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Fanny Goes to War by Pat Beauchamp Washington - Free Ebook

The memoirs of a young woman who drove an ambulance in Belgium in World War I. Full of interesting detail, and the writer gets more human and less hearty over the course of the book.

PatBeauchampWashington books nonfiction ProjectGutenberg 1910s WWI motoring nursing Belgium
january 2013

copy to mine

Manon Lescaut by Abbé Prévost - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/manon-lescaut/

The story of the Chevalier des Grieux's fatal passion for a young woman he probably doesn't deserve.

AbbePrevost boys fiction ProjectGutenberg 1700s France Louisiana romance religiousovertones burglary
january 2013

copy to mine

The Main Chance by Meredith Nicholson - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/the-main-chance/

Three young men, one rapidly growing western town, and lots of interestingly flouted expectations.

MeredithNicholson books fiction 1900s ProjectGutenberg socialandclassissues nouveauxriches competence
january 2013

copy to mine

Miss Santa Claus of the Pullman by Annie F. Johnston - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/christmas-stories-miss-santa-claus-of-the-pullman-car/

A reasonably delightful Christmas story. Structurally a bit of a mess, but all of the parts work really well individually. Plus, it's Annie Fellows Johnston, so there's morally significant jewelry.

AnnieFellowsJohnston books fiction Christmas "cute"children yaymaterialism step-parents 1910s ProjectGutenberg
january 2013

copy to mine

The Old Peabody Pew by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/christmas-stories-the-old-peabody-pew-2/

Sort of like The Romance of a Christmas Card, but more boring.

KateDouglasSmithWiggin books fiction Christmas NewEngland spinsters ProjectGutenberg 1900s
january 2013

copy to mine

The Weapons of Mystery by Joseph Hocking - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/2340/

The terribly put together but somhow completely absorbing story of a young man who falls in love with a girl at first sight but is hindered in his courtship of her by the sinister Mr. Herod Voltaire's mesmeric influence.

JosephHocking books fiction Christmas hypnotism racism religiousovertones disappearances doom lovetriangle England travel ProjectGutenberg 1890s
january 2013

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Four Days by Hetty Hemenway - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/four-days-the-story-of-a-war-marriage/

Covers the four days of Leonard's leave, from Marjorie meeting him at the train station through their marriage and brief honeymoon. Almost extremely interesting at times.

HettyHemenway books fiction novella 1910s ProjectGutenberg WWI romance
january 2013

copy to mine

Bardelys the Magnificent; being an account of the strange wooing pursued by the - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/captain-blood-day-bardelys-the-magnificent/

Maybe the first really good Sabatini novel. Bardelys has really poor jugement and terrible timing, but at least he's consistent about it, and pretty likeable.

RafaelSabatini books fiction historical adventure France swashbuckling 1900s ProjectGutenberg FirstPersonPoV politics
january 2013

copy to mine

Galusha the Magnificent by Joseph Crosby Lincoln - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/galusha-the-magnificent/

Galusha is my favorite mild-mannered archeologist. He will be your favorite mild-mannered archeologist too.

books fiction JosephCrosbyLincoln ProjectGutenberg Massachusetts spinsters financialmachinations romance archeology 1900s
january 2013

copy to mine

Pam decides: a sequel to "Pam" - Betsey Riddle Hutten zum Stolzenberg (Freifrau von), Bettina Von Hutten - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/09/04/pam-decides/

I love this book to bits -- it's equal parts uncomfortably real behavior and wish-fulfillment.

books fiction BettinaVonHutten GoogleBooks sequel 1900s London Italy romance babies oldstuff trunkfulofgownsintheattic burglary friendship
january 2013

copy to mine

Hollyhock by L. T. Meade - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/hollyhock/

The worst L.T. Meade book, I hope. The title character is a spoiled brat, but has the complete adoration of the author and everyone around her. Meade also joins her characters in bullying the secondary heroine, or what passes for one. This honestly made me really uncomfortable.

