Showing results by narrator "MIke Vendetti" in All Categories

"The Monkey's Paw" is a supernatural short story by author W. W. Jacobs first published in England in 1902. Three wishes are granted to the owner of the monkey's paw, but the wishes come with an enormous price for interfering with fate.

"Abolish Language," said the vizier, "And man will return to primal simplicity and happiness."

Hawthorne presents several ideas which form the very core of the conservative critique: that man's sinfulness is an immutable part of his character; that rationalists, reformers, and progressives delude themselves with their utopian notions of the perfectibility of man; that in their delusion they do incalculable damage to the culture, while leaving human nature untouched; and that, no matter the "progress" they make, evil lurks, waiting to rear its ugly head and shatter their dreams.

It is said that the observance of Memorial Day grew originally out of the custom of the widows, mothers, and children of the Confederate dead in the South strewing the soldiers' graves with flowers, including the unmarked graves of the Union soldiers. There was no settled date for this in the North until 1868, when General John A. Logan, as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, designated May 30. A touching poem in commemoration of Memorial Day narrated by Mike Vendetti.

Christmas hadn't been celebrated in this old New England Puritan Church for years. Not until Nathan Stoddard arrived at work one morning, Christmas morning, to see an old man knock upon the door and have the door of the empty church flung open. Nathan rushes to a window at the rear of the church only to peer in to see the interior of the church filled with people dressed from a bygone era decorating the church. A lovely ghost story by Anna Wales Abbot.

Jack London had quite an issue with the super-rich. Here a group targets the super-rich with a rather unique blackmail scheme. They begin by killing random individuals unless a ransom is paid. Innocent victims die, as the wealthy ignore the warnings until gradually the victims become closer to the target. A very interesting plot.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson corresponded regularly, and although they had a deep respect for each other, as you will soon learn from this missive written on July 13, 1813, by John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, they didn't always agree.

"Paul Revere's Ride" written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, has long been a staple in the classroom, and an inspiration to many. Now a part of Core State Standards, the student can listen to this poem read by professional narrator Mike Vendetti.

"The Thing in the Hall", by E.F. Benson, is a rather macabre and strange story - retold by Mike Vendetti - of two friends living in London, one of whom tempts fate by inviting a spirit to visit without limiting what type of spirit he is inviting. As we know, there are "evil" spirits just awaiting a home or a victim.

The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution, the foundation and cornerstone of our democracy, read by Mike Vendetti. A must-listen for every citizen of our Republic and a requirement in Appendix B of Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.

It is the turn of the last century, and Alaska is a mysterious wilderness. At the suggestion of several hundred thousand ladies desiring to revel and possibly riot in the saturnalia of equal franchise, the unnamed lakes in that vast and little known region in Alaska bounded by the Ylanqui River and the Thunder Mountains were now being inexorably named after women.

Walter Gilman did not know when he moved into the Witch House that had been inhabited by old Keziah Mason, convicted of witchcraft in 1692 that his dreams would be haunted by Keziah and her evil friends. Somehow Keziah Mason escaped and disappeared from Salem Goal where she was being held. The goaler, or jailer went absolutely mad. Residents of the legend-haunted city of Arkham, claimd to see old Keziah Mason and the small white- fanged furry thing that accompanied Keziah, along with an eerie glow when they appeared.

A very short story by Ambrose Bierce, that as Bierce is so prone to do ends with quite a surprise.

Barred from life and death alike, she waited - waited for the key that could unlock the sinister talisman that held her prisoner of eternity. Taken from The King in Yellow, often referred to in "True Detective" this is one creepy short story.

Grief. An emotion we all experience at one time or another, but there is no grief greater then the loss of a loved one. In this short poem by William Hope Hodgson, the narrator is alone with his grief and the realization that what had been will never be again.

William Hope Hodgson began his working career as a seaman, where he learned to fear and hate the sea. This short story takes place in the laboratory of a scientist who is in contact by one-way wireless telegraph with an unnamed friend who is on a ship trapped in a terrible storm. The sea becomes an evil thing, and the entity is determined to destroy the living, and the ship they came on. But before death comes to those aboard the doomed vessel, it brings out the very worst in the passengers.

A beautiful woman imagines she is married below her station. In an effort to make her happy, her husband brings home an invitation to a ball attended by the upper crust of Paris society. To his chagrin, she is only disappointed, and explains she has nothing to wear to the ball. The husband sacrifices his savings to buy her a dress. She has no jewelry, but she has a wealthy friend who will lend her a beautiful accoutrement to accompany the beautiful dress.

A traveler takes refuge in a château where he finds he is surrounded by fine paintings. Unable to sleep he takes refuge in a book. He moves the candelabrum to shed better light upon the book, but when he does so he discovers in the corner of the room and amazingly lifelike painting of a young woman. It is so real, and he is first so startled that he must close his eyes to gather his wits. After contemplating this painting for nearly an hour he discovers a catalog that describes the painting.

Imagine if you will, a South Sea island with no trees, only grass. The natives haven't ventured into the grass since a dead woman was discovered there and it was apparent that she died of snakebite. But there are no snakes, and the only mark on her not unlike the bite of a very small child. Now imagine that upon visiting the only non-native inhabitant you see sitting upon a shelf an amazingly lifelike foot high carving of a beautiful Polynesian woman and you cannot believe how lifelike it is until you discover that it is...

Can you tolerate the suspense? When a kid commits a crime in Pittsburgh, the trouble is just beginning. That's because teenage criminals end up doing time in the River County Reform Camp for Boys. Rehabilitation isn't what the manipulative colonel running the military-style boot camp has in mind for some. He sees his chance to control a lethal and fearless force - teen criminals.