Andrew90

Captains Courageous, by Rudyard Kipling. Read by Mark F. Smith. Real men don't take guff from snotty kids. Neither does Disko Troop, skipper of the "We're Here", a fishing schooner out of Gloucester, Massachusetts, when his crew fishes Harvey Cheyne out of the Atlantic. There's no place on the Grand Banks for bystanders, so Harvey is press-ganged into service as a replacement for a man lost overboard and drowned. Harvey is heir to a vast fortune, but his rescuers believe none of what he tells them of his background. Disko won't take the boat to port until it is full of fish, so Harvey must settle in for a season at sea. Hard, dangerous work and performing it alongside a grab-bag of characters in close quarters is a life-changing experience. And when Harvey at last is reunited with his parents, who have thought him dead for months, he must face the hard decisions of how he will allow his experience to change his life. (Summary by Mark F. Smith)

Great Composers for Children, by Thomas Tapper. Read by Kara Shallenberg. This is a collection of ten short, entertaining, informative picture-book biographies of famous composers. Each book tells about the childhood and great achievements of a composer, and includes a short musical example.

Rilla of Ingleside, by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Read by Karen Savage. Written in 1921, this is the final book in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. Set during World War I, it shows the courage and endurance of the sisters, mothers and wives (and brothers and fathers) left to tend the home front. The main focus of the book is on Anne and Gilbert's youngest daughter, Rilla. (Summary by Karen Savage)

The Abbot's Ghost or Maurice Treherne's Temptation by Louisa May Alcott. Written by Louisa May Alcott under her pseudonym, A. M. Barnard, this Christmas story deals with the themes of love and defending one's honor. Although he is disinherited and poor, Maurice Traherne tries to win the hand of his love, Octavia.(Summary by Jennifer Stearns)

The Enchanted Castle, by E. Nesbit. Read by Peter Eastman. Three children, forced to remain at school during the holidays, go in search of adventure. What they find is a magic castle straight out of a fairy tale, complete with an enchanted princess at the center of a maze. Or is it? The castle turns out to be just a country estate, and the princess is only the housekeeper's niece, playing at dressing up. But the magic ring she shows them proves -- to her surprise and horror -- to really be magic. Soon they are caught in an adventure where statues come alive, lost lovers are reunited, and wishes can be granted -- but always for a price. (Summary by Peter Eastman)

The Abominations of Modern Society, by Thomas Dewitt Talmage. The title gives an accurate description of the book! It is full of old and forgotten words and phrases, Amusing at times, but addressing the problems mentioned in the chapter titles in detail. The troubles of his times are the same as today's, and Rev. Talmage does a marvelous job going through each one individually. (Summary by fiddlesticks)

The Cricket on the Hearth, by Charles Dickens (1812-1870). Read by Ruth Golding. The tale of John Peerybingle, the good-hearted carrier, and his young wife Mary ('Dot'), interwoven with the story of poor toymaker Caleb Plummer, his beloved blind daughter Bertha, and the harsh old toy merchant Tackleton, who is due to marry May Fielding, a childhood friend of Dot. Comic relief is provided by Tilly Slowboy, the disaster-prone nursemaid of John and Dot's baby, and Boxer, the family dog. The cricket who chirps on the family hearth assumes fairy form to save the day when disaster looms in the form of a mysterious stranger. Sentimental? Certainly - but this, the third (1845) of Dickens' short Christmas books, is as charming and irresistible as its predecessors A Christmas Carol (1843) and The Chimes (1844). The novella is subdivided into chapters called 'Chirps', similar to the 'Quarters' of The Chimes or the 'Staves' of A Christmas Carol. (Introduction by Ruth Golding)

Lena Rivers by Mary Jane Holmes. Read in English by Celine Major. If you're a fan of mid-19th Century melodramas with many twists and turns you will love this book. Acclaimed as Holmes greatest commercial success the charming heroine of this tale is Lena Rivers whose mother died when she was a baby. The father is unknown, and she is brought up by her grandparents in the New England mountains. When the grandfather dies, she and her grandmother are uprooted to live with her uncle in Kentucky. His wealthy wife and 3 spoiled children are not at all happy about taking in these poor relations and do all they can to make them feel unwelcome. Sometimes highly emotional, sometimes hilarious the characters in this good old-fashioned romance are captivating and will pull you in until the very satisfying end. - Summary by Celine Major

An African Millionaire: Episodes in the Life of the Illustrious Colonel Clay by Grant Allen. "My name is Seymour Wilbraham Wentworth. I am brother-in-law and secretary to Sir Charles Vandrift, the South African millionaire and famous financier. Many years ago, when Charlie Vandrift was a small lawyer in Cape Town, I had the (qualified) good fortune to marry his sister. Much later, when the Vandrift estate and farm near Kimberley developed by degrees into the Cloetedorp Golcondas, Limited, my brother-in-law offered me the not unremunerative post of secretary; in which capacity I have ever since been his constant and attached companion." An illustrious scientist, Allen came to fiction as a more lucrative avenue than more serious writing. As well as writing ghost and detective stories, he introduced us to the illustrious Colonel Clay, a precursor of other gentleman rogue characters; he notably bears a strong resemblance to Maurice Leblanc's Arsène Lupin, introduced some years later. - Summary by Lynne Thompson, quote from the first chapter

Julian Hawthorne was an American writer and journalist, the son of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and Sophia Peabody. He wrote numerous poems, novels, short stories, mystery/detective fiction, essays and travel books.

