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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

Famous Men of Modern Times 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. Summary by Laura Caldwell More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Famous Men of Modern Times, free audio books, History, John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

From the opening passage itself of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the reader is drawn into the world of the hero, Pip, who is at that time, seven years old. The author creates an unforgettable atmosphere: the gloom of the graveyard, the melancholy of the orphan boy, the mists rising over the marshes and the terrifying appearance of an escaped convict in chains. Told in first person (one of the only two books that Dickens used this form for, the other being David Copperfield) Great Expectations is a classic coming of age novel, in which we trace the growth and evolution of Pip or Philip Pirrip to give his full name. Pip has lost his parents very early in life and is being brought up by his much older sister and brother-in-law Joe Gargery. His sister is a dominating and shrewish woman, while Joe is an affectionate man. Joe’s uncle Mr Pumblechook (another of Dickens’ delightfully evocative names) asks Joe to send Pip to the stately mansion Statis House ostensibly to play with the owner Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter Estella. This marks the beginning of a life-changing experience for Pip. Miss Havisham is a wealthy eccentric whose twisted agenda is that of taking revenge on the man who jilted her at the altar. Pip is unwittingly drawn into her malevolent schemes. When Pip grows older, Miss Havisham’s lawyer Mr Jaggers informs Pip that he has come into a large fortune from an unknown benefactor and that he must move to London and learn to become a “gentleman.” What follows is a strange and labyrinthine tale of Pip’s journey into adulthood. Dickens’ wonderful gift for characterization peoples the book with a host of memorable characters and sub-plots. The novel also explores the fears and anxieties of childhood and traces Pip’s moral and emotional development and his ambitions as he matures. Estella as the warped creation of a vengeful mind has her own route to traverse. Great Expectations finds Charles Dickens at the peak of his creative powers. The Victorian preoccupation with wealth and social ambition, personal ambition, class distinctions, crime and punishment and how they looked at education and self improvement as a means to rise in society are all vividly portrayed here. There are some delightfully humorous passages throughout the book which add to its flavor and authenticity. As with most of Dickens’ work, this is a book to be savored by young and old alike and preferably to be read aloud, as Dickens himself did in his wildly popular public readings. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Dickens, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Great Expectations, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance

This autobiographical work describes the author’s harrowing experience caught on a small drifting piece of ice, while crossing a frozen bay by dog team on the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Adrift on an Ice-Pan, art, audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Sir Wilfred Grenfell

If you’ve watched and loved Winona Ryder playing the innocent May Welland in the 1993 film adaptation of Edith Wharton’s sweeping novel about class-consciousness in nineteenth century America, you will certainly enjoy reading the original. Though Martin Scorcese’s brilliant work was certainly true to the spirit of the original novel, no film can reproduce the charm of language and turn of phrase employed by one of America’s greatest writers. The Age of Innocence was Edith Wharton’s 12th novel and is located in familiar Wharton territory. The genteel snobbery of the upper classes with its underlying cruelty and heartless judgments passed on those who cross the line is wonderfully depicted in The Age of Innocence. The story opens at a glittering music concert, featuring the wonderful opera singer Christine Nilsson singing Faust at the Music Academy in New York. In the high-society club boxes, the leading lights of New York society train their opera glasses on the crowd, occasionally throwing a sniping remark or two. Newland Archer, a young, handsome, wealthy lawyer whose privileged background is matched only by that of his new fiancée, May Welland. As the self satisfied and complacent Archer surveys the crowd in the opera theater, he overhears two men gossiping about a lady who has just entered a nearby opera box. She is Ellen Olenska, the recent widow of a Polish count, who had shocked society a few years earlier by first marrying a complete outsider and then running away from him to live alone in various cities across Europe. For Archer, the issue is complicated by the fact that Ellen is his beloved May’s first cousin. What follows has a devastating impact on the lives of everyone who is connected with the cousins. The story traces the roots of social prejudices and is an absolutely frank and fearless look at the hypocrisy, double standards and betrayals that people indulge in, in the name of “good form.” The Age of Innocence is filled with memorable characters like the elderly gossip Sillerton Jackson, who is not just considered to be an authority on “families” but also possesses an indelible memory about every single scandal and mystery that has occurred in the claustrophobic Manhattan society of the day. The Age of Innocence won the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 and takes its title from a famous eighteenth century English painting by Joshua Reynolds. It was initially serialized in 1920 in the Pictorial Review magazine, but later compiled into a book and published in the following year. As a ruthless and bitter commentary on the social mores of the day, The Age of Innocence is certainly an insightful book to enjoy.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edith Wharton, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Age of Innocence

