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The Constitution has a total of 27 amendments. The first ten, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified simultaneously. The following seventeen were ratified separately. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bill of Rights & Amendments to the US Constitution, ebooks, Founding Fathers of the United States, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

Eight enchanting tales about a variety of whimsical dragons, by a master of the craft, E Nesbit, are contained in this absolutely delightful volume, The Book of Dragons. While it’s essentially meant for children, there are plenty of adults who will find it irresistible enough to peek into and a most charming way to spend a magical hour. Beautifully illustrated by the enormously talented Harold Robert Millar, the Scottish designer and illustrator famed for his unique and imaginative illustrations, The Book of Dragons is sure to delight both first time readers of the unique writer Edith Nesbit and those who have found pleasure in her other works. Published at the turn of the twentieth century, the book received great acclaim from both parents and children. Some of the tales are set in contemporary urban England, while others belong in more traditional Dragon Country, swathed in mists and moody climes. For present-day children, steeped as they are in popular novels by JK Rowling and the Artemis Fowl series, The Book of Dragons would be familiar territory. Not all the dragons are fire breathing monsters. Some of them have delightfully human traits. They have wonderfully different personalities, appearances and behavior. There are eight separate stories in all. Uncle James or The Purple Stranger portrays a kingdom where traditionally small creatures like rabbits grow to enormous size while elephants stay miniature! The Book of Beasts is about a magical book that transports its illustrated creatures into the real world when the book is opened. The Dragon Tamers is a fantasy about a poor blacksmith, his son and a mysterious dungeon. Kind Little Edmund is a cautionary tale for curious and inquisitive people whose habits lead them into misadventures. Disobedient children are similarly warned by The Ice Dragon or Do As You Are Told a stringent tale of two naughty children who find themselves in the North Pole in the company of an awesome and gorgeous ice dragon. The book is sure to appeal to young readers who will enjoy as an audiobook, children who love to explore the contents of the book for themselves and parents too. The writer’s focus on humanity, compassion, humor and the magical and imaginative world of children makes The Book of Dragons a wonderful gift that will be cherished by children for years to come. Her vivid descriptions, engaging and easy style, the warmth and humor all make it a definite must read for all ages.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edith Nesbit, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, Teen/Young adult, The Book of Dragons

Dorothy Dale is the daughter of an old Civil War veteran who is running a weekly newspaper in a small Eastern town. Her sunny disposition, her fun-loving ways and her trials and triumphs make clean, interesting and fascinating reading. The Dorothy Dale Series is one of the most popular series of books for girls ever published.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dorothy Dale – A Girl of Today, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Margaret Penrose, Teen/Young adult

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

Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, philosopher, visual artist, playwright, composer, and novelist whose work reshaped Bengali literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He became Asia’s first Nobel laureate when he won the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature. Sadhana is a collection of essays, most of which he gave before the Harvard University, describing Indian beliefs, philosophy and culture from different viewpoints, often making comparison with Western thought and culture. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Rabindranath Tagore, religion, The Sadhana: Realisation of Life

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

Julian of Norwich (c. November 8, 1342 – c. 1416) is considered to be one of the greatest English mystics. Little is known of her life aside from her writings. Even her name is uncertain, the name “Julian” coming from the Church of St Julian in Norwich, where she occupied a cell adjoining the church as an anchoress. At the age of thirty, suffering from a severe illness and believing she was on her deathbed, Julian had a series of intense visions. (They ended by the time she overcame her illness on May 13, 1373). These visions would twenty years later be the source of her major work, called Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love (circa 1393). This is believed to be the first book written by a woman in the English language. Julian became well known throughout England as a spiritual authority.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Julian of Norwich, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion, Revelations of Divine Love

