Random Free audio books Podcasts

  • King Lear by William Shakespeare
  • The Golden Road by Lucy Maud Montgomery
  • Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott
  • The People that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs
  • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  • The Adventures of Jimmie Dale by Frank L. Packard
  • North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
  • Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard
  • The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë
  • Three Men and a Maid by P. G. Wodehouse
  • The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
  • The Clicking of Cuthbert by P. G. Wodehouse
  • Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
  • Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill
  • A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain
  • Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses by Andrew Murray
  • Famous Men of Modern Times by John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland
  • Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders by Victor Appleton
  • King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard
  • The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too by Alfred Elwes
Swipe left or right
  • Coming Up

    King Lear by William Shakespeare

    King Lear by William Shakespeare

    by

    Since Oct 19, 2020 00:00 UTC

    Considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays, the tragedy King Lear portrays some of the darkest aspects of human nature that can be found in literature. The helplessness of the human condition, as we fall prey to our destinies, the injustice and random cruelties practiced by people, suffering and humiliation, the lust for power and the greed for wealth are all depicted in this magnificent play. And through it all, runs the golden thread of love and sacrifice, daughterly affection and the true nature of our relationship with our parents. Little is known about the writing of the play. It is thought to have been drafted some time in 1603 but the authorship of Shakespeare was finally attributed to it only in the 1623 First Folio. Early 17th century audiences disliked the gloomy aspects of the play and it was given a happy ending. However, in the 19th century, the original was brought back and with it, Shakespeare’s unerring grasp of human nature, love and family values. The almost fairytale quality of the opening scene can beguile the reader into a sense of familiarity. However, this is literally the lull before the storm! King Lear of Britain is aging and he wishes to divide his inheritance and the kingdom among his three daughters. However, he devises a strange test for each, based on which he will give the largest share to the winner. The daughters have to describe how much they love him. The elder two, Goneril and Regan heap praise on their father, layering their speech with fulsome compliments designed to please and flatter the old man. However the youngest, his favorite daughter, Cordelia remains silent, saying she has no words to express her love. Enraged and disappointed, the old king disinherits Cordelia and gives her share to her two sisters. Her lover, the Duke of Kent, objects, but he is banished. Lear then declares that he will spend the rest of his life with his two faithful elder daughters and here begins the kernel of the play. Said to be based on a legendary ruler of ancient Britain, Shakespeare’s brilliance turns the bland myth into a towering narrative, filled with wonderful quotations and dramatic elements, creating an immortal portrait of the human condition. Lear’s descent into madness and the final tragic aspects of the play make it an unforgettable read. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Golden Road by Lucy Maud Montgomery

    The Golden Road by Lucy Maud Montgomery

    by

    Since Sep 3, 2020 00:00 UTC

    In the sequal to The Story Girl Sara Stanley returns to join the King children in publishing their own local magazine to entertain the town of Carlisle. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

    Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

    by

    Since Sep 18, 2020 00:00 UTC

    Louisa May Alcott, more famously known for her Little Women series, takes a familiar nursery rhyme and creates a whole novel out of it in one of her last books Jack and Jill: A Village Story. Though she continued to publish under the penname AM Barnard, this book probably marked the end of a particular writing phase in 1880. Jack and Jill is set in the fictional Harmony Village. On a December afternoon, the youngsters of the village are out enjoying the bracing cold and snow. The bright winter shines down as they have fun skating and sledding. A group of spectators sits on the fences, watching their more active friends zoom past on toboggans or skates. A shiny red sled comes hurtling past, carrying a tall, golden haired lad and a tiny, black haired girl. They are the inseparable friends, Jack Minot and Janey Pecq, nicknamed Jack and Jill by the villagers in keeping with the famous rhyme. Disaster strikes when Janey (Jill) compels Jack to coast down a perilous slope. The two are seriously injured and the rest of the story follows their convalescence and consequent growing into maturity and adulthood. Apart from the entertaining and educational story, Jack and Jill also tackles several important social issues of the day. Children’s health, the transition from childhood to adolescence, the importance of emotional support during illness and the life-changing consequences of our impulsive actions are some of the themes that are explored in detail in this entertaining yet thought provoking novel. Filled with interesting characters and Alcott’s typical spiritual underpinnings, the book also looks at that crucial stage of human development – Adolescence. This phase, with all its emotional and physical changes, the angst and joys, the rebellion and the learning are all wonderfully portrayed through many of the characters like Molly Boo and other friends of Jack and Janey. Many of Louisa May Alcott’s stories and novels are based on autobiographical elements. Her father, Amos Bronson Alcott was a spiritual healer and teacher who compelled his family to adopt an unconventional and experimental lifestyle in a commune. The young Louisa was a rebel and chafed under the tough child rearing practices favored by her father. Some of these features can be seen in her fictional characters like Jo March. In this particular book, Jack and Jill too, where Janey Pecqt’s mettlesome personality is finally “tamed.” As an early forerunner of the “tough love” philosophy of child rearing, Jack and Jill is indeed an interesting and entertaining read. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The People that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs

    The People that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs

    by

    Since Dec 27, 2019 00:00 UTC

    The People that Time Forgot is a science fiction novel, the second of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Caspak” trilogy. The first novel ended with the hero writing a manuscript of his adventures and casting it out to sea in his thermos bottle. The second novel begins with the finding of the manuscript and the organization of a rescue expedition. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

    by

    Since Nov 21, 2023 00:00 UTC

    Regarded as the pride and joy of American literature, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a picturesque novel depicting Huck’s epic journey from boyhood to manhood and the struggles he must face living in a corrupt society. The novel serves as a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, another famous work by Mark Twain. The plot unfolds in several locations sometime before the Civil War. The book opens with a description of Huck’s new life as he undergoes a process of “civilization” while living with the Widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson. Although he dislikes the strict regime of education, manners, church and rigid clothing, which are a necessity to fit into society, Huck prefers anything to his previous life with his drunkard father Pap. However, just as things begin to stabilize, Pap returns to the picture and demands Huck give him the money that he had previously attained during an adventure with his best friend Tom Sawyer. Huck’s refusal to do so only infuriates Pap. Just when things are improving for Huck, he is kidnapped and mistreated by his no-good father. After faking his own death and on the run, he meets Jim who is a runaway slave with a bounty to his name. Huck must decide whether to trust his gut feeling and help an innocent flee slavery, or view the poor man simply as property. Caught up between ethics and legality, Huck must make a decision. The two set out together on a raft, both in search of freedom and experience many challenges on the way whilst at the same time an emotional bond is developed. Twain’s vibrant description of the places and people along the Mississippi River is one of the jewels of the novel, as well as the use of vernacular language and the presence of dialects. Moral and ethics, racism and slavery, and hypocritical society are just some of the targeted issues presented in the novel. Celebrated throughout generations, the slanted tale of adventure does not seize to spark appreciation although simultaneously stirring controversy.

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Adventures of Jimmie Dale by Frank L. Packard

    The Adventures of Jimmie Dale by Frank L. Packard

    by

    Since Nov 17, 2023 00:00 UTC

    Frank Lucius Packard (February 2, 1877 – February 17, 1942) was a Canadian novelist born in Montreal, Quebec. He worked as a civil engineer on the Canadian Pacific Railway. He later wrote a series of mystery novels, the most famous of which featured a character called Jimmie Dale. Jimmie Dale is a wealthy playboy by day, with a Harvard education and membership to New York City’s ultra-exclusive private club St. James. But at night he puts on a costume and becomes The Grey Seal, who enters businesses or homes and cracks safes, always leaving a diamond shaped, grey paper “seal” behind to mark his conquest, but never taking anything. He was just doing it for “the sheer deviltry of it” at first, but when a woman catches him, she blackmails him to war on certain crime organizations. Jimmie Dale/The Grey Seal is often credited with greatly influencing and popularizing later pulp and comic book heroes. The foppish playboy by-day-crimefighter-by-night routine had a precursor in The Scarlet Pimpernel, but it was Jimmie Dale that brought the idea into a contemporary setting and added the idea of a costume and mask for his secret identity, serving as a possible influence for characters like Zorro and The Shadow. He also established the concept of a hero’s secret hideout or lair, The Sanctuary, a precursor of the Batcave or the Fortress of Solitude.

