Rainbow Valley

Rainbow Valley, the seventh book in the Anne of Green Gables series explores the world of Anne & Gilbert’s six children along with the exploits of the Merediths, the children of the town’s new minister. With no mother and an absent-minded father, the Meredith children are not being properly brought up. This leads to their many adventures causing the ladies of the town to gossip, risking their father's job. These kind-hearted, but misguided children fumble their way through bringing themselves up, and learn about life and love along the way. Summary by Robin Cotter

35 episodes

Beautiful Joe

Beautiful Joe is a real dog, and "Beautiful Joe" is his real name. He belonged during the first part of his life to a cruel master, who mutilated him in the manner described in the story. He was rescued from him, and is now living in a happy home with pleasant surroundings, and enjoys a wide local celebrity.The character of Laura is drawn from life, and to the smallest detail is truthfully depicted. The Morris family has its counterparts in real life, and nearly all of the incidents of the story are founded on fact. (Summary by Marshall Saunders)

19 episodes

Mother

With seven children and a home to take care of, Margaret wondered how her Mother could be so happy living a life that seemed all drudgery. As Margaret has new experiences, she comes to realize that "her mother was not only the truest, the finest, the most generous woman she had ever known, but the happiest as well". (Summary by Megan Kunkel)

7 episodes

A Dog's Tale

This short novel of Twain’s, from 1903, is told from the point of view of a loyal and beloved family pet. Themes of heroics, valor and heart-wrenching tenderness fill this work. The story is also filled with happy events as well as sad ones and is ultimately about what dogs are to us … best friends. A Dog’s Tale is quintessentially Twain. (Summary by Aaron Elliott)

3 episodes

Marcia Schuyler

A compelling love triangle. Marcia is young & sweet. Her older sister Kate is vain & selfish. Marcia deeply admires the man that Kate is to marry: handsome & respected David Spafford. But on the eve of the wedding, Kate elopes with another man. Marcia is there when the note is found...the note that effectively breaks David's heart. Out of pity for his situation, Marcia offers to take Kate's place, in order to save David from humiliation. She grows in love for him, all the while aware that he's still grieving for his lost Kate. What will happen when Kate returns, fully intending to get David back? Will Marcia have the strength to fight for the man she now loves? (Summary by Chloey Winters)

29 episodes

Phoebe Deane

Second book in the Marcia Schuyler trilogy. Phoebe Deane lives almost as a servant in her brother's home, tormented by her hateful sister-in-law. Schemes to marry her off swirl around her. Her fate seems to be marriage to an abusive man with several disobedient children, until a chance encounter in the woods one afternoon changes the course of her destiny. (Summary by TriciaG)

28 episodes

The Egoist

The Egoist is a tragicomical novel by George Meredith published in 1879. The novel recounts the story of self-absorbed Sir Willoughby Patterne and his attempts at marriage; jilted by his first bride-to-be, he vacillates between the sentimental Laetitia Dale and the strong-willed Clara Middleton. More importantly, the novel follows Clara's attempts to escape from her engagement to Sir Willoughby, who desires women to serve as a mirror for him and consequently cannot understand why she would not want to marry him. Thus, The Egoist dramatizes the difficulty contingent upon being a woman in Victorian society, when women's bodies and minds are trafficked between fathers and husbands to cement male bonds. (Summary from Wikipedia)

51 episodes

They and I

A man and his three children leave the “Little Mother” at home in the city and set up temporary housekeeping in a country cottage to supervise the remodeling of the house he has just purchased there. The story is narrated by the father. His interactions with his children, interspersed with his own recollections of past events, make for hilarious reading.This is Jerome at his best, IMHO, although this is apparently one of this lesser known novels. (Summary by Debra Lynn)

12 episodes

Judge Burnham's Daughters

Fifth in the Chautauqua Girls series. Ruth Erskine Burnham has helped raise her husband's two daughters, but all have rejected her faith and values. The constant pressure to compromise has weakened her walk and made her life miserable. Her one comfort is her sickly 5 year old son. Will she return to the strong faith of her young womanhood, and will her family finally follow? (Summary by Tricia G) Previous book in series: Ester Ried Yet Speaking Next book in series: Workers Together, or, An Endless Chain

27 episodes

The Spirit of Christmas (version 2)

A collection of short Christmas works by the author of The Story of the Fourth Wise Man (Summary by D. Leeson).

