Random Non-fiction Podcasts

Considered to be one of the books that changed the world and how we view ourselves, On The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin was met with incredulous horror when it was first published in 1859. The revolutionary, almost blasphemous ideas it described were seen as antithetical to the existing ideas of Creation contained in the Bible and other religious texts. It was mocked, reviled and the author was personally subjected to vicious persecution by the establishment and theologians. In the years that followed its publication, the book became the subject of furious intellectual and social debate. For modern day readers, On The Origin of Species or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life to give it its full title, represents not just a turning point in scientific discovery, but also the keystone of research and further inquiries into the field of human origin and an emergence from the Dark Ages of mere belief. Charles Darwin was a typical product of upper class Victorian society. His privileged family background included teachers, doctors, clergymen and businessmen. A desultory career in school and college was followed by vague ambitions to join the Church. Later, he embarked on a course in medicine at Edinburgh, but gave it up after two years to join Robert Grant, a famous biologist and proponent of evolutionary theories propounded by French naturalists. In 1831, Darwin was invited to join the expedition on board the now famous HMS Beagle which was to conduct explorations in South America. Darwin was employed as naturalist/companion of Captain Fitzroy and the expedition lasted for five years. The ship traveled to various South American countries and returned via Australia and Mauritius to England. Contrary to popular opinion, Darwin was certainly not the first to come up with the idea of Evolution. In fact, his own grandfather, Erasmus Darwin had proposed the idea in 1794. However Charles’ contribution was to provide the mechanism via which evolutionary theory worked which he called “natural selection.” In On The Origin of Species he provides a wealth of observations on different species and how they adapt to their natural environment. His further work on pigeon breeding and studies in geology began to crystallize in the famous theory which says that species are not “created” but they “evolve.” As a radical and profoundly original work which shook contemporary ideas to their foundation, On The Origin of Species is indeed a historically important and an informative read.

Categories: Arts

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Charles Darwin, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Non-fiction, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, science

The Author Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in London, England on the 29th of May, 1874. Though he considered himself a mere “rollicking journalist,” he was actually a prolific and gifted writer in virtually every area of literature. A man of strong opinions and enormously talented at defending them, his exuberant personality nevertheless allowed him to maintain warm friendships with people–such as George Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells–with whom he vehemently disagreed. Chesterton had no difficulty standing up for what he believed. He was one of the few journalists to oppose the Boer War. His 1922 “Eugenics and Other Evils” attacked what was at that time the most progressive of all ideas, the idea that the human race could and should breed a superior version of itself. In the Nazi experience, history demonstrated the wisdom of his once “reactionary” views.Chesterton wrote several works of Christian apologetics, the best known of which are “Othodoxy”, “Heretics”, and “The Everlasting Man”. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, G. K. Chesterton, heretics, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, religion

Books 1 and 2. Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil is a book written in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes. The book concerns the structure of society (as represented figuratively by the frontispiece, showing the state giant made up of individuals). In the book, Hobbes argues for a social contract and rule by a sovereign. Influenced by the English Civil War, Hobbes wrote that chaos or civil war – situations identified with a state of nature and the famous motto bellum omnium contra omnes (”the war of all against all”) – could only be averted by strong central government. He thus denied any right of rebellion toward the social contract. However, Hobbes did discuss the possible dissolution of the State. Since the social contract was made to institute a state that would provide for the “peace and defense” of the people, the contract would become void as soon as the government no longer protected its citizens. By virtue of this fact, man would automatically return to the state of nature until a new contract is made.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil, free audio books, Leviathan, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, or The Matter, Philosophy, Politics, science, Thomas Hobbes

No matter how enlightened, chances are you’ve been raised around superstitious lore of one kind or another. Fanny Dickerson Bergen was one of the original researchers of North American oral traditions relating to such key life events and experiences as babyhood and childhood, marriage, wishes and dreams, luck, warts and cures, death omens and mortuary customs, and “such truck,” as Huck Finn would say. You’ll be surprised at how many of these old saws you’ll know. Here’s a quote from Chapter One, Babyhood: Monday’s child is fair of face,Tuesday’s child is full of grace,Wednesday’s child is sour and sad,Thursday’s child is merry and glad,Friday’s child is loving and giving,Saturday’s child must work for a living;But the child that is born on the Sabbath dayIs blithe and bonny, good and gay.–Baldwinsville, N. Y. All of these readings are as short as 5 minutes and no longer than 15 minutes, with plenty of pithy one-liners in the form of proverbs, always given with the locale they came from in Canada or the United States (with clear influences in British tradition).

