Best 100 Novel Podcasts

Heidi and Emily are best friends who have been reading Nora Roberts' books for over twenty years. If you are a fan of action, suspense, and thrillers all wrapped up in a glorious romance then join in as they discuss all of Nora Roberts' romance novels. Be ready to laugh, sigh, and cringe as hundreds of book characters find their happy endings. more

College-level conversations about sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and weird fiction with writer G.L. McDorman.

Books On Air is a conversation with today's new authors of the best new books. Hear about their backgrounds, inspirations and what drove them to tell their stories. It's an insider's view of the creative process and the challenge of writing. Whether you are a new author, or just looking for some great new reads, sit back and enjoy these insights from writers who have crossed the finish lines with their books. more

Literary Anything, our Marion Libraries podcast where we talk about anything literary and literary anything.

Dès 1828 Hugo avait conçu Note Dame de Paris et se rend plusieurs fois à la cathédrale. Il ressuscite le Paris d'autrefois avec sa cathédrale. Notre-Dame de Paris retrace la destinée tragique au Moyen Âge d'une jeune bohémienne, Esméralda, victime du désir qu'elle inspire à trois hommes. Convoitée par l'archidiacre Frollo, elle est enlevée sur son ordre par le sonneur de cloches difforme de Notre-Dame, Quasimodo, puis est sauvée par le beau capitaine Phoebus dont elle s'éprend. Mais Frollo, jaloux, poignarde Phoebus, et n'intervient pas lorsque Esméralda est accusée de ce meurtre. Elle est emprisonnée, puis délivrée, cette fois, par Quasimodo, épris d'elle, qui l'entraîne au sein de l'inviolable cathédrale. Les truands de la cour des Miracles, inquiets de sa disparition, assaillent l'édifice, et livrent, sans s'en douter, Esméralda à son pire ennemi, Frollo. Arrêtée, la jeune fille sera pendue sous l'oeil cynique de ce dernier. Quasimodo, enfin édifié sur son «bienfaiteur» Frollo, le précipite du haut des tours de Notre-Dame, et se laisse ensuite mourir dans les bras d'Esméralda dans le charnier où elle repose. ( adapté de http://romantis.free.fr/Victor hugo/html/notdadep.html ) more

This timeless novel highlights the abuse and neglect that the orphaned Jane Eyre faced while growing up.This story opens with Jane Eyre being shipped off to be cared for by her uncle Mr. Reed who lived at the Gateshead Hall. Her uncle was always kind to her but his wife, Sarah Reed was anything but. Sarah's son John and Sarah's two daughters also contributed to Jane's torment. Jane was excluded from all family activities and found solace only in her books and dolls.One day John knocked her down and she tried to defend herself. This earned her a traumatic lock up in the room where her uncle died. At one point, she thought that she could see his ghost and this so terrified the poor child that an apothecary had to be called in. The kind man advised Sarah Reed to send Jane off to boarding school and she was subsequently sent to Lowood.Seen through Jane's eyes, Lowood was only marginally better than Gateshead but at least she had friends there. The book will take you way back to the days of bumpy carriage rides and class discrimination. It is also a glimpse into some historical aspects of England centuries ago and the antiquated notions that were held at the time.Charlotte Bronte tells an amazing story about a woman who faces issues of respect in an era when women were not permitted to stand up to society. Eventually Jane finds an employer that supports her but the shadowy and ominous Mr. Rochester, hides a dreadful secret that threatens Jane's happiness. more

The Podcast about Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In each episode, I will comment on a section of the book, to make it a bit less daunting, and hopefully help you enjoy it a bit more. I am a professor, but this podcast is created with a non-academic, non-expert, non-French-speaking audience in mind--that is, anyone who'd like to dive into this classic!Views expressed in this podcast are solely those of its creator, who does not speak on behalf of any other person or entity. more

A precursor to gothic literature and science fiction genres, Frankenstein is a novel fuming with imagination as it depicts a well known horror story. Shelly's gothic fiction is written in epistolary form as a means of correspondence between the failed writer Robert Walton and his sister, while he is away on a dangerous expedition in search of fame. Some major themes explored in the gothic classic are the fallibility of ambition and knowledge, revenge, prejudice, isolation, and the imperfections of society.The novel begins with the introduction of Captain Robert Walton, who is on a ship bound for the North Pole in search of scientific progress and knowledge. During his voyage, he and his crew come across a man nearly frozen and in frail condition. Taking the man onboard and nurturing him back to health, Walton is finally acquainted with Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein sees the same ambition within Walton that he too possessed and which is the reason for his current troubled state. Hence he decides to recount his life and share the miserable events leading him to his present isolated circumstance. Walton listens and records Frankenstein's account which begins with his childhood in his family home in Geneva. Even as a young child, Frankenstein was encouraged by his parents to seek out the truth about the world, and use science as his instrument. It is this passion for knowledge that prompts him to conduct experiments in order to recreate life from lifeless matter. However, the result is not the ideal being the scientist had initially expected, and instead produces an eight foot tall creature with yellow eyes and visible muscle tissue. Repulsed by his creation, Frankenstein tries to steer clear of the monster, but only ignites the monster's anger as it goes into a revenge spree taunting his creator. A chilling tale of murderous mayhem follows which is guaranteed to give goose bumps.Though many are familiar with Frankenstein through countless adaptations, most are unaware of the original depiction which can only be witnessed in the classic novel. Far from a simple horror story meant to scare and entertain, Frankenstein is a timeless classic which evokes vital questions about human nature and centers on important issues targeting human curiosity and the dangers of science. more

In The Astreya Trilogy, Book 2: The Men of the Sea, Astreya learns from his grandfather Oron how to control his power over the shipstones aboard the great ship Cygnus. He still yearns for Lindey, left on shore against her will.Trying to purge a nagging guilt, Roaring Jack sails the Mollie south again, and this time Astreya's friend Cam is a stowaway.Astreya's cousin Adramin tries to make Astreya fail. At The City of the Sea, the lawful meeting place of the great ships, family politics turn violent, with tragic consequences. Astreya must hurry to protect Lindey from his marauding uncle Mufrid, who wants the stone Gar gave her.A day-and-night sailing duel, a battle at sea, a shipwreck, a fight in a pub, escapes by sea and secret passage, help from unexpected allies and treachery from family all take their toll on Astreya and his friends.Astreya and Lindey will face even more dangers and deceptions in the last book in The Astreya Trilogy, Book 3: The Wanderer's Curse. more

The podcast that helps you find your next favorite book. In each episode, an author answers a few questions during a short interview that allows listeners to get to know them better and perhaps hear about their other works. Then the author reads a sample chapter from one of their books. more

