Showing results by author "Audiobooks by Librivox" in All Categories

Notes from Underground is an 1864 novella by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Notes is considered by many to be the first existentialist novel. It presents itself as an excerpt from the rambling memoirs of a bitter, isolated, unnamed narrator (generally referred to by critics as the Underground Man) who is a retired civil servant living in St. Petersburg. The first part of the story is told in monologue form, or the underground man's diary, and attacks emerging Western philosophy, especially Nikolay Chernyshevsky's What Is to Be Done?. The second part of the book is called "Àpropos of the Wet Snow," and ...

Described as the Great Book of Wonders by Arthur Miller, this everyday tale of fraternal affection, sibling rivalry, obsession, lust, parricide, family intrigue, spiritual faith, death by economic deprivation and ultimate salvation in the soul, boasts (among other wonders) the perfect role for Marilyn Monroe, had Arthur only ever written the play. Madness, murder, mayhem and the courtroom drama to end all courtroom dramas it may be, but it is also (strangely) hilariously funny. It's all in the point of view. - Summary by Tony Addison

Crime and Punishment focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, an impoverished St. Petersburg student who formulates and executes a plan to kill a hated, unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money, thereby solving his financial problems and at the same time, he argues, ridding the world of evil. Crime and Punishment is considered by many as the first of Dostoevsky's cycle of great novels, which would culminate with his last completed work, The Brothers Karamazov, shortly before his death. (Summary from Wikipedia)

More systematic, but no less sincere than A Confession (which originally served as the introduction to this work), The Critique of Dogmatic Theology is an early attempt on the part of Tolstoy to impart the results of his meticulous study and fearless inquiry into the beliefs and traditions of Orthodox Christianity following his renewed interest in spirituality. - Summary by Paul Rizik

Noted macabre poet Charles Baudelaire later in life wrote this collection of brief sketches, what he deemed "little poems in prose". He thus employs his rich, romanticist skills in service of creating dream-like passages of ethereal beauty and dark turns of fate. His words may be both kind and cruel in turns but is always entrancing. Also included is an extensive biography of Baudelaire by James Huneker. (Summary by Ben Tucker)

This is an exceptional collection of superb and introspectively distinct poems from the pen of master author D. H. Lawrence. Never failing to both delight and amaze, Lawrence's poems exhibit an insight that elevates them to a level of splendid uniqueness. These are poems that come from the heart and mind of one who has watched the unspeakable destruction of war wreak havoc across Europe, one who has witnessed the devastation inflicted on his country by an immense power that must be overcome and defeated. This is a also a poet who knows that despite unimaginable privation, everyday life must ...

Nineteen Eighty-Four (also published as 1984) is a dystopian speculative fiction novel by the English writer George Orwell. It was published on 8 June 1949 by Secker & Warburg as Orwell's ninth and final completed book. Thematically, it centres on totalitarianism, mass surveillance and repressive regimentation of people and behaviours.

Multilingual Monthly Poetry Project is a project oriented to gather multiple translations and multiple contributions of one chosen poem for the current month. Welcome to the world of interpretations!The poet, impressed by the beauty of the exotic country, India, during his voyage in 1841, later writes a poem, in which he invites his beloved on a wonderful journey to the mysterious world with a variety of colors, the world filled with serenity.Poem of April, 2022 - An invitation to a journey, by Charles Baudelaire. Language of origin: Franch, "L’invitation au voyage". - Summary by Anastasiia ...

The Brothers Karamazov (Russian: Братья Карамазовы) is the final novel by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, and is generally considered the culmination of his life's work. The book portrays a parricide in which each of a murdered man's sons share a varying degree of complicity. The Brothers Karamazov is a passionate philosophical novel that explores deep into the ethical debates of God, free will, and morality. It is a spiritual drama of moral struggles concerning faith, doubt, reason, and modern Russia. Since its publication, it has been acclaimed all over the world by ...

This is a collection of poems, in the form of an entire community speaking from beyond the grave about their lives, and, in some cases, gossiping about their neighbors' lives. It's interesting to hear how other people perceive a particular character, and how that character responds.

The Acts of the Apostles, also known as The Book of Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament. It follows the 4 Gospel accounts not only in order but in chronology. As the Gospels end with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Acts begins with the 11 Apostles and His other disciples embarking on the adventure of following Him and fulfilling His Great Commission (see Matthew 28:16-20 for the most commonly cited version of the Great Commission). Though several heroes of the early Christian church are included in this narrative, much of the book tells the story of the Apostle Paul from ...

2012 is the 200th anniversary of Dickens' birth. This is the third volume of this collection, which aimed to catalogue as many as possible of Dickens' short works which had not previously been recorded for LibriVox. (Summary by Ruth Golding)

William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, based on true events, concerns the conspiracy against Julius Caesar, his assassination in 44 BC, and its immediate aftermath. Probably written in 1599 and among the first of Shakespeare's plays to be performed at the Globe Theater, Julius Caesar is one of his best-known dramas and has received innumerable performances throughout the centuries. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden after Wikipedia)Cast:Julius Caesar – Kim StichOctavius Caesar – Glenn SimonsenAntony – Barry EadsLepidus and Cicero – David LawrencePublius, Poet, and Pindarus –...

Primarily of the bildungsroman genre, Jane Eyre follows the emotions and experiences of eponymous Jane Eyre, her growth to adulthood, and her love for Mr. Rochester, the byronic master of Thornfield Hall. (Summary by Wikipedia)CastNarrator/Charlotte Bronte/Louisa Eshton: Eden Rea-HedrickJane Eyre: Elizabeth BarrYoung Jane/Mrs. Dent/Bread Shop Woman: Arielle LipshawMrs. Reed: KristingjJohn Reed/Mr. Lloyd/Robert/John/Mr. Mason: Jared HessEliza Reed: ThisbeGeorgiana Reed: Diana MajlingerBessie: Verity KendallAbbot: Julia NiedermaierSarah/Helen Burns: April GonzalesFirst Class Lowood Girl/Hannah: ...

III. SEXUAL SELECTION IN RELATION TO MAN, AND CONCLUSION.Part 3 of 3 of a book on evolutionary theory by English naturalist Charles Darwin, first published in 1871. It was Darwin's second great book on evolutionary theory, following his 1859 work, On The Origin of Species. In The Descent of Man, Darwin applies evolutionary theory to human evolution, and details his theory of sexual selection. The book discusses many related issues, including evolutionary psychology, evolutionary ethics, differences between human races, differences between sexes, the superiority of men to women, and the ...

This autobiography of the author is a beautiful story of his journey to becoming a self-realized yogi, starting from recalling his early childhood experiences, to finding his gurus, and gaining spiritual wisdom as he progresses in his journey. It gives profound knowledge about the science of Yoga. - Summary by Ritu Aarcee

The Bronte sisters, most famous for their novels, began their career with a slim volume of poetry, published under pseudonyms. It only sold two volumes, but inspired much interest in the identities of the unknown poets. This is a recording of the more successful 1850 edition, which includes additional poems by Emily and Anne which Charlotte collected after their deaths. (Summary by Libby Gohn)

Agnes Grey is the daughter of a minister, whose family comes to financial ruin. Desperate to earn money to care for herself, she takes one of the few jobs allowed to respectable women in the early Victorian era, as a governess to the children of the wealthy. In working with two different families, the Bloomfields and the Murrays, she comes to learn about the troubles that face a young woman who must try to rein in unruly, spoiled children for a living, and about the ability of wealth and status to destroy social values. After her father's death, Agnes opens a small school with her mother and ...

Charlotte Bronte's classic novel Jane Eyre is narrated by the title character, an orphan who survives neglect and abuse to become a governess at the remote Thornfield Hall. She finds a kindred spirit in her employer, the mysterious and brooding Mr. Rochester, but he hides a terrible secret that threatens their chances of happiness. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)

It is a curious paradox that while the two volumes of Don Quixote have been described as the "best novel of all time" and the "best and most central work in world literature", the many episodes that make up the plot of this long work often prove to remarkably silly or sentimental, and occasionally lapse into riotous slapstick. But then, how liberating — for much of the fun of reading or listening to Don Quixote lies in discovering just how near we are in spirit to the audience who first enjoyed this novel in the early years of the seventeenth century.The novel's plot centres on a minor ...