Ocean State Libraries

Through his fiction, H.G. Wells transformed some of the most pressing social, political, and cultural issues of his day-class struggle, colonial imperialism, nation building, uncontrolled scientific experimentation-into the raw material of brilliant speculative fables. The six novels collected in The War of the Worlds and Other Science Fiction Classics were all written at the turn of the twentieth century, and with them Wells helped to lay the foundations...

"It is 1843 and Captain Nathaniel Sir Drinkwater embarks on the paddle-steamer Vestal for an inspection of lighthouse on the west coast of England."--Back cover.

"It is 1811 and Napoleon's French Empire dominates Europe. Desperate to stem the encroaching French tide and avert war with the emerging power of the United States, the Royal Navy orders captain Nathaniel Drinkwater to the Chesapeake Bay to heal the rift between London and Washington."--Back cover.

"Rewarded by promotion for his services at the Battle of Copenhagen, Commander Drinkwater is dispatched in haste to replace the captain of the Melusine. ... The ship sails as escort to a whaling fleet on its annual expedition to the Greenland Sea in pursuit of right whales, [but] the loss of one of the vessels sets off a chain of misfortune."--Back cover.

The Poison Belt is a science fiction novel by British writer Arthur Conan Doyle, the second book about Professor Challenger. Written in 1913, much of it takes place in a single room in Challenger's house in Sussex. This would be the last story written about Challenger until the 1920s, by which time Doyle's spiritualist beliefs had begun to influence his writing. Challenger sends telegrams asking his three companions from The Lost World -- Edward Malone,...

"Would you like to taste Paddington Bear's marmalade? Or a clam chowder from Moby Dick? Drawing from her popular food blog, The Little Library Café, Kate Young has created more than 100 recipes inspired by beloved works of fiction--classics and contemporary bestsellers alike, including stories for all ages. The appealing cookbook offers delectable dishes to serve for breakfast, family dinners, holiday meals, midnight feasts, and parties and celebrations....

A criminal feigns insanity and is admitted to a mental hospital where he challenges the autocratic authority of the head nurse.

"Meek little Mole, willful Ratty, Badger the perennial bachelor, and petulant Toad. Since their first appearance over a hundred years ago in 1908, they've become emblematic archetypes of eccentricity, folly, and friendship. And their misadventures--in gypsy caravans, stolen sports cars, and their beloved Wild Wood--continue to capture readers' imaginations and warm their hearts long after they grow up. Begun as a series of letters from Kenneth Grahame...