Heath D. Alberts is the author of four novels, three novellas, and a marketing and business strategy guide geared toward cottage & small business owners. He has also co-authored two addiction & recovery memoirs, compiled and contributed to the 'Rockford Writes' & 'Forest City Stories' book projects, and has been a contributor to a number of other works as well. A native of Rockford, Illinois, he is a co-founder of Digital Ninjas Media, Inc., and is an active member of the Represent.US movement. He is also an avid collector of rare & interesting books. He now resides in Rockton, Illinois, and is currently at work on a pair of new novels.

| The Represent.US movement video (featured) | Representation Day (featured speech) |

From the solitary confines of a forgotten Arctic outpost arrives the world's final hope for its own salvation. What follows is an unlikely string of events that brings together a diverse group of players in the culmination of what may very well be the last days of the world as we know it. With the impending apocalypse upon humanity as a whole, it is up to the efforts of one unknowing woman to save us all from what is potentially to come and, moreover, ourselves. Beings that have long lain dormant and shrouded in secrecy have now awakened and are walking the Earth once more; many are duplicitous, a handful are neutral, and only one is bent on helping her. The world may have been offered its final opportunity for salvation, but in the end the ultimate question is: Do we truly deserve it? Further examining philosophical questions raised by the likes of Nancy Kress (Beggars In Spain), William Gibson (Neuromancer), and Bruce Sterling (Holy Fire), Terminal Beginning is sure to keep you actively guessing until the very end.

[ Rock River Times Review | The Lawyer Review (Page 9) ]

A point-by-point 'user's guide' for cottage & small business owners who want to expand their business & management acumen, customer base, advertising reach, and understanding of consumer & employee psychology. Written by an individual who has decades of proven experience in the small business world and who has seen - and experienced - most of the scenarios presented within, it is tailored to assist your business by offering proven 'big business' techniques on a small business scale. It will also shed light upon potential caveats and pitfalls suffered by many small business owners. Written in a unique - often humorous - compartmentalized style, this work offers something for everyone. It may be read one item or section at a time, or may be easily absorbed all in one sitting. Many of the methods, ideas, and techniques outlined are timeless. As such, not only does this book offer advice for the budding business owner, it is also a book whose usefulness grows in tandem with your business, with regard to insight and relevance.

In a near-future where debt is generationally inheritable, one's physical body is considered a viable commodity to be sold to the highest bidder: a sale where nothing is forbidden. The middle class is gone, and once myriad and prominent social programs are a laughable anachronism, long since abolished in their entirety.

The rich are no longer satisfied with merely possessing wealth for a lifetime - they desire more, and to be permitted the ability to do more with it, without having to answer to anyone but themselves. The problem? Laws and social taboos, which have stood the test of societal time, prevent them from obtaining what they ultimately desire: immortality and Godhood.

The Shinjimori Yakuza, Japan's well-connected and heavily-entrepreneurial crime syndicate recognize the inherent value in exploiting the downtrodden masses, to fulfill the needs of these wealthy few; fulfillment to heretofore unseen levels. Laws are manipulated, schemes are developed, plans are well-laid, and the Arcology system of entertainment & medical complexes are summarily established in a world well-manipulated into accepting them - regardless of how hedonistic or abhorrent the activities within their confines may become.

It is with all of this in mind that we follow in the footsteps of the lives of an unlikely group of allied individuals, their lives having become strangely intertwined, as each struggles against a world drastically changed by the few, at the ultimate expense of the many; a world whose fundamental underpinnings are rocked to the foundations, as a core group of seventy-five of the wealthiest individuals play the final card in a game that only they have the means to play: mass-extermination and genocide in the interests of total world domination.

In the end, it is up to our protagonists, aided by an Arcology-created, rogue, sentient AI, to curtail this rout of humanity. The question is: are they already too late?

[ Kirkus Review | The Represent.US movement video (featured) | Representation Day (featured speech) ]

At the turn of the 20th century, one of history’s first serial killers traveled across America. His name was Otis Johnson. a roving photographer, he was an opportunistic murderer who made it a point never to kill the same way twice. The random nature of the deaths, his sporadic movements from place to place, and his unremarkable appearance, all worked to his advantage as he hid in plain sight.

More than a century later, retired police detective Roy Archibald has spent forty years of his life attempting to piece together a case against Johnson. It’s a case that has plagued his mind, ever since he unwittingly stumbled upon the first piece of evidence - Through a strange vision. It was to be a vision that set him upon a path to seek justice for those who never received it.

With the assistance of an unlikely group of friends, and a mysterious girl, Archibald finds himself closer than ever to solving the case in his lifetime. And in doing so, he will literally rewrite history.

That is, if he can live that long…

[ Kirkus Review ]

Imagine waking to a world you no longer know. A world devastated by an unknown force. Imagine further that no signs of life exist. Time does not exist. Frames of reference are all but obliterated. This, is the reality of the Battery Man. Join him on his journey of re-discovery, and follow his first-hand assessment of what it truly means to be human.

How far would you go? "It all began with a walk to clear my head…," our protagonist confides. A simple walk in the desert evolves into a journey through the ancient unknown, the likes of which many of us could never conceive. A journey which will test the physical and mental mettle of our protagonist beyond normal human imagining. An innocuous anomaly proves to be far, far more than what it seems, as we are carried along with our unnamed escort, through his eyes and thoughts, deeper and deeper into the bizarre unknown.

When the Nubian god of incense is found dead in a downtown Madison parking garage, Death is a bit miffed.

The reason?

He wasn’t the terminating party. And he’s not about to permit others to horn in on his racket after having cornered the market since time immemorial.

Enter Ed & Phil. They’re Death’s retainers, and renowned private eyes amongst the Unseen. They’re handed the seemingly impossible task of identifying and tracking down the killer. Along the way, they exhibit few qualms about enlisting the help of anyone - or anything - that will assist in accomplishing their task, no matter how insane, elusive, (or even angry with them, personally), those parties might be.

Meanwhile, Jules Sallie - a down on his luck corporate lackey - finds himself in the rare position of being a former human being that has been dropped square into the Unseen world. It is a world which he finds equal parts frightening and intriguing. It isn’t long before he unwittingly comprehends his vital role in the Unseen world.

Follow along on a world-wide murder investigation as an ever changing menagerie of gods, beings. monsters, concepts, and mythological characters join in the hunt for an unusually crafty killer.

[ Kirkus Review ]

A collection of short stories, interspersed with the odd poem (and a pair of non-fiction works at the tail end for good measure), 'A Twist of Fate' is an offering of storytelling hors d'oeuvres to meet many tastes and to satisfy myriad appetites.

From the simple to the complex, the tragic to the triumphant, the philosophical to the existential, this work provides a glimpse inside the range and depth of ideas, emotions, and inspirations experienced by authors the world over.

What if - for just the briefest of moments - you saw something that you could not explain? If you had to rationalize it, how would your sense of self - and your place in the world - affect your answer? Presented as a series of fictional vignettes, 'The Meaning of Light' offers a number of unique responses from individuals the world over, from all walks of life, as they attempt to assign meaning to an unknowingly shared experience. It does so in a manner which coaxes the reader into an ever-changing series of perspectives and thought processes, in an effort to lay bare the value in considering all things from differing points of view.