4 episodes

The Enchanted Barn

The Hollisters, a bright, spirited, wholesome family, are compelled to move into the country. After many efforts to secure a home, Shirley, eldest of the Hollisters, contrives a way out by renting a magnificent old stone barn at a ridiculously low price, transforming it into a house. The owner of the barn is not an ordinary landlord, as you will see, for he is a young man with fine ideals, and he is not content with establishing Shirley and her family in the quaintly beautiful old place, but makes the world a much happier place to live in for all of them. (Summary from publisher)

28 episodes

Die Familie Pfäffling

Humorvolle Geschichte einer Musikerfamilie mit sieben Kindern zu Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts (Summary by Wolfgang)

14 episodes

Der Trotzkopf

Die 15-jährige Ilse Macket lebt auf dem Gut Moosdorf in Pommern und wächst nach dem Tod der Mutter wild und ohne jede Erziehung auf. Sie benimmt sich jungenhaft, wird sogar als tyrannisch erlebt - bis die Stiefmutter das Haus betritt. „Frau Anne“ und Pfarrer Wollert schlagen dem Vater vor, Ilse zur standesgemäßen Dame erziehen zu lassen. Die Familie beschließt, das Mädchen in einem Pensionat unterzubringen: Steht doch durch Ilses "wenig damenhafte" Art die gesamte Zukunft des jungen Mädchens auf dem Spiel... Und somit können wir den Werdegang des Trotzkopfs und ihrer Mitbewohnerinnen im Pensionat miterleben. (Zusammenfassung von schrm, basierend auf dem Text von Elli und Wikipedia)

42 episodes

What Maisie Knew

When Beale and Ida Farange are divorced, the court decrees that their only child, the very young Maisie, will shuttle back and forth between them, spending six months of the year with each. The parents are immoral and frivolous, and they use Maisie to intensify their hatred of each other. (Summary by Wikipedia.)

32 episodes

The Cinder Pond

Years ago, a manufacturer built a great dock, jutting out from and then turning parallel to the shore of a northern Michigan town. The factory was abandoned, and following the habits of small towns, the space between the dock and the shore became "The Cinder Pond." Jean started life in the colony of squatters that came to live in the shanties on the dock, but fortune, heroism, and a mystery combine to change her fortunes and those of her friends near the Cinder Pond. (Advertising material from the publisher, 1915)More than one girl who reads this story will envy Jeanne her queer little home out on the end of the old dock in Lake Superior. It must indeed have been a fascinating place to live, but Jeanne's father, a gentleman himself, wanted her to grow up to be a lady, so she was sent away to be trained and educated among strangers. They were her own relatives, but they could never be anything but strangers to her, for they had no love in their hearts for the little girl who had come to make a home with them. Only her grandfather learned to love her, for she filled a bright place in his lonely life, and the story tells how he showed his feeling for her and how she was able to go back to Cinder Pond to help her little stepbrothers and -sisters. (Book Review Digest, vol. 11, 1916)An interesting story of a little French girl, who lived with her step-family on a dock near the Cinder Pond and who after several trying experiences finds a good home and real joy in helping care for her several step-brothers and sisters. Though reason for the marriage of Jeannette's father to a shiftless, but kindly Irish woman is unnecessarily emphasized, the story is a very usable one, stamped with Jeanne's friendliness and sincerity. (The Booklist, vol 12, Oct. 1915--July, 1916)

27 episodes

One Day More

A one-act play. Eccentric (crazy?) Captain Hagberd has been waiting for years for his son to come home from the sea. He has scrimped and saved, outfitting a house for Harry to inherit upon his return, which will be in only "one day more." He has also planned that Harry will marry Bessie, the repressed maiden next door. Note: The recording was done outside, so there will be some ambient noise (airplanes, lawn mowers, birds, children... etc). (Summary by TriciaG)CastCaptain Hagberd: Rat KingJosiah Carvil: David LawrenceHarry Hagberd / A Lamplighter: TriciaGBessie Carvil: Esther