North and South is a social novel that tries to show the industrial North and its conflicts in the mid-19th century as seen by an outsider, a socially sensitive lady from the South. The story: the heroine, Margaret Hale, is the daughter of a Nonconformist minister who moves to the fictional industrial town of Milton after leaving the Church of England. The town is modeled after Manchester, where Gaskell lived as the wife of a Unitarian minister. The change of lifestyle shocks Margaret, who sympathizes deeply with the poverty of the workers and comes into conflict with John Thornton, the owner of a local mill, also a friend of her father. After an encounter with a group of strikers, in which Margaret attempts to protect Thornton from the violence, he proposes to her, telling her that he is in love with her; she rejects his proposal of marriage, mainly because she sees it as if it were out of obligation for what she had done. Later, he sees her with her fugitive brother, whom he mistakes for another suitor, and this creates further unresolved conflict. Margaret, once she believes she has lost his affection, begins to see him in another light, and eventually they are reunited. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Little Dorrit, one of the three great novels of Charles Dickens' last period, was produced in monthly installments from 1855 to 1857, and is considered one of his most profound. Dickens' father spent three months in Marshalsea Prison for debt, which made a lasting impact on his life. This story centers around life in Marshalsea Prison and, as always, society in general.Book One begins in the infamous Marseilles Prison in France, where two prisoners, Rigaud the French rogue and the ever cheerful Italian Cavaletto, share a cell. We meet them again later, but the scene shifts quickly to the English debtor's prison, The Marshalsea, where Mr. Dorrit is confined. His daughter Amy is born there, the only baby ever born in that prison. Tiny as a baby, she grows into a sweet-natured tiny adult, better known as 'Little Dorrit.' The other inmates love and respect the child and the caring woman she becomes. Mr. Dorrit is also revered by them, and as the inmate with the longest term of imprisonment, he becomes 'Father of the Marshalsea.'Enter Arthur Clennam, who meets Mr. Dorrit and Amy. He notes that she takes care of her father's every need, and also cooks, cleans, and mends the clothes of her older siblings. Arthur suspects that Dorrit was wrongly imprisoned, and begins investigating the case, which may involve his own family as well.In Book Two, Mr. Dorrit has been freed, and his family begins a new life. Arthur Clennam, now a dear friend of Little Dorrit, becomes partner with an engineer and inventor named Daniel Doyce, but a surprising event occurs which puts Arthur into prison. The twists and turns of fortune for himself, the Dorrit family and many others are changed forever. (Summary by Mil Nicholson) more

Published in 1900, Sister Carrie follows its protagonist, Carrie, as she resolutely makes her way through the bustling city of Chicago in the hope of achieving her ultimate goal of a securing a better and more glamorous life for herself. Effectively illustrating his reputation as one of America's greatest naturalists, Dreiser deviates from the established norms and moral values present in the Victorian era, and instead focuses his attention on accurately portraying the basic instincts that influence human behavior.The novel begins with the introduction of Caroline Meeber, an eighteen-year-old girl who leaves her rural hometown and travels to the bustling city of Chicago, where she is to live with her stern sister and brother-in-law, in the hopes of fulfilling her ambitions. During her travel, she meets Charles Drouet, a warm-hearted salesman, and is instantly allured to his charm and expensive clothing. After sharing contact details, the pair makes arrangements to meet later in the week. Subsequently, Carrie settles in to her sister's modest apartment and is excited at the thought of working in the city. Realizing that life in the big city is not as easy and enjoyable as she had initially believed, Carrie instead finds herself coming to terms with the squalid conditions at her factory workplace, the dullness of her accommodation, and the inability to treat herself to some decent clothing. Her prayers seem to be finally heard when an accidental encounter with Drouet marks her change in fortune, as he introduces her to the lifestyle she had always wanted. However, Carrie's pursuit of happiness is not what she had initially bargained for, as she is pushed to seize every opportunity thrown her way, regardless of the cost.Interestingly, the revolutionary novel received mixed reactions at the time of its release due to its depiction of the harsh and somber reality of human condition, which spurred outrage from some critics, while triggering fascination in others. Furthermore, Dreiser offers an accurate observation of the ambitions prevailing in urban areas at the time, which he successfully demonstrates with his lively characters and their uncensored radical actions. Nevertheless, Sister Carrie continues to captivate modern readers with its evocative detail of tenacious human nature, and remains a classic highly recognized and appraised for its influential portrayal of naturalism and realism. more

A sportsman who doesn't hunt; a poet who doesn't write; a lover with no one to love; all three are devoted to their cheerful and benevolent leader, Mr. Pickwick. Join him and his friends, Winkle, Snodgrass, and Tupman, as they tour the country in search of adventures, knowledge, and stories. Along the way, they have their share of mishaps, and meet plenty of interesting characters, both the good and the not so good. (Mr. Pickwick's dedicated manservant, Sam Weller, is a scene-stealer sure to delight just about everybody.)You may shed a few tears along the way, but usually of the pleasant sort. This is a mostly lighthearted and humorous tale, with a number of subplots woven in, in Dickens' incomparable style.(Introduction by Debra Lynn) more

De trotse Dombey, eigenaar van het handelskantoor 'Dombey en zoon', heeft zich als doel in zijn leven gesteld zich in zijn bedrijf te laten opvolgen door zijn zoon. Pas nadat hij zijn zoon, zijn geld, zijn vrouw, zijn tweede vrouw en zijn bedrijf is kwijtgeraakt ontdekt hij wat belangrijk in het leven is. Een roman over trots en vrouwenemancipatie. (Samenvatting door Marcel Coenders) more

Dit is het verhaal van Nikolaas Nickleby en zijn zuster Kate die na het sterven van hun vader steun zoeken bij de broer van hun vader. In dit verhaal worden de misstanden van kostscholen aan de kaak gesteld. (Samenvatting door Marcel Coenders) more

Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, living near the fictional town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, near London.In this reading, Librivox volunteers lend their voices to dramatize Jane Austen's classic and well-loved novel. (Summary by Wikipedia and wildemoose)Cast:Mrs. Bennet: Beth ThomasMr. Bennet: Andy MinterJane Bennet: Elizabeth KlettElizabeth Bennet: Arielle LipshawMary Bennet: Tina DanhCatherine 'Kitty' Bennet: GabrielleCLydia Bennet: BumbleVeeMr. Bingley: John FrickerMr. Darcy: Peter BishopCharlotte Lucas: Laurie Anne WaldenYoung Mr. Lucas: Beth ThomasSir William Lucas: Robert ScheidMiss Caroline Bingley: Liz BenningtonMrs. Hurst: Elizabeth BarrMr. Hurst: Barry EadsMr. Collins: mbMr. Wickham: Algy PugDenny: David RichardsonMrs. Gardiner: TriciaGMr. Gardiner: David LawrenceMaria Lucas: Maria ThereseLady Catherine de Bourgh: Mil NicholsColonel Fitzwilliam: Ric FMrs. Reynolds: EstherMrs. Hill: Nadine Eckert-BouletButler: Barry EadsMrs. Phillips: deboleeNarrator: Debra LynnAudio edited by: Arielle Lipshaw more

Around the World in Eighty Days (French: Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is a classic adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in 1873. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a £20,000 wager set by his friends at the Reform Club. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Cranford is the best-known novel of the 19th century English writer Elizabeth Gaskell. It was first published in 1851 as a serial in the magazine Household Words, which was edited by Charles Dickens. more

Viscount Glencore has retreated to live alone with his son in Glencore castle after his wife deserted him claiming she did not love him. He wishes to exact revenge on her by denouncing the marriage and therefore proclaiming his son to be illegitimate. This consequently robs the child of his birthright and upon his father telling him his intentions, the boy runs away and refuses to return home. Glencore asks his old friend Upton to become the boys guardian to which he agrees after much protestation against it. The boy and his companion Billy move abroad to pursue their schooling and try to live a life of anonymity but all does not go according to plan. (Summary by Michele Eaton) more

The Schlegels frequently encounter the Wilcoxes. The youngest, Helen, is rejected by the younger Wilcox brother, Paul. The eldest, Margaret, becomes friends with his mother Ruth Wilcox. Ruth's most prized personal possession is her family house at Howards End. She wishes that Margaret could live there, as she feels that it might be in good hands with her. Ruth's own husband and children do not value the house and its rich history, because such abstractions, while being very dear to Margaret, are lost to them. As she is terminally ill, and Margaret and her family are about to be evicted from their London home by a developer, Ruth bequeaths the cottage to Margaret in a handwritten note found among her effects when she dies, causing great consternation among the Wilcoxes. Mrs Wilcox's widowed husband Henry and his children burn the note without telling Margaret about her inheritance. However, over the course of several years, Margaret becomes friends with Henry Wilcox and eventually marries him. The more free-spirited Margaret tries to get Henry to open up more, to little effect. Henry's elder son Charles and his wife try to keep Margaret from taking possession of Howards End. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Like all of Hardy's work, The Return of the Native (1878) is passionate and controversial, with themes and sympathies beyond what a good Victorian would ever admit. A modern and honest novel of chance and choice, faith and infidelities, this dark story asks what is free will and what is fate? What is the true nature of nature, and how do we fit together? Can we fit together?A tragedy set in the barren land of Edgon Heath. Our heroine, Eustacia, is proud, passionate, cruel, fickle, avaricious, and desperate. She burns every life she touches, never able to find the mad love and exotic world she dreams of. Our supposed hero, Clym, is modest, steady, plain, moral, and dutiful. He is satisfied returning from Paris to the simple comfort of home.When they come together, the Heath will come apart.Originally released as five books, in classic tragic form, a sixth, tacking on a 'happy ending', was added by editor and public pressure. (Summary by Marlo Dianne) more

