Random Audiobook Podcasts

King Henry IV, Part 1 is the second of Shakespeare’s eight Wars of the Roses history plays, with events following those of King Richard II. As the play opens, King Henry IV (formerly Henry Bolingbroke) and Henry Percy (Hotspur) argue over the disposition of prisoners from the Battle of Holmedon. The King’s attitude toward Mortimer and the Percy family prompts them to plot rebellion. In the meantime, his son Prince Hal is living the low life in the company of Sir John Falstaff. As the time of battle nears, Prince Hal joins his father and is given a high command. The play’s climax is the Battle of Shrewsbury, in which Prince Hal and Hotspur meet and fight, with Prince Hal and the forces of the King prevailing. The action continues in King Henry IV, Part 2. From the start this has been an extremely popular play both with the public and with critics.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, King Henry IV, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, play, William Shakespeare

Its immortal opening lines, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” set the stage for a sweeping narrative that combines drama, glory, honor, history, romance, brutality, sacrifice and resurrection. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is one of the most widely read and famous works of historical fiction in the English language. Dickens had recently launched his magazine All the Year Round in 1859. In the same year, he began featuring A Tale of Two Cities in 31 weekly installments in his new magazine. The book was eventually combined into a single copy and split into three major sections as it is presented today. In this epic tale of love and tragedy set during the turbulent times of the French Revolution in 1789, the motif of two’s appears constantly as opposing sides of the same coin. London and Paris are the two cities, Sidney Carton and Charles Darnay are the two heroes, Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge are the pure and evil women respectively, and these along with shadows and darkness, sacrifice and dishonor, brutality and spirituality form the recurring dual motifs in the novel. Sidney Carton, a young, debauched and dissolute English barrister defends a young French aristocrat Charles Darnay accused of treason in London. The two bear a striking resemblance to each other. Lucie Manette, a lovely young French girl and her father Dr. Manette, who had suffered under the atrocities of the nobility in France, now live a quiet life in London. Charles and Lucie are in love, but Sidney Carton also falls in love with her. Meanwhile in France, the storm of revolution is about to break. A wine store owner and Dr. Manette’s former servant, Monsieur Defarge, leads the revolutionaries. His wife, Madame Defarge is a vicious woman who revels in cruelty. She too has suffered under the aristocratic regime and now seeks to destroy all those who persecuted her. Charles Darnay returns to Paris to rescue an old servant of his who has been captured by the revolutionaries. He is captured by the rebels and condemned to be executed by guillotine. The story then takes several dramatic twists and turns before reaching its final and most unexpected conclusion. As one of the most exciting and deeply moving stories penned by a brilliant and gifted story teller, A Tale of Two Cities is indeed a riveting and unforgettable experience for readers of all ages. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: A Tale of Two Cities, audio books, audiobook, Charles Dickens, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

This is the story of Harper Rose, a local Sheriff hunting down killers in the United Cities of America. Harper lives in a world set one thousand years in the future, a world ravaged by global warming, but Harper doesn’t know that. In fact, nobody does. In Harper’s world, everyone prays to the Goddess Gara, but no one seems to question why. Season 1 follows Harper as she hunts down a killer that is killing women all over New York City, with the help of law legend Sheriff Kane. In Season 2, Harper is back in her idyllic hometown on the coast, just taking it day by day… until someone goes missing and strange things start happening that no one can quite explain. In Season 3 everything changes and Harper has to come to grips with the fact that the world she once knew, was not what it seemed.

Categories: Fiction, Science, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, Apocalypse, audiobook, climate change, ecoreligion, foreshadowing, Gaia, global warming, gospel, horse, murder, murdermystery, MYSTERY, western

