At a young age, author Jerome K. Jerome found a hobby that he was extremely skilled at, and very passionate about-idleness. He was thrilled at the amount of time he could waste doing nothing, frustrating those around him. However, when Jerome falls ill and is ordered to bedrest, this hobby is tested. Then, he learns that doing nothing is only fun when you have other commitments. This relatable sentiment is explored in the title essay of Idle Thoughts...

When Jerome K Jerome and his friend decide to attend the Oberammergau Passion Play, an Easter pageant that is performed in Oberlin, Germany once every decade, they turn the trip into a vacation. From London to Germany, the pair plan a cross-continent trip, excited to sight-see and experience different cultures. However, the friends run into conflict before they even take off, unsure what to pack. While they sort through contradicting advice from others,...

"The Physiology of Taste" by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin is a must-read for anyone who loves the art of great food. Besides being famous for his lavish food parties and dinners, Brillat-Savarin was a French lawyer and politician during the French Revolution. He narrowly escaped France during the Reign of Terror, and the proceeded to travel around Europe and America before returning to his home and spending the rest of his days as a court judge....

The Spirit of Rome (1906) is a memoir by Vernon Lee. Published at the height of her career as a leading proponent of Aestheticism and scholar of the Italian Renaissance, The Spirit of Rome is a captivating meditation on the author's experiences in Rome. Raised in the city, she returns as an adult to find it as mysterious and magical as before, a place where any day could offer a chance to lose or discover oneself in history, art, or unrivalled beauty....

The Essays of Michel de Montaigne (1877) is a collection of essays and letters by Michel de Montaigne. Originally published in French as Essais (1580), this edition was translated by English poet Charles Cotton in the late-17th century and republished by William Carew Hazlitt, the grandson of renowned English essayist and critic William Hazlitt. "No man living is more free from this passion [of sorrow] than I, who yet neither like it in myself nor...

The History of a Crime (1877) is a book-length essay by Victor Hugo. While Hugo is famous today for his status as a leading French poet and novelist of the nineteenth century, he was also a gifted historian and memoirist who served on the National Assembly of the Second Republic. Following the coup d'état of Napoleon III in 1851, Hugo was among the insurrectionists who revolted against military forces on the streets of Paris. Despite their efforts,...

"Laurus Nobilis" is an 1909 collection of essays on the subject of aestheticism written by Vernon Lee. Contents include: "The Use of Beauty", "'Nisi Citharam'", "Higher Harmonies", "Beauty and Sanity", "The Art and the Country Tuscan Notes", "Art and Usefulness", and "Wasteful Pleasures". A fantastic collection of interesting essays that will appeal to those with an interest in aesthetics and related subjects. Violet Paget (1856—1935), also known...

The Experimental Novel (1880) is an essay by French author Émile Zola. Written at the height of his career as a leading proponent of Naturalism, The Experimental Novel serves to illuminate the author's approach to the practice and purpose of writing while advocating for a revolution of style among artists of his era. Read as a reaction against Romanticism, The Experimental Novel proves a convincing counterpoint to the excesses and failures of nineteenth...

Author Marie Corelli's brilliant commentary on the personal and professional politics of the literary community full of colorful characters fueled by fame, criticism and competition. It's a bold and insightful depiction of nineteenth century publishing. At the time of publication, Marie Corelli was an established writer who had been criticized for her style and subject matter. In The Silver Domino; or Side Whispers and Literary, she adopts an anonymous...

During the catastrophic economic depression of the 1890s, young Jack London found himself in the same situation as many others-homeless and unemployed. After a failed American investment and crop failure, the nation found itself in a panic. As London recounts these times, he tells stories of hopping on freight trains, consequently being forcefully removed. While living as a hobo, London often had to beg for food and money, and frequently found himself...