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

    North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

    by

    Since Nov 12, 2023 00:00 UTC

    Mrs. Gaskell as she was popularly known, had a hard and lonely childhood, spent with various aunts and relatives after her mother died and her father left her. The young Elizabeth met and married a clergyman and moved to Manchester with him. It was here that she developed her strong sense of social justice and the themes which form the basis of her writing. Her biography of her dear friend Charlotte Bronte is considered a classic and provides a wonderfully human picture of the Yorkshire genius and her equally talented, tragic family. North and South is set in a fictional town called Milton and located north of England. The heroine Margaret Hale arrives here, having suffered a series of unfortunate events. Her father, a wealthy churchman who lives in the idyllic English countryside suddenly finds himself losing the faith that has sustained him all these years. He leaves the church and moves his family to this preindustrial, ugly and uninspiring city, where poverty, crime and hopelessness dominate. Margaret soon encounters the handsome, but materialistic, cotton mill owner and tycoon, John Thornton. Their values and philosophies are poles apart, leading to an inevitable clash, which forms the basis of the title of the novel, North and South. The book traces the advent of the Industrial Revolution in England, the pathetic condition of workers and the callous, greedy attitude of the mill owners who formed the bedrock of the new rich in the country. She also wrote several very popular ghost stories which were regularly published by Dickens in his magazine, Household Words. However, Mrs. Gaskell’s works, though immensely popular in her lifetime, soon faded into obscurity. Today, her works are known chiefly through television adaptations of her novels like Cranford and North and South. Her enduring themes of tradition verses modernity, feminism, the changing nature of relationships and the falsity of first impressions all resonate with the interests of readers today.

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard

    Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard

    by

    Since Dec 9, 2023 00:00 UTC

    “An Adventurer – He that goes out to meet whatever may come!” This is the credo of Allan Quatermain, the quintessential, swashbuckling protagonist of Allan Quatermain by H. Rider Haggard. Quatermain first makes his appearance as a character in Haggard’s most famous bestselling adventure tale, King Solomon’s Mines. Published in 1885, this Victorian action novel depicts a group led by Allan Quatermain who travel to a remote region in Africa in search of the missing brother of one of them. It is considered the very first English adventure tale set in what was perhaps disparagingly then called the “Dark Continent.” King Solomon’s Mines was also an early example of marketing hype. The book became an instant bestseller following weeks of relentless publicity on billboards, newspaper ads and posters in London. It was also published at a time when expeditions to Egypt and other ancient civilizations were underway, thus generating huge interest in unexplored lands. In Allan Quatermain, the second book in the series, Rider Haggard tells of the further adventures of his cult hero. Quatermain is a professional big game hunter and trader. He is a typical colonialist and imperialist who believes that Africa needs to be “civilized” by the efforts of the White Man. However, he also believes that the native people should have a say in their own affairs. His faithful old servant, a Hottentot named Hans, accompanies him on most of his adventures. The book is set in the years following the King Solomon’s Mines episode. The opening chapter, The Consul’s Yarn begins with Quatermain’s two friends Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good visiting him to condole him on his young son’s untimely death. Quatermain is bored with his uneventful life in civilization and plans to return to the Africa. The friends agree to accompany him and this is the start of another fast paced saga, replete with blood thirsty tribal people, Masai warriors, meeting with an old Scottish civil servant and much more. Author of more than 60 books, Henry Rider Haggard was sent to Africa by his relatively wealthy father who felt that the boy would never amount to much. He returned from Africa following a moderately successful career as a government servant and settled down to write about his experiences. His novels did not meet with much initial success, but with the publication of King Solomon’s Mines, his name became a byword for adventure. He was also passionately interested in agricultural reform and social uplift of the colonies. Allan Quatermain is a great read and a good addition to your collection of adventure sagas.

