Random Loyalbooks.com Podcasts

Though he wrote more than 100 books during his lifetime, Theron Q Dumont is largely a forgotten entity today. In fact, Theron Q Dumont is not even his real name. It is a pen-name adopted by William Walker Atkinson, an American polymath, who began his career as a grocer’s assistant in nineteenth century Baltimore, studied law and went on to amass fame and fortune as a successful legal luminary. However, disaster struck when he suffered a nervous breakdown due to over strain and he lost everything that he had earned. He made an incredible comeback as a religious leader and follower of the New Thought philosophy. William Atkinson wrote under several pseudonyms like Yogi Ramacharaka, Thomas Sheldon, Magus Incognito, Swami Panchadasi and many others. Theron Q. Dumont was one such pen name that he used, to create the persona of a French writer who talks about the powers of the mind, memory enhancement, the will and using the power of personal magnetism to achieve one’s ends. It was presumed that he adopted these pseudonyms to protect his legal career. The Power of Concentration was first published in Chicago in 1918. As a pioneering self help book, it deals with developing the faculty of deep concentration to achieve your personal and professional goals. Bending the entire power of your mind and focusing it on the thing you want to achieve apparently creates cosmic energies that will manifest the goal. For many modern day readers, this may sound extremely familiar. Current theories of coaching, mentoring and the plethora of “How To…” books that crowd bookstore shelves all contain ideas like this. The power of visualization, self-dialog, self-awareness, elimination of negative thoughts etc. are all presented in The Power of Concentration. The book also contains practical exercises for honing your powers of concentration, observation and keeping your focus sharp and keen. There are also excellent suggestions regarding diet and nutrition, exercise and physical fitness and their effect on the mind. However, the latter half of the book could be disappointing to some readers as it meanders through topics like cosmic rays, divine wisdom, etc which tend to delve into less than believable territory. However, as a self help manual, The Power of Concentration does indeed provide valuable tips on cultivating the now lost art of concentration. For today’s generation which is subject to an infinite number of distractions and is prey to notoriously short attention spans, The Power of Concentration is a most valuable and useful guide. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, instruction, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Psychology, The Power of Concentration, Theron Q. Dumont

The Notebooks of Leonardo Da VinciPREFACEA singular fatality has ruled the destiny of nearly all the most famous of Leonardo da Vinci’s works. Two of the three most important were never completed, obstacles having arisen during his life-time, which obliged him to leave them unfinished; namely the Sforza Monument and the Wall-painting of the Battle of Anghiari, while the third–the picture of the Last Supper at Milan–has suffered irremediable injury from decay and the repeated restorations to which it was recklessly subjected during the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries. Nevertheless, no other picture of the Renaissance has become so wellknown and popular through copies of every description. Vasari says, and rightly, in his Life of Leonardo, that he laboured much more by his word than in fact or by deed, and the biographer evidently had in his mind the numerous works in Manuscript which have been preserved t

Categories: Arts

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Leonardo da Vinci, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, science, The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci

Literary critics see Arthur Machen’s works as a significant part of the late Victorian revival of the gothic novel and the decadent movement of the 1890s, bearing direct comparison to the themes found in contemporary works like Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. The White People is a highly influential horror story of a young girl’s discovery of ancient magic. It was written in the late 1890s as part of a longer unfinished novel, some sketches from which went into his book Ornaments in Jade. Fans of supernatural fiction often cite this story as a classic in the genre. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Arthur Machen, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Horror/Ghost stories, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The White People

Not your common fairy tales, this collection is a mixture of morals, quirkiness, and sarcasm. In it one finds ironic derivatives (if not roots) of well known fairy tales such as “The Brave Little Taylor” and “Beauty and the Beast,” as well as some more unusual settings to impart the popular fairy tale themes of justice and happily ever after. Most stories are told with wry humor and often shocking irreverence for the expected fairy tale turn out. This is NOT a book for children, but one for adults who love fairy tales, and enjoy making fun of them. DISCLAIMER: Story 09 contains some racially offensive material in its ending. Due to the mission of reading, rather than rewriting, literature in the public domain, it has not been omitted from this anthology. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, The Key of Gold: 23 Czech Folk Tales, Unknown

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: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, free audio books, King Lear, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, play, tragedy, William Shakespeare

