Random Audiobook Podcasts

A heady mix of thrills, mystery, atmosphere and memorable characters, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic adventure story that has enthralled both young and old alike ever since it was first published in 1883. Right from the racy opening chapter where the young hero Jim Hawkins encounters a mysterious guest, Billy Bones, at the Admiral Benbow Inn run by his widowed mother, the tale carries the reader off on an edge-of-the-seat roller-coaster ride of non-stop action and drama. Set in 18th century England and told entirely from Jim Hawkins’ youthful perspective, the novel portrays how he is drawn unwittingly into the dark deeds of pirates and buccaneers on the English coast. The excitement begins when he discovers a cryptic treasure map in Billy Bones’ chest when the secretive Billy succumbs to a fatal heart attack. Jim takes the strange map to trusted elders in the village, Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey, who at once guess that the map marks the location of the lost treasure of an infamous pirate Captain Flint. They decide to immediately set sail in search of the fabled riches with Jim being invited to join them! What more could a young boy want! This is the prelude to a journey that will take young Jim and a band of intrepid seafarers half-way across the world. Traveling as part of the crew, in the guise of a ship’s cook, is a sinister yet admirable figure – Long John Silver. This one-legged, ruthless and avaricious man, whose shadowy past hides many a dark and evil secret, is one of the most colorful and remarkable characters in the story. Stevenson endows him with a host of unforgettable qualities – the most famous of which, is of course, the parrot strangely named “Captain Flint” who is constantly on Silver’s shoulder. His villainy gradually unfolds as the voyage progresses. The novel has retained its perennial charm for readers over the centuries and is perhaps one of the most adapted adventure stories on TV, film and stage. Recently, a video game has been created based on this eternally appealing tale. Intrigues, duels, escapades and Jim’s own transformation into a man, make this the ultimate thrills-spills-‘n’-chills fantasy. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sea stories, Treasure Island

The three charming stories contained in The Frog Prince and Other Tales include a less-known fairy-tale called Princess Belle-Etoile besides the title story and Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp. Published in 1874, the tales are re-told by the famous illustrator Walter Crane, who has also provided some of the most lovely illustrations in the book. The book makes an ideal gift and both parents and children will certainly enjoy it. It’s perfect for bedtime story-reading sessions and kids would love gazing at the beautiful Greek-style illustrations that are scattered throughout the book. The Frog Prince is a German fairy-tale, which was part of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales collection. It tells of a beautiful and spoiled young princess who is taught one of life’s most important lessons by a hideous frog. Princess Belle-Etoile was originally a French story written by Baroness d’Aulnoy who coined the term “fairy tale.” It tells of an exiled queen who brings up her three daughters in poverty. An old woman visits them one day and they show her great kindness and hospitality. She, being a fairy, rewards them with boons. The rest of the story follows the adventures of the three sisters. Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp is another old favorite featured here. Though the story is set in “an Eastern city” the illustrations seem to follow an Asian theme but are nevertheless very charming. Walter Crane was an art scholar and artist who had made a detailed study of many artistic traditions like the Japanese and European. His father was a well-known portrait painter. Walter himself was inspired by ancient artistic traditions and also worked diligently to bring art to the common masses. The Frog Prince and Other Tales is one of those delightful keepsake volumes that will certainly be treasured by generations in your family!

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Frog Prince and Other Stories, Walter Crane

Set in the affluent town of Hamilton, Austin’s classic presents a whodunit mystery focusing on a crime involving a young woman who has been murdered under mysterious circumstances during a game of Bridge, with no hard evidence pointing to the perpetrator. Accordingly, the townspeople are also affected by the mystery and they refuse to play the dummy in fear of sharing the same fate as the unfortunate victim. A gripping mystery crime novel, Murder at Bridge evokes feelings of suspense, awe, mystery and puts to the test the crime solving capabilities of the audience as they take up the role of detective. The novel begins when Broadway dancer Nita Selim moves to Hamilton, which is regarded as a prosperous neighborhood, and upon settling in she inveigles herself within the circle of high society. Taking up the role as hostess, she organizes a bridge party for high class locals in her home for a chance to mingle with the crowd. Subsequently, during the dummy hand in the game she excuses herself and heads to her bedroom to freshen up for the cocktail party which is to follow. However, while absent, Selim is murdered by a fatal shot in her very own bedroom with little clues tracing back to the murderer. Consequently, investigator Bonnie Dundee comes into the picture when he is assigned to investigate the mystery and put together the pieces of the puzzle. Dundee goes about various approaches to solving the mystery, one method of which is re-enacting the night’s events as they unfolded. The investigator must interview suspects and search for the murder weapon, while additionally try to determine the motive behind the murder. Fortunately, Austin is generous with descriptive detail, dialogue and imagery, which gives the novel a personal touch and encourages the reader to join in and assist in unraveling the baffling crime. An engrossing case of parlor mystery, Murder at Bridge presents an intriguing plot with multifaceted characters and unanticipated twists that additionally amplify the suspense as it is heightened with every turn of the page. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Anne Austin, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Murder at Bridge, MYSTERY