3 episodes

Christmas Comes but Once a Year

A Christmas tale of John Brown's ghastly family (suburban snobs), Captain Bonaventure de Camp and his equally awful brood (a dubious crew), and poor Soavo Spohf, organist of St. Stiff the Martyr, gifted in musical ability but not blessed in looks or love. No-one could call this a great work of literature, but it definitely raises a few chuckles and it also offers a fascinating glimpse into Christmas festivities and social mores in well-to-do households in the mid-19th century. (Introduction by Ruth Golding)

8 episodes

The Chimes

The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In is the second of Charles Dickens' Christmas books, published in 1844. Its contemporary setting is the "Hungry Forties", a time of social and political unrest, and the book has a strong moral message. It remained popular for many years, although its fame has since been eclipsed by that of A Christmas Carol, the first of the series. Our hero Toby ("Trotty") Veck is a poor but hard-working man, whose beloved daughter Meg is due to marry on New Year's Day. Trotty, who is appalled by newspaper reports of crime and immorality, is further depressed by his encounters with the rich and influential Alderman Cute and Sir Joseph Bowley, who make him feel that the poor have no right to exist in society, and his daughter has no right to marry. Trotty hears messages in the chimes of the church bells, which lead him to visit the belfry at night on New Year's Eve... (Introduction by Ruth Golding)

4 episodes

Magic Words: A Tale for Christmas Time

Magic Words is a Victorian tale of a community and how a few women bring a special kind of Christmas magic to the community-- Magic that can heal wounded hearts. (Introduction by Sean McGaughey)

4 episodes

Anne of Green Gables (Dramatic Reading)

Red-haired Anne Shirley, the orphan girl mistakenly sent to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, has been one of the world's most beloved characters since the publication of Anne of Green Gables in 1908. In this dramatic reading, Librivox readers tell the story of Anne's adventures as she grows up on Prince Edward Island.(Summary by wildemoose)Cast:Anne/Narrator: Arielle LipshawMarilla Cuthbert: Elizabeth KlettMatthew Cuthbert: Bruce PirieMrs. Rachel Lynde: Amy GramourDiana Barry: Sally McConnellGilbert Blythe: mbStationmaster: Phil ChenevertMrs. Spencer: Sally McConnellFlora Jane Spencer: sherlock85Mrs. Blewett: Tricia GMrs. Barry: Linette GeiselMr. Phillips: David LawrenceJimmy Glover/Boys: Peter BishopRuby Gillis: ESFJ GirlDoctor: Phil ChenevertMiss Josephine Barry: ashleyspenceMrs. Allan: Sarah JenningsJosie Pye: rashadaCarrie Sloane: Laura PayneMiss Lucilla Harris: Sally McConnellJane Andrews: Elizabeth BarrMiss Stacy: Amy GramourMoody Spurgeon McPherson: Peter BishopLady: AvailleAudio edited by: Arielle Lipshaw

39 episodes

The Vicar of Wakefield (version 2)

First published in 1766, the loveable and innocent Dr Primrose and his family have given pleasure to all that have read it.The story opens with the vicar losing his fortune and moving to another parish. What follows is a tale of love, deceit, betrayal, humour and a hidden hero…..It was one of Charles Dickens favourite books and a source of inspiration to him. No further recommendation is needed. Enjoy. (Summary by Tadhg)

32 episodes

The Cricket on the Hearth (Version 2)

The tale of John Peerybingle, the good-hearted carrier, and his young wife Mary ('Dot'), interwoven with the story of poor toymaker Caleb Plummer, his beloved blind daughter Bertha, and the harsh old toy merchant Tackleton, who is due to marry May Fielding, a childhood friend of Dot. Comic relief is provided by Tilly Slowboy, the disaster-prone nursemaid of John and Dot's baby, and Boxer, the family dog. The cricket who chirps on the family hearth assumes fairy form to save the day when disaster looms in the form of a mysterious stranger. Sentimental? Certainly - but this, the third (1845) of Dickens' short Christmas books, is as charming and irresistible as its predecessors A Christmas Carol (1843) and The Chimes (1844).The novella is subdivided into chapters called 'Chirps', similar to the 'Quarters' of The Chimes or the 'Staves' of A Christmas Carol. (Introduction by Ruth Golding)

