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First published in 1863, The Water Babies by Rev Charles Kingsley became a Victorian children’s classic along with J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan and Lewis Caroll’s Alice books. It is an endearing and entertaining novel that can equally be enjoyed by adult readers as well. However, it fell out of favor in later years since it contained many ideas that are considered politically incorrect and offensive today from a humanitarian perspective. The Water Babies, A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby to give the book its complete title tells the story of Tom, a young orphan chimney-sweep in Victorian London. Tom is apprenticed to the mean Mr Grimes, who employs such children to work in inhuman and often dangerous conditions, sweeping out the chimneys of large houses. When Tom is assigned to work at Harthover House, a stately mansion, he is dazzled by the luxury and elegance of the place. He stumbles into the bedroom of the daughter of the house and his appearance startles her so much that she “screams like a peacock!” Tom is equally frightened and he rushes out of the house, falls into a river and drowns! But this is only the beginning of a great underwater adventure. Scholars have described The Water Babies as a didactic fable. Kingsley expresses many of the prevailing attitudes and prejudices against different races, countries and customs. He also expected the book to be read as a satire against the cruel and inhuman child labor laws of the time. Kingsley was himself a contradiction. He was a devout churchman who was one of Charles Darwin’s greatest supporters. He was also profoundly influenced by the scientific thinkers of the day like Thomas Huxley and Sir Roderick Murchison. The Water Babies was first published as a serial in Macmillan’s Magazine. It reflects some of the issues that concerned Victorians of the time. Problems like sanitation, health reforms, Christian Socialism, child abuse and primary education are discussed at various points in the book. After his studies at Cambridge, he chose to go into the Church and was ordained as a minister, from whence he rose to become the chaplain of Queen Victoria. He also wrote several other popular books like Westward Ho! Hypatia and Two Years Ago. A prolific writer and speaker, Kingsley’s works were received with great admiration during his lifetime. In fact, a town in England was named Westward Ho! It is the only town with an exclamation mark in the country and perhaps the world! The Water Babies is indeed an interesting slice of an era long past and a great addition to your collection. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, Charles Kingsley, ebooks, Fairy tales, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Water-Babies

A timeless classic of fantasy literature, She is recognized as the groundwork for the lost world literary sub- genre. First published serially in The Graphic magazine from 1886 to 1887, the novel has reached critical acclaim with approximately 100 million copies sold and is regarded as one of the best-selling books of all time. Exploring themes of imperialism, lost civilization, female authority and psyche, the novel also serves as a mirror to reflect Victorian issues such as gender and race. Written in first person narration, the novel first introduces protagonist Horace Holly when he is visited by a colleague, Vincey, who is convinced that his death is nearing, and continues to tell an unbelievable tale concerning his family’s ancestry. Furthermore, he entrusts Holly with guardianship of his young son Leo, and gives him a mysterious locked iron box, which is not to be opened until Leo reaches the age of 25. Following the man’s death, Holly takes in young Leo and raises him as his very own, fulfilling his final wish. On Leo’s 25th birthday the pair open the inherited iron box in which they discover the ancient “Sherd of Amenartas”, that consequently triggers their journey to exotic Africa. Following the instructions on the potsherd, ape-faced Holly, his handsome ward Leo and their bigot servant Job travel to eastern Africa, where due to shipwreck are forced to continue on blindly through a treacherous and uncharted region of inner Africa. While on the move they are interceded by a group of native savages known as the Amahagger people who then capture them and take them into custody. The captives discover that the savages are ruled by a white queen, who is worshiped as “She-who-must-be-obeyed”, possesses vast knowledge of sorcery and is distinguished by her enchanting beauty. As a result, the group must endure and pass numerous trials in order to accomplish the initial goal of their journey, while simultaneously learning the secrets of the Vincey family. Haggard’s artistic approach throughout the novel, in terms of his language and his level of detail in his description of events, allows readers to relive the unique scenery in their imagination. An enthralling tale of a tenacious trio unearthing an ancient lost world and awakening an ancient fixation, She is the perfect pick for a unique adventure story which as a novel itself has defied the odds of time.