Louisa May Alcott's beloved 1868 novel is about the four March girls - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - who are growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War. As the novel opens, their father is away at war, and the girls are struggling to be good and to reconcile themselves to their relative poverty. Each has her trials to deal with, and they are encouraged by their loving mother, and by their friendship with their neighbor, Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence.Cast:Narrator/Jo: Elizabeth KlettMeg: Arielle LipshawBeth: KalyndaAmy/Parrot: Karen SavageMarmee: Kara ShallenbergMr. March: Bruce PirieHannah: MaryAnnMrs. Hummel/Hummel Children/Lotty: ElliGirl/Child/Tina/Daisy/Maid: LaviniaLaurie: mbAunt March: Amy GramourOld Man/Dr. Bangs: Phil ChenevertMr. Laurence: David LawrenceMr. Davis/Shopman/Young Man #2/Clerk: Tom CrawfordAnnie/May Chester: sherlock85Clara/Miss Lamb/Kitty: ESFJ GirlMr. Lamb/Mr. Dashwood: Denny SayersMrs. Moffat/Aunt Carrol/Old Lady/Mrs. Chester: Sally McMajor Lincoln/Tudor: Henry FrigonBelle/Second Girl/Minnie: BookAngel7Nan/Mrs. Kirke: SusannaSallie Gardiner Moffat: rashadaHortense/Esther: Nadine Eckert-BouletFred Vaughan: John CroudyJohn Brooke: Peter BishopKate Vaughan: BumbleVeeNed Moffat/Parker/Young Man #1: coolkid2219Frank Vaughan: John FrickerBoy/Demi: E. LeeProfessor Bhaer: RainerAudio edited by: Elizabeth Klett more

Rob Roy is a historical novel by Walter Scott. It is narrated by Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who travels first to the North of England, and subsequently to the Scottish Highlands to collect a debt stolen from his father. On the way he encounters the larger-than-life title character of Rob Roy MacGregor. Though Rob Roy is not the lead character (in fact the narrative does not move to Scotland until half way through the book) his personality and actions are key to the development of the novel. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735), officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, is a novel by Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the 'travelers' tales' literary sub-genre. It is widely considered Swift's magnum opus and is his most celebrated work, as well as one of the indisputable classics of English literature. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Shipwrecked and castaway, Daniel DeFoe's hard-luck character is still the standard for 'growing where you're planted.' Captured by pirates, he makes his break in a small boat and undergoes desperate adventures before winning his way back to civilization. But Crusoe proves willing to chance his luck a second time when, after sweating his way to prosperity as a planter in Brazil, he undertakes a voyage that isn't needful… and is marooned on a small island off South America.Crusoe shows the value of single-minded labor as he pursues ways to feed, shelter, and clothe himself. His ardent wish is to escape his island why is it that the only people who come there are cannibals? But he spends more than two decades in isolation before acquiring a sidekick the man Friday you've probably heard of. And who would guess his way to salvation would depend on leading a last-ditch fight against a shipful of mutineers?For other castaway stories inspired by 'Robinson Crusoe', listen to 'The Swiss Family Robinson' (http://snipurl.com/swiss_family) and 'The Mysterious Island' (http://snipurl.com/mysterious_island). (Summary by Mark F. Smith) more

Young and beautiful Helen Eskdale and fabulously wealthy Lord Teviot seem to be the perfect match. But when they marry, they find that misunderstandings and jealousies continually drive them apart. The machinations and intrigues of a large supporting cast surround the central question of whether their marriage will survive. Emily Eden's comedy of manners is reminiscent of Jane Austen's witty and ironic novels. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) more

A Tale of Two Cities (Nederlands: In Londen en Parijs of De Geschiedenis van Twee Steden) is een roman van Charles Dickens, die zich afspeelt in Londen en Parijs ten tijde van de Franse Revolutie. De roman verscheen in wekelijkse afleveringen in het tijdschrift All the Year Round, tussen april en november 1859. more

The first of the Fu-Manchu novels, this story follows the two characters who are set against the machinations of the insidious doctor.(Summary by FNH) more

Charlotte Temple, a cautionary tale for young women, follows the unfortunate adventures of the eponymous heroine as she is seduced by a dashing soldier, Montraville. Influenced by both her lover and an unruly teacher at her boarding school, she is persuaded to run away to America, where she is eventually abandoned by Montraville after he becomes bored, leaving her alone and pregnant. First published in England in 1791, it went on to become America's bestselling novel, only being ousted by Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. (Summary by BumbleVee) more

In the year 1792, the French Revolution is in the midst of its bloodiest stage. Aristocrats are being executed left and right by the Republic when the guillotine begins to be repeatedly cheated of aristocratic victims due to a series of daring rescues carried out by a mysterious hero known only as 'The Scarlet Pimpernel.' Nothing is known about this person, save that he is a master of disguise, has saved dozens of lives, and has never been caught. He is the hero of the aristocrats, the bane of the Republic, and the talk of high society across the channel in England. As the inane and foppish Sir Percy Blakeney, the leader of English fashion, puts it, 'They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere! Is he in Heaven or is he in Hell, that demmed elusive Pimpernel?' And no one is more interested in uncovering the mystery surrounding this hero than Sir Percy's wife, the young French actress Marguerite St. Just, to whom the fate of the Scarlet Pimpernel may mean everything. (Summary by Eden Rea-Hedrick)Series:1: The Scarlet Pimpernel2: I Will Repay2.5: The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel3: https://librivox.org/search?q=elusive pimpernel&search_form=advanced4: El Dorado: Further Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel5: Lord Tony's Wife6: The Triumph of the Scarlet Pimpernel7: Sir Percy Hits BackPrequel: The Laughing Cavalier more

When published in 1907, this novel about the lives of a wealthy mill owner, her socially progressive husband and friends caused a stir due to its treatment of drug abuse, mercy killing, divorce and second marriages. (Summary by Margaret) more

The Voyage Out is the first novel by Virginia Woolf, published in 1915 by Duckworth; and published in the U.S. in 1920 by Doran. One of Woolf's wittiest social satires.Rachel Vinrace embarks for South America on her father's ship and is launched on a course of self-discovery in a kind of modern mythical voyage. The mismatched jumble of passengers provide Woolf with an opportunity to satirize Edwardian life. The novel introduces Clarissa Dalloway, the central character of Woolf's later novel, Mrs. Dalloway.E. M. Forster described it as '... a strange, tragic, inspired book whose scene is a South America not found on any map and reached by a boat which would not float on any sea, an America whose spiritual boundaries touch Xanadu and Atlantis... It is absolutely unafraid... Here at last is a book which attains unity as surely as Wuthering Heights, though by a different path.' (Introduction from Wikipedia) more

Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic children's novel, Anne of Green Gables tells the story of a red headed orphan girl with a personality you can't help but love. Despite her 'tragical' past, Anne's optimism and imagination have helped her to always see the best in things. Anne's life changes considerably when she is accidentally adopted by the Cuthberts, a brother and sister who thought they were getting a boy to help out on the farm. The Cuthberts decide Anne will have to be sent back to the orphanage but before they know it, she has begun to work her way into their hearts. (Summary by Annie Coleman) more

