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Project Gutenberg, founded in 1971, is the oldest producer and distributor of free ebooks.

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Project Gutenberg @gutenberg.org · Apr 1
Thanks to Neel Lopes for an interview podcast with Greg Newby, Director of the PGLAF. The podcast covers Greg's early involvement with Project Gutenberg, and discussion about the background and status of Project Gutenberg's role in the world of online literature.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-HG...
Dr. Greg Newby on being CEO of Project Gutenberg and being with the Government of Yukon Territory
YouTube video by Knowledge and Mind
www.youtube.com
Reposted by Project Gutenberg
archive.org
When works become public domain, anyone can reimagine and reuse them.

🚂 The Little Engine That Could can be freely reinterpreted—like this video marrying pages of the 1930 book to a Librivox audio recording. 📚+🎤

Learn more ⤵️
blog.archive.org/2026/01/01/w...

#PublicDomainDay
January 10, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Reposted by Project Gutenberg
bbl-astrophyscs.bsky.social
You can find the full text of “Common Sense” on @gutenberg.org.

www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1...
Common Sense
www.gutenberg.org
January 11, 2026 at 4:18 PM
gutenberg.org
We Didn’t All Evolve From One Population Of Early Humans, New Research Claims

allthatsinteresting.com/human-evolut...

#anthropology #science
We Didn't All Evolve From One Population Of Early Humans, Bold New Research Claims
"We've arrived at a place where we can begin to address some key questions about our shared ancestry."
allthatsinteresting.com
January 11, 2026 at 1:08 PM
gutenberg.org
#OTD in 1922.

At Toronto General Hospital, 14-year old Leonard Thompson became the first human to receive an injection of insulin as a treatment for diabetes, administered by Dr. James Collip.

More about insulin:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin

#science #medicine
J. B. Collip in his office at McGill University. Collip is seated and photographed from approximately chest level up. He wears round wire-rimmed glasses and has neatly combed dark hair parted to the side, styled in the fashion typical of the era. He is dressed formally in a white laboratory coat over a shirt and tie. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1922#/media/File:J._B._Collip_in_his_office_at_McGill_University_ca._1930.png
January 11, 2026 at 12:28 PM
gutenberg.org
Fimbulvetr: When the Medieval World Saw the Sun Go Dark

In the medieval world, strange signs in the sky were rarely ignored.

By Andrea Maraschi

www.medievalists.net/2026/01/fimb...

Norse mythology at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #literature #mythology
A scene from the last phase of Ragnarök, after Surtr has engulfed the world with fire. The surrounding text implies that this is Ásgarðr (Asgard) burning (by Emil Doepler, 1905). This image depicts a dramatic scene from Norse mythology by German artist Emil Doepler (1905), illustrating the final phase of Ragnarök—the apocalyptic destruction of the world in Norse cosmology. The painting shows a fortress or stronghold, silhouetted in dark tones against an intensely fiery sky. The structure, which represents Ásgarðr (Asgard, the realm of the gods), appears as a dark mass with towers and battlements rising against the flames. The sky is engulfed in vivid oranges, reds, and yellows, creating a sense of overwhelming conflagration. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar%C3%B6k#/media/File:Ragnar%C3%B6k_by_Doepler.jpg
January 11, 2026 at 11:47 AM
gutenberg.org
10,000 books were tossed at a London school. Librarians say there are other ways to give books a second life

by Kendra Seguin

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Librarians at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #literature #librarians
"Morrisania, Thirteen women, librarians?" The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1875. The photograph shows a group of thirteen women arranged in two rows - seven standing in the back row and six seated or kneeling in the front row. They are photographed outdoors against a wall heavily covered with ivy or climbing vines. The women are dressed in typical late 19th-century attire. Most wear white blouses (shirtwaists) with high collars and long sleeves, paired with dark skirts. Some have decorative brooches or pins at their collars. Their hair is styled in the fashion of the era, with most wearing it pulled back or up. One woman in the back row appears to be wearing a hat. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/4343e1d0-c5b3-012f-faca-58d385a7bc34?canvasIndex=0
January 11, 2026 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Project Gutenberg
asls.org.uk
The City is of Night; perchance of Death
But certainly of Night; for never there
Can come the lucid morning’s fragrant breath
After the dewy dawning’s cold grey air…

