Audio Books Podcasts

Librivox: Sommer in London, Ein by Fontane, Theodor show

Librivox: Sommer in London, Ein by Fontane, TheodorJoin Now to Follow

Diese 35 kurzen Reiseberichte entstanden, als Theodor Fontane 1852 zum zweiten Mal nach London reiste. Die Stadt faszinierte ihn, und sowohl die guten als auch die abstoßenden Seiten des Großstadtlebens hielt er mit spitzer Feder fest. (Zusammenfassung von Julia Claussen)

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Librivox: Жития Святых, т. 11 - Иулий (Zhitiia Sviatykh, v. 11 - July) by Dimitriĭ, Saint Metropolitan of Rostov show

Librivox: Жития Святых, т. 11 - Иулий (Zhitiia Sviatykh, v. 11 - July) by Dimitriĭ, Saint Metropolitan of RostovJoin Now to Follow

Житія и похвалы святыхъ подобятся свѣтлостію звѣздамъ: якоже бо звѣзды положеніемъ на небеси утвержденны суть, всю же поднебесную просвѣщаютъ, тыяжде и отъ Індіанъ зрятся, ни сокрываются отъ скѵѳовъ, землю озаряютъ, и морю свѣтятъ, и плавающихъ корабли управляютъ: ихже именъ аще и не вѣмы множества ради, обаче свѣтлѣй добротѣ ихъ чудимся. Сице и свѣтлость святыхъ, аще и затворены суть мощи ихъ во гробѣхъ, но силы ихъ въ поднебеснѣй земными предѣлы не суть опредѣленны: чудимся тѣхъ житію, и удивляемся славѣ, еюже Богъ угодившыя Ему прославляетъ. [St. Symeon Metaphrastes on the Lives of the Saints, 10th century A. D. ENGLISH TRANSLATION: The lives and the eulogies of the Saints resemble, by their luminosity, the stars: for as the stars, firmly studded in the firmament as they are, illume the entire universe, and the same stars are beheld by the Indians, and are not hid from the Scythians, and shed their radiance over the earth and the seas, and show the way to the ships: and even if we know not their names for their multitude’s sake, we as yet admire their brilliant loveliness. So, too, doeth the brilliance of the Saints, even when their relics are shut under a tombstone, yet their miracles in the entire universe are not bound by earthly confines: we admire their lives and wonder at the glory wherewith God glorifieth those who have pleased Him. This succinct description is found as introduction to each of the 12 volumes of the Church Slavonic Lives.]

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Librivox: Reuben Sachs: A Sketch by Levy, Amy show

Librivox: Reuben Sachs: A Sketch by Levy, AmyJoin Now to Follow

Reuben Sachs is a London lawyer whose political aspirations do not include marriage to Judith Quixano, the daughter of a respectable but unexeptional family. But without Reuben, a woman like Judith might have a bleak future in mid-19th century England: a loveless marriage or lifelong dependancy are apparently her only options... A feminist, a Jew, and a lesbian, Amy Levy wrote about Anglo-Jewish cultural mores and the lives of would-be independent women in Victorian society. Levy was as repelled by contemporary literature's occasional paragon (e.g., Daniel Deronda) as by its more frequent anti-Semitic stereotypes. REUBEN SACHS was her attempt at an honest, warts-and-all account of middle class Jewish life in late-19th century London. While many of Levy's contemporaries condemned the book as a shanda fur die goyim (an embarassment), Oscar Wilde wrote: "Its directness, its uncompromising truths, its depth of feeling, and above all, its absence of any single superfluous word, make REUBEN SACHS, in some sort, a classic." Amy Levy (1861-1889) was born in London and educated in Brighton and at Newnham College, Cambridge. Her social set included Beatrix Potter and Eleanor Marx, with whom she studied in the British Museum Reading Room, and lover Vernon Lee (Violet Padget). (Summary by Adrian Praetzellis)

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Librivox: Bunyip Land by Fenn, George Manville show

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Joe Carstairs is a boy on a farm in Australia. His father is a keen naturalist who, some years before had set off for New Guinea in search of specimens, and never been heard of again. Joe is old enough to mount a search expedition, and takes with him a local doctor and an aboriginal worker on his farm. They find themselves joined by a stowaway, Jimmy, whose father is a squatter (farmer) nearby, together with his dog, Gyp. This team sets off, arrive in New Guinea, hire some more porters, and travel guided by some sixth sense straight to where Mr. Carstairs has been kept a prisoner, along with another Englishman, whose mind has gone, under the stress of his imprisonment. There are the usual close shaves and tense moments, but finally they achieve their end, and return home triumphantly: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21301/21301.txt

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Librivox: Adventures of Buster Bear, The by Burgess, Thornton W. show

Librivox: Adventures of Buster Bear, The by Burgess, Thornton W.Join Now to Follow

The Adventures of Buster Bear is another set of children’s stories by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. Buster Bear has many adventures and misadventures as he meets the different characters in the Green Forest near the Laughing Brook. Along the way, we learn about the habits of Buster and his friends and we learn little lessons about life such as the importance of sharing, not stealing, making friends and not sticking one's head into tin pails. (Summary by John Lieder)

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Librivox: 唐诗三百首 卷二  Three Hundred Tang Poems, Volume 2 by Various show

Librivox: 唐诗三百首 卷二 Three Hundred Tang Poems, Volume 2 by VariousJoin Now to Follow

Compiled around 1763, 'Three Hundred Tang Poems' is the standard collection of the poetic art of the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907). Volume Two includes the styles 古言七诗 'seven character ancient verse' (poems 46 to 73) and 古乐府 'ancient folk-song styled verse' (poems 74 to 89). (Summary by David Barnes)

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Librivox: Brotherhood of the Seven Kings, The by Meade, L. T. show

Librivox: Brotherhood of the Seven Kings, The by Meade, L. T.Join Now to Follow

"THAT a secret society, based upon the lines of similar institutions so notorious on the Continent during the last century, could ever have existed in the London of our day may seem impossible. Such a society, however, not only did exist, but through the instrumentality of a woman of unparalleled capacity and genius, obtained a firm footing. A century ago the Brotherhood of the Seven Kings was a name hardly whispered without horror and fear in Italy, and now, by the fascinations and influence of one woman, it began to accomplish fresh deeds of unparalleled daring and subtlety in London. By the wide extent of its scientific resources, and the impregnable secrecy of its organisations, it threatened to become a formidable menace to society, as well as a source of serious anxiety to the authorities of the law." (excerpt from The Brotherhood of the Seven Kings )

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Librivox: Lady's Life on a Farm in Manitoba, A by Hall, Mrs. Cecil show

Librivox: Lady's Life on a Farm in Manitoba, A by Hall, Mrs. CecilJoin Now to Follow

In 1881, Mrs. Cecil Hall's brother went to Manitoba to farm. In 1882, she went out for a visit of some two months, and followed that visit with a long sojourn in Colorado, returning to England as the snows began to fall. While there, she had to give up her "Lady's ways" and help on the farm in many ways she'd never stoop to at home. She makes hay, cooks, paints the barn roof, and cleans. Through it all, the newness helped her keep her temper, and these letters home show an insight into the settlement of Western Canada. These letters have a feel of "Little House on the Prarie" from an English lady's point of view. (Summary by Sibella Denton).

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