Dr. Giacomo Rappaccini is a scientist who grows poisonous plants in his garden. The only person who can tend to the plants is his own daughter Beatrice who has not only become resistant to poison but is also poisonous herself. Rappaccini and his daughter lead a secluded life, distanced from other people and reality. However, one day the young student Giovanni Guasconti sees Beatrice and immediately falls in love with her. Giovanni’s mentor Baglioni warns the poor boy but Giovanni’s feelings are stronger than anything. So he enters the poisonous garden. What will be the consequences for him and will he and Beatrice be able to be together? Find out in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s "Rappaccini's Daughter". B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere. Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American author who lived in the period 1804-1864. He is best known as novelist and short-story writer. His literary style belongs to dark romanticism. Morality, religion, guilt and sin were topics he often took up in his stories. History, symbolism and psychology were also often intertwined in his works. To this day, he is considered to be one of the greatest fiction writers in American literature. Some of Hawthorne’s most popular novels are "The Scarlet Letter", "The House of Seven Gables" and "The Marble Faun".

The Classic Tales with B. J. Harrison

B. J. Harrison Reads Rappaccini's Daughter

This Audiobook contains the following works: - The Island of Doctor Moreau [H.G. wells] - Tess of the d'Urbervilles [Thomas Hardy] - The Call of Cthulhu [H.P Lovecraft] - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court [Mark twain] - The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde [Robert Louis Stevenson] - Crime and Punishment [Fyodor Dostoyevsky] - Wuthering Heights [Emily Brontë] - A Christmas Carol [Charles Dickens] - The jungle book [Rudyard Kipling] - The Border Legion [Zane Grey]

10 Essential Pieces of Literature Vol: 2

"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" is a fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, the author best known for creating "The Wizard of Oz." The book was first published in 1902 and has since become a classic Christmas tale. The story provides a unique and imaginative take on the origins and life of Santa Claus. Instead of focusing solely on the familiar figure who delivers presents on Christmas Eve, Baum's narrative delves into the mythical and magical aspects of Santa's existence. The novel explores Santa's early years, depicting him as an orphaned child named Claus who is found and raised by a woodland fairy named Necile. As Claus grows older, he becomes enchanted with the joy of giving and begins delivering toys to children. Over time, Claus evolves into the legendary figure we know as Santa Claus, with the help of magical beings like the Immortals. Baum's "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" presents a charming and fantastical account of how Santa Claus came to be, blending folklore, fairy tale elements, and Baum's signature whimsical style. The novel has been adapted into various forms, including animated films and stage productions, and it remains a cherished part of holiday literature. If you enjoy exploring the magical origins of beloved characters, this book offers a delightful and enchanting perspective on the life of Santa Claus.

The Life & Adventures Of Santa Claus

What would you do for six figures? Billionaire Chase Stone offers Jasmine a six-figure job that requires a full-time commitment in his office—as well as his bed. If only she had known that before she agreed, then life would’ve been easier. It’s not that he’s unattractive. She just didn't graduate from Harvard with honors so that she could be some rich guy's overpaid mistress. What’s even more repulsive is that he lives with three women and wants her to be the fourth. Not going to happen! But Chase won't give up, and Jasmine won't give in. Someone's going to have to change because the more they meet, the more something thick, hot, and electric bridges between them—until neither can breathe or think.

Chasing Love

An Arrangement of Love

The first American book on personal finance, "The Way to Wealth" by Benjamin Franklin is still the best and wisest money book ever written. Originally published in 1758 as the preface to "Poor Richard's Almanack," this little gem has been through innumerable printings and sold millions of copies to those in search of smart but entertaining advice about hard work, earning and saving money and debt.

The Way to Wealth

The Science of Being Great is the second book of Wattles' triology. In this volume he argues that the power of thought and positive self-esteem is the only true measure of a person's greatness. here are three landmark guides to a life of prosperity-now restored to print in beautiful, signature volumes.