Emily Bronte’s first and only novel, Wuthering Heights, portrays the obsessive and vengeful love story between Heathcliff and Catherine. Images of cruelty and passion with an incorporation of gothic supernatural elements set the dark and misty atmosphere present throughout the novel. Moving between two neighboring houses, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, the wild love story turned destructive obsession is narrated by Mr. Lockwood through his diary entries. Bronte sets the novel into motion with the arrival of Mr. Lockwood at the house of his grim landlord Heathcliff. The strange and unfriendly manner in which his landlord behaves and his lack of effort to appear otherwise, sparks a flame of curiosity in Lockwood to learn more about the mysterious Wuthering Heights. After nature forces him to spend a night in the house, his eerie experience during the night only further ignites his curiosity to learn more about its past. When he settles into Thrushcross Grange he asks Nelly the housekeeper to tell him more about Wuthering Heights and its residents. Nelly then recounts events leading to Heathcliff’s current bitter state, beginning with his childhood when he was brought in by Mr. Earnshaw, owner of the Wuthering Heights manor. As the young dark-skinned Heathcliff tries to fit in with the family, everyone grows to like him except for Mr. Earnshaw’s son Hindley, who is jealous of the affection Heathcliff receives from his father. His sister Catherine, however, becomes inseparable with the youngster and the two share many adventures together on the moors and a mutual affection is born. As future events unfold, Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton, who lives in the nearby Thrushcross Grange, and leaves Heathcliff heartbroken. Hurled into a world of revenge, Heathcliff extends his mission of vengeance to their innocent children years later as they face lurking resentment and animosity. Bronte’s Gothic romance novel combines the use of extraordinary literary devices, while simultaneously structuring a captivating storyline. Vivid descriptions, a compelling plot and a complex array of characters is what maintains the special place Wuthering Heights holds on the classic literature bookshelf. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Emily Bronte, fiction, free audio books, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Psychology, romance, tragedy, Wuthering Heights

If you’ve loved and cherished The Wind in The Willows, you’ll be delighted to read The Golden Age. In this book of reminiscences by Kenneth Grahame, the much loved creator of Winnie The Pooh, readers are granted an insight into the writer’s childhood. The opening lines of the Prologue provide a poignant reminder of Grahame’s childhood. When he was just five, his mother died in childbirth and his father who had a long standing problem with alcoholism consigned his four children, including the newborn baby, to the care of their grandmother in Berkshire. The rambling old house was a treasure trove of passages and attics, filled with old things and provided the children with plenty of excitement. Their uncle who was a member of the clergy in a neighboring village, often came to take them boating and walking in the nearby woods. These are the memories that are so charmingly captured in Grahame’s books. Though he was a brilliant pupil, financial issues did not allow him to pursue further education at college. Instead, he went to work in a bank. His writing career began relatively early on, with the publication of short stories in various magazines when he was just 20 years old. However, it was in 1908, when he was more than 40 that The Wind in The Willows was published, which was received with great admiration and enjoyment by both adults and children. The Golden Age was published in 1895. Some of the stories in it had already appeared in various magazines. It was greeted by poets like Swinburne with much praise and almost instantly regarded as a classic. What’s interesting about The Golden Age is that in this book, Grahame uses the metaphor of Ancient Greek legends and stories as parallels to his own life. The adults are termed “The Olympians” appearing remote, inaccessible and lofty to a child. Their activities are incomprehensible to the young mind while they had no interest in the doings of their wards. Grahame’s humorous yet ironical tone lends a touch of fun to the adult world as seen through the eyes of a child. Other chapters describe the fun of being outdoors, visitors and relatives who come to the house, childhood games of Roundheads and Royalists, King Arthur’s Knights, bandits and damsels in distress, knights errant, soldiers and princesses and everything else that a group of high spirited children could devise out of their boundless imaginations. Youthful escapades, stolen fruit, daredevil stunts and the carefree days of childhood are vividly captured in The Golden Age. For modern day readers, these recollections are interesting and in almost complete contrast to children’s lives today, yet the book is an amusing and easy read for all ages. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Kenneth Grahame, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, The Golden Age

Set in the small secluded valley of Sleepy Hollow, Irving’s short speculative story follows the rivalry between Ichabod Crane and Brom Van Brunt for Katrina Van Tassel’s hand in marriage. Mostly inhabited by descendants from Dutch settlers, the residents are known for their belief in superstitions and the supernatural, and have many stories to suffice their colorful imaginations. The story begins when the scrawny schoolmaster Ichabod Crane from Connecticut moves to Sleepy Hollow for a teaching job and rotates living with the families of his students. This type of living arrangement allows him to grow familiar with the stories circling the strange town. The most popular phenomena being that of the Headless Horseman, supposedly ghost of a Hessian soldier who lost his head during a battle in the American Revolutionary War. As Ichabod adjusts to his new home town, a visit to the rich farm of Baltus Van Tassel inspires him to win the hand of his only daughter Katrina. However, Katrina’s beauty and wealth have also attracted the attention of other bachelors in town including the exuberant Brom Van Brunt, or locally known as Brom Bones. Well in the habit of intimidating and scaring off Katrina’s suitors, mostly through physical confrontations, Brom instead turns to pranks as his main method of persuading Ichabod to give up on his love quest. A story torn between logic and superstition, the characters must determine what is real and what is not, or fall victim to local myths determining their fate. Other than being an intriguing story of greed, superstition and the supernatural, Irving also uses his main character Ichabod as a means of satire, mocking the seemingly refined culture of city dwellers. It is no coincidence that the educated Ichabod trades big city life for the small Sleepy Hollow, and is victim to the many pranks played on him. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of the earliest samples of American fiction which has remained a classic and favorite among its readers. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Horror/Ghost stories, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, Short stories, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

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: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Comedy, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Jeeves, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, P. G. Wodehouse, Right Ho

Jo’s Boys is the third book in the Little Women trilogy by Louisa May Alcott, published in 1886. In it, Jo’s “children”, now grown, are caught up in real world troubles. All three books – although fiction – are highly autobiographical and describe characters that were really in Alcott’s life. This book contains romance as the childhood playmates become flirtatious young men and women. The characters are growing up, going out into the world and deciding their futures.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Jo's Boys, Literature, Louisa May Alcott, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, romance

A thrilling spy story, a children’s adventure, a charming portrait of early twentieth century life in London and the countryside and a heart warming family tale are all combined in this classic of children’s literature The Railway Children by E Nesbit. The book has remained on the list of the best-loved children’s books ever since it was first published as a serial story in The London Magazine in 1905. Later, it was published in book form and won acclaim from critics and readers across the world for its wonderful elements of character and plot. Edith Nesbit the author published more than sixty books during her long and illustrious career as a children’s writer. She was considered to be the first modern children’s writer and departed from the hitherto focus on fantasy and fairytale type of themes that were considered suitable for children. Apart from writing for children, she wrote several novels for adults. She also dabbled in poetry, horror fiction and collaborations with other writers. Her works include another famous book, The Secret Garden which also explores the childhood landscape and influenced generations of children’s writers. She was also a political activist and laid the foundations for the present Labor Party in England. Her dominant themes were children in real life settings, contemporary events, children’s encounters with the mysterious and often nefarious activities of grown-ups, a deep psychological insight into the mind of a child and the enduring love of nature, family relationships and the simple pleasures of countryside life. The story opens with the description of three little Londoners who enjoy an ordinary, peaceful life in the city with visits to the Zoo and Madame Tussauds. They have a charming, well-appointed home and loving parents. Things take a sudden turn for the worst when Father suddenly leaves after receiving mysterious “bad news.” Mother decides equally suddenly to move with the children to the country-side and here begins their adventure with the railways. They befriend a strange Old Gentleman who invariably travels on the 9.15 train from near their home and get drawn into bizarre and dangerous events. Said to be based on contemporary events such as the Dreyfus Affair, Russian dissidents who were fighting the Tsarist regime and the circumstances leading up to World War I, The Railway Children though ostensibly written for children certainly appeals to readers of all ages. It has been adapted extensively for radio, stage, television and screen and has retained its freshness and thrill over the hundred plus years since it first made its debut.

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, Dramatic Works, ebooks, Edith Nesbit, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Railway Children

Jungle Tales of Tarzan is a collection of twelve loosely-connected short stories written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, comprising the sixth book in order of publication in his series about the title character Tarzan. Chronologically, the events recounted in it actually occur between chapters 12 and 13 of the first Tarzan novel, Tarzan of the Apes.

Categories: Arts

Tags: Adventure, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs, fantasy, fiction, free audio books, Jungle Tales of Tarzan, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Short stories

The Library of the World’s Best Mystery and Detective Stories is a six-volume edition, which contains one hundred and one tales written by authors as diverse and separated by history as Pliny the Younger (first century AD), Voltaire (17th century) and Guy de Maupassant (19th century) and also from different parts of the world. This volume which is the first, contains twenty interesting stories, and an introduction by the editor. The fascinating aspect of mystery stories is that sometimes the author allows the puzzle to solve itself without expert detective aid, while in other cases, a sleuth bends his or her deductive powers to the mystery. In rare cases, the author leaves the tale unexplained and allows the readers to draw their own conclusions. The stories contained in this volume include Francis Marion Crawford’s strange yarn, By the Waters of Paradise, which recounts how a young man’s tragic past takes a turn for the better when he meets a lovely young stranger. The New England writer, Mary Wilkins Freeman’s chilling tale of the supernatural, The Shadows on the Wall, tells of the strange circumstances which face a young woman who arrives at the home of her dead fiancé to find his three adoring sisters behaving in a very odd fashion. From the creator of the famous amateur sleuth, Uncle Abner, comes another charming puzzle in the form of the story, The Corpus Delicti. This story by Melville Davisson Post is certainly a deliciously enjoyable one! Other stories include two by Ambrose Bierce entitled The Heiress from Redhorse, a seemingly trite tale with a happy ending about a foolish heiress, but one which employs a sinister twist in the tail. Bierce’s other creepy tale The Man and the Snake tells of the horror experienced by a lonely man when he finds a snake in his apartment. No anthology of mystery stories is complete without at least one from the master, Edgar Allan Poe. This one too, has its share – The Gold Bug, a story of a man who visits his entomologist friend on a remote South Carolina and becomes obsessed by a weird bug that looks like a skull but seems to be made of pure organic gold! Washington Irving and Charles Brockden Brown are also featured in this collection. One of the most fascinating aspects of this anthology is that it was edited by Julian Hawthorne, the star-crossed son of the famous writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. A great read for all ages!

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, editor, fiction, free audio books, Julian Hawthorne, Library of the World's Best Mystery and Detective Stories, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, MYSTERY, Short stories

Light hearted, entertaining and amusing as it takes on contemporary American life would best describe The Wit and Humor of America by Marshall Pinckney Wilder whish is a compilation of humorous passages from various works of American literature. Ranging from Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Dinah’s Kitchen to Dislikes by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Little Orphint Annie by James Whitcomb Riley, The Auto Rubaiyat by Reginald Wright Kauffman, Garden Ethics by Charles Dudley Warner and Morris and the Honorable Tim by Myra Kelley and many more delightful pieces, the book is indeed a treasure trove of humor. Marshall P. Wilder was a talented actor and humorist who entertained late nineteenth century New York with his funny sketches and monologues. Today he would probably be called a “stand-up comedian.” On a trip to London in 1883, Wilder’s show was watched by the then Prince of Wales who later went on to become King Edward VII. The monarch was enchanted by the act and Wilder became an instant favorite of the English royal family. This was also the start of his international career. For the next few years, he toured the world with his show, which included a vaudeville act too. Wilder’s brand of humor was laced with pathos and optimism. He was the first celebrity who attained fame in spite of his disability. Wilder was born with achondroplasia or dwarfism and also kyphosis or curvature of the spine. However, his wit and humor allowed him to rise above his physical limitations and carve out a wonderful career for himself. He was gifted with boundless energy, humanism and always signed his letters, “Merrily Yours!” He became extremely wealthy, fell in love and married a beautiful woman with whom he had two children. He eventually died following the sudden death of his beloved wife two years earlier. Wilder also acted in twelve silent films between 1897 and 1912. Many of his shows were recorded on Edison cylinders which were a new invention at the time and this has ensured that we are able to enjoy Wilder’s humor today. The Wit and Humor of America contains poems, letters, articles, chapters from books, limericks, short sketches and plays. It was published in 1911. Some of the themes and jokes seem dated, and politically incorrect but the essential fun is undeniable and this book makes a nice read for the times when you have a couple of hours to spare.

Categories: Arts, Comedy

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, humor, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Marshall Pinckney Wilder, The Wit and Humor of America

Nine original and, yes, unlikely fairy-tales, which include stories of the arithmetic fairy, the king who became a charming villa-residence and the dreadful automatic nagging machine. All are classic-Nesbit: charming, novel and not afraid to squeeze in a moral or two — told with proper fairy-tale style. Summary by Cori More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Edith Nesbit, Fairy tales, fiction, free audio books, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Nine Unlikely Tales for Children, Short stories

HE WHO SPOKE and wrote this message will be greatly disappointed if it does not lead many to the Lord Jesus. It is sent forth in childlike dependence upon the power of God the Holy Ghost, to use it in the conversion of millions, if so He pleases. No doubt many poor men and women will take up this little volume, and the Lord will visit them with grace. To answer this end, the very plainest language has been chosen, and many homely expressions have been used. But if those of wealth and rank should glance at this book, the Holy Ghost can impress them also; since that which can be understood by the unlettered is none the less attractive to the instructed. Oh that some might read it who will become great winners of souls!Who knows how many will find their way to peace by what they read here? A more important question to you, dear reader, is this – Will you be one of them? (From All of Grace)

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: All of Grace, audio books, audiobook, Charles H. Spurgeon, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Philosophy, religion

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

The Social Contract outlines Rousseau’s views on political justice, explaining how a just and legitimate state is to be founded, organized and administered. Rousseau sets forth, in his characteristically brazen and iconoclastic manner, the case for direct democracy, while simultaneously casting every other form of government as illegitimate and tantamount to slavery. Often hailed as a revolutionary document which sparked the French Revolution, The Social Contract serves both to inculcate dissatisfaction with actually-existing governments and to allow its readers to envision and desire a radically different form of political and social organization. (Summary by Eric Jonas)

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics, The Social Contract