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1Haunted Bookshop

By Christopher Morley

Roger Mifflin is the somewhat eccentric proprietor of <i>The Haunted Bookshop</i>, a second-hand bookstore in Brooklyn that is "haunted by the ghosts of all great literature." Beginning with the arrival of a young advertising man and the mysterious disappearance of a certain volume from the shelves of the bookshop, a lively and often humorous tale of intrigue unfolds, generously sprinkled with liberal doses of Roger's unique philosophy on literature and book selling. (Summary by J. M. Smallheer)

2Insect Folk

By Margaret Warner Morley

Through delightful outings with her students, a teacher introduces her class to the fascinating world of insects. She encourages her students to observe and ask questions. This is a wonderful science text for young children. (Summary by Laura Caldwell)

3Parnassus on Wheels

By Christopher Morley

Parnassus on Wheels is about a fictional traveling book-selling business. The original owner of the business, Roger Mifflin, sells it to 39-year-old Helen McGill, who is tired of taking care of her ailing older brother, Andrew. (summary from Wikipedia)

4Kathleen

By Christopher Morley

A group called the Scorpions, eight Oxford undergraduates, find a letter Kathleen wrote a letter to Joe at Oxford. They build up an image of Kathleen and Joe from the letter and set out to find and meet Kathleen. The competition between them leads to many entertainingly funny scenarios. (Summary by Kirk Ziegler)

5Chimneysmoke

By Christopher Morley

A collection of short poems on various themes by the author. (Summary by Carmen H)

6Mince Pie

By Christopher Morley

Mince Pie is a compilation of humorous sketches, poetry, and essays written by Christopher Morley. Morley sets the tone in the preface: "If one asks what excuse there can be for prolonging the existence of these trifles, my answer is that there is no excuse. But a copy on the bedside shelf may possibly pave the way to easy slumber. Only a mind "debauched by learning" (in Doctor Johnson's phrase) will scrutinize them too anxiously." (Summary from preface and by lubee930)

7In the Sweet Dry and Dry

By Bart Haley and Christopher Morley

Written just before Prohibition to entail the possible troubles that might happen en route. Both sides of the argument, or battle as the case may be, strike out with various over-top methods like legislating most fruits and vegetables as unsafe or intoxicating large groups with breathable alcohol. (Summary by Daryl Wor)

8Pipefuls

By Christopher Morley

A delightful collection of 48 essays on various topics of the human condition that caught his fancy. Witty, insightful and funny of course and on occasion thought provoking and even disturbing. From the preface "These sketches gave me pain to write; they will give the judicious patron pain to read; therefore we are quits. I think, as I look over their slattern paragraphs, of that most tragic hour—it falls about 4 p. m. in the office of an evening newspaper—when the unhappy compiler tries to round up the broodings of the day and still get home in time for supper. And yet perhaps the will-to-live is in them, for are they not a naked exhibit of the antics a man will commit in order to earn a living? In extenuation it may be pleaded that none of them are so long that they may not be mitigated by an accompanying pipe of tobacco." (Summary by phil chenevert)

Reynard the Fox is a literary cycle of allegorical fables in French, Dutch, English, and German, first published around 1170. The fables are largely concerned with Reynard, an anthropomorphic red fox and trickster figure. (Summary from Wikipedia)

Robert Walpole, 1st Duke of Orford (1676-1745), is generally regarded as the first prime minister of Great Britain. This is a short biography of this important and controversial statesman by the British historian and anti-imperialist, John Morley (1838-1923). Summary by Pamela Nagami.

11Shandygaff

By Christopher Morley

A number of most agreeable Inquirendoes upon Life & Letters, interspersed with Short Stories & Skits, the whole most Diverting to the Reader. (Title page) SHANDYGAFF: a very refreshing drink, being a mixture of bitter ale or beer and ginger-beer, commonly drunk by the lower classes in England, and by strolling tinkers, low church parsons, newspaper men, journalists, and prizefighters. Said to have been invented by Henry VIII as a solace for his matrimonial difficulties. It is believed that a continual bibbing of shandygaff saps the will, the nerves, the resolution, and the finer faculties, but there are those who will abide no other tipple. (John Mistletoe: Dictionary of Deplorable Facts.) Christopher Morley (1890 – 1957) was an American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet. Here are thirty-five of his humorous essays. - Summary by Book Preface and david wales

12Modern Essays

By Christopher Morley

Thirty three essays by more or less well-known authors of Britain, the United States, and Canada, each fronted by an introductory paragraph. Early twentieth or late nineteenth centuries. “I think I can offer you, in this parliament of philomaths [lover of learning], entertainment of the most genuine sort;…as brilliant and sincere work is being done to-day in the essay as in any period of our literature. Accordingly the pieces reprinted here are very diverse. There is the grand manner; there is foolery; there is straightforward literary criticism; there is pathos, politics, and the picturesque. But every selection is, in its own way, a work of art. And I would call the reader's attention to this: that the greater number of these essays were written not by retired æsthetes, but by practising journalists in the harness of the daily or weekly press.” The listener is alerted to the fact that some of the essays have been edited from the original, some lightly, others quite heavily. Published in 1921. ( Author's Preface and david wales)

