eBooks
90 Books foundAbout the Catalogue
The AUACY Public Domain Literature Library offers 90 free-to-read works of poetry, drama, and performance, drawn from the Project Gutenberg archive. Each book has been selected for its literary interest and historical value, with catalogue notes written by editor Mary Hardy to guide first readings.
Browsing the Collection
You can browse the entire library from this page, or use the four category guides to explore works grouped by theme, period, or subject. Each book page includes a full bibliographic record, a reading note, and links to related works within the catalogue.
Book-Record Information
Every ebook entry lists the title, author or authors, publisher, keywords, target-reader description, and a catalogue note that explains the work's content and context. The record also includes the Project Gutenberg source and a direct link to the text.
Source Attribution
All texts in this catalogue are sourced from Project Gutenberg, a digital library of public-domain works. The AUACY library adds editorial material—reading notes, category guides, and background essays—but the underlying texts are unaltered.
Exploring Categories
The four categories—Adventure Picaresque Fiction; Battles and Military History; Science Fiction Utopias; and Sailors, Pirates & Oceans—help readers navigate the collection by theme. Each category includes a short guide with recommended works.
Three Practical Reading Paths
- Start with a classic: Begin with The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth (Volume 8) or The Dream of Gerontius for a grounding in 19th-century English verse.
- Focus on a theme: Choose war poetry in the Battles category, or sea poems in the Sailors category, for a concentrated thematic read.
- Sample the unusual: Try Gobolinks; or, Shadow Pictures for Young and Old or Absurd Ditties for playful, experimental works.
Beyond This Page
If you need more background, visit the Editorial Standards page or the About Us page. For corrections, use the Contact Us page.
Bibliographic dates and catalogue measurements
The catalogue distinguishes the Project Gutenberg digital release from a work’s original or first publication. Project Gutenberg is identified as the digital source for the edition available here; its release year is therefore shown as Gutenberg Release Year, not as the work’s original publication year.
When an explicit first-publication or issue date can be supported directly by the title or issue information, it may be shown separately as First Publication Year. When that date cannot be confirmed, the catalogue displays Not confirmed rather than guessing a year.
Where the source text can be measured reliably, the catalogue may provide word count and estimated reading time. These measurements describe reading scope and are not quality rankings.
The current catalogue contains 4 active subject categories: Adventure Picaresque Fiction, Fantasy Juvenile Worlds, Science Fiction Utopias, and Historical Psychological Social Fiction. Categories are browsing aids and may overlap where a work reasonably fits more than one subject.
