Showing results by narrator "Mark Bowen" in All Categories

Produced in 458 BC, Aeschylus' Choephori is the second play in the Oresteian trilogy. The bloodshed begun in the first play with the murder of Agamemnon by his wife Clytemnestra is here continued when Agamemnon's son Orestes avenges his father's death by killing Clytemnestra. It is not until the third and final play, Eumenides, that peace is restored to the family of the Atreidae. The introduction discusses the pre-Aeschylean 'Orestes' tradition in literature and art, as well as the place of Choephori within the Oresteia.

Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare based on the short story Moor of Venice by Cinthio, believed to have been written in approximately 1603. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, his wife Desdemona, his lieutenant Cassio, and his trusted advisor Iago. Attesting to its enduring popularity, the play appeared in 7 editions between 1622 and 1705. Because of its varied themes — racism, love, jealousy and betrayal — it remains relevant to the present day and is often performed in professional and community theatres alike.

The Christmas Stories by Selma Lagerlöf is a charming compilation of holiday tales penned by the renowned Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf. This anthology features three enchanting stories: A Christmas Guest, The Holy Night, and The Legend of the Christmas Rose. Selma Lagerlöf, known for her lyrical prose and storytelling prowess, invites listeners to experience the magic and wonder of Christmas through her narratives. These stories are steeped in Scandinavian traditions and reflect the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The Christmas Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson is a captivating compilation of holiday tales by the celebrated Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. This anthology includes three cherished stories that beautifully capture the essence of the Christmas season: Christmas at Sea, Markheim, and Winter Time. Robert Louis Stevenson showcases his versatile storytelling skills in these Christmas stories. Through his vivid prose, he invites listeners to explore the magic and wonder of Christmas, as well as the complexities of human nature during this special time of year.

Looking to learn about how you can use martial arts for self defense or for sport? This bundle has three audiobooks of some of the most popular forms of martial arts: Karate, Ju-Jitsu, and Taekwondo.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a classic narrative poem that follows the harrowing journey of a mariner who faces supernatural occurrences and the consequences of his actions. Each poem in this collection showcases Coleridge's mastery of language, imagery, and symbolism, inviting readers on a journey through landscapes both real and imagined. From the eerie enchantment of "Kubla Khan" to the gothic suspense of "Christabel" and the tranquil introspection of "Frost at Midnight," this collection offers a diverse range of poetic experiences.

Bronislaw Malinowski's seminal work, Sex and Repression in Savage Society, delves into the intricate dynamics of sexuality and societal control within primitive cultures. Published in 1927, this ethnographic study challenges prevailing Victorian notions of sexuality and sheds light on the nuanced ways in which indigenous societies navigate and regulate sexual behaviors. Malinowski's immersive fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands enables him to provide a rich anthropological account, exploring the role of rituals, customs, and taboos in shaping sexual practices.

Youth is a science fiction novelette by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the May 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction and was reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories. Youth is one of the rare Asimov stories with alien characters. Slim is a boy whose astronomer father is visiting the country estate of an important industrialist. The industrialist's son, Red, has found two strange animals, and he enlists Slim in a plan to turn the animals into a circus act. The astronomer, meanwhile, tells the industrialist that he has been in contact with space aliens who want to open up their world to interstellar trade.

After his wife died in a horrific car accident, Oscar Sermons' life went into a tailspin. He's managed to keep things together, but he can't get over his desperation to talk to her just one more time. A chance meeting led him to another, a Gypsy traveler named Marica. Marica, along with her aunt, gives him advice, warning him not to dabble with forces much stronger than himself. However, their warnings fall on deaf ears. He quickly realizes he should’ve listened, his life changing forever.

The Embroidered Towel is one of the most famous story from a short story collection A Young Doctor's Notebook, also known as A Country Doctor's Notebook. In The Embroidered Towel by Mikhail Bulgakov the young doctor arrives at his new post after a bone-jarring 24-hour wagon ride. He frets about how young he looks, and feels intimidated by the well-stocked pharmacy and medical library his predecessor has left behind. He also worries that he'll have to treat a hernia and won't know what to do - this neurosis is a running joke in the book's initial stories.

The Roman Empire is coming apart at the seams, relying on German recruits and foederati to hold the empire together. The eastern and western empires are ruled by incompetent young men who allow their German warlords to rule for them, but imperial elites conspire against the generals.

Antony and Cleopatra (First Folio title: The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The play was first performed, by the King's Men, at either the Blackfriars Theatre or the Globe Theatre in around 1607; its first appearance in print was in the Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's 1579 English translation of Plutarch's Lives (in Ancient Greek) and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony from the time of the Sicilian revolt to Cleopatra's suicide during the Final War of the Roman Republic.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history, such as Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. Set in Rome in 44 BC, the play depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Following Caesar's death, Rome is thrust into a period of civil war, and the republic the conspirators sought to preserve is lost forever.

Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus and Cressida. The work has in recent years "stimulated exceptionally lively critical debate". Throughout the play, the tone lurches wildly between bawdy comedy and tragic gloom, and readers and theatre-goers have frequently found it difficult to understand how one is meant to respond to the characters.

King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It tells the tale of a king who bequeaths his power and land to two of his three daughters, after they declare their love for him in an extremely fawning and obsequious manner. His third daughter gets nothing, because she will not flatter him as her sisters had done. When he feels disrespected by the two daughters who now have his wealth and power, he becomes furious to the point of madness. He eventually becomes tenderly reconciled to his third daughter, just before tragedy strikes her and then the king.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1602. Set in Denmark, the play depicts Prince Hamlet and his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet's father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet's mother.

The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism (Russian: Три источника и три составных части марксизма) is an article written by the Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin and published in 1913. The article was dedicated to the thirtieth anniversary of Karl Marx's death.

Self-Reliance is an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson, a prominent American philosopher and essayist from the 19th century. Published in 1841, the essay explores the concept of individualism and the importance of trusting one's own instincts and beliefs. Emerson advocates for the rejection of conformity and societal expectations, encouraging readers to rely on their own intuition and inner convictions. The essay is a powerful call to embrace self-reliance as a means of personal growth and fulfillment, promoting the idea that true wisdom arises from individual experience and authenticity.

Man has always wanted to travel into the unknown and encounter what he has not, and perhaps cannot, experience in the real world. The early 20th century witnessed an explosion of science fiction literature. Authors studied the wonders of scientific and technological progress and imagined worlds that had developed even greater advances. Jules Vernes' and H.G. Wells' fantastic tales well whetted the public's appetite for adventure tales.

Worms of the Earth is a dark fantasy story by Robert E. Howard, first published in 1932. Set in the world of Roman-occupied Britain, the tale follows Bran Mak Morn, the last king of the Picts, as he seeks revenge against the oppressive Roman Empire. When a Roman official publicly tortures and humiliates one of Bran's people, the Pictish leader turns to an ancient, forbidden race— the Worms of the Earth— for help in exacting his vengeance.