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, H Rider Haggard, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance, she

John Stuart Mill’s book Utilitarianism is one of the most influential and widely-read philosophical defenses of utilitarianism in ethics. The essay first appeared as a series of three articles published in Fraser’s Magazine in 1861; the articles were collected and reprinted as a single book in 1863. It went through four editions during Mill’s lifetime with minor additions and revisions. Although Mill includes discussions of utilitarian ethical principles in other works such as On Liberty and The Subjection of Women, Utilitarianism contains Mill’s only major discussion of the fundamental grounds for utilitarian ethical theory.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, John Stuart Mill, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Utilitarianism

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

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

A treasure trove of wise and pithy sayings, reflections on education, family values, the ideal human being, life and living, politics, art, culture and timeless wisdom, The Sayings of Confucius is indeed an invaluable addition to your bookshelf. Ever since Chinese literary works first began to be translated into European languages, the works of the legendary Chinese philosopher and teacher Confucius, who lived in present day Qufu in the Shandong province of China, more than two thousand years ago, have held universal appeal. He was a teacher, philosopher, editor, mentor and politician who lived at some period during 776-476 BC and is credited with editing and writing many texts and treatises. However, he is best known for his Aphorisms or Sayings. These are compact, perceptive and often witty sayings, which were compiled in a volume of Analects long after his death. Confucius, or Kong Fuzi, to give the Chinese rendering of his name, was brought up by his mother in great deprivation and poverty after the early death of his father, a valiant and victorious army general. Though they were aristocrats descended from the royal Song dynasty, circumstances forced their ancestors to flee from violence in their native state and settle down in the walled city of Zhou. As a young man, Confucius endured humiliation and hardship, having worked as a menial laborer and shepherd to make ends meet. However, he managed to educate himself and in his later years, gathered a large and dedicated group of students round him. He also held high positions in the government in the kingdom of Lu where he reached the peak of his political career and became the confidant of the Duke. His works became the foundation for centuries of Chinese intellectual thought and are revered even today. His philosophy is based on the concept of “ren” or compassion, and his famous Golden Rule, “What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others,” remains immortal. “He who learns but does not think is lost, he who thinks but does not learn is in great danger” is another example. The genealogical descendants of Confucius still exist in China, where the Kong family has the oldest recorded ancestry in the world, but his spiritual family is scattered all over the world and across generations. Confucius’ teachings continue to delight, enlighten and educate us and his Sayings remain relevant and fresh even in this modern Age of Information.

Categories: Arts, Education, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Confucius, ebooks, free audio books, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Sayings of Confucius

A collection of short stories by author Jack London

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Jack London, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories, The Faith of Men

The Wind in the Willows allows every person who has always wished animals could talk to dream a little more. In this amazing book, Toad, Ratty, Mr. Toad and Badger form a tight friendship and have many adventures. At the beginning of the book, Mole is busy spring cleaning is home when he suddenly decides he is simply sick of the job and that he wants to see what the big world outside his home is really like. He discovers the world is a busy, crazy place and it takes a while for him to adapt. While he is wandering along the river, he meets his first friend, Ratty. Ratty is fun-loving and has a relaxed attitude about life. He tells Mole he will show him the world and proudly shows Mole how much fun life along the river can be. Ratty does not like new things, though, so he and Mole learn some things together. Mr. Toad is the next friend they meet. He lives in Toad Hall and is smart and kind, but he is also spoiled and believes he is the most important person in the world. He likes doing new things and gets obsessed over motor cars and houseboats. His wild ways get him into trouble several times. The final friend in the group is Badger. He lives alone and he likes it that way. Badger does not want anyone to bother him and has little use for company. Mr. Toad’s father was Badger’s best friend and he is disappointed in how Mr. Toad is living his life. The Wind in the Willows is full of fun and adventures for the best friends. It has serious themes at times, such as Mr. Toad and his prison time, but mostly it is a timeless story of friends who will do anything for each other. Children of all ages are enchanted by the thought of talking animals that have very human-like adventures together. This is definitely a cannot-go-wrong title for all ages! More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kenneth Grahame, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Wind in the Willows

