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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.

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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

Beloved by many generations of children, A Child’s Garden of Verses is a beautiful collection of children’s poetry. Sometimes thoughtful, sometimes whimsical, but always fun.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: A Child's Garden of Verses, animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry, Robert Louis Stevenson

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

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

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

The Mysterious Island is another exquisite novel written by the master of adventure writing, Jules Verne. The novel has been seen as the sequel to two other famous novels written by the same author: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of the Castaway. The story revolves around five Americans who live in a dark and harsh environment as prisoners of the American Civil War. Depleted by famine and death all around them, the five war prisoners take a big risk and escape by hijacking a hot air balloon. The five fugitives, an engineer, a servant, a former slave, a sailor and a journalist have to face an ugly and destroying storm, crashing on a mysterious volcanic island. The five men start a new living there, but circumstances soon become mysterious when a message in a bottle turns up on the beach. With pirate attacks and erupting volcanoes these five escapees get more than they bargained for. This book is a fun read for anyone with an adventurous spirit deep inside.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Jules Verne, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, science-fiction, Teen/Young adult, The Mysterious Island

In mid-1880s Brooklyn, New York, Cedric Errol lives with his Mother (never named, known only as Mrs Errol or “dearest”) in genteel poverty after his Father Captain Errol dies. They receive a visit from Havisham, an English lawyer with a message from Cedric’s grandfather, Lord Dorincourt. Cedric is now Lord Fauntleroy and heir to the Earldom and a vast estate. The Earl wants Cedric to live with him and learn to be an English aristocrat. He offers Mrs Errol a house and income but refuses to meet or have anything to do with her. The crusty Earl is impressed by the appearance and intelligence of his young American grandson, and charmed by his innocent nature. He admits that Cedric, who has befriended and cared for the poor and needy on the Earl’s estate, will be a better Earl than he was. A pretender to Cedric’s inheritance appears, but the claim is investigated and disproved with the assistance of Cedric’s loyal American friends. The Earl is reconciled to his son’s American widow. The Earl had intended to teach his grandson how to be an aristocrat; however, Cedric inadvertently teaches his grand-father that an aristocrat should practice compassion and social justice towards persons who are dependent on him. The Earl becomes the kind and good man Cedric always innocently believed him to be. Cedric is reunited with his mother, who comes to live in the ancestral castle with them. “Little Lord Fauntleroy” is the first children’s novel written by English–American playwright and author Frances Hodgson Burnett. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

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Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, Frances Hodgson Burnett, free audio books, History, Kids, Literature, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Teen/Young adult

Present day readers live in a world that’s emerged from the Cold War and the endless rivalry of the Super Powers but this book goes back and traces the origins of the conflict and mutual antagonism between nations. Kim by Rudyard Kipling is set against the background of the Great Game as it was called the tug-of-war between Britain and Russia for the control of Central Asia. The novel’s action takes place during the Anglo-Afghan Wars of 1839-42. The novel’s sweeping narrative, the depth of character and the sheer historical scale make it a first rate story. Nobel Prize winning author Rudyard Kipling is not much in fashion today. He is considered a relict of Imperialism and the old colonial tradition. Yet, his work remains relevant and incisive even today, in the climate of Neo-Imperialism and the economic and social colonialism practiced by many big powers. As a brilliant and most authentic portrait of Victorian British India, Kim remains unrivaled. It is also a wonderful coming of age story, peopled with remarkable and memorable characters, and traces the young hero’s poignant search for identity, caught as he is between two cultures. Kimball O’Hara (or Kim) lives an itinerant existence in 19th century India, where Imperialism is at its peak. He is the young son of poor Irish parents who are both no more. He survives by running occasional errands for a Pashtun horse-trader called Mahbub Ali in Lahore. Mahbub Ali is actually an undercover agent working for the British. Kim leaves Lahore and joins a Tibetan lama in the quest for a legendary river. Ali meets and recruits Kim to his spy ring, but Kim is rescued by an old friend of his father’s and sent off to study in a good boarding school in Lucknow. He remains in touch with Ali and the Lama. Upon completing his schooling, he is recruited by the British government and enters the Great Game in earnest. The rest of the novel follows Kim’s career and deals with the final choices he has to make in life. Kim is a book that can be read on many levels—a gripping adventure story, a brilliant picture of childhood and a mystical tale of the spiritual traditions of India. For modern readers, the current situation in Afghanistan seems all too close to what is depicted as happening more than a century ago.

