Random Audiobook Podcasts

Sixty-three essays on a variety of topics as wide apart as Family Life in America, Opera Synopses, Bigamy, International Finance and many more, Love Conquers All by Robert Benchley strangely enough does not touch upon romance at all! However, these delightful notes provide hours of browsing pleasure for young and old readers alike. Robert Benchley was a well-known humorist and newspaper columnist, radio and television presenter, actor, scriptwriter and broadcaster. He is also credited with creating the first ever television entertainment show and one of his iconic short films, How to Sleep won an Academy Award in 1936. Love Conquers All is a collection of short pieces which were published in various newspapers and journals like the The New York Tribune, Life, The New York World and several other consolidated press agencies. Benchley’s tongue-in-cheek humor and his zany commentary on the world around him have continued to delight readers since they were first compiled in book form in 1922. The quirky illustrations by the famous cartoonist Gluyas Williams add to the book’s appeal. Some of the essays in the volume include titles such as Rules and Suggestions for Watching Auction Bridge, Do Insects Think? What to Do While the Family is Away, When not in Rome, Why do as the Romans Did? Welcome Home – And Shut Up! Advice to Writers and a host of other topics. Between 1919-29, Benchley and other greats of American humor formed the famous Algonquin Round Table Club. The members included Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, George Kaufmann, Harpo Marx and many others whose wacky takes on life continue to delight readers even today. The Algonquin Club which met regularly at the historic Algonquin Hotel in New York. The members whose numbers expanded to include literary greats like Edna Ferber and Heywood Broun. The meetings resulted in the founding of the New Yorker magazine and even today, all guests at the hotel receive free copies of the magazine. The members who referred to themselves as the Vicious Circle had a great influence over literature and journalism of the era. Fitzgerald and Hemingway were also greatly influenced by the ideas of the Vicious Circle. Today the Round Table restaurant at the Algonquin is a mecca for literature buffs. Benchley’s style is upper-class, genteel, literary and is characterized by extensive puns and word play. However, some of his pieces are distinctly of the “cracker-barrel” variety of fun, relying on exaggerations, slapstick and dialects. He had a big influence on humorists ranging from James Thurber to Dave Barry. He wrote more than 600 essays and short pieces which were compiled into more than a dozen volumes, which continue to be published by major publishers. His short films are becoming more and more popular today. An amusing addition to your humor collection!

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Love Conquers All, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Robert Benchley

The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed his unique “topsy-turvy” style, where the humour was derived by setting up a ridiculous premise and working out its logical consequences, however absurd. The Ballads also reveal Gilbert’s cynical and satirical approach to humour. They became famous on their own, as well as being a source for plot elements, characters and songs that Gilbert would recycle in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. The Bab Ballads take their name from Gilbert’s childhood nickname, and he later began to sign his illustrations “Bab”.

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Music

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, music, poetry, The Bab Ballads, W. S. Gilbert

First appearing in Harper’s Young People as a serial, the piece focuses on the extraordinary tale of a young boy and a girl who have been brought up in a secluded and controlled environment by a wicked witch, incognizant of the world outside of their custom tailored settings. Enriched with magic, fantasy, romance, and allegory, The Day Boy and the Night Girl is a great instance of MacDonald’s excellent use of metaphors to express a deeper meaning to a seemingly simple fairy tale. The novel begins with the introduction of Watho, a wicked witch who has an insatiable thirst for knowledge. In her pursuit of knowledge, she decides to conduct her very own experiment, where she seeks to shape the characters of two infants by controlling their environment with utmost caution. In order to carry out such an experiment, she deviously accommodates two expectant mothers in her castle, lodging one of the women in a sunlit, airy room, while placing the other in a dark, confined space. Accordingly, Photogen is born in light surroundings, whereas Nycteris is born in the darkness. Subsequently, Watho begins her experiment as she raises the young boy in daylight, oblivious to the existence of night, while also allowing him to roam free and explore his surroundings. In contrast, Watho raises the young girl in darkness, unaware of the day’s brightness, and keeps her secluded in her small quarters. However, following a series of events, the two eventually meet, as they are both exposed to an unfamiliar scene that stirs up many emotions. Complementing each other’s deficiencies, Photogen and Nycteris effectively endorse the belief that two opposites attract, as they overcome their differences with the help of their growing mutual support and understanding. Consequently, the pair must stand by each other to overcome their cruel captor, while at the same time learn to embrace the unknown and unexpected. Featuring many absorbing elements including an intriguing plot, contrasting characters, vibrant imagery, and deep allegory, the story is sure to fascinate with its evocative details that successfully justify its author’s renowned literary reputation. Furthermore, MacDonald successfully portrays the notion of light and dark, while also allowing the audience to gather their thoughts and grasp the hidden meaning implied within its pages, which is sure to have a profound effect. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, George MacDonald, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Day Boy and the Night Girl