Published in 1766, The Vicar of Wakefield follows the turbulent shift in the fortune and status of the Primrose family, as they must endure various setbacks that threaten their ultimate wellbeing and prosperity. Focusing on themes including family, prudence, resilience, religion, deception, marriage, and social status, the classic is regarded as Goldsmith’s most notable literary achievement. The novel centers on Dr. Charles Primrose, a benevolent and naive vicar, who together with his wife and six children lives an idyllic and comfortable life in the affluent town of Wakefield, owing their position to a smart investment. The upcoming wedding between their eldest son, George, and Arabella Wilmot, the daughter of a wealthy church dignitary, brings additional joy to the family. However, the potential marriage is threatened when Primrose shares his philosophies concerning marriage with Mr. Wilmot, whose views are contradictory to his own, as he is three times widowed and about to marry for the fourth time. At the same time, their bubble of happiness is burst when news reaches Primrose that he has lost all his money due to his merchant’s embezzlement. Consequently, George’s marriage is called off by Mr. Wilmot, and the Primroses are forced to move to a more humble parish, while sending George to London with the hope that he can earn an income to help his family recover from their financial misfortune. Subsequently, the Primroses settle in a house owned by Squire Thornhill, a roguish young man, who takes an interest in the vicar’s eldest daughter Olivia. Despite Thornhill’s notorious reputation, his interest in Olivia begins to spur hope, as the Primroses believe that such a union would save them from their current misfortune. Furthermore, the vicar befriends the kind but poor Mr. Burchell, who saves his daughter Sophia from drowning, and is promised hospitality. Experiencing the harsh tribulations of life, the Primroses must set aside their pride and remain united through every obstacle. An enduring piece of literature renowned for Goldsmith’s accurate descriptions, gentle irony, satire, and profound wisdom, The Vicar of Wakefield can be read both as a sentimental novel promoting innate goodness, or it can also be understood as a satire on the social and economical inequalities at the time. Nevertheless, the novel is sure to enthrall with its vibrant characters, unexpected twists, and melodramatic occurrences that are generously distributed throughout its pages.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield

Mother Jones (Mary Harris Jones) was a legendary labor organizer. She was a founding member of the International Workers of the World (the IWW, or the Wobblies), and was active in the United Mine Workers and the Socialist Party of America. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mary Harris Jones, Non-fiction, The Autobiography of Mother Jones

Book II of the Andersson Dexter series. Andersson Dexter is a new man, still living his old life. Part vigilante, part private eye, part cop, Dex is muddling his way through his day job as a faceless customer service rep for a giant firm, while solving routine cases in his off hours. But when a gruesomely mutilated corpse is found, things heat up for Dex and the underground organization he calls the Cubicle Men. Soon, Dex finds himself racing against the clock to find a killer who seems to be determined to strike him close to home. In a grim future where people live and work in crowded, utilitarian cities, but escape to an online virtual world, Act of Will explores the capacity we have to choose the directions our lives will take, and the consequences of those choices.

Categories: Arts, Fiction

Tags: audiobook, decective, fiction, MYSTERY, novel, PodioBook, sciencesf, scifi, thriller

The Politics, by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, is one of the most influential texts in political philosophy. In it, Aristotle explores the role that the political community should play in developing the virtue of its citizens. One of his central ideas is that “Man is a political animal,” meaning that people can only become virtuous by active participation in the political community. Aristotle also criticizes his teacher Plato, classifies and evaluates six different types of constitutions and political institutions, and describes his vision of the ideal state. Aristotle’s views on women and slavery are unenlightened by today’s standards, but his work remains enduring and relevant to this day. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: aristotle, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics

A book on improving eloquence, proficiency and grammar in everyday communication. ‘How to Speak and Write Correctly’ is not a manual of the styles to use in speaking and writing, nor is it a manual for grammar. It is a simple, useful book for helping ordinary people in effective communication. It lays down and explains broad rules of communication, further giving useful tips for effective communication. The book also lists common mistakes in communication and offers suggestions on how best to avoid them. The book covers the requirements of speech with the three essentials being purity, Propriety and precision. It then looks at the essentials of English grammar by looking at the divisions of grammar and how they make or break effective communication. Next, the sentence is broken down into its constituent pieces and the structure is explained so that the reader knows how to construct coherent sentences. The book also discusses how to use figurative language to convey meaning in a vivid and impressive manner. The book then delves into punctuation, highlighting some of the common misuses and how to correct them. Those that still revere the art of letter writing will not be disappointed because the book has tips and tricks on writing letters for whatever purpose. A few chapters have been dedicated to errors made by authors ever so often and how to correct them. The book also explores style and how a writer can nurture his own style in order to express himself and appeal to his audience. There are many interesting points that are highlighted in this book and readers will find ‘How to Speak and Write Correctly’ a pleasant read for both those new in the language as well as seasoned English speakers.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: advice, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, How to Speak and Write Correctly, Joseph Devlin, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