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

    The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë

    by

    Since Nov 11, 2023 00:00 UTC

    An epistolary novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall follows the courageous journey of the protagonist, Helen Graham, as she struggles to escape her socially imposed role as dutiful wife, while also acting on her moral responsibilities as a mother and self-respect as a woman. Published in 1848, under the pseudonym Acton Bell, the novel provoked much criticism at the time of its release due to its shocking content and atypical portrayal of an English wife, who not only defies the strict conventions of society, but also consciously violates the law that legally represses the rights of women. The novel begins with the narration of Gilbert Markham, as he recounts the arrival of a mysterious widow who takes up residence in Wildfell Hall together with her young son. Introduced as Helen Graham, the tenant ignites much curiosity among the town’s residents, as her reclusive behavior irritates their inquisitive nature. Consequently, Gilbert Markham, a young farmer, is also allured by her reticent nature and soon develops feelings towards the beautiful young woman. However, following a jealous outburst by Gilbert’s spurned love interest, a series of scandalous rumors about Helen are spread throughout the town. Subsequently, the accusations inspire Helen to reveal the truth about her past to Gilbert, as she gives him her diaries which provide the answers to all his grueling questions. Nevertheless, Anne successfully presents a pivotal figure in feminist literature and is also regarded as having laid the foundations for gender equality, as the novel had finally evoked a much needed reaction from an otherwise passive society. Moreover, a compelling novel focusing on themes including marriage, betrayal, abuse, social oppression, duty, and morals, The Tenant of Wildfell is an insightful piece that offers a vivid illustration of life during the first half of the 19th century and the unequal treatment of women in a male dominated society. Regarded as one of the first sustained feminist novels, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall successfully secures Anne’s literary reputation, as she masterfully employs a multi-layered plot and an endearing heroine, while simultaneously challenging the prevailing social and legal structures of the established norms of the Victorian era.

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Three Men and a Maid by P. G. Wodehouse

    Three Men and a Maid by P. G. Wodehouse

    by

    Since Dec 13, 2023 00:00 UTC

    This book with two titles, Three Men and a Maid in the USA and The Girl on the Boat in the UK is a typical P.G. Wodehouse romantic comedy, involving, at various times: a disastrous talent quest, a lawyer with a revolver, a bulldog with a mind of his own and a suit of armour! The maid, or marriageable young woman, of the American title is red-haired, dog-loving Wilhelmina “Billie” Bennet. The three men are Bream Mortimer, a long-time friend and admirer of Billie, Eustace Hignett, a poet of sensitive disposition who is engaged to Billie at the opening of the tale, and Sam Marlowe, Eustace’s would-be-dashing cousin, who falls for Billie at first sight. All four find themselves on an ocean liner headed for England together (hence the British title), along with an elephant-gun-wielding young woman called Jane Hubbard who is smitten with Eustace the poet. Typically Wodehousian romantic shenanigans ensue. Even Estace’s redoubtable mother (a Theosophist author and public speaker) fails to quell the excitement.

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

    The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

    by

    Since Dec 9, 2023 00:00 UTC

    Christmas Eve. Guests round a fireside begin telling each other ghost stories. One of them relates a true incident involving the governess of his little nephew and niece. Strange events begin to take place, involving the housekeeper, a stranger who prowls round the grounds, a mysterious woman dressed in black and an unknown misdemeanor committed by the little nephew. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James was published in 1893 and it remains one of the best-known and admired works of this great American writer. One of the factors that makes it so appealing is that the structure and ending are open to the reader’s interpretation. Over the years, many critics, readers and scholars have provided their own theories about the ending and all of them may be valid from a certain viewpoint. However, the real “horror” in this book is the nameless, ambiguous sense of evil that pervades the story and brings out all that is deeply frightening to us. Henry James came from a distinguished family. His father was a philosopher, while his brother William James was a famous developmental psychologist. His sister, Alice was also a writer, but is known mostly for the personal diaries she kept in the last years of her life. Though James was born in America, he considered England to be his spiritual home and constantly traveled between the two countries. His novels focus on the interaction between Europeans and Americans. He was also a brilliant literary critic and prolific letter writer. The Turn of the Screw was his second novel and in it he gives expression to his life long interest in ghost stories and Gothic themes. However, he avoided the conventional screaming/slashing type of horror and preferred to keep the fear factor extremely subtle and understated, which paradoxically increases the sense of horror! He seeks to invest the ordinary, everyday happenings of daily life with a sinister significance and this is what makes The Turn of the Screw so extraordinarily effective. Henry James’ elaborate and often roundabout way of describing events makes the unraveling of the mystery even more difficult. Hence, the reader has plenty of work to do in James’ novels and nothing is provided on a platter! James himself constantly revised the story and made several changes. Though these are minor in nature, they add to the complexity of the plot and give readers many more facets from which to try to find the right solution. The Turn of the Screw is certainly a great read if you enjoy mysteries and ghost stories.