Tourmalin's Time Cheques, by Thomas Anstey Guthrie (1856-1934) under the pseudonym of F. Anstey. Read by Anna Simon, Ruth Golding and Tricia G. Peter Tourmalin is on a sea voyage back home to England from Australia, to return to his fiancee, and he is very bored. The fact that the time difference adds on extra hours to his boredom only makes it worse. So when he gets a unique opportunity to deposit his spare time into an account with the "Anglo-Australian Joint Stock Time Bank, Limited" he doesn't hesitate for long. By opening this account, he doesn't have to spend his spare time right away, but can withdraw it at any future date, when he wants a break. All he has to do is present a time cheque to any clock, and he is immediately brought back aboard ship to spend the time withdrawn. Sounds perfect? Peter certainly thinks so, when on a dreary November morning in London, a little tired with his exacting fiancee, he presents his first cheque and gets to spend a sunny quarter of an hour aboard ship. However, things get complicated when it turns out the time withdrawn isn't in consecutive installments, but all mixed up, leaving Peter often with no clue of any preliminaries or his relationship with the person he finds himself with. Since he is almost always dropped in the middle of a conversation this can be tricky - especially since his encounters include tete-a-tetes with not one but two beautiful young ladies (never at the same time of course!)… And things only get more and more complicated... (Summary by Anna Simon)

The Fellowship Of The Frog by Edgar Wallace. Read in English by Howard Skyman. In this story a small village in rural England is the unlikely site of multiple mysterious goings on. Dick Gordon, a young public prosecutor, and a determined police officer named Elk are on the trail of a secret society called the Frogs. Their leader is a diabolical master criminal simply known as “The Frog”. There are further interesting sub plots involving the family of a pretty young lady whom Dick Gordon finds very attractive. There are plenty of other characters and a few delightful twists! - Summary by Howard Skyman

Interventions by Georgia Wood Pangborn. Read in English by Psudonae Vox; Lynne Thompson; Ekaterina Kubryakova; Sarah Stefan; Blaze Lee Dragon; Kanta; Regina A collection of short stories of social commentary, tales of love, mystery, and loss. Many of the stories revolve around children, women, and relationships with friends of varying classes, often in odd, unusual, or difficult circumstances in life. (Introduction by Psudonae Vox)

A Vanished Hand by Sarah Doudney. Memories haunt Elsie Kilner at every turn. Kicked out of her family home, she finds a new abode in which she finds fragments of a diary. It begins with the words: "If I only knew that some one would be kind to Jamie". Finding a kindred spirit in the author of the diary, Elsie goes on a search. - Summary by Stav Nisser.

The Woman of Mystery by Maurice Leblanc. Read in English by Christine Dufour. In 1898, a young boy watches in horror as his father is stabbed to death by a mysterious woman wearing a black lace scarf and an ornate brooch, Years later, when he arrives with his new bride at the chateau that was part of her dowry, he sees in a portrait the face of his father's murderer, wearing the same black lace and brooch -- his wife's late mother. Then he himself is attacked by a man resembling that same woman. Torn between love and repulsion for his bride, and plagued by self doubt, he answers the call to arms as world war begins. And in that war lies the answer to questions that have tormented him since the night of the original murder. - Summary by Jacquerie

The Motor Pirate by George Sidney Paternoster. Read in English by Julian Pratley; Paul Hampton; Shriya; Henry89; VivianWeaver; Paul Harvey. Of course every one has heard of the Motor Pirate. No one indeed could help doing so unless he or she, as the case may be, happened to be in some part of the world where newspapers never penetrate; since for months his doings were the theme of every gossip in the country, and his exploits have filled columns of every newspaper from the moment of his first appearance until the day when the reign of terror he had inaugurated upon the roads ended as suddenly and as sensationally as it had begun. Who the owner of the pirate car was? Whence he came? Whither he went? These are questions which have exercised minds innumerable; but though there have been nearly as many theories propounded as there were brains at work propounding them, so far no informed account of the man or his methods has been made public. - Summary by From The Book.