Combining elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism with concepts dealing with self discipline, motivation and the power of positive thinking, James Allen’s 1910 inspirational book Above Life’s Turmoil is a pioneering work in self-help literature. One of the factors that makes the book appealing is that it doesn’t purport to be a magic formula that will help you to get whatever you want. Instead, it aims to give the reader self knowledge and self conquest which will ultimately lead to inner peace in a turbulent world. This is something that every modern day reader will certainly appreciate, since a lot of books promise to show you how to create wealth, achieve success, find your dream partner and so on, without tackling the core issue of attaining inner calmness. Above Life’s Turmoil is divided into a compilation of very brief twenty-one chapters, including a foreword by the author. Some of the topics covered include True Happiness, The Overcoming of Self, The Uses of Temptation, Sowing and Reaping, Your Mental Attitude, Universal Brotherhood and others. Allen uses concepts like affirmation and examines different perspectives to explain his ideas. However, readers looking for a typical “How To” book will not find that here. Above Life’s Turmoil adopts more of a meditative, philosophical tone that readers can reflect on and study at leisure for the best results. James Allen was born in a working class family in England in the early 20th century. His mother was illiterate and his father was a factory worker. Following the tragic and mysterious death of his father, Allen left school and went to work as a stationer and private secretary in several manufacturing firms. Later he found employment as a journalist and soon began to develop an interest in spiritual matters. His first book, From Poverty to Power was published in 1901 and he set up a magazine dealing with spiritual themes in the same year. A year later, he published As Man Thinketh, his most famous book, which deals with the concept of retribution or karma and the natural laws of action and reaction in the spiritual world. James Allen went on to write nearly 20 books on similar themes and his wife continued to publish several of his manuscripts posthumously after his death at the young age of 48. One of the factors that makes Above Life’s Turmoil and others by Allen appealing is that the message he wants to convey is very simple and sincere. An interesting and rewarding read for seekers of spiritual solace though it may not offer any practical solutions. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Above Life's Turmoil, advice, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, James Allen, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy

Mental Efficiency and Other Hints to Men and Women is one of the many self help books that Bennett wrote, the most famous of these being How to Live 24 Hours a Day. It is highly readable, amusing and offers wisdom in an extremely palatable form. Bennett’s gift for analysis and his knowledge of philosophy and psychology make this book a valuable treasure trove of handy hints to improve our lives. Though it was first published in 1911, it remains as relevant, wise and useful as it did more than a hundred years ago. Originally intended for American audiences, the book opens with a discussion on the nature of mental efficiency as opposed to physical efficiency that was, and still is, worshiped in America and many other countries today. The author presents his ideas in the form of correspondence between himself and various readers who have asked him certain questions regarding the problems they face in life. He recommends keeping a journal that will help people to perform what he calls “mental calisthenics.” Bennett defines mental efficiency as the ability to read, write and think. He considers it to be one of the keystones of human contentment. Some of the other chapters deal with topics like “Expressing One’s Individuality” “Breaking with the Past” “Settling down in Life” “Marriage” “Books” “Success” and many more such interesting subjects. The counsel and wisdom offered here are garnished by anecdotes and the author’s own thoughts and opinions, making it an interesting read for young and old. Arnold Bennett’s wonderful use of the English language, his witty and humorous asides, his easy conversational style and practical tips add to the appeal of the book. Mental Efficiency and Other Hints to Men and Women is indeed a timeless classic that can benefit readers of all ages. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: advice, Arnold Bennett, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mental Efficiency and Other Hints to Men and Women, Non-fiction, Psychology