A book that won the Newberry Prize in 1921 for an Outstanding Contribution in Children’s Literature, The Story of Mankind, by Hendrik van Loon is indeed a classic that has been enjoyed by generations of children and adults. The book is an engagingly written work, dedicated to the author Hendrik van Loon’s two young son’s Hansje and Willem. It was created to convey the history of the human race to young people in a way that was interesting, memorable and would spur them onto further research and reading into the subject. Tracing the origins of mankind from about 500,000 BC into the present era, The Story of Mankind encompasses anthropology, culture, sociology and history. This book creates a vivid portrayal of the development of the human race from the time of the caveman to the intelligent dominate species that it is today. Designed to be read by young readers and perhaps their parents and teachers along with them, it provides valuable lessons in a variety of subjects in a very readable fashion. Modern day readers may find some of the concepts politically incorrect or not quite enlightened. Some critics have also found that van Loon takes Biblical concepts and presents them as proven history. However, aside from these small blips, the book is indeed a treasure trove of information. It also describes the foundations of Western thought and culture. It traces the development of art, music, literature, culture and civilization itself in the Western World. Van Loon was motivated to select the areas of history that he would describe by apparently asking himself whether this particular person or event changed the course of civilization or not. After World War I, the author added one more chapter called “After Seven Years” and in later years, his children and other writers have added more chapters to make the book more contemporary and relevant for modern readers. The original illustrations by the author added to the appeal of the book as he was a talented artist and naturalist. The book was also adapted to film in 1957, in a quirky version starring the inimitable Marx Brothers. As basic reading for anyone interested in the history of the human race, The Story of Mankind provides a great launching pad from which to explore the deep and complex mysteries that are contained in the origin of our species on earth.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Hendrik van Loon, History, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Teen/Young adult, The Story of Mankind

The writer is as earnest in recommending ladies who belong to the higher class of settlers to cultivate all the mental resources of a superior education, as she is to induce them to discard all irrational and artificial wants and mere useless pursuits. She would willingly direct their attention to the natural history and botany of this new country, in which they will find a never-failing source of amusement and instruction, at once enlightening and elevating the mind, and serving to fill up the void left by the absence of those lighter feminine accomplishments, the practice of which are necessarily superseded by imperative domestic duties. To the person who is capable of looking abroad into the beauties of nature, and adoring the Creator through his glorious works, are opened stores of unmixed pleasure, which will not permit her to be dull or unhappy in the loneliest part of our Western Wilderness. The writer of these pages speaks from experience, and would be pleased to find that the simple sources from which she has herself drawn pleasure, have cheered the solitude of future female sojourners in the backwoods of Canada.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, Catharine Parr Traill, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, Non-fiction, The Backwoods of Canada

A comedy of manners, Emma portrays the spoilt, snobbish, yet charming Emma Woodhouse as she delightfully interferes in the relationships of others without taking much notice of her own heart. Although quick to make prejudgments and decisions, Emma is eventually able to notice her mistakes, and it is this revelation that makes her an endearing heroine and an inspiration to women throughout. Austen has not only created, but also brought to life the world inhabited by her characters through her vivid depictions and clever use of wit. The novel begins with the introduction of the twenty-year-old protagonist described by the all-knowing narrator as “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich with a comfortable home and happy disposition”. He also warns readers of Emma’s high self-confidence and her efforts of having everything her way. Living on the large estate of Hartfield in Surrey with her elderly widowed father, Emma is satisfied with her life and sees no need for romance or a marriage of her own. Instead she views herself to be quite the matchmaker after attending the wedding of her former governess and best friend Anne Taylor and Mr. Weston, whom she has introduced to one another. This new role as matchmaker is further inflamed when she befriends the sweet but not so bright seventeen-year-old Harriet Smith. Emma is determined to find a suitable match for her new best friend and believes that Harriet deserves a gentleman and nothing less. A trusted friend and brother-in-law, George Knightley appears to be the only person openly criticizing Emma’s actions and pointing out her faults. As the novel progresses so does the positive transformation of Emma as she evolves from her self-centered ways into a sympathetic woman well aware of others and her own desires. Emma is often labeled as Austen’s most flawless piece of work, as she explores social issues concerning the difficulties women face living in a society and time when social status defined their very existence. A classic depiction of youthful pride and a misinterpretation of signs, Emma is not without reason celebrated as one of the most revered social comedies. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, Emma, fiction, free audio books, humor, jane austen, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance, satire