books fiction LTMeade ProjectGutenberg girls school bullying Scotland 1910s
january 2013

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The Whole Family: a Novel by Twelve Authors by Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews et al. - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/the-whole-family/

A twelve-author, three-ring circus dreamed up by William Dean Howells and directed by Harper’s Editor Elizabeth Jordan. Mostly a trainwreck.

books fiction collaborative ProjectGutenberg AliceBrown EdithWyatt ElizabethJordan ElizabethStuartPhelps HenryJames HenryVanDyke JohnKendrickBangs MaryEleanorWilkinsFreeman MaryHeatonVorse MaryShipmanAndrews MaryStewartCutting WilliamDeanHowells alltheMarys 1900s familydrama "cute"children romance
january 2013

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Set in Silver by A. M. Williamson and C. N. Williamson - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/set-in-silver/

One of the most delightful Williamsons books, involving a road trip through England and a heroine who actually asks her mother for advice when she needs it.

books fiction AMWilliamson CNWilliamson motoring England travel epistolary 1900s ProjectGutenberg
january 2013

copy to mine

Pam - Bettina Von Hutten, Von Hutten (Baroness) - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/pam/

An exploration of illegitimacy and family dysfunction with several extremely engaging characters.

books fiction GoogleBooks BettinaVonHutten 1900s inheritanceandsuccession familydrama bastards England Italy
january 2013

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The Confession by Mary Roberts Rinehart - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/the-confession/

Not The Bat, and all the better for it. Small and psychological.

books fiction MaryRobertsRinehart ProjectGutenberg 1910s spinsters psychology mystery
january 2013

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The Man Who Was Thursday, a nightmare by G. K. Chesterton - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

Poets and anarchists and detectives, oh my! Also no one is who they seem to be. Also "If anyone has any use for my left eyebrow, he can have it." Rapturous and slightly insane.

fiction books GKChesterton ProjectGutenberg anarchists adventure swashbuckling religiousovertones 1900s
january 2013

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The Man Who Knew Too Much by G. K. Chesterton - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

No relation to the Hitchcock film, and totally gutting. This is G. K. Chesterton as serious as you ever see him, and while these stories have a lot in common with his others, they are overtly a lot darker.

books fiction mystery GKChesterton ProjectGutenberg shortstories civilservants 1920s
january 2013

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FOUR FAULTLESS FELONS

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

Four slightly longer stories, in which someone has apparently committed a horrible crime but turns out to be entirely innocent — which is not to say that they didn’t do the things that people said they did. These stories are also heavier on the romance, which…well, GKC’s romances are generally simultaneously super romantic and really, really weird.

fiction books GKChesterton OtherSource shortstories mystery 1930s adventure
january 2013

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THE PARADOXES OF MR POND

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

In which a middle aged civil servant is in the habit of dropping paradoxes into conversation, except that he always means them completely literally. GKC explains it like this: Mr. Pond is so reluctant to bug everyone with long, involved stories, that he shortens them to a point where they don’t make any sense.

books fiction OtherSource GKChesterton shortstories series mystery civilservants 1930s
january 2013

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The Wisdom of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

The Wisdom of Father Borwn is where things start to get really outlandish, in that GKC way. I am, for whatever reason, particularly fond of "The Man in the Passage."

books fiction GKChesterton ProjectGutenberg shortstories mystery religiousovertones RomanCatholics 1910s
january 2013

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The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/14/short-story-series-1-the-super-obvious/

The first Father Brown books, and the best. The first the stories are amazing and also there's "The Sign of the Broken Sword," which. I just can't.

books fiction ProjectGutenberg GKChesterton shortstories mystery religiousovertones RomanCatholics 1910s
january 2013

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To Whom This May Come, by Edward Bellamy

Guy gets shipwrecked on island of people who have communicated exclusively by telepathy for so long that their vocal equipment has atrophied.

abitscifi telepathy EdwardBellamy fiction ProjectGutenberg 1890s books shipwrecked
january 2013

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And Thus He Came by Cyrus Townsend Brady - Project Gutenberg

It's a little early for Christmas stories, but not too early for me to know that I won't be reviewing this one. Miserable, although I think it's meant to be spiritually uplifting. I mean, it's no "Janet, or the Christmas Stockings," but almost everyone dies.