The first book in the Psammead Trilogy, Five Children and It follows the fantastical adventures of five siblings who encounter an outlandish creature with a strange ability to grant wishes. Though the idea of having their wishes brought to life, the children quickly discover that not every wish turns out to be as wondrous as initially believed. The children’s novel offers a generous amount of fantasy, humor, and adventure, as the children are repeatedly subject to wishes gone amusingly awry. The magic begins when playful siblings Robert, Anthea, Cyril, Jane and their baby brother move to the countryside during the summer, not yet aware of the excitement to follow. One day, while digging at a sand pit to reach the other side of the world, the group comes across a bizarre furry creature with a misshapen body known as a Psammead, which they later learn has power to grant wishes. Subsequently, the Psammead agrees to grant one wish per day, but not without a catch, as he grants the wishes according to his own mischievous interpretation. He also informs them that each wish lasts until sunset. So, the siblings find themselves in quite the surprising predicaments, as their ambiguous wishes are manipulated by the Psammead, who in turn equips the children with wings, provides them with unrecognizable beauty, a useless treasure, and a terrifying encounter with Native Americans. Despite their initial thrill about their wishes being fulfilled, the siblings promptly discover the negative side of their desires, as Nesbit cleverly presents the notion that one must be careful what they wish for, because once granted, its accompanying consequences might not seem all that glorious. Celebrated throughout generations, Five Children and It has been able to sustain its magical appeal through its endearing characters and the vivid portrayal of the ingenuous wishes. In addition, Nesbit’s novel evocatively brings to life the imagination of its audience, as it awakens the child within with its effective use of witty language and descriptive imagery. Nevertheless, the novel presents a magical haven sure to be revisited time and time again. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edith Nesbit, fantasy, fiction, Five Children and It, free audio books, History, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

One of the most controversial and censored books in English literature, Fanny Hill is regarded as the first original English prose pornography. Notorious for its vivid depiction of sexual exploits in all possible forms, the novel digs up the most thrilling erotic fantasies and pieces them together in a most seductive manner. Published in two installments in 1748 and 1749, the novel was attacked for its obscene content and was consequently banned and withdrawn from publication, due to disparaging moral values whilst promoting debauchery and sexual promiscuity. It is indisputably a tantalizing, erotic novel guaranteed to stir up the imagination and senses. The novel, which is written through the perspective of fifteen-year-old Fanny Hill, records details of her most intimate experiences. Following the death of her parents, Fanny decides to leave her home village in search of employment in the bustling city of London. In hopes of finding work as a maid, she encounters Mrs. Brown who hires the young girl. However, the job offering is not Fanny’s anticipated position as a maid, and instead realizes that Mrs. Brown is in fact a madam in charge of a brothel. Her intentions are quite clear as she plans to sell the young girl’s virginity to a wealthy client. During her stay with the madam, Fanny shares a bed with prostitute Phoebe Ayers, who introduces her to the world of carnal pleasure. After a near rape ordeal, she witnesses the sexual intercourse between Mrs. Brown and a large man of intriguing physical characteristics. Enticed by such a view, Fanny turns to self-pleasure as a means to subdue her sexual desire. It is not until she falls in love with a wealthy young man that she experiences sex for the first time, however, after her lover vanishes she discovers that love is not an element required for sexual pleasure. Consequently Fanny enters the enigmatic world of lust and sexual hunger, as she experiences pleasure in all its possible occurrences. An arousing piece of literature, Cleland uses many instances of euphemisms in the novel as a technique to express images, which in turn leaves the audience to the mercy of their imagination. A novel of exploration, experimentation and sexual freedom, Fanny Hill depicts the true nature of passion.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Erotica, Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure, fiction, free audio books, John Cleland, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance

Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie and baby Phronsie are the five children of the late Mr. Pepper and his hard-working wife. The family is desperately poor and Mrs. Pepper and Ben have to work out of the house to keep the home fires burning. Young Polly takes over the reins of the household and becomes a surrogate mom to her little brothers and sister. This heart-warming tale has provided hours of entertainment to generations of children and parents. Five Little Peppers and How they Grew by Margaret Sidney is the first in a series of twelve books featuring the lives of the Pepper family. In this first book, we find the young Peppers struggling with a lack of money but yet they remain cheerful and brave, working together to make life easier for the mother. When the series begins, the youngest, Phronsie, or Sophronia, is a baby of three, and is doted upon by the entire clan. She loves dolls and is a kind hearted little girl, always willing to sympathize with anyone in need. Mrs. Pepper, or Mamsie, as the children call her, is the person who keeps her brood together and inculcates the values of sincerity, honesty, humility and hard work in them. The eldest two, Ben and Polly are capable assistants to their mother. Joel is the live wire in the family, while Davie is the quiet and reflective one. They all live together in their Little Brown House. A disaster leads to a chance meeting with a kind hearted philanthropist, J Horatio King, whose generosity and wealth change the lives of the Pepper family forever. This charming, if slightly dated, story was first published in 1881. It followed the tradition of children’s novels at the time, where a family learns to overcome hardship and triumphs in the end. Like Louisa M Alcott’s Little Women series, the Pepper books went on to trace the lives of the five well into adulthood, marriage and parenthood. Phronsie, the youngest is a young lady of twenty by the time the last book ends. Measles, poverty, adventures, a kidnapping, lots of humor and old fashioned values make Five Little Peppers… a delightful read for both parents and children. In the late 1930s and 40s, a series of films were made based on the books. However, the script was quite different and merely used the characters created by Margaret Sidney. This endearing tale that combines homespun wisdom with gentle humor is indeed a great addition to your children’s book shelf!