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Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kim, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Rudyard Kipling, Spy stories, Teen/Young adult

Vol. I: The Colonial Period. Charles Austin Beard was the most influential American historian of the early 20th century. He published hundreds of monographs, textbooks and interpretive studies in both history and political science. He graduated from DePauw University in 1898, where he met and eventually married Mary Ritter Beard, one of the founders of the first Greek-letter society for women, Kappa Alpha Theta. Many of his books were written in collaboration with his wife, whose own interests lay in feminism and the labor union movement (Woman as a Force in History, 1946).In 1921, Charles and Mary Beard published their History of the United States. A contemporaneous review stated: “The authors… assume enough maturity in high school students to justify a topical rather than a chronological treatment. They have dealt with movements, have sketched large backgrounds, have traced causes, and have discussed the interrelation of social and economic forces and politics. All this has been directed to the large purpose of helping the student to understand American today in all its national characteristics and as part of world civilization as well…The literary style is exceptionally clear and crisp, and the whole approach…is thought producing. As a textbook or handbook for the average citizen it ranks with very best.” More great books at LoyalBooks.com

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Austin Beard, ebooks, free audio books, History, History of the United States: The Colonial Period Onwards, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

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

Tags: A Little Princess, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Frances Hodgson Burnett, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

Bushido: The Soul of Japan written by Inazo Nitobe was one of the first books on samurai ethics that was originally written in English for a Western audience, and has been subsequently translated into many other languages (also Japanese). Nitobe found in Bushido, the Way of the Warrior, the sources of the virtues most admired by his people: rectitude, courage, benevolence, politeness, sincerity, honor, loyalty and self-control, and he uses his deep knowledge of Western culture to draw comparisons with Medieval Chivalry, Philosophy, and Christianity.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bushido: The Soul of Japan, ebooks, free audio books, Inazo Nitobe, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy

Another delightful and sharply pointed excursion into the topics of the day, and of this day as well, with Gilbert Keith Chesterton. These reprinted magazine articles are filled with his good natured wit, his masterful use of paradox, and devastating ability to use reductio ad absurdum to destroy the popular myths that drive a society driving full-speed into secular humanism. You will come away with a whole new collection of wonderful quotes. (Ray Clare) More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: All Things Considered, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, free audio books, G. K. Chesterton, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

This novel introduces the characters Mike Jackson and Psmith, who are featured in several of Wodehouse’s later works. It shows how the two characters first met each other as teenagers at boarding school. As Psmith doesn’t appear until about halfway through this book, it was later released as two separate books, Mike at Wrykyn and Mike and Psmith. There’s lots of cricket, but you don’t need to understand the game to enjoy the antics of these public school boys as they “rag” each other and the authorities.

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mike: A Public School Story, P. G. Wodehouse, Teen/Young adult

Written in 1903, just sixty years after the word ‘hypnotism’ was coined, this book explores the contemporary understanding of the nature, uses and dangers of the technique. Hypnotism has been practiced for many centuries, but it was in the mid-to-late nineteenth century that it became a particularly fashionable way to explore the human mind. Although understanding of the subject has evolved considerably over subsequent years, this book remains a fascinating insight into a technique once thought to be at the forefront of medical science.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: A. Alpheus, audio books, audiobook, Complete Hypnotism, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism, Non-fiction, Psychology

A thrilling spy story, a children’s adventure, a charming portrait of early twentieth century life in London and the countryside and a heart warming family tale are all combined in this classic of children’s literature The Railway Children by E Nesbit. The book has remained on the list of the best-loved children’s books ever since it was first published as a serial story in The London Magazine in 1905. Later, it was published in book form and won acclaim from critics and readers across the world for its wonderful elements of character and plot. Edith Nesbit the author published more than sixty books during her long and illustrious career as a children’s writer. She was considered to be the first modern children’s writer and departed from the hitherto focus on fantasy and fairytale type of themes that were considered suitable for children. Apart from writing for children, she wrote several novels for adults. She also dabbled in poetry, horror fiction and collaborations with other writers. Her works include another famous book, The Secret Garden which also explores the childhood landscape and influenced generations of children’s writers. She was also a political activist and laid the foundations for the present Labor Party in England. Her dominant themes were children in real life settings, contemporary events, children’s encounters with the mysterious and often nefarious activities of grown-ups, a deep psychological insight into the mind of a child and the enduring love of nature, family relationships and the simple pleasures of countryside life. The story opens with the description of three little Londoners who enjoy an ordinary, peaceful life in the city with visits to the Zoo and Madame Tussauds. They have a charming, well-appointed home and loving parents. Things take a sudden turn for the worst when Father suddenly leaves after receiving mysterious “bad news.” Mother decides equally suddenly to move with the children to the country-side and here begins their adventure with the railways. They befriend a strange Old Gentleman who invariably travels on the 9.15 train from near their home and get drawn into bizarre and dangerous events. Said to be based on contemporary events such as the Dreyfus Affair, Russian dissidents who were fighting the Tsarist regime and the circumstances leading up to World War I, The Railway Children though ostensibly written for children certainly appeals to readers of all ages. It has been adapted extensively for radio, stage, television and screen and has retained its freshness and thrill over the hundred plus years since it first made its debut.

