Random Audiobook Podcasts

Eusebius presents the history of the Church from the apostles to his own time, with special regard to the following points:1. the successions of bishops in the principal sees2. the history of Christian teachers3. the history of heresies4. the history of the Jews5. the relations to the heathen6. the martyrdoms.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Eusebius of Caesarea, Eusebius' History of the Christian Church, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion

The Autobiography of Charles Darwin is the autobiography of the British naturalist Charles Darwin which was published in 1887, five years after his death. Darwin wrote the book, which he entitled Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character, for his family. He states that he started writing it on about May 28, 1876 and had finished it by August 3. The book was edited by Charles Darwin’s son Francis Darwin, who removed several passages about Darwin’s critical views of God and Christianity. It was published in London by John Murray as part of The life and letters of Charles Darwin, including an autobiographical chapter. The omitted passages were later restored by Darwin’s granddaughter Nora Barlow in a 1958 edition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Origin. This edition was published in London by Collins under the title of The Autobiography of Charles Darwin 1809-1882, with the original omissions restored, edited and with appendix and notes by his granddaughter Nora Barlow. The original is in the public domain as its copyright has expired, but the later version remains under copyright.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, Charles Darwin, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, science, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin

Famous Men of Rome is a series of biographical sketches written for the purpose of making the study of history lively and interesting by giving insight into the men who lived during this time.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, Famous Men of Rome, free audio books, History, John H. Haaren, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

Tom Swift is an inventor, and these are his adventures. The locale is the little town of Shopton in upstateNew York, near Lake Carlopa. While some of Tom’s inventions are not well-founded in a scientific sense, others elaborated developments in the news and in popular magazines aimed at young science and invention enthusiasts. Presenting themselves as a forecast of future possibilities, they now and then hit close to the mark. Some predicted inventions that came true include “photo telephones”, vertical takeoff aircraft, aerial warships, giant cannons, and “wizard” cameras. However some other devices, such as magnetic silencers for motors, have not appeared yet. -adapted from Wikipedia by Karen Merline More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, or, Teen/Young adult, the Naval Terror of the Seas, Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship, Victor Appleton

Leonard Leslie Brooke was a talented nineteenth/early twentieth century illustrator who also wrote some delightful children’s books. He was well-known for his caricatures, portrait and landscape painting and sketches. He illustrated many children’s books, especially those written by Andrew Lang. Some of his famous works are The Nursery Rhyme Book, The Golden Goose Book, Johnny Crow’s Party and Ring O’ Roses. The Story of the Three Little Pigs was published in 1904. Most readers would be familiar with this children’s tale. The Big Bad Wolf was immortalized in Disney animated pictures, but here he is simply a Wolf. The illustrations by Leslie Brooke himself are realistic and the characters are not at all modified to look like cartoons. The Wolf looks quite terrifying and the little pigs look exactly like what they are. The end is quite gory and very small, sensitive children may find the whole story quite scary! However, as a children’s classic, The Story of the Three Little Pigs has entertained generations of children and parents too. The current volume contains just this one story and children may find the illustrations quite interesting and stimulating to the imagination. The Wolf’s constant refrain, “I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!” is something that remains entrenched in the memory long after one has grown up. The Story of the Three Little Pigs could also serve as a great platform for initiating discussions about safety, being smart enough to outwit your enemies, bonding with your siblings and how to take care of yourself when you leave home. Some of the lessons that can be instilled in young minds by reading this famous cautionary tale are about diligence, hard work, self discipline and respect for manual labor. Planning ahead, thinking ahead of your opponent and good and regular habits are some of the other topics that parents can discuss after reading this story. Using the right material for the right purpose is something that parents can advise can talk to heir children about. The first two pigs who used straw and sticks to build their houses found that these materials were totally unsuited. Only the brick house was able to withstand the Wolf’s attack. Brooke’s work remains a charming and memorable children’s story that is sure not to disappoint.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, L. Leslie Brooke, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Story of the Three Little Pigs

This is a series of short messages written by the South African minister, Andrew Murray. They deal with the necessity and joy of surrendering our lives completely to God. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses, Andrew Murray, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion

Adventures of a Brownie follows the life of a brownie who lives in a family’s coal cellar and the adventures he gets into with the members of the household. (Written by Ancilla)

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventures of a Brownie as Told to My Child, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Miss Mulock