Bed Time Stories is a collection of 14 short stories especially for young children. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bed Time Stories for Aidan Christopher, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Unknown

The Proposal is a one act comic farce by Anton Chekhov. In Chekhov’s Russia, marriage was a means of economic stability for most people. They married to gain wealth and possessions. In this play, the concept of marriage is being satirized to show the real purpose of marriage – materialistic gain rather than true love.

Categories: Arts

Tags: Anton Chekhov, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Proposal

Spanning a period of nearly 1500 years, this monumental work of history tracks the orbit of one of the greatest Empires of all time. The sheer scale and sweep of the narrative is breathtaking in its ambitious scope and brings to vivid life the collapse of a magnificent military, political and administrative structure. Proceeding at a brisk pace, the original fourteen volumes describe debauched emperors, corrupt practices, usurpers and murderers, bloody battles, plunder and loot, barbarian hordes, tumultuous events like the Crusades and invaders like Genghis Khan and many more. Later, it was condensed by various editors to make it available to more readers. Much of it seems like a modern battle epic or a gory scary movie with endless passages depicting power struggles, blood-drenched paths to the throne, ruthless killing of innocent women and children and the final disappearance of a mighty empire. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was written by an English historian who was inspired to write it when he undertook the Grand Tour and visited Rome as a young man in 1762. The book eventually took more than 20 years to complete and was received with both bouquets and brickbats. The Church banned it quite a few times as it was considered to have blasphemous passages about the Church. Gibbon was attacked by many devout Christians as a “paganist.” Setting the starting point with the Emperor Augustus in 27 BC, Gibbon pursues the Romans relentlessly on to their final defeat in Constantinople in the 15th Century AD with the rise of the Turkish Ottomans. Stretching across North Africa, Europe and the Middle East as well as some parts of modern-day Asia, the Roman Empire was a tremendous human enterprise. Successively added to by emperor after emperor, it finally disintegrated and ceased being the “empire without end.” Gibbon initially planned to write a history of the city of Rome but found himself so immersed in the subject that it gradually grew into a work about the empire itself. He provides interesting theories for the collapse of the Empire. The rise of Christianity, Islam and the attacks of various wild and brutal hordes contributed to the fall of this mighty Colossus. Far from being dry and scholarly, Gibbon’s style is detached yet lyrical. Full of ironic statements and opinions, the book appeals to historians and modern-day readers. There are interesting parallels to be drawn from present day world affairs and many lessons to be learned from this magnum opus. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edward Gibbon, free audio books, History, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

Mark Twain’s work on Joan of Arc is titled in full “Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, by the Sieur Louis de Conte.” De Conte is identified as Joan’s page and secretary. For those who’ve always wanted to “get behind” the Joan of Arc story and to better understand just what happened, Twain’s narrative makes the story personal and very accessible. The work is fictionally presented as a translation from the manuscript by Jean Francois Alden, or, in the words of the published book, “Freely Translated out of the Ancient French into Modern English from the Original Unpublished Manuscript in the National Archives of France.”It was originally published as a serialization in Harper’s Magazine beginning in 1895 and later published in book form in 1896. However the Harper’s editors decided to cut 12 chapters that describe much of Joan’s Great Trial, saying the chapters were not suitable for serialization since, “They will not bear mutilation or interruption, but must be read as a whole, as one reads a drama.” This recording contains the complete text! De Conte is a fictionalized version of Joan of Arc’s page Louis de Contes, and provides narrative unity to the story. He is presented as an individual who was with Joan during the three major phases of her life – as a youth in Domremy, as the commander of Charles’ army on military campaign, and as a defendant at the trial in Rouen. The book is presented as a translation by Alden of de Conte’s memoirs, written in his later years for the benefit of his descendants. Twain based his descriptions of Joan of Arc on his daughter, Susy Clemens, as he remembered her at the age of seventeen. Twain said, “I like Joan of Arc best of all my books; and it is the best; I know it perfectly well. And besides, it furnished me seven times the pleasure afforded me by any of the others; twelve years of preparation, and two years of writing. The others needed no preparation and got none.” More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mark Twain, Memoirs, Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, religion, Volumes 1 & 2, War stories

