Showing results by narrator "Philippe Duquenoy" in All Categories

Ulysses takes us on the journey of two men, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus, through an hour-by-hour account of their lives for one day. These men cross paths in a series of coincidental events and listeners learn how interconnected they are even though they are not friends.

Initiation into Philosophy is a broad overview of the development of philosophy. Emile Faguet covers all major philosophical developments from the ancient times to the modern era, showing the tracks of the growth of reason over the course of Western civilization. He shows how each philosophical movement initiates and lays the groundwork for the next. This is essentially a comprehensive review of the study of thought and the conception of the world.

Ishmael, a sailor looking for his next adventure, and his friend who happens to be a former prince, sign up to join a whaling ship in Nantucket. The morning before they set sail on their voyage, many ominous signs of what the pair's fate may be are seen and heard through sermon and prophecy as the two friends ignore the warnings and make their way to the docks. Soon into the trip, the one-legged Captain Ahab announces that the whaling adventure is really a hunt for one very specific large, white sperm whale.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells is an action-packed, science fiction novel that was written in 1897 and is told through the eyes of two brothers who live through an alien invasion. The story is an unbiased account and observation of the alien invasion, and has led to the creation of hundreds of books and movies. H.G. Wells is one of the first authors to tackle the "what if" scenario of an alien invasion.

Emily Climbs is the story of a young orphan growing up in New Moon Farm who has a passion for writing, a talent that has helped her cope with some of the more difficult times in her life. However, Emily is faced with a dilemma. Elizabeth, her aunt, wants her to promise to give up writing in exchange for being able to attend high school in the nearby town of Shrewsbury, the school which all of her friends are attending.

Similar to the Anne of Green Gables series, the Emily novels follow the life of a young orphan girl. After her father dies of tuberculosis, she is raised by aunts Elizabeth and Laura, one of whom is strict and will stand no nonsense, whereas the other shows kindness and sympathy for a young orphan. Throughout the novel, Emily shows that she is a girl with a love for the beauty and nature and art, loyalty and her friends, a thirst for knowledge, and a passionate dedication to her writing.

David Copperfield is the charming tale of a young boy's journey from an impoverished childhood in Victorian England to a renowned novelist. The story of David Copperfield brings to life some of the most beloved and notorious Dickens characters, including the wicked stepfather, Edward Murdstone; David's friend, Tommy Traddles; Agnes; and the bookkeeper Uriah Heep.

First published in 1865 by The Russian Messenger, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy is considered to be one of the longest novels ever written, although Tolstoy himself did not consider this book "a novel". Interspersed between narrative chapters concerning five aristocratic families are several philosophical and historical chapters against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, where Tolstoy weaves a tale of drama with characters that include statesmen and generals of that era, mixing domestic life, balls, and war councils into one epic story.

The Three Musketeers, written in 1844, is one of the greatest novels written by French author Alexandre Dumas. Set in 17th century France, The Three Musketeers chronicles the adventures of d’Artagnan, a young man who leaves home and travels to Paris in his pursuit of joining the king’s elite Musketeers of the Guard.

Arrowsmith is the story of a brilliant man named Martin Arrowsmith, who has a passion for science and medicine, but with a weakness for women, money, and glory. As a child, Martin would spend his free time reading through the medical books in the local doctor’s practice. This interest leads him to medical school, and eventually Martin starts his own private practice in medicine, while getting married to Leora Tozer.

Often considered one of the greatest novels in American classic literature, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is the story about a young man named Nick Carraway, who moves to Long Island in pursuit of his dream of becoming a bond salesman, and his next door neighbor, a self-made millionaire named Jay Gatsby, a man who lives a lavish lifestyle, and likes to throw extravagant parties every weekend. As the two get better acquainted, Carraway is thrust into Gatsby’s world of over the top parties, and his love and desire for a married woman he once knew named Daisy Buchanan.

Since first published in 1923, The Prophet written by Kahlil Gibran has never been out of print. This classic has been translated in to more than 50 languages, and is constantly on international best seller lists. The book is made up of 26 prose poems, delivered as sermons by a wise man called Almustafa. He is about to set sail for his homeland after 12 years in exile on a fictional island when the people of the island ask him to share his wisdom on the big questions of life, such as love, family, work and death.

Those who live in this futuristic city are always taken care of but they lack creativity and individuality. This all changes when a mathematician named D-503 discovers that he has a soul that is separate from the OneState. He and the citizens of OneState live out their lives deprived of passion and creativity. Their names have been taken away and replaced with numbers, their daily routines are dictated by the “Time Tablet” which tells them what they should do, and when they should do it, hour after hour.

When Adela, a British school teacher, and her companion travel to India, they set out on an adventure of a lifetime. While in the company of the charming Dr. Aziz, Adela decides to explore the mysterious Marabar Caves. What begins as a stunning journey into the real India, a misunderstanding ruins the entire trip and threatens to destroy the honorable reputation of Dr. Aziz. A Passage to India is a tale as timeless as love itself and just as exciting.

At its heart, Bleak House is a 19th-century mystery and legal drama. This Charles Dickens novel tells the story of Esther Summerson and her quest to unravel the mystery of her true identity. Orphaned as an infant, Esther is raised by Miss Barbary. Esther’s cruel guardian’s sadistic method of celebrating Esther’s birthday every year not only raises questions but shatters her sense of self-worth. When Esther does discover her true identity, it changes the course of her life.

The Scarlet Letter is one of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most memorable novels. In this moving story, one sinful act wreaks havoc on the lives of three people. When a beautiful young woman, Hester Prynne, conceives a child outside of marriage, she is punished and humiliated by being required to always wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her clothing. Believing her husband was lost at sea after a shipwreck, Hester takes a lover. When she becomes pregnant, she refuses to divulge the name of the baby’s father. When her husband returns unexpectedly, the lives of all involved are put in turmoil.

Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil takes an in-depth look at the major truths of philosophy. However, the unique approach of adding poetry and commentary to these truths makes this work both more interesting and more dynamic than the typical philosophic discussion found in most modern philosophy books. In addition, Nietzche argues that most philosophies are centered on the philosopher's attempt to explain their own bias. The work offers insight to finding the truths not only about philosophy, but also about the philosophers who wrote these insights.

Something strange is afoot at the Paris Opera House. When staff and performers spot a skeleton dressed in dinner attire, tales of the opera house ghost begin to surface. The new manager dismisses the stories as overactive imaginations, but chaos ensues, and encounters with the phantom become increasingly frightening. Who is the mysterious phantom that haunts the theater after the crowds have left for the night? How can he enter locked rooms and get from place to place so quickly? What is his connection to the beautiful and talented Christine?

John Harmon, the heir to the Harmon estate discovers that his father's will requires him to marry Bella Wilfer, a woman whom he's never met, in order to claim his inheritance. But, when the body of a young man is found in the River Thames, his papers identify him as the heir to the Harmon estate, and Bella's hopes to marry into riches are diminished, and she's then pursued by a mysterious John Rokesmith.

After an escaped prisoner bullies him into freeing him using stolen tools, seven-year-old orphan Pip is made to pay regular visits to the mysterious spinster Miss Havisham, who lives in the wedding dress she wore when jilted at the altar and keeps every clock in her crumbling mansion frozen at the same time. While there, he meets and instantly falls in love with her beautiful but aloof ward Estella