Categories: Arts

Tags: art, audio books, audiobook, Current Superstitions, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, Fanny Dickerson Bergen, fiction, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

One hundred simple fish sauces. Sixty-five ways to cook mackerel. The Catching of Unshelled Fish. Twenty-seven ways to Cook Frogslegs. Now that should certainly make you reach for your apron and fish knife! How to Cook Fish by Olive Green is a vintage culinary classic, filled with simple, easy to follow recipes rendered in a terse, no nonsense style. There’s none of this fiddling with scales, weights and measures. What you get is a mélange of interesting, unusual ways to cook seafood without worrying about lists of ingredients, timings, temperature or any of the conventions followed by traditional cookbooks. If you’ve read that old Victorian favorite, Lavender and Old Lace (which was later adapted very successfully as Arsenic and Old Lace) by Myrtle Reed, you’d certainly be interested to know that the author had an equally successful career as a writer of popular cook books. Writing under the pseudonym Olive Green, Reed published six very successful books on cooking. However, from 1898 to her suicide in 1911, she continuously published at least one novel every year. The books are romantic and highly emotional in nature, full of unrequited passion, revenge, mystery and supernatural happenings. She also wrote a collection of stories about important women who made a difference to society. In between, she wrote pamphlets, married her Canadian pen-pal, suffered severe and debilitating bouts of insomnia and engaged in charity work. Her cookbooks are characterized by interesting tips on home making and the art of cooking, peppered with literary nuggets and quotations, witty remarks and anecdotes, all of which make How to Cook Fish not just an excellent recipe book but also an interesting and entertaining read. She also provides lists of what fish are in season during particular times of year, thus ensuring that the cook uses only the freshest of ingredients. How to Cook Fish is divided into 45 chapters. The One Hundred Fish Sauces are arranged in alphabetical order, starting with “Admiral Sauce” and ending with “White Sauce.” In between you have recipes for “Brown Tomato Sauce” “Sicilian Sauce” and other such unusual concoctions. Under the chapter One Hundred Miscellaneous Recipes you have items such as Fish a la Brunswick, Chartreuse of Fish, Jellied Fish Salad and many other great variations. This is indeed a great addition to your kitchen library and the clear, simple way in which the recipes are presented would tempt even the least adventurous of cooks to try a hand at one of these delicious sounding creations.

Categories: Arts

Tags: advice, audio books, audiobook, Cookery, ebooks, free audio books, How to Cook Fish, instruction, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Olive Green

An autobiography of Helen Keller published when the author was still in her early 20’s. The narrative reveals how her mind developed and matured until she began her studies at Radcliffe College

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Helen Keller, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Memoirs, Non-fiction, science, The Story of My Life

A book on improving eloquence, proficiency and grammar in everyday communication. ‘How to Speak and Write Correctly’ is not a manual of the styles to use in speaking and writing, nor is it a manual for grammar. It is a simple, useful book for helping ordinary people in effective communication. It lays down and explains broad rules of communication, further giving useful tips for effective communication. The book also lists common mistakes in communication and offers suggestions on how best to avoid them. The book covers the requirements of speech with the three essentials being purity, Propriety and precision. It then looks at the essentials of English grammar by looking at the divisions of grammar and how they make or break effective communication. Next, the sentence is broken down into its constituent pieces and the structure is explained so that the reader knows how to construct coherent sentences. The book also discusses how to use figurative language to convey meaning in a vivid and impressive manner. The book then delves into punctuation, highlighting some of the common misuses and how to correct them. Those that still revere the art of letter writing will not be disappointed because the book has tips and tricks on writing letters for whatever purpose. A few chapters have been dedicated to errors made by authors ever so often and how to correct them. The book also explores style and how a writer can nurture his own style in order to express himself and appeal to his audience. There are many interesting points that are highlighted in this book and readers will find ‘How to Speak and Write Correctly’ a pleasant read for both those new in the language as well as seasoned English speakers.

Categories: Arts, Education

Tags: advice, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, How to Speak and Write Correctly, Joseph Devlin, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction

On Architecture is a treatise on architecture written by the Roman architect Vitruvius and dedicated to his patron, the emperor Caesar Augustus as a guide for building projects. The work is one of the most important sources of modern knowledge of Roman building methods as well as the planning and design of structures, both large (aqueducts, buildings, baths, harbours) and small (machines, measuring devices, instruments). He is also the prime source of the famous story of Archimedes and his bath-time discovery.

