Volume VII

The Cricket on the Hearth, by Charles Dickens.

This is one of the Christmas stories, and is written in the best vein of the fascinating author.

David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens.

This is usually considered the masterpiece of the author.

A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens.

A thrilling story of the French Revolution, rather full of terrible happenings, and rather mature.

The Lady of the Lake, and Marmion, by Sir Walter Scott,

the two best of his longer poems, rarely fail to interest young people.

Tales from Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb.

The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Merchant of Venice,

are the three Shakespearean plays that first interest children. Care should be taken in the selection of the edition, as none of the plays in their original form are suitable for children. School editions with notes are excellent. The Tempest is printed in Volume VIII of this set, and is deferred to that point on account of the very full notes and comments that accompany it. The play itself may be read quite early, and children should be encouraged to try their skill on Shakespeare as soon as they show signs of interest.

Undine, by Baron de la Motte Fouqué,

is a beautiful fairy tale from the German, with interest for older children than those who read Andersen and Grimm.

Plutarch’s Lives.

White’s Boys’ and Girls’ Plutarch is recommended. The lives of Brutus, Julius Cæsar, Themistocles, Pericles and Alexander are among the more interesting.

The Burning of Rome, by A. J. Church,

is a thrilling story of that event.

Cuore, by Edmondo De Amicis.

The journal of an Italian schoolboy. Useful and moral, but not always interesting to American boys.

In His Name, by Edward Everett Hale.

A tale of religious persecution.

The Peasant and the Prince, by Harriet Martineau.

An intensely interesting picture of France just before the Revolution.

Picciola, by X. B. Santine.

A touching story whose scene is laid in France in the time of Napoleon.

Life of Daniel Boone, by J. and J. C. Abbott.

The Iliad, Bryant’s translation.

Classified Lists

When boys and girls can read the first seven volumes of this set intelligently and with pleasure they are thinking for themselves. Their tastes are forming rapidly, and they have learned how to read nearly everything that comes to them. They know how to use reference books, and can “make out the meaning” of difficult passages. They are reading for information and culture. What they lack is experience in life, and so they are unable to interpret what they read as fully as can those who have lived longer, seen more of the world, enjoyed more, suffered more. Where they are liable to fail and go astray is in the lack of judgment. They know right and wrong, but they cannot always see the difference. They are apt to be misled by their feelings and to be ruled by their emotions.

The studies and selections of the last three volumes are varied and highly suggestive. They will open new lines of thought and prompt to wider reading in many directions. The contents vary in difficulty as in character, but are not graded in a strict sense of the term. They are meant for independent readers, readers who are governed by mood or purpose and no longer rely upon outside guidance.

Accordingly, lists of books suitable for readers of these volumes will cover every department of literature and lead into the reading favored by adults. The majority of these lists deal with literature. They contain the names of those books which are distinctly helpful, and from which young readers may derive nothing to corrupt taste or give false impressions of life. They are the standard books of the language. The lists might have been longer; they do contain, however, the names of those best books that every cultured person should know. For convenience in reference the arrangement is the alphabetical order of authors’ names.

Fiction

Ainsworth, William Harrison: The Tower of London, the story of Lady Jane Grey, and the plots and intrigues that centered about her.

Alcott, Louisa M.: Little Men and Little Women, two interesting and thoroughly wholesome books for boys and girls.

Austen, Jane: Pride and Prejudice, an old-fashioned story, interesting, but liable to be called dull by those who read only the lively stories of the day.

Blackmore, R. D.: Lorna Doone, a delightful romance, the scene of which is laid in Exmoor, England, in the beginning of the eighteenth century.

Bulwer-Lytton, Sir Edward: The Last Days of Pompeii, the author’s greatest novel; The Last of the Barons, the story of the Earl of Warwick; Harold, The Last of the Saxons, a tale of the Norman Conquest of England.

Doyle, A. Conan: The White Company, an exciting fourteenth century story.

Eliot, George: Silas Marner, an intensely human story, a heart history; Romola, a thrilling story of Florence in the days of Savonarola, a study in the degeneration of character that comes from doing only the agreeable things in life.

Goldsmith, Oliver: The Vicar of Wakefield, an amusing and at times pathetic picture of English country life in the eighteenth century.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel: The Scarlet Letter, a tale of sin and its punishment in Puritan New England; The Marble Faun, an Italian story full of the art and culture of Rome.

Hugo, Victor: Les Miserables, one of the greatest novels of the world, but its digressions and its philosophy make it difficult reading for the young. Interesting abridgements of it may be had from the schoolbook houses.