8 episodes

Liliecrona's Home

Liliecrona's Home was published in Sweden 1911, translated into English by Anna Harwell and published in London in 1913. The story is set in the same surroundings in the district of Värmland which Lagerlöf knew so well and used in many of her books.At the bottom of the dried out Svartsjö lake (Black Lake) there lies the Lövdala Parsonage with its stables and outhouses. There resides the goodhearted, widowed, Pastor Lyselius and his beautiful daughter. Here one day, arrives his new wife, who turns out to be a wicked stepmother. She tempts with her cooking and other allurements, but soon shows her real self. She torments her servants and especially the parson's daughter, mamsell Maia Lisa. We follow mamsell Maia Lisa through torments and sufferings where she gets ever new and harder burdens to carry on her weak shoulders. But by her side in all weathers stands the cleareyed Little Maid, never afraid to say what she thinks or to defend justice. It is hard times when the stepmother is allowed to rule at Lövdala. Even the Parson abandons his nice personality and becomes a marionette who turns against those who he most loves. But changes will come in the end. (Summary by Lars Rolander adapted from Wikipedia-Sweden)

17 episodes

The Maid of Maiden Lane (dramatic reading)

The Maid of Maiden lane is a wonderful love story in which Mrs. Barr intertwines the hot political and social issues that were occurring in America during the last decade of the 18th century with an excellent love story plot. Some of those issues include: the moral dilemma and debate over the French Revolution, and how that event touched the lives of the immigrants in America; the prejudices between the immigrants from England, and those from France or Holland, and how those animosities affected the ordinary lives of the people; and the political debate over titles, foreign policy, and such things(for example)as where the capital of the nation was to reside, New York or Philadelphia. The author gives us a picture of New York City that is vastly different from today, with it's residential areas and tree lined roads as the backdrop for this very interesting drama. Cornelia, the Maiden of Maiden lane, is loved by two young men. Who she chooses, and the obstacles that the two face because of the opposition of their fathers, friends, and a huge mistake that turns everything upside down, propels the story towards its climax, where a surprise character, spiritual in nature, comes to the rescue, while sacrificing her own desire for love to help the two lovers. Good character, love, and the family ties and relationships that existed during those times are very well portrayed by the author, and the book is as interesting from a historical point of view as it is from a truly interesting and sweet old fashioned love story. (Summary by Robert Hoffman) Cast:Narrators: Tiffany Halla Colonna and Beth Thomas Cornelia Moran: Grace George Hyde: Chuck Williamson Arenta Van Ariens: Amanda Friday Ava Moran: CaprishaPage Annie Hyde: Victoria Martin Aunt Angelica: Elizabeth Klett Richard Hyde: Ron Altman Kate Hyde: MJ Franck Joris Van Heemskirk: Algy Pug Lysbet Van Heemskirk: Kristin Gjerløw John Moran: Robert Hoffman Rem Van Ariens: Michael Reuss Peter Van Ariens: David Lawrence Jacobus Van Ariens: ToddHW an Englishman: Beth Thomas John Adams: ToddHW Mrs. Adams: April Gonzales Mrs. Smith: KateC Thomas Jefferson: Ken Garrett Mrs. Wiley: KateC Mary Damer: Charlotte Duckett Anthony Clymer: Nathanial W.C. Higgins Doctor Roslyn: Nathanial W.C. Higgins Captain Jacobus: Nathanial W.C. Higgins Prooflisteners: Tisha Bordon, Beth Thomas and David Lawrence Audio edited by: Robert Hoffman, ToddHW and David Lawrence