Light hearted, entertaining and amusing as it takes on contemporary American life would best describe The Wit and Humor of America by Marshall Pinckney Wilder whish is a compilation of humorous passages from various works of American literature. Ranging from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Dinah’s Kitchen to Dislikes by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Little Orphint Annie by James Whitcomb Riley, The Auto Rubaiyat by Reginald Wright Kauffman, Garden Ethics by Charles Dudley Warner and Morris and the Honorable Tim by Myra Kelley and many more delightful pieces, the book is indeed a treasure trove of humor. Marshall P. Wilder was a talented actor and humorist who entertained late nineteenth century New York with his funny sketches and monologues. Today he would probably be called a “stand-up comedian.” On a trip to London in 1883, Wilder’s show was watched by the then Prince of Wales who later went on to become King Edward VII. The monarch was enchanted by the act and Wilder became an instant favorite of the English royal family. This was also the start of his international career. For the next few years, he toured the world with his show, which included a vaudeville act too. Wilder’s brand of humor was laced with pathos and optimism. He was the first celebrity who attained fame in spite of his disability. Wilder was born with achondroplasia or dwarfism and also kyphosis or curvature of the spine. However, his wit and humor allowed him to rise above his physical limitations and carve out a wonderful career for himself. He was gifted with boundless energy, humanism and always signed his letters, “Merrily Yours!” He became extremely wealthy, fell in love and married a beautiful woman with whom he had two children. He eventually died following the sudden death of his beloved wife two years earlier. Wilder also acted in twelve silent films between 1897 and 1912. Many of his shows were recorded on Edison cylinders which were a new invention at the time and this has ensured that we are able to enjoy Wilder’s humor today. The Wit and Humor of America contains poems, letters, articles, chapters from books, limericks, short sketches and plays. It was published in 1911. Some of the themes and jokes seem dated, and politically incorrect but the essential fun is undeniable and this book makes a nice read for the times when you have a couple of hours to spare.

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Marshall Pinckney Wilder, The Wit and Humor of America

Plato’s Republic is a Socratic dialogue which deals mainly with the definition of justice, the characteristics of a just city state and the just man. Although it was written more than two thousand years ago, many of the ideas and thoughts expounded here are still very much relevant to modern society. This is Plato’s best known work and is also considered his most influential especially when it comes to the fields of philosophy and political theory. The Republic is divided into ten books and in each book Socrates discusses different topics from the immortality of the soul to the meaning of justice with his disciples like Glaucon, Thrasymachus, Adeimantus and others. The first two books focus on justice and its meaning. After hearing the arguments of his disciples, Socrates made a very enlightening statement when he said that it’s the advantage of a person to be just and it’s his disadvantage to be unjust. A statement like this can be very much true today as it is thousands of years ago. After that, they continued their discussions about education and the guardian class. I’m sure many have already heard about the guardians, in this book Socrates referred to them as the ideal rulers of an ideal city. Book eight of the The Republic discusses the different types of government, some of which we’re familiar with today. Socrates referred to the different types of governments as timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. It’s interesting to note that he considered these types of governments including democracy as unjust. He said that in a democracy there’s a strong tendency for the poor people to revolt against the rich class because the rich enjoy too much freedom in this kind of government. This work by Plato is a timeless classic and it laid the ground work for many important modern philosophical and political ideas. This book is definitely a good read especially to political science or law students and the philosopher in all of us. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Education, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, free audio books, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Plato, Plato's Republic

The book, also known as Darwin’s Journal of Researches, is a vivid and exciting travel memoir as well as a detailed scientific field journal covering biology, geology, and anthropology that demonstrates Darwin’s keen powers of observation, written at a time when Western Europeans were still discovering and exploring much of the rest of the world. Although Darwin revisited some areas during the expedition, for clarity the chapters of the book are ordered by reference to places and locations rather than chronologically. With hindsight, ideas which Darwin would later develop into his theory of evolution by natural selection are hinted at in his notes and in the book .