‘Rockford Writes’ is a collection of short stories (both fictional and historical), as well as poetry, prose, drawings, and photography all done by Rockford natives, or current or former residents. It showcases much of the artistic talent, passion, pride, and dreaming that are still present in Rockford, Illinois to this day. If you enjoy the work, let the contributors know and share it with others.

Rockford is a city in flux. With that being said, one may choose to bemoan the issues and uncertainty it faces on the road to its next incarnation. Conversely, one may choose to be a catalyst for change and a new beginning. I’d like to believe that I, and the contributors herein, fall squarely into that second category. Won’t you join us?

What do you really know about Rockford, Illinois? Secret Rockford pulls back the curtain to reveal the hidden side of life in the Forest City. Join us as we go behind the headlines to explore the interesting people, places, and events that make our city unique. On these pages you will find the unconventional, gritty, and sometimes shocking truth. This anthology contains many snapshots of life in Rockford: A history of Mattison Machine Works. The battle over a mural in Roosevelt Middle School. The story of a simple basketball game with a shoeless youth. The truth about local connections to organized crime. Infamous murders. The day Santa Claus fell from the sky. All are merely a peek behind the curtain, but each contains meaningful truths about our Rockford experience. Men and women from all walks of life have come together to share their stories in this anthology. They are journalists, teachers, writers, photographers, entrepreneurs, or just average citizens who are being published for the first time. All have a deep and abiding interest in their community. Contributors include Jeff Havens, Brandon Reid, Kathi Kresol, Jim Phelps, Kevin Rilott, Dan Creviston, Ted Biondo, D.B. Lane, Ernie Fuhr, Heath Alberts, Nicole Lindsay, Stanley Campbell, Karen Mahieu Lyddon, Scott Farrell, Jami Beck, and Michael Kleen. This is our story. This is Secret Rockford.

Contributor Jenny Mathews once said that when everything else was lost, when all else was gone, that the makers would remain. Rockford does, indeed, possess an abundance of such individuals: the makers, the dreamers, the writers, the poets, the musicians, the artisans, the craftspeople, and the volunteers.

It is through their generosity of spirit that this book came to be. A small group of Rockford's makers came together as one to share some of the city's historic tales, as well as some of their own stories, poems, art, and photography. All of this, in an effort to create a gestalt - an organized whole that is more profoundly compelling than its individual parts.

Do you have a bacon enthusiast in your life? Are they impossible to buy a gift for? Do they have a sense of humor (or, at least, do you think that they do...might...possibly...maybe)? Then 'The Bacon Book' might be just the thing to get you out of an awkward gift situation on the cheap. It's 32 pages long, with the word 'bacon' in several thousand fonts. That's it. It's an economical gag gift that someone, somewhere, might possibly enjoy...also probably. Buy one for yourself, too - we need the money!

Do you have a coffee enthusiast in your life? Are they impossible to buy a gift for? Do they have a sense of humor (or, at least, do you >think< that they do...might...possibly...maybe)? Then 'The Coffee Book' might be just the thing to get you out of an awkward gift situation on the cheap. It's simply the word 'coffee' in several thousand fonts. That's it. It's an economical gag gift that someone, somewhere, might possibly enjoy...also probably. Heck - buy one for yourself, too!

This book, as the title suggests, focuses on tales meant to be at least a little scary and all set in the greater Rockford, Illinois area (stretching as far afield as the Southern Chicago area). It includes non-fiction, fictionalized non-fiction and fiction stories. Including contributions from Heath D. Alberts, Ernie Fuhr, Diane Hill, Gary Hill and Kathi Kresol, this collection also includes lots of photos.

Covering ground ranging across science fiction and horror (and even a bit of fantasy), this collection has 18 pieces of fiction from nine different writers. The writers included in this book are: Heath D. Alberts, Kurt Belcher, Bill Camp, Henrik Sandbeck Harksen, Gary Hill, Ken Lateer, Ian Christopher LeBlanc, Mark Matzeder, & Dustin Urness.

Vampires have been a mainstay of legend and nightmares for centuries. They have also become a mainstay of fiction tales and films. This book compiles several new stories along with a selection of public domain vampire tales. The stories are augmented by pictures, and the collection includes a poem, too. The book seeks to showcase the rich history of the vampire tales. The new tales were provided by Heath D. Alberts, Gary Hill, Dustin Urness and Dessie R.Voigt. Erynn Crittenden contributed a poem.

Time travel, along with space travel, is one of the cornerstones of the foundation of science fiction. This new collection includes modern stories from: Heath D. Alberts Abby Goldsmith and Gary Hill It also includes a classic time travel stories from Edmond Hamilton Edward Page Mitchell H. Beam Piper and H.G. Wells Explore time with these tales. (Edited and Compiled by Gary Hill Published by Tales of Wonder and Dread Publishing)

Space travel stories are a core type of science fiction tales. This new collection includes modern stories from: Heath D. Alberts Katrina Cooper-Hinton Eric Danhoff Gary Hill Ian Christopher LeBlanc and John Michael Oró It also includes a classic space travel story from Edgar Allan Poe Explore the realms of space with these tales. (Edited and Compiled by Gary Hill Published by Tales of Wonder and Dread Publishing)

Author Dave Block is a survivor. It was almost not so. He struggled with depression, drugs, and alcoholism. Instead of acknowledging these problems, he ‘self-medicated’ with alcohol, drugs, self-harm, and sex. For years he attempted to live a ‘normal’ life. As his addictions and depression spiraled out of control, however, he hit bottom and settled upon suicide. His hand was stayed in the last moments, and his life was forever changed. Dave chose to fight for his life, confronting his problems head on. Through the support of friends and family, tools acquired through Alcoholics Anonymous, and the impact of the music of Blue October, he terminated his vices, searched his soul, and began to rebuild a life that had no longer been his own. This book takes the reader, in a brutally honest and open manner, from life, to low, to catharsis. Dave hopes that through his experiences, strength, honesty, and hope that you, too, will be strong enough - feel empowered enough - to face your own demons and addictions, so that you may also regain control of your own life.

Author Dave Block is a survivor. It was almost not so. He struggled with depression, drugs, and alcoholism. Instead ofacknowledging these problems, he ‘self-medicated’ with alcohol, drugs, self-harm, and sex.For years he attempted to live a ‘normal’ life. As his addictions and depression spiraled out of control, however, he hit bottom and settled upon suicide. His hand was stayed in the last moments, and his life was forever changed. Dave chose to fight for his life, confronting his problems head on. Through the support of friends and family, he terminated his vices, searched his soul, and began to rebuild a life that had no longer been his own.This new book picks up where ‘Dave’s Not Here’ left off, seeking to offer a deeper understanding of self-care, selfesteem,and self-love. Dave hopes that through his experiences, strength, honesty, determination, and hope that you, too, will be strong enough - feel empowered enough - to learn who you truly are, to come to know and love thatperson, and to remain defiant in not changing that perspective.

Madame Lenormand and her cards are well known in Europe - now they are sweeping across the United States. But just who is she? What are these cards of hers, and why are they so popular? What do they do? And how do they do it? This bit of study strives to help you find the answers.