Saint Pierre, Bernardin De: Paul and Virginia, a pretty love story from the French.

Scott, Sir Walter: Kenilworth, a tale of the days of Queen Elizabeth; Old Mortality, a story of the Covenanters; Guy Mannering, an eighteenth century tale, with Meg Merrilies, Dominic Sampson and others of Scott’s most famous characters; The Heart of Midlothian, a tale of sin and its punishment, with a wonderful picture of a sister’s love and devotion.

Stowe, Harriet Beecher: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, an interesting story, but like most books written for partisan purposes, its influence is not now wholesome.

Thackeray, William Makepeace: Henry Esmond, Pendennis and The Newcomes may be read in the order named. Vanity Fair is better appreciated by adults.

Twain, Mark: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, two stories whose fun every boy will appreciate.

Wallace, Lew: Ben Hur, a Tale of the Christ. An admirable historical novel.

Poetry and Drama

Browning, Robert: Besides the poems given in these books, The Lost Leader and Rabbi Ben Ezra are enjoyed by boys and girls.

Bryant, William Cullen: The Poetical Works (Household Edition), D. Appleton & Co. The Song of Marion’s Men, The Green Mountain Boys, Thanatopsis, Sella, The Death of the Flowers, The Planting of the Apple Tree and Robert of Lincoln are among his best poems.

Shakespeare, William: Julius Cæsar and Coriolanus, two plays based on Roman history and excellent for reading purposes; Richard II (1398-1399), Henry IV (1402-1413), Henry V (1414-1420), Henry VI (1422-1471), Richard III (1471-1485), all based on English history; As You Like It, a great comedy; Hamlet and King Lear, perhaps the two greatest tragedies. All these are excellent reading, especially in such an edition as the Temple Classics. Other plays may well be read, but everyone should know the foregoing list.

Essays

Emerson, Ralph Waldo: The American Scholar, Self-Reliance, Culture and Behavior may be read with profit by the young, even if they do not fully understand the philosophy.

Hale, Edward Everett: American Essays and English Essays, two books edited by Hale. They contain selections from the writings of George William Curtis, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Washington Irving, James Russell Lowell, Addison, Goldsmith, Lamb and Thackeray.

Holmes, Oliver Wendell: The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, a charming series of talks which embody the best of Holmes’s wit, wisdom and philosophy. One of those things everybody must read.

Irving, Washington: The Sketch Book contains such perfect stories as Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as a number of fine essays for later reading.

Roosevelt, Theodore: American Ideals and Other Essays. Putnam.

Ruskin, John: Sesame and Lilies. In spite of its seeming difficulty, this book contains some of the most inspiring words ever spoken on books and reading.

Warner, Charles Dudley: A-Hunting of the Deer and Other Essays, a delightful little collection that young people will enjoy and that has fine literary qualities. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

Nature

Thoreau, Henry David: Walden, a vivid book of outdoor life. Such also are A Week on the Concord and Merrimac Rivers and Excursions in Field and Forest.

Biography

Fabre, Jean-Henri: Our Humble Helpers, familiar talks on the domestic animals. The Century Co.

Boswell, James: Life of Samuel Johnson. The first great biography, and still the most remarkable in its intimacy. Not of general interest to young people.

Brooks, Eldridge Streeter: Historic Girls. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Brooks, Noah: Life of Abraham Lincoln. G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Burroughs, John: John James Audubon. Small, Maynard & Co.

Golding, Vautier: The Story of Henry M. Stanley. E. P. Dutton & Co.

Harrison, Frederick: Oliver Cromwell. Macmillan.

Irving, Washington: Washington, and Mahomet.

Lodge, Henry Cabot: Alexander Hamilton. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

Nicolay, John G.: Boys’ Life of Abraham Lincoln.

Ober, Frederick O.: Pizarro. Harper.

Riis, Jacob A.: The Making of an American. Macmillan.

Schurz, Carl: Life of Henry Clay. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

Scudder, Horace Elisha: George Washington. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

Trent, W. P.: Robert E. Lee.

Wister, Owen: U. S. Grant. Beacon Biography.

History

Bancroft, George: History of the United States (to the inauguration of Washington). A voluminous history with interesting passages, but tedious to young readers.

Draper, Andrew Sloan: The Rescue of Cuba. Silver, Burdett & Co.

Fiske, John: The War of Independence. Houghton, Mifflin Co.

