Summary: Relates the story of western civilization from earliest times through the beginning of the twentieth century, with special emphasis on the people and events that changed the course of history. Portrays in vivid prose the achievements of mankind in the areas of art and discovery, as well as the political forces leading to the modern nation-states. Richly illustrated with drawings by the author. Winner of the first Newbery Award in 1922, The Story of Mankind has introduced generations of children to the pageant of world history. (Summary from mainlesson.com)
Running time: 13 hours
Note to parent: I am including this book on My Audio School, as it is used by Ambleside Online curriculum. They recommend it for older children (middle school through high school).
My Audio School is being used by so many children whose families hold varying perspectives on creation and evolution. I have not provided links for the first 3 chapters of this book, (30 minutes of material), which are full of evolutionary content. Should you need to refer to these chapters, you can use the links provided above for reading or downloading this book at its Internet Archive page in its entirety. I have not pre-read the majority of this book, but found evolutionary references in the two additional chapters that I listened to (The Age of Science and The New World). Please be aware there may be evolutionary content in other chapters, as well. Should you have further questions about the suitability of this book please read this review from Cathy Duffy.
Summary: The Prince and the Pauper (1882) represents Mark Twain’s first attempt at historical fiction. The book, set in 1547, tells the story of two young boys who are identical in appearance: Tom Canty, a pauper who lives with his abusive father in Offal Court, London, and Prince Edward son of Henry VIII of England. Due to a series of circumstances, the boys accidentally replace each other, and much of the humor in the book originates in the two boys’ inability to function in the world that is so familiar to the other (although Tom soon displays considerable wisdom in his decisions). In many ways, the book is a social satire, particularly compelling in its condemnation of the inequality that existed between the classes in Tudor England. In that sense, Twain abandoned the wry Midwestern style for which he was best known and adopts a style reminiscent of Charles Dickens. (Summary from Wikipedia.org)
Running time: 14 hours, 54 minutes
To stream this book, click play in the box below, or click on the chapter titles.
Orpheus Lamenting Eurydice, by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Summary from Librivox: Bulfinch’s Mythology, first published in 1855, is one of the most popular collections of mythology of all time. It consists of three volumes: The Age of Fable, The Age of Chivalry, and Legends of Charlemagne. This is a recording of the tenth edition of the first volume, The Age of Fable. It contains many Greek and Roman myths, including simplified versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey, as well as a selection of Norse and eastern myths. Thomas Bulfinch’s goal was to make the ancient myths accessible to a wide audience, and so it is suitable for children. (Summary by Kathleen Gatliffe for Librivox)
This book is often used as a high school text. Although the Wikimedia summary says it is appropriate for children, you might consider one of our other mythology titles to be more interesting for younger children.
Summary: Peter Rabbit goes to school, with Mother Nature as his teacher. In this zoology book for children, Thornton W. Burgess describes the mammals of North America in the form of an entertaining story, including plenty of detail but omitting long scientific names. There is an emphasis on conservation. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden for Librivox)
.jpg "King Alfred (The Great)")
