Librivox Audiobooks

The Changeling 03.06.2026 2val 12min

The Changeling is a sensational 1622 tragicomedy by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley that comprises two intertwining plots. The first involves Beatrice-Joanna, daughter of the governor of Alicante, and her unruly passion for Alsemero, despite the fact that she is engaged to Alonzo de Piracquo. She enlists the aid of her father's servant De Flores to kill Alonzo so that she can marry Alsemero. However, she does not anticipate that De Flores, who is in love with her, will demand payment for the deed. The second plot is set in a madhouse, where the jealous old doctor Alibius is keeping his beautiful young wife Isabella confined so that she will not be unfaithful to him. Despite his best efforts, she is assailed by illicit suitors on all sides: Franciscus, who disguises himself as a madman, Antonio, who disguises himself as a fool, and Lollio, his lustful servant. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett)CastAlsemero: mbJasperino: Charlotte DuckettFirst Servant/Servant/First Madman: AvaillePedro/Franciscus/Vermandero: Alan MapstoneBeatrice-Joanna/Lollio: Elizabeth KlettDeFlores: David NicolDiaphanta: Meredith ClementAlibius: Algy PugAlonzo de Piracquo: Chuck WilliamsonAntonio: Kevin JohnsonIsabella: Caprisha PageTomazo de Piracquo: ToddNarrator: Arielle LipshawAudio edited by Elizabeth KlettGenre(s): Comedy, TragedyLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): drama (199), tragedy (170), play (117), jacobean (9), middleton (5), rowley (1)

Chandogya Upanishad 02.06.2026 4val 2min

The word Upanishad (upa-ni-shad) consists of, "Upa" means "near;" "ni" means "down;" "shad" means "to sit." Thus, Upanishad is to sit down near the teacher to discuss, learn, practice, and experience. There are some 200 or more Upanishads. Some are lost and are only known about because of being referenced in other Upanishads.The Chandogya-upanishad belongs to the Sama-veda. It ranks among the oldest Upanishads, dating to the Brahmana period of Vedic Sanskrit (before the 8th century BC). It figures as number 9 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads. It is part of the Chandogya Brahmana, which has ten Prapathakas (Parts). The first two Prapathakas of the Brahmana deal with sacrifices and other forms of worship. The other eight Prapathakas and their Khandas (Chapters) constitute the Chandogya Upanishad.The 11 principal Upanishads to which Sankara appeals in his great commentary on the Vedanta-Surtras are: Chandogya, Talavakara or Kena, Aitareya, Kaushitaki, Vajasaneyi or Isha, Katha, Mundaka, Taittirtiyaka or Taittiriya, Brihadaranyaka, Svetasvatara, and Prasna. They are also called the 11 classical Upanishads or the fundamental Upanishads of the Vedanta Philosophy.The Upanishadic literature is not a religious scripture and is free from dogma and doctrines. It is not a part of any religion but is a philosophy for all times and for all. German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, impressed by the Upanishads, called the texts "the production of the highest human wisdom". (Summary by Jothi)Genre(s): Ancient, Asian AntiquityLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): philosophy (997), vedic sanskrit (2), brahmana (2), muktika (2), prapathaka (2), khanda (2)Group: Upanishads