The Science of Being Great

Dr. Marden tells how we can live up to our potential just by changing our attitude, from the normal attitude of I CAN'T to one of I CAN! To do this we need to have faith in ourselves and shut out the negative forces that come into our lives. We have to stop the negative thoughts and not listen to the nay sayers. Once we find what we want to do we can't think it to death, just take the chance and don't procrastinate, don't let doubt interfer. It's difficult to do in the beginning but will soon become a habit and will make our lives so much easier and fulfilling.

The Victorious Attitude

The seventh novel in the Rougon-Macquart cycle, L'Assommoir (1877) is the story of a woman's struggle for happiness in working-class Paris. It was a contemporary bestseller, outraged conservative critics, and launched a passionate debate about the legitimate scope of modern literature. At the centre of the novel stands Gervaise, who starts her own laundry and for a time makes a success of it. But her husband Coupeau squanders her earnings in the Assommoir, the local drinking shop, and gradually the pair sink into poverty and squalor. Generally  considered to be one of Zola's greatest masterpieces. The seventh novel in the Rougon-Macquart cycle.

Emile Zola Collection

L'Assommoir

Following her recent adaptation of Great Expectations, bestselling novelist and award-winning audiobook narrator Alison Larkin changes the gender of Scrooge in this exciting new recording of A Christmas Carol. It's the same beloved Christmas story, only one thing has changed. In this version, Scrooge is a woman. Everything else, though, is pure Dickens. So, the characters around Scrooge behave as if it were quite normal for a woman to learn to read and write, fall in love with and reject a woman and have the kind of career only men could dream of in 1843. It's an irresistible question. If gender had been simply irrelevant in the 19th century where would we all be now?

Alison Larkin Presents: A Christmas Carol

Helen Stoner worries her stepfather may be trying to kill her after he contrives to move her to the bedroom where her sister had died two years earlier, shortly before her wedding. Stoner is herself now engaged, and Holmes learns that her stepfather's annuity (from the estate of his wife - Stoner's mother) would be greatly reduced if either sister married. During a late-night investigation of the bedroom, Holmes and Watson discover a dummy bell-pull near a ventilator. As they lie in wait a whistle sounds, then a snake appears through the ventilator. Holmes attacks the snake with his riding crop; it retreats to the next room, where it attacks and kills Stoner's stepfather.

The Adventure of the Speckled Band (Unabridged)

A Case of Identity is one of the 56 short Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and is the third story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story revolves around the case of Miss Mary Sutherland, a woman with a substantial income from the interest on a fund set up for her. She is engaged to a quiet Londoner who has recently disappeared. Sherlock Holmes's detective powers are barely challenged as this turns out to be quite an elementary case for him, much as it puzzles Watson.

A Case of Identity - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Unabridged)

This Side of Paradise is the debut novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1920. The book examines the lives and morality of post-World War I youth. Its protagonist Amory Blaine is an attractive student at Princeton University who dabbles in literature. The novel explores the theme of love warped by greed and status seeking, and takes its title from a line of Rupert Brooke's poem Tiare Tahiti. The novel famously helped F. Scott Fitzgerald gain Zelda Sayre's hand in marriage; its publication was her condition of acceptance.

This Side of Paradise (Unabridged)

“A Voyage to Lilliput” is a novel by Jonathan Swift: The travel begins with a short preamble in which Lemuel Gulliver gives a brief outline of his life and history before his voyages. - During his first voyage, Gulliver is washed ashore after a shipwreck and finds himself a prisoner of a race of tiny people, less than 6 inches (15 cm) tall, who are inhabitants of the island country of Lilliput. After giving assurances of his good behaviour, he is given a residence in Lilliput and becomes a favourite of the Lilliput Royal Court. He is also given permission by the King of Lilliput to go around the city on condition that he must not hurt their subjects.

A Voyage to Lilliput (Unabridged)

The first of the Sherlock Holmes stories, this was also the first of Conan Doyle’s books to be published. In this fascinating and exciting tale, the two towering creations of detective fiction—Holmes, the master of the science of detection, and Watson, his faithful companion—make their auspicious debut. The two detectives are immediately in fine form as Holmes plucks the solution to the mystery from the heart of Victorian London.

