By Moncure Daniel Conway

Dive into the captivating world of one of history's most influential figures with Moncure Conway's comprehensive biography, "The Life of Thomas Paine." Spanning two volumes, this meticulously researched work offers an in-depth look at the life, ideas, and legacy of Thomas Paine, the Anglo-American revolutionary whose writings inspired and shaped the course of history.

Volume 1 explores Paine's early life, his journey to America, and his pivotal role in the American Revolution. From the publication of "Common Sense" to his contributions as a soldier and secretary, readers will gain a profound understanding of Paine's impact on the fight for independence.

Volume 2 delves into Paine's later years, including his involvement in the French Revolution and his enduring influence on political thought. This volume also addresses the controversies and challenges Paine faced, providing a balanced and nuanced portrait of this complex figure.

Moncure Conway's narrative is not only informative but also engaging, making "The Life of Thomas Paine" a must-read for history enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone interested in the revolutionary ideas that continue to resonate today. Embark on a journey through the life of a true revolutionary and discover the enduring power of Thomas Paine's words and deeds. This version contains an explanatory introduction by Colin Heston and details of the earlier publications of the works.

First published in 1893. Current version Read-Me.Org 2025. 464p.

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By W. E. BURGHARDT DU BOIS,

John Brown, a pivotal figure in American history, was a fervent abolitionist known for his radical activism against slavery in the mid-19th century. Born in 1800, Brown's unwavering commitment to the abolitionist cause led him to participate in notable events like the Pottawatomie Creek Massacre and the infamous raid on Harpers Ferry.

Brown's unyielding belief in the inherent rights of all individuals, regardless of color, propelled him to challenge the oppressive institution of slavery through direct action. His bold tactics and militant approach set him apart from other abolitionists of his time, making him a polarizing figure in the nation's tumultuous political landscape.

Despite facing criticism, condemnation, and ultimately execution for his actions, John Brown's legacy endures as a symbol of resistance against injustice and a beacon of hope for those who fight for equality and human rights. His unwavering dedication to the abolitionist movement continues to inspire generations to strive for a more just and equitable society.

PHILADELPHIA. GEORGE W. JACOBS & & COMPANY COMPANY PUBLISHERS. 1909. 284p.

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Selected and Edited with an Introduction by L. Jesse Lemisch

FROM THE INTRODUCTION: “In the following pages we meet the many-sided Franklin. We see him through his own eyes and sometimes through the eyes ofothers: bis wife, his son, Abigail Adams, fellow-scientist Joseph Priestley, to name a few. H e is father, son, brother, husband, lover; he is scientist,in- ventor,educator, diplomat, propagandist, politician, hu- morist; he reveals his own ambition and advises us on the way to wealth and in the art of conversation; he explains his religion and tells us how he did good. Franklin introduces himself to us in his Memoirs- as he always called his autobiography. We meet him at the punchbowl where, from time to time, he steps aside from the ball to hurriedly relate his reminiscences. He comes to aquiet corner of the halland speaks candidly, but he is still dressed for a public ball. He tells us the truth but is careful to keep his distance: "Let all Men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly," said Poor Richard…”

NY. Signet Classic. 1961.

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Edited by Sean Wilentz

FROM THE INTRODUCTION: “No president of the United Stales-and probably no figure in all of American history-is as widely revered as Abraham Lincoln. For several decades, scholars and the general public alike have uniformly ranked Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt as the three greatest presidents, and Lincoln almost always heads the list. The number of biographies and commentaries written in the United States about Lincoln is exceeded only by those written about Jesus Christ. As emancipator, commander-in-chief, orator, and martyr, Lincoln-or the image of Lincoln- stands for the nation's highest values. Yet as historians know, this is not the whole story. Before he was murdered, Lincoln was the butt of ridicule and worse from all across the political spectrum-in the North as well as the South. Since then, scholars have continually disagreed, sometimes sharply, about whether Lincoln truly earned the accolades he has received--and, if he did, what has made him so deserving.

NY. Palgrave. 2009. 266p.

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By Joseph J. Ellis

FROM THE PREFACE: “No Event in American history which was so improbable at the time has seemed so inevitable in retrospect as the American Revolution. On the inevitability side, it is true there were voices back then urging prospective patriots to regard American independence as an early version of manifest destiny. Tom Paine, for example, claimed that it was simply a matter of common sense that an island couldnot rule a continent. And Thomas Jefferson's lyrical rendering of the reasons for the entire revolutionaryenterprise emphasized the self-evident character of the principles at stake. Several other prominent American revolutionaries also talked as if they were actors in a historical drama whose script had already been written by the gods. In his old age, John Adams recalled his youthful intimations of the providential forces at work….”

NY. Vintage. 2002. 307p.

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By Joseph J. Ellis

FROM THE PREFACE: “My own relationship with George Washington began early. I grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, and attended St. Mary's grade school, about eight miles down Mount Vernon Boulevard from the estate where the great man once walked the earth. Because my school was so prox- imate to Mount Vernon, my teachers-all nuns--forced us to make frequent pilgrimages to the historic site where the spirit of America's greatest secular saint resided. Back then the tour was less historically informed than it is now. I don't recall slavery being mentioned at all. I do recall being told that the story of Washington's wooden teeth was a myth--my first encounter with the notion that you could not always trust what you read in history books. I remember this clearly because the high point of the tour was Washington's dentures, which were encased in glass and looked to me like a really gross instrument of torture made of metal and bone. The only other thing I remember is the majestic view of the Potomac from the piazza on the east side of the mansion….”

