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Fiend’s Delight

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Published before 1800, Satire, Single Author Collections
Chapter: 57 | Listen: 3

This book, the fiend’s delight, was published in 1873, during the lifetime of author Ambrose Bierce, 1842-1914, pseudonym Dod Grile. It is a collection of short stories which cover many subjects. Dependent upon the reader the stories may seem callous, entertaining or some of the stories even just weird. The author has been known to have a penchant for being macabre as some of his works have displayed. Ambrose Bierce served in the Civil War so he did have personal experience with having seen just how horrid some lives were. He also had a family: a wife whom he divorced in 1904 and 3 children, 2 sons and a daughter. Difficult times followed for him as the sons died before Ambrose died, with his ex wife dying 1 year after their divorce. Ambrose himself was known to have had lifelong asthma & brain injuries from the war which caused him to faint & become irritable. His daughter did live 65 years, dying in 1940. She spent time searching for her father, whom she did not think was dead. Possibly his family is why some of his writings were not so macabre? Unfortunately that answer is not known. Leaving to visit his civil war grounds had him traveling into Mexico were there was revolution in 1913. There he joined Pancho Villa’s army as an observer where he disappeared. Many theories existed as to how his disappearance happened, most of which were unreliable. It was determined his final fate was unknown & […]

Mystery of Mrs. Blencarrow

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 10 | Listen: 3

The location is the English Lake District and the characters very ordinary people. Mrs. Blencarrow is a widow with five children and control of her late husband’s small estate. She is eminently respectable and is involved with the usual round of tea and dinner parties as expected in a quiet town. She is unremarkable, apart from her disdain for scandal, or even gossip of any kind. Imagine the surprise when a stranger describes her as “a woman with a history”? That can only mean a disreputable past or even a scandal, but as she has lived in the community for 18 years, without a hint, what could it possibly be? [chương_files]

Superfluous Woman

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 31 | Listen: 6

Published anonymously in 1894, “A Superfluous Woman” quickly became one of the most widely read of the “New Woman” novels that appeared at the end of the 19th century. At the opening of the story, we find Jessamine Halliday, a pampered young aristocrat, languishing and apparently close to death. Her desperate family has called in a maverick doctor, who recognizes that she suffers from the idleness and listlessness too often experienced by upper-class English women. The only “medicine” she needs is a change of thinking and new self-awareness. Accordingly, the doctor coaches her to think more critically about her role as a woman and about the uses of meaningful labor. (Partly, this doctor is a spokesperson for the author: Emma Brooke was prominently engaged in feminist and socialist thought.) Jessamine tries to radically re-invent herself by fleeing London (and a looming high-society marriage), to seek humble work as a farm helper in Scotland. It turns out, however, that it is not so easy to cast off the assumptions and controls of a lifetime. (Summary by Bruce Pirie) [chương_files]

Barnaby’s in America: Final sequel to The Widow Barnaby

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Published before 1800
Chapter: 32 | Listen:

I scruple not to confess that with all her faults, and she has some, I love her dearly : I owe her many mirthful moments, and the deeper pleasure still of believing that she has brought mirthful moments to others also. Honestly avowing this to be the case, can any one wonder, can any one blame me, for feeling an affectionate longing at my heart to follow her upon the expedition upon which I sent her when last we parted’? I will forthwith proceed to tell them all that has happened to this dear excellent lady since General Hubert and Mr. Stephenson left her in her grand drawing-room in Curzon-street, surrounded by her family and friends. – Summary by Frances Milton Trollope [chương_files]

Zip, the Adventures of a Frisky Fox Terrier (version 2)

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Action & Adventure, Animals & Nature
Chapter: 10 | Listen: 2

From the author of the popular Billy Whiskers books comes this delightful tale of an adventurous little dog. Find out about the hidden silver, encounters with Peterkins the monkey, gobblers, porcupines and so many more adventures. – Summary by Larry Wilson [chương_files]

Cousin Maude

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Published 1800 - 1900, Romance
Chapter: 12 | Listen: 4

When Matilda’s husband James dies, she marries rich Dr. Kennedy thinking he will provide a good home for her daughter Maude. However, the doctor is a miser and assumes that Matty will be his housekeeper. They have a little boy who is crippled and the doctor ignores him. Maude is totally devoted to him and on her mother’s deathbed promises to look after him always. The story then evolves with Maude meeting her stepsister Nellie’s cousins JC and James. Nellie has set her sights on JC who is after her money while Maude develops strong feelings towards James. JC begins to fall for Maude and when he learns that she has come into an inheritance bequeathed to her by her mother’s former servant/nurse Janet he proposes to her. The complications that follow along with the arrival of a new stepmother add just the right amount of drama to this sweet romance. – Summary by Celine Major [chương_files]

Self-Control: A Novel

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 34 | Listen: 2

The author: “This little tale was begun at first merely for my own amusement. It is published that I may reconcile my conscience to the time which it has employed, by making it in some degree useful. Let not the term so implied provoke a smile! If my book is read, its uses to the author are obvious. Nor is a work of fiction necessarily unprofitable to the readers.” Jane Austen comments about this novel in a letter to her sister: “I am looking over Self Control again, & my opinion is confirmed of its’ being an excellently-meant, elegantly-written Work…” – Summary by Author and Jane Austen [chương_files]

For Love and Life Vol. 1

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Published 1800 - 1900
Chapter: 22 | Listen: 1

“The device on his shield was a young oak tree pulled up by the roots, with the Spanish word Desdichado, signifying Disinherited.” The novel opens with Mrs. Murray walking with two of her grandchildren along the banks of Loch Arroch in the Scottish border country. They appear to be well-to-do and distinguished, but all is not well within the family and sacrifices are necessary. – Summary by Lynne Thompson [chương_files]

Outdoor Girls at the Hostess House

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Action & Adventure
Chapter: 25 | Listen: 1

In this 9th book in the “Outdoor Girls Series”, the girls had befriend an old woman who had been knocked down by an unscrupulous motorcyclist. They later learned the secret tragedy in the life of their little old lady. (Adapted from the next book) [chương_files]

Coffee Break Collection 027 – Sports

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Essays & Short Works, Short Stories
Chapter: 20 | Listen:

This is the 27th Coffee Break Collection, in which Librivox readers select and read poems, fiction and non-fiction pieces of fifteen minutes’ duration or less. In honor of the Super Bowl, the subject for this collection is “Sports”. [chương_files]