CyrusTownsendBrady books fiction religiousovertones depressing Christmas
november 2012

copy to mine

When Ghost Meets Ghost by William Frend De Morgan - Project Gutenberg

You'll tap your feet impatiently for, like, 900 pages as you wait to find out if Maisie and Phoebe will be reunited before they die, but you'll enjoy doing it.

WilliamFrendDeMorgan books fiction ProjectGutenberg 1910s London England longlostrelative blindness Australia twins fakemarriage
october 2012

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The Fool's Love Story - Rafael Sabatini

"Kuoni von Stocken, the Hofknarr of Sachsenberg, heaves a weary sigh and a strange, half-sad, half-scornful expression sits upon his lean sardonic countenance, as, turning his back to the gay crowd of courtiers that fills the Ballroom of the Palace of Schwerlingen, he passes out on to the balcony, and bends his glance upon the sleeping town below."

That is the first line, Hofknarr means jester, and the story is only three short chapters. That's really all the information you need.

RafaelSabatini books fiction OtherSource Germany Ruritanian 1890s shortstories PresentTense historical
september 2012

copy to mine

Mrs. Marden's ordeal - James Hay - Google Books

Mrs. Marden hates herself sometimes, but not as much as I hate her. When I started to book, I though her Freudian psychoanalysis would be the most uncomfortable thing, but the most uncomfortable thing is the whole book. Which is sad, because it's an amnesia book and I like those.

amnesia JamesHay books GoogleBooks fiction mystery 1910s
august 2012

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The Amazing Inheritance, by Frances R. Sterrett.

Tessie Gilfooly becomes the queen of a collection of tropical islands through the death of her uncle. Spoiler: she never actually gets to her kingdom.

FrancesRSterret books fiction RagstoRiches 1920s islands heiresses racism royalty romance DepartmentStores ProjectGutenberg
august 2012

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He comes up smiling - Charles Sherman - Google Books

A hobo in search of a nice suit comes across one my the side of a lake and makes off with it while its owner is swimming. He's mistaken for the suit's owner, and the predictable complications ensue.

CharlesSherman books fiction 1910s RagstoRiches incognito impostors motoring hotels&resorts WallStreet GoogleBooks TrampsandHobos NewEngland
august 2012

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Drusilla with a Million by Elizabeth Cooper - Project Gutenberg

A relative leaves elderly Drusilla Doane a million dollars to spend on whatever she likes.

ElizabethCooper books fiction 1910s spinsters orphans inheritanceandsuccession yaymaterialism religiousovertones racism ProjectGutenberg
august 2012

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John Dene of Toronto by Herbert George Jenkins - Project Gutenberg

John Dene would like to give his fantastic invention to the British government in order to help them win World War I, but he wishes they weren't so slow about getting things done.

HerbertGeorgeJenkins books fiction 1910s WWI scientists politics romance London ProjectGutenberg
august 2012

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The Four Just Men by Edgar Wallace - Free eBook

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/07/07/the-four-just-men/

Three exceedingly wealthy men take it upon themselves to deal justice, or some approximation thereof.

EdgarWallace books fiction 1900s mystery thriller London Spain criminals ManyBooks mastercriminal
july 2012

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Bindle by Herbert George Jenkins - Project Gutenberg

Bindle is a furniture remover and a practical joker. He should be awful, but this is Herbert George Jenkins, so even the practical jokes are bearable.

Followed by Adventures of Bindle: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32285

HerbertGeorgeJenkins books fiction shortstories 1910s London temperance ProjectGutenberg
july 2012

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Ruggles of Red Gap by Harry Leon Wilson - Project Gutenberg

https://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/ruggles-of-red-gap/

Ruggles' employer loses him at cards to a family of American nouveaux riches and has to learn how to deal with the idea of social equality, among other things.