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    The Clicking of Cuthbert by P. G. Wodehouse

    The Clicking of Cuthbert by P. G. Wodehouse

    by

    Since Dec 23, 2023 00:00 UTC

    The first of two books that he wrote on golfing themes, The Clicking of Cuthbert by PG Wodehouse sparkles with typical Wodehousian wit, humor and general goofiness! An avid golfer himself, Wodehouse published the ten stories in this volume in 1922. In 1924, an American edition titled Golf Without Tears was published. Since then it has enjoyed undimmed popularity among both Wodehouse fans and golfing enthusiasts. Nine of the stories contained in this book are narrated by the Oldest Member, a character who has become a cult figure among Wodehouse fans. He is a nameless character who is perennially seated on the terrace of a nameless golf club somewhere in England. An Ancient Mariner-like figure, the Oldest Member is ever eager to engage others in conversation and relate a pithy story from his boundless experience. Every story is a gem and peppered with memorably funny characters. What is so delightful about The Clicking of Cuthbert is that you don’t really need to be a golfer to appreciate these stories. Of course they are liberally sprinkled with technical terms, but for the uninitiated reader, this is a great opportunity to get familiar with this very popular sport. Terms and jargon may have altered a little since the book was published, but nothing distracts from the humor and hilarity! Three of the stories have been adapted to film and many of them were published in different journals like the Saturday Evening Post, The Strand Magazine and Collier’s. Most of the stories concern sentimental dilemmas that the hero/heroine are embroiled in. The tales are couched in some of the most entertaining and enjoyable turns of phrase ever to be found in the English language and you’ll often find yourself bursting out aloud into laughter as you read – and continuing to smile long after you’ve put the book down! Fun for the entire family!

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

    Right Ho, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse

    by

    Since Dec 11, 2023 00:00 UTC

    If you’re encountering the zany Bertie Wooster and his exceptionally astute Man Friday, Jeeves, for the first time, be assured that you’re embarking on a lifetime of fun and laughter! On the other hand, for eternal Wodehouse fans, Right Ho Jeeves provides more glimpses of the delightful world created by one of the best loved English writers. It is the second in the series of Bertie Wooster and Jeeves novels and features some of the regular characters of Brinkley Court, the country seat ruled over by Bertie’s much-loved Aunt Dahlia. The absolutely entertaining plot concerns the doings of Bertie’s old school chum, newt breeder and member of the infamous Drones Club, Gussie Fink-Nottle, who is described as a “teetotal bachelor with a face like a fish.” Gussie falls irrevocably in love with the mushy, sentimental but gorgeous blonde Madeleine Basset but his shyness prevents him from revealing his feelings. Her father, a cantankerous specimen if ever there was one, is the local magistrate and lives with his extensive collection of antique silver in Totleigh Towers. Bertie arrives at Brinkley ostensibly to comfort his cousin Angela, who has just broken her engagement with Tuppy Glossop. Added to this delectable setup you’ll find an eccentric chef, an annual prize-giving at the local Market Snodsbury Grammar School, Aunt Dahlia’s gambling worries and Bertie’s well intentioned meddling and everything brought to a satisfactory conclusion by the genius of that consummate Gentleman’s Gentleman, Jeeves—and what you have is classic Wodehousian humor at its best! Contrary to appearances, Wodehouse took immense pains with his plots and characters. He paid minute attention to detail and construction, with some masterly touches of timing, characterization and the use of imaginative prose. For anyone who wants examples of superb English writing, a Wodehouse novel provides a great learning experience along with all the fun. Right Ho Jeeves was adapted in part in the long running and very popular TV series, Jeeves and Wooster. It was also greatly admired by such great novelists as John Le Carre who declared that no library, however humble should be without a well-thumbed copy of this charming book. It appeals to readers of all ages and whether you burst into a quiet chuckle or a full-throated laugh as you follow the crazy adventures of Wooster & Co, these few hours would certainly take you away from the stresses and strains of your workaday world!