—James “B.V.” Thomson (1834–82)
“The City of Dreadful Night” – online via @gutenberg.org
#BookWormSat #C19
gutenberg.org/ebooks/1238
The City of Dreadful Night by James Thomson
Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by volunteers.
gutenberg.org
January 10, 2026 at 3:52 PM
gutenberg.org
33 Of The Most Famous Newspaper Front Pages From History

"These memorable headlines capture some of the most important historical events, from John F. Kennedy's assassination to the Titanic sinking to the fall of the Berlin Wall."

allthatsinteresting.com/famous-newsp...

#history #journalism
Stack of newspapers
January 10, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by Project Gutenberg
loren2025savander.bsky.social
Here's a short clip about her from a Finnish Artists compilation published by the Ateneum Art Museum in Heksinki, Finland. There was also a film biopic about her starring Laura Birn a few years ago.

youtu.be/ABsPEGWoeE4?...
Stories of Finnish Art – Helene Schjerfbeck: The Convalescent, 1888
YouTube video by Ateneum Art Museum
youtu.be
January 10, 2026 at 10:54 AM
gutenberg.org
She Is an Icon of Finnish Art. Now Modernist Helene Schjerfbeck Takes a Global Stage

by Annikka Olsen

news.artnet.com/art-world/sh...

More about Helene Schjerfbeck:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_...

#art #history #womeninart
The Family Heirloom, 1916. The painting depicts a figure in a contemplative, downward-gazing pose against a warm reddish-orange background. The figure wears what appears to be a dark hat or head covering with a yellowish accent, and their face is turned down, creating an introspective mood. The figure is rendered in pale, muted tones of cream, white, and soft yellows, with loose, gestural brushwork that suggests form rather than defining it precisely. There are touches of red-orange appearing as accents on what might be the figure's clothing or body. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helene_Schjerfbeck#/media/File:Helene_Schjerfbeck_-_The_Family_Heirloom.jpg
January 10, 2026 at 10:43 AM
gutenberg.org
Virginia Faulkner: Writer, Editor and... Ghostwriter?

Brad Bigelow on the Collaborative Process That Produced Polly Adler’s A House is Not a Home

lithub.com/virginia-fau...

More about Virginia Faulkner:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgini...
neglectedbooks.com?p=10900

#books #literature
Virginia Faulkner: Writer, Editor and… Ghostwriter?
When Virginia Faulkner arrived at Grand Central Station aboard the Commodore train from Chicago on August 1, 1951, the composer Dana Suesse was there to greet her. The two women hadn’t seen each ot…
lithub.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:28 AM
gutenberg.org
Scientists May Have Extracted Leonardo Da Vinci’s DNA From A Renaissance Sketch

By Kaleena Fraga

"Scientists extracted DNA from a chalk drawing called the "Holy Child," which may have been sketched by Leonardo da Vinci around 1470."

allthatsinteresting.com/leonardo-da-...

#science #art
Scientists May Have Found A Sample Of Leonardo Da Vinci's DNA On A 15th-Century Sketch
DNA was found on a drawing known as "Holy Child."
allthatsinteresting.com
January 9, 2026 at 12:22 PM
gutenberg.org
The erotic poems of Bilitis

A lush translation of this late-discovered lesbian poet added to the legacy of Sappho, but there was a trickster at work

by Cat Lambert

aeon.co/essays/how-a...

Les Chansons de Bilitis at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4708

#books #literature #poetry
Title : Les chansons de Bilitis : traduit du grec / Pierre Louÿs ; ill. de G. Barbier, gravées sur bois par F. L. Schmied Author : Louÿs, Pierre (1870-1925). Auteur du texte Publisher : P. Corrard (Paris) Publication date : 1922 Contributor : Barbier, George (1882-1932). Illustrateur Contributor : Schmied, François-Louis (1873-1941). Graveur The illustration is presented as a decorative page or bookplate, featuring a rectangular composition with elaborate framing. The entire design is set against cream-colored paper with a sophisticated multi-layered border treatment that creates depth and visual richness. Across the top of the black panel stretches an arbor or trellis laden with grapevines. Standing gracefully on the left side is a woman in classical Greek or Roman dress. Crouched or kneeling on the right side is a striking figure rendered entirely in coral-red or terracotta tones. In the upper portion of the black space, four white bird silhouettes are visible. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k15164019/f23.item.texteImage#
January 9, 2026 at 11:23 AM
gutenberg.org
Science history: Sophie Germain, first woman to win France's prestigious 'Grand Mathematics Prize' is snubbed when tickets to award ceremony are 'lost in the mail' — Jan. 9, 1816