For more than a century and a quarter, fans of detective fiction have enjoyed the doings of the iconic sleuth, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. In the company of his faithful companion, Dr Watson, Holmes has consistently delighted generations of readers. Created by a Scottish writer and physician, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this immortal private eye has solved cases for kings and commoners, lovely damsels and little old ladies, engineers and country squires and a legion of others who come to him in distress and perplexity. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 12 stories featuring the pipe-smoking, violin-playing eccentric central character. The collection first appeared in 1894 in serial form in The Strand Magazine and then was later compiled into a single volume. The stories featured here include such gems as The Silver Blaze which is about the disappearance of a famous race-horse. This story is memorable for its “curious incident of the dog in the night-time” remark by Holmes. Other riveting tales in the book include The Adventure of the Gloria Scott – a rare story narrated by Holmes himself. Also there is The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter where we finally get to meet a member of Holmes’ family, his brother Mycroft, who is reputed to have an even sharper brain than Sherlock’s. Additionally there is The Adventure of the Naval Treaty, with a spy-versus-spy plot. Then there is also The Adventure of the Yellow Face in which Holmes gets it all wrong, and a host of other compelling tales culminating in the story that shook the nation when it first came out – The Final Problem. In The Final Problem, Holmes meets his death at the hands of the evil criminal kingpin, Dr Moriarty. The two engage in a deathly duel at the edge of the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland and a broken-hearted Dr Watson returns to England, having lost his dearest friend forever. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of unique stories that showcase Holmes’ prodigious intellect, Victorian London, wonderful descriptions of rural landscapes and above all, gems of deductive wisdom. The stories are a fore-runner to many investigative methods that were adopted in police practice later. If you’ve never read a Holmes story before, this could be the start of a wonderful new literary adventure and if Holmes is an old favorite, these stories will only add to the appeal. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, Short stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

A mysterious crime is being plotted in a tiny garret above a dilapidated apartment building in St Petersburg in Russia. The plotter, Rodion Raskolinikov, is a poor student who has delusions of ridding the world of “worthless vermin” and counter balancing these crimes with good deeds. He commits a murder to test his own theories and prove that crime comes naturally to the human species. Crime and Punishment is a path-breaking novel of ideas that changed the course of novel writing in the 20th century. The intense insights into the workings of the human mind had seldom been attempted by any writer anywhere in the world till then. The author, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, was the son of a hardworking but indigent doctor in Moscow. He was educated in boarding schools and later at a military academy from which he graduated as a military engineer. However, his heart was set on becoming a writer and he left the army to pursue a life devoted to writing. He was also deeply involved in the politics of the time and was sentenced to four years in a prison camp in Siberia for being part of an anarchist group. In Siberia, he underwent an ideological change and reverted to traditional/conservative ideas. Crime and Punishment was published in serial form in a literary journal in 1866 after he returned from Siberia. His father’s sudden and brutal killing by serfs on their own estate probably provided the trigger for the ideas expressed in the book. His father was an authoritarian despot, while his mother was a weak and fearful person and many of Dostoyevsky’s novels contain images that portray these contradictions. The book is divided into six parts and it is quite a formidable task reading through the entire novel. However, the sheer size, scope and scale of the book carries even the most timid reader along as it traces social realities, psychological aspects of crime and the effect of environment on the minds of vulnerable people. The book met with immense acclaim as it emerged in serial form and was soon compiled in book form. Several English translations followed, as well as those in other languages. More than 25 film adaptations, numerous references in books, television and contemporary writings have kept its appeal alive for generations of readers. Its enduring fascination for modern day readers remains in its themes of alienation and loneliness, the idea of a Superman above the conventions and rules of society and its deep insights into the inner life of a young person on the brink of adulthood. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Crime and Punishment, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Languages, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY

A young gambler is found shot dead in a closed room. Dr. Watson, who still mourns the disappearance of his famous friend is intrigued enough to step out of his house and take a look at the crime scene. A crowd has gathered there, curiously gazing up at the room where the crime is supposed to have taken place. Watson inadvertently jostles against an elderly, deformed man and knocks a stack of books from the fellow’s hand. The man curses Watson vilely and disappears into the throng. It suddenly occurs to Watson that one of the books that he had helped the stranger pick up had seemed familiar… Thus begins the first thrilling story, The Adventure of the Empty House, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which was published after what Holmes enthusiasts call the Great Hiatus. The Return of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1905. In 1891, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was completely exasperated by the seemingly endless appetite of readers who welcomed each new Sherlock Holmes story with the greatest delight. He wrote to his mother confessing that he was “thinking of slaying Holmes… He takes my mind from better things.” His mother’s famous reply, “You won’t, you can’t, you mustn’t!” only echoed the voice of his readers. However, in 1893, Conan Doyle did the unthinkable; he finished off Holmes in the Reichenbach Falls in The Final Problem and thought he had done with the man for good. He hadn’t reckoned with his readers. There was a flood of protest. Letters to the editors of newspapers, a stream of mail to his publishers and himself, all demanding that Holmes be kept alive. Finally, he gave in and The Return of Sherlock Holmes was greeted with huge delight. Though The Hound of the Baskervilles came out in 1902, it was set in a time before Holmes’ “death.” The Return of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of 13 stories. Among them are The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, a tale of a reclusive old bachelor who suddenly vanishes, The Adventure of the Dancing Men, a delightful puzzle involving a mysterious message that contains a series of stick figures, The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist in which a lovely young governess is being stalked by a man on a bicycle, and many others. The last story, The Adventure of the Second Stain has Watson revealing that Holmes is now completely retired and would not like Watson to write any more stories about him! The Return of Sherlock Holmes is indeed a delightful continuation of the Holmes saga and a great addition to your repertoire! More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, Short stories, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Return of Sherlock Holmes

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

“Languages”, Sir Arthur Cotton writes, “are usually learnt as if it took a long time to learn the grammar &c., but that to speak with a good pronunciation and expression, and freely, and to catch the words from a speaker by the ear were easily and quickly acquired, but this is exactly contrary to fact.” Cotton’s “Vocal system” differs from the traditional grammatical method of learning languages in that it emphasises the development of correct pronunciation and the gradual acquisition of correct expressions and vocabulary. This is achieved through listening and repeating words and phrases uttered by a teacher. In the case of this audiobook, the teacher is the reader himself. The Arabic Primer contains only the simplest and most basic Arabic words. It allows the student to gain a foundational knowledge of the sounds and expressions of the Arabic language. Having mastered this work, the student can continue to develop his or her knowledge of Arabic through more advanced textbooks.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: Arabic Primer, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Sir Arthur Cotton

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

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a nineteenth-century German philosopher. He wrote critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science, using a distinctive German language style and displaying a fondness for aphorism. Nietzsche’s influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy, notably in existentialism and postmodernism. Thus Spake Zarathustra is a work composed in four parts between 1883 and 1885. Much of the work deals with ideas such as the “eternal recurrence of the same”, the parable on the “death of God”, and the “prophecy” of the Overman, which were first introduced in The Gay Science. Described by Nietzsche himself as “the deepest ever written”, the book is a dense and esoteric treatise on philosophy and morality, featuring as protagonist a fictionalized Zarathustra. A central irony of the text is that the style of the Bible is used by Nietzsche to present ideas of his which fundamentally oppose Judaeo-Christian morality and tradition. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Friedrich Nietzsche, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Psychology, religion, Thus Spake Zarathustra: A Book for All and None

If you’ve heard and loved that delightful nursery rhyme/lullaby, Wynken Blynken and Nod you’d certainly enjoy browsing through its creator Eugene Field’s Love Songs of Childhood. The volume contains some forty or more poems for children, which are ideal for read aloud sessions with young folks. Parents will certainly enjoy reading them too. Most of these poems have been set to music and are ideal for family sing-alongs too. Eugene Field was a gifted humorist as well as being a talented children’s writer. His father was a famous lawyer who fought the infamous Dred Scott case which is often dubbed “the case that started the American Civil War.” Field Sr. died when Eugene was still a young man still in college. Subsequently, Eugene dropped out of college due to financial constraints and he tried many professions before settling down to write. His column in The Chicago Daily News, called Sharps and Flats was very popular in its day and earned him the reputation of being a light-hearted satirist who poked good-natured fun at contemporary events and people. He also wrote humorous verse and short stories. He was one of the few writers who wrote poetry exclusively for children, and it earned him the title of The Children’s Poet. Love Songs of Childhood contains some appealing verses, combining fantasy, nonsense and innocent fun. The Delectable Ballad of the Waller Lot, for instance is patterned on those famous ballads in history where fair maidens are carried off by dastardly villains – but this one is a parody and has a mischievous twist at the end! Nonsense verses like Googly-Goo and The Bench-legged Fyce are reminiscent of Edward Lear or Lewis Carroll. Poems like Rock-a-bye-Lady have become an integral part of children’s literature. Many towns in America have parks and statues dedicated to Eugene Fields or the characters he created. A charming addition to your bookshelf!