Sherlock Holmes

A Study in Scarlet

Kurt Vonnegut was a groundbreaking American writer, the author of such classics as Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle. In a future where sickness and disease are a forgotten memory, and death itself has been cured, population control requires special consideration, and the concept of 'Life for Life' has a new definition.

2 B R 0 2 B

Beautiful, flirtatious, and recently widowed, Lady Susan Vernon seeks an advantageous second marriage for herself, while attempting to push her daughter into a dismal match. A magnificently crafted novel of Regency manners and mores that will delight Austen enthusiasts with its wit and elegant expression.

Lady Susan

Like many of Shakespeare's comedies, this one centres on mistaken identity performed by Siobhan McKenna, Paul Schofield and cast. For the first time as a digital download. Like many of Shakespeare's comedies, this one centres on mistaken identity. The leading character, Viola, is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria during the opening scenes. She loses contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, whom she believes is dead. Masquerading as a young page under the name Cesario, she enters the service of Duke Orsino through the help of the sea captain who rescues her. Orsino is in love with the bereaved Lady Olivia, whose father and brother have recently died, and who will have nothing to do with any suitors, the Duke included. Orsino decides to use "Cesario" as an intermediary to tell Olivia about his love for her. Olivia, believing Viola to be a man, falls in love with this handsome and eloquent messenger. Viola, in turn, has fallen in love with the Duke, who also believes Viola is a man, and who regards her as his confidant. Olivia (1888) by Edmund Blair Leighton.Much of the play is taken up with the comic subplot, in which several characters conspire to make Olivia's pompous head steward, Malvolio, believe that his lady Olivia wishes to marry him. It involves Olivia's uncle, Sir Toby Belch; another would-be suitor, a silly squire named Sir Andrew Aguecheek; her servants Maria and Fabian; and her father's favorite fool, Feste. Sir Toby and Sir Andrew get drunk and disturb the peace of their lady's house by continuously singing catches late into the night at the top of their voices, prompting Malvolio to chastise them. This is the basis for Sir Toby's, Sir Andrew, and Maria's revenge on Malvolio.

Shakespeare

Twelfth Night

Beth and Jean and three other girls at No. 16 Chestnut Terrace are spending a cheery Christmas together opening presents that came in the mail, since none could go home this year. Beth remarks that Miss Allen, an older woman resident of the boarding house, is apparently alone this year. Though Miss Allen is not widely liked by the girls, they agree that no one should have to spend Christmas alone. Thus, a Christmas Inspiration is born.

Classic Christmas Stories

A Christmas Inspiration

Culture Smart! Chile provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in Chile, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. This concise guide will tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships. Culture Smart! provides rare insights, and practical guidance, into cultures. The values, behavior and customs of peoples have been formed over centuries which is why the unique information in Culture Smart! guides do not date in the same way as ordinary travel guides.

Chile - Culture Smart!

The Nantucket whaling ship, the Pequod, spirals the globe in search of Moby Dick, the mythical white whale of the Southern Oceans. Driven on by the obsessive revenge of Captain Ahab, the crew and the outcast Ishmael find themselves caught up in a demonic pursuit which leads inexorably to an apocalyptic climax.

Moby Dick : Abridged

Don’t miss this fantastic Austen-inspired rom-com!Dr Katherine Roberts is a lecturer at Oxford University and an expert on all things Austen. But she has a guilty secret; a love of racy Regency novels by Lorna Warwick. She's even struck up a long-distance friendship with the novelist and the two of them have been sharing their closest confidences. When Katherine gets her yearly invite to a Jane Austen Conference at the magnificent Purley Hall in Hampshire, she sincerely hopes that Lorna will be in attendance as well. She can hardly wait to meet her new friend, but it seems that Lorna may not have been completely honest with her… Meanwhile, hopeless romantic Robyn Love is at her happiest when her head is stuck in one of Jane Austen's novels – if only her boyfriend Jace Collins could be more like Colin Firth. The weekend retreat is the perfect opportunity for Robyn to escape from reality for a few days – especially when she meets handsome stablehand Dan. But Jace isn't going to be so easy to shrug off. With misunderstandings, muddles and a few shocking revelations, the weekend proves to be even more than they bargained for. Like all true Jane Austen heroines, Katherine and Robyn will discover that finding their own Mr Darcy is far from easy…