By Tia Ghose

www.livescience.com/physics-math...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_...

#books #mathematics #womeninstem
Portrait of Sophie Germain (April 1, 1776 - June 27, 1831). Sophie Germain is depicted with refined, classical features: a straight, elegant nose, well-defined lips, a curved chin and a graceful neck. Her hair is pulled up and back from her face, arranged in what appears to be a bun or chignon at the back of her head and it shows curls arranged in horizontal bands around the crown. https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Germain#/media/Ficheiro:Germain.jpeg
January 9, 2026 at 10:28 AM
gutenberg.org
Top 30 Western Art Movements with Lasting Impact, from Classical to Conceptual

"A complete timeline of the top art movements in Western history, including core traits, famous artists, and must-see works."

www.thecollector.com/top-western-...

#art
Top 30 Western Art Movements with Lasting Impact, from Classical to Conceptual | TheCollector
A complete timeline of the top art movements in Western history, including core traits, famous artists, and must-see works.
www.thecollector.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:16 PM
gutenberg.org
Among the Sleuths: Looking for Answers at the Nancy Drew Convention

Jadie Stillwell and Nicole Blackwood on the Mystery of the Missing Discernible Character Traits

lithub.com/among-the-sl...

Carolyn Keene at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
Cover page of The hidden staircase by Carolyn Keene, illustratated by Russell H. Tandy. At the top of the cover, "Nancy Drew Mystery Stories" appears in a stylized script font in yellow/gold lettering. Below this, the title "THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE" is displayed prominently in bold, uppercase blue letters. The cover features an illustration showing Nancy Drew descending a mysterious hidden staircase. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77602/pg77602-images.html
January 8, 2026 at 10:33 AM
gutenberg.org
Medieval Self-Portraits: Ten Artists Who Put Themselves in the Picture

www.medievalists.net/2026/01/medi...

Medieval artists at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

#books #literature #painting
Giovanni Boccaccio’s De Mulieribus Claris (On Famous Women). A woman is shown seated at a desk or writing table, engaged in what appears to be a scholarly or artistic activity. She is depicted in profile or three-quarter view, dressed in flowing robes of soft pink or coral color with golden blonde hair. Her posture and the positioning of her hands suggest she is either writing, painting, or examining a manuscript or mirror. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Mulieribus_Claris
January 8, 2026 at 9:46 AM
gutenberg.org
Dictionary of the Oldest Written Language–It Took 90 Years to Complete, and It’s Now Free Online

www.openculture.com/2026/01/dict...

#books #literature #language
Dictionary of the Oldest Written Language–It Took 90 Years to Complete, and It’s Now Free Online
It took 90 years to complete. But, in 2011, scholars at the University of Chicago finally published a 21-volume dictionary of Akkadian, the language used in ancient Mesopotamia.
www.openculture.com
January 7, 2026 at 1:34 PM
gutenberg.org
The ratio of words written by Kafka to words written about Kafka is estimated to be about 1:10,000,000. Is anything left to say?

by Jared Marcel Pollen

libertiesjournal.com/online-artic...

Kafka at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
First page of Kafka's Letter to His Father. The document shows aged paper with a cream or beige tone, typical of early 20th-century stationery that has yellowed over time. The page appears to be standard letter-size paper with some visible wear, creases, and aging marks. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#/media/File:De_Kafka_Brief_an_den_Vater_001.jpg
January 7, 2026 at 11:23 AM
gutenberg.org
How the Telegraph Went From Semaphore to Communication Game Changer

by Jimmy Stamp (from the archives)

www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture...