14 episodes

I Malavoglia

I Malavoglia è il titolo del romanzo più conosciuto dello scrittore siciliano Giovanni Verga, pubblicato a Milano dall'editore Treves nel 1881. Il romanzo narra la storia di una famiglia di pescatori che vive e lavora ad Aci Trezza, un piccolo paese siciliano nei pressi di Catania. Il romanzo ha un'impostazione corale, e rappresenta personaggi uniti dalla stessa cultura ma divisi dalle loro diverse scelte di vita, soverchiate comunque da un destino ineluttabile. Lo scrittore adotta la tecnica dell'impersonalità, riproducendo alcune caratteristiche del dialetto e adattandosi quanto più possibile al punto di vista dei differenti personaggi, rinunciando così all'abituale mediazione del narratore. L'opera va inserita nel Ciclo dei vinti, insieme a Mastro-don Gesualdo e a La Duchessa de Leyra, opere che affrontano il tema del progresso, visto dal punto di vista degli "sconfitti" di ogni strato sociale. La Duchessa de Leyra rimase solo abbozzato, mentre altri due romanzi previsti nel Ciclo (L'Onorevole Scipioni e L'uomo di lusso) non vennero neppure iniziati. (Riassunto di wikipedia)

16 episodes

The Christmas Hirelings

It is the Christmas season once again and things are, well, boring for the adults at Penlyon Castle. "...if somehow or other I had a pack of children belonging to me, I would keep Christmas with the best — keep it as it ought to be kept." says Sir John. His good friend Mr. Danby has the perfect solution - to hire some children to spend Christmas! Thus, the arrival of Lassie, Laddie, and little Moppet - Christmas and Sir John may never be the same again. (Summary by ppcunningham)Proof Listener - hallejk

13 episodes

Fireside Christmas Short Stories

A collection of Christmas-themed short stories, intended to warm the heart and share with the family. Each story or poem in this collection is unique: some make us pause to consider the meaning of Christmas, others entertain and make us smile. So curl up in front of a blazing fire and be transported back to Christmases past. (Summary by Lynne Thompson)

17 episodes

Brother Jacob

Brother Jacob is a short story by George Eliot, in which she explores the relationship between the selfish, self-centered and ambitious David Faux and his idiot brother, Jacob. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

3 episodes

Brennendes Geheimnis

Während der Sommerfrische mit seiner Mutter am Semmering, freundet sich der 12-jährige Edgar mit einem im selben Hotel verweilenden Baron an. Dieser ist jedoch nicht an ihm, sondern nur an seiner Mutter interessiert. Edgar versucht mit allen Mitteln eine Freundschaft zwischen dem Baron und seiner Mutter zu sabotieren (ohne wirklich zu begreifen, was vor sich geht). Verzweifelt bemüht er sich schnellstmöglich erwachsen zu werden, doch muss er bald einsehen, dass das Erwachsensein nicht so einfach ist, wie er glaubt. (Summary by Julia Niedermaier)

15 episodes

Old Santeclaus

Clement Clarke Moore (July 15, 1779 – July 10, 1863) was an American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, as well as Divinity and Biblical Learning, at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He is the author of the yuletide poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which later became famous as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". This poem seems to be a 'moral' version of "The NIght Before Christmas".

10 episodes

Household Puzzles

Household Puzzles peeks into the life of the Randolph family, four daughters and one son. They are financially strapped but must follow societal expectations . . . and the expectations of Helen, the eldest daughter, who is a slave to the whims of society. Half the family are professing Christians, but only the father really lives it out. Helen's marriage, Tom's job in a saloon, their cousin's visit, and other events all have an impact that reverberate through the family. (Intro by TriciaG)

28 episodes

The Mother and the Child

"The mother and the child" is a lecture given by Maria Montessori in 1915. The famous educational reformer speaks about the importance to give children freedom and a suitable environment, so they will be able to fully develop according to their own nature. - Summary by kattekliek

2 episodes

A Christmas When The West Was Young

Babies, new life, a bitter winter blizzard, death circling. How will it all end? (David Wales )

