Summary:?An exciting tale set on the high seas, in a period ruled by exploration, with the ever-present dangers of nature and the weather, together with pirates of the famed Spanish Main. – (Summary by Lynne Thompson for Librivox)
Running Time:10:41
Wulf the Saxon by G. A. Henty
Summary: Wulf the Saxon is a classic George Henty tale of nobility, loyalty and courage set in 11th century Britain. It relates the adventures of Wulf, a young, but extremely capable Saxon Thane. Wulf with his friends and servitors devote their lives to the service of Harold Godwinson, both before and after he becomes king of England. They are directly involved in capturing castles, rescuing shipwreck survivors, foiling assassination attempts and entering the terrible battles at Stamford Bridge and Senlac field by Hastings. The background of the novel is set in the stormy period prior to the Norman conquest of Britain and the story centers around real people and events, even offering a historically correct and lucid insight to the intrigues surrounding the religious and political alliances which led to the events of 1066; an absolute turning point in England’s history. (courtesy of Librivox)
Running time: 12:12
With Clive in India by G. A. Henty
Summary:?With Clive in India gives a vivid picture of the wonderful events of the ten years, which at their commencement saw Madras in the hands of the French–Calcutta at the mercy of the Nabob of Bengal–and English influence apparently at the point of extinction in India–and which ended in the final triumph of the English, both in Bengal and Madras. There were yet great battles to be fought, great efforts to be made, before the vast Empire of India fell altogether into British hands; but these were but the sequel of the events described. (Summary by G. A. Henty).
Running time: 13:33
The The “Black Hole” of Calcutta
The Young Carthaginian by G. A. Henty
Summary:?Typically, Henty’s heroes are boys of pluck in troubled times, and this is no different. Detailed research is embellished with a vivid imagination, especially in this novel set in the Punic wars, about which knowledge is limited: “…certainly we had but a hazy idea as to the merits of the struggle and knew but little of its events, for the Latin and Greek authors, which serve as the ordinary textbooks in schools, do not treat of the Punic wars. That it was a struggle for empire at first, and latterly one for existence on the part of Carthage, that Hannibal was a great and skilful general, that he defeated the Romans at Trebia, Lake Trasimenus, and Cannae, and all but took Rome, and that the Romans behaved with bad faith and great cruelty at the capture of Carthage, represents, I think, pretty nearly the sum total of our knowledge. ” (from the preface)
The Curse of Carne’s Hold by G. A. Henty
Summary: When Ronald Mervyn from Devonshire is falsely accused of murder he emigrates to South Africa. He takes part in the Kaffir war and during this time he rescues a family from death. The family then return to England and try to establish Ronald’s innocence. (Summary by Michele Eaton for Librivox)
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Running time: 11:26
Just David by Eleanor Porter
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
06 – Nuisances Necessary and Otherwise
07 – You’re Wanted, You’re Wanted!
12 – Answers That Did Not Answer
Penrod by Booth Tarkington
Total running time: 6 hours, 4 minutes
05 – The Pageant of the Table Round
22 – Coloured Troops in Action
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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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)
Total running time: 10 hours, 16 minutes
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
14: Committed for Trial, continued
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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Chapter 2: Before the Justices
Chapter 11: With the Russian Army
Chapter 13: With the Read Guard
One of the 28th–A Tale of Waterloo
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Total running time: 10 hours, 3 minutes
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A tale of Victorian-style romance, maritime battles and even the penultimate Napoleanic battle – Waterloo. (Introduction by Mike Harris for Librivox)
04 – The Privateer’s Rendezvous
My Doggie and I by R. M. Ballantyne
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Total running time: 4 hours, 25 minutes
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Introduction: This story surrounds a child waif, a young woman, a young gentleman doctor, and an elderly lady. This tale unfolds the story of a bond that brings these unlikely friends together and merges their separate paths of life into one common path. The bond is “Dumps”, or “Pompey”, the “doggie”. With many twists, turns, and uncertainties, the ending may surprise the reader. All’s well that ends well in this doggie “tail”. (Introduction by Allyson Hester for Librivox)