This is the fourth of Burrough's Tarzan novels. Alexis Paulvitch, a henchman of Tarzan's now-deceased enemy, Nikolas Rokoff, survived his encounter with Tarzan in the third novel and wants to even the score. (adapted from Wikipedia) more

Don Quijote de la Mancha (ortografía y título original —1605—, El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha) es una de las obras cumbre de la literatura española y la literatura universal, el libro más traducido después de la Biblia, escrito por Miguel de Cervantes.La novela consta de dos partes: la primera, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, fue publicada en 1605; la segunda, El ingenioso caballero don Quijote de la Mancha, en 1615.La primera parte se imprimió en Madrid, en casa de Juan de la Cuesta, a fines de 1604. Salió a la venta en enero de 1605 con numerosas erratas, a causa de la celeridad que imponía el contrato de edición. Esta edición se reimprimió en el mismo año y en el mismo taller, de forma que hay en realidad dos ediciones de 1605 ligeramente distintas. Se sospecha, sin embargo, que existió una novela más corta, que sería una de sus futuras Novelas ejemplares. (Resumen de Wikipedia) more

When Christopher Mason walked into Mr. Wicker's antique shop, he had no idea he would soon be embarking on a marvellous journey to China to find a wonderful tree made of jewels. He had no idea that Mr. Wicker was a magician and could travel through time. And that the tree was sought by others, not least among them the murderous Claggett Chew, a merchant in port and a pirate on the high seas, who also had knowledge of magic. But before Chris succeeded in quest, he would know of all these things and more. And of Mr. Wicker's friends, the sailor Ned Cilley, Becky Boozer, and the African boy Amos, changed from wood to flesh. And Christopher Mason would never be same, after. (Introduction by Arthur Piantadosi) more

A reputedly wealthy and eccentric old man dies in Vermont. His home, the House of a Thousand Candles, so called for the owner's preference to candle light, is left empty save a faithful servant -- his fortune mysteriously vanished, though rumored to still have been hidden in the house somewhere. John Glenarm, the late old man's grandson, stands to inherit the estate (and so the secret fortune) under the stipulation that he live in the house for one year. If he fails, the house will be forfeited and awarded to Marian Devereaux, the niece of the nun who operates the nearby Saint Agatha's School for girls. Mister Pickering, the executor of the estate and childhood rival of John's, decides to find the hidden treasure before young Glenarm does. more

Don Quijote de la Mancha (ortografía y título original —1605—, El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha) es una de las obras cumbre de la literatura española y la literatura universal, el libro más traducido después de la Biblia, escrito por Miguel de Cervantes. La novela consta de dos partes: la primera, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, fue publicada en 1605; la segunda, El ingenioso caballero don Quijote de la Mancha, en 1615. La primera parte se imprimió en Madrid, en casa de Juan de la Cuesta, a fines de 1604. Salió a la venta en enero de 1605 con numerosas erratas, a causa de la celeridad que imponía el contrato de edición. Esta edición se reimprimió en el mismo año y en el mismo taller, de forma que hay en realidad dos ediciones de 1605 ligeramente distintas. Se sospecha, sin embargo, que existió una novela más corta, que sería una de sus futuras Novelas ejemplares. more

The book starts with a young heroine telling her story of coping with a debilitating illness that includes depression and thoughts of suicide. Her doctor is unable to help her and sends her off on a holiday where she meets a mystical character by the name of Raffaello Cellini, an Italian artist. Cellini offers her a strange potion which immediately puts her into a tranquil slumber, in which she experiences divine visions. This is the beginning of her journey to health, both spiritual and physical. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Join Tom Gatti and Kate Mossman for the best of the New Statesman's arts and books pages, in your ears every other Thursday. Send noniversary suggestions and other comments to thebackhalfpodcast@gmail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. more

The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde, appearing as the lead story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine on 20 June 1890, printed as the July 1890 issue of this magazine. Wilde later revised this edition, making several alterations, and adding new chapters; the amended version was published by Ward, Lock, and Company in April 1891. The novel tells of a young man named Dorian Gray, the subject of a painting by artist Basil Hallward. Basil is impressed by Dorian's beauty and becomes infatuated with him, believing his beauty is responsible for a new mode in his art. Dorian meets Lord Henry Wotton, a friend of Basil's, and becomes enthralled by Lord Henry's world view. Espousing a new hedonism, Lord Henry suggests the only things worth pursuing in life are beauty and fulfillment of the senses. Realizing that one day his beauty will fade, Dorian (whimsically) expresses a desire to sell his soul to ensure the portrait Basil has painted would age rather than himself. Dorian's wish is fulfilled, plunging him into debauched acts. The portrait serves as a reminder of the effect each act has upon his soul, with each sin displayed as a disfigurement of his form, or through a sign of aging. The Picture of Dorian Gray is considered a work of classic gothic fiction with a strong Faustian theme. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Anglais flegmatique, enragé joueur de whist, Phileas Fogg, dont on ignore tout, mène une vie réglée comme une horloge. Jamais un mot, ni un mouvement inutiles.Ce mercredi 2 octobre 1872, tout pourrait bien changer : contre l'avis de ses partenaires de jeu du Reform-Club, Phileas Fogg soutient qu'on peut maintenant parcourir la terre en quatre-vingts jours seulement.Un pari est lancé. S'il n'est pas de retour le samedi 21 décembre, à huit heures quarante-cinq du soir, notre homme perd tout.Avec Jean Passepartout, domestique français fraîchement engagé, il devra « sauter mathématiquement des railways dans les paquebots, et des paquebots dans les chemins de fer ».Mais sa route pourrait bien être parsemée d'embûches ...A bet: Phileas Fogg, an English man, is to travel around the world in eighty days by land and sea. Will he make it?Let's follow his adventure through the writings of Jules Verne, in French.(Summary by Ezwa) more

This book is the second in Bennett's four books about life in the Five Towns (the real life Potteries in Staffordshire). It tells the story of Hilda before her marriage to Edwin Clayhanger (from the first book). Bennett explores Hilda's ambition to make a career for herself, her coming of age and her working experiences as a shorthand clerk and keeper of a lodging house in London and Brighton. He also shows her intensifying relationship with the enigmatic George Cannon that ends in her disastrous bigamous marriage and pregnancy, and finally her reconciliation with Edwin Clayhanger (Summary by Simon Evers) more

When a rough old seaman calling himself 'the Captain' appears at the inn owned by Jim Hawkins' father, young Jim little dreams what adventures will follow in the man's wake. Soon, the once-peaceful inn is threatened by pirates, Jim's father is laid in his grave, and Jim finds himself in possession of a map showing the location of treasure buried by the legendary and notorious Captain Flint. Along with a group of brave men: the sensible Dr. Livesey, the fearless and unflagging Captain Smollett, and the blustering but well-meaning Squire Trelawney, Jim sets out in quest of the treasure. Many perils, from wild animals to murderous villains to stormy seas will beset him on the way. And ever in the background, smiling and enigmatic, lurks the one-legged ship's cook, Long John Silver. One of the best-loved adventure stories of all time, Treasure Island is a pirate classic that delights readers today as much as when Stevenson first wrote it. (Summary by Eden Rea-Hedrick)Cast listing:Jim Hawkins, Dedication and Introductory Poem: Eden Rea-HedrickBilly Bones, 'the Captain', Dr. Livesey, Long John Silver: Barry EadsBlack Dog: Phillip J MatherMrs. Hawkins, Dick: Elizabeth KlettPew, George Merry: alanmapstoneMr. Dance: Algy PugPirate 1: ToddHWPirate 2: justinschwPirate 3: KristingjSquire Trelawney: Andy MinterTom Redruth: MarcyTTom Morgan: Robin KingCaptain Smollett: DublinGothicIsrael Hands: Mark F. SmithCaptain Flint (a parrot): TriciaGJob Anderson: Raphael PlattTom, Joyce: CaprishaPageBen Gunn: csjesi1Abraham Gray: David LawrenceHunter: GraceEdited by ToddHW. more