The semiautobiographical travel memoir records Twain’s, more or less, personal journey across the Wild West in search of adventure while exploring variable locations. Accompanying his brother on what becomes a trip of a lifetime, the young Samuel Clemens finds himself in many different vocational roles as he explores and observes the magnificence of the American West. Not refraining from the usual social commentary, Twain directs criticism on various social and moral issues which he approaches through his sly and witty style. Presented in a first person narration, Roughing It serves as an instrument allowing a momentary escape from modern society and the chance to experience the true nature of the Wild West, with images of mining, gold prospecting, and the grandeur of untouched wilderness. The novel begins with the young narrator travelling to Nevada to assist his brother Orion Clemens, who has been appointed to a government position, and is required to move west. Consequently, the narrator sets out on a stagecoach journey west, while depicting a time absent of modern luxuries and colorfully illustrates the rough course of travel in a frontier territory. Beginning in Missouri, the novel continues on through Salt Lake City, to Nevada, then San Francisco until finally reaching Hawaii. The vagrant and enthusiastic young man frequently jaunts off in search of adventure and excitement which bring about many mishaps. In addition, the narrator meets many diverse characters during his journey including miners, pioneers, Mormons, and Native Americans, of whom none are spared from his satirical depiction and classification. Structured in episodic stories, Twain brilliantly recounts stories from his daily travels with a generous supply of humor, anecdotes, tall tales and imagery. One of the highlights of the book is the evocative and vivid descriptive language Twain uses to animate the beauty of the American frontier in the 19th century. The travelogue not only provides entertainment with its humorous episodic adventures and exaggerated circumstances, but it also delivers an original historical insight with its use of allusions and first-hand experiences documented by the author. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mark Twain, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Roughing It, travel

Of The Twilight of the Idols, Nietzsche says in Ecce Homo: “If anyone should desire to obtain a rapid sketch of how everything before my time was standing on its head, he should begin reading me in this book. That which is called ‘Idols’ on the title-page is simply the old truth that has been believed in hitherto. In plain English, The Twilight of the Idols means that the old truth is on its last legs.” Certain it is that, for a rapid survey of the whole of Nietzsche’s doctrine, no book, save perhaps the section entitled “Of Old and New Tables” in Thus Spake Zarathustra, could be of more real value than The Twilight of the Idols. Here Nietzsche is quite at his best. He is ripe for the marvellous feat of the transvaluation of all values. Nowhere is his language – that marvellous weapon which in his hand became at once so supple and so murderous – more forcible and more condensed. Nowhere are his thoughts more profound. But all this does not by any means imply that this book is the easiest of Nietzsche’s works. On the contrary, I very much fear that unless the reader is well prepared, not only in Nietzscheism, but also in the habit of grappling with uncommon and elusive problems, a good deal of the contents of this work will tend rather to confuse than to enlighten him in regard to what Nietzsche actually wishes to make clear in these pages. (Excerpt from A. Ludovici’s Preface)

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Friedrich Nietzsche, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Twilight of the Idols or How to Philosophise with the Hammer

Montgomery’s literary classic recounts the exciting adventures undertaken by the fiery eleven-year-old Anne Shirley, an orphan girl accidentally adopted by middle aged siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. A coming-of-age novel, Anne of Green Gables focuses on Anne’s new life at Green Gables farm in Avonlea and her adjustment into the Prince Edward Island community. The story launches when the aging siblings Matthew and Marilla decide that they could use an extra hand around their farm, and believe that adopting an orphan boy would be an appropriate solution. However, due to a misunderstanding, the orphanage sends Anne Shirley instead. As Matthew heads to the train station to pick up the anticipated boy, he is shocked to be greeted by a red-headed, freckled and quite talkative little girl. Oblivious to the fact that a mistake has been made, Anne cheerfully enjoys the ride to her new home not hiding her enthusiasm whatsoever. Although initially spinster Marilla requires a bit of persuasion, both siblings are drawn in by the irresistible charms of the young chatty girl and accept the orphanage’s mix-up. Undeniably Anne adds the much needed color in the lives of Matthew and Marilla who are quiet and timid, while Anne serves as a complete opposite to the two. As Anne adjusts to her new surroundings, she leaves readers absorbed as she makes social gaffes in her clumsy attempts to soak in the social norms, religion, and morals with which her peers are already long accustomed to. Obstructed by countless mischief and creative excursions, Anne must make a distinction between reality and imagination as she walks along the path of self-expression. A timeless favorite, Anne of Green Gables leaves a mark on all that have come across the bright and imaginative character portrayed by Anne. It is nevertheless a little girl’s imagination, romanticism, free-spirit and playful antics that have presented Montgomery’s novel with a special place in the world of literature. All books in this series:1 Anne of Green Gables2 Anne of Avonlea3 Anne of the Island5 Anne’s House of Dreams7 Rainbow Valley8 Rilla of Ingleside

Categories: Arts

Tags: Anne of Green Gables, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Lucy Maud Montgomery