This western, published around 1899, is a dime novel that has it all: roguish gun men, hostile Indians, chilvarous gentlemen to protect the hapless females, and – in Calamity Jane – even a female who can hold her own. The fictional character of the hero, Deadwood Dick, appeared in more than a hundred stories and became so famous the name was claimed by several men who actually lived in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Calamity Jane's Last Adventure, Deadwood Dick's Doom; or, ebooks, Edward L. Wheeler, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, westerns

Orthodoxy is a book that has become a classic of Christian apologetics. In the book’s preface Chesterton states the purpose is to “attempt an explanation, not of whether the Christian faith can be believed, but of how he personally has come to believe it.” In it, Chesterton presents an original view of the Christian religion. He sees it as the answer to natural human needs, the “answer to a riddle” in his own words, and not simply as an arbitrary truth received from somewhere outside the boundaries of human experience. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, G. K. Chesterton, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Non-fiction, orthodoxy, Philosophy, religion

A sequel to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s earlier volume of Greek mythology interpreted and retold for young people, Tanglewood Tales includes more legends and tales of ancient heroes and monsters. In his earlier book, A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys, Hawthorne had designed the book to be a book within a book. A young college student keeps a group of young children entertained by retelling Greek myths in a way in which they can easily understand. Nathaniel Hawthorne also wrote a brief introduction to Tanglewood Tales, entitled The Wayside. Eustace Bright, the student in the earlier book, makes an appearance here too and reveals that he has compiled more such stories for his young audience. Tanglewood Tales contains six famous stories. The first one is Theseus and the Minotaur, in which the Greek hero Theseus slays the terrible monster who lives in a Labyrinth below the palace of King Minos. He is helped by Princess Ariadne, who falls in love with the young stranger who comes to slay the fabled creature and deliver the citizens of the land from the evil beast. The second story describes one of the incidents from the Odyssey. The Palace of Circe recounts the legend of the loathsome monster, Circe, who turns all people into beasts. How the brave Ulysses saves his men and other unfortunate people whom Circe has enslaved is told in an entertaining and exciting manner. The legend of Prosperina, her mother Ceres the Earth Goddess and the dark ruler of the Underworld, Vulcan is told in the third story, The Pomegranate Seeds. The story of Antaeus, son of Poseidon and Gaia is retold in The Pygmies. This is a little known story, set in Africa and is based on both Greek and Berber legends. The Dragon’s Teeth is a delightful retelling of the myth of Europa and her brothers. One of the brothers, Cadmus, who is the only one of the family left behind after Zeus abducts Europa, slays a monstrous dragon who preys upon the surrounding villages. The goddess Athena advises Cadmus to sow the dragon’s teeth in the ground and a race of fine warriors springs up, and thus is built the city of Cadmeia the capital of Thebes. The last story is one of the most famous in Greek mythology: Jason and The Golden Fleece. Tanglewood Tales is indeed a charming volume to be read in tandem with the Wonder-book and it will perhaps spur young readers to delve more into the immortal Greek myths and legends of yore. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Tanglewood Tales

In this charming 1877 book of grammar instruction for children, we are introduced to the nine parts of speech and learn about the rules that govern them in Grammar-Land.”Judge Grammar is far mightier than any Fairy Queen, for he rules over real kings and queens down here in Matter-of-fact-land. Our kings and queens have all to obey Judge Grammar’s laws, or else they would talk what is called bad grammar; and then, even their own subjects would laugh at them, and would say: “Poor things!They are funny fellows, these nine Parts-of-Speech. You will find out by-and-by which you like best amongst them all. There is rich Mr. Noun, and his useful friend Pronoun; little ragged Article, and talkative Adjective; busy Dr. Verb, and Adverb; perky Preposition, convenient Conjunction, and that tiresome Interjection, the oddest of them all.”