Categories: Arts, Education, Society & Culture

Tags: Ancient Texts, art, audio books, audiobook, Classics (antiquity), ebooks, free audio books, History, instruction, Languages, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, Non-fiction, science, Ten Books on Architecture

Published in 1912, The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell is one of his most popular books. It renders philosophical issues and questions in a way in which they become relevant and accessible to the man or woman on the street, provoking them to devote time and effort into thinking about these aspects of life. Here, the great philosopher and humanist thinker Bertrand Russell examines the importance of empirical (that which can be verified by observation or experience rather than deduced from logic or reasoning) thinkers like David Hume and George Berkeley the Anglo-Irish philosopher and scientist. Both these men were proponents of empiricism and idealist philosophies. The book also holds great relevance for us in today’s world. Our education systems today focus largely on making us ready for employment. There are very few courses which delve into the inner workings of our minds and help us to engage with the fundamental aspects of our lives. In The Problems of Philosophy, Bertrand Russell presents readers with some of the issues that philosophers have grappled with throughout the ages. He then presents these through his own viewpoints and breaks them down to their core principles. Most Western and Eastern philosophical questions have been centered around the issues of personal and public experiences, identity, the consciousness of self and the awareness of others, time and space relationships and finally the question of knowledge itself. In The Problems of Philosophy, Russell describes in detail one of his most famous theories of knowledge, the distinction between “knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description.” He argues that anything which is known through means of a direct causal experience is fundamentally different (and perhaps superior) to knowledge gained through secondhand descriptions and through the reports of other people. In today’s Age of Information, knowledge by description is often mistaken for “true knowledge” and many of us proceed on the premise that such knowledge is indeed the truth. Russell was a philosopher who believed in the dynamism and evolution of thought. He frequently revised his positions on fundamental issues throughout his life, moving from liberalism to socialism. He was also a famous pacifist and prominent anti-war, anti-imperialism activist. Imprisoned for his views on the evils of World War II, he was also an outspoken critic of Hitler and Stalin. He strongly condemned the actions of the United States in the Vietnam War and lent his voice to support nuclear disarmament. The Problems of Philosophy examines the questions that lie deep in the hearts and minds of all human beings and provides a compassionate yet objective attempt at finding the answers to some of them.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Bertrand Russell, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Problems of Philosophy

Karl Marx’s Capital: A Critical Analysis of Capitalist Production is a critical analysis of the political economy or the capitalist system. In this 3 volume work, he says that a capitalist economy can only survive by exploiting the working class. The concepts discussed in this book laid the foundations of the political doctrine that would later be known as communism. This book has three volumes, the first volume is Marx’s critical analysis of the capitalist mode of production and how it’s effects on poor people. The second volume of Capital was subtitled “The Process of Circulation of Capital.” It contains his analysis of the marketplace, how value and surplus value are made and his views about what a capitalist or entrepreneur is. The last volume of the work was actually just a collection of notes by Karl Marx compiled by his close friend Friedrich Engels. There are seven parts in this volume which basically summarize the important points of the first two parts of the book. It’s the most read part of the book today. Capital was very critical of the different principles of classical economics which was the prevailing school of thought at that time. It was published when Karl Marx already had a well established reputation thus provoking a big debate among academics after its release. The principles explained in this book had a big influence in the development of the communist doctrine. This book was written in a academic way and is meant to be read by someone with a foundational knowledge of economics. Although, communism has long faded in the stage of world politics, this book is still a very important reference to people who study political science and economics or those who are just interested in knowing more about the different types of economies.

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Capital: A Critical Analysis of Capitalist Production, ebooks, Economics/Political Economy, free audio books, Karl Marx, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Politics

