Showing results by narrator "Adriel Brandt" in All Categories

Rene Descartes, mathematician, scientist, and first "modern philosopher", wrote Meditations on First Philosophy, a six-part treatise first published in Latin in 1641, to deconstruct "belief" and, using reason and science, discuss the only things we can truly know for sure. Each of the six parts of this book represents six of Descartes’ meditations that occurred on six subsequent days, making it also, in no small part, an autobiographical piece of work.

Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883) was a Russian author, translator, and popularizer of Russian literature in the West. "Mumu" is about Gerasim, a deaf-mute serf whose life of poverty is brought into sharp relief by his love for a dog he rescues from drowning. His wealthy old mistress sees the dog Mumu and wants it but Mumu bares her teeth at her, and tragedy follows.

Hungary, 1939. Like most Hungarian Jews during the onset of World War II, Shomo Stern is sent to the front lines with the Forced Labor Services–to be worked to death under the thumb of the Nazi war machine. Fighting the bitter European winter, the battalions witness horrific events in the wake of the Nazi advance.

A New Christ, the first book by the inspirational author Wallace D. Wattles, is an attempt to ascertain by scientific study what Jesus was, how he lived, and what he taught. Wattles explains that in the common concept of Christ that arose in the Middle Ages, he was held up as a weak and meek figure who was despised. The author quotes from scripture to show that he was educated, that he had a commanding presence, and that he was not humble in the way the church portrays him.

The Personal Power Course by Wallace D. Wattles was originally published as a series of lectures in Nautilus Magazine. It is a synthesis of Wattles’ philosophy and teachings. The lessons are rooted in the idea of the life force within the individual and how to direct that inner force.

Parzival is a romantic poem written by Wolfram von Eschenbach in Middle High German. Regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Middle Ages, the romance was the most popular vernacular verse narrative in medieval Germany. Dated to the first quarter of the 13th century, the poem tells the story of the Arthurian hero Parzival and his quest for the Holy Grail. The most notable elements of the work are an emphasis on the importance of humility, compassion, and sympathy. Richard Wagner based his famous opera Parsifal on Parzival.

Samuel Smiles (1812-1904) was a Scottish author and reformer who advocated for radical causes ranging from women's suffrage to free trade to parliamentary reform. The Huguenots in France, chronicles the persecution of the Protestants in France after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. While many of the Huguenots fled the country, others suffered persecution at the hands of the crown, the army, and the church. This work documents many specific incidents of persecution.

The Chisholm Trail was approximately 800 miles long, running from San Antonio, Texas to the shipping pens at Abilene, Kansas. This trail was an important part of the old west and part of the lives of thousands of cowboys of the 19th and into the early 20th century. Millions of cattle and horses accompanied their drivers on the two to three month journey; its economic importance extended across the nation to the east as the livestock moved over this trail was headed to market to feed much of the United States.

George Orwell was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic, best known for the allegorical novella Animal Farm (1945) and the dystopian novel 1984 (1949). Animal Farm is Orwell's classic satire of the Russian Revolution. The farm animals rise up against Farmer Jones and transform the Manor Farm into Animal Farm, an egalitarian society built on the credo that All Animals Are Created Equal. In 1984, the protagonist, Winston Smith ,wrestles with oppression in Oceania, a state where the Party scrutinizes every human action with Big Brother.

Theodore Roosevelt began this 1899 speech with his thesis: “I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” He discusses how the many hardships of his life shaped him for the better. Roosevelt believed that if Americans wished to succeed in the world, they would need to embrace the virtue of hard work. He applied this same belief to foreign affairs, stating that America must establish itself as a powerful military force and exert this power when necessary.

Flatland, first published in 1884, is classic work of satire. The full title, Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, reveals the story's most compelling characteristic, its discussion of multiple dimensions. It is this fascinating examination which has contributed to Flatland's enduring popularity.

The Biblical Psalms in the familiar language of the King James Bible performed with clarity and poetic substance. Feel the psalmists' anger, fear, despair, and love in this beautiful and unique audio collection.

King Arthur of England is the figure of the Good Ruler at the heart of the Arthurian legends, and the myths surrounding his life have been recounted in endless stories. This collection includes 13 of the best-loved legends of the King and his Knights of the Round Table. It includes the tales of how the young Arthur pulled a sword from a stone.

With this address, US President James Monroe set a precedent for the nation’s foreign policy. In it, he stated that “The American continents...are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers.” Monroe established this doctrine in a time where most of Spain and Portugal’s colonies in Latin America had gained independence. From then on, the Old World and the New World would operate in separate political spheres, and any European interference in North or South America would be considered a threat against the US.

First published in 1895, Thomas Commerford Martin introduces us to several of Tesla’s inventions to that date. This publication precedes Tesla’s own account by 26 years. Martin lays a strong focus on the oscillator as well as one of Tesla’s most notable invention, the AC motor and further development of AC generation and transmission technology.

Fans of cosmic horror will have much to sup on in these eight tales. The supernatural intrudes upon a wedding; a pier becomes the site of tragedy; a collapsed building is only the start of the nightmare for those trapped in the ruins; a scientist makes the discovery of a lifetime, only to find out that what he’s unearthed has dire consequences not only for himself, but for all of mankind.

Hardin was an average man - except for his above average gunlighting. A Texan sympathizer to slavery writes about his deeds during life. Some of these deeds are commendable, while some are downright deplorable - just like any other man.

For Louis Masset, life in the little French town is decidedly dull. By day he works for a pompous lawyer, and at weekends helps out in his father’s grain store, where he’s forced to work alongside his oafish brother-in-law. His monotony-filled life offers little hope for excitement. But everything changes when Philippe de Clermont enters Louis' world. This handsome aristocrat introduces him to a realm of desire previously unknown, and he awakens a dormant talent as a painter in Louis with astonishing results. Suddenly, a radiant and promising future beckons for both men.

Faust is a tragic play in two parts that reworks the late medieval myth of a brilliant but disillusioned scholar who makes a deal with the devil. it is widely considered to be Goethe's masterpiece and the greatest work of German literature. The novel Elective Affinities is the story of Eduard and Charlotte, an aristocratic couple enjoying an idyllic but rather dull life on their rural estate. They invite the Captain, Eduard's childhood friend, and Ottilie, the orphaned niece of Charlotte, to live with them, with tragic results.

The Greater Key of Solomon is a compilation of Solomonic magic drawn from various manuscripts of the 15th to 17th centuries. Book I provides conjurations, invocations, and curses to summon and constrain spirits and demons in order to compel them to do the conjuror's will. It also describes how to find lost items, become invisible, or gain favor with someone. Book II describes purification rituals which the occultist should undergo, how to dress for magical practices, and how to construct the necessary implements used in these rituals.