Great Classics

How he put his fist through the oak-panel of the game-room door; how, when Long Merridew was carrying the ball, he caught up Merridew, ball and all, and ran swiftly past every opponent to the goal. It did not seem fit to us that such a one as he should trouble his head about spondees and dactyls, or care to know who signed Magna Charta. When he said in open class that King Alfred was the man, we little boys all felt that very likely it was so, and that perhaps Jim knew more about it than the man who wrote the book.

On publication, it was widely denounced by the press as degenerate and horrific because of its implied sexual content, and the novella hurt Machen's reputation as an author. Beginning in the 1920s, Machen's work was critically re-evaluated and The Great God Pan has since garnered a reputation as a classic of horror.

The tale begins with an experiment to enable a woman named Mary to experience the supernatural realm, which turns her into an idiot. Then follows an account of a series of mysterious occurrences and deaths surrounding a sinister woman named Helen Vaughan. The protagonists eventually confront Helen and forces her to kill herself. Before dying, she undergoes a series of spooky transformations that reveals her to be the daughter of the ill-fated Mary and the god Pan.

Ray did not expect his life to take the turns it did. He had always been a simple man who enjoyed modest pleasures and a few travel experiences. In fact, he thought he might have traveled more. But life just sort of happened, and he never got around to the things he wanted to see. Now, on the biggest journey of his life, going places he could only imagine in his dreams, he is not sure he wants to be on this path. He is not sure how he got on this path or where it will take him next. Perhaps the biggest question is: “Who is in control?”

A collection of classic American short stories, including 'The Old Man's Bride' by Timothy Shay Arthur (read by Van Johnson), 'The Virginian' by Owen Wister (William Holden), 'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James (Ronald Colman and Edna Best) and 'The Man That Corrupted Handleyburg' by Mark Twain (Frank Lovejoy).

In a gloomy, neglected house Miss Havisham sits, as she has sat year after year, in a wedding dress and veil that were once white, and are now faded and yellow with age. Her face is like a death’s head; her dark eyes burn with bitterness and hate. By her side sits a proud and beautiful girl, and in front of her, trembling with fear in his thick country boots, stands young Pip.

A fascinating collection of short stories by some of Australia's best classic writers.

A story of love and broken dreams, Great Expectations is regarded by many as Dickens' finest achievement. He combines a gripping, melodramatic plot with a rich and memorable cast of characters, some comic, some tragic, some eccentric and some exemplary, like the generous-spirited Joe Gargery. The tale is told by Pip, an orphan of humble origins, who rises to be a gentleman through a mysterious benefactor. But his world is turned upside-down by a revelation, the nature of which he could never have guessed.

Beatrix Potter was an English writer best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as those in "The Tale of Peter Rabbit". In this audiobook, 10 rare tales by Beatrix Potter : The Tailor of Gloucester; The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin; The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan; The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit; The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or, The Roly-Poly Pudding; The Tale of Tom Kitten; The Tale of Ginger and Pickles; The Tale of Pigling Bland; The Tale of Mr. Tod; The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse.

Return to the turbulent Jazz Age and of Prohibition, the summer of 1922, as Nick Carraway relates the story of his cousin, the beautiful but married Daisy Buchanan, and of her affair with her former lover, the mysterious Jay Gatsby. One of the greatest of American novels, it is a story of an age of excess and rebellion, of desires of the flesh and those of the dollar, all ending in tragedy.

Pip—the orphaned hero of Great Expectations—is one of Charles Dickens's best-loved characters. Young Philip Pirrip—nicknamed Pip—is apprenticed to his blacksmith brother-in-law, but an anonymous benefactor changes the boy's future. After he is lifted to what seems a higher station in life, Pip shuns his kind friends and slips into debt. But as he matures, he progresses from thoughtless selfishness to humble industry.

Inspired by a trip to a graveyard in Wales, the novella was originally not well received. The Great God Pan is now considered an excellent example of Gothic fiction, and has influenced such writers as Bram Stoker, H.P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, and Ray Bradbury.

No other outlaw in history or literature is as famous as Robin Hood. People everywhere love this colourful hero who robs the rich to give to the poor and know by name his band of merry men. Tales of his daring exploits have passed from generation to generation. Neil Philip's telling of the Robin...

Follow the spirited and self-assured Emma Woodhouse as she navigates matchmaking misadventures, class dynamics, and the gentle unraveling of her own heart. From her misguided attempts to pair her friend Harriet Smith with the wrong suitor to the slow realization of her feelings for Mr. Knightley, this edition retains the sharp humor and emotional insight that have made Emma a literary classic for over two centuries.

Step into the stormy moors of Yorkshire in this abridged retelling of one of literature’s most haunting love stories. The Greats Abridged: Wuthering Heights captures the dark romance and brooding passion of Emily Brontë’s original classic—condensed for modern listeners who crave the emotional intensity of the tale without sacrificing its poetic depth.

Stranded on a deserted island after a violent shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe must face the wild alone. With nothing but his wits, faith, and unyielding determination, he builds a new life in an unforgiving wilderness. This abridged edition brings Daniel Defoe’s groundbreaking tale of survival and spiritual growth to modern audiences with crisp clarity and cinematic pacing. Perfect for listeners of all ages, The Greats Abridged series distills timeless classics without losing their heart.

Publishers Weekly praises Steven Barnes’ Shadow Valley as “all at once rugged and elegant in style, a mix of harsh bloodletting with a primeval close-to-the-land beauty.” This mythical tale—a sequel to Barnes’ Great Sky Woman - is set in Africa in 28,000 B.C. and follows a tribal leader who must find a new land for her people.

A riveting collection of stories of ships, sailors, adventures on the high seas and maritime mysteries. The Tale by Joseph Conrad. The Saloon Passenger by E. W. Hornung. The Terrible Story of the "Mary Russell" by J. G. Lockhart. Marooned by J. G. Lockhart. A Rash Experiment by W. W. Jacobs. The Mystery of the Mary Celeste by J. G. Lockhart. Smoked Skipper by W. W. Jacobs. The Flying Dutchman by J. G. Lockhart. The Cabin Passenger by W. W. Jacobs. The Ship that saw a Ghost by Frank Norris.

Judith Tarr returns to the always fascinating character of Alexander the Great in this fantasy novel that springs from the legend that the Queen of the Amazons came to meet him in Persia, and became his friend.

A collection of four short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the common theme of which is New Hampshire's White Mountains. Consists of: "The Great Stone Face", written in 1850 and revolves around the "Old Man of the Mountain" (Cannon Mtn.) in New Hampshire which sadly collapsed on May 3, 2003; "The Ambitious Guest", written in 1835; "The Great Carbuncle", written in 1837; and "Sketches From Memory", written sometime prior to "The Great Carbuncle" as will become obvious.