Tailored specially to make history more palatable and interesting to children, Our Island Story, by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, is a charmingly illustrated volume that promises hours of delight for parents as well as children. Beginning with the myths and legends about Albion, the author ensures that she captivates the child’s imagination from the very first page. Unlike today’s dry and non-committal history tomes that are prescribed in schools, Our Island Story is full of lyrical prose, literary allusions, heroic and tragic characters, the hunger for power and the glory of empire. There are strong elements of folklore, fairy tales, popular legends and a sense of the dramatic. It renders history full of the people who made Britain what it is today and gives modern readers a glimpse into what went into the creation of the once invincible British Empire. Our Island Story was first published in 1905. The period it covers begins with the Roman Occupation of Britain and ends with the Victorian Era. Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall utilizes a fascinating blend of fact and mythology to create a composite picture peopled by colorful characters, driven by ambition, honor, greed or lust to wield power over their fellow men. Wars and rebellions, assassinations and assignations, explorers and extremists, religion and romance are all wonderfully captured in this superbly constructed book. For young readers, Our Island Story presents what could be a mere succession of dry dates and titles in a memorable and engaging form. Older readers would find that the conversion of history into something that is vivid, dramatic and human makes them appreciate how present events have been shaped by the past. Our Island Story (originally titled Our Island Story: A History of England for Boys and Girls) was an instant best-seller when it first came out and has remained a popular choice for schools, libraries and individual readers. The author, Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall was a writer of children’s books and nothing much is known about her personal life. Some critics have pointed out that there are many historical inaccuracies in her writings and she often relied on unorthodox sources for her information. However, it cannot be denied that her writing style is extremely attractive, easy and gives the reader that much needed push to further research, which is what every good book should do. Children as young as nine would be able to read this book on their own, while younger ones would enjoy a read aloud with parents. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, Essay/Short nonfiction, fiction, free audio books, Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, History, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Our Island Story

A podcast for the curious mind

Categories: Comedy, Society & Culture, True Crime

Tags: 33, 420, aliens, am, Biden, bildeburg, bohemian, bunker, coast to coast, Colorado, Conspiracy, Crowder, facts, fan, fantom, ffs, fiction, History, howdy, interviews, jordan peterson, kamala, nick cage, noagenda, Non-fiction, norad, phantom, Podcast, pontious piolot, Pyramids, red eye, science, secret, secret society, shapiro, SPorts, Super, supernatural, talk, things i never knew, Trump, Truth, Unknown, yourmom

A deep dive into the darker side of the Golden State hosted by Roseanne with a quietly intense storytelling style and is always ad-free

Categories: True Crime

Tags: California, Crime, criminal, discussion, justice system, Killers, law enforcement, murder, MYSTERY, News, Non-fiction, Podcast, true-crime

Set in 19th century Russia, The Brothers Karamazov (Russian: Братья Карамазовы) is the last novel written by the illustrious author Fyodor Dostoyevsky who died a few months before the book’s publication. The deeply philosophical and passionate novel tells the story of Fyodor Karamazov, an immoral debauch whose sole aim in life is the acquisition of wealth. Twice married, he has three sons whose welfare and upbringing, he cares nothing about. At the beginning of the story, Dimitri Karamazov, the eldest son who is now a twenty-eight year old war veteran, returns to his home town to claim the inheritance left to him by his dead mother. Fyodor is none too pleased to see him as he hates to part with money. The middle brother Ivan, a cold and unemotional man, is called in to settle the dispute but he fails. The youngest son, Alyosha, a gentle and learned soul is training to be a monk in a nearby monastery. He suggests that they consult the famous monastic elder Zosima who could work out a satisfactory solution. The plot winds through an amazing labyrinth of twists and turns, with the characters of the three brothers becoming more and more apparent to the readers. As different aspects of a human being, the three are completely different, yet bound by the irrevocable ties of common ancestry. The true hero of the story is the gentle Alyosha, whose spiritual journey and wonderfully humane qualities of kindness and compassion remain with the reader for ever. As one of the most compelling and fascinating explorations of the human heart, The Brothers Karamazov remains one of the world’s greatest literary creations. A novel of great length (it is divided into twelve volumes) and breadth, its sheer scale and scope captures the imagination of readers. The book has had an enduring influence on writers all over the world. It was admired and loved by renowned intellectuals like Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud, Sartre, Camus, James Joyce, Franz Kafka and a host of others. Pope Benedict XVI referred to it in his 2007 encyclical. It has been extensively adapted for stage, screen, TV and translated into many world languages. Dostoyevsky was one of literature’s greatest observers of the human mind. His writings were shaped by his own experiences of political activism, imprisonment, questioning of faith and finding spiritual enlightenment towards the end of his life. The novel is as relevant today as when it was published in 1880 and though it is deeply complex, it was also strangely prophetic as it foretold the events that would take place under the Soviet Regime.