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Darwin, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, The Voyage of the Beagle, travel

Bulfinch’s Mythology, first published in 1855, is one of the most popular collections of mythology of all time. It consists of three volumes: The Age of Fable, The Age of Chivalry, and Legends of Charlemagne. This is a recording of the tenth edition of the first volume, The Age of Fable. It contains many Greek and Roman myths, including simplified versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as a selection of Norse and “eastern” myths. Thomas Bulfinch’s goal was to make the ancient myths accessible to a wide audience, and so it is suitable for children. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bulfinch's Mythology: The Age of Fable, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, religion, Thomas Bulfinch

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da VinciPREFACEA singular fatality has ruled the destiny of nearly all the most famous of Leonardo da Vinci’s works. Two of the three most important were never completed, obstacles having arisen during his life-time, which obliged him to leave them unfinished; namely the Sforza Monument and the Wall-painting of the Battle of Anghiari, while the third–the picture of the Last Supper at Milan–has suffered irremediable injury from decay and the repeated restorations to which it was recklessly subjected during the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries. Nevertheless, no other picture of the Renaissance has become so wellknown and popular through copies of every description. Vasari says, and rightly, in his Life of Leonardo, that he laboured much more by his word than in fact or by deed, and the biographer evidently had in his mind the numerous works in Manuscript which have been preserved t

Categories: Arts

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Leonardo da Vinci, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, science, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci

Predictability has come a long way. The computers of the future can tell you if you’re going to win a war before you fire a shot. Unfortunately they’re predicting perpetual standoff between the Terran and Centaurian Empires. What they need is something unpredictable, what they get is Thomas Cole, a man from the past accidently dragged forward in time. Will he fit their calculations, or is he the random variable that can break the stalemate? – The Variable Man first appeared in the September, 1953 issue of Space Science Fiction magazine.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Philip K. Dick, science-fiction, The Variable Man

This is a charming book on Art History for children (and everyone else). Each chapter focuses on a great painting, reproduced in color in the original text. The authors explain the story behind the paintings, as well as the life, times, and techniques of the artists.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: Agnes Ethel Conway, art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, History, instruction, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, The Book of Art for Young People

There are certain names which are familiar, as names, to all mankind; and every person who seeks for any degree of mental cultivation, feels desirous of informing himself of the leading outlines of their history, that he may know, in brief, what it was in their characters or their doings which has given them so widely-extended a fame. Consequently, great historical names alone are selected; and it has been the writer’s aim to present the prominent and leading traits in their characters, and all the important events in their lives, in a bold and free manner, and yet in the plain and simple language which is so obviously required in works which aim at permanent and practical usefulness. This volume is dedicated to William the Conqueror.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, History, Jacob Abbott, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, William the Conqueror

Bearing a striking resemblance to Aesop of Aesop’s Fables fame, American author Joel Chandler Harris’ Uncle Remus is also a former slave who loves to tell simple and pithy stories. Uncle Remus or to give it its original title, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings was published in late 1880 and received instant acclaim. The book was reviewed in hundreds of journals and newspapers across the country, leading to its immense success, both critical and financial. “Remus” was originally a fictional character in a newspaper column. Harris, who was a journalist with the Atlanta Constitution, a small-town newspaper, first presented Remus to the world via a regular column in which Remus was depicted as a person who regularly visited the newspaper offices to talk about the social issues of the day. However, later, Remus began to increasingly recount plantation folktales that Harris had compiled. He had heard them from the slaves of Turnworld Plantation as a 16 year old school dropout, working as an apprentice in a newspaper office located in the area. Harris was a poor, illegitimate, immigrant Irish boy who found more in common with the slaves on the plantation than with his so called social equals. He spent much of his free time in the slave quarters, absorbing their lifestyle, folklore and legends. Uncle Remus is famous also for one of its most lovable and astute characters, Br’er Rabbit. This smart, yet mischievous fellow and his companions have provided endless entertainment for generations of children. The original stories were rendered in authentic Southern Georgia slave dialect and later adapted so that they could be better understood. Apart from the doings of the trickster rabbit, Uncle Remus contains poems, songs and folk-tales deeply rooted in the plantation tradition. Though early critics were dismayed by the apparent racist nature of the stories and the passive acceptance of the slave-owning situation, modern versions have overcome these aspects and Uncle Remus today provides education, information and entertainment for children and parents. The 29 books that were originally written have been compiled into nine Uncle Remus series and three books were published posthumously. A total of 185 Uncle Remus stories were penned and they were path breaking in their depiction of the authentic speech of the Southern plantations. Extensively adapted for radio, animation, film and television, Uncle Remus is today an essential part of children’s literature. In fact, not just children, but older readers too will find the book a delightful classic!