HarryLeonWilson books fiction 1910s Paris America travel socialandclassissues FirstPersonPoV ProjectGutenberg
july 2012

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The Key to Yesterday by Charles Neville Buck - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/key-to-yesterday/

Artist Robert A. Saxon has no memory of anything previous to about six years ago, but he thinks this rusty key in his pocket may hold the solution to the mystery. Don't let that mislead you, though -- the lack of the key wouldn't change a thing.

CharlesNevilleBuck books fiction 1910s amnesia ProjectGutenberg artists Kentucky SouthAmerica Paris revolutions doppelgangers
july 2012

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The Pit Prop Syndicate by Freeman Wills Crofts - Project Gutenberg

Probably the best thing I can say for this is that Crofts seems to be a least somewhat aware that his characters are pretty terrible at being amateur detectives.

FreemanWillsCrofts books fiction mystery adventure boats France England London smuggling 1920s ProjectGutenberg
may 2012

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The Daffodil Mystery by Edgar Wallace - Project Gutenberg

Thornton Lyne, created to be as despicable as possible, is so angry about being rejected by Odette Rider that he tries to frame her for embezzlement, only he gets murdered first. Naturally she's the obvious suspect.

EdgarWallace books fiction mystery thriller 1920s London embezzlement insanity China detectives ProjectGutenberg
may 2012

copy to mine

The Virginian, a Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister - Project Gutenberg

The first true Western novel, since apparently we don't count pulps. Meandering but kind of excellent.

OwenWister book fiction 1900s western adventure romance ProjectGutenberg Wyoming cowboys FirstPersonPoV homoeroticism
may 2012

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The Bat by Avery Hopwood and Mary Roberts Rinehart - Project Gutenberg

I don't know if whatever made Rinehart think an evil, costumed master criminal was a good idea was the same thing that gave Agatha Christie a fatal weakness for worldwide criminal conspiracies, but the results are similar. This book is subpar, but as usual Rinehart can't help being fun.

MaryRobertsRinehart AveryHopwood 1920s books fiction mystery spinsters incognito mastercriminal ProjectGutenberg
may 2012

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The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne by Kathleen Thompson Norris - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/the-rich-mrs-burgoyne/

A widow moves to town with her two daughters and a rumored fortune and leads her neighbors vaguely in the direction of the simple life. Completely delightful.

KathleenThompsonNorris books fiction 1910s ProjectGutenberg California heiresses secretwife journalists charity
may 2012

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Nobody's Man by E. Phillips Oppenheim - Project Gutenberg

https://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/nobodys-man/

Oppenheim's imaginary politicians are neither convincing nor interesting. I feel like he started out to make this a thriller but got caught up n the career of his main character, who's probably a bit of an alter ego.

EPhillipsOppenheim books fiction politics 1920s WWI romance divorce England Devonshire London ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo by E. Phillips Oppenheim - Project Gutenberg

Sir Henry Hunterleys goes to Monte Carlo to prevent some foreign diplomats from rigging WWI. While there, he runs into his estranged wife and totally ignores the fact that she's developing a gambling problem. And his young American friend Richard Lane learns how to use the "wear down her disinterest" method of courtship.

EPhillipsOppenheim books fiction adventure spies WWI MonteCarlo gambling stalking politics 1910s ProjectGutenberg thriller
april 2012

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Diane of the Green Van by Leona Dalrymple - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/diane-of-the-green-van/

Perhaps Publisher's Weekly (in an issue dated March 21, 1914) says it best: "It's all very complicated--extremely complicated--there being three or four deadly plotters, plotting more or less at cross purposes, and such a mixup of identity that the explanatory chapter toward the end might well have been called 'Who's who.'"