02 Ch 2 – Introduces a New Hero
03 Ch 3 – Treats of an Old Heroine
04 Ch 4- In Which Dumps Finds Another Old Friend
05 Ch 5 – Conspiracy and Villainy, Innocence and Tragedy
06 Ch 6 – Relates a Stirring Innocent.
07 Ch 7 – My Circumstances begin to Brighten.
08 Ch 8 – Little Slidder Resists Temptation Successfully, and I Become Enslaved.
09 Ch 9 – On the Scent, but Puzzled.
10 Ch 10 – A Disappointment, an Accident, and a Perplexing Return.
11 Ch 11 – Relates Generally to the Doings and Sayings of Robin Slidder
12 Ch 12 – Begins with Love, Hope, and Joy, and ends Peculiarly.
The Tiger of Mysore by G. A. Henty
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Total running time:? 11 hours, 31 minutes
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Summary:? During the Indian war with Tippoo Saib, 15 year old Dick Holland and his mother set out from England to find and rescue his father, shipwrecked 6 years earlier, and believed to be held prisoner by the ‘Tiger of Mysore’. (Summary by annise for Librivox)
On the Irawaddy: A Story of the First Burmese War by G. A. Henty
Summary: With the exception of the terrible retreat from Afghanistan, none of England’s many little wars have been so fatal–in proportion to the number of those engaged–as our first expedition to Burma. It was undertaken without any due comprehension of the difficulties to be encountered, from the effects of climate and the deficiency of transport; the power, and still more the obstinacy and arrogance of the court of Ava were altogether underrated; and it was considered that our possession of her ports would assuredly bring the enemy, who had wantonly forced the struggle upon us, to submission. Events, however, proved the completeness of the error. The Burman policy of carrying off every boat on the river, laying waste the whole country, and driving away the inhabitants and the herds, maintained our army as prisoners in Rangoon through the first wet season; and caused the loss of half the white officers and men first sent there. The subsequent campaign was no less fatal and, although large reinforcements had been sent, fifty percent of the whole died; so that less than two thousand fighting men remained in the ranks, when the expedition arrived within a short distance of Ava. Not until the last Burmese army had been scattered did the court of Ava submit to the by no means onerous terms we imposed.(from the preface)
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Total running time: 8 hours, 47 minutes
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The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
Consider adding this heartwarming story to your study of Saint George and the dragon. What would have happened if the dragon did not care to fight?
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Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
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CHAPTER I. NAT
CHAPTER VIII. PRANKS AND PLAYS
CHAPTER XIV. DAMON AND PYTHIAS
His Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
Summary: Albert Payson Terhune, perhaps best known for his book Lad, a Dog (later turned into a popular movie), was also a breeder of collies and a journalist. Some of his collie lines survive to this day.
His Dog is a story about Link Ferris who finds an injured dog on his way home one evening. Knowing nothing about dogs, Link nurses the dog back to health and the two form a bond such as only can be formed between human and canine. Unable to locate the collie?s owner, Link christens his dog ?Chum? who becomes invaluable in tending to the daily needs of his meager farm.
Unknown to Ferris however, Chum?s original owners have been looking for their lost collie, and the story finds Link torn between that which he knows is morally right and his love for what he believes has become his dog.
(Summary by Roger Melin for Librivox)
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Total running time: 3 hours, 12 minutes
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The Story of the Treasure Seekers by Edith Nesbit
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The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit
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Total running time: 5 hours, 1 minute
Chapter 1 The Beginning of Things
Chapter 5 Prisoners and Captives
Chapter 6 Saviours of the Train
Chapter 10 The Terrible Secret
Chapter 11 The Hound in the Red Jersey
Chapter 12 What Bobbie Brought Home