Random Loyal Books Podcasts

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: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science, science-fiction, The People that Time Forgot

Rilla of Ingleside is the eighth book in the Anne of Green Gables series and focuses on the inspiring journey of Rilla Blythe, the youngest daughter of Anne and Gilbert, as she transforms from a carefree young girl into an enduring young woman swept into the chaos of war. Written from a female perspective, Montgomery accurately depicts a time in history, as she provides a contemporaneous account of the war and serves up the most emotional book in the series. Set during the First World War, the novel explores themes of coming of age, love, separation, and most importantly women’s roles during the war. The novel begins with the introduction of 15-year-old girl Rilla, who appears as a spoilt, self-centered and immature young girl, preoccupied with adolescent strife as she excitedly prepares for her first grown-up party. However, the bliss of the party is interrupted when word reaches of the outbreak of war and throws the town into frenzy as the men talk about joining. Subsequently, Rilla’s brother Jem and his friend Jerry enlist and go to a training camp before leaving to join the front in France. Following a series of events, Rilla is left alone with her parents worrying about the fate of those fighting, which later include her brother Walter and her love interest Kenneth. As the war continues, the young girl slowly matures and turns her back on her past self-serving ways and instead embraces helping others and putting their needs above her own. Assisting the Junior Red Cross, helping a couple wed, and raising a war orphan are just some of the responsibilities Rilla takes up without protest. As the novel progresses, so does the young protagonist who courageously rises to each occasion with the hope of the safe return of loved ones. A heart wrenching and inspirational sequel, Rilla of Ingleside offers a rare insight in the roles and hardships experienced by women during war as they were left to the mercy of uncertainty as each day passed. A story caught up in the shadow of war, the novel is an emotional journey of growth, loss, and sacrifice, but nevertheless a timeless piece of literature.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Memoirs, play, Rilla of Ingleside, Teen/Young adult, War stories

Filled with descriptions of the magnificent Swiss Alps, the lives of the simple country folk who live in their picturesque peaks and valleys and the gentle and innocent days of childhood, Heidi by Johanna Spyri is a book that no child should miss reading. Since it first came out, it has captured the hearts of children (and adults) all over the world, been extensively filmed, televised and staged and translated from the original German into more than 60 languages. Heidiland, a theme park, is one of the big attractions in Zurich. Heidi The Girl from the Alps by Swiss children’s author Johanna Spyri was published in two parts in 1880. It tells of Heidi, a little Swiss girl whose parents’ sudden death leaves her to be brought up by her aunt. Aunt Dete is a career-woman who though she loves Heidi, does not have the time or resources to look after a child in busy Frankfurt. She leaves Heidi with Heidi’s grandfather, who lives in the Swiss mountains. The lonely, embittered old man lives like a hermit on the mountain-top and has nothing to do with the people in the village below. Known to all as “Alm-uncle” Heidi’s grandfather is good-hearted but mistrustful of the villagers. He refuses to send Heidi to school and allows her to roam the pastures with a young goat herder, Peter. They become good friends but events take a turn when Aunt Dete decides that Heidi must stay in Frankfurt and learn to earn a living. She is employed as a companion to a rich invalid child, Clara, and soon learns to read and write along with the little girl. The city begins to take its toll on the young Heidi and she becomes ill and depressed. How Heidi returns to her beloved mountains, reforms her crotchety old grandfather and helps Clara regain her health forms the rest of this delightful story. This unassuming and easy to read book remains fresh and unspoiled, still receiving an enthusiastic response throughout the world. Generations of kids have enjoyed reading about the naïve and spontaneous Heidi, the mischievous Peter, the bitter and lonely Alm-uncle, the strict and authoritarian housekeeper Fraulein Rottenmeier, the long-suffering Clara and Clara’s kind and gracious grandmother Frau Sesemann. This sweet and charming story earned eternal fame for its shy, retiring author who endured several personal tragedies and wrote many other pleasing stories, but none so famous as Heidi, The Girl from the Alps. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Heidi, History, Johanna Spyri, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com

THE author of the following narrative has peculiar qualifications for her task. She is a daughter of Lord Yu Keng, a member of the Manchu White Banner Corps, and one of the most advanced and progressive Chinese officials of his generation. she became First Lady-in-Waiting to the Empress Dowager, and while serving at the Court in that capacity she received the impressions which provide the subject-matter of this book. Her opportunity to observe and estimate the characteristics of the remarkable woman who ruled China for so long was unique, and her narrative throws a new light on one of the most extraordinary personalities of modern times. Yielding to the urgent solicitation of friends, she consented to put some of her experiences into literary form, and the following chronicle, in which the most famous of Chinese women, the customs and atmosphere of her Court are portrayed by an intimate of the same race, is a result.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, History, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Princess Der Ling, Two Years in the Forbidden City

