Showing results by narrator "John Michael" in All Categories

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?

Sunken treasure in the Atlantic Ocean! Millions of dollars in gold just there for the taking. All our hero Tom Swift has to do is find it, and recover it. He knows the latitude and longitude, but it's not that easy when the treasure lies somewhere leagues beneath the surface of the ocean. But leave it to our hero, his amazing submarine, and his faithful friends to find a way. Sail along with Tom Swift on another exciting adventure battling the forces of nature, sea monsters, and evil villains, as he searches for treasure!

In this missive Ambrose Bierce recounts two days in his life, April 6 and April 7, 1862, perhaps the two most significant days of his life. He and over 100,000 other combatants have gathered about a small church near the town of Corinth, "a wretched place--the capital of a swamp, two days' march west of the Tennessee River". The church is Shiloh, and it will lend its name to the great battle that took place there.

The eyes of a panther, or the mind of a terrified woman. Which is more powerful? Ambrose Bierce leaves you wondering and thinking in this powerful short story.

The Devil and Tom Walker is a classic short story by Washington Irving. When you make a deal with the devil you have to shake his hand. At the time Tom made his deal, it seemed like a good idea, but as Tom aged and death approached, he became very pious and even carried two Bibles with him. But a deal is a deal as Tom would discover.

Originally published in the San Francisco Examiner in 1891 as "Tales of Soldiers and Civilians" and retitled in Britain as "In the Midst of Life", this audiobook is a collection of 11 short stories from the tales of civilians. Ambrose Bierce loved to focus on the troubled, and perhaps marginally insane, citizens of his time, and the power of the mind, and love gone wrong. For example, "The Man and the Snake" is a story where the snake never attacks, but the man dies.

Tales Season Two delves even further beyond the pale with eight explosive tales to tickle your fancy and curdle your blood. The series is produced by filmmakers Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid; Associate producers Lisa Wisely, Jenn Wexler. In 'Dead Man's Shoes' by Ashley Thorpe, a struggling novelist with writer’s block takes on some translation work for a housebound elderly aristocrat who wants 'to put his affairs in order' before his death. The events that unfold require every ounce of the novelist's creativity he's got to keep them both alive!