Showing results by narrator "John Michaels" in All Categories

Here, a collection of 15 short stories by Ambrose Bierce. Bierce's participation in the Battle of Shiloh forever shaped his writing and his life. The short stories in this audiobook, although fiction, are - for the most part - based on some fact. They stand as a testament to the horror of the American Civil War.

We have all experienced it. A scene, a smell, a sound, or a song will carry us back to another time, another place, and to memories pleasant or unpleasant. For Private Grayrock of the Federal Army in the fall of 1861, the trigger is a mockingbird.

They have been romanticized and glorified in the movies and TV, but these are perhaps more accurate portrayals of Wyatt Earp and his contemporaries. Published in 1923, Fredrick R. Beckholdt bases most of these stories upon research and interviews with old timers who witnessed many events portrayed here. Becholdt's portrayal of of the outlaws, hostile Indians, cowboys, gamblers, cold blooded killers, prospectors, and lawmen who inhabited the Wild West is riveting.

“The Man from the Nose” is a short story from the civilian section of Ambrose Bierce’s In the Midst of Life: Tales of Soldiers and Civilians. Like the other tales from this collection, “The Man from the Nose” features a protagonist who is in the prime of his life, when a sudden event shatters his hopes and dreams. As with the rest of the Bierce's stories, the questions and characters presented in “The Man from the Nose” will remain on your mind long after you have stopped listening.

A child stumbles across something in the snow. A wealthy man prepares for his retirement. What clever or cruel twist will this small masterpiece by Ambrose Bierce reveal?

Born in the Yukon, White Fang is a Wolf, or mostly Wolf - his father was a Wolf, his mother was half dog, but for all intents and purposes it was a Wolf. He looked like Wolf, fought like a Wolf, and thought like a Wolf. Early in his cubhood he was captured by an Indian, and raised as a sled dog, the Wolf nearly beaten out of him, but not quite. Subjected to human brutality and a very little human kindness he becomes a deadly fighter until rescued by a wise and kindly man. A heartwarming story.

Originally published in 1892 in Tales of Soldiers and Civilians, "A Lady from Redhorse" is Ambrose Bierce at his best. Mary Jane Dement, daughter of Calamity Jim, grew up in the gold mines where Jim hit it big, and Mary Jane is a millionaire with few prospects for true romance. In her letters to her friend Irene, we learn how love can happen.

Sinclair Lewis’ George F. Babbitt is a complicated and conflicted character. When you think you have his next move figured out, he surprises you. As you begin to like him, he does something to evoke the “what a rat” response. Male menopause wasn’t a pre-Great Depression term, but you could say George has all the symptoms....

Killed at Resaca, is a short story of the American Civil War by Ambrose Bierce. Bierce is a master of the surprise ending. This short story of bravery and betrayal is no exception. Ambrose Bierce was a veteran of the American Civil War, and like many veterans, anger simmers just below the surface. In this short story Bierce’s simmering anger comes out in a surprising way at the end of the story.

Given "The Suitable Surroundings", can a person be scared to death? The answer is yes, according to Ambrose Bierce: Skepticism must occasionally apologize to truth. Once again Ambrose Bierce weaves a tale that, even under present-day conditions, is indeed frightening.

Long before the Internet, mass media, or radio, it is estimated that Charles H. Spurgeon (1834 - 1892) appeared before more then 10 million people. Known as the "Prince of Preachers", Spurgeon remains influential today among Christians of many denominations. Taken from Evening by Evening (Readings at Eventide), these are the selected readings for July.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic short story of a man born in his 70s who ages backward as those around him age in the normal direction. Both humorous and heartbreaking at times, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was the basis for the David Fincher movie of the same name, though the movie differs in several key ways from Fitzgerald's original story.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London was perhaps his best selling book. Buck the dog, a St. Bernard Shepherd mix was living a comfortable life in the Santa Clara Valley of California until the demand for dogs of his type in the Klondike encourages the caretaker to steal him and sell him into a life of misery in the far North. his physical strength, and his strength of character allow him to survive the brutal treatment he receives at the hand of man. The longer he is in the North, the closer he comes to his brother Wolf until the call of the wild transforms him into a wild animal, a Wolf.

In this episode, our hero Tom Swift, perfects a noiseless aeroplane able to cross enemy lines in a silent single bound without detection. Of course spies and evil scoundrels attempt to steal Tom's secrets, even going so far as to kidnap Mr. Nestor. Stay tuned to learn how Tom overcomes the forces of evil to save his girlfriend Mary's father and of more.

In 1910, when "And This is War" was published, emotional wounds of the American Civil War were as yet unhealed. In Europe the winds of the next great war were bginning to stir, and in the United States a spirit of isolationism prevailed.This book does not glorify war, but rather condems all wars, with thirty five related short stories that portray the heartache, sadness, hopelessness and devastation that accompany war.

Long before the Internet, mass media, or radio, it is estimated that Charles H. Spurgeon (1834 - 1892) appeared before more then 10 million people. Known as the "Prince of Preachers", Spurgeon remains influential today among Christians of many denominations. Taken from "Evening by Evening, (Readings at Eventide)" these are the selected readings for August. These evening devotionals have been a source of hope and inspiration to the faithful for nearly a century and a half.

An opportunity to right a wrong that had been done, but at what cost.

Tom Swift in Captivity is book number 13 of the Tom Swift series. In this adventure Tom, Ned, Mr. Damon and Eradicate travel to South America in search of a tribe of giants. Sam Preston, the owner of a large circus puts Tom and his friends on the trail of these huge creatures. Of course our hero and his friends passed through numerous hazards wild animals, and of course the dastardly bad guy. Travel along as John W. Michaels narrates this early piece of Americana.

In Book 3 of the Tom Swift series, Tom Swift and His Airship, our hero, Tom Swift, with the help of his new friend, balloonist John Sharp, builds an amazing airship. It's part dirigible, part airplane, and totally amazing, with a 20-cylinder motor and the ability to land on tall buildings in a single bound. Once again, the redhaired bully Andy Foger plots against Tom, but once again, he is foiled by our hero. Every chapter is a cliffhanger loaded with excitement.

Hansel and Gretel is the classic tale of a brother and sister who get lost in the forest with some surprising results. After being abandoned by their wicked stepmother in the forest, the two children try to find their way home. Suddenly they stumble upon every child's dream: a cottage made of candy! But inside lives a wicked witch who she is not as nice as she at first pretends to be and has an evil plan! Can Hansel and Gretel escape from the dastardly witch and find their way home?