Morse at PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#science #technology
1900 illustration of Professor Morse sending the first long-distance message – "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT" – on 24 May 1844. Seated at the center of the composition is Professor Samuel F.B. Morse himself, operating the telegraph key. On the desk before Morse is the telegraph equipment—a wooden box-like device that houses the telegraph key and receiving mechanism. Standing close beside Morse, leaning in to observe the process, is a young woman in a light-colored dress typical of 1840s fashion. Surrounding the central figures is a group of distinguished gentlemen. https://archive.org/details/storyofnineteent01broo/page/n5/mode/1up
January 7, 2026 at 10:56 AM
gutenberg.org
#OTD in 1944 Ida Tarbell died. She "was an American writer, investigative journalist, biographer, and lecturer."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Tar...

Books by Tarbell at PG:

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature
Photograph of Ida Tarbell
January 6, 2026 at 1:45 PM
gutenberg.org
Long before numbers were written down or equations were formalized, human beings were already thinking mathematically; not on tablets or scrolls, but in clay.

By Sage Helene

mymodernmet.com/geometric-fl...

At PG:
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/subje...

#books #mathematics #antropology #archeology
KYLIX BY DURIS. THE LABOURS OF THESEUS. (British Museum). A kylix is a shallow, wide drinking cup with two horizontal handles and a stem with a foot. This photograph shows the vessel photographed from above and displayed in a way that reveals both the central tondo (circular medallion in the interior bottom of the cup) and the exterior decorative bands. The presentation shows the cup as if flattened out, with the circular interior scene in the center and the two curved exterior panels (from opposite sides of the cup) arranged above and below. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/48154/pg48154-images.html
January 6, 2026 at 10:12 AM
gutenberg.org
Medieval Friendships: No Girls Allowed

By: Livia Gershon

daily.jstor.org/medieval-fri...

Christine de Pizan & Margery Kempe
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

#books #literature #womenhistory
Master of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pisan. The illumination is divided into two main sections showing women engaged in the symbolic construction of the "City of Ladies." The scene depicts Christine de Pizan's allegorical vision of building an ideal city for virtuous women. Inside an architectural space with elegant white arches and a tiled vaulted ceiling in warm orange/gold tones, a group of noble women are gathered. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Meister_der_%27Cit%C3%A9_des_Dames%27_002.jpg
January 6, 2026 at 9:57 AM
gutenberg.org
How This Fairytale Painting of Doomed Lovers Became a Victorian Sensation

by Annikka Olsen

news.artnet.com/art-world/bu...

More about Burton:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederi...

#art #history #painting
Hellelil and Hildebrand, the meeting on the turret stairs, by Frederic William Burton. The painting depicts an intimate, poignant moment between two lovers in a narrow medieval turret stairway. On the left stands Hellelil, a medieval noblewoman dressed in a magnificent flowing gown of deep, vibrant blue. On the right is Hildebrand, a knight or warrior in full medieval armor: He wears chainmail covering his head (a mail coif), arms, and legs Over the chainmail is a rich crimson or burgundy surcoat decorated with elaborate gold embroidery or tooling showing heraldic or decorative patterns A large sword hangs at his side, suspended from an ornately decorated belt and scabbard with intricate metalwork His legs are wrapped in cloth bindings (leg wrappings or hose) over the mail Brown leather boots His head is bowed, and his eyes are closed, lost in the embrace One armored hand reaches around to hold Hellelil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Meeting_on_the_Turret_Stairs#/media/File:Hellelil_and_Hildebrand,_the_meeting_on_the_turret_stairs,_by_Frederic_William_Burton.jpg
January 5, 2026 at 5:32 PM
gutenberg.org
Wordsworth Revolutionized Poetry But His Life Was Equally Interesting

"Who was William Wordsworth, and what made his poetry so revolutionary?"

www.thecollector.com/william-word...

Books by Wordsworth at PG:

www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

#books #literature #poetry
Wordsworth Revolutionized Poetry But His Life Was Equally Interesting | TheCollector
Who was William Wordsworth, and what made his poetry so revolutionary? Read about the life and works of this major Romantic poet.
www.thecollector.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:10 PM