 farms and invented the concentration camp.
4.15
500+
The Great Boer War Summary
The Great Boer War
To beat a handful of farmers, Britain burned 30,000 farms and invented the concentration camp.
by Byron Farwell 1976 532 pages
4.15
500+ ratings
Ghost Hunters
by Deborah Blum • 2006
How a psychologist, a skeptic, and a Boston medium tried to prove life after death in a lab.
3.69
1k+
Ghost Hunters Summary
Ghost Hunters
How a psychologist, a skeptic, and a Boston medium tried to prove life after death in a lab.
by Deborah Blum 2006 371 pages
3.69
1k+ ratings
The Mayor of Casterbridge
by Thomas Hardy • 1886
He sells his wife at a country fair. Years later, as mayor, his past resurfaces.
3.87
66k+
The Mayor of Casterbridge Summary
The Mayor of Casterbridge
He sells his wife at a country fair. Years later, as mayor, his past resurfaces.
by Thomas Hardy 1886 393 pages
3.87
66k+ ratings
I Am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche
by Sue Prideaux • 2018
The life Nietzsche lived, and the Nazi philosopher his sister built from his wreckage.
4.31
3k+
I Am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche Summary
I Am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche
The life Nietzsche lived, and the Nazi philosopher his sister built from his wreckage.
by Sue Prideaux 2018 464 pages
4.31
3k+ ratings
The Catalpa Rescue
by Peter FitzSimons • 2019
Six Irish prisoners, one American whaler, and a flag that dared the British Empire to fire.
4.30
500+
The Catalpa Rescue Summary
The Catalpa Rescue
Six Irish prisoners, one American whaler, and a flag that dared the British Empire to fire.
by Peter FitzSimons 2019 559 pages
4.30
500+ ratings
Vidas imaginarias
by Marcel Schwob • 1896
Twenty-two brief lives at the edge of myth, where philosophers vanish and arsonists become immortal.
3.98
1k+
Vidas imaginarias Summary
Vidas imaginarias
Twenty-two brief lives at the edge of myth, where philosophers vanish and arsonists become immortal.
by Marcel Schwob 1896 218 pages
3.98
1k+ ratings
Frankenstein
by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley • 2018
A scientist creates life, then abandons his creature to a world that sees only a monster.
3.92
1.9M+
Frankenstein Summary
Frankenstein
A scientist creates life, then abandons his creature to a world that sees only a monster.
by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 2018 260 pages
3.92
1.9M+ ratings
Billy the Kid
by Morris • 1961
An orphaned teen becomes a legendary outlaw, hunted by a former friend turned relentless lawman.
3.96
2k+
Billy the Kid Summary
Billy the Kid
An orphaned teen becomes a legendary outlaw, hunted by a former friend turned relentless lawman.
by Morris 1961 46 pages
3.96
2k+ ratings
Blood on the Moon
by Edward Steers Jr. • 2001
Lincoln's assassination was the final act of a secret Confederate campaign of targeted killing.
4.17
500+
Blood on the Moon Summary
Blood on the Moon
Lincoln's assassination was the final act of a secret Confederate campaign of targeted killing.
by Edward Steers Jr. 2001 400 pages
4.17
500+ ratings
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875
by Eric J. Hobsbawm • 1975
After 1848, capitalism conquered the globe. Railways, gold, and free trade were its weapons.
4.27
4k+
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875 Summary
The Age of Capital, 1848–1875
After 1848, capitalism conquered the globe. Railways, gold, and free trade were its weapons.
by Eric J. Hobsbawm 1975 354 pages
4.27
4k+ ratings
The Last Days of Night
by Graham Moore • 2016
An untested lawyer battles Edison in the patent war to decide who lights the modern world.
4.16
44k+
The Last Days of Night Summary
The Last Days of Night
An untested lawyer battles Edison in the patent war to decide who lights the modern world.
by Graham Moore 2016 371 pages
4.16
44k+ ratings
The Lincoln Conspiracy
by Brad Meltzer • 2020
Baltimore 1861: a secret society, a plot to kill Lincoln, and the detective who uncovered it.
4.31
6k+
The Lincoln Conspiracy Summary
The Lincoln Conspiracy
Baltimore 1861: a secret society, a plot to kill Lincoln, and the detective who uncovered it.
by Brad Meltzer 2020 448 pages
4.31
6k+ ratings
Cooper's Creek
by Alan Moorehead • 1963
A starving party staggered into base, only to find their companions had left nine hours earlier.
3.83
500+
Cooper's Creek Summary
Cooper's Creek
A starving party staggered into base, only to find their companions had left nine hours earlier.
by Alan Moorehead 1963
3.83
500+ ratings
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