Showing results by narrator "Joseph Sepe" in All Categories

A Popular History of Ireland, a detailed yet comprehensive look at Ireland’s Christian history, was written by Thomas D’Arcy McGee, a Canadian-Irish politician, journalist, and poet, whose private and professional life was as eventful and perilous as many of eras chronicled in this book. Being involved heavily in various Irish Catholic movements, the Irish Confederation, and the Young Irelander Rebellion throughout the mid-19th century, McGee’s insight into Ireland’s past is fascinating.

The Didache (translated literally as ‘Teaching’) is an extensive and detailed Christian text dated by experts to around the first century, making it the oldest intact catechism. The Didache has been a source of great interest to devout Christians, theology students, and historians alike since its discovery and contains a great amount of information, rites, and references in connection to the Christian faith. 

Hermeticism holds in itself a great philosophical foundation that approaches God as an ultimate and transcendent power through which three parts of wisdom shape the universe. Alchemy, Astrology, and Theurgy describe in its essence a journey from the corporal to the spiritual on which many western philosophies are also built. From these three pillars of wisdom, Hermes himself received his name ‘Trismegistus’ - Thrice Great. 

Herman Melville, potentially one of America’s most important novelists, wrote White Jacket (published in 1850) based on his experiences serving the US Navy aboard the frigate USS Neversink from 1843 to 1844. White Jacket is considered to be Melville’s most politically charged novel due to its severe criticism of the US Navy and its policies at the time. In fact, the novel helped bring about the end of flogging aboard Naval ships (then a standard practice) due to its graphic and brutal descriptions of the floggings Melville himself witnessed. 

Noted for his stories focusing strongly on the religious experiences of the poor and often female members of his community, Legh Richmond can be perceived as something of a revolutionary. Every Saturday afternoon, Richmond would teach local children about God using the abundance of nature and beauty as a catalyst. When 12-year-old Jane Squibb turns ill and he visits her sickbed, he finds in her an old soul filled with great spiritual maturity and remarkable knowledge of the Scriptures. 

Amongst the many historical accounts we have, few are devoted to the voice of those belonging to the lower classes. Reverend Legh Richmond shares the words and experiences of Elizabeth Wallbridge, a young woman from limited means who had found God after a sermon transformed her life. This booklet had a rather wide distribution and carried a great influence due to its cheerful tone underlining a story of wisdom, heroism, and altruism. 

This famous oration included in Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War has been credited as highly significant due to its unique nature amongst others in its genre. Following the annual tradition, Pericles delivers his speech at the public funeral for the victims of war. Even though designed to glorify and commemorate the dead, Pericles soon turns his oration into an ode to Athens celebrating the many achievements of this proud city. 

Nineteenth-century clergyman William Sprague muses on the phrase “prove your own selves”. He stresses the great significance of new members entering the religious community and where their responsibilities lie. Once they have chosen the path for themselves, they are bound by that choice to continuously prove their worth and devotion to the church. 

Revisit the whimsical Wonderland...in reverse! Walk through warped images in a familiar world when Alice enters Wonderland not through a rabbit hole, but a mirror. Join her on a journey through shifting timelines and altering realities taken step by step on a living chessboard. 

Mathematics meets comedy in this collection of 10 stories by Lewis Carroll. When listening to the audiobook, you won’t be able to help yourself from wishing Carroll was your childhood math teacher. One way to disarm the intimidating tasks of solving a mathematical problem, is with a sincere smile on our faces. 

This classic nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll introduces 10 characters setting sail for the hunt of the elusive creature called the Snark. Alluding to several themes already presented in Through the Looking Glass, Carroll brilliantly builds fantastical typology on an existential foundation. The crew members hunt for the Snark like we hunt for happiness; with great passion and conviction but also some level of uncertainty regarding its actual meaning or even existence.

Alice's Adventures Under Ground was the original story written by Lewis Carroll. He later revised the manuscript, which would become the famous Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. 

Three girls listen eagerly as a small child called Alice stumbles into a hole toward her greatest adventure yet. This poem announces the beginning of Alice in Wonderland as the story spontaneously takes form before the narrator’s eyes.