Showing results by narrator "Mark Bowen" in All Categories

Passing is a novel by American author Nella Larsen, first published in 1929. Set primarily in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City in the 1920s, the story centers on the reunion of two childhood friends—Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield—and their increasing fascination with each other's lives. The title refers to the practice of "racial passing", which is a key element of the novel. Clare Kendry's attempt to pass as white for her husband, John (Jack) Bellew, is significant and is a catalyst for the tragic events.

The Embroidered Towel is one of the most famous story from a short story collection A Young Doctor's Notebook, also known as A Country Doctor's Notebook. In The Embroidered Towel by Mikhail Bulgakov the young doctor arrives at his new post after a bone-jarring 24-hour wagon ride. He frets about how young he looks, and feels intimidated by the well-stocked pharmacy and medical library his predecessor has left behind. He also worries that he'll have to treat a hernia and won't know what to do - this neurosis is a running joke in the book's initial stories.

King Lear is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It tells the tale of a king who bequeaths his power and land to two of his three daughters, after they declare their love for him in an extremely fawning and obsequious manner. His third daughter gets nothing, because she will not flatter him as her sisters had done. When he feels disrespected by the two daughters who now have his wealth and power, he becomes furious to the point of madness. He eventually becomes tenderly reconciled to his third daughter, just before tragedy strikes her and then the king.

The Kybalion is a book originally published in 1908 by "Three Initiates" (often identified as the New Thought pioneer William Walker Atkinson, 1862–1932) that purports to convey the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. While it shares with ancient and medieval Hermetic texts a number of traits such as philosophical mentalism, the concept of 'as above, so below', and the idea that everything consists of gendered polar opposites, as a whole it is more indebted to the ideas of modern occultist authors, especially those of the New Thought movement to which Atkinson belonged.

Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist. He was one of the leaders of the Russian October Revolution, second only to Vladimir Lenin. During the early days of the Soviet Union, he served first as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs and later as the founder and commander of the Red Army and People's Commissar of War. He was also among the first members of the Politburo. Why fascism was able to conquer only in those countries where social democratic or Stalinist parties blocked the workers and their allies from utilizing a revolutionary situation to remove the capitalists from power.

The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is a history play and tragedy by William Shakespeare first performed in 1599. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman history, such as Coriolanus and Antony and Cleopatra. Set in Rome in 44 BC, the play depicts the moral dilemma of Brutus as he joins a conspiracy led by Cassius to murder Julius Caesar to prevent him from becoming dictator of Rome. Following Caesar's death, Rome is thrust into a period of civil war, and the republic the conspirators sought to preserve is lost forever.

God Sees the Truth, But Waits is a short story by Russian author Leo Tolstoy first published in 1872. The story, about a man sent to prison for a murder he did not commit, takes the form of a parable of forgiveness. English translations were also published under titles "The Confessed Crime", "Exiled to Siberia", and "The Long Exile". The concept of the story of a man wrongfully accused of murder and banished to Siberia also appears in one of Tolstoy's previous works, War and Peace, during a philosophical discussion between two characters who relate the story and argue how the protagonist of their story deals with injustice and fate.

"The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald is a classic fairy tale that intertwines the adventures of a brave princess named Irene and her encounters with magical creatures, including goblins and a mysterious great-great-grandmother. Set in a fantastical world, the story explores themes of courage, loyalty, and the triumph of good over evil. MacDonald weaves a captivating narrative filled with enchanting elements and moral undertones, making it a timeless and delightful read for audiences of all ages.

Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and religious author interested in human psychology. He is regarded as a leading pioneer of existentialism and one of the greatest philosophers of the 19th Century.

The final play of the Oresteia, called The Eumenides (Εὐμενίδες, Eumenídes), illustrates how the sequence of events in the trilogy ends up in the development of social order or a proper judicial system in Athenian society. In this play, Orestes is hunted down and tormented by the Furies, a trio of goddesses known to be the instruments of justice, who are also referred to as the "Gracious Ones" (Eumenides). They relentlessly pursue Orestes for the killing of his mother.

Youth is a science fiction novelette by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the May 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction and was reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories. Youth is one of the rare Asimov stories with alien characters. Slim is a boy whose astronomer father is visiting the country estate of an important industrialist. The industrialist's son, Red, has found two strange animals, and he enlists Slim in a plan to turn the animals into a circus act. The astronomer, meanwhile, tells the industrialist that he has been in contact with space aliens who want to open up their world to interstellar trade.

