The Intuitive Systems Online Reading Library

One of my very favorite areas of the Web is Project Gutenberg, run by Dr. Michael Hart at Illinois Benedictine College. The goal of the project is to distribute public domain copies of literature and documents where the copyright has expired. There's a tremendous range of stuff available already, hundreds of books, famous speeches, letters, and more. Great stuff.

The only drawback is that almost all of it is plain text, without any formatting at all. As a result, as I have the time, I have started translating some of my favorite material in the library so that it is attractive and easily read here on the Web. Please, have a look!

Note: I have chosen to keep all of these as single files, even when they've become quite extraordinarily long Web pages. The main reason for this is that once you've downloaded the page, you can save it, send it to your handheld, or what-have-you, without any fuss.

Aesop's Fables

Perhaps one of the best places to start reading the material in this library, Aesop's Fables is a truly amazing collection of wisdom and thoughtful commentary on society and humanity. And it's entertaining reading too!

Around the World in 80 Days

One of my favorite books as a child, this Jules Verne classic is an exciting, epic adventure that perfectly captures the derring-do and aplomb of the British aristocracy in the person of Mr. Phileas Fogg. A delightful read for any age!

The Art of Writing

It's a bit pompous, but Robert Louis Stevenson wrote some very interesting essays on writing, including much of interest about his authorship of Treasure Island and The Master of Ballantrae. Of particular interest to other writers.

The Declaration of Independence

The foundational document of the United States of America: when was the last time you actually spent the time to read this all-important declaration? You'll be surprised what it says...

The Gettysburg Address

One of the most famous speeches in the history of the United States, President Abraham Lincoln packed a lot of meaning into a succinct presentation he gave at the end of the Civil War, 1863.

I Have A Dream...

Visionary and civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. presented this most famous and moving of speeches on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August, 1963.

The Importance of Being Earnest

What can I say about this? Perhaps the wittiest and most entertaining play in the English language, it's Oscar Wilde's masterpiece, as far as I am concerned. It's my favorite play, and even after reading through it many, many times, it still brings a laugh to my heart. May it do the same for you!

The Jungle Book

Another wonderful story - this is one of Rudyard Kipling's best books (along with my personal favorite, Kim). Read through it and be surprised how much more there is to the story than the Disney version.

Manifesto of the Communist Party

A hundred years later, Marx and Engels prove to have been optimistic dreamers: communism hasn't worked out quite as they expected in any place it's been tried. And yet... there are some very intriguing ideas about community property and the good of all versus the good of the individual that are well worth a read.

Notes from the Underground

This is a curious and challenging read, but I have a high degree of respect and appreciation for Soviet author Fyodor Dostoyevsky (who also wrote Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov). This particular book is Dostoyevsky's response to the nihilstic utopian fad of late 1800's Russian literati.

On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

Henry David Thoreau is perhaps better know for Walden, but his book On The Duty of Civil Disobedience is really quite thought-provoking reading, and asks many important questions about how governments should work and what the rights and duties of a citizen should be.

The Story of Dr. Dolittle

In a less serious vein, The Story of Dr. Dolittle was not only one of my favorite childhood stories but was also made into a truly delightful film starring Rex Harrison. This is the original book, as published by Hugh Lofting.

The Wind in the Willows

Another wonderful childhood story, this book is one where it's really quite a drag that the wonderful original illustrations aren't available and in the public domain, but even just as a text file this delightful tale of Mr. Toad, Mole, Badger, and the rest of the denizens of the woods is a great read.