Compiled by an American missionary, West African Folk Tales by William H Barker is a delightful collection of folk tales from Nigeria, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania and other countries along the west coast of Africa. These stories spread in various forms to other countries like the West Indies, Suriname, the Netherland Antilles, etc and can be still heard today among the people of these countries. West African Folk Tales is a wonderful read for both young people and older readers alike. The stories are charmingly retold. Most of them are about Anansi, the trickster god of the West African people. He is worshiped as the god of all stories and often takes the form of a spider, which is considered to be very cunning. Anansi the Spider sometimes has a human face, wears clothes or assumes human form but keeps his eight legs. The first story in this book tells of how the Anansi tales originated. In the olden days, goes the tale, all stories were only about Nyankupon the chief of gods. But Anansi the Spider felt that he should be the hero of all stories. He goes to the chief and demands that he should be made the hero, whereupon the chief sets some conditions for Anansi to fulfill before he can call himself a hero. How the clever Spider achieves this forms the rest of this entertaining tale. The Anansi tales are supposed to have originated in Ghana and it is among the Ashanti people of Ghana that they are most popular. However, they remained an oral tradition, passed on from generation to generation, and Anansi himself was reputed to be a skillful speaker and teller of stories. Though Anansi is quite smart, he uses his cleverness to trick others and sometimes he himself meets a bad end! This book contains 18 Anansi stories and 17 others about different animals like leopards, tigers and elephants. There are also stories about various trees and plants. The Anansi tales are closely linked to Uncle Remus’ Brer Rabbit tales and Anansi’s character bears a strong resemblance to the tricky rabbit. The original edition of West African Folk Tales has some beautiful illustrations which would appeal to young readers. This collection was first published in Lagos in 1917. William H Barker was a missionary and the principal of a government school in Accra. The book was coauthored by Cecilia Sinclair and will certainly provide hours of entertainment for both parents and children.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, West African Folk Tales, William H. Barker

Rabbi Louis Ginzberg was one of the outstanding Talmudists of the twentieth century. He was born on November 28, 1873, in Kovno, Lithuania; he died on November 11, 1953, in New York City. Ginzberg taught at the Jewish Theological seminary from 1903 to 1953. For 50 years, he trained two generations of Conservative Rabbis.The Legends of the Jews is an epic 7-volume compilation of traditional Jewish stories loosely related to the Bible. Volumes 1-4 contain the stories, while volumes 5-7 contain Ginzberg’s notes and commentary. Over the millenia, these stories, which expand on the Bible, flesh out the lives of biblical figures. In the process, they help bring to life the Bible’s valuable lessons.The Legends of the Jews has been called a monumental work of scholarship. It is studied by serious students of both Judaism and Christianity. And yet the stories continue to be accessible and understood by all. They were designed to impart lessons of the Torah, and any child or adult will find much to enjoy about this work.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Legends of the Jews, Louis Ginzberg, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, religion, Short stories

The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, The Real Princess and a host of other wonderful tales which form so much a part of childhood are part of Andersen’s Fairy Tales, by Hans Christian Andersen. This volume contains eighteen selected stories. Some of them are old familiar friends, while others maybe new to some readers, but all of them equally enchanting and enthralling. Today, these stories are known almost everywhere in the world and have been translated into hundreds of languages. Their appeal is not just for children or young readers. As folktales and typical Scandinavian legends, they are a fascinating glimpse into the myths and legends, culture and ethos of the Northern Lands. Since their publication in 1835, they have continued to inspire and delight generations of children and adults. Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author whose work included plays, poetry, travelogues, novels and stories. Born in a noble Danish family, he was inspired to transcribe the tales he had heard as a child from people around him. The stories he selected were interesting, imaginative and unique. Some of them like The Little Mermaid were poignant and were not strictly just for a young audience. In fact, the story went on to capture public imagination to such an extent that today one of the most iconic monuments of Copenhagen is the statue of the Little Mermaid on the Langeline Promenade, which draws thousands of visitors every year. Andersen’s first foray into writing fairytales did not meet with much success because translating them from the original Danish was quite difficult and it had only restricted readership. However, in 1845, he reached out to the rest of the world through a brilliant translation of The Little Mermaid in Bentley’s Miscellany magazine. Great success followed as his stories began appearing in various English magazines and journals and a whole generation of young English speaking children discovered the treasures of Scandinavia. The stories have continued to enthrall people in many fields. Music, opera, art, literature, drama, film and television have become richer by the addition of various versions of Andersen’s tales and his name has become a byword for the genre. He also inspired hundreds of other writers to come out with folktales and stories designed to captivate the imagination of young and old. Stories like The Tinder-Box convey a feeling of mystery and awe, while The Nightingale provides pathos and beauty. As an invaluable addition to any library shelf, Andersen’s Fairy Tales can provide hours of reading pleasure to both young and old.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Andersen's Fairy Tales, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Hans Christian Andersen, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, Short stories