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Eugene Field, fantasy, free audio books, humor, Kids, Literature, Love-Songs of Childhood, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry

William Shakespeare’s most well-known play is more than most people realize. While it is the story of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, it is also the story of two families in the middle of a bitter feud. Many people avoid the story because they believe it will be too difficult to read, but this is not true at all. Within a few paragraphs, the play captures your imagination and attention. Juliet is 13 years old and is love with the son of her father’s enemy. Her father has promised that she will marry another boy when it is time, but she refuses to accept the suit. One night, Romeo sneaks into a ball in Juliet’s home (in hopes of seeing a girl he is in love with) when he overhears Juliet speaking of her love for him. He steps out of the shadows and they decide to marry. They are married the next day in secret. It is discovered that Romeo snuck into the ball and Juliet’s cousin is angry and challenges him to a duel. When Romeo refuses to fight, a man is killed and Romeo is banished from the country. Juliet is thrown into a depression and her father decides she needs to get married right away. However, the Friar who helped Juliet marry Romeo comes up with a plan to get Romeo back and to unite the families. The plan unravels quickly, though. The story of Romeo and Juliet has everything that a reader could want. Like many of Shakespeare’s works, it has comedy and tragedy, but it also has love, family, duals, good and evil. Do not pick up the book assuming that knowing about the tragedy will ruin the story. The tale of how both families got to this point is one that will not soon be forgotten. The lessons of love and forgiveness are ones that are just as important more than 400 years after the play was written.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, play, romance, Romeo and Juliet, tragedy, William Shakespeare

“What is REAL?” asked the Rabbit one day… Written in 1922, The Velveteen Rabbit, or, How Toys Become Real is the tale of a sweet unassuming toy rabbit who questions what it is to live and to love. It was the first children’s title written by Margery Williams (1881 – 1944), who had previously created only for adults. This story eclipsed all others, to become her most famous work, and an ever adored classic for all ages. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Margery Williams, Teen/Young adult, The Velveteen Rabbit

A divinely beautiful woman who becomes the cause of a terrible war in which the gods themselves take sides. Valor and villainy, sacrifices and betrayals, triumphs and tragedies play their part in this three thousand year old saga. The Iliad throws us right into the thick of battle. It opens when the Trojan War has already been raging for nine long years. An uneasy truce has been declared between the Trojans and the Greeks (Achaeans as they’re called in The Iliad.) In the Greek camp, Agamemnon the King of Mycenae and Achilles the proud and valiant warrior of Phthia are locked in a fierce contest to claim the spoils of war. The gods in Olympus watch horrified as the best of Greeks and Trojans are slain. However, Zeus has prohibited them from openly interfering. But finally, even the gods cannot stay neutral. The mighty Zeus steps in to prod the Trojans into breaching the truce. Achilles, who is sulking in his tent refuses to fight and the Greeks suffer terrible losses. Achilles, a demigod is the son of the sea nymph Thetis and the King of the Myrmidions Peleus. He has been rendered immortal like the gods except for one spot near his foot where his mother held him while she dipped him in the Styx. He is the greatest hero in The Iliad and known for his rage, impulsiveness and courage. He watches as his comrades fall one by one and finally puts his pride aside. He sends his beloved friend Patroclus into battle. But Apollo, the savior of the Trojans, dashes away Patroclus’ armor and the Trojan prince Hector slays him. Maddened by anger and grief, Achilles vows revenge and resumes battle. And the epic goes on… The Iliad is purportedly written by the blind poet Homer some time during the eighth century BC. Its supreme importance in Greek literature slowly permeated to the rest of the Western world and in time to come, the two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey became the reference points for thousands of works of art. European museums and art galleries are filled with works based on the themes, heroes and divinities from The Iliad. Contemporary films have portrayed the Trojan War, while tourists throng the sites mentioned in the poems. It was first translated into English in the sixteenth century and has since then, gripped the collective imagination for generations. As one of the defining myths of western literature, The Iliad is indeed a must read for anyone interested in an epic tale. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, free audio books, Homer, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, poetry, The Iliad, tragedy, War stories