6 episodes

Emmeline, the Orphan of the Castle

This book was written about 150 years ahead of its time. It tells the story of Emmeline Mobwray who grows up in a dysfunctional family and has to find herself against all odds. Orphaned at a young age, she has to stay alone in a remote castle under the care of a kind housekeeper. But when the kind housekeeper dies, the family starts to take interest in her- to mixed results. Her cousin becomes obsessed with her, much to the displeasure of his wealthy and arrogant parents. Thus, Emmeline is forced to run away from the only home she knew in order to escape his attentions. Would Emmeline be able to stand up to him at the end or, like many of her contemporaries, would she be forced into a loveless match? Can Emmeline survive in a society predominated by wealth without money or connections? And is Emmeline's family the only one with problems? Throughout the novel, Emmeline learns to create and sustain true friendships and grows up to her role as a woman of that era- with all that it entails." (summary by Stav Nisser)

59 episodes

Demos: A Story of English Socialism

"Richard Mutimer is delighted to inherit a large fortune. As a socialist, he means to use it well: he will open a factory in which workers would be treated well, he will advance his party's causes through his own wealth... At least, so he thinks. But reality may be far different. This novel raises more questions than answers. How much should money play in the marriage market, or can love have a prominent place? Can a man who gained power remain a socialist? This book is not only about political unrest. It is a story of a man who changes, for better or worse, and all the forces that shape him. Like other works by Gissing, it describes the London slums in the 19th century, the conditions of the working class, and a few families (some dysfunctional and some great). It was a favourite of George Orwell's, who developed some of Gissing's earlier themes in his own works. It is also reminiscent of works by authors such as Anthony Trollope. It is the only novel by Gissing which was adapted into film." - Summary by Stav Nisser Note: There are two chapters in this book with the same number: XXVI, apparently a numbering error in the printed edition. The audiobook follows the same numbering.

37 episodes

Marriage, volume 2

Lady Juliana is the daughter of the Earl of Courtland. She receives a marriage proposal from a wealthy Duke but much to the horror of her father she elopes to Gretna Green a Scottish soldier Henry Douglas. She is disowned and Douglas is dismissed. The couple journey to Glenfern in Scotland and reside with the Douglas family. Juliana is shocked by the difference in lifestyles. Despite all kind-hearted attempts from Henry’s fussing spinster aunts, Miss Grizzy, Miss Jackie and Miss Nicky, Lady Juliana makes no attempt to accept her new life in Scotland and events take some interesting turns. - Summary by Michele Eaton

34 episodes

The Reason Why

This collection of useful information on "Common Things" is put in the interesting form of "Why and Because," and comprehends a familiar explanation of many subjects which occupy a large space in the philosophy of Nature, relating to air, animals, atmosphere, caloric, chemistry, ventilation, materia medica, meteorology, acoustics, electricity, light, zoölogy, etc. - Summary by Anonymous

71 episodes

Sentimental Tommy

"J. M. Barrie is most noted for being the author of Peter Pan, the beloved book about a child who does not want to grow up. The two Tommy novels, as they are collectively referred to, are also about a child who does not want to grow up. Yet, unlike Peter Pan, he has to. Tommy grows up in the slums of London at the end of the 19th century in difficult conditions. This book explores his boyhood. How would his childhood fantasies collide with the hard conditions in which he lives and the reality of his growing up? The Tommy novels are considered semi-autobiographical." - Summary by Stav Nisser.

37 episodes

Diana of the Crossways

Inspired by the real life story of Caroline Norton, a friend of the author's, this book tells about a lively woman who is trapped in a miserable marriage. Yet Diana is not one to give up in her quest for love, happiness and fulfillment. - Summary by Stav Nisser

43 episodes

What Katy Did (Dramatic Reading)