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

One of the greatest American novels and a popular culture sensation, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz depicts the adventures of the young Dorothy Gale, who is swept away from her colorless farm home in Kansas by a cyclone, and winds up in the magical Land of Oz. Trapped in an unknown land, Dorothy must find a way back home and subsequently embarks on an adventure and meets a group of colorful characters along the way. Serving as an inspiration throughout generations, the children’s novel has been represented through various cinema adaptations and musicals. The novel commences with the introduction of Dorothy, a young orphan girl who is taken in and raised by her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em in their dreary farm home in Kansas. One day, however, a treacherous cyclone sweeps across the prairie and catches hold of the house while Dorothy and her beloved pet dog Toto are still inside. Afraid and bewildered, Dorothy and Toto are eventually set down in a mysterious land which they later identify as the Land of Oz. Greeted and commended by the small Munchkins, Dorothy is declared to be a good witch, because her house had accidentally landed on the evil ruler of the Munchkins – the Wicked Witch of the East and consequently resulted in her death. Subsequently, the Good Witch of the North also arrives to greet Dorothy and presents her with a pair of silver shoes believed to contain magical properties. In addition, she instructs Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road to Emerald City and ask the almighty Wizard of Oz to help her get back to Kansas. On her way across the land she is accompanied by the Scarecrow, the rusted Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. Entertaining and intelligently written, Baum has effectively created a modern fairy tale forever embedded in the imagination of both young and old readers. Exploring the prominent and universal theme of “There’s no place like home”, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz does not seize to delight and captivate long after its finish. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, L. Frank Baum, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Call of the Wild is an emotional rollercoaster of a novel set during the late 19th century Klondike Gold Rush. The central character is Buck, an Alaskan sled dog who is forced to adjust to the cruel climate in order to survive. If you have even a remote love of dogs then you will fall head over heels in love with this book. In fact, take away the fact that Buck is a dog and the story is the same, a struggle against greed and to live a life of freedom. London spent a year in Yokel researching the book, making it extremely detailed, very simplistic in its descriptions and genuinely heartfelt. Essentially the book explores the concept of survival of the fittest, as we join Buck’s fall from grace, when he is kidnapped for work, and the desire to rise again. Power struggles ensue when we meet Buck’s rival Spritze and we see how brutal the world can be. The vivid descriptions of nature are where this book excels. London is an expert at writing about survival in a natural world. When we are forced into extreme condition, we have to rely on our instinct, what is primitive to us, themes mirrored in Buck’s journey throughout the book. On the surface, Call to the Wild is a simple adventure story, much like London’s other works such as ‘ White Fang’ but underneath there are layers upon layers of questions and thought provoking statements that make us stand up and think about how humans can have a negative impact on nature. A book to open your mind, make you think and to connect with characters that you never thought you could talk to.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Jack London, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Call of the Wild

Paralyzed in an accident while a baby, young Prince Dolor is imprisoned in a lonely tower by his usurping uncle. He is visited by his mysterious godmother who provides him with magical gifts, including a traveling cloak that allows him to fly across the land. He uses his gifts to return to his rightful place on the throne. Also included are several short stories by the author also featuring princes. (Chapters 12-15)

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Miss Mulock, Teen/Young adult, The Little Lame Prince

More than nine hundred years after it was first written, this unfinished work of a scholar saint still has the power to move our minds and hearts and set us thinking on the really important questions of life. Summa Theologica or simply the Summa as it is known, was written some time between 1265-74. It is a work that has had a profound and enduring influence on Western thought and literature. Designed to provide answers to Catholic theologians about the teachings of the Church, Thomas Aquinas’ book instead goes far beyond its stated purpose. The most famous tenet that the book contains is the Five Ways or Five Arguments for the Existence of God. This in spite of the fact that this tenet is contained in a mere five pages out of the total three thousand five hundred plus pages of the Summa! Such is the power of some of the ideas contained herein. Thomas Aquinas was a deeply learned Dominican monk, philosopher, teacher and scholar. His path-breaking ideas encompassed sources as diverse as those contained in Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, Augustine of Hippo, Apostle Paul and many others, along with Christian, Muslim, Eastern and Oriental texts. There are many references in the Summa to the great teachers who influenced Thomas Aquinas. Prima Pars (First Part) Questions 1-26 is intended mainly for lay clergy or beginners. Here, many basic premises of Christianity, the Creation and the Existence of God are discussed. The knowledge of God, How God is Known to Us, ideas of Truth and Falsity, The Book of Life, the Power and Beatitude of God, the nature of Man, and many more are some of the metaphysical questions discussed. The Summa deeply influenced contemporary artists and writers like Dante. This book would be ideal as a daily meditation text. A magnificent work of spirituality that seeks answers to some of our most complex yet basic questions. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Pars Prima, Philosophy, religion, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica