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Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution is a book by Peter Kropotkin on the subject of mutual aid, written while he was living in exile in England. It was first published by William Heinemann in London in October 1902. The individual chapters had originally been published in 1890-96 as a series of essays in the British monthly literary magazine, Nineteenth Century. Written partly in response to Social Darwinism and in particular to Thomas H. Huxley’s Nineteenth Century essay, The Struggle for Existence, Kropotkin’s book drew on his experiences in scientific expeditions in Siberia to illustrate the phenomenon of cooperation. After examining the evidence of cooperation in nonhuman animals, “savages,” “barbarians,” in medieval cities, and in modern times, he concludes that cooperation and mutual aid are as important in the evolution of the species as competition and mutual strife, if not more so.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution, Non-fiction, Peter Kropotkin, Psychology, science

In his vital, illustrative and dynamic autobiography, Theodore Roosevelt let us into the life that formed one of the greatest and outspoken presidents in American history. Not only are we privy to the formation of his political ideals, but also to his love of the frontier and the great outdoors. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Politics, Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt: An Autobiography

In 1992, Dr. Darius Shahrokh, a retired physician-surgeon, recorded some deepening talks upon the insistence of friends in his Bahá’í Community. Each program in this series is the result of months of study of resources in both English and Persian. Some consider Windows to the Past to be stories, but it should be remembered that the stories are not intended to be entertainment, but to inform, elucidate, and inspire the listener. The programs have relevant stories purposefully placed to lighten the concentration or emphasize a point.Windows to the Past has been praised by listeners who state that the series is packed with information and inspiration and presented in a style that holds attention.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dr. Darius Shahrokh, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, religion, Self Published, Windows to the Past

John Wesley Powell was a pioneer American explorer, ethnologist, and geologist in the 19th Century. In 1869 he set out to explore the Colorado and the Grand Canyon. He gathered nine men, four boats and food for ten months and set out from Green River, Wyoming, on May 24. Passing through dangerous rapids, the group passed down the Green River to its confluence with the Colorado River (then also known as the Grand River upriver from the junction), near present-day Moab, Utah. The expedition’s route traveled through the Utah canyons of the Colorado River, which Powell described in his published diary as having …wonderful features—carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments. From which of these features shall we select a name? We decide to call it Glen Canyon. (Ironically, now almost completely submerged by Lake Powell, behind the Glen Canyon Dam.) One man (Goodman) quit after the first month and another three (Dunn and the Howland brothers) left at Separation Rapid in the third, only two days before the group reached the mouth of the Virgin River on August 30 after traversing almost 1,500 km. The three who left the group late in the trip were later killed—probably by Indians. Powell retraced the route in 1871-1872 with another expedition, producing photographs, an accurate map, and various papers, including ethnographic reports of the area’s Native Americans and a monograph on their languages.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Canyons of the Colorado, ebooks, free audio books, History, John Wesley Powell, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, nature, Non-fiction, or The exploration of the Colorado River and its Canyons, science, travel

This is the fifth of Burrough’s Tarzan novels. Tarzan finds himself bereft of his fortune and resolves to return to the jewel-room of Opar, leaving Jane to face unexpected danger at home.

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar

Published in 1859, On Liberty is a libertarian philosophical work by English philosopher John Stuart Mill that endorses his view on the importance of individuality for the constant progression and improvement of society. The work also supports economic and moral freedom, and openly criticizes the influence of social authority that in one way or another imposes a predefined set of acceptable attitudes and opinions. Highlighting issues including the incongruity between authority and liberty, the oppressive requisites of society, self-regarding conduct, education, and religious influence, Mill effectively proposes the means to preserve the rights of the individual, while at the same time appealing for the restriction of government coercion. Dividing his philosophy in five chapters, Mill delivers his view on liberty through a utilitarian approach and accordingly depicts an overview of the concept of liberty. Consequently, he evaluates the significance of liberty to both individual and state. The piece opens with a description of the conflict between authority and individual freedom, as Mill reports the oppression of the government which restricts the right of free expression. According to Mill, the power of the state should be dependent on the liberty of its citizens, because it is they who essentially put them in such an influential position. Subsequently, he distinguishes between two types of oppression, government tyranny and the tyranny of the majority. Though disapproving of both, he considers the latter to be more destructive, as it is easier to stand against political beliefs than it is to defy the prevailing mindset and opinions of the social majority. In addition, Mill points out the benefits of having contrasting perspectives and opinions, and the importance of exercising one’s basic right to liberty. Furthermore, he prescribes the adequate level of interference from authority, and eventually exemplifies the proficiency of his theory. Nevertheless, an enduring piece of philosophy, whose concepts can be studied, analyzed and put into practice, as they are relevant even more so in present societies. Although the treatise has received its fair amount of criticism for its encouragement to rebel against conformity, On Liberty is still highly valuable for its evaluation of the nature of liberty and its position in a democratic society. Moreover, the work is an essential element for those interested in learning more about the principles of government, political philosophy, political science, and the importance of liberty itself.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

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

Buddhism and Buddhists in China is an anthropological text describing Buddhism as practiced in China at the beginning of the 20th Century. Interestingly, it also compares and contrasts Buddhism with Christianity with respect to or in response to missionary work.