Charles Wright Wills - Canton, Illinois

'Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Including a Day by Day Record of Sherman’s March to the Sea' is a collection of both the letters and diary of the late Charles W. Wills, Union Private and Sergeant 8th Illinois Infantry; Lieutenant and Battalion Adjutant 7th Illinois Cavalry; Captain, Major and Lieutenant Colonel 103rd Illinois Infantry. Painstakingly and lovingly compiled and published by his sister, Mary E. Kellogg, it gives readers in the modern day a startlingly detailed glimpse into what it meant be a Union soldier. From the outset, we follow the rise, trials, travels, and tribulations of Mr. Wills as he treks across half of the North American continent. What is most startling is twofold: first that he remained alive throughout the whole affair, and second that he crafted such detailed and educated letters.

Samuel H. Fletcher - Ties To Northern Illinois/Rochelle/Boone County

Samuel & D.H. Fletcher take up the mantle of historians in the aftermath of a horrific war. In doing so they lovingly and reverently serve as a hub of connectivity and remembrance for their former comrades, both living and deceased. This edition (now sans photographs) serves as a comprehensive history of the notable individuals, movements, battles, and actions of the 2nd Illinois Cavalry, including a company roster, conveniently broken up by individual rank.

Chauncey S. Norton - New York State

An efficient recounting of the high points of the movements, personnel, service, and sacrifice of the 15th New York Volunteer Cavalry (known as 'The Red Neck Ties'), with the additional inclusion of some anecdotes, poetry, muster rolls, and complete lists of those who were stricken with illness, or paid the ultimate price for their beliefs.

William J. Wray - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

William J. Wray, who served within the unit, takes up the mantle of Chief Historian in the aftermath of war. In doing so he exhaustively and succinctly gives outsiders far more than a deep glimpse into how the war effected his comrades and - more importantly - what his comrades came to mean to one another. This edition (now sans photographs) served as a comprehensive history of the notable individuals, movements, battles, and actions of the 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteers ('Birney's Zouaves'), including company rosters and detailed segments on each man, conveniently broken up by individual company.

Anthony W. McDermott - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A succinct history of the individuals, movements, battles, and actions of the 69th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers.

Also included is a sincere and reverent tribute to the regiment's fallen men, which culminated in the dedication of a permanent memorial in their collective honor.

Henry J. Aten - Illinois

A comprehensive history of the movements, battles, and actions of the 85th Regiment of the Illinois Volunteer Infantry, including company rosters and 'where are they now?' segments on each man, conveniently broken up by individual company.

Daniel R. Lucas - Author & Publisher Ties To Rockford, Illinois

Daniel R. Lucas, who served as Chaplain within the unit, takes up the mantle of historian in the aftermath of war. In doing so he lovingly and reverently serves as a hub of connectivity and remembrance for his former comrades, both living and deceased.

This edition (now sans photographs) served as a revised version of the comprehensive history of the notable individuals, movements, battles, and actions of the 99th Indiana Infantry, including company rosters and 'where are they now?' segments on each man, conveniently broken up by individual company.

Honorable Samuel Penniman Bates - Mendon, Massachusetts

Noted Historian Bates presents an efficient recounting of the high points of the service and sacrifice of the 100th Regiment, with the additional inclusion of some profiles, anecdotes, and heartfelt poetry as a crowning addition that serves to humanize the individuals who risked and sacrificed everything, while remembering somberly those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Augustus Buell - New York City, New York

Augustus Buell takes up the mantle of historian in an effort to preserve for future generations an understanding of what life was like in an artillery battery during the Civil War. This edition (now sans photographs) serves as a fairly comprehensive history of the notable movements, battles, and actions of a number of individuals who proudly served with the New York Volunteers.

What makes this work uncharacteristic from similar ones of the period - and topic - is the fact that Mr. Buell was embroiled in a great deal of scandal regarding the accuracy of many of the tales within (as well as those included in his later, non-fiction works.) Accusations included libel, plagiarism, embellishment, and outright fabrication.

Even so, this work offers a realistic glimpse into the unique life and times of an artillery soldier and - whether completely true or not - still serves as an interesting read.

S. Emma E. Edmonds - Canada | Flint, Michigan

From an early age, Sarah Edmonds longed for high adventure. During the Civil War, she permitted her wanderlust and daring to come to the fore, and leveraged it to assist the Union Army in their fight against the Confederacy. Dressing as a man (Franklin Flint Thompson), Edmonds was admitted into the 2nd Michigan Infantry, where she nobly served her country as a field nurse.

Edmonds took her feats of daring, cunning, and skill further - on a number of occasions - when she imposed herself into enemy positions and territories. She did so in various roles, disguises, and personas, in an effort to learn all she could about the Confederacy's impending actions.

Written from a singularly unique perspective, this book almost seems a work of fiction, rather than a genuine accounting of the wartime life and exploits of a truly amazing and heroic woman.

Thomas T. Ellis, M.D. - Western, New York

Offering a unique perspective on the horrors of the Civil War, Ellis permits us a striking glimpse into the lives of the men who attempted to undo the damage, suffering, and pain inflicted upon their brothers in arms. In doing so, we are permitted a viewpoint that is vastly different from other works which center around this horrible conflict. Further, the narrative is presented in an easy to follow chronology, which allows the reader the opportunity to seek a specific battle or event.

John A. B. Williams - Pennsylvania

Featuring a selection of remembrances from the writings and memory of John Williams, who served in what became known as 'The Anderson Cavalry'.

Finalizing the work is a closing letter, which is an account of the mutiny in the Anderson Cavalry, written by George S. Fobes, which frames some of the author's actions - as well as the actions of his peers - in a differing light.

Wilson J. Vance - Hancock County, Ohio

On the banks of a shallow winding stream, traversing the region known as Middle Tennessee, on the last day of December, 1862, and on the first and second days of January, 1863, a great battle was fought, - a battle that marked the turning point of the Civil War. Stone's River, as the North designated it, or Murfreesboro, - to give it the Southern name, - has hitherto not been estimated at its true importance. To the people of the two sections it seemed at the time but another Shiloh, - horrifying, saddening, and bitterly disappointing. Its significance, likewise, has escaped almost all historians and military critics.

But now the perspective of half a century gives it its proper place in the panorama of the great conflict.

Orville Hickman Browning - Cynthiana, Ketucky | Northern Illinois

No Greek philosopher could have imagined a lot in life offering greater opportunity and incentive to success than that which fell to the young Browning. He was born three years and two days earlier than Abraham Lincoln to a gentle Kentucky family related by blood and marriage to clan after clan of the Kentuckians who helped to form the newer west. His parents had means enough to secure for him at Augusta College in Kentucky the greater part of the college education which fell to the lot of but few men of the time. Then a little before his graduation financial difficulties overtook his father and the young man, well equipped for life, was thrown into it on his own resources. Studying law in Kentucky, he came to Illinois in 1831, landing almost penniless at Quincy, to seek his fortune in the new west. This work picks up the thread of his life (in great detail) in 1850, and continues forward thereafter until the close of 1864. It is thus that we, the readers, are permitted an intimate glimpse into the life of a man who would assist in shaping a nation into a new political - and social - form.

Adam S. Johnson

A succinct and particular chronological accounting of Adam Johnson's time in military service from September 14, 1861, to October 2, 1864.

While at times the work seems a bit mundane, when taken as a whole it provides a stark glimpse into the particulars of day to day life both in service and, in Johnson's case, military prison as well.