Chancellorsville and Gettysburg 01.06.2026 6val 46min

Abner Doubleday began the Civil War as a Union officer and aimed the first cannon shot in response to the bombardment opened on Ft. Sumter in 1861. Two years later, after a series of battles (including Antietam, where he was wounded), Doubleday took over a division in the Army of the Potomac's 1st Corps.These are his memoirs of service in two of the War's great campaigns. At Chancellorsville, a very promising start made by General Hooker against Lee's Confederate forces fell to a defeat when, in Doubleday's estimation, normal and prudent precautions against surprise in the heavily-wooded battlefield were not carried out; he also seemingly apologizes for Hooker's lack of leadership during the battle as a result of his having been stunned by a cannon ball hitting the post against which he was leaning.After Chancellorsville, Hooker was replaced as Army Commander by General George Meade. Doubleday describes the curious circumstances that led the two opposing armies to meet at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. When Doubleday's superior, General John Reynolds, was killed by a sharpshooter on the first day's battle, he took over the 1st Corps and fought it well against converging Confederate divisions that badly outnumbered him. The Corps was forced by battle losses to retire, but its desperate fight bought the time needed for Union reinforcements to pour into Gettysburg and thus prevent a defeat in detail.General Howard of the XIth Corps replaced Doubleday as the senior commander on the field, and mistakenly wrote to Meade that 1st Corps had routed after practically no fighting. Thus, when Meade arrived, he removed Doubleday from command of 1st Corps, replacing him with a more junior general from another Corps. The snub would embitter Doubleday against Meade. This book is in part Doubleday's revenge, as he picks apart Meade's indecision after the battle was essentially won, with the repulse of the famous Pickett's Charge. In his view, Meade could have won the war at that moment. (Summary by Mark Smith)Genre(s): War & Military, Memoirs, Modern (19th C)Language: EnglishKeyword(s): history (910), civil war (155)

Catholic and Anti-Catholic History 31.05.2026 42min

G.K. Chesterton and James Walsh join Hilaire Belloc in an energetic rollout of the means by which history becomes propaganda, to the damage, not only to truth, but to the human soul. (Summary by Jan Baker)Genre(s): Modern, Christianity - OtherLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): history (910), Catholic (225)

Christmas Carol Collection 2009 30.05.2026 1val 26min

The LibriVox community wants to bring you a special treat for the 2009 Holiday Season. Here is a collection of 30 traditional Christmas carols performed in a variety of styles by our wonderful volunteers. Enjoy!Genre(s): MusicLanguage: MultilingualKeyword(s): Christmas (207), holiday (62), carols (17), songs (12)Group: Christmas Carol Collections

Carmilla 29.05.2026 3val 17min

Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu. First published in 1872, it tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla. Carmilla predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by over twenty years, had a strong influence on Stoker's famous novel. (Summary from Wikipedia)Genre(s): Horror & Supernatural FictionLanguage: English

Chronicles of Canada Volume 23 - The Cariboo Trail: A Chronicle of the Gold-fields of British Columbia 28.05.2026 2val 24min

Between the California and Yukon/Klondike gold rushes was the Cariboo Gold Rush in what would become northern British Columbia. The first discovery was made in 1859, but the rush didn't get underway in earnest until 1861. This short work documents the story of this lesser-known era and how it directly affected the development of British Columbia. (Summary by TriciaG)Genre(s): Modern (19th C)Language: EnglishKeyword(s): history (910), Canada (188), Canadian History (21), British Columbia (4), cariboo gold rush (1)Group: Chronicles of Canada Series

Captives of the Flame 27.05.2026 5val 48min

Captives of the FlameSamuel R. Delany (1942 - )Chip Delany's 2nd novel -- the first is The Jewels of Aptor (1962) -- published by Ace Books in 1963. Set in the 35th Century, the survivors of a nuclear war live on the coastline and an island in a kingdom ruled by a royal family in disrepair. A young victim -- the son of a wealthy merchant -- of their wrath becomes a working-class hero as he fights to get back his good name, aided by a disaffected member of the royal family. This was later rewritten as Out of The Dead City by Delany as part of the Towers Trilogy, an early masterpiece, IMO. (Introduction by BellonaTimes)

The Captain of the Polestar, and other tales (Pt.2) 26.05.2026 4val 41min

The Captain of the Polestar, and other tales (Pt.2)Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930)This is a collection of early Sir Arthur Conan Doyle short stories. It includes stories of mystery, comedy, shipwrecks and fantasy. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)Genre(s): Single Author CollectionsLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): fiction (1613), adventure (1061), Mystery (800)

The Captain of the Polestar, and other tales (Pt.1) 25.05.2026 4val 42min

The Captain of the Polestar, and other tales (Pt.1)Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930)This is a collection of early Sir Arthur Conan Doyle short stories. It includes stories of mystery, comedy, shipwrecks and fantasy. (Summary by Richard Kilmer)Genre(s): Single Author CollectionsLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): fiction (1613), adventure (1061), Mystery (800)