Lodge, Henry Cabot, and Roosevelt, Theodore: Hero Tales from American History. The Century Company.

Motley, John Lothrop: The Rise of the Dutch Republic. This, with other histories by the same writer, is a long and brilliant account, full of interest to the older youths who have a taste for history.

Parkman, Francis: La Salle and the Northwest, The Conspiracy of Pontiac, and Montcalm and Wolfe are three histories of a brilliant series on the French explorations and colonizations in the Northwest. Parkman is one of our finest historical writers, and his graphic style has given many a young man a deep interest in history.

Prescott, William Hickling: The Conquest of Mexico and The Conquest of Peru are two interesting histories of the longer type, written in an interesting style that many youths will enjoy. Prescott’s work lies with the Spanish, as Motley’s with the Dutch and Parkman’s with the French.

Roosevelt, Theodore (see Lodge, Henry Cabot).

Travel and Geography

Butterworth, Hezekiah: Zig-Zag Journeys in Classic Lands. There are other interesting Zig-Zag Journeys by the same author.

Dana, Richard Henry: Two Years Before the Mast.

Darwin, Charles: Voyage of a Naturalist.

Du Chaillu, Paul: The Land of the Long Night. A winter journey through Northern Europe.

Ingersoll, Ernest: The Book of the Ocean.

Jenks, Tudor: The Boy’s Book of Exploration. Deals principally with Africa.

Knox, Thos.: The Boy Travelers in South America. There are other interesting books in the same series.

Roosevelt, Theodore: Stories of the Great West. Century Co.

Stanley, Henry M.: In Darkest Africa.

Stockton, Frank Richard: Personally Conducted. Interesting descriptions of places in Europe.

Taylor, Bayard: Views Afoot.

Twain, Mark (Samuel Langhorne Clemens): Innocents Abroad. An amusing account of European travel with good descriptions.

Warner, Charles Dudley: My Winter on the Nile.

Miscellaneous

The books in the following list have not been selected because of their literary qualities, but because they contain things that are of interest and value to young people. It is thought that parents may wish some information concerning such books as are mentioned, and those given in the list can be relied upon as being interesting, instructive and not expensive. The arrangement is by title.

American Boys’ Handy Book of Camp Lore and Woodcraft, by Daniel Cortes Beard. Tells how to fish, hunt, camp, and how to make a great variety of things.

American Girls’ Handy Book, by Adelia B. Beard. Directions for making and doing. A companion to American Boys’ Handy Book.

American Girls’ Home Book of Work and Play, by Helen Campbell. Outdoor and indoor games and amusements, Christmas gifts, cooking, etc.

Among the Law Makers, by Edmund Alton Bailey. Deals with the national Congress, largely the recollections of a former page.

Beginner’s Garden Book, The, by Allen French.

Boys’ Book of Inventions, The, by Ray Stannard Baker. Descriptions of our latest inventions.

Boys’ Second Book of Inventions, The, by Ray Stannard Baker.

Boy Scouts’ Book of Stories, Edited by Franklin K. Mathiews.

Careers of Danger and Daring, by Cleveland Moffett. Deals with the dangerous occupations of man, steeple-climbing, fire service, ballooning, etc.

Century Book for Young Americans, The, by Eldridge Streeter Brooks. Deals with Washington and the government of the United States.

Complete Housekeeper, by Emily Holt.

Electric Toy-making for Amateurs, by T. O’Connor Sloane. A practical book, interesting to boys.

Experimental Science, by G. M. Hopkins. A large and rather expensive book on experimental physics.

Flame, Electricity and the Camera. An account of man’s progress from the first kindling of fire to the present time.

Garden Making, by Liberty Hyde Bailey. A practical book for school and house.

Handycraft for Handy Girls, by A. Neely Hall and Dorothy Perkins. Practical plans for work and play.

Harper’s Indoor Book for Boys, and Harper’s Outdoor Book for Boys, by J. H. Adams. Practical directions for work and play.

Mary Frances Sewing-Book, by Jane Eyre Foyer.

Outlines of the Earth’s History, by N. S. Shaler. A popular book on physiography.

Practical Track and Field Athletics, by John Graham and Ellery H. Clark.

Rules of Order (Pocket Manual), by General Henry M. Roberts. Deals with rules of practice in deliberating assemblies.

Young People’s Story of Art, by Ida Prentice Whitcomb.

Young American, by Harry Pratt Judson. An outline of our system of government.

With Men Who Do Things, by A. Russell Bond. “Scientific American” Series.