Categories: Arts, Education, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, ebooks, fiction, free audio books, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Languages, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Psychology, The Brothers Karamazov

Famous Men of Greece is a series of biographical sketches written for the purpose of making the study of history lively and interesting by giving insight into the men who lived during this time. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Kids & Family, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, Famous Men of Greece, free audio books, History, John H. Haaren, Kids, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Myths/Legends, Non-fiction

Einstein wrote this book for people who are interested in understanding the Theory of Relativity but aren’t experts in scientific and mathematical principles. I’m sure many people have heard about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, but most of them don’t really know what it is all about. This book gives them a chance to know more about this very famous theory without the need to take a Physics course first. This book is divided into three parts. The first part explains what special relativity is all about. The second part discusses general relativity thoroughly and the last part deals with the considerations of the universe as a whole. The first part explains the principles of the special theory of relativity. Here the relationship between space and time are thoroughly discussed. The derivation of Einstein’s most famous formula which is E = mc2 is also explained in this part in a very simple way. The second part which is about the general theory of relativity is about the generalization of the special theory, Einstein’s thoughts about Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation and how they affect the space time continuum. The last part explains how the universe actually works on a cosmic scale. These things may sound too complicated at first glance but Einstein was able to explain them to his readers in the book without sounding too technical. Reading Einstein’s “Relativity: The Special and General Theory” may not sound very attractive at first. We’ve all heard of Einstein’s equation but how many people can actually explain what it means. This book will elucidate all the iconic thoughts of Einstein without requiring a physics degree from the reader. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts

Tags: Albert Einstein, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Relativity: The Special and General Theory, science

Summary from The Path of Prosperity: I looked around upon the world, and saw that it was shadowed by sorrow and scorched by the fierce fires of suffering. And I looked for the cause. I looked around, but could not find it; I looked in books, but could not find it; I looked within, and found there both the cause and the self-made nature of that cause. I looked again, and deeper, and found the remedy. I found one Law, the Law of Love; one Life, the Life of adjustment to that Law; one Truth, the truth of a conquered mind and a quiet and obedient heart. And I dreamed of writing a book which should help men and women, whether rich or poor, learned or unlearned, worldly or unworldly, to find within themselves the source of all success, all happiness, all accomplishment, all truth. And the dream remained with me, and at last became substantial; and now I send it forth into the world on its mission of healing and blessedness, knowing that it cannot fail to reach the homes and hearts of those who are waiting and ready to receive it. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: advice, audio books, audiobook, ebooks, free audio books, James Allen, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, Non-fiction, Philosophy, The Path of Prosperity

Two years, two months and two days! This is what forms the time line of one man’s quest for the simple life and a unique social experiment in complete self reliance and independence. Henry David Thoreau published Walden in 1884. Originally drafted as a series of essays describing a most significant episode in his life, it was finally released in book form with each essay taking on the form of a separate chapter. Thoreau’s parents were in financial straights, but rich intellectually and culturally. The young Henry was educated in the best of schools in their home town, Concord, Massachusetts and went on to graduate from Harvard, where he read history, philosophy, theology and literature. He commenced working as a school master in Concord but soon quit when he discovered that he was not ideologically suited to methods employed in those days which included corporal punishment. During this time, a chance meeting with the great philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson marked a turning point in his life. Deeply influenced by Emerson’s ideas and his Transcendentalism cult, Thoreau embarked on the Walden experiment. The Transcendentalism movement was an amalgam of Buddhism, German and English Romanticism, Hindu teachings, Confucianism and placed great emphasis on emotional wellbeing, self reliance and personal truths rather than social norms. It rejected society’s dominance over the individual. Walden Pond was located in a property owned by Emerson. Here, Thoreau built a cabin and proceeded to live a completely self sufficient life, gathering his own food and preparing it, sleeping and reading and appreciating nature as the whim took him. He meticulously recorded every experience and this forms the body of work known as Walden. The book received a lukewarm reception when it first appeared, but went on to gather cult status with the advent of the Flower Power generation, the anti-establishment movements against the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. The concepts of individual freedom and individual choice became ingrained in the American psyche as a new generation of Americans re-discovered Walden. Walden’s main appeal lies in its exploration of themes like solitude, economy, the simple life and the Higher Laws that he describes which relate to man’s relationship to nature. Thoreau’s style is attractive and easy, full of nuggets of folksy wisdom. Modern proponents of simplifying life, those who oppose our over reliance on technology and advocates of inner spiritual awakening are sure to find Walden a valuable and rewarding read. More great books at LoyalBooks.com

Categories: Arts, Society & Culture

Tags: audio books, audiobook, Biography, ebooks, free audio books, Henry David Thoreau, History, Literature, Loyal Books, loyalbooks.com, nature, Non-fiction, Philosophy, science, walden