Audio Podcast Directory - Podcasts with only audio episodes
Librivox: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The by Twain, MarkJoin Now to Follow
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain is one of the truly great American novels, beloved by children, adults, and literary critics alike. The book tells the story of “Huck” Finn (first introduced as Tom Sawyer’s sidekick in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ), his friend Jim, and their journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. Both are on the run, Huck from his drunk and abusive father, and Jim as a runaway slave. As Huck and Jim drift down the river, they meet many colorful characters and have many great adventures. The true heart of the story, however, is the friendship between Huck and Jim. A constant theme throughout the book is Huck’s internal struggle between what he has been taught, that helping a runaway slave is a sin, and what he truly believes, that Jim is a good man and it couldn’t possibly be wrong to help him. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was unique at the time of its publication (1884) because it is narrated by Huck himself and is written in the numerous dialects common in the area and time in which the book is set. Although the book was originally intended as a sequel to the children’s book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , as Twain wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it progressed into a more serious work. Twain’s views on slavery and other social issues of the time become clear through the words, thoughts, and actions of Huck Finn. The book has always been the subject of great controversy, and according to The American Library Association it was fifth on the list of most frequently challenged books in the 1990s. (Summary by Annie Coleman)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The by Stevenson, Robert LouisJoin Now to Follow
The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a novella by the Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. London lawyer Utterson is driven to investigate Edward Hyde, the unlikely protégé of his friend Dr Henry Jekyll, suspecting the relationship to be founded on blackmail. The truth is worse than he could have imagined. Jekyll’s ‘full statement of the case’, the final chapter of the book, explores the idea of dual personality that led him to his experiments, and his inexorable and finally fatal descent into evil. (Summary by David Barnes)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Short Poetry Collection 010 by VariousJoin Now to Follow
Librivox’s Short Poetry Collection 010: a collection of 20 public-domain poems.
By LibriVox
Librivox: Johnny Crow’s Party by Brooke, L. LeslieJoin Now to Follow
A beautifully illustrated children’s picture book. Listen to the narration while you view (on gutenberg.org) a variety of delightful animals doing strange things such as the kangaroo who tried to paint the roses blue. This is a follow up to Johnny Crow’s Garden. (Summary by Jim)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Eve’s Diary by Twain, MarkJoin Now to Follow
Eve’s Diary is a humorous monologue about Eve’s experiences at the dawn of creation. She is fascinated by every aspect of the new world around her and… Adam! The following is an extract from Adam: “She is all interest, eagerness, vivacity, the world is to her a charm, a wonder, a mystery, a joy; she can’t speak for delight when she finds a new flower, she must pet it and caress it and smell it and talk to it…. And she is color-mad: brown rocks, yellow sand, gray moss, green foliage, blue sky…none of them is of any practical value, so far as I can see, but because they have color and majesty, that is enough for her, and she loses her mind over them…. If there is anything on the planet that she is not interested in, it is not in my list.” (Summary by Esther Lockwood)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Walden by Thoreau, Henry DavidJoin Now to Follow
Walden by Henry David Thoreau is one of the best-known non-fiction books written by an American. Published in 1854, it details Thoreau’s life for two years, two months, and two days around the shores of Walden Pond. Walden is neither a novel nor a true autobiography, but a social critique of the Western World, with each chapter heralding some aspect of humanity that needed to be either renounced or praised. Along with his critique of the civilized world, Thoreau examines other issues afflicting man in society, ranging from economy and reading to solitude and higher laws. He also takes time to talk about the experience at Walden Pond itself, commenting on the animals and the way people treated him for living there, using those experiences to bring out his philosophical positions. This extended commentary on nature has often been interpreted as a strong statement to the natural religion that transcendentalists like Thoreau and Emerson were preaching. (Description amended from Wikipedia).
By LibriVox
Librivox: Aesop's Fables, Volume 10 (Fables 226-250) by AesopJoin Now to Follow
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 10 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Aesop's Fables, Volume 11 (Fables 251-275) by AesopJoin Now to Follow
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 11 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
By LibriVox
Librivox: History of England from the Accession of James II - (Volume 1, Chapter 02) by Macaulay, Thomas BabingtonJoin Now to Follow
This is the second chapter of Thomas Babington Macaulay’s History of England from the Succession of James II. In this chapter we see the restoration of the House of Stuart. The mood of the people sours toward the Roundheads, Army and, of course the Puritans. An examination of the character of Charles II. We see Charles attempting to recruit assistance from France so he can attain absolute monarchy and so emulate Lewis the Fourteenth, the French Sun King. (Summary by Jim Mowatt)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Vicar of Wakefield, The by Goldsmith, OliverJoin Now to Follow
Published in 1766 'The Vicar of Wakefield' was Oliver Goldsmith's only novel. It was thought to have been sold to the publisher for £60 on Oliver Goldsmith's behalf by Dr Johnson to enable Goldsmith to pay off outstanding rent and to release himself from his landlady's arrest. It is the story of the family of Dr Primrose, a benevolent vicar, and follows them through their fall from fortune and their ultimate rise again. The story provides insight into family life and circumstances in the mid 18th century and the plot has many aspects of a pantomime like quality: Impersonation, deception, an aristocratic villain and the abduction of a beautiful heroine. Goldsmith himself dissipated his savings on gambling whilst a student at Trinity College Dublin and subsequently travelled in Europe sustaining himself by playing the flute and disputing doctrinal matters in monasteries and universities. Later he worked as an apothecary's assistant, a doctor and a school usher (experiences shared in this story by Dr Primrose's son). (Summary by Martin Clifton)
By LibriVox