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Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, Edith Nesbit, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Railway Children

A king and queen are in despair. After years of marriage, they are yet to be blessed with a child. Finally a lovely daughter is born to them. They plan a grand christening ceremony for the baby, but as destiny would have it, they forget to invite the nastiest lady in the kingdom, who also happens to be the king’s sister, the evil Princess Makemnoit. Now if all that seems distinctly familiar to you, it was meant to! Using the Sleeping Beauty/Briar Rose fairytale as a starting point, Scottish writer George MacDonald creates a story that’s even more enchanting and gives it a nice little twist. In The Light Princess, published in 1864, the cruel aunt Makemnoit curses her hapless niece to become bereft of gravity! The spell she chants says, “Light of spirit, by my charms. Light of body, every part. Never weary human arms. Only crush thy parents’ heart!” by which the child begins to float all over the place. The slightest breeze could cause her to fly away. Her parents and the entire palace are exhausted trying to keep her rooted to the ground. The princess grows into a lovely, but very tall young woman. She discovers that swimming keeps her on earth, but soon her wicked aunt decides that she didn’t deserve even this small enjoyment. Finally, as in all fairytales, it is a handsome prince who succeeds in bringing our heroine down to earth. George MacDonald was a playwright, poet and Christian minister. He deeply influenced many people and was mentor to children’s writer, Lewis Carroll, whom he encouraged to publish Alice after it was first written. He also had a great impact on other writers like Mark Twain, Tolkein and Walter de la Mare. His circle of friends included Ruskin, Tennyson, Trollope, Dickens and Wilkie Collins. In America he was admired by Walt Whitman and Longfellow. Though his works concern fantasy themes, he didn’t intend them to be read only by children. He said, “I write not for children, but for the child-like, whether they be five or fifty or seventy-five.” He was deeply humanist in thinking and his theology was of a compassionate and optimistic variety. He used fantasy more as a medium for exploring the real human condition and his works are tinged with wit and humor. The Light Princess has been adapted as a very successful musical and the story lends itself wonderfully to fantastic stage innovations and techniques. It is a great addition to your bookshelf and should be thoroughly enjoyed by both children and grownups.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, George MacDonald, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, The Light Princess

The Book of Tea was written by Okakura Kakuzo in the early 20th century. It was first published in 1906, and has since been republished many times. – In the book, Kakuzo introduces the term Teaism and how Tea has affected nearly every aspect of Japanese culture, thought, and life. The book is noted to be accessibile to Western audiences because though Kakuzo was born and raised Japanese, he was trained from a young age to speak English; and would speak it all his life, becoming proficient at communicating his thoughts in the Western Mind. In his book he elucidates such topics as Zen and Taoism, but also the secular aspects of Tea and Japanese life. The book emphasises how Teaism taught the Japanese many things; most importantly, simplicity. Kakuzo argues that this tea-induced simplicity affected art and architecture, and he was a long-time student of the visual arts. He ends the book with a chapter on Tea Masters, and spends some time talking about Sen no Rikyu and his contribution to the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

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Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, History, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Okakura Kakuzo, Philosophy, The Book of Tea

A book of simple receipts for little folk with important cooking rules in rhyme together with handy lists of the materials and utensils needed for the preparation of each dish.

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Tags: advice, audio books, audiobook, Constance Johnson, Cookery, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, When Mother Lets Us Cook

This is a collection of public domain works either published in 1912, or written in 1912 and published before 1923. The accent is on non-fiction but a few short stories are included. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: 1912: Short Works Collection, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Unknown