Long before Christiane Amanpour, Frances Fitzgerald and Martha Gellhorn blazed a trail in courageous investigative journalism, a pioneering and intrepid writer and journalist whose pen name was Nellie Bly opened up a whole new field in what had previously been a strictly male domain. Ten Days in a Madhouse was published as a series of articles in the New York World during 1887. Nellie Bly was given the assignment by her editor to have herself committed to an insane asylum in New York with a “view to writing a plain and unvarnished narrative of the treatment of patients therein and the methods of management…” She was to feign insanity and get herself legally declared insane, pass the test conducted by the doctors and get committed. She was to chronicle her experiences and write a report that revealed everything that she went through in the asylum. It was not an easy decision to make and Nellie herself had doubts about the fact that once she was declared insane, her editors would hardly be in a position to get her out! Ten Days in a Madhouse received a sensational response. Nellie’s account of the dehumanizing conditions inside the asylum, the prevailing attitudes towards mental illness, contemporary ideas of treatment and the brutality and neglect of the system that she experienced were an eye-opener for the authorities. The authorities were left red-faced when it was discovered that insanity could so easily be faked. However, her expose of the conditions inside the Lunatic Asylum for Women at Blackwell’s Island prompted a grand jury investigation in which she was asked to testify. The Department of Public Charities and Corrections was allotted a larger budget as a result of this. Nellie Bly, or to give her real name, Elizabeth Jane Cochrane, was a champion of human rights. She was also an extremely adventurous and creative journalist who looked at her profession not just as a job. A later series of articles that followed Ten Days… was one in which she aimed to beat Phineas Fogg’s record of 80 days recreating the journey described in Jules Verne’s novel. Nellie completed the nearly 25-thousand km journey in 72 days. Her other articles included Six Months in Mexico, a report on Mexico under the dictator Porfirio Diaz. She retired from journalism after marrying the industrial tycoon Robert Seaman and proceeded to devote herself to social causes. Ten Days in a Madhouse is a riveting account of the shocking and pathetic condition of mental health rehabilitation in the early part of the twentieth century. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Nellie Bly, Non-fiction, Ten Days in a Madhouse

Confessions (Latin: Confessiones) is the name of an autobiographical work, consisting of 13 books, by St. Augustine of Hippo, written between AD 397 and AD 398. Modern English translations of it are sometimes published under the title The Confessions of St. Augustine in order to distinguish the book from other books with similar titles, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, Confessions, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Saint Augustine of Hippo

Charles Spurgeon was a popular Baptist minister in London in mid-Victorian times; his ministry was highly influential and had a significant effect on many families in London and further afield. It was difficult to find a hall large enough to accommodate the crowd who wished to hear him. At times the Royal Surrey Gardens’ Music Hall was hired to accomodate the Sunday congregation; this could seat 10,000 but large numbers were unable to gain admittance. His world-wide heritage is very much with us today through the many chuches built, missionary work begun, children’s charity founded and theological colleges established as a result of his ministry. The sermons in this collection were preached buring May 1898 and published immediately at one penny (1d.) each. These were widely circulated and remain one of the all-time best-selling series of writings. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Spurgeon, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion, Spurgeon's Sermons May 1858

This story opens with a young woman who voyages alone into the wilds of Alaska to escape her tragic past. It then continues on to a young man who passionately protects the pristine environment, people and way of life in this snowbound country. Finally, a greedy profiteer arrives in the narrative whose only aim is to fill his pockets. When these three characters encounter each other on the stark and snowy plains, it’s a clash of ideals and the sparks begin to fly. The Alaskan by James Oliver Curwood is one of his very engaging adventure romance conservationist stories and was an instant bestseller, like most of his books, when it was first published in 1923. Curwood was a highly successful writer in the early part of the twentieth century and was in fact, the best paid writer in the world at his time. His books were wildly popular and have been adapted for screen, stage, television and radio. Though he was a high school drop out, he wrote and passed a university entrance exam that gave him entry into the University of Michigan’s English department. He studied journalism and discovered his writing talents when he worked on a Detroit newspaper. He fell in love with Alaska when he traveled there on a story and decided that he would settle there once he’d saved enough. He continued to write and travel often to his dream destination. His books proved extremely successful and allowed him to retire early to devote himself to his writing. From 1903 until his death in 1927, he produced novels, essays, short stories and articles dealing mainly with his favorite subjects: Alaska and adventure. Though he was fond of hunting in his early years, he soon became a conservationist like many before him and died at the young age of 49. His former studio in Ossowo, Michigan is now a museum. Curwood’s writing style follows the great adventure story tradition of writers like Jack London who also used the Arctic and Arctic animals as heroes of their tales. His books have been translated into many world languages, including Swedish and Polish. The Alaskan is a typical Curwood tale, with wonderful descriptions of the Alaskan landscape, the wildlife, vegetation and local populations. The plot is studded with exciting twists and turns, memorable characters and is indeed a great read for young and old alike. Recent film adaptations of his 1916 book The Grizzly King and titled The Bear have led to a renewed interest in the work of this writer who was famous in his day, but is little known to modern readers.

