3dAudioBooks

Two delightful tales surrounding the adventures of John Norton, the Trapper. He gives us a good glimpse into life in the deep woods, and how he deals with those who would disturb him or others with their, "diviltry." John Norton gives us all a great example of hospitality, bravery, forgiveness, and justice as only he can. 

Genre(s): Action & Adventure Fiction, Travel Fiction

Language: English

William Henry Harrison Murray (1840 - 1904)

This work describes conditions and forces the black population of the South faced after freedom was brought by the Civil War. As Sinclair puts it at the outset of his book, ". . . the chief efforts of Southern leadership have been to curtail the freedom of the colored people, to minimize their liberty and reduce them as nearly as possible to the condition of chattel slaves." 

Genre(s): History, Social Science (Culture & Anthropology)

William A. Sinclair (1858 - 1912)

This is a collection of 44 poems

Genre(s): Poetry

Language: English

Nothing is ordinary in the world of John Muir, naturalist and author known as the Father of the US National Parks. In this short work, written in the latter part of his life for Century Magazine, Muir beckons us to come with him, unrushed, to behold the wonder of the Grand Canyon. Some of the beauty every life needs awaits here. Its magnificence envelops, "carrying us back into the midst of the life of a past infinitely remote. And as we go on and on, studying this old, old life in the light of the life beating warmly about us, we enrich and lengthen our own."

Genre(s): Nature

John Muir (1838 - 1914)

"Antipho, a wealthy and jovial old gentleman of Athens, has two daughters, Pilumena and Pamphila. They are married to two brothers, Epignomus and Pamphilus, who, having run through their property in the company of idlers and Parasites, have, with the view of retrieving their fortunes, taken to merchandize [overseas trade]." The brothers have, in fact, been gone so long trying to regain their riches that Antipho is getting ready to marry off the daughters again. Will the brothers arrive back in time to save their marriages and get rid of their Parasites?

Titus Maccius Plautus (254 BCE - 184 BCE)

At the end of this period his quest for the green knight leads him first through perilous adventures comparable to the life-threatening dangers confronting all mortals in their earthly sojourn and then, when his travels are at an end, through a series of temptations that represent allegorically the spiritual challenges determining not the time of death but the fortunes of the soul after death. The spot where Gawain then meets his foe closely resembles a graveyard superintended by the green knight, now converted, in effect, from a victim into a judge, as Christ was murdered by mankind but survived to be our judge at the end of time. A couple early footnotes may help in appreciating two details in the conclusion of the tale: 

First, Catholics believe that to perform the sacrament of Confession while intending to commit another sin deprives the priest's absolution of effect. Second, it was generally believed, in the Middle Ages and even today, that evil spirits cannot cross running water. This belief appears in "Tam Lin," "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and The Lord of the Rings. 

Genre(s): Culture & Heritage Fiction, Myths, Legends & Fairy Tales, Christian Fiction

Language: English

Jessie Laidlay Weston (1850 - 1928)

Mark Twain illustrator Dan Beard recalled discussing McAllister’s book with Twain. “It was before Webster & Company failed that Ward McAllister’s book (Society as I have Found It) appeared, and when he (Twain) sauntered into my studio one day, I said:

N.B. - NOT included in this recording is the author's extensive collection of period stationery, found at the end of the book. 

Genre(s): Biography & Autobiography, Social Science (Culture & Anthropology)

Language: English

Ward McAllister (1827 - 1895)

This publication, by English utopian socialist Edward Carpenter, describes civilisation as a sort of disease with which humanity is afflicted. Alongside this influential publication (originally published in 1889), are compiled other essays: Modern Science: A Criticism; The Science of the Future: A Forecast; Defence of Criminals: A Criticism of Morality; Exfoliation: Lamarck versus Darwin; Custom; A Rational and Humane Science; and The New Morality, plus Appendices (notes on various "Pre-Civilised peoples"). 

Genre(s): Modern

Edward Carpenter (1844 - 1929)

Mechanical engineer Steve Cornell lives in a world where ESP and telepathy are normal, and a spreading plague called Mekstrom’s Disease turns its victims into supermen. In the search for his missing fiancée, Steve must discover who controls the disease and what they want with him. 

Genre(s): Science Fiction

George O. Smith (1911 - 1981)

Tree with a Bird in it: a symposium of contemporary American poets on being shown a pear-tree on which sat a grackle is a collection of poems based on a bird in a tree. The author parodies various contemporary poets in 1922 with their versions of a poem based on the aforementioned topic. 

Genre(s): Single author

Margaret Widdemer (1884 - 1978)