James K. Hosmer - Northfield, Massachusetts

Offering a unique and seldom shared perspective, Hosmer opens himself up to an intimate look at his life, travels, travails, triumphs, and times during the Civil War through a series of letters, memoirs, and writings.

Granville O. Haller - York, Pennsylvania | Seattle, Washington

When Major Granville O. Haller learned that he had been dismissed from the Army for conduct unbecoming, he didn't take it lying down. Instead, he rose to the challenge of defending his honor - something that speaks a great deal to the man's character and devotion to the country he so loved.

Appended to this work, which includes his testimony and the testimony of others, are his personal notes, thoughts, and recollections of his time in service.

J. Fisk Allen - Salem, Massachusetts | Louisiana

A heartfelt collection of letters, anecdotes, and stories - finalized with a sermon - celebrating the life of Pickering Dodge Allen, a brave young man who passed away well before his time. Even so, he burned brightly during his brief period upon this Earth, touching the lives of many individuals who came to know him. This work serves as an enduring reminder of his deeds, actions, and noble spirit.

Robert Black - London, England

'Recent events have drawn more closely the ties which naturally unite this side of the Atlantic to the other: Europeans are beginning to examine with more interest than heretofore the progress of American affairs; and it is considered, therefore, that no apology is needed for offering to the public, in it is believed a readable form, a short sketch of that man's career who takes command of the American State-ship upon the eve of what threatens to be the blackest weather she has yet encountered.' - Robert Black

Honorable Paul Selby - Illinois

In presenting this volume to the public, the aim of the original publishers was to present to the reader the most interesting, entertaining, and concise work ever published on Abraham Lincoln.

The biography contained in this work was written by the Honorable Paul Selby, a personal friend of Lincoln, the Associate Editor of the Encyclopedia of Illinois, and for many years Editor of the State Journal at Springfield, Illinois - Lincoln’s home.

The stories, anecdotes, and yarns of Lincoln have been compiled from the most reliable sources, and are herein presented. These include stories of Lincoln’s early life, stories of Lincoln as a lawyer, recollections of Presidential incidents, stories of the war, and Lincoln’s letters and correspondence.

The Great Speeches of Lincoln, which cannot fail to arouse the patriotism of the reader, have been carefully arranged in chronological order, and offer a succinct and reverent timeline of the great deeds of a singular human being and Statesman.

Joseph Hodges Choate - Salem, Massachusets

An address upon Lincoln, delivered before the Edinburgh Philosophical Institution by American Lawyer Joseph Hodges Choate on November 13th, 1900. For a time, Choate served as an Ambassador to the United Kingdom. There, he proved himself quite popular and did a great deal to foster positive relations between the United States and Britain. He also served as one of several representatives of the United States at the second Peace Congress at the Hague in 1907, as well as Chairman of the Mayor's Committee in New York for entertaining the British and French commissions in 1917.

James Norman Gridley - Illinois

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln was called upon to represent Duff Armstrong, a man who stood accused of murder. The case pivoted on a prosecutorial witness who alleged that he had witnessed the pre-murder argument that occurred between the deceased and Mr. Armstrong - beneath a bright wash of moonlight. Suspecting differently, Lincoln employed a Farmer’s Almanac in an effort to discredit the testimony. By winning in this unorthodox manner, the trial became the stuff of legend - a trial remembered still to this day.

Noah Brooks - Castine, Maine

"'Mr. Brooks’s story of the life of Abraham Lincoln is a distinct addition to our knowledge of the man and of the scenes through which he passed in becoming an uplifter of the human race. Mr. Brooks knew Lincoln well in Illinois, as well as later in Washington. He was himself a pioneer during some of the most stirring times on the border, and, in consequence, he has written in unusual sympathy with the difficulties and triumphs of border life.

In the crude surroundings that then were the lot of all, the story of Lincoln's youth and early manhood possesses a peculiar interest. In such a tale we catch gleams of a true nature tucked away in the lank form and homespun, and we watch a character grow clear - outlined through the power of a strong moral nature. The wilderness afforded splendid tests of manly qualities, and kept the weak at bay. The axe, the maul, and the grubbing-hoe answered only to the quick eye and the sinewy frame. Abraham Lincoln, strong-hearted and true, swung, split, and dug in "the land of full-grown men"; and he emerged thence a leader among men.

His experiences were singularly varied and dramatic; yet, in the main, they were typical of unnamed thousands of our fellows who wrote on the broad West the strongest characteristics of our race."' - Frank Lincoln Olmstead

Alfred Eaton Ives - Castine, Maine

A stirring sermon and remembrance of Abraham Lincoln, given at the Congregational Church of Castine, Maine by Alfred Eaton Ives. (Ives was then Pastor of the church, and served in that capacity until June of 1878). Ives later went on to serve in the Maine House of Representatives in 1879 and again from 1883-84.

Rev. Elijah Parish Lovejoy - Albion, Maine | Ties to Alton, Illinois

Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy was a well-known, and well-respected Presbyterian minister, as well as a journalist and outspoken abolitionist. He was responsible for the publication of numerous pro-abolition articles, letters, news, and other printed materials. Lovejoy was so passionate and committed to championing the freedom of his fellow man that he made the ultimate sacrifice for his beliefs, when a pro-slavery mob murdered him during an attack on his warehouse in 1837. He was immediately considered a martyr of the Abolitionist movement - and rightly so - and is still remembered as a brilliant man who understood that the abhorrent practice of slavery was fundamentally wrong.

Augustine Joseph Hickey Duganne - Boston, Massachusetts | New York City, New York

A collection of letters and remembrances regarding the military service of Quaker brothers Edward and John Ketcham. Also included is a short memorial, as well as the burial speech given for the brothers by Reverend O. B. Frothingham.

While often straying toward the realm of anti-war propaganda, this work still offers a unique twist on the more common insights of soldiers who served in the American Civil War.

Arthur C. Anderson - New York City, New York

Often as solemn as it is quirky, this reflection provides a succinct overview of the movements, thoughts, and lives of a singular group of men who participated in the Spanish-American War.

The somber - and at times, playful - nature of the work brings a strikingly humanizing effect to the reader, across the years and miles.

To this end, this record is somewhat unique. Some of the nuances of storytelling held within are sure to bring both smiles and tears to all who delve completely into the work.

Emanuel Rossiter - Ties to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin & Eau Claire, Wisconsin

A comprehensive memoir of Company I, 3rd Wisconsin Volunteers, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Corps, and their role in service in the Spanish-American War, as compiled and written by one of their very own. Sometimes humorous, often sad, properly reverent in places, and never dull, this is one of the more interesting glimpses behind the history of this conflict that we've come across.

William S. Stryker - New Jersey

Adjutant-General of the New Jersey Loyalist Volunteers William S. Stryker presents a comprehensive roll of those individuals in the New Jersey Volunteers who proudly served in the war that ultimately founded our country. Among the rolls are a scattering of stories and anecdotes, which offer a glimpse into the lives of the men who were prepared to sacrifice everything for their beliefs, and in order to form a new and free nation.

Horace V. Redfield - Cincinnatti, Ohio

In this work, Redfield covers all states (and regions) in a quest to quantify, compare, and contrast the methods, motives, and means of homicide. In the process, he draws deep divisions within each segment of evidence and enumeration, citing race, culture, affluence, situation, and circumstance to further quantify his initial results in a way that seems groundbreaking, given that the work was originally presented for publication in 1880.