NY. Vintage. 2005. 354p.

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By Joseph J. Ellis

FROM THE PREFACE: “ The idea for this book first came to me while listening to twenty-eight middle school boys recite the Gettysburg Address from memory in front of their classmates and proud parents. My son Scott was teaching science at the Greenwood School in Putney, Vermont, and had invited me to judge the annual oratorical contest. Idon't remember exactly when it happened, but at some point during the strenuous if repetitious effort to get Lincoln's words right, it dawned on me that the first clause in the first sentence of Lincoln's famous speech was historically incorrect. Lincoln began as follows: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this Continent a new Nation." No, not really. In 1776 thirteen American colonies declared themselves independent states that came together temporarily to win the war, then would go their separate ways…”

NY. Vintage. 2016. 305p.

By Capt. Kennedy.

A true and authentic life history of the most noted bandit that ever lived. A man who has overthrown the government of Mexico and defied the United States.

Baltimore, MD: I. and M. Ottenheimer, 1916. 145p.

Edited by Thomas Seccombe.

Original Studies of Eminent Scoundrels by Various Hands. CONTENTS. 1. Alice Perrers Favourite of King Henry III. 2. Alice Arden Murderess. 3. Moll Cutpurse Thief and Receiver. 4. Frances Howard Countess of Somerset. 5. Barbara Villiers Duchess of Cleveland6. Jenny Diver Pickpocket 7. Teresia Constantia Phillips. 8. Elizabeth Brownrigg Cruelty personified. 9. Elizabeth Canning Imposter. 10. Elizabeth Chudleigh Duchess of Kingston 11. Mary Bateman “ The Yorkshire Witch" 12. Mary Anne Clarke.

London: T.F. Urwin, 1911. 373p.

By George Bidwell.

Bidwell’s Travels: Forging his own chains. “Freed a human wreck, a wonderful survival and a more wonderful rise in the world. To-day he has a national reputation as a writer, speaker and is considered an authority on all social problems. He was tried at the Old Bailey and sentenced for life. charged with the £1,000,000 forgery on the bank of England. This story shows that the events of his life surpass the imaginations of our famous novelists, its thrilling scenes, hair-breadth escapes and marvelous adventures are not a record of crime, but are proofs of that in the world of wrongdoing success is failure.

Bidwell publishing Hartford (1897) 295 pages.

By Fred D. Pasley.

The Biography of a Self-Made Man. “Im getting sick of fellows like Hughes using me to attract glory to themselves,” said Al.

Harrow and Heston Classic Reprint. (1930) 208 pages.

By Chas. A. Siringo.

The true life of the most daring young outlaw of the age. He was the leading spirit in the bloody Lincoln County, New Mexico, war. When a bullet from Sheriff Pat Garett's pistol pierced his breast he was only twenty-one years of age, and had killed twenty-one men, not counting Indians. His six years of daring young outlawry has never been equalled in the annals of criminal history.

Read-Me.Org Classic Reprint. (1920) 145p.

By Thomas F. Daggett.

Or, The King of American Highwaymen. A complete and authentic history of this famous young desperado, his crimes and adventures.

New York: R.K. Fox, Franklin Square, (1881). 124p.

By Joseph A. Dacus.

“In that dreadful ebullition of human hatreds, Frank and Jesse James played no laggard's part. As boys, they accepted service under Quantrell, and became renowned for caution and daring even in the days of their youth. Members of a partisan organization, famed even in the early days of the strife for daring deeds and extraordinary activity; a band, every man of which was a desperado of great cunning and prowess, these two callow-youths, taken from a country farm, speedily rose to the eminence of leading spirits among the most daring of men. Both sides in the border counties of Missouri and Kansas prosecuted war with a vindictive fury unparalleled in modern history. The scene of the operations of the Guerrillas was at first confined to the limits of Clay, Platte, Jackson, Bates, Henry, Johnson, and Lafayette counties, in Missouri, and along the Kansas border.”

St. Louis: W.S. Bruan; Chicago, J.S. Goodman, 1880. 396p.

By Harry Hawkeye.

A narrative of the thrilling adventures of the most daring and resourceful bandit ever recorded in the criminal annals of the world.

Ottenheimer (1908) 196 pages.

By James Allen.

Alias Jonas Pierce.. The front cover of the famous skin-bound copy has a label which reads "HIC LIBER WALTONIS CUTE COMPACTUS EST" ("This book is bound in the skin of Walton"); Walton was one of the author's aliases. Some claim that books were bound in the skin of criminals. The narrative is a combination of autobiography and confession, transcribed by the warden, as the author himself was unable to write. It details Allen's life, beginning from childhood and laying out his struggles to find honest work as a teenager.[5] Allen explains how he moved from breaking into shops to highway robbery, and how he attempted to escape imprisonment many times. The book ends with a note from the warden, regarding Allen's state of mind toward the end of his life — Wikipedia.

Boston: Harrington & Co., 1837. 32p.