A Weekend With Mr Darcy

G. K. Chesterton was a great admirer of Charles Dickens, and wrote a noted critique of Dickens' works expressing his opinion in his own inimitable style CONTAINS CHAPTER I.—THE DICKENS PERIOD CHAPTER II.—THE BOYHOOD OF DICKENS CHAPTER III.—THE YOUTH OF DICKENS CHAPTER IV.—"THE PICKWICK PAPERS" CHAPTER V.—THE GREAT POPULARITY CHAPTER VI.—DICKENS AND AMERICA PART TWO CHAPTER VII.—DICKENS AND CHRISTMAS CHAPTER VIII.—THE TIME OF TRANSITION CHAPTER IX.—LATER LIFE AND WORKS CHAPTER X.—THE GREAT DICKENS CHARACTERS CHAPTER XI.—ON THE ALLEGED OPTIMISM OF DICKENS CHAPTER XII.—A NOTE ON THE FUTURE OF DICKENS

Charles Dickens

The audiobook traces in some detail Shaw's work as a critic (puritanical opposition to Shakespeare) and as a dramatist. G K Chesterton was ideally placed to write this critical biography of the literary works and political views of George Bernard Shaw. He was a personal friend and yet an ardent opponent of Shaw's progressive socialism. The lightness of tone and the humour of his other works are equally present in his examination of Shaw. The book presents a perceptive and far from dated critique of Shaw's philosophy and politics and through them the emerging progressive orthodoxy of the 20 century. The book represents an excellent introduction to Shaw's work and the spirit of the age in which they were created.

George Bernard Shaw

The Seagull is a play by Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov, written in 1895 and first produced in 1896. The Seagull is generally considered to be the first of his four major plays. It dramatises the romantic and artistic conflicts between four characters: the famous middlebrow story writer Boris Trigorin, the ingenue Nina, the fading actress Irina Arkadina, and her son the symbolist playwright Konstantin Tréplev.

Plays

The Seagull

Best known for the 'Mowgli' stories, Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book expertly interweaves myth, morals, adventure and powerful story-telling. Set in Central India, Mowgli is raised by a pack of wolves. Along the way he encounters memorable characters such as the foreboding tiger Shere Kahn, Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. Including other stories such as that of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a heroic mongoose and Toomai, a young elephant handler, Kipling's fables remain as popular today as they ever were.

Rudyard Kipling Collection

The Jungle Book

The Lifted Veil is a novella by George Eliot, first published in 1859. Quite unlike the realistic fiction for which Eliot is best known, The Lifted Veil explores themes of extrasensory perception, the essence of physical life, possible life after death, and the power of fate. The novella is a significant part of the Victorian tradition of horror fiction, which includes such other examples as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).

Horror Collection

The Lifted Veil

Mansfield Park is the third published novel by Jane Austen.The novel tells the story of Fanny Price, starting when her overburdened, impoverished family sends her at age ten to live in the household of her wealthy aunt and uncle; it follows her development and concludes in early adulthood.

Mansfield Park (Illustrated)

Botchan lives in the ultra-modern Tokyo before moving to the traditional Matsuyama, and is often surprised by their unusual customs. Will Botchan's common sense and moral grounding become corrupted, or will he battle the increasing break from tradition and morals for purely selfish gain? This is the question posed throughout the novel. At the time of the writing of Botchan, Japan was in the midst of a rapidly accelerating westernization, where traditional Japanese values and way of life were disappearing, especially in big cities such as Tokyo. Soseki himself had spent 3 years in London to study English literature. Botchan is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan, read by most Japanese during their childhood.