"Meddler" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick. It was first published in Future Science Fiction, October 1954 with illustration by Virgil Finlay. The technology called "The Dip" is used by historians to observe and study historical phenomenon. Wood is showing Hasten a new version of the Dip that can look into the future. Hastern is horrified by this. Not only is it illegal to Dip into the future, it is extremely dangerous. Anything from the future brought into the present has the potential to radically alter future event.

The Classic Collection of E.T.A. Hoffmann: presents two of the most enchanting and imaginative works by the renowned German author E.T.A. Hoffmann: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and "The Golden Pot. In The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, readers are transported to a world of fantasy and wonder as they follow the adventures of Clara and her beloved Nutcracker. Hoffmann's captivating storytelling takes us on a magical journey filled with toy soldiers, a fierce battle with the Mouse King, and a visit to the Land of Sweets. This beloved tale has become a timeless classic and a holiday tradition, inspiring Tchaikovsky's famous ballet.

The Big Book of Christmas: Classic Stories and Poems is a grand compilation that assembles a treasure trove of holiday tales and poems from a remarkable array of authors. This extensive collection includes 100 classic works, each thoughtfully illustrated, to immerse readers in the magic and wonder of the Christmas season. This anthology spans a rich tapestry of Christmas literature, including timeless favorites such as "The Gift of the Magi," "The Red Room," "A Letter from Santa Claus," "The Fir Tree," "Song of the Holly," and many more.

The Life and Teachings of Hermes Trismegistus by Manly P. Hall is an audiobook that explores the legendary figure of Hermes Trismegistus and the wisdom attributed to him. Hermes Trismegistus is a mythical and syncretic figure often associated with ancient Egypt and Greece, believed to be a master of various esoteric and philosophical disciplines, including alchemy, astrology, and spirituality. In this audiobook, Manly P. Hall delves into the life, philosophy, and teachings of Hermes Trismegistus. He discusses the Hermetic tradition and its influence on Western thought and spirituality. 

The Land of the Gods: The Long-Hidden Story of Visiting the Masters of Wisdom in Shambhala by H. P. Blavatsky is a captivating exploration of the legendary kingdom of Shambhala and its connection to the Masters of Wisdom. This illuminating book delves into the mystical teachings and ancient wisdom associated with Shambhala, a hidden realm believed to exist beyond the physical plane. H. P. Blavatsky, a renowned spiritualist and founder of the Theosophical Society, presents a detailed account of her experiences and insights into the enigmatic land of Shambhala.

The Star is an 1897 apocalyptic short story by H. G. Wells. Here is an impressive story based on the inter-action of planetary bodies and of the sun upon them. A great star is seen approaching the earth. At first it is only an object of interest to the general public, but there is an astronomer on the earth, who is watching each phase and making mathematical calculations, for he knows the intimate relation of gravitation between bodies and the effect on rotating bodies of the same force from an outside source. He fears all sorts of wreckage on our earth.

In addition to these classic novels, the sents a captivating anthology of novels and stories from the visionary author. Renowned as one of the pioneers of science fiction, Wells's works continue to enthrall readers with their imaginative storytelling and thought-provoking themes. At the forefront of this anthology are some of Wells's most iconic works, including The Time Machine, a groundbreaking tale of time travel and its consequences, and The War of the Worlds, a gripping account of a Martian invasion that brings humanity to the brink of extinction.

The Case of Lady Sannox (also published as "The Kiss of Blood") is a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published in The Idler in November 1893.The story features an arrogant surgeon, Douglas Stone, who is in love with the married Lady Sannox, one of the most beautiful women in London. On his way to a rendezvous with her, the surgeon is asked by a Turkish man to operate on the latter's wife, who has cut her lip with a poison envenomed scimitar.

Troilus and Cressida is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1602. It was described by Frederick S. Boas as one of Shakespeare's problem plays. The play ends on a very bleak note with the death of the noble Trojan Hector and destruction of the love between Troilus and Cressida. The work has in recent years "stimulated exceptionally lively critical debate". Throughout the play, the tone lurches wildly between bawdy comedy and tragic gloom, and readers and theatre-goers have frequently found it difficult to understand how one is meant to respond to the characters.