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill

    Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill

    by

    Since Dec 27, 2023 00:00 UTC

    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.

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

    A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

    by

    Since Nov 20, 2023 00:00 UTC

    When Hank Morgan, a practical, no-nonsense Yankee who works in an ammunition factory as a head superintendent gets into a fight with an aggressive employee, little does he know what’s in store for him. The bully lays Morgan low with a skull-crushing blow delivered with a crowbar and knocks him out. When Morgan regains consciousness, he finds himself transported back in time, to the sixth century. From here on, the story describes the travails of a hard-boiled, true blue American with strong democratic values who has to deal with medieval feudalism and ancient customs! A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court was published in 1889. Mark Twain wrote it after the great success of his early novels, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. His first book, Innocents Abroad had met with a lukewarm reception. Connecticut Yankee… met with mixed reactions. Some regarded it as a great piece of historical fiction. In Britain, it was seen as an attack on their history and culture. Laced with Twain’s inimitable brand of irreverent humor, the book portrays the sheer absurdity of romanticizing the past. If people in modern times thought Camelot and the legends of the Knights was the perfect world to live in, Twain wanted to show them otherwise. He also sought to strike a balance between the mindless worship of technology and so called “progress.” Hank Morgan also tries to modernize the past! He tries to educate the medieval people about machines, science and tries to dispel their superstitious beliefs in magic. Many of the famous Knights of the Round Table feature in this book. Other characters like Morgan Le Fay, Merlin, King Arthur and Queen Guinevere also appear, in tandem with many of Twain’s own creations. Mark Twain’s own disillusionment with industrialization and his exploration of the concept of time travel are described in the book. It was in this sense one of the earliest examples of this genre of science fiction. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s court has been extensively adapted to stage, radio, screen and television. Since the first silent version in 1921, the book has found favor with Hollywood and a variety of stars have played roles in the films. Disney adaptations, various spoofs and spinoffs, animated versions and references in other books have ensured that the book’s popularity never wanes. For Mark Twain enthusiasts and readers who love humor blended with some historical fiction, this is indeed a great addition to their collection!

    Categories:

    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses by Andrew Murray

    Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses by Andrew Murray

    by

    Since Dec 25, 2019 00:00 UTC

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

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Famous Men of Modern Times by John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland

    Famous Men of Modern Times by John H. Haaren and A.B. Poland

    by

    Since Nov 30, 2019 00:00 UTC

    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: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Coming Up

    Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders by Victor Appleton

    Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders by Victor Appleton

    by

    Since Dec 9, 2023 00:00 UTC

    Tom Swift is the young protagonist in a series of juvenile adventure novels which began in the early twentieth century and continue to the present. Tom Swift is a genius inventor whose breakthroughs in technology (especially transport technology) drive the plots of the novels, placing them in a genre sometimes called “invention fiction” or “Edisonade”. This book is the 20th in the original series published from 1910 -1942, written by a ghost writer using the name of Victor Appleton. This adventure takes Tom and his cohorts to Honduras in search of a Mayan idol of gold.

    Categories: ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more
  • Now

    The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too by Alfred Elwes

    The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too by Alfred Elwes

    by

    Since Oct 14, 2020 00:00 UTC

    This fictional work is written in 1st person by the dog himself. It’s a cute story of the adventures in the life of a noble dog who is appropriately named, Job. The canine society in which he lives is an interesting parallel to human society. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

    Categories: , ,

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    + Read more

Other tags related to free audio books