Katy Carr always gets in trouble for everything. When her mother died, she told Katy to be a mother to the little ones. But it seems like Katy can't do anything right. Her Aunt Izzie always scolds her, so one day Katy decides to ignore her aunt's command and ride the swing in the barn. Suddenly, something cracks, Katy feels like she's falling, and everything goes dark. (Summary by Esther ben Simonides) Narrator: Michele EatonAunt Izzy/Miss Carr: Beth ThomasKaty Carr: Adele de PignerollesClover Carr, Miss Knight: Esther ben SimonidesElsie Carr, Millerite, The German Girl: RachelDr. Carr: BillDorry Carr: Eddy ShermanCecy Hall: LydiaJohnnie Carr, Woman, Maria Fiske: RosalynnPhil Carr: Johnny SmithDr. Stone, Dr. Alsop, Mr. Berger: Larry WilsonMiss Petingill, Mrs. Spenser, Alice Blair, Debby, Mrs. Worrett: Becca MaggieImogen Clark: Jennifer FournierMarianne O'Riley: SuperCoconutMama Carr: TheMomA bigger girl, Old Mary: SoniaCousin Helen: KHandTeacher of the School of Pain: Zames CurranBridget: TwinkleAudio Edited by: Esther ben Simonides

13 episodes

Tante

It is a common trend, up until this very day, to reveal the difficult side of being a great artist. Madame Okraska is no different. Great artists are, sometimes, very complicated. Sometimes the price of success is too high, for them and for those around them. Would Madame Okraska and her adopted daughter be able to pay it? Do they have to? Do children have to do everything in order to keep their parents happy, even when their own happiness and bliss is just around the corner? Tante deals with these questions and more. It is a brilliant psychological thriller, right between the psychological thrillers written by Anthony Trollope and Mary Elizabeth Braddon and those written in the 20th century. This book was in the top ten list of best sellers of 1912. (Summary by Stav Nisser.)

48 episodes

Sons of the Covenant: A Tale of London Jewry

Born in London's poverty-stricken and heavily Jewish East End, the Lipcott boys create their own successes in life and love. The brothers' commitment to improving the lives of working class people leads them to concoct The Scheme to help both the residents of their former neighbourhood and the Jewish people as a whole. The author stresses the responsibility of middle class Jews toward the Jewish poor. Consequently, this 1900 story has its preachy moments as well as some essentialised speculations about Jewish history and character. But the book isn't all earnestness - there are character studies, love interests, and some great comic scenes, too! The son of a Russian rabbi, Samuel Gordon (1871-1927) was born in Germany and came to England at the age of 13. Like Phil Lipcott, his protagonist in this novel, Gordon attended Cambridge University. The club envisioned by The Scheme seems modeled after London's Jewish Working Men's Institute. This was one of several East End organisations (e.g., the Jewish Girls Club, the Brady Boys Club) established by Jewish philanthropists around the turn of the 19th century to "instill in the rising generation all that is best in the English character..." (Col. A. E. Goldsmit, founder of the Jewish Lads Brigade). (Summary by Adrian Praetzellis)

34 episodes

Love at Second Sight

In the final instalment of the 'Little Ottleys' trilogy, three years have passed since Bruce and Edith's marriage was in danger of collapse. Thanks to Edith's forgiving and patient ways they have put their difficulties behind them, and their lives seem on an even keel despite the advent of the First World War. But change is in the air: Bruce and Edith have a house guest - the intriguing Madame Frabelle charms everyone she meets and seems to show no signs of leaving. And then Edith's old flame, the charismatic and bewitching Aylmer Ross, comes home injured from the front, and Edith's carefully constructed life is thrown into confusion once again... - Summary by Helen Taylor

30 episodes

The Teacup Club (Dramatic Reading)

The Teacup Club (For the Advancement of Woman) is formed when Dorothy decides to found an intellectual club of her own - to teach her fiance a lesson! The club’s discussion topics (official) includes Theosophy, Politics and Women in Legislature. The club’s unofficial topics include Emily’s new dress, man-flu (it's causes and cures) and the great mystery of the missing chafing-dish. A witty drama and a comedy of manners, secrets and politics (both official and unofficial). - Summary by Elizabby Cast List: Cast Narrator: Beth Thomas Evelyn: Jennifer Fournier Emily: Leanne Yau Dorothy: KHand Frances: Beth Thomas Elise: Lydia Marion: Vicki Hibbins Catharine: Michele Eaton Edited by: Michele Eaton and linny Proof listeners: Michele Eaton, Beth Thomas