The Call of the Wild (Version 2) 24.05.2026 3val 24min

This is the story of Buck, dog napped from sunny California to snowy Arctic during the Alaska gold rush. This deservedly famous book has been already recorded by LibriVox and downloaded more than 100,000 times. Why, then, would anyone suggest another recording? Because this will be a Solo recording.One of the joys of LibriVox is also a source of frustration for some listeners. That is, getting used to a narrator just in time for it to change! So, with apologies to Gordon, Kristin, Jean, and Miette, I am doing a solo. (Introduction by Tom Crawford)Please be aware this book contains graphic descriptions of unspeakable animal cruelty and violence.Genre(s): Action & Adventure Fiction, Nature & Animal FictionLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): fiction (1613), dogs (56), Alaska (44), wolves (8)

A Calendar of Sonnets 23.05.2026 15min

A Calendar of SonnetsHelen Hunt Jackson (1830 - 1885)Helen Hunt Jackson is probably most famous for her work on behalf of Native Americans’ rights. However, this short volume presents a sonnet for each month of the year, devoted simply and beautifully to the shifting wonder of nature through the seasons.(Summary by Laura Fox)Genre(s): SonnetsLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): literature (1959), poetry (1824)

The Adventures of Buster Bear 22.05.2026 1val 46min

The Adventures of Buster Bear is another set of children’s stories by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. Buster Bear has many adventures and misadventures as he meets the different characters in the Green Forest near the Laughing Brook. Along the way, we learn about the habits of Buster and his friends and we learn little lessons about life such as the importance of sharing, not stealing, making friends and not sticking one's head into tin pails. (Summary by John Lieder)Genre(s): Animals & NatureLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): children (1119), animals (410), Thornton W. Burgess (1)

Recollections of Bush Life in Australia 21.05.2026 6val 26min

This was written in the mid 1800’s at time when Australia saw an influx of immigration from Europe and when England was sending some prisoners to Australia rather than to prisons. Haygarth shows us what it is like, and what it takes, to live in the Australian Bush. He shows us about the different life on a cattle/sheep station, living miles from the nearest neighbor, getting to town just a few times a year and that it may be several hundred miles away. From his own experiences relates dealings with BushRangers (thieves), building and running a station, breaking wild horses, helping neighbors in times of need. We learn about how disputes are settled, the wildlife and fauna of the bush, aboriginal customs, festivals and weapons. (Summary Kirk202)Genre(s): MemoirsLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): history (910), australia (91)

Buddhism and Buddhists in China 20.05.2026 3val 6min

Buddhism and Buddhists in China is an anthropological text describing Buddhism as practiced in China at the beginning of the 20th Century. Interestingly, it also compares and contrasts Buddhism with Christianity with respect to or in response to missionary work. (Summary by Scott)Genre(s): ReligionLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): history (910), religion (744), Christianity (382), china (64), buddhism (26), hodus (1), missionary work (1)

The Bright Messenger (Pt.2) 19.05.2026 8val 18min

The Bright Messenger (Pt.2)Algernon Blackwood (1869 - 1951)Julian LeVallon, born and raised alone in the Jura Mountains, is referred to psychiatrist Dr. Edward Fillery for care in London. But is LeVallon merely a schizophrenic with a secondary personality, "N.H." (non-human), or is he really an Elemental Being, a "bright messenger" who brings, perhaps, a new age of human evolution? And if so, is the human race ready for a major step forward? [Summary by Mark Nelson]Genre(s): Horror & Supernatural Fiction, Gothic FictionLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): blackwood (1), algernon blackwood (1)