LeonaDalrymple books fiction adventure romance estrangedfamilies familydrama insanity nativeamericans nature camping heiresses racism Ruritanian inheritanceandsuccession alcohol drugs Connecticut NewYorkCity Florida aviation stalking 1910s ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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Letters of the Motor Girl by Ethellyn Gardner - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/letters-of-the-motor-girl/

Somewhat in the same vein as Bab: a sub-deb, but substantially more obnoxious.

EthellynGardner books fiction FirstPersonPoV epistolary teenagers motoring condescending stealthscifi 1900s ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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The Green Door by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/17/the-green-door/

Families that can afford to use time travel as an admonitory lesson for naughty children are, I suppose, very lucky.

MaryEleanorWilkinsFreeman books fiction children's timetravel historical condescending 1910s ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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Brewster's Millions by George Barr McCutcheon - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/brewsters-millions/

Monty Brewster has to spend a million dollars in a year. Enormously fun. And considering that I hated Monty for half the book, that's saying something.

GeorgeBarrMcCutcheon books fiction Society NewYorkCity MonteCarlo Florida Italy romance boats yaymaterialism 1900s ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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Long Live the King! by Mary Roberts Rinehart - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/long-live-the-king/

Mary Roberts Rinehart does Ruritanian romance. Occasionally gripping. Reminded me more of Chesterton than of Hope.

MaryRobertsRinehart books fiction 1910s Ruritanian adventure politics romance ProjectGutenberg
april 2012

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Just sweethearts: a Christmas love story - Harry Stillwell Edwards - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/just-sweethearts/

Odd but enjoyable. The plot, such as it is, has to do with a young girl being rescued from drowning by a boy who kept them both afloat for many hours, and who these kids are, which…well, they are who you think they are. There are only, like, three other characters in the book. Also stained glass?

HarryStillwellEdwards books Christmas GoogleBooks 1920s NewYorkCity TheSouth drowning architecture romance
march 2012

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A Reversible Santa Claus by Meredith Nicholson - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/a-reversible-santa-claus/

A reformed burglar becomes slightly less reformed, but it's okay because everyone else is even less together than he is.

MeredithNicholson books Christmas ProjectGutenberg motoring kidnapping burglary "cute"children estrangedfamilies 1910s
march 2012

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Other People's Business by Harriet L. Smith - Project Gutenberg

Persis Dale supports her cranky invalid brother and just generally stops the people around her from being idiots as far as she is able. Cute, 80% really good.

HarrietLummisSmith books fiction 1910s ProjectGutenberg spinsters "cute"children seamstresses smalltown invalids
march 2012

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The Idyl of Twin Fires by Walter Prichard Eaton - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/the-idyll-of-twin-fires/

An instructor at Harvard gives up academia for a farm and a garden.

WalterPritchardEaton books fiction FirstPersonPoV 1910s NewEngland farming gardening socialandclassissues writers ProjectGutenberg
march 2012

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The Lady of the Basement Flat by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

Evelyn Wastneys, after her sister marries and moves to America, decides to lead a double life. Part of the time she's herself, living in a house called Pastimes with a friend named Charmion Fane, and part of the time she's helpful spinster Mary Harding, living in a block of flats in London.

Mrs.GeorgedeHorneVaizey books fiction romance 1910s England London incognito estrangedfamilies ProjectGutenberg FirstPersonPoV
march 2012

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Love Stories by Mary Roberts Rinehart

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/love-stories/

Twenty-Two. Hospital romance: nurse and patient.
Jane. Hospital romance: patient and doctor.
In the Pavilion. Hospital romance: nurse and patient.
God's Fool. Hospital romance: various, featuring a deaf and dumb halfwit.
The Miracle. Hospital romance: unmarried mother and the father of her baby.
"Are We Downhearted? No!" Shipboard romance: dancer and soldier.
The Game. Shipboard...love story: chief engineer and his servant.

MaryRobertsRinehart books fiction shortstories 1910s hospitals nursing doctors WWI transatlanticvoyages boats adoption ProjectGutenberg romance
march 2012

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The Window at the White Cat by Mary Roberts Rinehart

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/the-window-at-the-white-cat/

Pretty basic early 20th century mystery of the lawyer-narrator/bereaved young woman/wealthy and important gentleman found dead at his desk variety. Elevated a little by various cute Rinehart touches.