Botchan (Master Darling)

Gobseck is a novella by Honoré de Balzac, first published in 1830. Part of the La Comedie Humane and something of a sequence to Balzac's Father Goriot, the short book's title is the name of the pawn broker/money lender the father Goriot utilized to maintain his spoiled daughters in the luxury he had accustomed them to. This is a continuation of the tale of one of those daughters, Mme Restaud. The plot of Gobseck, is set during the French Restoration, and concerns Anastasie de Restaud, née Goriot. Anastasie de Restaud is the daughter of a rich bourgeois who has married into the aristocracy, but is bored by her marriage, which is loveless and passionless. Anastasie de Restaud has an affair with Maxime de Trailles, and spends her fortune on de Trailles. She turns to the usurer Jean-Esther van Gobseck for financial assistance. Total Running Time (TRT): 2 hours, 36 min. Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) was a French novelist and playwright. His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories, La Comédie humaine. Many of Balzac's works have been made into or have inspired films, and they are a continuing source of inspiration for writers, filmmakers and critics. Before and during his career as a writer, he attempted to be a publisher, printer, businessman, critic, and politician; he failed in all of these efforts. La Comédie humaine reflects his real-life difficulties, and includes scenes from his own experience.

Gobseck

The Apology (of Socrates) is Plato's version of the speech given by Socrates as he defends himself against the charges of being a man "who corrupted the young, did not believe in the gods, and created new deities". "Apology" here has its earlier meaning (now usually expressed by the word "apologia") of speaking in defense of a cause or of one's beliefs or actions

The Apology of Socrates

At age 19 Anne Brontë left home and worked as a governess for a few years before becoming a writer. Agnes Grey was an 1847 novel based on her experience as a governess. Bronte depicts the precarious position of a governess and how that can affect a young woman. Agnes was the daughter of a minister whose family was in financial difficulty. She has only a few choices for employment. Agnes experiences the difficulty of reining in spoiled children and how wealth can corrupt morals.

Agnes Grey

This book draws together some of Jane Austen's earliest literary efforts. It includes "Love & Freindship" and "Lesley Castle" both told through the medium of letters written by the characters. It also contains her wonderful "History of England" and a "Collection of Letters" and lastly a chapter containing "Scraps". In these offerings, we may see the beginnings of Miss Austen's literary style. We may also discern traces of characters that we encounter in her later works. G. K. Chesterton in his preface, for example, says of a passage in Love and Freindship; "... is there not the foreshadowing of another and more famous father; and do we not hear for a moment, in the rustic cottage by the Uske, the unmistakable voice of Mr. Bennet?" These works are certainly worth exploring for their own sakes and not simply as historical relics.

Love and Freindship, and Other Early Works

One of the most prosecuted and banned books in history. The classic novel of a young girl's exploration of physical pleasures. Young Fanny Hill is tricked into a life of prostitution, but she quickly learns the power of her own body as she learns the ways of physical passion. She soon escapes her fate for the loving arms of a wealthy young man, but misadventure and fate conspire to keep her from domestic bliss. Instead, Fanny discovers that sex need not be just for love; that it can be had for pleasure. She then sets out to explore those pleasures in as wide a variety as she can. With old men and young, and women as well; in positions of power, and situations where she has none; either watching or participating, Fanny's journey through the realms of sexual pleasure is a literary tour-de-force.

Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure

The Scarlet Letter, published in 1850, is an American novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and is generally considered to be his magnum opus. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who gives birth after committing adultery, refuses to name the father, and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne explores questions of grace, legalism, sin and guilt.

The Scarlet Letter

Maupassant's early story "Boule de Suif," ("Ball-of-Tallow") from 1880, remains a hallmark and a natural starting point. It's about a prostitute whose refrain, like Bartleby's, is that she would prefer not to—in this case, a Prussian officer asks repeatedly for the pleasure of her intimate company, and she invariably denies him. Unlike Bartleby, though, Boule de Suif must eventually give in, not by any defect of will but because of peer pressure.