The Bright Messenger (Pt. 1) 18.05.2026 6val 31min

The Bright Messenger (Pt. 1)Algernon Blackwood (1869 - 1951)Julian LeVallon, born and raised alone in the Jura Mountains, is referred to psychiatrist Dr. Edward Fillery for care in London. But is LeVallon merely a schizophrenic with a secondary personality, "N.H." (non-human), or is he really an Elemental Being, a "bright messenger" who brings, perhaps, a new age of human evolution? And if so, is the human race ready for a major step forward? [Summary by Mark Nelson]Genre(s): Horror & Supernatural Fiction, Gothic FictionLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): blackwood (1), algernon blackwood (1)

A Brief History of English and American Literature (Pt.2) 17.05.2026 7val 16min

Henry Augustin Beers, native of Buffalo, NY and professor of English at Yale, with the help of John Fletcher Hurst (1834-1903), Methodist bishop and first Chancellor of American University, has written a sweeping thousand 900 year history of English literature, up to the end of the 19th century. Although at times biased and sometimes misguided (as when he dismisses Mark Twain as a humorist noteworthy in his time but not for the ages), his research is sound and his criticism is interesting and quite often very balanced. In addition, the last chapter of each part is Hurst's synopsis of religious and theological literature in the language. This book is interesting for its point of view, but also useful as a jumping-off point for those interested in reading the classics. (Summary by Kalynda)Genre(s): History, Literary CriticismLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): American Literature (38), English literature (36), history of literature (1), Beers: English literature (1), beers (1)

A Brief History of English and American Literature (Pt.1) 16.05.2026 7val 7min

A Brief History of English and American Literature (Pt.1)Henry Augustin Beers, native of Buffalo, NY and professor of English at Yale, with the help of John Fletcher Hurst (1834-1903), Methodist bishop and first Chancellor of American University, has written a sweeping thousand 900 year history of English literature, up to the end of the 19th century. Although at times biased and sometimes misguided (as when he dismisses Mark Twain as a humorist noteworthy in his time but not for the ages), his research is sound and his criticism is interesting and quite often very balanced. In addition, the last chapter of each part is Hurst's synopsis of religious and theological literature in the language. This book is interesting for its point of view, but also useful as a jumping-off point for those interested in reading the classics. (Summary by Kalynda)Genre(s): History, Literary CriticismLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): American Literature (38), English literature (36), history of literature (1), Beers: English literature (1), beers (1)

A Brief Account of the Bahai Movement 15.05.2026 1val 1min

“Many believe that we, in this century,” writes Ethel Rosenberg, “ are witnessing the dawn of a new spiritual epoch or era. A renewal of the Spirit is making itself felt in the Churches and in the religious and social life of all lands. This is in harmony with the teachings of the Bahais, and of their Great Leaders, now represented by Abdul Baha the ‘Servant of God,’ known to the outside world as Abbas Effendi. Once again, the Light is shining forth from that land which may indeed be called the Holy Land: for have not its valleys and hills been trodden from the beginning by the feet of those great Messengers inspired of God—Abraham, Elijah, and last and greatest, Jesus of Nazareth? Is it strange that once more in this century of ours, in this ‘cradle of the race,’ those that were sitting “in darkness have seen a Great Light,” the light of the Sun of Righteousness that rises with healing in his wings?”Ethel Jenner Rosenberg (1858-1930) was a prominent British Bahá’í, having been introduced to the Bahá’í Faith in 1899 by Mary Thornburgh-Cropper. She published two booklets on the Bahá’í Faith, of which “A Brief Account of the Bahai Movement” was one. She also presented a paper on the Bahá’í Faith at the International Congress for the History of Religions in 1908. She assisted Laura Clifford Barney in compiling Some Answered Questions and Lady Blomfield in compiling Paris Talks. She began to learn Persian and assisted Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, in translating the Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh. She was described by Shoghi Effendi as ‘England’s pioneer worker’. (Introduction by Nicholas James Bridgewater)Genre(s): Other religionsLanguage: EnglishKeyword(s): religion (744), Bahai (11), Bahá'í (10), Bahá’í (5), Bahá’í Faith (5), 'Abdu'l-Bahá (3), Abdul-Baha (3), Bahai Movement (2), brief account (1), Ethel Rosenberg (1), Bahá’u’lláh (1)