MaryRobertsRinehart books fiction 1910s mystery politics disappearances detectives journalists ProjectGutenberg FirstPersonPoV
march 2012

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The After House by Mary Roberts Rinehart

A creepy yachting mystery featuring drunkards and bodies hacked up with an axe. But it's Mary Roberts Rinehart, so it's cool.

MaryRobertsRinehart books fiction mystery boats houseparty gruesome drunkenness romance courtroomdrama doctors sailors 1910s ProjectGutenberg FirstPersonPoV
march 2012

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Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth Von Arnim - Project Gutenberg

What it says on the tin. Sadly, Elizabeth is at her most interesting when she's talking about neither herself nor her garden.

ElizabethVonArnim books ProjectGutenberg gardening 1890s Germany "cute"children nature
march 2012

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The yoke - Hubert Wales - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/the-yoke/

The subtitle of this book should be, "I slept with my adoptive mother and all I got was this clean bill of health."

HubertWales books fiction 1900s London incest prostitutes sex scandal suicide romance laterinlife
march 2012

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Phoebe and Ernest - Inez Haynes Gillmore - Google Books

Phoebe and Ernest are siblings, and teenagers, and the proportions in which you laugh and cringe will depend on how close you are to being one yourself.

InezHaynesGillmore books fiction shortstories series Boston 1910s teenagers GoogleBooks
march 2012

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Cap'n Eri by Joseph Crosby Lincoln - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/capn-eri/

There is probably, technically, too much going on here, but Lincoln really makes it work. And Eri is awesome, and romances between sensible middle aged people are often the best kind.

JosephCrosbyLincoln books fiction Massachusetts boats adventure romance 1900s ProjectGutenberg
march 2012

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Vicky Van by Carolyn Wells - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/vicky-van/

The least irritating lawyer narrator ever gets caught up in a mystery when the slightly bohemian--but really perfectly respectable--girl across the street disappears and a millionaire shows up dead in her house during a party (not necessarily in that order).

CarolynWells books fiction ProjectGutenberg 1910s favorite mystery romance FirstPersonPoV series LawyerNarrator NewYorkCity servants familydrama
march 2012

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The Fifth Wheel by Olive Higgins Prouty - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/the-fifth-wheel/

In this sequel to Bobbie, General Manager, Bobbie's younger sister struggles with living on her own and being a New Woman. It would be so wonderful if she didn't undermine all her victories.

OliveHigginsProuty ProjectGutenberg books fiction 1910s NewYorkCity feminism socialandclassissues
march 2012

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The clue - Carolyn Wells - Google Books

http://edwardianpromenade.com/books/vintage-review-the-clue/

Kitty French and Rob Fessenden, doing the flirty crimesolving thing, make this one of Wells' most charming mysteries. Kitty insists the victim didn't kill herself, while Rob is sure she wasn't murdered by her fiance.

CarolynWells GoogleBooks fiction books 1910s mystery romance inheritanceandsuccession PartnersinCrime
march 2012

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The dull Miss Archinard - Anne Douglas Sedgwick - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/10/the-dull-miss-archinard/

The protagonist meets again two young women he knew when they were girls, and finds them greatly changed. Little does he know, the one he's disappointed with is supporting the family singlehandedly.

AnneDouglasSedgwick GoogleBooks books fiction 1890s familydrama poverty artists writers pedophilia Paris
march 2012

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Dr. Ellen - Juliet Wilbor Tompkins - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/dr-ellen/

Dr. Ellen's sister feels trapped by their rural existence, and at first the narrator is inclined to sympathize.

