Arts Podcasts
Librivox: History of Greece to the Death of Alexander the Great, A, Vol II by Bury, John BagnellJoin Now to Follow
J.B. Bury wrote his "History of Greece" before World War I, but it was such a good overview of classical Greek history that the third edition was still being used as a college textbook in the late 1960's. In the newer editions, a co-author rewrote the material dealing with the early centuries where there have been new archeological developments, but the later chapters and Bury's framework were retained essentially unchanged. Bury writes in a lucid, easily understood style that entertains as it educates. The book covers artistic and literary development, as well as politics and war, and its field of view includes western Asia Minor, the Agean archipelago, and "Greater Greece" (Sicily and Southern Italy). (Summary by Karen Merline)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Honor of the Big Snows, The by Curwood, James OliverJoin Now to Follow
What unseen force may have brought young Jan Thoreau and his music from out of the barren lands into the remote camp of Lac Bain, forever changing the lives of those few who lived there? What brought him to the home of John and Melisse Cummins as the latter lay on her death bed? Moreover, what was the great sorrow and overpowering sadness which permeated the life of the young man in the months and years following his arrival, and by what means was he to struggle with The Honor of the Big Snows ? (Summary by Roger Melin)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Brief History of English and American Literature, A by Beers, Henry A.Join Now to Follow
Henry Augustin Beers (1847-?), native of Buffalo, NY and professor of English at Yale, with the help of John Fletcher Hurst (1834-1903), Methodist bishop and first Chancellor of American University, has written a sweeping thousand 900 year history of English literature, up to the end of the 19th century. Although at times biased and sometimes misguided (as when he dismisses Mark Twain as a humorist noteworthy in his time but not for the ages), his research is sound and his criticism is interesting and quite often very balanced. In addition, the last chapter of each part is Hurst's synopsis of religious and theological literature in the language. This book is interesting for its point of view, but also useful as a jumping-off point for those interested in reading the classics. (Summary by Kalynda)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Bibel (LB 1912) 17: Esther by Luther-Bibel 1912Join Now to Follow
Esther wurde von ihrem Onkel aufgezogen. Sie leben in Susa; das weit weg von Israel liegt. Esther wird Königin. Eine Intrige wird verhindert, als sie durch ihren Mut ihr Volk vor dem Tod schützt. (Zusammenfassung von Anza)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Life in a Mediaeval City, Illustrated by York in the XVth Century by Benson, EdwinJoin Now to Follow
A short and gentle overview of mediaeval life in a large city. It lightly covers the class structure of society, local government, guilds, pageantry and punishment. The author has an easy, rhythmic style which leaves the reader wanting to find out more. (Summary by Peter Yearsley)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Magic World, The by Nesbit, E. (Edith)Join Now to Follow
Talking cats, birds, fish and bells, wicked fairies, uglified princesses - adventure, magic, and more magic. A delightful collection of stories for children of all ages. The Magic World is an influential collection of twelve short stories by E. Nesbit. It was first published in book form in 1912 by Macmillan and Co. Ltd., with illustrations by H. R. Millar and Gerald Spencer Pryse. The stories, previously printed in magazines (like Blackie's Children's Annual), are typical of Nesbit's arch, ironic, clever fantasies for children. (Summary by Wikipedia and Ruth Golding)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Deathworld by Harrison, HarryJoin Now to Follow
Harry Harrison (1925 - ) is best known for his Stainless Steel Rat stories and the novel Make Room! Make Room! which was adapted for film as Soylent Green. Deathworld is the first in a series of novels begun in 1960 and originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction Magazine. It’s the story of Jason dinAlt a professional gambler with psionic skills who finds himself on Pyrrus the deadliest planet to be colonized by humanity. Violent weather, active tectonics, heavy gravity, abundant predators, and a hostile splinter group of colonists is only the beginning of Jason’s quest to learn the truth about Pyrrus. (Summary by Gregg Margarite)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Strange Stories From a Chinese Studio (selection), volume 1 by Pu SonglingJoin Now to Follow
"Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" or "Strange Tales of Liaozhai") is a collection of nearly five hundred mostly supernatural tales written by Pu Songling during the early Qing Dynasty. It was written in Classical Chinese rather than Vernacular Chinese. Pu is believed to have completed the majority of the tales sometime in 1679, though he could have added entries as late as 1707. He borrows from a folk tradition of oral storytelling to put to paper a series of captivating, colorful stories, where the boundary between reality and the odd or fantastic is blurred. The cast of characters includes vixen spirits, ghosts, scholars, court officials, Taoist exorcists and beasts. Moral purposes are often inverted between humans and the supposedly degenerate ghosts or spirits, resulting in a satirical edge to some of the stories. Ghosts and spirits are often bold and trustworthy, while humans are on the other hand weak, indecisive and easily manipulated, reflecting the author's own disillusionment with his society. (Summary from Wikipedia)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Twenty Years After by Dumas, AlexandreJoin Now to Follow
Let's continue the D'Artagnan Romances that we've already started with The Three Musketeers.
By LibriVox
Librivox: Lost Continent, The (Beyond Thirty) by Burroughs, Edgar RiceJoin Now to Follow
Originally published under the title of Beyond Thirty . The novel, set in the year 2137, was heavily influenced by the events of World War I. In the future world depicted in the novel, Europe has descended into barbarism while an isolationist Western Hemisphere remains sheltered from the destruction. The title Beyond Thirty refers to the degree of longitude that inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere are forbidden to pass. (Summary from Wikipedia)
By LibriVox