Categories: Arts, Education, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Grammar-Land, instruction, Kids, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, M.L. Nesbitt, Teen/Young adult

In October, 2016 I looked death right in the eyeballs and the truth of the universe/ life/ love/ God/ infinity cracked open before me. Truth is the best news in the world (YOU CAN END YOUR SUFFERING RIGHT NOW!!!) (if your human rights aren’t being violated), and this book is my best effort to sing its sweet melody from the rooftops. ******************************************** During my journey, I ended my marriage (amicably). I explored my sexuality (enthusiastically). And I carried on my shoulder an enormous, colorful sugar skull named Maestro—which I’ll explain later. I lived transiently (voluntarily) for the better part of a year, which got me asking A LOT of big questions about private property and human rights and legal versus spiritual freedom. And yet, from the heart of the storm that was my new life, I was finally at peace. I was finally in balance. I was finally… a homeless divorcee with no marketable skills?******************************************** Marshall’s Promise is the first of a three-book series. Each podcast episode is a chapter read aloud, and I recommend you start with the introduction and listen through chronologically. Questions? Find me @evywallace across all social media platforms or send me an email.

Categories: Health & Fitness, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: 2021, audiobook, Best New Podcasts, cancer, dating, divorce, eat pray love, fifty shades of gray, finding yourself, free audiobook, sexuality, spiritual awakening

Tom Isaacs was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 27. Six years later, he set out to walk the entire coastline of Britain, 4,500 miles, with his trademark humour, honesty, and an unwavering belief that something better was possible. His journey became a story far bigger than one man and a map. It helped start a movement. And it helped to create Cure Parkinson’s, inspiring countless more lives along the way. In this series, we follow Tom’s footsteps through his original audiobook, Shake Well Before Use – told in his own voice, one chapter at a time.

Categories: Business, Society & Culture

Tags: audiobook, Comedy, cure parkinson's, Journal, Leisure, Memoir, narration, travel

First published anonymously due to its seditious content in 1776, the pamphlet argues for the need of American colonists to pursue complete independence from Great Britain, and not be driven simply by the urge to free themselves from unfair taxation. Paine provides argumentation for his revolutionary ideas, suggesting the unification of colonial forces to achieve this goal. Furthermore, Paine strengthens his case by clearly asserting the advantages that would come out as a result of independence, and further fortifies his argumentation with religious references. Written in a clear straightforward manner and comprehensible to the common people, Common Sense was immediately well-received after its publication, providing both inspiration and motivation to strive towards obtaining freedom. Consequently, the pamphlet was widely distributed and read at public events, while its ideas later earned Paine an important position in the country’s history. Divided into four sections, Paine begins his work by distinguishing between government and society, suggesting that the purpose of the government is to protect society from their flawed nature. Paine illustrates the balance between society and government through a scenario in which a group of isolated people eventually surrender to the need of introducing regulations, which later results in the formation of a government. By providing such a scenario, Paine effectively creates a model which he argues is a better option for the American colonists. Subsequently, Paine goes on to analyze the validity of monarchy and hereditary succession through a biblical and historical perspective, as he provides evidence that support his views including biblical citations and an examination of historical events. Following his theoretical approach, Paine shifts his attention to giving a detailed account of the current circumstance of America, as he concentrates on supporting his claims calling for unity and independence. Regarded as one the most influential pamphlets in American History, the pro-independence monograph pamphlet is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the American Revolution, as it was the most widely read pamphlet at the time. Needless to say, Common Sense gives an insight into the ideas and values that shaped the United States of America into the independent nation it is today.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, common sense, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Thomas Paine