A modern day legend, Robin Hood is an archetypal hero of the common people who goes to great lengths to famously take from the rich and give to the poor. Luckily he is not alone in his mission, as his righteous views are shared by his band of Merry Men, a group of yeomen, and together they pursue an end to injustice and oppression. Set in medieval England, the tale begins with the introduction of a young archer, who is provoked into conflict and committing a crime against the formidable Sherriff of Nottingham and is immediately dubbed an outlaw. Whilst fleeing from retribution, Robin finds himself hiding out in Sherwood Forest where he meets a lively group of characters, each having their own story to be told. Thereupon, the adventures of Robin Hood, his right-hand Little John, Friar Tuck, the cunning Tinker and the other Merry Men have begun. In a clash against the self-centered Sheriff and his adherents, Robin and his men must figure out a way to help the peasants from mistreatment by the wealthy, and clear their names at the same time. Pyle has successfully recreated a medieval world by piecing together bits and pieces from old ballads and folklore, not excluding the noteworthy archery contests, a beautiful damsel in distress, battles of honor and furthermore adding his own touch to the excitement. Pyle most definitely outdoes himself as he illustrates an impeccable representation of the legendary adventures of the free spirited Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men. Being one of the first cohesive books about Robin Hood, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, is the most prominent version recognized by international audiences and a source for cinema adaptations. Filled with action, disguises and humor, the book does not leave anybody indifferent and it is no surprise that it has remained a household favorite throughout generations. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, Howard Pyle, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, Teen/Young adult, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

The legend of Don Juan is one that’s been told and retold over the centuries by poets and novelists. His life has been the subject of operas, musicals and film. The earliest reference was in a fourteenth century Spanish play and compiled in book form in the seventeenth century. His life continued to fascinate writers like Moliere, Byron, Bernard Shaw, Pushkin, Shakespeare, Jose Saramago and musicians like Mozart, whose Don Giovanni is a brilliant work that still charms audiences and music lovers all over the world. The legend of Don Juan in Spain portrays him as a wealthy and amoral character, who prides himself on his marvelous power to attract women of all ages. He also spends the rest of his time gambling and drinking. Occasionally, he indulges in crimes like murder when thwarted in fulfilling his desires. Don Juan’s name has become synonymous in English and many other languages with being a flirt and a womanizer. However, in Don Juan by George Gordon Byron, the serial heartbreaker is portrayed as a much wronged innocent who is instead easily taken in by women. This epic, satirical poem which runs into more than 16,000 lines remains unfinished as Byron continued to add verses till his death. It is interesting to note that the English pronunciation of Juan is used throughout the poem, to rhyme with words like “ruin” and “true one.” In Don Juan: Canto I, Byron describes the rake’s early years in Seville. The young Juan begins his infamous career at the age of sixteen by launching into a relationship with an older woman. Her outraged husband sets a posse of citizens to investigate the matter and they hope to catch the couple misbehaving. But Juan proves too savvy for them and when they burst into the lady’s bedroom, he conceals himself under the bed! The entire episode is told in a farcical tone and ends with Juan being sent away by his mother to further his education, while his partner in crime is banished to a nunnery! Byron hoped to write something that was similar in form and tone to his earlier work, Beppo, which was much admired. He sourced his material for Don Juan from various Spanish texts and uses a sardonic tone to describe events and people who are really neither admirable nor heroic. After his self imposed exile to Italy and Spain following a scandalous separation from his wife, Byron immersed himself in the works of Italian and Spanish writers. Don Juan is one of the works that arose from this period. It is considered an original, brilliant and path breaking work in English literature and is an entertaining read for Byron enthusiasts.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Don Juan: Canto I, ebooks, free audio books, George Gordon Byron, lord, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, poetry