"The Portrait of Mr. W. H." is a story written by Oscar Wilde, first published in Blackwood's Magazine in 1889. It was later added to the collection Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories, though it does not appear in early editions.[1] An enlarged edition planned by Wilde, almost twice as long as the Blackwood's version, with cover illustration by Charles Ricketts, did not proceed and only came to light after Wilde's death. This was published in limited edition by Mitchell Kennerley in New York in 1921, and in a first regular English edition by Methuen in 1958, edited by Vyvyan Holland. The story is about an attempt to uncover the identity of Mr. W. H., the enigmatic dedicatee of Shakespeare's Sonnets. It is based on a theory, originated by Thomas Tyrwhitt, that the sonnets were addressed to one Willie Hughes, portrayed in the story as a boy actor who specialized in playing women in Shakespeare's company. This theory depends on the assumption that the dedicatee is also the Fair Youth who is the subject of most of the poems. The only evidence for this theory is the text of a number of sonnets themselves (such as Sonnet 20, that makes puns on the words "Will" and "Hues")

The Ordeal of Elizabeth by Anonymous. Read in English by Lani Small; Leanne; Craig Kenneth Bryant; P. J. Morgan; Lynne Thompson; Natalie Paula; Maryanka; Jeanie; Siobhan; KHand; Caroline Morales. An unforgettable family saga which revolves around the beautiful young Elizabeth. Elizabeth is orphaned and raised by her spinster aunts. As an adult, she finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage and ultimately falls in love with another man. After telling her lover the truth about her marriage - her husband is found murdered the very next day! This is a story of destiny, temptation, and courage of the heart. (Summary by Lani Small) This book is sometimes attributed to Elizabeth von Arnim, but her authorship cannot be confirmed. There is no chapter four in this book, it seems to have been intentionally left out by the author.

Snarled Identities by Nicholas Carter. Read in English by John; tommack; David Angelo; Paul Harvey; Tim Jones; Chris Brown; drwebber; Andrew Gaunce; Paul Hampton; Steven Jon Peterson; Larry Wilson; Luke Burgess; JackpotSeven ; Phelps Laguna Nick Carter is a fictional detective who first appeared in 1886 in dime store novels. Over the years, different authors, all taking the nom de plume Nicholas Carter, have penned stories featuring "America's greatest detective". It is time for Nick to take a much-earned vacation, but Chick is disconcerted to see him continuing to read the newspaper. Who know what mystery will catch his eye? Suddenly, he notices the announcement of the death of his old adversary 'Green-Eye Gordon'.

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde. "The Canterville Ghost" is a humorous short story by Oscar Wilde. It was the first of Wilde's stories to be published, appearing in two parts in The Court and Society Review, 23 February and 2 March 1887. The story is about an American family who moved to a castle haunted by the ghost of a dead English nobleman, who killed his wife and was then walled in and starved to death by his wife's brothers. It has been adapted for the stage and screen several times.

Stories without Tears by Barry Pain. Read in English by Kate Follis; Gab1; Mike Pelton; Greg Giordano; Richard Potenza; Peter Block; Angelique G. Campbell; livhardy; Cyndi Stark; Maria de Fátima da Silva; Lynda Marie Neilson; Siyami Aktan; April6090; Foon; Mitzi; M.L. Wize. This is a collection of short stories by Barry Pain, first published in 1914. While generally best-known for his horror and supernatural fiction, Barry Pain turns to general fiction, mystery, and humour in this volume. Sorely needed in 1914, one might say, and perhaps also sorely needed today. - Summary by Carolin

The Radio Boys Trailing a Voice; Or, Solving a Wireless Mystery by Allen Chapman. Read in English by Tom Hirsch. Radio is an ideal boy’s hobby, but it is not limited to youth. Nevertheless, it offers a wonderful scope for the unquenchable enthusiasm that always accompanies the application of youthful endeavor, and it is a fact that the majority of the wonderful inventions and improvements that have been made in radio have been produced by young men. To be appended and/or amended as this project proceeds - Summary by Tom Hirsch

Rastignac The Devil, by Philip Jose Farmer. Read by Gregg Margarite (1957-2012). French colonists on a planet ruled by reptiles and amphibians are forced to wear living “skins” that subdue aggression and enforce vegetarianism. As children, Rastignac and his reptile friend Mapfarity force themselves to become carnivores and begin a protein fueled journey that causes Rastignac to develop a Philosophy of Violence. When a spaceship from Earth crashes in the ocean, Rastignac and company must put their philosophy to the test. - Rastignac The Devil was first published in the May 1954 issue of Fantastic Universe Magazine. (Summary by Gregg Margarite)

Prince or Chauffeur? A Story of Newport by Lawrence Perry. Read in English by Jim Locke. Newport, of course, means aristocratic families and naval adventures. In this tale, we wonder if the heiress will actually marry the Russian prince, who is of questionable character, or the chauffeur, who would certainly be beneath her station, but maybe there's more to the stories of each of our wooers.

A Master Hand, by Richard Dallas. Read by Delmar H. Dolbier. This murder mystery, written in 1903 by Richard Dallas (pseudonym), describes a fictional crime that took place in the New York City of 1883. A fine period piece as well as a clever detective story. (Introduction by Delmar H. Dolbier)