JulietWilborTompkins GoogleBooks books fiction 1900s doctors California rural familydrama insanity
march 2012

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The career of Katherine Bush - Elinor Glyn - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/the-career-of-katherine-bush/

Lower middle class Katherine schemes her way up the social ladder relying a bit on her looks, but more on her intelligence. Is there another popular novel this early where a woman is not punished for having premarital sex? With a man she doesn't marry, no less. It's kind of astounding.

ElinorGlyn GoogleBooks books fiction 1910s London EnglishEstates England typewriting romance socialandclassissues politics government
march 2012

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The silver dress - Mrs. George Norman - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/15/the-silver-dress/

A woman who has grown up mostly in seclusion falls in love with a younger man and blossoms, not necessarily in that order.

Mrs.GeorgeNorman GoogleBooks books fiction 1910s London Wales laterinlife romance Cinderellaand/orTheUglyDuckling
march 2012

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The contrast: and ... other stories - Elinor Glyn - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/17/the-contrast-and-other-stories/

The Contrast: Which is more attractive? The fickle, attractive young Frenchman, or the quiet, steadfast American businessman?
Her Advice: a stunning, mysterious older woman influences a young couple.
The Irtonwood Ghost: Glyn trying to write a ghost story. Does anyone even care?
Fragments: A woman gets involved with her crippled husband's best friend, in a stream-of-consciousness sort of style.
The Point of View: An enigmatic Russian count seduces an English girl, and I spent the entire story thinking it was tongue in cheek.

ElinorGlyn GoogleBooks books fiction 1910s England Paris romance shortstories ghosts
march 2012

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Now, Voyager - Olive Higgins Prouty - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/now-voyager/

Charlotte Vale gets out from under her mother's thumb, is supplied with a new wardrobe, and makes the kind of fresh start you wouldn't believe possible. But then, it is fiction.

OliveHigginsProuty GoogleBooks fiction books 1940s noebookavailable travel boats romance psychology laterinlife Boston
march 2012

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The tale of Triona - William John Locke - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/the-tale-of-triona/

Triona has written a book about his experiences working as an agent in the Russian secret service during the war, and it is both popular and critically acclaimed. And he’s kind of a genius, but he’s also boyish and unaffected and completely smitten with Olivia. So they get married, and for a while they’re cloyingly happy, and then it turns out that Triona is a compulsive liar given to self dramatization and general craziness.

WilliamJohnLocke GoogleBooks 1920s books fiction London England WWI idleyoungrichpeople PostWar spies insanity motoring
march 2012

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Lord Loveland discovers America - Charles Norris Williamson, Alice Muriel Livingston Williamson - Google Books

http://edwardianpromenade.com/books/vintage-review-lord-loveland-discovers-america/

Like his cousin and fellow Williamson protagonist Lady Betty, Val makes a trip to America. His is somewhat less successful, and he becomes a waiter, an actor and a chauffeur in turn.

AMWilliamson CNWilliamson GoogleBooks fiction books 1900s restaurantstaff actors chauffeurs America travel transatlanticvoyages writers
march 2012

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Little Miss Grouch by Samuel Hopkins Adams - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/little-miss-grouch

The most adorable romance of transatlantic travel it has ever been my pleasure to read.

SamuelHopkinsAdams ProjectGutenberg books fiction 1910s travel transatlanticvoyages heiresses boats
march 2012

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Joseph Vance - William De Morgan - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/joseph-vance/

I have yet to successfully describe this novel. It's the story of the eponymous character's life, and it has a fair amount in common with Dickens. Mostly it's kind of sublime.

GoogleBooks books fiction 1900s London socialandclassissues romance favorite familydrama FirstPersonPoV vehicularaccidents WilliamFrendDeMorgan
march 2012

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Moth and rust: and other stories - Mary Cholmondeley - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/moth-and-rust/

Moth and Rust: two intertwined romances, one of which ends inevitably, and very badly.
Geoffrey's Wife: Successfully horrifying.
Let Loose: Ghost story. Dead dog.
The Pitfall:How mostly decent people come to do horrible things.