Jules Verne is the master of classic adventure tales. Around the World in Eighty Days is just more proof that his excellent writing skills put the readers right in the book with Phileas Fogg and Passepartout. Because of a bet by his friends, Phileas sets out to get all the way around the world in eighty days. Phileas is a rich man, but also very precise about his life. He wants everything done the way he likes and will get rid of anyone who does not do that. The wager starts when he is at a local club and begins an argument about whether a person could get all the way around the world in such a short period of time. He believes he can because a new railroad has been opened in India. Because he is so sure of his mathematical figures, he takes the wager and sets off with his new valet. He has a carefully planned route for them to travel by steamer boat and railroad. Their itinerary includes crossing the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean and also across several continents. What he does not plan on is that a bank robber left England at the same time they did and a detective mistakes Phileas for the robber and follows them. Along the way, Phileas bribes people to rush their trip, they rescue a woman about to be sacrificed, ride elephants and miss their boats. They lose a few days and have to rush to make up the lost time. When they finally get to San Francisco, their adventure really speeds up! They encounter a big herd of buffalo and are also attacked by Sioux Indians. All the while, Phileas is still trying to make up lost time and get back to England in eighty days. Around the World in Eighty Days has so many wild adventures that no reader can be bored. Along with the excitement, there is also the element of mystery as the reader needs to decide if Phileas is the bank robber or not and whether he can learn to relax and be a friend to others. No one will be sorry they spent the time to read Jules Verne’s book. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, Around the World in Eighty Days, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Jules Verne, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, science-fiction, travel

The title of the book comes from Luke 17:21. It is a non-fiction work of the famous Russian author Leo Tolstoy. He wrote it after many years of reflexion on Christianity and Jesus. Many subjects are present such as wars, non-violence, misunderstanding by believers of the faith, etc.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Leo Tolstoy, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics, religion, The Kingdom of God is within you

This collection is part of an initiative to create a language learning resource. The Language Learning Collections contain readings from various language learning books, grammars, primers, phrasebooks, dictionaries, readers and even other works which contain information on various languages, recount experiences of language learning and encountering new languages or provide guides for correct pronunciation, writing or discourse in a language. These works could describe English or any other language whatsoever, from Latin to Sumerian, Chinese to Wampanoag, Esperanto to Swahili (etc.).This Volume includes a treatise by Sir Arthur Cotton, author of an “Arabic Primer”. His daughter, Lady Hope, on page 523 of her biography of her father, writes that he “had very strong theories on the subject of learning “Living Languages,” his opinion being that, as every child who comes into the world learns its mother tongue orally, and at first without grammar… so the learning of all modern languages would be very much facilitated by a similar process.” Also included are the orientalist E.G. Browne’s opinions on language learning (taken from the introduction to A Year Amongst the Persians), the first lesson from Dr. Emil Otto’s “French Conversation-Grammar”, a talk by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá on the need for a universal auxiliary language, Samuel Johnson’s “A Grammar of the English Tongue”, several sections from Henry Sweet’s “First Steps in Anglo-Saxon”, Lessons 1 – 5 from “Esperanto in Twenty Lessons”, two sections on language by Varro, a story in Latin from “Fabulae Faciles”, “Greek Lessons: 1-10”, the Phonology Section from a “Primer of Persian” and Lessons 1 – 19 from “A Practical Arabic Course”. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, Language Learning Collection, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, various

Known to generations of children and their parents as the Bedtime Story Man, Thornton Waldo Burgess wrote nearly two hundred much loved children’s books. They were tales that recounted the doings of delightful characters who inhabited the Green Meadow and the Green Forest. Burgess, who was also an ardent conservationist besides being a writer and journalist shared his love of Nature and respect for all beings who share this earth with us. The Adventures of Buster Bear is a fun children’s book that helps children understand that animals and the forest deserve respect and it is also a sincere call for responsible conservationism. For more than half a century Thornton Burgess continued to delight and inform people about the world around us through his famous newspaper column that was syndicated in many papers all over the country. His books were translated into many languages and enjoyed by people in many countries. Over five years, from 1925-30, he broadcast a popular Nature program on radio, Radio Nature League, another hugely entertaining and educational series. He was also a passionate advocate of the abolition of cruelty to animals and campaigned relentlessly for the banning of such practices as setting up of steel traps. He first began writing stories for his baby son when his wife died within a year of the child’s birth. Later, the popularity of his stories made him take up writing children’s stories on a regular basis and he returned frequently to his childhood home in Sandwich. It was here that he really felt at home. Following his death, the Massachusetts Audubon League bought his home in Hampden and established the Laughing Brook Wildlife Sanctuary here. The Adventures of Buster Bear was first published in 1916. This has charming illustrations by C.S. Corson which add to the book’s appeal. Each chapter is a stand alone story and contains a host of characters found in other Thornton Burgess books and some new ones too. Farmer Brown and his Boy are the real villains in the stories as far as conservationist ideas go. Other characters include Little Joe Otter, Sammy Jay, Blacky the Crow and the sage of Green Forest, Grandfather Frog. The Adventures of Buster Bear is indeed an entertaining and informative glimpse of the fast vanishing spaces left on our planet for animals to live in peace and harmony.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Teen/Young adult, The Adventures of Buster Bear, Thornton W. Burgess