Originally written for his young daughter Josephine, who died tragically aged six, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling is a collection of short stories which were published separately in magazines before being compiled into a book. The stories are in the form of fables, where animals communicate and speak to each other as humans do and the purpose of each story was to convey a moral or message to the reader. Modern readers would be more familiar with the Disney animated version in which Mowgli the little “man-cub” is raised by wolves. As he grows, he is trained by denizens of the jungle like Bagheera the panther, Baloo the bear and Kaa the snake. The dreaded tiger Sher Khan is a diabolical villain, feared by all. However, the book is quite different from the Disney film which tends to romanticize some of the characters and demonize others! The original Jungle Book includes the delightful Riki Tiki Tavi tales about a valiant and clever mongoose who protects his friends from the dangerous snakes of the jungle. Contrary to the film version again, only a few of the stories are about Mowgli. What strikes the reader is the sense of wonder and magic that Kipling evokes in these stories about the mysterious jungle and its inhabitants. The writer’s brilliant skills with the English language are another feature that makes the book such a reading pleasure. Interspersed with delightful poems, this is indeed the perfect choice for a read-aloud with your kids! First published in book form in 1894, the original edition contained beautiful illustrations by Rudyard’s father, John Lockwood Kipling, an artist and art teacher who spent much of his career in India. It was here that Kipling first heard Indian folk tales and was inspired to recreate his versions of them for his own children. The Jungle Book also gained a great reputation for being a “moral story” and Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouts movement requested permission from Kipling to use many of the book’s situations and characters as motivational resources. The leader of a Scout pack was dubbed “Akela” after the warrior wolf of the Free People as wolves are called in the Jungle Book. Kipling was a journalist who covered several wars like the Boer War in South Africa. His extensive body of work includes the famous Just So Stories, Kim and several volumes of short stories, articles, essays and poetry. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907 and till date, remains the youngest to have won the prestigious award. Today, though his reputation stands dimmed as he is seen as one of the “prophets of Imperialism” the magic of his words cannot be denied. The Jungle Book is a classic that indeed belongs on every bookshelf!

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry, Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book

Banished from his own lands by a usurping brother, Prospero and his daughter Miranda have been living on a deserted island for years, until fate brings the brother within the range of Prospero’s powers. Will he seek revenge, or reconcilement? More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, Dramatic Works, ebooks, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, play, The Tempest, William Shakespeare

Tales from the Witcher showcases serialized, original short stories set in the Witcher universe. Part audiobook and part Actual Play Report, these tales are written and narrated by Jacob Gerstel—and are based on the adventures of his Witcher tabletop roleplaying group. We’ll follow the exploits of a stoic Bear School witcher, an alcoholic elven sorcerer, a resourceful craftsman, a lively bard, and others as they try to stay alive during the Third Northern War. There’s action and adventure, magic and the mundane, scheming and politics, elves and dwarves, war and peace, and—because it’s the Witcher—a touch of philosophy. New episodes every Wednesday.

Categories: Arts, Fiction, Leisure

Tags: audiobook, fiction, roleplaying, rpg, short story, tabletop, The Witcher, Witcher

King Alfred and the Cakes. Damon and Pythias. The Sword of Damocles. Bruce and the Spider. These are stories that many people who grew up in the last century would be familiar with. They were included in our text books or to be found in anthologies in our school libraries. However, for a new generation growing up, some of these may be new and unknown. Hence, Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin would indeed be a great addition to your children’s bookshelf. James Baldwin, who shares his name with another famous American author was an editor, author and gifted teacher. He worked as a textbook editor and also wrote more than fifty books for children concerning mythology, legends and the stories of famous historical figures. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, his works were extremely popular and had a considerable influence on the reading habits of generations of youngsters. He retired as the Editor in Chief of the American Book Company and compiled the much acclaimed Baldwin Readers and co-authored the Expressive Readers. These went on to set the standard for textbooks for nearly a century, at a time when education was undergoing huge systemic reform. Fifty Famous Stories Retold contains a preface by the author, in which he describes the motives behind such an anthology. “…that the reading of them will give not only pleasure but also lay the foundation for broader literary studies…” he opines. Some of the stories were selected for their historical value, others for the moral truths they convey, while some are intended solely to amuse. They are taken from a variety of sources. Folktales, legends and ballads also are a rich source. Baldwin remarks that he took care not to include myths, fairytales and fables. Hence we find old favorites like Dick Whittington’s Cat, The Story of Robin Hood and George Washington and His Hatchet alongside less familiar ones like Inchcape Rock, Doctor Goldsmith or Diogenes the Wise. The original contains charming illustrations. In Baldwin’s own words, the encounter with good literature and good books was what spurred him to develop the reading habit. For a new generation which is fast losing the pleasure that books can bring, perhaps Fifty Famous Stories Retold could serve as a springboard and encourage them to rediscover the joy of reading.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, Fifty Famous Stories Retold, free audio books, History, james baldwin, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com