Just David by Eleanor Porter

Arvid Aae, Knabe im Matrosenanzug, public domain

Summary: David and his father set out from their idyllic mountain home to go to meet family, but enroute, David’s father, who is sick dies, and David is left stranded in a little farming town. No one can read his father’s handwriting on the notes he’s left for David or his signature, and David doesn’t know his last name. A stern farmer and his wife take David in, and learn more from him than they realize! David, who counts only the sunny hours of his life, soon touches all the people’s lives he meets in his new life with his beautiful violin music and sunny disposition. (Summary by Mary Anderson for Librivox)

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Total running time: 6 hours, 50 minutes
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01 – The Mountain Home

02 – The Trail

03 – The Valley

04 – Two Letters

05 – Discords

06 – Nuisances Necessary and Otherwise

07 – You’re Wanted, You’re Wanted!

08 – Do’s and Don’ts

09 – Joe

10 – The Lady of the Roses

11 – Jack and Jill

12 – Answers That Did Not Answer

13 – A Surprise for Mr. Jack

14 – The Tower Window

15 – Secrets

16 – David’s Castle in Spain

17 – The Princess and the Pauper

18 – David to the Resuce

19 – The Unbeautiful World

20 – The Unfamiliar Way

21 – Heavy Hearts

22 – As Perry Saw It

23 – Puzzles

24 – A Story Remodeled

25 – The Beautiful World

King of the Golden River by John Ruskin


Summary: When three brothers mortally offend Mr. Southwest Wind, Esquire, their farm is laid waste and their riches lost. Desperate for money, the brothers become goldsmiths and melt down their remaining treasures . . . only to find that the spirit of the King of the Golden River resides with a molded tankard, and knows the secret of the riches of the Golden River. (Introduction by Xenutia for Librivox)

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Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

 

Penrod by Booth Tarkington

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Total running time:  6 hours, 4 minutes

01 – A Boy and His Dog

02 – Romance

03 – The Costume

04 – Desperation

05 – The Pageant of the Table Round

06 – Evening – Evils of Drink

 

07 – School

08 – Soaring

09 – Uncle John

 

 

10 – Fidelity of a Little Dog

11 – Miss Rennsdale Accepts

12 – The Smallpox Medicine

13 – Maurice Levy’s

14 – The Two Families

15 – The New Star

16 – Retiring from the Show

17 – Music

18 – The Inner Boy

19 – Brothers of Angels

20 – Rupe Collins

21 – The Imitator

22 – Coloured Troops in Action

23 – Little Gentleman

24 – Tar

 

25 – The Quiet Afternoon

26 – Conclusion of the Quiet Afternoon

27 – Twelve

28 – Fanchon

29 – The Birthday Party

30 – Over the Fence

With Frederick the Great, A Story of the Seven Years War

Introduction: Among the great wars of history there are few, if any, instances of so long and successfully sustained a struggle, against enormous odds, as that of the Seven Years’ War, maintained by Prussia–then a small and comparatively insignificant kingdom–against Russia, Austria, and France simultaneously, who were aided also by the forces of most of the minor principalities of Germany. The population of Prussia was not more than five millions, while that of the Allies considerably exceeded a hundred millions. Prussia could put, with the greatest efforts, but a hundred and fifty thousand men into the field, and as these were exhausted she had but small reserves to draw upon; while the Allies could, with comparatively little difficulty, put five hundred thousand men into the field, and replenish them as there was occasion. That the struggle was successfully carried on, for seven years, was due chiefly to the military genius of the king; to his indomitable perseverance; and to a resolution that no disaster could shake, no situation, although apparently hopeless, appall. Something was due also, at the commencement of the war, to the splendid discipline of the Prussian army at that time; but as comparatively few of those who fought at Lobositz could have stood in the ranks at Torgau, the quickness of the Prussian people to acquire military discipline must have been great; and this was aided by the perfect confidence they felt in their king, and the enthusiasm with which he inspired them. ( Summary by G .A .Henty )