Betsy Bobbin encounters many strange and exciting adventures and people in the land of Oz; a side-plot is Queen Ann of Oogaboo’s mission to take over Oz.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Kids, L. Frank Baum, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, Teen/Young adult, Tik-Tok of Oz

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: Arts

Tags: Anne Brontë, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

The Art of War is a 6th Century BC Chinese treatise on war and military strategy known for its timeless examples of strategy and planning. There is intense interest in this ancient work since it teaches how to be victorious in conflict and that the final victory ultimately is to see war as an effort to win minds and hearts rather than a mere acquisition of territory and wealth. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a two thousand year old work, reputedly authored by a famous military general and strategist who lived in ancient China. Apart from this, he is also revered and respected in many South Asian countries as a learned philosopher. The book is divided into thirteen chapters and there is historical evidence to prove that it was written over a period of time and perhaps with many borrowings and collaborations with other similar works of the period. However, it was also heavily criticized by generations of scholars and thinkers in later centuries as it advocated deception and spying as accepted strategies in war. Many scholars have also doubted whether a figure such as Sun Tzu existed at all and have found several inaccuracies in terms of the timeframe in which the book was supposed to have been written. Many feel that the original work may have undergone several revisions over the centuries before being consolidated in its present form. Whatever the nature of these opinions The Art of War remains a fascinating, valuable and extremely interesting work. Each chapter explores a different aspect of war. Beginning with elaborate plans that should be put in place before the commencement of war, the book goes on to describe different situations in which wars are fought, the kind of strategies employed in various types of terrain, understanding the nature of the enemy and finally positioning, timing and methods of attack. For present day corporate warriors, The Art of War is an invaluable text. Business management, sports and politics are some of the fields where it has found immense application. Conflict resolution theory has been immeasurably enhanced with the addition of Sun Tzu’s millennia-old tried and tested methods. It also provides valuable assistance in the grooming of leaders, understanding and appreciating the opponent and leveraging one’s own advantages. The Art of War provides compelling reading for anyone who is interested in the dynamics of negotiation, competition, mediation, planning and arbitration.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Eve’s Diary is a comic short story by Mark Twain. It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper’s Bazaar, and in book format in June 1906 by Harper and Brothers publishing house. It is written in the style of a diary kept by the first woman in the Judeao-Christian creation myth, Eve, and is claimed to be “translated from the original MS.” The “plot” of this novel is the first-person account of Eve from her creation up to her burial by, her mate, Adam, including meeting and getting to know Adam, and exploring the world around her, Eden. The story then jumps 40 years into the future after the Fall and expulsion from Eden. It is one of a series of books Twain wrote concerning the story of Adam and Eve, including ‘Extracts from Adam’s Diary,’ ‘That Day In Eden,’ ‘Eve Speaks,’ ‘Adam’s Soliloquy,’ and the ‘Autobiography of Eve.’ Eve’s Diary has a lighter tone than the others in the series, as Eve has a strong appreciation for beauty and love. The book may have been written as a posthumous love-letter to Mark Twain’s wife Olivia Langdon Clemens, or Livy, who died in June 1904, just before the story was written. Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Eve’s Diary is finished — I’ve been waiting for her to speak, but she doesn’t say anything more.” The story ends with Adam’s speaking at Eve’s grave, “Wherever she was, there was Eden.” More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Comedy, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, Eve's Diary, fiction, free audio books, History, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Mark Twain, Short stories

The Red Badge of Courage is a fiction that tells the story of a soldier named Henry Fleming during the American Civil War. The novel gained widespread praise from critics and was also a commercial success shortly after its release and made Stephen Crane an instant celebrity at the young age of 24. In the novel, Henry was one of the enlisted soldiers in the 304th New York Regiment. He flees from battle in one of the skirmishes they had against the Confederates and to hide his cowardice, he attempted to inflict a wound to himself which is referred to as the “red badge of courage.” He got the wound that he wants to have when he joins a group of fellow soldiers retreating from the battlefield. One of them accidentally hit his head with a rifle butt and wounded him. When he came back to their camp, the other soldiers there quickly treated his wound believing that he got it during the battle. After this incident, he again went back to the battlefield and was able to prove that he was really a capable solider. Most critics praise this novel because of the very realistic way in which Crane was able to describe all the battle scenes in the story. He was born after the Civil War and had not even experienced a fight in any war. It’s very interesting to know that Crane was able to write a very realistic novel about the War just by reading other novels about it and listening to the stories told by war veterans in New York. Readers who are into historical war novels will definitely have a great time reading this book. Although it’s a work of fiction, its contents are very realistic and accurate. This is very important especially for a story with a historical setting. This book will definitely not disappoint anyone who’s looking to read a good novel about the Civil War.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Historical Fiction, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Stephen Crane, The Red Badge of Courage, War stories

