Showing titles in Literary History & Criticism

Beaumarchais – Watchmaker, music teacher, politician, opportunist, publisher, secret agent for Louis XVI, yet fomenter of revolution in both France and America – and yet again imprisoned for being an enemy of the Revolution. . . Friend of Voltaire, libertarian, arms dealer, and dramatist whose famous Figaro trio of satirical plays reflects the dissolution of Medieval society and torturous emergence of a new democratic era. This biography by John Rivers was originally published in 1922. (Summary by Lynette Caulkins)

Boswell's famous work on the life of his admired friend Johnson, the formidable poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer, is a milestone in the development of biographical writing, a treasure-house of Johnson's witticisms and opinions, and a window on his social circle that is packed with incidental detail of 18th-century life and concerns.This second of four volumes covers the years 1764-1776. (Summary by Philippa)

John Evelyn was a 17th century polymath, with interests in the fine arts, architecture, gardening, as well as anatomy and the natural sciences. He was a fervent supporter of the Stuart monarchy and lived abroad during much of the English Civil War. His Diaries, which rank alongside those of Samuel Pepys for perceptive commentary on the times in which he lived, span his adult years. (Summary by Anthony Ogus)

The story of Jeanne d'Arc, or Joan of Arc , has passed into folklore and has been retold by many. The young teenager was sent by an as-yet uncrowned Charles VII of France to relieve Orleans from siege during the 100 Years' War with England, following visions she claimed to have received. After just nine days, she led the French army to victory and was subsequently burned at the stake for heresy. Later cleared of all charges, she was canonized in 1920. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), four times Prime Minister of Great Britain, dominated the Liberal Party for thirty years, but ultimately divided it over the issue of Irish Home Rule, which he unsuccessfully championed. He brought to parliamentary politics a moral fervor which made him the personification of the Victorian Age, but which also challenged the complacency of its imperialistic assumptions. In this 1897 biography, the Liberal Irish member of Parliament, Justin McCarthy, presents a Gladstone still vividly remembered, rising to speak in the House of Commons among a host of ...

Abraham Lincoln: A History is an 1890 ten-volume account of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, written by John Nicolay and John Hay, who were his personal secretaries during the American Civil War. Volume 6 chronicles Lincoln's life in 1864, including the battles of that summer and Lincoln's reelection. (Summary adapted from wikipedia by Ann Boulais)

Welcome to Blank’s Library, the home of immersive, serialized storytelling. Hosted by author Blank A. Bello, this podcast brings my published works directly to your ears, one chapter at a time. Each episode is a new installment in a ongoing journey, allowing you to follow the progression of my novels and stories from the very first page to the final conclusion.This is a space dedicated to the stories themselves, designed for listeners who want to experience a book in episodic form. Whether you are starting a new series or catching up on the latest plot twist during your daily routine, you ...

Ida Tarbell is best known today as the investigative journalist whose pieces on workings of the Standard Oil Company led to the creation of the Federal Trade Commission and the Clayton Antitrust Act. She was also an acclaimed biographer, known for her extensive works on the lives of Lincoln and Napoleon. Her research is exhaustive, and her prose is brisk and engaging. This biography finishes with an 115 page "sketch" of the Empress Josephine. - Summary by Ciufi Galeazzi

This study of Charlemagne is directed at the general literature reading public. Although the author tried to remain true to the legend and mythology surrounding the King of the Franks, renowned for uniting much of Europe, he points out that this is not a scholastic work for serious study, but rather to be read for enjoyment. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

This is the biography of Abraham Lincoln, written by two of his private secretaries. (Summary by ashleighjane)

This is the fourth volume of the Biography of Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson's Life has been documented in great detail by his friends, this biography being originally published by James Boswell, and then edited several times by other persons, such as John Croker, who have been friends of both Samuel Johnson as well as James Boswell. Already famous during his life time, Samuel Johnson's biography attracted considerable attention when it was published after Johnson's death, and continues to be read until today.

These stories are gathered from many sources including biographies, letters, journals and musical history. The life story of 25 of the most celebrated musicians is presented. The author has aimed to make the story-sketches interesting to young people in hopes that they may prove valuable to musical readers of all ages. Students of piano, violin or other instruments need to know how the great composers lived their lives. In every musical career described in this book, from the old masters represented by Bach and Beethoven to the musical prophets of our own day, there is a wealth of inspiration ...

This is the first of four volumes of a what was a new, intimate, type of biography when it was first published in 1791 and which has been annotated by numerous editors . Boswell took many notes of Johnson's conversations during the time when he knew one of England's most influential men of letters and he also gives us frequent glimpses of other famous personalities who were part of Johnson's circle in eighteenth century London. - Summary by barbara2

Abraham Lincoln: A History is an 1890 ten-volume account of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, written by John Nicolay and John Hay, who were his personal secretaries during the American Civil War. Volume 7 chronicles Lincoln's life from 1862, including the major battles in the American Civil War that year. (Summary adapted from wikipedia by Ann Boulais)

Abraham Lincoln: A History is an 1890 ten-volume account of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln, written by John Nicolay and John Hay, who were his personal secretaries during the American Civil War. Volume 4 chronicles Lincoln's life from April to November 1861. ( Summary adapted from wikipedia by Ann Boulais)

Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist,he is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" (originally published as "Resistance to Civil Government"), an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. Thoreau was known for being a prolific writer, keeping journals from the age of 20 until shortly before his death.He wrote of his observations in nature, gleaned largely from his daily walks. He also was a man of strong ...

His life was like a full five-act play—prophetic prologue and stately epilogue, and swelling scene imposed upon swelling scene, until the tallow chandler's son, rising from the humblest levels of human fortune to the highest by uninterrupted gradations of invincible success, finally becomes the recipient of such a degree of impressive homage as has rarely been paid to anyone by the admiration and curiosity of mankind. (from Introduction)

Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson is widely considered to be the greatest English-language biography ever written. It was revolutionary in its efforts to represent Johnson as he was, celebrating his flaws as well as his genius, and in Boswell's decision to represent Johnson primarily by quoting his writings and relating personal anecdotes rather than relying on matters of public record. From the time of its publication till now, The Life of Johnson has been one of the most popular and influential books ever written. (Summary by Kirsten Ferreri.) N.B. This recording does not include the Preface,...

The full title of Walton's book of short biographies is, Lives of John Donne, Henry Wotton, Rich'd Hooker, George Herbert, &C. Sir Henry Wotton (1568 – 1639) was an English author, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614 and 1625. He is often quoted as saying, "An ambassador is an honest gentleman sent to lie abroad for the good of his country.” Richard Hooker (1554 – 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and the value of tradition came to exert a lasting influence on the development of the Church of ...

Written in three volumes, this fictionalized biography of Richelieu is supposedly based on a manuscript that fell into the author's hands and written by someone intimately acquainted with the facts. Cardinal Richelieu was a powerful French statesman and there is still some debate as to whether he was a great statesman or a cunning fiend. Maybe he was a bit of both. He rose to power under the regency of Mary de Medici and contrived to keep Louis XIII subservient and powerless. He was famous for his foreign policy, but also his scheming to maintain domestic disharmony and bring about the ...