Boule de Suif

Here is Oscar Wilde's most brilliant tour de force, a witty and buoyant comedy of manners that has delighted millions in countless productions since its first performance in London's St. James' Theatre on February 14, 1895. The Importance of Being Earnest is celebrated not only for the lighthearted ingenuity of its plot, but for its inspired dialogue, rich with scintillating epigrams still savored by all who enjoy artful conversation. From the play's effervescent beginnings in Algernon Moncrieff's London flat to its hilarious denouement in the drawing room of Jack Worthing's country manor in Hertfordshire, this comic masterpiece keeps audiences breathlessly anticipating a new bon mot or a fresh twist of plot moment to moment.

The Importance of Being Earnest

"The Man Who Would Be King" (1888) is a story by Rudyard Kipling about two British adventurers in British India who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan. The story was first published in The Phantom Rickshaw and other Eerie Tales (1888). It also appeared in Wee Willie Winkie and Other Child Stories (1895), and numerous later editions of that collection. It has been adapted for other media a number of times. The narrator of the story is an Indian journalist in 19th century India - Kipling himself, in all but name. Whilst on a tour of some Indian native states he meets two scruffy adventurers, Daniel Dravot and Peachey Carnehan. Softened by their stories, he agrees to help them in a minor errand, but later he regrets this and informs the authorities about them - preventing them from blackmailing a minor rajah. A few months later the pair appear at his newspaper office in Lahore.

The Man Who Would Be King (Unabridged)

The Mark on the Wall is the first published story by Virginia Woolf. It was published in 1917 as part of the first collection of short stories written by Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard Woolf, called Two Stories. It was later published in New York in 1921 as part of another collection entitled Monday or Tuesday. The Mark on the Wall is written in the first person, as a "tream of consciousness" monologue. The narrator notices a mark on the wall, and muses on the workings of the mind. Themes of religion, self-reflection, nature, and uncertainty are explored. The narrator reminisces about the development of thought patterns, beginning in childhood.

The Mark on the Wall (Unabridged)

Contains Active Table of Contents (HTML) and ​in the end of book include a bonus link to the free audiobook. Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy

Meditations

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was an American poet who wrote an incredible amount of poems. Having lived mostly as a recluse, it was only after her death that Dickinson gained popularity as one of America's greatest poets. This version of Dickinson's Complete Poems includes a table of contents.

Emily Dickinson: Complete Poems

The man is addicted to morphine, and can think of nothing but death. Only morphine has made his life barely tolerable. He is in this fragile mental state because of the things that happened in the past; because of the things he was forced to encounter. During the First World War he ended up alone on an island – an island that was pure horror. ‘Dagon’ is a horror short story written by H. P. Lovecraft. It was first published in 1917. H.P. Lovecraft (1890–1937) was an American horror writer. His best known works include ‘The Call of Cthulhu’ and ‘the Mountains of Madness’. Most of his work was originally published in pulp magazines, and Lovecraft rose into fame only after his death at the age of 46. He has had a great influence in both horror and science fiction genres.

World Classics

Dagon

Little needs to be said about this play as it is a sparkling example of Oscar Wilde's amazing ability to poke fun at almost everyone while making you laugh at the witty sayings sprinkled throughout the acts. As to the plot, if you don't know it already, let me just say that it involves two young English men who fall madly and instantly in love with two young English women who of course love them back mainly because their name is Earnest. Enjoy! Produced by Devin Lawerence Edited by Macc Kay Production executive Avalon Giuliano ICON Intern Eden Giuliano Music By AudioNautix With Their Kind Permission ©2020 Eden Garret Giuliano (P) Eden Garret Giuliano Geoffrey Giuliano is the author of over thirty internationally bestselling biographies, including the London Sunday Times bestseller Blackbird: The Life and Times of Paul McCartney and Dark Horse: The Private Life of George Harrison. He can be heard on the Westwood One Radio Network and has written and produced over seven hundred original spoken-word albums and video documentaries on various aspects of popular culture. Giuliano is also a well known movie actor.

A fascinating look at occult beliefs and practises by Austrian philosopher, social thinker, architect and esotericist Rudolf Steiner.

An Outline of Occult Science

A collection of thirteen short stories from some of the best classic authors of history, including Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Thomas Hardy, Daniel Defoe and Robert Louis Stevenson.

