Press ESC to close

Religion & Spirituality

Spiritual Exercises Audiobook Free: A Scholar’s Contemplative Journey – Free Download

These are the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a plan of contemplation to be carried out over about a month. St. Ignatius of Loyola (1419-1556) was the founder of the Jesuits, and was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622. He published the Spiritual Exercises in 1548. The Exercises were intended for use by someone who would be conducting a retreat and are a series of notes on methods and things to cover. As such they read more like a manual and overview than a devotional book that one can look to for edification. They presume the person conducting the retreat or the exercises has already been through them. They are a central part of the first year training of Jesuit novitiates. However, one does not have to be a Jesuit-in-training to take advantage of the Exercises: Increasingly, lay people and even non-Catholics follow this path (1491 – 1556)( from the introduction and reader)

MysteryThriller & Horror

The Adventure of the Speckled Band Audiobook Free: Victorian Gender Dynamics Unveiled – Free Download

Sherlock Holmes and Watson are awoken early by a distraught woman desperately seeking their aid. Something is terribly wrong and she fears for her life. Upon hearing her story, Sherlock agrees and springs into action to track down and deal with the sinister Speckled Band who have killed once already. Listen to another exciting adventure of the super sleuth as he uses his powers of observation and deduction to solve this perplexing case. Will he be in time to save the lady’s life? Will his powers fail him this time? Listen and find out. (summary by Phil Chenevert )

Fiction & Literature

Importance of Being Earnest (Version 4) Audiobook Free: Wilde’s Wit Reimagined – Free Download

This is a solo recording of the play, meaning that all parts including stage directions are performed by one person. LibriVox has three excellent dramatic recordings with all the parts played by different people so if that is more to your taste, please listen to them. Little needs to be said about the play itself, a sparkling example of Wilde’s amazing ability to poke fun at almost everyone while making you laugh out loud at the witty sayings sprinkled throughout the acts. As to the plot, if you don’t know it already, let me just say that it involves two young English men who fall madly and instantly in love with two young English.women who of course love them back mainly because their name is Earnest. Unfortunately, that is not their names and there are many bumps and crashes on the road to the happy wedding bells. I only hope I have done justice to this jewel of a play. Please listen and enjoy !

Health & Wellness

Sex: Avoided Subjects Discussed In Plain English Audiobook Free: Victorian Gender Dynamics Unveiled – Free Download

Henry Stanton’s 1922 book Sex – Avoided Subjects Discussed in Plain English is intended as a frank (although consevative and moralistic) guide to human sexual behaviour and relationships. It is partly a self-help book, partly an attempt to relay the scientific knowledge of the day in relation to sex and reproduction in a way suitable for popular consumption.

(Summary by Carl Manchester)

Kids

Story of Peter Pan Audiobook Free: A Magical Journey for All Ages – Free Download

THE STORY OF PETER PAN RETOLD FROM THE FAIRY PLAY BY SIR J.M. BARRIE BY DANIEL O’CONNOR. Basically, Daniel O’Connor took the story from the original play, with the approval of Barrie, and shortened it into a book with music and beautiful illustrations. This shorter book was published before Barrie wrote the longer novel Peter and Wendy using the same plot and characters. (Summary from the fly leaf and Phil Chenevert)

MysteryThriller & Horror

Murders in the Rue Morgue (Version 2) Audiobook Free: Pioneer of Detective Fiction – Free Download

“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a story by Edgar Allan Poe published in Graham’s Magazine in 1841.

It has been recognized as the first detective story; Poe referred to it as one of his “tales of ratiocination”. C. Auguste Dupin is a man in Paris who solves the mystery of the brutal murder of two women. Numerous witnesses heard a suspect, though no one agrees on what language was spoken. At the murder scene, Dupin finds a hair that does not appear to be human.

Writing the first true detective in fiction, Poe’s Dupin originated many literary conventions which would be used in future fictional detectives including Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Many later characters, for example, follow Poe’s model of the brilliant detective, his personal friend who serves as narrator, and the final revelation being presented before the reasoning that leads up to it. Dupin himself reappears in “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt” and “The Purloined Letter”. (summary from Wikipedia)

Teen

Pollyanna Audiobook Free: A Journey of Gladness and Transformation – Free Download

In a small town far out West, 11 year old Pollyanna loses her mother then her dad to disease. This book describes how the orphan is sent to be raised by her aunt who loves far away in the East of the country. Unfortunately her aunt does not want her but accepts her very reluctantly only out of ‘duty’ and sticks her into a tiny hot attic room so she will be ‘out of the way’. What Aunt Polly does not know is that Pollyanna is bringing the game of being ‘glad’ that her father taught her and that her irrepressible happy attitude will transform not only that dull and miserable house, but an entire village before she is through.

Comedy

Lady Windermere’s Fan (Version 2) Audiobook Free: A Timeless Satire on Victorian Morality – Free Download

Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Play About a Good Woman is a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first produced 22 February 1892 at the St James’s Theatre in London. The play was first published in 1893. Like many of Wilde’s comedies, it bitingly satirizes the morals of Victorian society, particularly marriage.

The story concerns Lady Windermere, who discovers that her husband may be having an affair with another woman. She confronts her husband but he instead invites the other woman, Mrs Erlynne, to his wife’s birthday ball. Angered by her husband’s unfaithfulness, Lady Windermere leaves her husband for another lover. Or does she? Is it really possible to trust delicious gossip? Are all men really bad? These and many other questions are raised and if not answered, then held up for public scrutiny in this biting satire of morals and proper behavior. The best known line of the play sums up the central theme:

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. —Lord Darlington (from Wikipedia and the reader)

Business & Economics

Fundamentals of Prosperity Audiobook Free: Ethical Economics Explored – Free Download

What these principles are and whence they come to us. “The fact is, we have become crazy over material things. We are looking only at the structure above ground. We are trying to get more smoke from the chimney. We are looking at space instead of service, at profits instead of volume. With our eyes focused on the structure above ground, we have lost sight of those human resources, thrift, imagination, integrity, vision and faith which make the structure possible. I feel that only by the business men can this foundation be strengthened before the inevitable fall comes.”( from the preface )

Page 1 of 2 Next