13Handbook of Home Rule: Being Articles on the Irish Question

By James Bryce, William Ewart Gladstone, Edwin Lawrence Godkin, Malcolm MacColl, John Morley, Richard Barry O'Brien and Henry Thring

The issue of Irish home rule was the dominant political question of British and Irish politics in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Published in 1887, this work contains articles in favour of the measure. (Irish home rule was finally approved in 1914 but implementation was suspended until after WWI.)<br> "The object of the writers has been to treat the difficult questions connected with the Government of Ireland in a dispassionate spirit; and the volume is offered to the public in the hope that it may, at a time of warm controversy over passing events, help to lead thoughtful men back to the consideration of the principles which underlie those questions, and which it seeks to elucidate by calm discussion and by references to history." (Summary by TriciaG & from Editor's Note)

14Plum Pudding: Of Divers Ingredients, Discreetly Blended & Seasoned

By Christopher Morley

Chrisopher Morley was an American literary luminary whose prolific writings included novels, essays, poetry, plays and great journalistic output. This collection of essays is wide ranging in topics, many with his characteristic wit. - Summary by Larry Wilson

Seed Babies piques the child's interest about how seeds grow. It provides interesting information about seeds in a conversational style between two brothers and the various seeds they encounter. These seeds offer grammatical advice, chastises poor reasoning, provide enlightening information, and will often encourage the boys to go and discover answers to their questions themselves. In turn, the author lets the reader know that she too hopes that they will plant some seeds and make discoveries of their own. The last few chapters venture into the world of insects, frogs and various other eggs, encouraging children to consider the beginnings of various forms of life. In the end, this short book provides more questions than answers and helps children learn to be inquisitive about nature and to investigate answers to their questions. - Summary by SweetHome

"The Honey-bees are buzzy-fuzzy little pepper pots" Thus this wonderful nature writer begins to tell us about bees, their habits, their way of living and their many contributions to the world and to ourselves. The author writes for all ages and everyone can listen to and enjoy this book. - Summary by Phil Chenevert

This book discusses a great variety of plants and their seeds in a simple, yet interesting way that children will enjoy. As the books says, "Plants are great travelers; they often wander far and wide. Sometimes they even cross the ocean and take up their abode in a new land.” The importance of why seeds “travel” and the various means by which they move are investigated. ( SweetHome)

18Religio Journalistici

By Christopher Morley

The great Canadian journalist and humorist ruminates and reflects upon his life and calling in this 1924 little gem. - Summary by david wales

19Plum Pudding (version 2)

By Christopher Morley

Christopher Morley: A modern humorist with the tang of an Elizabethan. Plum Pudding: Thus Mr. Morley entitles his new volume, in which he has occupied himself with books in particular, but also with divers other ingredients such as city and suburban incidents, women, dogs, children, tadpoles, and so on.

20Powder of Sympathy

By Christopher Morley

Another collection of mostly short “soliloquys” from Christopher Morley, an American literary luminary, who introduces them thus: “… these pieces were written, day by day, out of the pressure and hilarity and contention of the mind. I have made no attempt to conceal their ephemeral origin. They were almost all written for a newspaper, and contain many references to journalism. … it is remarkable that they should have been written at all: remarkable that any newspaper should take the pains to offer space to speculations of this sort. I have not scrupled, on occasion, to chaff some of the matters newspapers are supposed to hold sacred. … <br><br> But a columnist … is only a deboshed Editorial Writer, a fallen angel abjected from the secure heaven of anonymity. … unsuspecting whether intended by his scheming employer as a decoy, or a doormat, or a gargoyle, or a lightning rod (how is he to know, never having been given instruction of any sort except to go ahead and write as he pleases?) … [T]he columnist pursues his task and gradually distils a philosophy of his own out of his duties. Oddly enough, instead of growing more cautious by reason of his exposure, he becomes almost dangerously candid. He knows that if he is wrong he will be set right the next morning by a stack of letters varying in number according to the nature of his indiscretion. - Summary by Winnifred Assmann and excerpts from the Preface <br><br> <b>Note:</b> "The word ... niggardly [used in section 42, is] ... etymologically unrelated to the highly offensive and inflammatory racial slur euphemistically referred to as the N-word, despite the ... visual and auditory resemblance to it." Merriam-Webster

21Where the Blue Begins

By Christopher Morley

In his collection <i>Plum Pudding</i>, Christopher Morley included two pieces about an unprepossessing mutt named “Haphazard Gissing I” with a gift for mischief. In <i>The Powder of Sympathy</i>, that mutt appeared three times. In between those two collections, Morley made Gissing the hero of his own novel, in which he adopts three puppies, has several career changes, and goes hunting for the meaning of life (“where the blue begins”). “It was strange, since Gissing was so pleasantly situated in life, that he got into these curious adventures that I have to relate. I do not attempt to explain it.” (from Chapter 1 of <i>Where the Blue Begins</i> by Christopher Morley) - Summary by Winnifred Assmann and Christopher Morley