William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice was probably written between 1596 and 1598, and was printed with the comedies in the First Folio of 1623. Bassanio, an impoverished gentleman, uses the credit of his friend, the merchant Antonio, to borrow money from a wealthy Jew, Shylock. Antonio pledges to pay Shylock a pound of flesh if he defaults on the loan, which Bassanio will use to woo a rich heiress, Portia. A subplot concerns the elopement of Shylock’s daughter Jessica with a Christian, Bassanio’s friend Lorenzo. In its focus on love and marriage, the play shares certain concerns with Shakespeare’s other comedies. Yet its depiction of the tensions between Jews and Christians in early modern Venice – and its highly dramatic trial scene in Act 4 – create darker currents in the play.

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, Dramatic Works, ebooks, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, play, The Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare

Tom Jones is considered one of the first prose works describable as a novel. The novel is divided into 18 smaller books. Tom Jones is a foundling discovered on the property of a very kind, wealthy landowner, Squire Allworthy. Tom grows into a vigorous and lusty, yet honest and kind-hearted, youth. He develops affection for his neighbor’s daughter, Sophia Western. On one hand, their love reflects the romantic comedy genre popular in 18th-century Britain. However, Tom’s status as a bastard causes Sophia’s father and Allworthy to oppose their love; this criticism of class friction in society acted as a biting social commentary. The inclusion of prostitution and sexual promiscuity in the plot was also original for its time, and also acted as the foundation for criticism of the book’s “lowness.”

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture

Tags: A Foundling, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Henry Fielding, Historical Fiction, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Psychology, The History of Tom Jones

Set in the first half of the 19th century, the classic novel presents the story of young orphan Oliver Twist, who endures tumultuous events in a society burdened by poverty, crime and malice. After being poorly treated in a workhouse, Oliver escapes to London where instead of finding a better life he ends up tangled in a web of criminal activities. The novel opens with the introduction of Oliver, a waif who has spent his short life living in miserable conditions in a workhouse. Along with other fellow orphans, he is regularly beaten and underfed. One day the young, hungry orphans decide to draw sticks in order to determine who will ask for another portion of gruel. The unlucky representative of the starving children is Oliver, who goes up to the stern Mr. Bumble and makes his famous plea “Please sir, I want some more”. Unimpressed by such a request, the authoritarian administrators of the workhouse offer five pounds to anyone willing to take the boy as an apprentice. Subsequently, Oliver is apprenticed to local undertaker, Mr. Sowerberry. Things do not get any easier, as Oliver is bullied by fellow apprentice Noah Claypole who also causes him to be unfairly flogged by their superiors. Consequently, Oliver decides to run away and is quickly on his way to London where he meets a boy his own age by the name of Jack Dawkins. Unaware that his new found companion is a pickpocket, Oliver naively follows Jack to the house of his benefactor Fagin where he is offered shelter. He is also oblivious to the fact that Fagin is in reality a criminal who trains young boys in the art of pick pocketing. Oliver is swept up in the corrupt game mastered by Fagin, and once again must escape the grasps of captivity in order to find happiness. Apart from creating a brilliant piece of literature, Dickens has also documented a significant time in social history. Exploring troubling issues of the time including child labor, treatment of orphans, and child recruitment into the criminal world, Oliver Twist is one of the earliest examples of a novel exploring social criticism. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Dickens, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Oliver Twist, Psychology