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Buddhism and Buddhists in China, ebooks, free audio books, History, Lewis Hodus, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, religion

The continuing story of Katy Carr, recounting the time she spent at boarding school with her sister Clover.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Susan Coolidge, Teen/Young adult, What Katy Did at School

Banned in the United States and United Kingdom throughout the 1920s, Ulysses turned conventional ideas of the novel inside out with its bold new form, style and theme. Deeply rooted in the Greek myth of the hero of the Trojan War, Joyce bases his novel on Ulysses or Odysseus, who is doomed to voyage for ten years before returning home to Ithaca. Joyce had been deeply influenced by the Iliad and the Odyssey, which he had read from Charles Lamb’s adaptations as a child. In fact, he considered him the epitome of the heroic ideal and constantly thought of giving the myth a new dimension in modern literature. However, the reader must be cautioned that it is not an easy book to read. It was also burdened by a strange and complicated publication history. Joyce’s original handwritten manuscript was typed by a number of less than competent typists who made a series of grammatical and spelling errors, leading to great confusion. It went through 18 different versions, each of which was full of more and more mistakes. Attempts to “correct” the text were being made as late as 2010 but the appeal of the book lies in its overall theme and in its rich symbolism. Ulysses is divided into 18 chapters, or episodes, each one referring to a Homeric character or episode in the Greek myth. Though Joyce did not originally title the chapters, he did refer to them by such names in private letters to his friends. He also gave them obscure titles from his researches in French translations of the Homeric sagas. Joyce himself understood the significance of his work. He is reputed to have remarked to the effect that he had stuffed the book with so many enigmas and puzzles that it would keep academicians buzzing for centuries! The names of each character are rooted in the deep symbolism and every episode sets the reader harking back to the Homeric myths. Apart from Greek legend, Joyce also used aspects of Celtic traditions of storytelling. Essentially, the plot deals with many ideas that have found echoes throughout human history. Paternity, the idea of the everyday hero, regret and personal conscience, the paradox of individual perspectives all conveyed through a plethora of symbols and motifs makes Ulysses a compelling if difficult read. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, james joyce, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Psychology, ulysses

Harry Houdini, master illusionist and contortionist, unmasks the various ways that criminals take advantage of their victims.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Harry Houdini, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, The Right Way to Do Wrong

The Getting of Wisdom tells the story of Laura Rambotham, a 12-year-old girl who is just starting at her boarding school. This is based on Henry Handel Richardson’s experiences of her own school, the Prebysterian Ladies College in central Melbourne. The story goes through her friends and enemies and all the life of a boarding school in early 20th century Australia, and all the subjects and learning too. Laura learns a lot but her education does not satisfy her, and her social life is thrown upon her as very different from her peers. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Henry Handel Richardson, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Teen/Young adult, The Getting of Wisdom

Kabir (1440 – 1518) was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement.The name Kabir comes from Arabic Al-Kabir which means ‘The Great’ – the 37th Name of God in the Qur’an.Kabir was influenced by the prevailing religious mood of his times, such as old Brahmanic Hinduism, Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism, the teachings of Nath yogis and the personal devotionalism of South India mixed with the imageless God of Islam. The influence of these various doctrines is clearly evident in Kabir’s verses.The basic religious principles he espoused are simple. According to Kabir, all life is an interplay of two spiritual principles. One is the personal soul (Jivatma) and the other is God (Paramatma). It is Kabir’s view that salvation is the process of bringing into union these two divine principles.His poems resonate with praise for the true guru who reveals the divine through direct experience, and denounce more usual ways of attempting god-union such as chanting, austerities, etc. His verses, which being illiterate he never expressed in writing and were spoken in vernacular Hindi, often began with some strongly worded insult to get the attention of passers-by. Kabir has enjoyed a revival of popularity over the past half century as arguably the most accessible and understandable of the Indian saints.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Kabir, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry, Songs of Kabir