John Woods - England

As I was much pressed to write to many of my friends in England, to give them my opinion of emigrating to America, and as I promised to write to several, to give them my sentiments of America, and of my situation here; I will now endeavor to give them the best description in my power of our voyage and journey to this place, and how I am now situated, and of my future prospects. As to the propriety of any person's leaving England, I must decline giving any advice on the subject. As I was conscious but little information could be conveyed in the short space of a letter to any particular friend, I shall, therefore, present them, (that is, all those who requested me to write to them,) with some extracts from my Journal.
- John Woods Wambro, English Prairie, Illinois State, North America, June 5th, 1820

Elijah Leonard - Syracuse, New York | Ontarion, Canada

Elijah Leonard was an American-born businessman who moved to Normandale, Canada with his family in 1830. In 1834 - with the assistance of his father and a partner - he established a foundry in St. Thomas, Ontario. Thereafter, his father sought retirement, the partner was bought out, and Leonard became the sole owner. In 1840, Leonard established a machine shop and foundry in London, Ontario. It was here that he manufactured an array of ever more impressive products that would serve to cement a significant portion of his legacy. These included equipment for agricultural use and – thereafter – equipment, tracks, and cars for use on the developing North American railway system (Leonard was a notable part of the founding of the London & Lake Huron Railway), as well as steam equipment and boilers. He was also instrumental in the founding of the Huron & Erie Savings & Loan Society, as well as the London Savings Bank. In 1854, he was elected to the London Municipal Council and then – in 1857 – he was elected Mayor of London. His political star continued to rise when - in 1862 – he served as an elected representative of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada, and finally as a Liberal Senator in post-Confederation Canada.

William Blake Trask - Dorchester, Massachusetts

Andrew Henshaw was a Harvard College graduate, lawyer, town clerk, customs official, Justice of the Peace, historian of Shrewsbury (his birthplace), Ward family genealogist, father of nine children, and was instrumental in the origination of the poor farm system.

John Barrow - London, England

'In the midst of much occupation, I have hastily thrown together, in the form of a narrative, this private family memoir, feeling assured that it will not only be read with deep interest, but much valued by the immediate members of the family, for whom it is principally intended. The extracts of correspondence are from letters, addressed by Captain Barrow, either to his Father or myself. If the selection is not altogether judicious, it is at least authentic, and I am willing to believe, that Dr. Johnson's remark, that "there has rarely passed a life, of which a judicious and authentic narrative would not be useful," may be favorably applied to the following pages, and that they may be found useful hereafter to any member of the family who may be brought up in the same honorable profession, in which the short life of Captain Barrow was spent, wherein he gained the esteem and respect of all with whom he served, by strict attention to his duties, a cheerful and implicit obedience to all orders, and an anxious desire on all occasions to uphold the discipline of the Service.' - John Barrow

Arthur Lester Byron-Curtiss - Frankfort, New York

This book is a faithful account of the life and adventures of a character familiar to sportsmen and others who frequent the Adirondacks. It has been my endeavor to collect and put in form the numerous stories and anecdotes told by one of the pioneers of New York State; though in my desire to vindicate the qualities of Nat Foster, I have given considerable not actually identified with his adventures, but having a bearing on his life.

The hardy race of men who followed the chase for a livelihood in the wilds of Northern New York, has passed away. With the men has gone the knowledge of many of their exciting adventures. It is not too late, however, to gather from old residents and descendants, many of the experiences connected with their profession. This is what I have endeavored to do in this book; taking pains, as the reader will see, to gather only such notes of Foster's life as the trustworthy sources assured me of their genuineness. The assumption that Foster is the hero of James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales I think is well founded. I believe the reader will agree with me, that the character of Nat Foster as portrayed by the facts here presented, and the character of Natty Bumfo of Cooper, are wonderfully similar; which, taken with the unbiased opinions of men of Foster's time, are weighty arguments in favor of the idea advanced. I am sure my labors will be appreciated by those interested. And as Jerome K. Jerome observed in his "Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow," that "some of my relations having promised to buy the book, if it ever came out;" so I would say that many persons interested in the Adirondacks, having expressed a desire to own the book "if it ever came out," I feel justified in inflicting it on the public. I would in conclusion express my thanks to those who have in any way contributed to the material that makes up the book.

Charles B. Coale - Maryland

This book, except that portion of it illustrating the life and adventures of Wilburn Waters, the great hermit hunter and trapper, comprises a series of articles written for a weekly newspaper, partly for pastime, and partly to preserve for the use of the future historian a few facts connected with the early settlement of Southwestern Virginia, and which otherwise might have been lost. These facts, together with attempted descriptions of various localities, and all that the book contains, have the merit at least of being true. Being thus hastily thrown together, without revision or systematic arrangement, the author's only apology is, that it reappears in this form at the urgent solicitation of a great number of persons who read the articles as they appeared in the Abingdon Virginian, and who thought them worthy of preservation. With no further apology or explanation, this little volume of "multifarious small things" is thrown into the tide of current literature, not without hope that it may afford a few hours' pleasant pastime at the fireside of the mountaineer, and some of its facts form the nucleus of a much more comprehensive work by an abler pen, embodying the history of beautiful Southwestern Virginia.

Agnes Christina Laut - Huron County, Ontario

In The Story of the Trapper there is presented for the general reader a vivid picture of an adventurous figure, which is painted with a singleness of purpose and a distinctness impossible of realization in the large and detailed histories of the American fur trade and the Hudson's Bay and North-West companies, or the various special relations and journals and narratives. The author's wilderness lore and her knowledge of the life, added to her acquaintance with its literature, have borne fruit in a personification of the Western and Northern trappers who live in her pages. It is the man whom we follow not merely in the evolution of the Western fur traffic, but also in the course of his strange life in the wilds, his adventures, and the contest of his craft against the cunning of his quarry. It is a most picturesque figure which is sketched in these pages with the etcher's art that selects essentials while boldly disregarding details. This figure as it is outlined here will be new and strange to the majority of readers, and the relish of its piquant flavor will make its own appeal. A strange chapter in history is outlined for those who would gain an insight into the factors which had to do with the building of the West. Woodcraft, exemplified in the calling of its most skillful devotees, is painted in pictures which breathe the very atmosphere of that life of stream and forest which has not lost its appeal even in these days of urban centralization. The flash of the paddle, the crack of the rifle, the stealthy tracking of wild beasts, the fearless contest of man against brute and savage, may be followed throughout a narrative which is constant in its fresh and personal interest.

William Gilliland & Winslow C. Watson - New York | Vermont

Presents a thorough account of the settlement of the town of Willsborough by William Gilliland, through his insightful journal (and other papers), as well as a detailed memoir. In addition, historical illustrative notes are provided herein by Winslow C. Watson.

Linda Burfield Hazzard - Carver County, Minnesota | Washington State

‘Fasting For The Cure of Disease’ was originally published as a distributable work to assist those individuals who were seeking out new ways to heal themselves of whatever malady (perceived or otherwise) they were afflicted with. What it became in the end, sadly, was something quite the opposite in nature. The work garnered both national and international attention, and led to the starvation - and murder - of individuals in the care of Dr. Hazzard at her Wilderness Heights facility in Olalla, Washington. Following the scandal that ensued, Dr. Hazzard continued to be a staunch proponent of her beliefs. In fact she was so convinced of their merits that she ultimately perished in 1938 while conducting a fasting regimen upon herself. This book is a faithful reproduction of the text of Dr. Hazzard’s original work.