Her father compels her to visit the biggest mansion in the village to “claim kin” with the aristocratic d’Urberville family. She falls prey to the debauched son of the house and returns home to give birth in secret to an illegitimate baby who lives only for a few days. Determined to put her past behind her, she goes to work as a milkmaid in a faraway country farmhouse where she falls in love with a good and kind young man. Her conscience troubles her and she confesses the truth about herself in a letter which her beloved never receives. Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy is the quintessential cliff hanger. Incidentally, Hardy is the author with whom this term actually originated. In one of his books, A Pair of Blue Eyes, he had his hero literally hanging from a cliff face, giving rise to the term in Victorian literature. Many great works of literature in this period were serialized in magazines of the day and depended on such devices to keep the reader interested and engaged enough to read the next installment! Nevertheless, Hardy’s compassion, love of nature, his romantic idealism and wonderful style make Tess of the d’Urbervilles a great read for all ages. The story of a woman doomed by circumstances to humiliation, poverty and despair, but attempts to emerge from these by sheer dint of will does indeed make compelling reading. The concept of universal justice which does not take individual situations into account is another major theme in this book. For Tess, the heroine, who is constantly judged and condemned by society, though she is completely innocent, justice is a blind and cruel fate. Tess of the d’Urbervilles presents a very interesting picture of Victorian England at the time of great social and economic change. Tess’s father’s ill-conceived and foolish delusion that his family is descended from nobility leads him to push his daughter into disaster. Hardy also presents several moral dilemmas in the book—the conventional ideas of love, marriage, family and security are explored and found wanting as more modern ideas begin to emerge in the new age of industrialism. The contrast between the “pure” and unspoiled countryside and the “wicked” and tainted cities is constantly presented. Heavily censored and censured when it was first published in 1891, modern day readers of today will find much that is relevant, apart from its being a good, satisfying read in the best traditions of story telling.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, romance, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy

A collection of my favorite short children’s stories and rhymes.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: animals, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kayray's Storytime, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Teen/Young adult, various

An old carpenter carves a little wooden puppet from a mysterious piece of wood that seems to have the ability to talk! He begins to love the little creature like his own son and names him Pinocchio. But the mischievous fellow runs away from his loving father as soon as he learns to walk. The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi follows the misadventures and naughty exploits of this delightfully “human” puppet who in his heart of hearts longs only to become a real boy. Carlo Collodi was the pen name of a gifted writer of children’s books, Carlo Lorenzini who lived in Florence, Italy, during the late 19th century. He was also a political activist and author of several novels, short novels, articles and sketches for adults. He began writing for children in 1876 and translated children’s literature from other languages into Italian. The Adventures of Pinnochio is meant to be an allegory and a cautionary tale for children. Through the adventures of this playful and headstrong puppet, Collodi provides many valuable lessons for young children. Wonderful characters like the Talking Cricket, the Fox and the Cat, the Fairy with the Turquoise Hair and old Gepetto himself are colorful, memorable and each one contributes to Pinnochio’s final transformation. With plenty of magical moments, fantasy and thrills, the plot provides enough excitement for children of all ages. Since it first appeared in 1883, the book has enjoyed immense fame and popularity. There have been innumerable translations into more than 250 major world languages, making it the most translated book in the world. There have been plenty of adaptations for stage, radio, television and film, including cartoons and merchandise. Pinnochio’s long nose has even become a metaphor for people who tell lies. As a pioneer in the field, Collodi’s works became instantly popular, as children’s literature as a genre was not very prevalent before the 19th century. His easy and engaging style caught the imagination of children instantly and became a benchmark for children’s writers ever since. There are some very endearing and thought-provoking moments and incidents in the story, which make it very memorable for both children and adults. Enduring values of love and loyalty, the essential contradictions that make us human and the transformation of a rebellious, thoughtless, uncaring and self-indulgent youngster into a mature young person are what makes this story so beloved and treasured the world over.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Carlo Collodi, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Adventures of Pinocchio