Showing results by publisher "Spoken Realms" in Politics & Social Sciences

Where There’s a Will is Mary Roberts Rinehart’s hilarious comedy involving a health spa, an heir, a would-be princess, and an impostor. The story is told by Minnie, who has essentially run the spa for years and inherited the care of its famous spring from her father. When the old doctor dies and leaves the Hope Springs Spa to his near-do-well grandson with the stipulation that he live on premises for two months in order to inherit, the grandson is nowhere to be found. So Minnie tries to save the spa by enlisting the help of family and friends to trick the lawyer....

This Misery of Boots is the expansion of a 1905 essay by H.G. Wells. He presents a very interesting view of society based on Wells’ observations on boots and the misery they cause to those unable to purchase well-fitting and well-designed boots. He advocates socialism as a way to solve this and other problems. He puts forward arguments that add a voice of support to working-class people of his time. Wells was an avowed socialist.

Edmund Lester Pearson was a journalist, court reporter, and librarian. He’s considered by many to be the first real true crime author in the U.S. Here he writes about the Lizzie Borden murders, axe murders that happened at sea, the murder of a wealthy New York businessman, and two others. Several of these crimes remain unsolved. Although he meticulously researched these crimes and interviewed many witnesses, his accounts are entertaining and, at times, even humorous.

George III King of England, a tyrannical and oppressive monarch, forced the 13 colonies of America to declare their independence after many years of intense negotiation to no avail. This audiobook narrated by Mike Vendetti is an extremely important listen, particularly if you fear that our nation is in danger of electing a president with dictatorial powers.

Even to this day Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) remains the most loved and respected of all American presidents. In this heartfelt biography, Ernest Foster reprises the ever-inspiring story of the man who traveled from a log cabin to the White House and presided over one of the momentous periods of change in the nation's history.

Philip Walsingham Sergeant's biography of Barbara from 1912 draws on contemporary writings to tell her story, giving a more vivid and faithful presentation of the spirit of the time. He traces her life from her early girlhood, through her time at Court, her exile, and ending with her involvement in a bigamy trial.

An available audiobook in cooperation with Spoken Realms. The Negro in South Carolina During the Reconstruction (1924) by Alrutheus Ambush Taylor Narrated by Joseph Tabler.

In "Icarus; or, The Future of Science," Bertrand Russell explores the potential consequences of scientific advancement, drawing parallels between the myth of Icarus and the development of technology. He argues that while science can lead to progress, it also poses risks, particularly regarding power and societal structures. Russell suggests that scientific advancements, especially in the physical sciences, can increase power, lead to industrialism and war, and necessitate large-scale organization, which could potentially be used for oppressive purposes.

Jefferson Davis (1808 - 1889) was an American politician who became president of the Confederate States during the Civil War. He took his seat in Congress as the representative for Mississippi in 1847. As a Democrat, Davis was an enthusiastic supporter of the expansion of slavery. In 1861, he resigned from the Senate when the state of Mississippi seceded. During the Civil War, Davis acted as chief executive and commander in chief for the Confederacy. After the war, he was captured and charged with treason.

Anyone familiar with Russell's works will find a common theme running through the material: Despite being published over a century ago, his thoughts and philosophy remain remarkably a propos today. Russell argues AGAINST the possessive impulse that global capitalism stimulates in humans and which only benefits the possessor, and FOR the creative impulse, which benefits not only the creator but humankind as a whole. He also supports the establishment of an international parliament to address nation-to-nation conflicts—a palatable alternative to war.

Before the advent of radio and television, Americans learned about their world through magazine articles such as those written by Cleveland Moffett and published in this collection published in 1903. From Steeple Climbers to Wild Animal Trainers, Railroad Engineers to Deep-Sea Divers, these jobs, which we now find quaint (and in many cases extinct) helped build America at the beginning of the 20th century. If Moffett were reporting today, these would be podcasts or YouTube videos.