The Great English Short-Story Writers

Determined to make her heroine "as poor and plain as myself," Charlotte Brontë made a daring choice for her 1847 novel. Jane Eyre possesses neither the great beauty nor entrancing charm that her fictional predecessors used to make their way in the world. Instead, Jane relies upon her powers of diligence and perception, conducting herself with dignity animated by passion. The instant and lasting success of Jane Eyre proved Brontë's instincts correct. Readers of her era and ever after have taken the impoverished orphan girl into their hearts, following her from the custody of cruel relatives to a dangerously oppressive boarding school and onward through a troubled career as a governess. Jane's first assignment at Thorn field, where the proud and cynical master of the house harbors a scandalous secret, draws readers ever deeper into a compelling exploration of the mysteries of the human heart. A banquet of food for thought, this many-faceted tale invites a splendid variety of interpretations. The heroine's insistence upon emotional equality with her lover suggests a feminist viewpoint, while her solitary status invokes a consideration of the problems of growing up as a social outsider. Some regard Jane's attempts to reconcile her need for love with her search for moral rectitude as the story's primary message, and lovers of Gothic romance find the tale's social and religious aspects secondary to its gripping elements of mystery and horror. This classic of English literature truly features something for every reader.

Jane Eyre

‘The Minister's Black Veil’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in 1832, is a grim tale about Mr Hooper, a preacher, who starts wearing a veil over the upper part of his face. He first wore the veil while delivering a sermon on secret sin, and never removes it, despite the dismay of the congregation or the pleas of his fiancée, who leaves him. Mr Hooper develops into Father Hooper, a figure who makes converts of people who imagine themselves to also hide behind the veil. Through the narrative technique, Hawthorne ultimately implies that the exposed faces of people also function like veils in order to cover one or more of the deadly sins.

The Minister's Black Veil

Charles Dickens' classic story about the trials and redemption of Ebenezer Scrooge. Dickens found his Ebenezer Scrooge in an Edinburgh graveyard; Roger Worrod's performance takes Scrooge back to his Scottish roots, providing what has been called: "The finest 'Christmas Carol' on the market".

A Christmas Carol

Rachel Innes is a rich lady who has been taking care of her niece and nephew since their father died. The three of them decide to rent a house in the country and although everything seems to be alright in the beginning, strange events soon begin to occur. Her niece disappears then reappears a few days later. There is a murder they are involved in. They hear strange noises. Things fall down the stairs in the middle of the night. Will Rachel solve the mysteries and how will their summer end? Find out in "The Circular Staircase". B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere. Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer who lived in the period 1876-1958. She wrote hundreds of short stories, novels and travelogues. She gained wide popularity with her detective stories and although her first mystery novel was published 12 years before Agatha Christie’s, Rinehart was often called the American Agatha Christie. Mary Rinehart is considered to have invented the "Had I but known" way of mystery writing, which she used for the first time in her bestselling story "The Circular Staircase".

B. J. Harrison Reads The Circular Staircase

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame or Notre-Dame de Paris is a French Gothic novel by Victor Hugo, published in 1831. The story is set in Paris in 1482 during the reign of Louis XI. The gypsy Esmeralda (born as Agnes) captures the hearts of many men, including those of Captain Phoebus and Pierre Gringoire, but especially Quasimodo and his guardian Archdeacon Claude Frollo. Frollo is torn between his obsessive lust for Esmeralda and the rules of Notre Dame Cathedral. He orders Quasimodo to kidnap her, but Quasimodo is captured by Phoebus and his guards, who save Esmeralda. Gringoire, who attempted to help Esmeralda but was knocked out by Quasimodo, is about to be hanged by beggars when Esmeralda saves him by agreeing to marry him for four years.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, Book 1 (Unabridged)

The Ported fingers of glass hang downwards. The light slides down the glass, and drops a pool of green. All day long the ten fingers of the lustre drop green upon the marble. The feathers of parakeets their harsh cries sharp blades of palm trees green, too.

Blue and Green (Unabridged)

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