Literature Podcasts
Librivox: Pamphilia to Amphilanthus by Wroth, Lady MaryJoin Now to Follow
Pamphilia to Amphilanthus is the first sonnet sequence written by an Englishwoman. Published in 1621, the poems invert the usual format of sonnet sequences by making the speaker a woman (Pamphilia, whose name means "all-loving") and the beloved a man (Amphilanthus, whose name means "lover of two."). It is possible that Wroth based the story on her own fraught relationship with her cousin, William Herbert. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett.)
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Librivox: Edgar Allan Poe Poems by Poe, Edgar AllanJoin Now to Follow
Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849) is widely famed as one of the greatest writers of all time. He is best known for his works of horror, such as "The Tell Tale Heart." However, and this is less known, Poe also wrote many love poems. In this collection of forty-eight poems by Edgar Allan Poe we will go through a wide variety of themes, from horror and raw creepiness in "The Raven" to pure love in "A Valentine" to depression in "Alone." Throughout all of his poems Poe kept a very strong meter and rhyme scheme. This is most obvious in "The Bells." (Summary by Shurtagal)
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Librivox: Zadig or the Book of Fate by Voltaire (Arouet, François Marie)Join Now to Follow
Zadig, ou La Destinée, ("Zadig, or The Book of Fate") (1747) is a famous novel written by the French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. It tells the story of Zadig, a philosopher in ancient Babylonia. The author does not attempt any historical accuracy, and some of the problems Zadig faces are thinly disguised references to social and political problems of Voltaire's own day. The book is philosophical in nature, and presents human life as in the hands of a destiny beyond human control. It is a story of religious and metaphysical orthodoxy, both of which Voltaire challenges with his presentation of the moral revolution taking place in Zadig himself. Voltaire's skillful use of the literary devices of contradiction and juxtaposition are shown in beautiful form in this prose. Behind Candide, it is considered one of his most celebrated works.
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Librivox: American History Stories, Volume 1 by Pratt, Mara L.Join Now to Follow
A children's book detailing early American history from the Norsemen to the Revolution, meant for educational use.
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Librivox: War and Peace, Book 02: 1805 by Tolstoy, LeoJoin Now to Follow
War and Peace (Russian: Война и мир, Voyna i mir; in original orthography: Война и миръ, Voyna i mir") is an epic novel by Leo Tolstoy, first published from 1865 to 1869 in Russki Vestnik, which tells the story of Russian society during the Napoleonic Era. It is usually described as one of Tolstoy's two major masterpieces (the other being Anna Karenina) as well as one of the world's greatest novels. War and Peace offered a new kind of fiction, with a great many characters caught up in a plot that covered nothing less than the grand subjects indicated by the title, combined with the equally large topics of youth, age and marriage. While today it is considered a novel, it broke so many novelistic conventions of its day that many critics of Tolstoy's time did not consider it as such. Tolstoy himself considered Anna Karenina (1878) to be his first attempt at a novel in the European sense. (Summary by Wikipedia) Note: The novel is split up in 15 books. This is the recording of book two, which covers events in the year 1805. The recording of the next book can be found here . The recording of book one can be found here .
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Librivox: Bible (YLT) 29: Joel by Young's Literal TranslationJoin Now to Follow
Young's Literal Translation is a translation of the Bible into English, published in 1862. The translation was made by Robert Young, compiler of Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible and Concise Critical Comments on the New Testament . Young produced a "Revised Version" of the translation in 1887. After he died on October 14, 1888, the publisher in 1898 released a new Revised Edition. (Summary from Wikipedia)
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Librivox: Against Indifference by Webbe, CharlesJoin Now to Follow
LibriVox volunteers bring you 17 different recordings of Against Indifference by Charles Webbe. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of January 20th, 2008.
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Librivox: Lun Yu (Analects of Confucius) by ConfuciusJoin Now to Follow
The Analects, also known as the Analects of Confucius, are a record of the words and acts of the central Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius and his disciples, as well as the discussions they held. The Chinese title literally means “discussion over [Confucius’] words.” Written during the Spring and Autumn Period through the Warring States Period (ca. 479 BC - 221 BC), the Analects is the representative work of Confucianism and continues to have a tremendous influence on Chinese and East Asian thought and values today. (Summary from Wikipedia)
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Librivox: Bible (YLT) 30: Amos by Young's Literal TranslationJoin Now to Follow
Young's Literal Translation is a translation of the Bible into English, published in 1862. The translation was made by Robert Young, compiler of Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible and Concise Critical Comments on the New Testament . Young produced a "Revised Version" of the translation in 1887. After he died on October 14, 1888, the publisher in 1898 released a new Revised Edition. (Summary from Wikipedia)
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Librivox: Iliad, The by HomerJoin Now to Follow
The Iliad, together with the Odyssey, is one of two ancient Greek epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer. The poem is commonly dated to the 8th or 7th century BC, and many scholars believe it is the oldest extant work of literature in the Greek language, making it the first work of European literature. The existence of a single author for the poems is disputed as the poems themselves show evidence of a long oral tradition and hence, multiple authors. The poem concerns events during the tenth and final year in the siege of the city of Iliun, or Troy, by the Greeks. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Karen Merline.)
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