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Preface

King and Marshall

Joining

The Outbreak of War

Promotion

Lobositz

A Prisoner

Flight

Progue

In Disguise

Rossbach

Leuthen

Another Step

Hochkirch

Breaking Prison

Escaped

At Mindern

Unexpected News

Engaged

Liegnitz

Torgau

Home

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Summary: Written around the middle of his career, Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s great festive comedies. The men are back from the war, and everyone is ready for romance. The dashing young Claudio falls for Hero, the daughter of Leonato, governor of Messina, and his friend Don Pedro helps him secure her affection. These youthful lovers are contrasted with the more experienced (and more cynical) Benedick and Beatrice, who have to be tricked into falling in love. Don Pedro’s brother, Don John, provides the intrigue, and the dimwitted constable Dogberry provides the laughs. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett for Librivox)

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Total running time: 2 hours, 17 minutes

Dramatis Personae

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5


In Freedom’s Cause by G. A. Henty

Another stirring tale from the master of historical fiction set in the time of Robert Bruce and William Wallace and their struggle for Scotland’s independence. (Summary by Annise)

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Total running time: 10 hours, 16 minutes

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Through the Fray by G. A. Henty

Ned Sankey is a quick-tempered, strong-willed boy during the Luddite riots in Yorkshire. The happy times at the beginning of the story are soon marred by the death of his father. From there things only get worse. When things take a turn for the worst, how will he respond? (Summary by GabrielleC)

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Total running time: 8 hours, 20 minutes

Preface

1: A Fishing Expedition

2: The Fight on the Moor

3: A Cropper Village

4: The Worms Turn

5: A New Master

6: The Thief Detected

7: A Terrible Shock

8: Ned is Sorely Tried

9: A Painful Time

10: Troubles at Home

11: The New Machinery

12: Murdered!

13: Committed for Trial

14: Committed for Trial, continued

15: Not Guilty

16: Luke Marner’s Sacrifice

17: A Lonely Life

18: Ned is Attacked

19: The Attack on Cartwright’s Mill

20: Cleared at Last

Through Russian Snows by G. A. Henty

There are few campaigns that, either in point of the immense scale upon which it was undertaken, the completeness of its failure, or the enormous loss of life entailed, appeal to the imagination in so great a degree as that of Napoleon against Russia. Fortunately, we have in the narratives of Sir Robert Wilson, British commissioner with the Russian army, and of Count Segur, who was upon Napoleon’s staff, minute descriptions of the events as seen by eye-witnesses, and besides these the campaign has been treated fully by various military writers. I have as usual avoided going into details of horrors and of acts of cruelty and ferocity on both sides, surpassing anything in modern warfare, and have given a mere outline of the operations, with a full account of the stern fight at Smolensk and the terrible struggle at Borodino. I would warn those of my readers who may turn to any of the military works for a further history of the campaign, that the spelling of Russian places and names varies so greatly in the accounts of different writers, that sometimes it is difficult to believe that the same person or town is meant, and even in the narratives by Sir Robert Wilson, and by Lord Cathcart, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was in constant communication with him, scarcely a name will be found similarly spelt. I mention this, as otherwise much confusion might be caused by those who may compare my story with some of these recognized authorities, or follow the incidents of the campaign upon maps of Russia. (Introduction by G.A.Henty)

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Preface

Chapter 1: Two Brothers

Chapter 2: Before the Justices

Chapter 3: In a Fresh Scrape

Chapter 4: The Smugglers Cave

Chapter 5: Following a Trail

Chapter 6: A Commission

Chapter 7: A French Prison

Chapter 8: Pistol Practice

Chapter 9: A Duel

Chapter 10: Smolensk

Chapter 11: With the Russian Army

Chapter 12: Borodino

Chapter 13: With the Read Guard

Chapter 14: Nery’s Retreat

Chapter 15: In Comfortable Quarters

Chapter 16: An Unexpected Meeting