History made interesting for young readers—This Country of Ours by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall provides a simple and easy to comprehend way of looking at the history of the United States. Arranged chronologically in seven long chapters, it presents events in a story form, making them memorable and very different from other formats. One of the challenges that writers of history face is about fleshing out the characters and making the bland repetition of dates and dynasties seem relevant to modern day readers. Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall was a British writer who wrote several children’s books. Her most famous work is Our Island Story, a book of British history, which was considered to be the definitive children’s history of Britain for more than half a century. However, some of Marshall’s books may be found to be historically inaccurate, racially biased and often rely on mythology, legend and even Shakespeare as the source of material. This Country of Ours was published in the UK in 1917 and later was also reissued as The Story of the United States in 1919. It begins with a brief account of the Vikings and how they were the people who really discovered America, before the advent of Columbus. The story of Columbus and his famous expedition are thrillingly recounted along with stories of the English and French explorers who also sailed to the New World. New England, the Middle and Southern Colonies, the American War of Independence, the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, the abolition of Slavery and finally the coming of World War I where the book ends make up the rest of the story. Apart from children, adults will also find it interesting to skim through as many of us have forgotten the details of our history lessons learned in school. Another important aspect is that This Country of Ours was written at a time when it was still fashionable to be patriotic! Today, we are so accustomed to having our great leaders’ lives ripped open to public scrutiny and very few of them have survived the onslaught of scandal and the loss of personal reputation. This Country of Ours takes us back to a more innocent era when the great figures of history were still role models for children to be emulated. As a general overview of American History, This Country of Ours is indeed a good book to read.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, History, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Politics, Short stories, Teen/Young adult, This Country of Ours

One of the great literary tragedies of all time, The Hunchback of Notre Dame features some of the most well-known characters in all of fiction – Quasimodo, the hideously deformed bellringer of Notre-Dame de Paris, his master the evil priest Claude Frollo, and Esmeralda, the beautiful gypsy condemned for a crime she did not commit.

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Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo

Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey is a book about the life of Catherine Morland and her romantic relationships. The novel is divided into two parts; the first part begins with Catherine’s visit to Bath and her relationship with Henry Tilney and the other people she met there, and the second part starts with the arrival of Frederick Tilney and her visit to Northanger Abbey. This book alongside Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility is considered one of the major works of Jane Austen. The novel had undergone many revisions before its publication and it was even originally titled “Catherine.” It adopted the title Northanger Abbey when it was published posthumously in 1817. Catherine Morland, the main character in the book is an attractive girl in her late-teens who was invited by her family’s friends, the Allens to go with them to Bath for a holiday. There she discovered many things in life which she hasn’t known before. She met many new friends there including Isabella, who became her close friend and rival to some of her relationships. Aside from her, she also met Henry Tilney, a person who turned out to be very special to her. Catherine also met John, Isabella’s brother who’ll later attempted to propose marriage to her. Meanwhile, her brother James met Isabella during their vacation and eventually had a serious relationship with her. Northanger Abbey isn’t just a novel about the romantic relationships of the different characters in the story. It also discusses other issues in society at that time like marriage for property and financial gain and the shallow attitude of some people have when it comes to love. Many critics also call this book a “Gothic parody.” For sure, people who have already read “Sense and Sensibility” or “Pride and Prejudice,” will also love this book. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Horror/Ghost stories, jane austen, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Northanger Abbey, romance, satire

Written originally for his own children, Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories have continued to delight generations of youngsters since they were first published in 1902. The thirteen stories collected in this book are meant for very young children, but they engage older kids and adults too with their charming conversational style and simple plot lines. These stories are typical examples of the “origin” story, where children are provided with imaginative rather than practical explanations for the “why” “what” “how” “where” “who” “when” questions of childhood. The Just So Stories were tales that Kipling would tell his own daughter who tragically died in infancy of pneumonia. An early forerunner of these stories can be found in The Second Jungle Book in the chapter, “How Fear Came” where the story of how the tiger got its stripes is narrated to Mowgli. All the fables in the Just So Stories follow a similar theme. They relate how a particular creature is altered from an original form into its present appearance either by a magical spirit or a human being. So the reader encounters wonderful and fantastical reasons why The Whale Got Its Throat, The Camel Got Its Hump, The Rhinoceros Got Its Skin, How the Alphabet was Made, and so on. Written in a pretend grand style, as though the narrator was recounting a great and important myth, the stories are studded with fabulous made up words and turns of phrase that catch the reader’s attention. Comic exaggeration, wordplay, lots of spontaneous, funny poems, juxtapositions of everyday events with the fantastical tales, amusing and entertaining “explanations” and a short poem at the beginning of each story serve to highlight Kipling’s prodigious story telling talents. The reader is always called “Best Beloved” which adds to the personal touch, reminding us of the original listeners of these stories, who were Kipling’s own children. Some of the stories may seem politically incorrect to modern day readers, but they must be read in the context in which they were written and could in fact become a starting point for discussions on such issues as race, gender etc. with your own children. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Just So Stories, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Rudyard Kipling, Short stories, Teen/Young adult