Virginia Woolf is one of the most influential and controversial feminine figures in the literary life of the London society. Night and Day is one of her first novels published in 1919 which displays the moral and spiritual issues that people confront. The author herself was an emotionally unstable person, her episodes of mental illness and suicidal depression being recurrent and always brought into the public attention.The novel revolves around the life of the main character, Katherine Hilbery, a superb girl, free spirited and living in her twenties. Being the only child of a traditional English family, Katherine spends her time surrounded by intellectual ideas, literature, and family duties. The young lady is pursued by two gentlemen, William Rodney and Ralph Denham. The first one sees Katherine as the perfect image of womanhood, a strong feminine figure delimited by strong moral laws. Ralph is different; he is the idealistic kind of person who falls in love with her at a first sight. He is loved, at his turn, by Mary, but Woolf decides to make the narration even more exciting by introducing a new feminine figure, Katherine's cousin, Cassandra. Virginia Woolf depicts the gender difference by creating female figures like Katherine who consider themselves strong enough to have an independent life. These ladies delay marriage because they follow their own interest, and they see the full satisfaction in the work they do. This novel will hold your attention with the conflict played out between traditional roles and the emerging modern view of Women. more

Lady Julia, the daughter of the earl of Belmont, and Mr. Henry Mandeville are falling in love. Though Henry is like a family friend, this love is not welcomed because the lady Julia is promised to someone else (or so Henry thinks). When they'll discover their chance of happiness, it is much too late. Summary by Stav Nisser. more

Edith Wharton's 1911 novel Ethan Frome tells the story of a tragic love triangle. Set in the highly symbolic wintry landscape of Starkfield, Massachusetts, the narrative centers on the title character's fraught relationships with his 'sickly, cantankerous' wife Zeena and his young, beautiful cousin Mattie Silver. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) more

Crome Yellow, published in 1921 was Aldous Huxley's first novel. In it he satirizes the fads and fashions of the time. It is the witty story of a house party at 'Crome' where there is a gathering of bright young things. We hear some of the history of the house from Henry Wimbush, its owner and self appointed historian; Apocalypse is prophesied, virginity is lost, and inspirational aphorisms are gained in a trance. Our hero, Denis, tries to capture it all in poetry and is disappointed in love.The author, Aldous Huxley, was born in 1894 and began writing poetry and short stories in his early twenties; this was his first novel and established his literary reputation. (Summary by Martin Clifton) more

Giles Dudley is called upon by his cousin Henry Wilton to assist him in San Francisco, but the reason for the summons is not at all clear. Dudley answers the summons, only to find himself immediately wrapped in the middle of mystery and intrigue, the roots and ends of which he is utterly unaware. He has been given to care for a mysterious young boy whom he hasn't even seen. His cousin has mysteriously disappeared. Dudley's role in the mystery has him convinced that as he goes about trying to assist his cousin with whatever it was he wanted to accomplish, he does so completely blindfolded. (Summary by Roger Melin) more

A Room with a View is a 1908 novel by English writer E. M. Forster, about a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian era England. Set in Italy and England, the story is both a romance and a critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century. (Summary by Wikipedia)Cast:Lucy Honeychurch/Narrator: Arielle LipshawCharlotte Bartlett: Elizabeth KlettMr. Emerson: asterixGeorge Emerson: nomorejeffsMr. Beebe: Bob NeufeldMiss Eleanor Lavish: Patti CunninghamMiss Theresa Alan: ElleyKatMiss Catharine Alan: MaryankaItalian Lady/Persephone/Maid: Libby GohnMr. Eager/Powell: Ric FVicar/Sir Harry Otway/Phaethon/Freddy Honeychurch: tovarischMrs. Honeychurch: CaprishaPageCecil Vyse: Brett W. DowneyMrs. Vyse: Etel BussMinnie Beebe: Charlotte DuckettAudio edited by: Arielle Lipshaw more

Edith Nesbit's classic story, in which three children, pulled suddenly from their comfortable suburban life, move to the country with their mother, where they come to know and love the ways of the railways. (Summary by Karen Savage) more

In a future where the government mandates the spiritual beliefs of its citizens, only a few rebellious 'Seekers of Truth' remain to free the world from deception.On his quest for meaning, Merikk follows a path that leads him across our world, and into another. Against his will he is thrown into action alongside members of the Underground Liberation, standing face to face against forces human, alien and demonic. Science fiction and the supernatural collide in a genre-bending adventure! Open your mind and then brace for impact as you discover the power of the Spirit Blade!The Spirit Blade Audio Book is a novel that serves as the source material for the scripts of the Spirit Blade Audio Drama Trilogy. This archived draft has been converted into an enhanced audio book format read by Paeter Frandsen and featuring sound effects and musical score from the 'Spirit Blade' and 'Spirit Blade: Dark Ritual' audio dramas! more

From the Earth to the Moon (French: De la Terre à la Lune) is a humorous science fantasy story written in 1865 by Jules Verne and is one of the earliest entries in that genre. It tells the story of three well-to-do members of a post-American Civil War gun club who build an enormous sky-facing columbiad and ride a spaceship fired from it to the moon. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Conan's lustful desires again get him into a whole pile of trouble. This time the beautiful, golden haired, noble born Octavia, lures him into a fiendish trap set by his most powerful enemies and from which there seems to be no escape. But on the long deserted island of Xapur where he goes to capture this crafty beauty, it is not just mortal enemies that await him; Khosatral Khel a demon that crawled up from the abyss many eons ago and is of a substance as hard as iron has been awakened and is intent on crushing Conan and the woman like bugs for it's amusement. Conan is up against a being immensely stronger than he is and which he cannot kill with normal weapons. Will his mighty thews and muscles finally be crushed beneath the iron fists of this devil? Will Conan finally meet his match in this fierce but scantily clad woman or will she finally yield to his powerful kisses? Listen and discover the answer to these questions. (Summary by Phil Chenevert) more

Clotel; or, The President's Daughter is a novel by William Wells Brown (1814-84), a fugitive from slavery and abolitionist and was published in London, England in December 1853. It is often considered the first African-American novel. This novel focuses on the difficult lives of mulattoes in America and the 'degraded and immoral condition of the relation of master and slave in the USA' (Brown). It is about the tragic lives of Currer, Althesea, and Clotel. In the novel, Currer is the former mulatto mistress of President Thomas Jefferson who together have two daughters, Althesea and Clotel. Because she was beautiful and the mistress of Jefferson, Currer and her daughters lived a confortable life, this changed when her master passes away. In the end, Currer and Althesea are auctioned to the notorious slave trader, Dick Walker. Clotel is bought by her lover Horatio Green. The separation of these three women is just the beginning of the injustices they face.It gained notoriety amid the unconfirmed rumors regarding Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. Brown was still considered someone else's legal property within the borders of the United States at the time of its publication. It is considered to be the first novel written by an African American.Brown used the injustices of slavery to demonstrate the destructive effects it had on the African American family, most significantly the so-called tragic mulatto. Brown had escaped from slavery in Kentucky while still in his youth, and became active on the anti-slavery circuit.(Summary from Wikipedia) more

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps's 1877 novel is set in a New England college town, and focuses on Avis Dobell, a professor's daughter. Avis is a talented painter, and bucks against the constraints placed on women in the 19th century. She wants to pursue a career as an artist and rejects marriage and motherhood, until she meets the charismatic young professor Philip Ostrander. Phelps's novel is a beautifully-written examination of the conflicts between marriage and career for women that is still relevant today. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) more