Charles Isaac Elton - Southampton, England

'The Great Book Collectors' is a comprehensive history of unique and important libraries through the ages, and the fanatical collectors who developed them. It offers a glimpse into the provenance of important works - both individual and cumulative - and the passing of the torch from collector to collector as the inevitable passage of time claims the passionate bibliophiles each in turn. For fervent collectors of books, it serves as a touchstone to a past that we may otherwise never be able to experience, nor understand, with such clarity and precision.

Hanna Astrup Larsen - Decorah, Iowa

Knut Hamsun (neé, Knud Pederson) was - for all intents and purposes - the epitome of an accomplished writer. Successful, respected, lauded, and the producer of a significant body of work - both with regard to quality and volume. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for his book Markens Grøde (which was openly praise by H.G. Wells), Hamsun was described by Thomas Mann as a 'descendant of Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Friedrich Nietsche'. All high praise indeed, but it was overshadowed during his post-World War II arrest and trial - an action brought about by the Norwegian author's enamor with the Nazi party, and his meetings with the likes of Goebbels and Hitler. Even with all of this in mind, one cannot discount the literary works he created, though we can certainly cast a jaundiced eye upon the man himself, and his actions and choices in his personal life. Within this book, Larsen has divided Hamsun's body of work into three distinct phases: 'The Wanderer', 'The Poet', and 'The Citizen'. Hamsun (who was still alive at the time this work was originally poublished) went on to write several more novels and - as such - those works are not covered within the pages of this literary critique.

Ellen Karolina Sofia Key - Smaland, Sweden

Swedish-born Key incidentally coined the term, "The Century of the Child" in her most revered work ‘Barnets Arhundrae’, and proved to be an important - and influential - international figure in the women's rights and suffrage movements during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Beyond this, she also was a significant proponent of social welfare systems for children and mothers. She is known for being a pivotal figure in the Modern Breakthrough movement, and was a pioneer in the child-centric approach to the parental and educational environs. Her fulcrum ideas shaped - and continue to shape - social programs and legislation. Her written works were significant in their deep influence upon other great women as well, including the likes of Montessori, Wagner, Yamada, and Lagerlof.

Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard - Ware, Massachusetts

"The Great Trial of Mrs. Elizabeth P. W. Packard, who was confined three years in the State Asylum of Illinois, charged by her husband, Rev. Theophilus Packard, with being Insane. Her discharge from the asylum, and subsequent Imprisonment at her own house by her husband. Her release on a writ of habeas corpus, and the question of her sanity tried by a jury. Her sanity fully established."

Thus is described this work of endurance, strength, heroism, and the realigning of legal and human rights. In a patriarchal society which permitted limited breadth of thought and belief, and gross mistreatment and disenfranchisement of all women, Elizabeth not only endured - she fought back. She did so with tenacity, wits, intellect, grace, and ferocity. And in doing so - and winning - fundamentally changed the landscape of society for women in the United Stated in her own time, and in perpetuity.

Casper S. Yost - Sedalia, Missouri

"The compiler of this book is not a spiritualist, nor a psychologist, nor a member of the Society for Psychical Research; nor has he ever had anything more than a transitory and skeptical interest in psychic phenomena of any character. He is a newspaper man whose privilege and pleasure it is to present the facts in relation some phenomena which he does not attempt to classify nor to explain, but which are virtually without precedent in the record of occult manifestations. The mystery of Patience Worth is one which every reader may endeavor to solve for himself. The sole purpose of this narrative is to give the visible truth, the physical evidence, so to speak, the things that can be seen and that are therefore susceptible of proof by ocular demonstration. In this category are the instruments of communication and the communications themselves, which are described, explained and, in some cases, interpreted, where an effort at interpretation seems to be desirable." - Casper S. Yost

Alfred Percy Sinnet - London, England

Perhaps C. W. Leadbeater summarized this work better than anyone: "In 1881, Mr. Sinnett startled the literary circles of London by the publication of The Occult World. Here was a book by a man whose position vouched for him — a book short, definite, and to the point.

"True, it told an astounding story — a story to the ordinary man of the world all but incredible, though strangely attractive; but it told it in the most straightforward and transparently truthful manner, so that to many of us - in spite of its overwhelming novelty - it carried conviction upon its very face. It is no exaggeration to say that thousands of souls were stirred into instant and delighted recognition of a knowledge which had been theirs long ago in other bodies and under other skies."

Hutton Webster, Ph.D.

Webster's seminal work offers a wide-ranging and in-depth view of the structures, customs, ideas, and beliefs of global societies as they evolved during the time of primitive humanity, with specific regard to social hierarchy, its composition, and its associated rules. The level of specificity seems quote impressive, when one considers that this work was written during a time when world travel was a high-risk endeavor, and the availability of even local information was at a premium.

Lord Timothy Dexter - Malden & Newburyport, Massachusetts

Lord Timothy Dexter was, by most accounts, a living embodiment of irony. Time and time again he beat insurmountable odds (often, it seems, without realizing they existed) and came out on top (and flush with cash). A farm laborer, with little schooling to speak of, Dexter catapulted himself into the 'Who's Who' of 18th Century New England society through numerous trading endeavors of all sorts.

But for all of his quirks, he also seems to have been something of a cruel prankster. Many of the events of his later life would make most men of honor blush with shame. Doubly so when one reviews the treatment his wife endured.

This work was originally published as an exercise in vanity. It became inexplicably popular, however, after Dexter freely handed out the first printing. In the second, he addressed the criticisms of 'lack of punctuation' by ending the work with an entire page of devoted solely to it, which he suggested the reader insert anywhere they like within the work. The strange book went on to be formally reprinted eight times.

This book is - and has remained - one of the oddest, most bizarre publications ever brought to public light. It's difficult to enjoy yet, strangely, it is equally difficult to dismiss.

Elizabeth Fries Ellet - Sodus Point, New York

Elizabeth Ellet takes something of a departure from her first, biographical work 'The Women of the American Revolution' (which is still studied in the present day) to offer up a personal insight and philosophy on the nature and existence of spirits, both divine and malevolent. Ellet's later history would be forever tainted by scandalous rumors regarding she, Edgar Allan Poe, and Frances Sargent Osgood. Rumors that - to my mind - feel a bit misguided; doubly so given her apparent, vociferous devotion to the religious institution of marriage.

Pearl Lenore Curran (Patience Worth) - Mound City, Illinois

'Hope Trueblood' is a Victorian-esque drama that one could easily see being transformed into a high-drama film in the spirit of the BBC or 'Masterpiece Theater'.

What makes the work compelling is that it is one of a number that were purportedly written by Patience Worth - through Pearl Curran - via psychic channeling. Patience claimed to have been born in 1649, and while never specifically mentioned, is was supposed that she was from Dorsetshire, England.

