An English translation of the French World War I novel “Le Feu”, written by a French soldier and dedicated to “the memory of the comrades who fell by my side at Crony and on Hill 119.” Barbusse was invalided out of the army after 17 months in 1915, and given a clerical job, during which time he penned this work. He was greatly influenced by the Russian Revolution and joined the communist party. – Summary by Lynne Thompson [chương_files]
“Two, four, six, eight,” he muttered to himself at intervals. “Yes, there are eight of them.” Again he laid his ear to the ground and listened. “Yes, there are eight of them, sure enough,” he again muttered; and then, after a pause, he added: “But two of them are mules, I think; and they are coming right down hitherward.” Then he looked to his rifle lock, and cocked his piece. “Unless they turn aside when they reach the timber, they will be on me in five minutes; and if they know the forest, they will not turn, that’s certain; for here’s the only place where you can find hard bottom to ride in and out of the old Bravo, for ten miles up and down.” He paused from his soliloquy, listened again, and then a smile crept across his intelligent face. A tale from the 1800s in the Texas plains written by British author Henry William Herbert. – Summary by E.J. Wiley [chương_files]
This is an overlooked novel by the author of House Of Mirth, Age Of Innocence, and more. She already became the first woman to win the Pulitzer prize for literature before this novel was written. Edith Wharton is known for her combination of social observations, criticism, and compassion. This WWI novel is told from the point of view of parents, forced to live their own lives when their son is at the front. John and Julia are divorced parents. When their only son George enlists, Julia and her second husband do their best to give him a desk job. But George shocks everybody by enlisting. His mother is horrified, his father and stepfather are secretly proud. But would he return alive? – Summary by Stav Nisser [chương_files]
Edith L. Cavell (1865–1915) was a British nurse who attended to soldiers of both sides during World War I, and helped some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium, for which she was arrested, court-martialed, found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. Attempts to mount an appeal failed, and she was summarily executed within hours of the sentence by a German firing squad. Publication of the news prompted spontaneous grief and worldwide condemnation. Many memorials were created around the world, including a statue adjacent to Trafalgar Square in London. –Adapted from Wikipedia NOTE: After recording Chapter 7, the reader became aware that the subject’s family pronounced the surname as it rhymes with “gravel”, and he therefore pronounces it CAvel in subsequent chapters. The first edition of this book was published in 1916. The final portion of Chapter 15 is from a later edition. ( Wikipedia page on Edith Cavell) [chương_files]
Many men swore that The Orphan was bad, and many swore profanely and with wonderful command of epithets because he was bad, but for obvious reasons that was as far as the majority went to show their displeasure. Those of the minority who had gone farther and who had shown their hatred by rash actions only proved their foolishness; for they had indeed gone far and would return no more. But Sheriff Jim Shields is tracking The Orphan, wanted for the murder of sheepherders, and won’t stop until he brings the bad man to justice. Often billed as the second book in Clarence Mulford’s Hopalong Cassidy series, Hoppy doesn’t appear in this one, but it’s still as rip-roaring a western as you’ll ever see. – Summary by sjmarky [chương_files]
Whispering Smith, like most of Frank Spearman’s western novels (and some non-fiction as well) are set in the world of railroads, in the late 1800’s. The main character, Gordon Smith, is a railroad detective; he first appears in this novel, then later in others. This novel was popular enough to be made into film eight times (four being silent) and into a TV series. In this novel, Smith finds that the culprit of the railroad mishaps he is investigating is a close friend, Murray Sinclair. That plot may seem overworked, but Spearman makes it nuanced enough for it to be quite interesting; two interwoven romances are included. The strongest feature of Spearman’s novels is probably his beautiful descriptions of the American western landscapes. His character descriptions and plots also hold up well against the other writers of westerns of the early 1900’s. (Summary by Bob Rollins) [chương_files]
Three different fantastic adventures of the legendary scout Buffalo Bill. (Summary by Ares) [chương_files]
During the war (WWI), [Kipling] wrote a booklet The Fringes of the Fleet containing essays and poems on various nautical subjects of the war. Some of the poems were set to music by English composer Edward Elgar. [chương_files]
Arthur Conan Doyle was deeply affected by the many wars fought during his lifetime. As many other writers, he used the material for short stories, a collection of which is presented here. – Summary by Carolin [chương_files]
As with most of Frank Spearman’s novels (and non-fiction), “Laramie Holds the Range” is set in the West during our early railroad days. He used the best of the illustrators of the day, such as N.C. Wyeth. Occasionally, a character would appear in more than one of his stories. The strongest elements of his novels, including this one, are his outstanding descriptions of the landscape and the physical elements of his characters. In this story, Kate Doubleday travels West to join her father, whom she has never seen. Laramie is a mountain rancher, who is opposed by Kate’s father and all of the large cattlemen of the range. While it is a familiar struggle, Spearman effectively weaves a plot that holds the reader’s interest. (Summary by Bob Rollins, Augusta GA) [chương_files]
Copyright © 2024 | FreeAudible