Combining elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism with concepts dealing with self discipline, motivation and the power of positive thinking, James Allen’s 1910 inspirational book Above Life’s Turmoil is a pioneering work in self-help literature. One of the factors that makes the book appealing is that it doesn’t purport to be a magic formula that will help you to get whatever you want. Instead, it aims to give the reader self knowledge and self conquest which will ultimately lead to inner peace in a turbulent world. This is something that every modern day reader will certainly appreciate, since a lot of books promise to show you how to create wealth, achieve success, find your dream partner and so on, without tackling the core issue of attaining inner calmness. Above Life’s Turmoil is divided into a compilation of very brief twenty-one chapters, including a foreword by the author. Some of the topics covered include True Happiness, The Overcoming of Self, The Uses of Temptation, Sowing and Reaping, Your Mental Attitude, Universal Brotherhood and others. Allen uses concepts like affirmation and examines different perspectives to explain his ideas. However, readers looking for a typical “How To” book will not find that here. Above Life’s Turmoil adopts more of a meditative, philosophical tone that readers can reflect on and study at leisure for the best results. James Allen was born in a working class family in England in the early 20th century. His mother was illiterate and his father was a factory worker. Following the tragic and mysterious death of his father, Allen left school and went to work as a stationer and private secretary in several manufacturing firms. Later he found employment as a journalist and soon began to develop an interest in spiritual matters. His first book, From Poverty to Power was published in 1901 and he set up a magazine dealing with spiritual themes in the same year. A year later, he published As Man Thinketh, his most famous book, which deals with the concept of retribution or karma and the natural laws of action and reaction in the spiritual world. James Allen went on to write nearly 20 books on similar themes and his wife continued to publish several of his manuscripts posthumously after his death at the young age of 48. One of the factors that makes Above Life’s Turmoil and others by Allen appealing is that the message he wants to convey is very simple and sincere. An interesting and rewarding read for seekers of spiritual solace though it may not offer any practical solutions. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Above Life's Turmoil, advice, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, James Allen, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy

An American diplomat’s family moves into an ancient stately mansion. They’re warned by the owner that it is haunted by a most horrifying and gruesome spirit who had once cruelly murdered his own wife. The story progresses with creaking floor boards, mysterious passages, dark attics, clanking chains, and weird howling. Yet, the reader is totally unprepared for Oscar Wilde’s brand of tongue in cheek humor as he takes all the ingredients of a traditional ghost story and turns it on its head, and creates a hilarious parody instead of a morbid saga! The Canterville Ghost was the first of Oscar Wilde’s short stories to be published. It appeared in a magazine in 1887 and provides a prophetic glimpse into Wilde’s genius for comic timing, dialogue and situational comedy. He had a successful career as a journalist and poet and consequently turned to fiction and drama. The plot is one that leaves the reader chuckling at every turn. The American diplomat and his family are products of a purely pragmatic culture which has no patience with sentimentality and superstitions. The English mansion is steeped in legends about ancient curses and the diabolical doings of a seventeenth century specter. The Americans believe in a robust, healthy and practical way of life and use all manner of branded cleaning products. The two youngest members of the family called the Stars and Stripes set wicked traps for the ghost, while the daughter Virginia is the only one who can truly appreciate the poor ghost’s situation. The Canterville Ghost revels in stereotypes and mocks at society’s typical ways of viewing people and history. Pitting the brash and impertinent Americans against the dignified and aristocratic English provides plenty of room for comedy. The reader comes to realize that the ghosts of the past have no power over the optimism of the present. It is also a tale of the clash between the Old and New Worlds, of new money and old, traditions and modernity. It also portrays the gradual decay of the aristocratic English way of life in the Victorian era and the advent of American heiresses whose untold millions made in a variety of industrial businesses pumped new blood into the dying aristocracy of Old England. However, the genteel good breeding of Lord Canterville and the innocent goodness of fifteen year old Virginia provide food for thought as Wilde creates characters who stand out in their humanity and compassion. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Horror/Ghost stories, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Oscar Wilde, The Canterville Ghost