For American journalist and humorist Edgar Wilson Nye who wrote under the pen name Bill Nye in the late 19th century, facts are not to be presented in their newborn, bare state. They should be properly draped and embellished before they can be presented before the public. Hence, in the Comic History of the United States published in 1894, he gives his readers the facts. But in a bid to make the historical figures more human he describes them as “people who ate and possibly drank, people who were born, flourished and died, not grave tragedians posing perpetually for their photographs.” Nye was educated in rural Wisconsin and moved to Wyoming to study law. His light-hearted, flippant takes on the serious questions of the day became extremely popular and he moved into journalism. Later, he established his own newspaper, the Laramie Boomerang. Beginning with the discovery of America, a chapter in which he describes Queen Isabella and her advocacy of Christopher Columbus’ famous voyage in lighter vein, Bill Nye takes a tongue in cheek look at Balboa, Cortez and the discovery of moonshine whiskey. He further delves into such serious matters as the Drawbacks of Being a Colonist, The Personality of Washington, The Dutch at New Amsterdam, The American Civil War and its alleged causes and the final Reconstruction by Johnson and Grant. Nye maintains his sly humor and irreverence for honored figures like Stonewall Jackson, Generals Lee, Grant and Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and others. Bill Nye’s technique of taking hold of the facts and dressing them up with his own brand of playful banter is quite amusing and entertaining. The Comic History of the United States is quite appealing to readers of all ages, especially when they know the “real facts.” However, present day readers may find some of the passages and Bill Nye’s remarks quite offensive and politically incorrect for the more enlightened times we now live in. His remarks on African Americans and American Indians can be quite jarring. The Comic History of the United States can become a platform for discussing attitudes and perspectives that were present in the last century. Besides being a journalist and humor writer, Bill Nye was also very popular on the lecture circuit and regaled audiences all over the country with his humorous speeches. In today’s time, he would probably be regarded as a standup comedian and as such, his views would certainly not be taken as grounds for an offense. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, Bill Nye, Comedy, Comic History of the United States, ebooks, free audio books, History, humor, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

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

Daisy Miller is an 1878 novella by Henry James. It portrays the confused courtship of the eponymous American girl by Winterbourne, a compatriot of hers with much more sophistication. His pursuit of her is hampered by her own flirtatiousness, which is frowned upon by the other expatriates they meet in Switzerland and Italy. Her lack of understanding of the social mores of the society she so desperately wishes to enter ultimately leads to tragedy.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Daisy Miller: A Study in Two Parts, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Henry James, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

Anna Katharine Green (November 11, 1846 – April 11, 1935) was an American poet and novelist. She was one of the first writers of detective fiction in America and distinguished herself by writing well plotted, legally accurate stories (no doubt assisted by her lawyer father). (Wikipedia)

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Tags: Anna Katharine Green, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Initials Only, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY

Most readers of Stephen Leacock’s works are familiar with his witty and humorous writings, but few may be aware that he was also a gifted teacher, political ideologue, economist and fiction writer. Though he wrote six books on Canadian history, none of them attained the status of a standard text on the subject and were regarded more as opinion pieces without much academic foundation. Yet, the Chronicles of Canada series by Stephen Leacock remains an interesting and entertaining read. In this volume, Dawn of Canadian History: Aboriginal Canada, which is part of a thirty-two book series of short and simple essays, Leacock explores the little known origins of Canada’s past. Leacock begins with his theories on the geological formation of the country and the beginnings of the earth’s structures. The emergence of human beings and the original settlers of the North American Continent, the Native Americans as we know them today, is also well described, though in terms that may seem outdated to modern readers. The “Canadian aborigines” and their culture is also described in terms of the different tribes and their relationship to the Eskimos in the extreme northern part of Canada. The advent of the white races like the Vikings or Norsemen is also one of the important events in Canada’s history, as it changed the course of civilization in this country. Legends of Greenland and Iceland are well retold in the chapter entitled The Legend of the Norsemen. Another crucial event was the arrival of John Cabot of Bristol somewhere on the Labrador coast in the sixteenth century. Politics in the sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe and the rivalry between nations like Spain, Portugal, England and France, seeking to explore new worlds and enrich their own countries is also well described. Leacock ends his book with the arrival of French explorer Jacques Cartier, known today as the Father of Canada. In historical terms, this would be set in the seventeenth century, when another great French explorer, Samuel de Champlain was making the first accurate map of the country. For present day readers, Chronicles of Canada…, is a pleasant blend of facts with myths and legends. It is this quality which makes it much more entertaining than a pure historical account.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, Chronicles of Canada -- Dawn of Canadian History: Aboriginal Canada, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Stephen Leacock