'Der Stechlin' ist Fontanes letzter großer Roman. Die Handlung rankt sich um das uralte märkische Adelsgeschlecht derer von Stechlin, die am gleichnamigen Stechlinsee im Ruppiner Land ihren Sitz haben. Der Autor selbst sagte ironisch, in dem Roman geschehe nicht viel. Tatsächlich liegt das Gewicht des Romans nicht auf der Handlung, sondern auf den vielfältigen Dialogen, welche die gesellschaftliche Wirklichkeit zur Wende vom 19. auf das 20. Jahrhundert offenbaren. (Zusammenfassung nach Wikipedia) more

Als der berückend gutaussehende Jüngling Dorian Gray sein Porträt betrachtet, kommt ihm der Gedanke, wie herrlich es sein müsste, wenn das Bild an seiner Stelle altern könnte, während er selbst für immer jung und schön bliebe. Als sich dieser fantastische Wunsch zu erfüllen beginnt, genießt Dorian seine ewige Jugend in vollen Zügen während in seiner Seele ein grauenvolles Werk der Zerstörung seinen Lauf nimmt.(Zusammenfassung von Al-Kadi) more

Published as a serial in 1875, Roderick Hudson is James's first important novel. The theme of Americans in Europe, so important in much of James's work, is already central to the story. Hudson is a young law student in Northampton, Massachusetts, who shows such surprising ability as a sculptor that the rich Rowland Mallett, visiting a cousin in Northampton, decides to stake him to several years of study in Rome, then a center of expatriate American society. The story has to do not only with Roderick's growth as an artist and the problems it brings, but also as a man susceptible to his new environment, and indeed his occasional rivalries with his American friend and patron.Interestingly enough, at least two of the book's characters made sufficient impression on James that he brought them back in other books: the French-Italian-Yankee sculptor, Gloriani, who appears later in The American, and Christina Light, the American who becomes the subject of Princess Casamassima, one of James's later (and much longer) novels.(Introduction by Nicholas Clifford) more

More than eight years before the novel opens, Anne Elliot, then a lovely, thoughtful, warm-hearted 19 year old, accepted a proposal of marriage from the handsome young naval officer Frederick Wentworth. He was clever, confident, and ambitious, but poor and with no particular family connections to recommend him. Sir Walter, Anne's fatuous, snobbish father and her equally self-involved older sister Elizabeth were dissatisfied with her choice, maintaining that he was no match for an Elliot of Kellynch Hall, the family estate. Her older friend and mentor, Lady Russell, acting in place of Anne's late mother, persuaded her to break the engagement. Now 27 and still unmarried, Anne re-encounters her former love when his sister and brother-in-law, the Crofts, take out a lease on Kellynch. Wentworth is now a captain and wealthy from maritime victories in the Napoleonic wars. However, he has not forgiven Anne for rejecting him. While publicly declaring that he is ready to marry any suitable young woman who catches his fancy, he privately resolves that he is ready to become attached to any appealing young woman except for Anne Elliot. (Summary by Wikipedia)Cast ListNarrator: Bob NeufeldSir Walter Elliot: Algy PugLady Russell: Libby GohnMr. Shepherd / Mr. Musgrove: ToddHWMrs. Clay: Michele EatonSir Basil: Richard FridayAnne Elliot: Elizabeth BarrMary Musgrove: Amanda FridayElizabeth Elliot: Eden Rea-HedrickMrs. Musgrove: Maria KasperCharles Musgrove: Jason MillsHenrietta Musgrove: TriciaGLouisa Musgrove: Charlotte DuckettCaptain Frederick Wentworth: Max KörlingeMrs. Croft: Frances BrownAdmiral Croft: Larry WilsonCharles Hayter: Bill MosleyInnkeeper / Sir William Elliot: Beth ThomasWaiter / First Lady: Elizabeth KlettCaptain Harville: mbMrs. Harville: WoollyBeeLady Dalrymple: Katalina WattMrs. Smith: LovedaySecond Lady: Kristin GjerløwThird Lady: MaryankaEdited by Michele Eaton more

Kate Chopin's 1899 novella The Awakening is about the personal, sexual, and artistic awakening of a young wife and mother, Edna Pontellier. While on vacation at Grand Isle, an island in the Gulf of Mexico, Edna befriends the talented pianist Mlle. Reisz and the sympathetic Robert Lebrun, both of whom will influence her startling life choices. Chopin's novel created a scandal upon its original publication and effectively destroyed her writing career. Now, however, it is considered one of the finest American novels of the 19th century. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) more

Our group discusses books and novels from all different genres. Focusing on one book per episode, we discuss its place in the world of literature from story to characters, symbolism and themes. We include titles from the very newest best sellers, timeless classics and some you've never heard of. Stretch your exposure to different styles, historical, to horror, comedy, science fiction and beyond. - Follow us on Twitter @anovelpodcast - more

When the absent-minded Earl of Emsworth wanders off with the pride of his scarab collection, American millionaire J. Preston Peters is willing to pay $5000 to the person who can get it back for him. Discretion is necessary since Peters' daughter is engaged to Emsworth's son. Joan Valentine and Ashe Marson both decide to go after the reward—she as Aline Peter's ladies maid, and he as Mr. Peter's valet—and they all end up at Blandings Castle. But is it possible for anyone to steal back the scarab with The Efficient Baxter ever vigilant? This is, IMHO, one of Wodehouse's funniest novels. Debra Lynn more

A mysterious map, pirates, and pieces of eight! When young Jim Hawkins finds a map to pirates' gold he starts on an adventure that takes him from his English village to a desert island with the murderous Black Dog, half-mad Ben Gunn, and (of course) Long John Silver. Arr Jim lad! R.L. Stevenson (1850-1894) was born in Scotland and travelled extensively in California and the south Pacific. (Summary by Adrian Praetzellis) more

This is the first of three novels which Edith Somerville and her cousin Violet Martin wrote about the English Major Sinclair Yates who leaves the army to take up a position of Resident Magistrate in the West of Ireland in about 1895. The tales tell in a humorous way of his struggles with a new job, new culture, and with his landlord and neighbour Mr. 'Flurry' Knox whose prime, if not only, interest is in hunting, which forms the background to all the stories. Miss Somerville was herself the first woman anywhere to become an M.F.H.(Summary by A.J.M.) more

A land owner, Vasili Andreevich, takes along one of his peasants, Nikita, for a short journey to another town. He wishes to get to the town quickly 'for business'. They find themselves in the middle of a blizzard, but the master in his avarice wishes to press on. They eventually get lost off the road and they try to camp. The master's peasant soon finds himself about to die from hypothermia. The master leaves him on the horse to stubbornly try to find the road. When he returns, he attains a spiritual/moral revelation, and Tolstoy once again repeats one of his famous themes: that the only true happiness in life is found by living for others. (Wikipedia) more

A jolly romp, which could be perhaps be described as Gulliver's Travels Through Our Solar System and Beyond, as written by a great admirer of C. S. Lewis, on a rainy Sunday afternoon, after one too many mugs of cocoa. Includes some thought on alien philosophies and how to apply them to moral and social problems here on Planet Earth. Unrelated to the book, this was also the one-thousandth project to be started at LibriVox. — (Non-summary by Cori Samuel.) more

Silas Marner (originally published in 1861): Betrayed by a beloved friend and accused of a crime he didn't commit, awkward Silas Marner is expelled from his beloved religious community — the only community he has ever known. He exiles himself in the remote village of Raveloe. Friendless and without family, set apart from the villagers by their superstition and fear of him, he plies his weaving trade day after day, storing up gold which becomes his idol. When his gold is stolen, he is rescued from despair by the arrival on his lonely hearth of a beautiful little girl, whom he adopts, and through whom he and the other people of the village learn that loving relationships are more fulfilling than material wealth. (Summary by rachelellen) more

