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Dolliver Romance and Other Pieces

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Essays & Short Works, Fantastic Fiction, General Fiction
Chapter: 13 | Listen: 4

This post-humous collection of stories, sketches and essays by celebrated quintessential New England author Nathaniel Hawthorne gives us glimpses of the many different facets of Hawthorne’s personality. The titular tale The Dolliver Romance was an unfinished manuscript that was edited and prepared for publication after Hawthorne’s death and relates the story of an aged man with a small child in his care who swallows a magical tincture daily that rejuvenates his vitality, reversing the aging process. Also in a more fantastical vein are the stories “The Ancient Ring”, a legend told of a ring cursed, and “Graves a Goblins”, a wryly humorous and moving tale from the point of view of a ghost. In addition, found within are non-fiction essays such as “Sketches from Memory” and “My Trip to Niagara” where Hawthorne evokes a sense of place and time in a most remarkable and vivid fashion. We also see Hawthorne’s somber, allegorical side in stories such as “Fragments from the Journal of a Solitary Man” and “The Old Woman’s Tale”, stories told with a nuanced touch. For fans of Hawthorne, this collection provides a last look at various works a master storyteller has given so generously. (Summary by Ben Tucker) [chương_files]

Selection from ‘The Temple’

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Poetry, Religion
Chapter: 20 | Listen: 7

George Herbert (April 3, 1593 – March 1, 1633) was a Welsh poet, orator and a priest. Throughout his life he wrote religious poems characterized by a precision of language, a metrical versatility, and an ingenious use of imagery or conceits that was favored by the metaphysical school of poets. He is best remembered as a writer of poems and hymns such as “Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life” and “The King of Love My Shepherd Is.” [chương_files]

New Grub Street

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 46 | Listen: 3

“The story deals with the literary world that Gissing himself had experienced. Its title refers to the London street, Grub Street, which in the 18th century became synomynous with hack literature; as an institution, Grub Street itself no longer existed in Gissing’s time. Its two central characters are a sharply contrasted pair of writers: Edwin Reardon, a novelist of some talent but limited commercial prospects, and a shy, cerebral man; and Jasper Milvain, a young journalist, hard-working and capable of generosity, but cynical and unscrupulous about writing and its purpose in the modern (i.e. late Victorian) world”. Summary from Wikipedia. [chương_files]

The Masque of Anarchy

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Poetry, Politics
Chapter: 3 | Listen: 3

The Masque of Anarchy was Shelley’s response to the Peterloo massacre at St Peter’s Fields, Manchester, where 18 died and hundreds were injured, after Hussars charged into a rally for parliamentary reform. Written in Italy in 1819, the poem was not published until 1832, ten years after Shelley’s death. This reading is from the first published edition with the addition of three words that were inserted in full only in later additions (‘Eldon’ in Stanza IV and ‘Bible’ and ‘Sidmouth’ in Stanza VI). The poem is preceded by Leigh Hunt’s preface to the 1932 edition and followed by Harry Buxton Forman’s 1887 lecture on the poem to the Shelley Society. [chương_files]

The Ballad of St. Barbara and Other Verses

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Poetry
Chapter: 35 | Listen: 2

This book of poetry by G.K. Chesterton, originally published in 1922, contain 35 poems on a variety of subjects. [chương_files]

The Divine Enchantment

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Poetry
Chapter: 11 | Listen: 1

When the princess Devanaguy falls into a deep trance-like sleep, she is visited by the god Vishnu: who causes her to fall pregnant with his holy child, Christna. Devanaguy’s sleep is prolonged supernaturally by Vishnu: allowing the god to relate to her his divine secrets through a series of ecstatic visions. Among the mysteries revealed to Devanaguy, she is shown how the gods will shortly powerfully intervene directly in human affairs. When the princess finally re-awakens: she is awestruck by her experiences, and bursts into a spontaneous rhapsody of praise. Throughout her rapturous intercourse with Vishnu, Devanaguy boldly continues to desire answers to mankind’s profoundest questionings: – is it possible for mere mortals to comprehend the divine wisdom of the gods? – can be it really be true that divine beings care enough for mankind to want to intervene in human affairs: to do them good? (Introduction by Godsend) [chương_files]

Os Escravos

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Poetry
Chapter: 34 | Listen: 4

Os Escravos é uma coleção de poemas do escritor brasileiro Castro Alves com temática centrada no drama da exploração dos escravos. Em função de sua renhida luta contra pelo fim da escravidão no Brasil, este poeta ficou conhecido como “Poeta dos Escravos”. Este volume, publicado postumamente em 1883, recolhe muitos dos poemas que tornaram Castro Alves um símbolo da luta dos que não tem voz, como lembra Pablo Neruda em poema dedicado a Alves: “em portas até então fechadas para que, combatendo, a liberdade entrasse”. (Sumário escrito por Leni) [chương_files]

Way of All Flesh

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Published 1800 - 1900, Satire
Chapter: 43 | Listen: 5

The Way of All Flesh (1903) is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler which attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the Pontifex family. It represents the diminishment of religious outlook from a Calvinistic approach, which is presented as harsh. Butler dared not publish it during his lifetime, but when it was published it was accepted as part of the general revulsion against Victorianism. This novel ranks number 12 of the 100 Great Novels of the 20th Century as chosen by the Modern Library Board of Editors (Summary from Wikipedia) [chương_files]

Mayor of Casterbridge

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 45 | Listen: 4

The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) is a tragic novel by English author Thomas Hardy subtitled, “The Life and Death of a Man of Character”. It is set in the fictional town of Casterbridge (based on the town of Dorchester in Dorset). The book is one of Hardy’s Wessex novels, all set in a fictional rustic England. (Wikipedia) A poor, disgruntled, drunken young man sells his wife and child to the highest bidder. When he awakens, sober, the next day he regrets his rash act and vows to give up drink and find his family and bring them home. Eventually he is forced to give up the search and move on with his life. He does this quite successfully until, nearly 20 years later, his past comes back to haunt him. (DebraLynn) [chương_files]

Стихотворения

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Poetry
Chapter: 4 | Listen: 3

Четири кратки творби от поетесата Мара Белчева (8 септември 1868, Севлиево – 16 март 1937, София), посветени на човешката близост и доверие. Изповедното начало, характерно за ранните стихове на поетесата, по-късно се свързва с размисъл върху вечните човешки въпроси. Поетесата изповядва християнските добродетели и се уповава на тях, мисълта за Бога става една от доминантите в творбите ѝ. Висока нравственост, спокойно мечтателно-носталгично любовно чувство, дирене на хармония в съществуването определят облика на творчеството ѝ. [chương_files]