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Joel Chandler Harris, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, music, Philosophy, Short stories, Uncle Remus

The War is over. Isabella has won, and the Talent Master is dead. Aaron Turner now lives in N’Ark, Isabella’s capital, where he mourns his murdered wife and son. All he wants is to tip a bottle, stare at walls, and recover. But they won’t leave him alone. The Isabellan government and slavers both want him dead. Savages look to him as their prophesied savior. His lawyer wants to control him. His neighbors and friends have been murdered, and a once dead shaman declares him a servant of her One God. Aaron has to make things right. His honor demands it. Dusting off his guns, he sets aside his grief, readies his Talent, and declares a one man war against a nation that has betrayed him, the Clan, and itself.

Categories: Uncategorised

Tags: audiobook, fantasy, fiction, magic, paranormal, Politics, science, scifi, war

The history of a woman who rose above and beyond tragedy, grief and personal loss to become one of the most powerful figures in sixteenth century Europe is wonderfully told in this biography Queen Elizabeth, by Jacob Abbott. Beginning with the tragic circumstances of Elizabeth’s mother, the lovely and doomed Anne Boleyn’s execution and Henry VIII’s dissolution of the English Catholic Church, the story of Elizabeth’s rise to power is reflective of the England’s domination of world politics as well. As a three year old, the young Elizabeth was destined to be raised as an orphan while her authoritarian, lustful and forceful father took on several more wives and created a new Church in England. He was survived by three children, Mary, Elizabeth and Edward, all by different wives and greatly separated from each other in age, upbringing, politics and faith. Elizabeth was imprisoned as a traitor for several years by her sister Mary, who feared that she may claim the throne. Elizabeth had to wait till her older sister Mary died, to be crowned Queen. Her early reign was marked by intense political turmoil, palace intrigues, wars, religious strife and opposition. She also had to contend with numerous claimants to the throne, including the lovely and tragic Mary Queen of Scots, Lady Jane Grey and many others. However, the masterful handling of the complex situations that confronted a young and solitary woman, the way she dealt with the powerful heads of state in Europe, her long list of admirers and suitors, the admiration and awe she evoked in her courtiers are all told in compelling detail in Queen Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s insistence on remaining the Virgin Queen was as much a political move as a personal choice. She suffered no lack of suitors or lovers, but kept them all guessing! Her long reign was marked by immense peace, prosperity and wise administration. The horrible religious and sectarian wars that had consumed earlier monarchies were stilled as England began to monopolize the world stage. Her own devious plots and schemes to retain power, her ruthless elimination of her enemies, her unsurpassed vanity and jealousy and her violent temper and her fondness for ceremonies, pomp and fanfare are all documented in Queen Elizabeth. She remains one of the most famous yet most enigmatic figures in history. Published first in 1849, the original text had many charming engravings that illustrated the main events and characters. Jacob Abbott was well-known for his biographies and children’s literature. A fascinating and interesting read!