The recently widowed Adela Gereth, a lover of beauty and passionate collector of fine objects, strikes up a friendship with the young Fleda Vetch, when both of them find themselves guests in the tasteless house of Brigstock family. Mrs. Gereth fears that her son Owen, an honorable but somewhat unimaginative young man, may take up with one of the Brigstock girls, and indeed he presently announces his engagement to Mona, the eldest daughter. That means that Mrs. Gereth will have to leave Poynton, the beautiful house that she and her husband filled with the furniture, china, tapestries, and other objects that they lovingly collected over the years. It is not so much possessiveness that drives Mrs. Gereth to want to maintain control over them (or so she claims, at any rate), but rather the sense that she will have failed if Mona, understanding and appreciating nothing of what Poynton contains, should become Owen's wife and take charge. The story and its developing conflicts are seen largely from the point of view of Fleda Vetch, the young woman who, her moral and aesthetic sensibilities tuned perhaps as finely as any of James's protagonists, finds herself caught in the middle.(Summary by Nicholas Clifford) more

After his father died, Captain Saint Leger and his family are left destitute. However, the Saint Legers have a family secret: an ancestor is said to have buried a vast fortune in gold and jewels somewhere in the Eastern Seas. The catch: all directions are encrypted. Nevertheless, Captain Saint Leger decides to take a chance and sails east. A journey full of adventure begins, including pirates, storms and mutiny... (Summary by Carolin) more

Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of animating lifeless matter and, by assembling body parts, creates the monster who has no name in the book. Rejected by society, the Monster vows revenge on his creator. (Summary written by Gesine)Note: Project originally cataloged October 20, 2005. Audio files were volume adjusted and re-uploaded May 3, 2010. more

This Side of Paradise is the debut novel of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Published in 1920, and taking its title from a line of the Rupert Brooke poem Tiare Tahiti, the book examines the lives and morality of post-World War I youth. Its protagonist, Amory Blaine, is a wealthy and attractive Princeton University student who dabbles in literature and has a series of romances that eventually lead to his disillusionment. In his later novels, Fitzgerald would further develop the book's theme of love warped by greed and status-seeking. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

The hero of the book is at a loose end, weary and bored of his old life after returning from the Great War. After an argument with his uncle and a railway strike he finds himself lost in the county of Norfolk at ten o'clock one night. When he seeks shelter in a country home, the butler immediately recognizes him as 'Mr. Alfred', the missing son of the house. From that point onwards, our hero, who gives his name as 'James Smith', finds himself in for an exciting time. Not only does he inherit the friends of 'Mr. Alfred', but also the odium of his misdoings. Protestations are useless: the villagers are convinced he is the prodigal son. Of course, he could just leave the village - but then, had he not been hoping for something exciting to happen - and more importantly, what about Marjorie, the girl at the window?Originally published anonymously, this romantic comedy was just signed 'by the author of 'Patricia Brent, Spinster' (a book that was also published anonymously) with a dedication: 'To those in many countries who have generously assumed responsibility for the authorship of Patricia Brent, Spinster - this book is dedicated by the author'. more

A Crystal Age is a utopian novel written by W. H. Hudson, first published in 1887. The book has been called a 'significant S-F milestone' and has been noted for its anticipation of the 'modern ecological mysticism' that would evolve a century later. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

2012 was the 200th anniversary of Dickens' birth. This is the fourth volume; the first volume of short works - fiction, essays, poetry and speeches, previously unrecorded for LibriVox, was catalogued by Dickens' birthday on February 7th 2012. Further volumes were added during the anniversary year. (Summary by Ruth Golding) more

During a burglary at the home of Deputy Daubrecq a crime is committed, and two accomplices of Arsène Lupin are arrested by the police. One is guilty of the crime, the other innocent, but both will be sentenced to death. Lupin seeks to deliver the victim of a miscarriage of justice, but struggles against Deputy Daubrecq's ruthless blackmailer, who has an incriminating document hidden in a crystal stopper. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Set in Victorian times, the novel concerns business man Paul Bultitude and his son Dick. Dick is about to leave home for a boarding school which is ruled by the cane wielding headmaster Dr. Grimstone. Bultitude, seeing his son's fear of going to the school, foolishly says that schooldays are the best years of a boy's life, and how he wished that he was the one so doing.At this point, thanks to a handy magic stone brought by an uncle from India which grants the possessor one wish, they are now on even terms. Dick, now holding the stone, is ordered by his father to turn him back into his own body, but Dick refuses, and decides instead to become his father, and so the fun begins. Mr. Bultitude has to begin the new academic term at his son's boarding school, while Dick gets a chance to run his father's business in the City. In the end, they are both restored to their own bodies, with a better understanding of each other. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

2012 was the 200th anniversary of Dickens' birth. This is the fifth and last volume; the first volume of short works - fiction, essays, poetry and speeches, previously unrecorded for LibriVox, was catalogued by Dickens' birthday on February 7th 2012, and further volumes followed throughout the anniversary year. (Summary by Ruth Golding) more

Ethan Frome is a novel published in 1911 by the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Edith Wharton. It is set in the fictitious town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, New England, where an unnamed narrator tells the story of his encounter with Ethan Frome, a man with dreams and desires that end in an ironic turn of events. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Die Leiden des jungen Werther beschreibt die unglückliche Liebe eines jungen Mannes (Werther) zu einer verlobten, später verheirateten Frau. Der Roman ist aus einer radikal subjektiven Perspektive geschrieben: er besteht nur aus Briefen von Werther vor allem an einen Freund namens Wilhelm. Erst im letzten Teil des zweiten Buches tritt ein Erzähler hinzu. Anhand der Briefe kann der Leser sowohl dem Verlauf der Handlung als auch den Gefühlen Werthers folgen, der immer verzweifelter wird, bis es schließlich in einer Katastrophe endet.Der Roman besteht aus zwei Büchern, die aber eher als zwei Teile eines einzigen Romans anzusehen sind.(Zusammenfassung von Rainer) more

Andre Norton's 'Star Born' pictures a human colony in another galaxy, driven away from Earth generations ago by a repressive government. Considered outlaws, the colonists are in permanent hiding.They have developed friendship and cooperation with a local race of 'mermen' who are equally at home on land or sea. But that race only took to the sea to escape a malevolent power that hunted them and killed them violently for sport - Those Others.With a global decline in the population and reach of Those Others, contacts are few and the humans have no direct knowledge of them. So it is a major surprise when Dalgard, a human scout on his coming-of-age expedition, along with his 'knife-brother' Sssuri of the mermen, run into a party of Those Others who are bent on reclaiming hideous weaponries left behind in one of their abandoned cities... and find that they are being aided by new arrivals from Earth! (Summary by Mark F. Smith) more

A collection of nine stories - or confessions - of the celebrated gentleman thief Arsene Lupin. (Summary by Cathy Barratt) more

Notes from Underground is an 1864 novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Notes is considered by many to be the first existentialist novel. It presents itself as an excerpt from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator (generally referred to by critics as the Underground Man) who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, or the underground man's diary, and attacks emerging Western philosophy, especially Nikolay Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done?. The second part of the book is called 'Àpropos of the Wet Snow,' and describes certain events that, it seems, are destroying and sometimes renewing the underground man, who acts as a first person, unreliable narrator. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences. They centre on Joyce's idea of an epiphany: a moment where a character experiences self-understanding or illumination. Many of the characters in Dubliners later appear in minor roles in Joyce's novel Ulysses. The initial stories in the collection are narrated by child protagonists, and as the stories continue, they deal with the lives and concerns of progressively older people. This is in line with Joyce's tripartite division of the collection into childhood, adolescence, and maturity. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