MaryCholmondeley GoogleBooks books fiction 1900s depressing shortstories romance ghosts dogs whyaredeaddogsathing
march 2012

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Lavender and Old Lace by Myrtle Reed - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/lavender-and-old-lace/

The romance of two journalists recuperating in the country and the lovable spinster next door. Occasionally almost rises to the level of the amazing book it could have been.

MyrtleReed ProjectGutenberg 1900s books fiction spinsters romance rural
march 2012

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Old Rose and Silver by Myrtle Reed - Project Gutenberg

http://edwardianpromenade.com/books/vintage-review-old-rose-and-silver/

A love triangle between two cousins, aged twenty and forty, and a man halfway between them. Mostly okay, sometimes exceedingly uncomfortable.

MyrtleReed ProjectGutenberg books fiction 1900s romance laterinlife vehicularaccidents twins dogs musicians whyaredeaddogsathing
march 2012

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Sylvia: the story of an American countess - Google Books

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/06/sylvia-the-story-of-an-american-countess/

Things I hate Eric for: he gets engaged to a girl because he knows she likes him, and then constantly reminds her that he doesn't care about her at all, while making halfhearted attempts to lead her on. He doesn't want to get a real job, so he writes a romance set in ancient Egypt and makes the heroine a "true Oriental character." He doesn't recognize the girl he's in love with when he meets her under a different name. He's an asshole.

EvalynEmerson 1900s books fiction GoogleBooks California Nice NewYorkCity romance musicians writers Egypt misogyny
march 2012

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The Prisoner in the Opal - A. E. W. MASON - Project Gutenberg of Australia

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/the-prisoner-in-the-opal/

Mr. Ricardo and Inspector Hanaud investigate the occult at a French vineyard. Deliciously silly and occasionally legitimately intelligent.

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march 2012

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The Lamp in the Desert by Ethel M. Dell - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/the-lamp-in-the-desert/

So the girl marries the wrong guy and then the man who's madly in love with her but never bothered to tell her disguises himself and gets the husband to run away. This guy is weirder than Nick Ratcliffe.

1910s EthelMDell books fiction ProjectGutenberg India romance bigamy invalids adoption
march 2012

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The Suitors of Yvonne: being a portion of the memoirs of the Sieur Gaston de - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/captain-blood-day-the-suitors-of-yvonne/

An early Sabatini novel featuring an unlikeable hero with a dueling fetish. Is any Sabatini book worse?

RafaelSabatini 1900s books fiction ProjectGutenberg France historical swashbuckling romance
march 2012

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The Clarion by Samuel Hopkins Adams - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/the-clarion/

This is my number one "why hasn't this been made into a movie since the silent era?" book. A patent medicine king's naive son takes over a newspaper and starts to absorb the ideals of his journalist employees. Daddy issues, journalistic integrity v. corrupt government/corporations, pretty girls, and a bombing.

SamuelHopkinsAdams ProjectGutenberg 1910s books fiction journalists honor familydrama DavidandGoliath socialandclassissues
march 2012

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The Unspeakable Perk by Samuel Hopkins Adams - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/the-unseakable-perk/

Imagine Clark Kent is a doctor stuck on an island for a number of months, and one day a Sabatini heroine comes along and they start flirting. He’s awkward and shy and his glasses are sort of disfiguring, and she’s straightforward and secretly unconventional and easily swayed by popular opinion/prone to misunderstanding things/disinclined to accept explanations. And there’s disease on the island, and unrest among the natives, and an entertaining, loosely-knit group of foreigners in lieu of local color.

SamuelHopkinsAdams ProjectGutenberg books fiction 1910s islands heiresses xenophobia swashbuckling romance ClarkKent'sGlasses
march 2012

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The Eyes of the World by Harold Bell Wright - Project Gutenberg

http://redeemingqualities.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/the-eyes-of-the-world/

Harold Bell Wright thinks culture is evil. You're welcome.

1910s HaroldBellWright ProjectGutenberg books fiction artists writers musicians nature California romance kidnapping lousyexcusesforhumanbeings
march 2012

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