The World's Best Book Summaries
Who are the Eloi? What do they represent? What’s their relationship to the Morlocks? In H.G. Wells’s The Time Machine, Eloi are the first group of creatures the Time Traveller meets when he lands in the distant future. The Time Traveller figures they must be an evolved species of humans, but they’re not the only ones. Keep reading to learn about the Eloi and the role they play in this classic story.
What did Thoreau do at Walden Pond? Did he spend all of his time in nature? How did he make a living? In the 1840s, Henry David Thoreau built a cabin at Walden Pond in the woods of eastern Massachusetts and lived there for two years. During that time, he walked in the woods and connected with nature, kept a large garden, worked odd jobs, read books, journaled, went into town, and entertained guests. Keep reading to learn more about these activities that Thoreau did at Walden Pond.
Who won the Anglo-Maratha wars? What factors made a difference in the outcome? After setting up in Bengal, the East India Company (EIC) extended its influence over the broader stage of regional powers competing for control. The EIC gained prominence in the Indian subcontinent by engaging in wars against two significant powers: the Mysore Sultanate and the Maratha Confederacy. Let’s look at a brief history of the Anglo-Maratha wars.
Do you feel like you haven’t reached your artistic potential but something’s holding you back? Or, are you afraid that your art is as good as it’s ever going to be? Julia Cameron explains that many people struggle to maximize their creativity and reach their artistic potential because they engage in forms of negativity that block their connection to the creative force. She shares several practical tips to remove these mental blocks. Keep reading for Cameron’s advice on fostering an artist mindset.
Who are the Morlocks in The Time Machine? Are they evil? What do they represent? In The Time Machine, Morlocks are one of the species the Time Traveller encounters in the distant future. They prove to be a serious thorn in his side, but H.G. Wells still manages to present them as somewhat pitiable characters. Continue reading to learn about the Morlocks from this classic tale.
How did the East India Company govern in Bengal? How did it contribute to one of the worst disasters in the region’s history? What’s the Bengal Bubble? After the collapse of India’s Mughal empire, the East India Company expanded its trading operations and military capacity. The company set its sights on Bengal, a wealthy province on India’s northeastern coast. It took advantage of political chaos to rise to power. Read more to learn about the East India Company in Bengal, specifically how it maintained and used its power and the impact it had on the province.
What did Henry David Thoreau believe about life and politics? How did he diverge from his fellow Transcendentalists? Why did he spend a night in jail? Henry David Thoreau’s beliefs strongly impacted the way he lived. A key figure in the Transcendentalist movement of the 19th century, Thoreau also had distinct political beliefs that influenced later generations. Read more to learn about Henry David Thoreau’s beliefs about life and politics.
Are you seizing every bit of artistry that belongs to you? Which emotion is the most important one to channel into creativity? Where does your faith lie when it comes to your abilities? Many people feel it’s impossible to reach their creative potential—often because they struggle to find inspiration or experience creative blocks. Luckily, Julia Cameron says that overcoming these obstacles and maximizing your creative potential is possible. Continue reading for several quotes from The Artist’s Way that will give you a glimpse of the book’s concepts.
In The Time Machine, how does the world end? Why does it end? What lessons can we draw from the story? In The Time Machine, a Victorian scientist builds a machine that can travel through time. He journeys into the future, where humanity has evolved into two distinct (and conflicting) species. He then goes even further into the future and sees the end of the world. Read on to learn about The Time Machine’s end-of-the-world scenario, when human civilization has collapsed.
What’s voluntary poverty? What was Henry David Thoreau’s attitude toward poverty and charity? Henry David Thoreau’s simplicity is a major theme of Walden. During the time he lived in the modest cabin in the woods, he practiced voluntary poverty—stripping down his life to the bare necessities to fit the lifestyle he chose. Continue reading to learn about Thoreau’s practice of voluntary poverty and a bit about his attitude toward people who lived in poverty.