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, History, Jacob Abbott, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, queen elizabeth, Teen/Young adult

A life lived backwards, with events happening in reverse order forms the strange and unexpected framework of one of F Scott Fitzgerald’s rare short stories. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was published in Collier’s in 1927 and the idea came to Fitzgerald apparently from a quote of Mark Twain’s in which he regretted that the best part of life came at the beginning and the worst at the end. Fitzgerald’s concept of using this notion and turning the normal sequence of life on its head resulted in this delightful, thought provoking fantasy tale. The story was later incorporated in a Fitzgerald anthology, Tales of the Jazz Age. The story opens with a young, high society couple who are shocked beyond belief when they discover that their much awaited first born child resembles an elderly gent of seventy, complete with a white beard and whiskers, sitting up and querulously demanding to know, “Are you my father?” Their young son is born to live out a peculiar destiny. And so begins a grotesque journey through life, with the child, Benjamin “growing down” instead of up. Set in the Baltimore of the 1860s the story is also a satire of contemporary American society of the time. Though Fitzgerald maintains a cool and light tone throughout the story, it is in fact, deeply reflective and a very interesting take on the human condition. For contemporary readers who are familiar with the problems of aging and “second childhood” Benjamin Button’s difficulties with dealing with the demands of his chronological age vs his mental age are extremely interesting. As we find more and more older people succumbing to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, requiring the kind of care that an infant does, the story is strangely prophetic of the condition of geriatric care in our century. The plot is not exactly new to literature, with several stories and novels being written on a similar theme by many other writers. However, Fitzgerald’s take on growing old and how we humans deal with it is what sets The Curious Case of Benjamin Button apart. The style is extremely readable, the premise is intriguing and refreshingly different and appeals to readers of all ages. The story was adapted into a film in 2008 and continues to fascinate Fitzgerald fans the world over. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, Dramatic Works, ebooks, F. Scott Fitzgerald, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frank Lucius Packard (February 2, 1877 – February 17, 1942) was a Canadian novelist born in Montreal, Quebec. He worked as a civil engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railway. He later wrote a series of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale. Jimmie Dale is a wealthy playboy by day, with a Harvard education and membership to New York City’s ultra-exclusive private club St. James. But at night he puts on a costume and becomes The Grey Seal, who enters businesses or homes and cracks safes, always leaving a diamond shaped, grey paper “seal” behind to mark his conquest, but never taking anything. He was just doing it for “the sheer deviltry of it” at first, but when a woman catches him, she blackmails him to war on certain crime organizations. Jimmie Dale/The Grey Seal is often credited with greatly influencing and popularizing later pulp and comic book heroes. The foppish playboy by-day-crimefighter-by-night routine had a precursor in The Scarlet Pimpernel, but it was Jimmie Dale that brought the idea into a contemporary setting and added the idea of a costume and mask for his secret identity, serving as a possible influence for characters like Zorro and The Shadow. He also established the concept of a hero’s secret hideout or lair, The Sanctuary, a precursor of the Batcave or the Fortress of Solitude.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, Frank L. Packard, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, The Adventures of Jimmie Dale

Einstein wrote this book for people who are interested in understanding the Theory of Relativity but aren’t experts in scientific and mathematical principles. I’m sure many people have heard about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, but most of them don’t really know what it is all about. This book gives them a chance to know more about this very famous theory without the need to take a Physics course first. This book is divided into three parts. The first part explains what special relativity is all about. The second part discusses general relativity thoroughly and the last part deals with the considerations of the universe as a whole. The first part explains the principles of the special theory of relativity. Here the relationship between space and time are thoroughly discussed. The derivation of Einstein’s most famous formula which is E = mc2 is also explained in this part in a very simple way. The second part which is about the general theory of relativity is about the generalization of the special theory, Einstein’s thoughts about Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation and how they affect the space time continuum. The last part explains how the universe actually works on a cosmic scale. These things may sound too complicated at first glance but Einstein was able to explain them to his readers in the book without sounding too technical. Reading Einstein’s “Relativity: The Special and General Theory” may not sound very attractive at first. We’ve all heard of Einstein’s equation but how many people can actually explain what it means. This book will elucidate all the iconic thoughts of Einstein without requiring a physics degree from the reader. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Albert Einstein, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Relativity: The Special and General Theory, science

The Histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in Western literature. Written about 440 BC, the Histories tell the story of the war between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states in the 5th century BC. Herodotus traveled extensively around the ancient world, conducting interviews and collecting stories for his book. The rise of the Persian Empire is chronicled, and the causes for the conflict with Greece. Herodotus treats the conflict as an ideological one, frequently contrasting the absolute power of the Persian king with the democratic government of the Greeks.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Herodotus' Histories, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction