Literature Podcasts
Librivox: ספר הקבצנים Fishke the Lame (The Book of Beggars) by מנדלה מוכר ספרים Mendele Mocher SforimJoin Now to Follow
Mendele Mocher Seforim (Literary name for Shalom Jacob Abramovitsch) (1835 - 1917, b. Kapulye, Belorussia), one of the first modern Jewish writers, wrote in both Hebrew and Yiddish throughout his career. In his work he described with sharp satirical criticism the traditional life in small Jewish towns, as well as tendencies for assimilation of learned Jews at the time. He was regarded as the "grandfather of Yiddish literature," but the Hebraic-Zionist atmosphere in Odessa influenced him, and in 1886 he turned to writing Hebrew fiction. The Book of Beggars, or Fishke the Lame, was one of the first romances written in Hebrew in Eastern Europe. It was published in Yiddish in 1869 and later translated into Hebrew by the author. Mendeli used a satirical style mixed with tears and compassion to describe Jews of the lowest classes in small poor communities in Eastern Europe of the second half of the 19th century, organized to look for food and charity. This was the background for an entangled story of theft, rape and sentimental love, with an emphasis on suffering and hardships of women. (Summary by Omri Lernau)
By LibriVox
Librivox: What Katy Did by Coolidge, SusanJoin Now to Follow
What Katy Did is a children's book written by Susan Coolidge, the pen name of Sarah Chauncey Woolsey. It follows the adventures of Katy Carr and her family, growing up in America in the 1860s. Katy is a tall untidy tomboy, forever getting into scrapes but wishing to be beautiful and beloved. When a terrible accident makes her an invalid, her illness and recovery gradually teach her to be as good and kind as she has always wanted. (Summary by Wikiipedia)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Short Poetry Collection 066 by VariousJoin Now to Follow
LibriVox's Short Poetry Collection 066: a collection of 20 public-domain poems.
By LibriVox
Librivox: Selection of Australian Poetry and Prose, A by VariousJoin Now to Follow
A collection of Australian writing from the public domain.
By LibriVox
Librivox: Fables in Rhyme for Little Folks by La Fontaine, Jean deJoin Now to Follow
Several of La Fontaine's fables, translated into English by W. T. Larned. (Summary by bge1234)
By LibriVox
Librivox: Outline of Science, Vol. 1, The (Solo) by Thomson, J. ArthurJoin Now to Follow
In The Outline of Science, Thomson gives us a window into scientific thinking as it stood in 1922 on the big, the little, and the biological. With straightforward language intended for a general audience, this book covers astronomy from the Solar System to the Milky Way, the submicroscopic makeup of matter from protons and electrons, and the evolution of simple living beings into the varied fauna of the world today. Thomson cites many examples that would have been familiar to his readers of the day and notes where scientific understanding leaves off and conjecture begins. He clearly shows how the accumulation of observation and experiment stacked up to form the body of knowledge reported in the book. For even the scientifically well-versed, there will be interesting nuggets, for investigation into how the world came to be as it was, was both wide and deep. To a modern listener, what was not known may be as interesting as what was. With the 100-inch Mt. Wilson reflector the largest telescope in the world, the existence of galaxies outside the Milky Way was suspected but not confirmed. Neutrons, soon to become important in the field of nuclear energy and atomic bombs, were as yet unguessed-at, yet the prospect of liberating the immense energy of the atom was already a keen interest. Although the famous Michaelson-Morley experiment had already been seen as disproof of an all-pervading "ether" which facilitated the flow of energy across empty space, scientists still retained ether as a place-holder for properties they could measure but not explain - an approach very similar to the "dark matter" of modern cosmology. Regardless of your personal sentiments on Darwin's theory of evolution, Thomson provides well-chosen examples that illustrate why this theory arose. He examines not only the fossil record but the evidences present in modern living beings that the process of evolution is by no means finished, but ongoing. Even at that time, Thomson worried over the future of energy sources. He contemplated the exhaustion of the coal fields and indeed, the eventual exhaustion of all usable energy in the universe, foreshadowing our concept of entropy. This book has been consistently among the "Top 100 E-Books" published by Project Gutenberg. Summary by Mark F. Smith.
By LibriVox
Librivox: Meister Floh by Hoffmann, E.T.A.Join Now to Follow
Summary: Das skurriles Märchen „Meister Floh“ erzählt die Geschichte des frauenscheuen Träumers Peregrinus Tyß und dessen Begegnung mit dem weisen und gelehrten Meister der Flöhe. Am Weihnachtsabend bringt Peregrinus den Kindern eines armen Buchbinders Geschenke und trifft dort die schöne und geheimnisvolle Dörtje Elverdink, die ihn bittet, sie in sein Haus aufzunehmen. Dort besteht sie auf der Herausgabe eines Gefangenen, von dem Peregrinus allerdings gar nichts weiß. Zur selben Zeit gastiert ein Flohbändiger und Mikroskopist in der Stadt, dem zunächst seine Flöhe und dann seine schöne Nichte Dörtje abhanden gekommen sind. Auch Georg Pepusch, eine Freud des Peregrinus Tyß, ist auf der Suche nach Dörtje, die er für die wieder zum Leben erweckte Prinzessin Gamaheh aus Famagusta hält. Peregrinus macht die Bekanntschaft des Meister Flohs, der lange ein Gefangener des Flohbändigers war und Peregrinus nun um Schutz bittet. Die schöne Dörtje, die tatsächlich die Prinzessin Gamaheh ist, dürfe ihn um keinen Preis in ihre Gewalt bekommen, da sonst das ganze Volk der Flöhe wieder zur Sklaverei verurteilt sei. Obwohl Peregrinus von Dörtje bezaubert ist, verspricht er, dem Meister Floh zu helfen. (Summary by Hokuspokus)
By LibriVox
