Arts Podcasts
Librivox: Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting One’s Reason and of Seeking Truth by Descartes, RenéJoin Now to Follow
The Discourse on Method is best known as the source of the famous quotation “cogito ergo sum”, “I think, therefore I am.” …. It is a method which gives a solid platform from which all modern natural sciences could evolve. With this work, the idea of skepticism was revived from the ancients such as Sextus Empiricus and modified to account for a truth that Descartes found to be incontrovertible. Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. (Summary by Wikipedia)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Story of Doctor Dolittle, The by Lofting, HughJoin Now to Follow
In The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920), the first of Hugh Lofting's Doctor Dolittle books, we are introduced to the good doctor who gives up treating people after Polynesia, his parrot, teaches him animal languages. His fame in the animal kingdom spreads throughout the world and soon he sets off to cure a monkey epidemic in Africa, finding all sorts of exciting adventures on the way. This recording is of the original edition, which is in the public domain. Later editions, which are still under copyright, changed some language and plot elements that are considered racially derogatory. (Summary adapted from wikipedia.org by Annie Coleman)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Struwwelpeter by Hoffmann, HeinrichJoin Now to Follow
Struwwelpeter (Slovenly Peter) is an illustrated collection of humorous children’s poems describing ludicrous and usually violent punishments for naughty behavior. Hoffmann, a Frankfurt physician, wanted to buy a picture book for his son for Christmas in 1844. Not impressed by what the stores had to offer, he instead bought a notebook and wrote his own stories and pictures. While Struwwelpeter is somewhat notorious for its perceived brutal treatment of the erring children, it has been influential on many later children’s books, most notably Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (Summary by Catharine and wikipedia.org)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Bible (WEB) 19: Psalms - Selections by World English BibleJoin Now to Follow
To celebrate Easter, LibriVox volunteers bring you nine different recordings of various psalms from the World English Bible . This was the weekly poetry project for the week of April 9th, 2006. (Summary by Annie Coleman) This collection includes: Psalm 5 Psalm 23 Psalm 27 Psalm 88 Psalm 96 Psalm 98 Psalm 123 Psalm 131
By LibriVox
Librivox: History of England from the Accession of James II - (Volume 1, Chapter 01) by Macaulay, Thomas BabingtonJoin Now to Follow
This is chapter 1 of volume 1 of a series of books written by the Baron Macaulay in the 19th century. It starts with a brief resume of the history of England up until the Stuart kings and then starts to delve into a little more detail. Macaulay is primarily fascinated by ending of any claim to divine right of kings and the growing role of Parliament in the governing of the country. He sees the accession of William and Mary (Dutch, Protestant royalty) to the British throne as a key moment in the history of the British Isles. This is a book delightful for the literary gifts of the author and intriguing for his view of 18th century English and world politics. (Summary by Jim Mowatt)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Through the Looking-Glass by Carroll, LewisJoin Now to Follow
Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, was written in 1872 and it finds Alice in a land when she walks through a mirror into the Looking-Glass House. The land is full of mythological creatures and characters and nursery rhyme characters. Alice makes a guest appearance in a bizarre game of chess with Humpty Dumpty! A charming, witty story! (Summary by Aldark)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Белые ночи (White Nights) by Dostoyevsky, FyodorJoin Now to Follow
Belye Nochi (”White Nights”) by Fyodor Dostoevsky. In this small 100kb story (though author states this is a sentimental novel) author describes in his traditional and particular way the internal world of one young lonely person. The hero’s 26 years old man, who is oriented into his internal world, who’s rather shy, and thus is in real demand of a soulful conversations and love. The action take place in the city of a real and deep sentiments and romance — Saint Petersburg, the most romantic and european city in Russia. Not only the location is important, but also a time of a day: all actions in the story take place in evening and night time — the famous time of white nights. Once, hero is going out to have a little daily promenade alone and he occasionaly meets an attractive and lovely woman on evening streets of Saint Petersburg. Can he fell in love with her? Can they estimate the value of this relationship? Can they lead a happy life in this city of lonely hearts? You will know the answers on all these questions if you read or listen to a story. (Summary written by Yakovlev Valery)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Gettysburg Address, The by Lincoln, AbrahamJoin Now to Follow
It was a cloudy November day in 1863 when thousands gathered to hear renowned orator Edward Everett dedicate a national cemetary at the site of a pivotal battle early in July of that year. Also present to deliver "a few appropriate remarks" was the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln spoke but 278 words; Everett later wrote to the President, "I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion, in two hours, as you did in two minutes." Though there are surviving transcripts of Everett's lengthly speech, it is Lincoln's words which have come to be known as "The Gettysburg Address" (Summary by Chip)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Ten Days in a Madhouse by Bly, NellieJoin Now to Follow
In 1887 Nellie Bly, one of the first female newspaper writers, and a young reporter who would soon go on to make a career for herself as an investigative journalist and “stunt” reporter, had herself committed to the Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum in New York. Her purpose was to discover what life was like for those who had been deemed insane. She was surprised to discover the depth of mistreatement of the patients. Partially as a result of her reporting, more money was allocated to the asylum and reforms were put into place. (Summary by Alice)
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Librivox: Amendments to the United States Constitution by United States, Founding Fathers of theJoin Now to Follow
The Amendments to the Constitution of the USA are a continuously modified document that attempts to secure all basic and other rights for American citizens. The most recent amendment was made in the early 1970's during the Vietnam war; this amendment lowered the voting age to 18. The first ten amendments (A.K.A. the Bill of Rights) was made by the founding fathers shortly after the actual constitution was made. The Bill of Rights covers all those things that the settlers found wrong with the rule of King George III of England. Such as: Quartering of soldiers, Freedom of speech, and Search and seizure. (Summary by Shurtagal)
By LibriVox