12 episodes

Het Leven van Maurits Lijnslager deel 3

Een roman over dé ideale 'Nederlandse man' uit de 17de eeuw. Het boek is geschreven in de 19de eeuw als 'verzet' tegen de Franse overheersing. Ook voor de 21ste eeuw is het boek nog actueel, al zouden we dan 'Nederlandse man' beter kunnen vervangen door de term 'Wereldburger (m/v)'. In dit derde deel worden Maurits en Maria gezegend met een hele kinderschaar. - Summary by Marcel Coenders

16 episodes

The Heel of Achilles

After a difficult childhood, Lydia Raymond, a lower middle class girl, decides to explore her own individuality and climbs the social ladder. Yet, like everything in life, this has a price. This book tells about her childhood, her quest to find herself, and her relationship with her daughter, Jane. This is a fairytale turned upside down. - Summary by Stav Nisser.

30 episodes

The Haunted Room

Mr. Trevor inherits a piece of land in the country called Myst Court, and plans to move there with his three children: Emmie, Bruce, and Vibert. But rumor says that a room in the house that is haunted. Bruce and Mr. Trevor tell Emmie there are no ghosts, but Emmie can't help but be afraid--or can she? Summary by Esther ben Simonides

32 episodes

What Katy Did at School (version 2 Dramatic Reading)

Following Katy's recovery in What Katy Did, Katy and Clover go to Hillsover, a boarding school. Together with their new friend Rosamond Redding, or "Rose Red", they form a Society for the Suppression of Unladylike Conduct--but then they are accused of sending notes to a boy outside the school. Katy and Clover know they have nothing to do with it, but can they prove their innocence to the teachers and principal before they are expelled? (Summary by Esther ben Simonides) Narrator: Michele Eaton Katy: Adele de Pignerolles Clover: Esther ben Simonides Elsie, Mary Silver: Rachel Dorry: Eddy Sherman Johnnie: Rosalynn Phil: Johnny Smith Dr. Carr: Donald Gilmore Rose Red (Rosamond Redding): Christine Lehman Bella Arkwright: SuperCoconut Louisa Agnew: Twinkle Esther Dearborn: avocado Sally Alsop: Kristin Gjerløw Amy Erskine: The Legendary Chicken Alice Gibbons, Annie Silsbie: Leanne Yau Sally Austin: Linette Geisel Alice White: Kathrine Engan Ellen Gray: Kalynda Lilly Page: Lydia Clarence Page, Mr. Worret: Aaron M. Lebowitz Mrs. Page (Cousin Olivia): Lian Pang Mr. Page: Dillon McFarlane Mrs. Florence, Old Mary: Sonia Miss Jane, Stout lady: Beth Thomas Mrs. Nipson: Gaby Mr. Gray, Mr. Eels: Delmar H Dolbier Mrs. Agnew, Miss Marsh: Vicki Hibbins Cousin Helen: KHand Alexander, Conductor, Daniel DAubigny Sparks, Professor Seccomb, Mr. Peters: Tomas Peter Mrs. Worret: Becca Maggie Editing by: Adele de Pignerolles and Esther ben Simonides Prooflistening by: Helen Z. Ferrara, Teaneck, NJ

14 episodes

Het Leven van Maurits Lijnslager deel 4

Een roman over dé ideale 'Nederlandse man' uit de 17de eeuw. Het boek is geschreven in de 19de eeuw als 'verzet' tegen de Franse overheersing. Ook voor de 21ste eeuw is het boek nog actueel, al zouden we dan 'Nederlandse man' beter kunnen vervangen door de term 'Wereldburger (m/v)'. In dit vierde en laatste deel gaat Maurits waardig de weg van alle vlees. - Summary by Marcel Coenders

16 episodes

Het Leven van Hillegonda Buisman - deel 1

Een levensbeschrijving van de ideale Hollandse vrouw uit het midden van de 17de eeuw. Deel 1: Van de geboorte tot een ontluikende liefde - Beschrijving van Marcel Coenders

25 episodes