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Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, James Oliver Curwood, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, The Alaskan, travel

This is Book 4 in the Time Traders Series, In this book Ross Murdock and Arthur Ashe continue their adventures in Time and Space on the World of Hawaika. Hawaiian and Polynesian settlers help Ross and Ashe discover the way the world has changed from the data tape to present time. Helped by a girl (Karara) and her two trained dolphins (Tino-rau and Taua)

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Tags: Andre Norton, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Key Out of Time, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, science-fiction, travel

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.

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

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

An adventure novel with an unexpected hero, Captain Blood follows the unintended journey of chivalrous and well-educated gentleman Peter Blood, who without much choice was plunged into the world of piracy forcing him to leave his tranquil lifestyle behind. Sabatini first introduced his protagonist in a series of eight short stories published in magazine installments, until later weaving them together in 1922 as a novel. Set in the late 17th century, the novel begins with the image of Peter Blood, a physician, casually attending his geraniums and smoking a pipe. However, things in the quiet town of Bridgewater are everything but ordinary. The town is in the midst of the Monmouth rebellion and despite not wanting to take part in the matter, Blood’s duty as a doctor prevails as he goes to tend the wounded rebels. Unfortunately for Blood, his duty of caring for the wounded is seen as aiding the rebellion and after being put to trial, he is unjustly convicted of treason and sentenced to slavery. Following his imprisonment and services to the malignant Colonel Bishop, Blood plans an escape with fellow captives from their miserable conditions and treatment. Fortunately, all is not gloomy in the life of the protagonist, as he also experiences the enchantment of love as he becomes acquainted with Bishop’s kind-hearted niece Arabella. Captain Blood is marked by its exciting high seas adventures, exotic locations, historical elements, clever characters, romance, and its generous contribution of swashbuckling. Cast away from his tedious lifestyle as a physician, Blood must rise and take responsibility as his character develops to fit the description of the very rebel he initially opposed. Apart from creating an interesting piece of literature, Sabatini shows his determination for precision as he keeps the historical background in the book as close to the actual events as possible. Moreover, the memorable characteristics of the protagonist leave readers returning to his gripping adventures. A tempting fusion of love, high seas adventure, swashbuckling, and clever maneuvering allures one to capture every detail in this classic.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, Captain Blood, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Rafael Sabatini, Sea stories

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book “A Little Princess” begins as seven year old Sara Crewe is dropped off at a boarding school by her rich father. She has grown up in India and has lived a very pampered life. Even though she is rich, she is very friendly to everyone and the students all love her. Unfortunately, the woman in charge of the school does not like Sara and when her father dies on a business trip, the head mistress is angry that she will not get the money she is owed for Sara’s care. She makes her live in the attic with the maid and to do chores to earn her keep at the school. Sara is mistreated, but still remains kind to others and helps anyone she can. One day, Sara finds some money and buys some food from a bakery. When the baker sees her give away most of the food to a beggar girl, he believes Sara is a princess and invites the little beggar girl to live with his family. Sara continues to teach the smaller children and withstands the abuse from the adults around her. When a strange man moves into the house next door, Sara becomes friends with his servant. He is impressed with how kind she is and is angered about her treatment at the school. He secretly sends her food to help her in some small way. Eventually, Sara discovers something very important about the man who is helping her. A Little Princess is an amazing book that proves again that dreams can come true. It also shows that even when life is not going the way you would like it, you should still treat others the way you want to be treated. The end of the story is very satisfying, but readers will want to know more about this special little girl.

Categories: Arts

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Not your common fairy tales, this collection is a mixture of morals, quirkiness, and sarcasm. In it one finds ironic derivatives (if not roots) of well known fairy tales such as “The Brave Little Taylor” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as some more unusual settings to impart the popular fairy tale themes of justice and happily ever after. Most stories are told with wry humor and often shocking irreverence for the expected fairy tale turn out. This is NOT a book for children, but one for adults who love fairy tales, and enjoy making fun of them. DISCLAIMER: Story 09 contains some racially offensive material in its ending. Due to the mission of reading, rather than rewriting, literature in the public domain, it has not been omitted from this anthology. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Key of Gold: 23 Czech Folk Tales, Unknown