Pearl (Pollard) Curran was born in Mound City, Illinois and was, by most accounts, a fairly ordinary woman with a limited education. Still, something changed within her in 1912 when she began channeling a spirit identifying itself as 'Patience Worth'. These sessions went from the humble beginnings of intimate Ouija board use with a friend, to marathon sessions of verbal channeling with a small audience. While many theories as to what, exactly, happened have been brought to the fore, none seem to satisfy anyone to any significant degree.

In the end, we leave it up to you to decide. We encourage you to learn more about this odd series of events and - then - to judge for yourself.

Pearl Lenore Curran (Patience Worth) - Mound City, Illinois

"On the 28th of April, 1919, Patience Worth wrote a poem entitled "The Potter": Whether this picture of the oriental potter, putting his fancy into his bowl, suggested the theme of this book, or whether the theme was already in mind and this but a casual expression, I am unable to say. Two weeks after this was written Mrs. Alex. B. Smith, of Los Angeles, California, came to the home of the Curran's to spend a few months in the study of the writings of Patience Worth, attracted by the personality of the invisible poet, and in response to this affectionate interest Patience, shortly after her arrival, said to her: "Ah, but the love-tendin' we shall be at, dame. I say thee shall have a wonderwork o' thine ain." A few days later Mrs. Curran spelled out the strange word "Aesol," and Patience said to Mrs. Smith: "'Tis a whit o' thy wonderwork." Then she showed Mrs. Curran a picture of an old man seated at a rude potter's wheel the axle of which turned within a socket of clay, the wheel being moved by hand. Above it a curious water receptacle fashioned of skin was suspended from a stick which from time to time the potter touched, spilling a few drops upon the clay pot which he was molding upon the wheel. His beard was thin and pointed, and his countenance gave the impression of wisdom and kindness. Upon his head was a coarse turban and he wore nothing else but a clout. A naked child stood beside him with wondering eye, seeming to be questioning him. "'Tis the measurin' o' Youth against Age," said Patience, but gave no further information. Some days after this she began the dialogue and continued its dictation with but little diversion to other compositions until it was completed. The picture of the potter presented to Mrs. Curran needs some explanation. Pictures accompany all the communications of Patience Worth and sometimes, as in this case, without verbal communications. They form a very remarkable feature of this phenomenon. As the letters come into her consciousness the scenes depicted, the persons speaking or described, or the symbols of poetry, are pictured to her eyes, in miniature but vividly. It is as if she were looking upon a moving picture, a microscopic but distinct panorama of the life presented in all its colors. Yet there is no loss of normal consciousness or of normal vision. One may be looking out of a window and seeing all that is within range of the eye, yet the thought may be upon some distant scene, and that scene be within the mind's eye at the same time as the physical one; or one may be reading a book and seeing, mentally, the scenes and characters suggested in the printed words. Such duality of vision is common enough to everyone. But this of Mrs. Curran is different. These pictures are not the product of her thought. They are not suggested by the words coming from her, although she understands the words and comprehends their meaning as they come." - Casper S. Yost

George Bernard Shaw - Portobello, Dublin, Ireland

Pre-World War I: Bulgaria. The Battle of Slivnitsa has just been won by Bulgarian troops, commanded by Russian Generals against their rivals, the Serbians, commanded by Austrian Generals. We find ourselves in the home of the affluent Petkoff's, home to Catherine and her daughter, Raina (who is engaged to a man named Sergius Saranoff - a successful Calvary officer). In the midst of all of this, a Swiss mercenary officer (named Bluntschli) breaks into the home. Obsessed with chocolate over bullets, he is pursued by Russian officers, but finds himself an odd safe-harbor in the hands of Catherine and Raina - whose fiancé has just been involved in a battle which could have been Bluntschli's last. From there, we are served up a heaping dish of comedy tempered with social commentary, geopolitical strife, and a few romantic tendrils to round out the work.

Christopher Morley - Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

The lives of three unsuspecting individuals collide in unexpected ways within the confines of an independent Brooklyn bookstore during the close of World War I. A popular book disappears and reappears, seemingly at random, as we are whisked into a tale of friendship, intrigue, and love. Continuing the story of 'Parnassus on Wheels', bookseller Roger Mifflin is tossed into a strange set of circumstances that culminate in a most unexpected manner. The 'Haunted Bookshop' is meant to be a metaphorical turn of phrase to incite whimsy and curiosity. Yet Mifflin and company soon begin to wonder whether or not it might be viable to consider it literally as well.

James DeMille - St. John, New Brunswick, Canada

Four friends happen upon a strange copper cylinder which holds a bizarre and wonderful manuscript. As they make their way through it, we are returned from the narrative at points as they offer their thoughts and ideas about what is written within. The tale within the cylinder was, we come to know, written by one Adam More: a British Sailor who, on his return voyage home from Tasmania, finds himself shipwrecked. Passing through a volcanic tunnel, More discovers a lost society of death worshipers, whose antithetical values lie in direct contrast with those of the civilized western world.

Part love story, part parable, part satire, and part fantasy, this often overlooked title serves as a solid foundation upon which far more well-known books in this same vein, in the following years and decades, were built.

Ernest Vincent Wright - 'Parts Unknown' & California

Written from the perspective of a self-deprecating narrator, 'Gadsby' is - at its core - a tale of a town in a state of concerted rebirth. In an effort to reverse the plight of the place that he calls home, the protagonist organizes the town's youth. In doing so, we watch as the small piece of suburbia becomes a shining beacon of what towns can - and perhaps should - be. Once established, we are led through a series of years, ever bearing witness to the idealism of the organized youth, and the results of their labors.

While not a particularly compelling story, the reverence for this work of narrative art is not diminished. What makes this book notable is the ridiculously difficult challenge in crafting that it presents, and the time, effort, and passion it must have taken to give rise to such a thing. It is an overt, Quixotic flaunting against the word ‘impossible’.

Theodore Dreiser - Terra Haute, Indiana

The Financier is the first book in Dreiser's epic 'Trilogy of Desire', based upon the life of Chicago streetcar tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes.

Lead character Frank Cowperwood serves as a conduit for Dreiser's naturalist leanings, as he cajoles, swindles, and double-deals his way to success - only to have the same done to him in kind - in a raw, amoral battle of wits and cunning for wealth, women, and power.

True to form, Dreiser pulled no punches in writing this semi-biographic work - a trait that often garnered negative attention from the censors of his day.

This edition - while more costly than others available - is presented in a standard font size, has been completely re-laid in a modern form, and offers a page count that accommodates the original work without sacrificing readability.

Henry St. Clair

'Tales of Terror' represents an eerie glimpse into centuries long past. Through a two-volume collection of short stories, we gain some insight into what the horror and thriller genres were like in the mid-1800's - at times with lasting effect, even into the modern day. The stories are all unique, and many still hit their mark of being both entertaining and spine-tingling. Others feel a bit anachronistic at times but, on the whole, the works within these pages are sure to please even the most seasoned reader of supernatural fare.

Joris-Karl Huysmans - Paris, France

The Des Esseintes line - a once powerful, proud, and noble family lineage - has arrived at a remarkable end in the person of Jean des Esseintes. Having heretofore pursued a life brimming with robust decadence in Paris, Jean finds himself repulsed by society as a collective whole. As such, he makes a concerted choice to quietly retreat to his countryside home, with the intention of spending his remaining years in pursuit of aesthetic and intellectual contemplation, far away from the displeasing humanity which has become so repugnant to his sensibilities. Surrounded by fine art and classic literature, Des Esseintes endeavors to develop a most curious garden, to prepare his own novel perfumes, and to wend his way down numerous other rabbit-holes of intellectualism. Along the way he purchases a tortoise - which he subsequently gilds with gold, and has encrusted with jewels - to its fatal detriment.Throughout the work, Des Esseintes recalls unique, odd, and debauched moments of his life, as his idiosyncratic diet and odd sleeping habits exact their inevitable retribution upon his health. In the end, he is faced with a brutal choice: to return to Paris to receive the ministrations of professionals or to - inevitably - perish prematurely. In the final moments of the work, he deigns to parallel his return to society with that of an atheist attempting to embrace a religion which he simply cannot abide.

Edward A. Abbott - Marleybone, London, England

The story opens with our protagonist (Square) explaining the realities of day-to-day living in - and the history of - Flatland: a two-dimensional world inhabited by line segments (women), and polygons of varying sides (men), whose numbers of sides dictate their social status within the domain. On New Years' Eve, 1999, two-dimensional Square - a four-sided member of the caste of professionals and gentlemen - finds himself in the midst of a dream about a one-dimensional world (Lineland); a world inhabited by what he refers to as 'lustrous points'. While he can see them, they cannot see him - at least, not in his true form. Rather, they observe him only as a line with a set of terminal points. Brought before the monarch of the realm, he vainly tries to express the realities of a life lived in a second dimension of reality - to no good end. Further on, Square is paid a visit by a three-dimensional sphere. Much like his own plight in the land of one dimension (Lineland), Square sees Sphere as a circle within his own land of two dimensions (Flatland). After much back and forth with Sphere, Square finds himself in a three-dimensional world (Spaceland). Sphere continues to visit Square at the passing of each millennium. With each visit, a new Apostle is brought forth to be introduced to the concept of the third dimension.Unbeknownst to the lower-castes of Flatland, their leaders acknowledge that the Sphere is, in fact, extant. Yet, they'd prefer to keep it a secret from the general populous. To keep the matter at bay, many witnesses are killed or thrown into prison - ultimately punished according to their social caste. Among those eventually imprisoned is Square's brother. As the concepts of multiple dimensions expand, Square tries in vain to convince Sphere that a fourth dimension is possible. In response, Sphere returns Square to Flatland in utter disgrace, frustrated that Square would so fiercely entertain such a wild notion. Square's return is soon followed by a dream, whereby Sphere shows Square a new dimension - Pointland - inhabited by a single point, who is the lone inhabitant. More correctly, Point is the only life, the whole universe, and encompasses everything comprising the strange dimension of Pointland. Throughout the work, we see minds being opened to new concepts and ideas, but also showing the limits of thought - and need for control - that often plagues scientists, big thinkers, and society as a whole. In the end, Square comes to parallel the ignorance of the monarchs of Pointland (and Lineland) as akin to his own (and Sphere's) previous ignorance of the existence of higher dimensions. Square, after much contemplation, decides to write the book that is to become 'Flatland' (this book). He writes it in the form of a memoir of sorts, hoping that someday - just perhaps - the next generations of Flatland will be visionary enough to take his work at face value, and to explore the idea that the Universe is often far more than it seems to a lone observer.

Edgar Allan Poe - Boston, Massachusetts

‘Tamerlane & Other Poems’ represents Poe’s first foray into the literary world. From my point of view, it’s clear that he was hesitant about how his work would be received, and was further hesitant about being the individual associated with having produced it. This is something that, as a writer, I understand completely. Were I a writer of Poe’s caliber, however, I would most assuredly worry a great deal less. This volume is a faithful reproduction of the original text of the seminal work, first published in a run of fifty volumes in 1897, of which only twelve are known to have survived to the modern day. I have chosen to exclude any and all of his future works so that the original compilation may be absorbed as a singular whole, with nothing more to cloud perceptions about the author’s original desires to be heard and enjoyed

The Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society - Edinburgh, Scotland

In 1867, a group of gentlemen, all members of the Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society, felt compelled to put together and publish this work in reverent tribute to the sport that they held so dear.

The work runs the gamut from silly to sincere; from poetic to prophetic; from simplistic to cathartic.

And the highest praise that I may offer this book is this: I am not, nor have I ever been, a golfer. With that being said, I still - inexplicably - enjoyed this work, learned a great deal that I did not know, and managed to cement a connection across time with the men who sent it off into the world, 'Far & True', as they were so fond of saying.

Thomas Moore - Dublin, Ireland

Moore's final, long-form poetic work was well-received at the time of its initial publication (though it also, admittedly, caused some disturbances in certain circles). The poem's basis is said to have been an amalgam of rabbinical and old folk tales, and centers around three distinct, fallen angels who find themselves enamored with human women. The overarching parable serves to cast light upon the moral decline of the soul, with a notable regard to the concept of purity.

Noah Brooks - Castine, Maine

Loosely based upon Brooks's own experience of moving from Dixon, Illinois to the Kansas Territory in 1857, the book takes place just before the outset of the Civil War - during the period that was known as 'Bleeding Kansas' (a term that described a brief period of violence within the area over whether Kansas would enter statehood as a free or slave state). Settlers who were both for and against slavery flocked to the Territory in an effort to influence the decision to meet their own desired ends - at times using corrupt, coercive, or even violent means to make certain that the vote for or against slave-statehood leaned in their desired end's favor. To make things even more convoluted, two disparate governments - with separate constitutions - existed alongside one another as well. This often led to situations of one city or another being a bastion of one way of thought, while another - often nearby - was for the opposing viewpoint. The migrant Illinoisans at the center of the work (brothers-in-law, Mr. Howell & Mr. Bryant, and their sons Sandy & Charlie Howell and Oscar Bryant) understand full-well what they're getting themselves into. And - as vociferous anti-slavery advocates - they refuse to be cowed by pro-slavery ne'er-do-wells. They choose to stake out a homestead near Fort Riley, Kansas, and it is from here that the tales of their (and their neighbors) struggles, adventures, and triumphs begin to spool out in earnest. Native Americans, bison, political and social intrigue, and a great deal of historical insight are all present and accounted for in an intimate look at a slice of historic life during the protracted founding of what would ultimately become the United States of America.

Kirk Munroe - Prairie Du Chein, Wisconsin

‘Cab & Caboose’ is a journey through the young life of one Rodman Ray Blake, railroad dreamer. Written in a style akin to ‘Huckleberry Finn’, it follows Rodman’s meteoric rise through the ranks of railroad men. It is a tale full of adventures, derring-do, heroism, and passion for the railroad's mystique that must have evoked a genuine thrill in the hearts and minds of the young men and women who first read its pages more than a century ago. The numerous re-printings it experienced, over a great many years, seems only to prove this out.

While a bit dated in some respects, it still offers young readers a glimpse of what life was like at the turn of the last century. Further, it also serves to prove that - no matter what era we live in – the problems faced through adolescence never seem to fundamentally change. In this, then, it offers an enduring connection to the modern day.

Sarah L. Barrow - Charleston, South Carolina

Within these pages are all six of Sarah L. Barrow's 'Sock' Stories books, with minimal editing, presented as a snapshot of popular mid-nineteenth century children’s literature.