24/05/2024
Story of the Treasure Seekers
This is the story of the Bastable children and their attempts to help the family finances by searching for treasure. (Summary by Karen Savage) [chương_files]
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24/05/2024
Into the Frozen South
James Marr was a Boy Scout selected to go along with Sir Ernest Shackleton aboard the Quest in 1921 for the Shackleton–Rowett Expedition to Antarctica. This book provides a description of what would be Shackleton’s last exploration due to his untimely death en route. – Summary by mleigh [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Slant Book
This recording of Peter Newell’s The Slant Book (1910) kicks off voiced renderings by LibriVox of public domain books in the International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL). The ICDL book can be found at: http://www.childrenslibrary.org/. The Slant Book is literally the shape of a parallelogram, with the spine of the book running down one side. When opened, facing pages form a “V” shape. All the pictures on the slanted recto pages show a way-too-precocious infant in a carriage [the “go-cart” of yesteryear] racing downhill who has somehow gotten away from his nanny, gleefully creating havoc all along the way! The facing verso pages contain two stanzas of commentary on the charming –if alarming!– illustrations. This book pioneered the “special format” children’s literature of today, such as pop-up books or cutout books like Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Newell books from 80 years ago have been reprinted, since Newell has undergone a resurgence in popularity much as Dr. Seuss’s books did during the 1980s. This is a boon for teachers and home-schooling parents, since this recording can now be listened to as youngsters page through a real book (ISBN: 080-480-5326) or as they view the ICDL scanned version online (both are a real treat)! (Summary by Denny Sayers) [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Woman’s Way Through Unknown Labrador
Mina Benson Hubbard set out in 1905 on a 576 mile canoe journey across the interior of Labrador with the assistance of four guides. Her husband Leonidas Hubbard had perished in an attempt to make the same trip in 1903 while working as a writer for an outdoor magazine. Mrs Hubbard was the first person to accurately map the river routes her expedition followed. The story of her journey is followed at the end of the book by her husband’s diary of his ill-fated trip and an account by George Elson of his efforts to save himself and his companions, and ultimately to recover Mr Hubbard’s body. A map of Labrador made by Mrs. Hubbard during her travels can be found on this page – Summary by Zach Hoyt [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation
“The [Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee] shall conduct an independent review of ongoing U.S. human space flight plans and programs, as well as alternatives, to ensure the nation is pursuing the best trajectory for the future of human space flight – one that is safe, innovative, affordable, and sustainable. The Committee should aim to identify and characterize a range of options that spans the reasonable possibilities for continuation of U.S. human space flight activities beyond retirement of the Space Shuttle. The identification and characterization of these options should address the following objectives: a) expediting a new U.S. capability to support utilization of the International Space Station (ISS); b) supporting missions to the Moon and other destinations beyond low Earth orbit (LEO); c) stimulating commercial space flight capability; and d) fitting within the current budget profile for NASA exploration activities.” This is their final report. – Summary by from the Committee Charter [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Lost Princess of Oz
Who is stealing all the magic in Oz? Dorothy and her friends set out to comb all of Oz, not only for magic stolen from Glinda and the Wizard, but also for the kidnapped princess, Ozma. Along the way, they explore regions never seen in other Oz books, meeting strange and interesting people and animals, and falling into peril more than once. It’s a desperate mission – for if the thefts are all linked, then it means that some magician unknown to them has acquired powers beyond any available to them now. How will they find him? And how will they conquer him? Not one of them knows – but with continuing faith that goodness will triumph, they march forth to try. (Summary by Mark) [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel, a thrilling tale of “buccaneers and buried gold.” Traditionally considered a coming of age story, it is an adventure tale of superb atmosphere, character and action, and also a wry commentary on the ambiguity of morality—as seen in Long John Silver—unusual for children’s literature then and now. (Summary from wikipedia.org) [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Story of Doctor Dolittle
In The Story of Doctor Dolittle (1920), the first of Hugh Lofting’s Doctor Dolittle books, we are introduced to the good doctor who gives up treating people after Polynesia, his parrot, teaches him animal languages. His fame in the animal kingdom spreads throughout the world and soon he sets off to cure a monkey epidemic in Africa, finding all sorts of exciting adventures on the way. This recording is of the original edition, which is in the public domain. Later editions, which are still under copyright, changed some language and plot elements that are considered racially derogatory. (Summary adapted from wikipedia.org by Annie Coleman) [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Syria: the Desert and the Sown
Gertrude Bell’s Syria: The Desert and the Sown describes her travels in the Levant (also called Greater Syria) during the first years of the 20th century. In this vivid and painstakingly documented narrative, Bell recounts her visits to Damascus, Jerusalem, Beirut, Antioch and Alexandretta, as well as the time she spent in the deserts of the region. Fluent in Arabic and several other languages, Bell brings to her account a level of insight beyond the reach of an average travel writer. She would later go on to play a highly influential role in the politics of the Middle East, drawing on the knowledge and personal connections she built up during these and other travels. The text is accompanied by numerous photographs taken by the author. (Summary by Kazbek) [chương_files]
24/05/2024
Five Children and It
This delightful novel begins when a family of five children moves from London to the English countryside. While playing in a gravel pit soon after the move, they discover an ancient and rather grumpy sand-fairy known as the Psammead, who agrees to grant one wish of theirs per day. The children’s wishes send them on adventure after adventure, but rarely turn out as expected. (Summary by Kara) [chương_files]