Arts Podcasts

Librivox: Dr. Esperanto’s International Language, Introduction and Complete Grammar by Zamenhof, L. L. show

Librivox: Dr. Esperanto’s International Language, Introduction and Complete Grammar by Zamenhof, L. L.Join Now to Follow

In July 1887, Esperanto made its debut as a 40-page pamphlet from Warsaw, published in Russian, Polish, French and German: all written by a Polish eye-doctor under the pen-name of Dr. Esperanto (“one who hopes”). Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof (1859-1917) had a gift for languages, and a calling to help foster world amity: by a neutral “Internacia Lingvo” that anyone anywhere could readily use as a second language: neither forsaking a mother tongue, nor imposing it. In 1889 Zamenhof published an English translation by Richard H. Geoghegan, a young Irish linguist. All five are respectively considered the “First Book”. This classic sets forth Esperanto pretty much as we know it today (except that we no longer use internal apostrophes for composite words). Its original repertoire of 900 root words has grown tenfold in the past century, but you can still almost make do with the vocabulary herein. -- Summary by Gene Keyes

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Librivox: Chronicles of Canada Volume 06 - The Great Intendant : A Chronicle of Jean Talon in Canada 1665-1672 by Chapais, Thomas show

Librivox: Chronicles of Canada Volume 06 - The Great Intendant : A Chronicle of Jean Talon in Canada 1665-1672 by Chapais, ThomasJoin Now to Follow

Talon worked closely with lieutenant-general Prouville de Tracy to achieve the surrender of the Iroquois in 1627, thereby ending the threat that had hung over the colony for 20 years. Although Talon did not join the troops in the field, at Tracy's request, he had a very large share in the success of the French arms through his constant and meticulous care in placing at the disposition of the army everything that was necessary for the war, despite the poverty of the colony, the lack of roads, and the distances. Summary by Wikipedia.

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Librivox: Revelation of Baha-ullah in a Sequence of Four Lessons, The by Brittingham, Isabella Matilda Davis show

Librivox: Revelation of Baha-ullah in a Sequence of Four Lessons, The by Brittingham, Isabella Matilda DavisJoin Now to Follow

Isabella Matilda Davis Brittingham was a significant early American Bahá'í and was posthumously designated by Shoghi Effendi as one of the 19 Disciples of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Heralds of the Covenant. She was born in 1852, the daughter of Benjamin Davis, who was a grandson of John Morton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Her sister-in-law heard about the Bahá'í Faith in 1897 and in 1898 Isabella herself became a part of the nascent American Bahá'í community. In September 1901, Isabella went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she met 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the leader of the Bahá'í Faith and son of the Founder, Bahá'u'lláh. She used the knowledge she gained there to write "The Revelation of Baha-ullah in a Sequence of Four Lessons", which was published by the Bahai Publishing Society of Chicago in 1902. There were nine editions of this work, the last being in 1920. It was one of the earliest accurate accounts of the Bahá'í Faith published in the West. The main purpose of the book is to demonstrate the truth of Bahá'u'lláh's Revelation through Biblical prophecy.

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Librivox: Multilingual Poetry Collection 002 by Various show

Librivox: Multilingual Poetry Collection 002 by VariousJoin Now to Follow

In LibriVox’s Multilingual Poetry Collection, LibriVox volunteers read their favourite public-domain poems in languages other than English. (Summary by David Barnes).

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Librivox: Main Street by Lewis, Sinclair show

Librivox: Main Street by Lewis, SinclairJoin Now to Follow

Carol Milford is a liberal, free-spirited young woman, reared in the metropolis of Minneapolis. She marries Will Kennicott, a doctor, who is a small-town boy at heart. When they marry, Will convinces her to live in his home-town of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota. Carol is appalled at the backwardness of Gopher Prairie. But her disdain for the town's physical ugliness and smug conservatism compels her to reform it. (Summary from Wikipedia).

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Librivox: Federalist Papers, The by Hamilton, Alexander show

Librivox: Federalist Papers, The by Hamilton, AlexanderJoin Now to Follow

The Federalist Papers (correctly known as The Federalist) are a series of 85 articles advocating the ratification of the United States Constitution. Seventy-seven of the essays were published serially in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between October 1787 and August 1788 . A compilation of these and eight others, called The Federalist, was published in 1788 by J. and A. M’Lean. The Federalist Papers serve as a primary source for interpretation of the Constitution, as they outline the philosophy and motivation of the proposed system of government.The authors of the Federalist Papers wanted to both influence the vote in favor of ratification and shape future interpretations of the Constitution. According to historian Richard Morris, they are an "incomparable exposition of the Constitution, a classic in political science unsurpassed in both breadth and depth by the product of any later American writer." (Summary by Wikipedia)

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Librivox: Winesburg, Ohio by Anderson, Sherwood show

Librivox: Winesburg, Ohio by Anderson, SherwoodJoin Now to Follow

Published in 1919, and listed on the Modern Library roster of the 20th century's 100 greatest novels in English, Winesburg, Ohio presents a series of loosely related character studies of the inhabitants of a fictional Midwestern town that together form a novel of unusual unity and vision. The inarticulate and lonely citizens of Winesburg, each with his or her own secret tale to tell, frequently relate those tales to, or through their interactions with, the character of George Willard, a young Winesburg citizen on the cusp of manhood with dreams of becoming a writer. Thus Winesburg tells the story of the townspeople's loneliness and alienation in parallel with the tale of George's own coming of age. The citizens of Winesburg are described obliquely as "grotesques," but as the introductory chapter makes clear, "The grotesques were not all horrible. Some were amusing, some almost beautiful . . ." (Description by Stewart Wills)

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Librivox: Arthurian Miscellany, An by Various show

Librivox: Arthurian Miscellany, An by VariousJoin Now to Follow

A collection of works that explore the rich and evocative legend of King Arthur. The exploits of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table have been a staple of British literature through the centuries, drawing together themes of pagan wizardry, the search for the Holy Grail, chivalry and of course romance.

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Librivox: Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-Sa show

Librivox: Old Indian Legends by Zitkala-SaJoin Now to Follow

Fourteen Old Indian Legends by Native American ( Dakota ) Author Zitkala-sa. These Legends feature the exploits of Iktomi the Native American Trickster god. (summary by Robert Scott)

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Librivox: Rupert of Hentzau by Hope, Anthony show

Librivox: Rupert of Hentzau by Hope, AnthonyJoin Now to Follow

This is the sequel to 'The Prisoner of Zenda'. Five years have passed. The King has become jealous of Rudolf Rassendyll and suspicious of the queen (Flavia)'s feelings towards him. Flavia decides that this must be the last year in which she sends to Rudolf the single red rose that betokens her love, and therefore she also sends via Fritz von Tarlenheim, her letter of good-bye. Count Rupert of Hentzau, banished from Ruritania after the incidents of the earlier book, is plotting his return. In furtherance of his scheme he obtains both letter and rose, and plots to place them before the King. Rudolf, Fritz and Sapt must prevent this at all costs... (Summary by Andy)

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