A novel by Erik Bader. Copyright 2010 Fort Saint Davids

The plot centers on Anna Tellwright, daughter of a wealthy but miserly and dictatorial father, living in the Potteries area of Staffordshire, England. Her activities are strictly controlled by the Methodist church. Having escaped her father by marrying the respectable and attractive Henry, she attempts in vain to help Willy, son of a drunken and bankrupt business associate of her father's. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

I Fästmön, andra delen av En Nyckfull kvinna, lämnar bruksförvalteren Helmer Dagby under en tid för att kunna vara hos sin döende mor. Under hans frånvaro dyker en ny person upp på Dagby, ryttmästaren Abbe Linden, kallad kusin Abbe, en levnadsglad man beredd till allt slags upptåg, och med en egen agenda. Han blir en rival till såväl greve Herman som herr Helmer. Den nyckfulla Edith Sternfelt kämpar med sina känslor för bruksförvaltaren. När han väl återkommit till Dagby efter modern död anar de båda vilka känslor de innerst inne har för varandra, men ändå söker dölja. Till slut fattar Edith i hastigt mod och desperation, efter ett meningsutbyte med modern, beslutet att till slut ge sitt jag till greven, och Edit är plötsligt förlovad och fästmö, till moderns stora glädje. Men det blir inte så enkelt. (Sammanfattning: Lars Rolander) more

Red Sensua's knife came up dripping—and the two adventurers knew that chaos and bloody revolution had been unleashed in that shadowy kingdom of the fourth dimension. (Summary by Ray Cummings) more

Cinco minutos é o primeiro romance do escritor brasileiro José de Alencar, nome proeminente do romantismo no país. Foi publicada em 1856 em forma de folhetins pelo jornal Diário do Rio de Janeiro. Ao final de alguns meses, com todos os capítulos já publicados, esses foram juntados em uma única edição que foi oferecida como brinde para os assinantes do jornal. No entanto, diversas pessoas que não assinavam o jornal, procuraram um volume do livro.A obra é escrita na forma de carta a uma prima do autor, D..., relatando seu amor por uma jovem, Carlota, nome o qual só é revelado nos últimos capítulos do livro.Inicia-se a história, no Rio de Janeiro, quando o narrador perde o ônibus por um atraso de cinco minutos e é obrigado a pegar o próximo. Senta-se ao lado de uma mulher. Apaixona-se por ela, mas não vê seu rosto e teme que a mulher seja feia; ela parte pedindo que não a esqueça, mas ele a perde. Depois de um mês tentando descobrir quem é a amada, a encontra numa ópera (La Traviata, de Giuseppe Verdi), declara-se mas ela foge deixando um lenço cheio de lágrimas.Depois de outros desencontros, finalmente o narrador conhece a mulher e declara-se. Por carta, ela revela que já o observava nos bailes, amava-o há tempos mas não podiam ficar juntos porque ela tinha uma doença incurável.O narrador faz de tudo para ir atrás da sua amada e enfrenta diversos contratempos.(Resumo extraído da Wikipedia) more

This collection of ten stories, first published in 1904, shows Edith Wharton dissecting some of the customs, habits and vagaries of courtship and marriage, particularly as practiced in the upper reaches of New York society at the turn of the twentieth century (two stories, however, are set in Italy). Fidelity is only one problem; others may arise from the machinations and emotions of the protagonists or outsiders. Wharton handles the questions with her usual gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) irony and curiosity about human behavior. (Summary by Nicholas Clifford) more

Orejas de ellos, 'the things that listen', whispered the superstitious fishermen when the strange occurrences began off the Philippine coast. How else explain the sudden disappearance of a vessel beneath a mysterious curtain of foam? The writhings of thousands of maddened fish trapped in a coffin-like area of ocean? What monsters gorged at the bottom of the Luzon Deep and what were their plans? Radar expert Terry Holt and the crew of the Esperance had to devise a weapon against the horrifying creatures which threatened mankind with extinction. Here are terror, excitement, and the clutch of cold death as combined by a master hand in the field of science fiction. (Summary by from original book jacket) more

Twenty-year-old Mary Alice is bored with her home life and envious of the beautiful, poised, popular girls she sees at parties. At her mother's advice, she reluctantly visits her Godmother in New York, who teaches Mary Alice a little homemade 'magic' and the one great Secret that will put her at ease with other people. How can Mary Alice learn to use these gifts to bring happiness into her own life and other lives? Although this charming novelette is subtitled 'A True Fairy Story,' it reveals that most of the 'magic' in life can be found within ourselves. (Introduction by Jan MacGillivray) more

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. (Summary by AngelFirePixie) more

End of the world sci-fi tale borrows heavily from H.G. Wells' WOTW and In The Days of the Comet -- looks like fun ! ( Summary by BellonaTimes ) more

A small play in three acts. A kind of comic tragedy. The plot tells the story of the interaction between two very different families in rural England just after the end of the First World War. Squire Hillcrist lives in the manor house where his family has lived for generations. He has a daughter, Jill, who is in her late teens; and a wife, Amy, as well as servants and retainers. He is 'old money', although his finances are at a bit of low ebb. The other family is the 'nouveau riche' Hornblowers, headed by the single-minded and rich industrialist Hornblower, who throws old retainers the Jackmans out of their home (much to the Squire's disgust), and who plans to surround the Hillcrist's rural estate with factories. (Summary by catrose and Wikipedia) Cast:Hillcrist: AnthonyAmy, or Mrs H.: Amanda FridayJill: April GonzalesDawker: Charlotte DuckettHornblower: Delmar H. DolbierCharles: Chuck WilliamsonChloe: CaprishaPageRolf: Chris MarcellusFellows: Aidan BrackAnna; Auctioneer: MJ FranckMr. Jackman: TriciaGMrs. Jackman: Jeannie TiradoFirst Stranger: KristingjSecond Stranger: Elizabeth KlettNarrator: SallyMcEditors: Charlotte Duckett & CaprishaPage more

The Grand Inquisitor is a parable told by Ivan to Alyosha in Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel The Brothers Karamazov (1879 1880). Ivan and Alyosha are brothers; Ivan questions the possibility of a personal, benevolent God and Alyosha is a novice monk. The Grand Inquisitor is an important part of the novel and one of the best-known passages in modern literature because of its ideas about human nature and freedom, and because of its fundamental ambiguity. In the tale, Christ comes back to earth in Seville at the time of the Inquisition. He performs a number of miracles (echoing miracles from the Gospels). The people recognize him and adore him, but he is arrested by Inquisition leaders and sentenced to be burnt to death the next day. The Grand Inquisitor visits him in his cell to tell him that the Church no longer needs him. The main portion of the text is the Inquisitor explaining to Jesus why his return would interfere with the mission of the church. (Summary by Wikipedia)CastNarrator: Ruth GoldingIvan Karamazov: om123Aloysha Karamazov: Martin GeesonThe Grand Inquisitor: Denny SayersAudio edited by Todd more

Podcast by PlsFeedMyBookwormThoughts

La Princesse de Monpensier est un court roman publié anonymement en 1662 par Madame de Lafayette (1634-1693). L'action se déroule entre 1568 et 1572 en France et a pour toile de fond la troisième et la quatrième guerres de religions; le récit s'achève à l'époque du massacre de la Saint-Barthélemy, qui y est brièvement évoqué. L'héroïne est une jeune et riche héritière de famille noble dont le jeu des alliances politiques décide du mariage au Prince de Monpensier. Son amour de jeunesse pour le duc de Guise se ravive à l'occasion d'une rencontre fortuite et un combat entre la vertu et la passion s'ensuit. Ce roman met en lumière la difficulté des relations amoureuses prises en porte-à-faux entre les considérations politiques, les contraintes sociales et les impératifs de la passion. (résumé par Ariodante) more

An audiobook of Slaughterhouse Five, dedicated to Duncan Ramage, inspired by Kurt Vonnegut. All rights of the novel go to Dial Press Publication more