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Margaret Sidney

Written in 1910, this “cyclopedia” is full of information that was quite useful at the time. A hundred years later, its text is more humorous than practical — although some advice never goes out of style.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Joseph Trienens, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing

Anne of the Island is the third book in the Anne of Green Gables series following the adventures of its heroine Anne Shirley as she leaves for Redmond College in the busy city of Kingsport to study for her bachelor’s degree. The third installment in the series sees the beloved protagonist experience new adventures and challenges outside the familiar setting of Avonlea. The novel kicks off when Anne decides to pursue her dream of a higher education, and subsequently leaves her two year teaching position at the school in Avonlea and begins her studies at Redmond College. Fortunately, Anne is not alone in the new environment, as she is accompanied by her old friends Gilbert Blythe, who has also enrolled in Redmond College, as well as roommates Priscilla, Philippa and Stella. Though Anne has her mind set on good grades and flawless academic prosperity, she cannot avoid the tides of love and the many suitors offering their affection. When Anne rejects Gilbert’s proposal, stating that she only views him as a friend, she must undergo a journey of self-searching and discover the true meaning of love. Striving for a true love resembling those from the many books she has read, Anne must draw the line between fiction and reality, or she might miss her only chance at happiness. Montgomery’s third installment can be considered to be a turning point in Anne’s life as the novel brings new problems and important decisions to be made, which in turn will either make or break her. Womanhood, maturing, and love are just some of the themes explored in this classic. A novel depicting the inevitable process of growing up, Anne of the Island is a perfect illustration of the challenging and sometimes awkward moments we all go through to achieve our full potential in life. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: Anne of the Island, audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Lucy Maud Montgomery, romance, Teen/Young adult

In 1992, Dr. Darius Shahrokh, a retired physician-surgeon, recorded some deepening talks upon the insistence of friends in his Bahá’í Community. Each program in this series is the result of months of study of resources in both English and Persian. Some consider Windows to the Past to be stories, but it should be remembered that the stories are not intended to be entertainment, but to inform, elucidate, and inspire the listener. The programs have relevant stories purposefully placed to lighten the concentration or emphasize a point.Windows to the Past has been praised by listeners who state that the series is packed with information and inspiration and presented in a style that holds attention.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dr. Darius Shahrokh, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, religion, Self Published, Windows to the Past

John G. Nicolay was Abraham Lincoln’s private White House secretary. With assistant secretary, John Hay, he wrote the two volume definitive biography of Lincoln, “Abraham Lincoln, a Biography.” Although this is a condensation by Nicolay of that biography, it is still a sizable work and a fairly thorough treatment of the life of the 16th president of the United States.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, John George Nicolay, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

The Divine Comedy (Italian: Commedia, later christened “Divina” by Giovanni Boccaccio), written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321, is widely considered the central epic poem of Italian literature, the last great work of literature of the Middle Ages and the first great work of the Renaissance. A culmination of the medieval world-view of the afterlife, it establishes the Tuscan dialect in which it is written as the Italian standard, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature.The Divine Comedy is composed of three canticas (or “cantiche”) — Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Paradise) — composed each of 33 cantos (or “canti”). The very first canto serves as an introduction to the poem and is generally not considered to be part of the first cantica, bringing the total number of cantos to 100.The poet tells in the first person his travel through the three realms of the dead, lasting during the Easter Triduum in the spring of 1300. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dante Alighieri, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry, The Divine Comedy