Samuel Smiles
Samuel Smiles was a British author and government reformer. Although he campaigned on a Chartist platform, he promoted the idea that more progress would come from new attitudes than from new laws. His primary work, Self-Help (1859), promoted thrift and claimed that poverty was caused largely by irresponsible habits, while also attacking materialism and laissez-faire government. It has been called "the bible of mid-Victorian liberalism" and had lasting effects on British political thought.
Men of Invention and Industry
Discover the trials and triumphs of England's maritime pioneers as they transform a nation through shipbuilding and trade.
By Samuel Smiles
Self Help; with Illustrations of Conduct and Perseverance
Discover how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things through sheer grit and a commitment to bettering themselves and their communities.
By Samuel Smiles
The Huguenots in France
Torn between faith and freedom, a religious minority faces relentless persecution, testing the limits of human endurance and reshaping a nation's destiny.
By Samuel Smiles
Thrift
Discover how being wise with your money isn't just good for you, but essential for a better life and a stronger community.
By Samuel Smiles
The Life of George Stephenson and of his Son Robert Stephenson Comprising Also a History of the Invention and Introduction of the Railway Locomotive
Witness the extraordinary journey of a father and son who revolutionized transportation and reshaped the world with their incredible railway inventions.
By Samuel Smiles
Life of a Scotch Naturalist: Thomas Edward, Associate of the Linnean Society. Fourth Edition
Against all odds, a poor, curious boy with a love for nature overcomes social challenges, defying expectations to become a respected scientist.
By Samuel Smiles
Lives of the Engineers The Locomotive. George and Robert Stephenson
Witness the revolutionary story of engineers who transformed the coalfields of Newcastle and reshaped modern transportation through the power of railways and locomotives.
By Samuel Smiles
Character
Discover how moral strength, not intelligence or riches, truly shapes individuals and society, influencing daily actions and defining greatness.
By Samuel Smiles
Lives of Boulton and Watt. Principally from the Original Soho Mss. Comprising also a history of the invention and introduction of the steam engine
Witness the remarkable partnership of two ambitious men whose groundbreaking work with steam changed the course of history and propelled the world into a new age of industry.
By Samuel Smiles
The Life of Thomas Telford, Civil Engineer With an Introductory History of Roads and Travelling in Great Britain
Witness the rise of a stonemason who reshaped a nation's landscape by engineering roads and bridges, transforming travel and trade across Britain.
By Samuel Smiles
Industrial Biography: Iron Workers and Tool Makers
Discover the untold stories of the unsung heroes whose iron tools shaped civilization itself.
By Samuel Smiles
Jasmin: Barber, Poet, Philanthropist
Witness a poor barber's inspiring transformation into a celebrated poet who uses his words to uplift his community.
By Samuel Smiles
A Publisher and His Friends Memoir and Correspondence of John Murray; with an Account of the Origin and Progress of the House, 1768-1843
Follow an ambitious bookseller as he builds a publishing empire, navigates financial difficulties, and cultivates friendships with literary giants, shaping the future of British literature.
By Samuel Smiles