Austen’s timeless romantic classic, follows the lives of the five Bennett sisters, who live in a time where an advantageous marriage and social status are considered a fundamental for any woman to stand a fair chance at life. Set at the turn of the 19th century, Pride and Prejudice catches a perfect glimpse not only of a time when women were socially and economically dependent solely on their marital status, but also as an age of enlightenment and witness of the French Revolution. This romantic novel with its hint of comic references begins with the famous quote “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” This famous quotation sets the story into motion as the eligible Mr. Bingley is introduced as he rides into town. The quote also draws in and to some extent reveals the content of the plot to come. Soon the news of the arrival of the well off Charles Bingley finds its way to the ears of the Bennett household. Having five unmarried daughters, the Bennetts are eager to match them up with suitable spouse candidates and see them prosperously married. After attending a ball, Mr. Bingley is instantly attracted to the oldest Bennett daughter Jane and it is fair to say that the feeling is mutual. Such cannot be said about his close friend Mr. Darcy who rudely refuses to dance with the second Bennett daughter Elizabeth. Consequently, Elizabeth’s first prejudice is born as she labels Mr. Darcy arrogant and obnoxious; however, she later learns never to judge a book by its cover and must swallow up her pride to achieve happiness. Pride and Prejudice witnesses the exciting courtships of the Bennett sisters and their suitors, as well as the not so joyful relationships of other characters. As the novel develops the relationships between the characters must outweigh the forces seeking to tear them apart. Experience the adventures of the Bennett sisters as they face the troublesome issues of manners, social class, family, and marriages in a male reliant society. A story not only portraying the unreliable nature of pride and prejudice, Austen’s classic also paints a vivid image of the past and the woman as a member of society.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, jane austen, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Pride and Prejudice

Published in 1913, O Pioneers! is the first novel in Cather’s Great Plains trilogy and follows the life of its young heroine, Alexandra Bergson, as she fulfills her father’s dying wish to take care of his farm, while also ensuring her brothers are well looked after. Entrusted with a great responsibility, Alexandra is determined to fulfill her father’s wish, as she goes on to prove her skills as a thriving farmer even though the task comes with a hefty price on her happiness. In addition, the novel concentrates on the conflict between universal and individual desires, while also exploring themes including thwarted love, passion, responsibility, individuality, life on the prairie, and the struggles faced by pioneers. Set in the late 19th century in the fictional town of Hanover, Nebraska, the novel dedicates much of its attention to the details surrounding the lives of the Bergson family, as they strive to carve out their own piece of haven in America. Unfortunately, John Bergson’s dreams are cut short when he finds himself on his deathbed, choosing to entrust his farm and its preservation to his daughter, Alexandra. Considered to be more resolute and emotionally stronger than her three brothers, Alexandra quickly confirms her father’s beliefs as she brings astute decisions concerning the prosperity of their family and land. Subsequently, the story shifts to sixteen years in the future, with all the Bergson siblings grown up and leading separate lives. Sacrificing her personal happiness in the process, Alexandra devotes much of her time to securing the prosperity of the farm and ensuring the well-being of those around her. Left to bear the weight of her family’s actions, Alexandra is faced with quite the dilemma, having to choose whether to continue her life of sacrifice and loneliness, or finally choose the life that has been denied to her due to inherited responsibilities. Featuring a compelling set of characters, Cather clearly highlights each of their strengths and faults, while also interweaving their contrasting characteristics into an enthralling plot that is realized through Cather’s brilliant combination of evocative description and imagery. Moreover, Cather presents a unique and realistic portrayal of pioneer life, while at the same time capturing the essence of nineteenth-century America, which in turn adds historical value to the piece.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, O Pioneers!, Willa Cather