Il Canzoniere di Francesco Petrarca è stata una grande 'rivoluzione' nella letteratura europea in volgare: è il primo caso di canzoniere stricto sensu, cioè una raccolta organica di liriche 'costruita' dall'autore in una prospettiva di unitarietà.E in effetti Petrarca, nonostante la intitolasse Rerum vulgarium fragmenta , ha scrupolosamente curato per tutta la vita la realizzazione di quest'opera, selezionando, limando, cambiando la disposizione dei componimenti, di cui persino il numero ha un valore strutturale: i giorni dell'anno più un proemio, o dell'anno bisestile in cui era morta la donna amata .Naturalmente, fiumi di inchiostro sono stati versati per analizzare quest'opera la cui influenza sulla letteratura europea è stata così 'fenomenale' da meritare un termine ad hoc: 'Petrarchismo'.Ci basti dire qui che il Canzoniere, cantando - col linguaggio più melodico di tutta la lirica italiana - l'amore per un'unica donna, esprime magnificamente il sentimento del tempo.
Anna Karenina, Book 8 by Leo TOLSTOY (1828 - 1910), translated by Constance GARNETT (1861 - 1946)
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Romance
Read by: MaryAnn in English
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 01 - Chapter 1
00:09:04 - 02 - Chapter 2
00:16:28 - 03 - Chapter 3
00:22:07 - 04 - Chapter 4
00:27:06 - 05 - Chapter 5
00:32:36 - 06 - Chapter 6
00:38:49 - 07 - Chapter 7
00:44:03 - 08 - Chapter 8
00:49:29 - 09 - Chapter 9
00:54:42 - 10 - Chapter 10
01:01:50 - 11 - Chapter 11
01:08:53 - 12 - Chapter 12
01:18:15 - 13 - Chapter 13
01:25:13 - 14 - Chapter 14
01:35:31 - 15 - Chapter 15
01:44:27 - 16 - Chapter 16
01:52:21 - 17 - Chapte 17
01:57:45 - 18 - Chapter 18
02:04:33 - 19 - Chapter 19
Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. In Book 8, Vronsky leaves for the Servian war, unable to live without Anna and hoping to die. Back at his farm with a loving wife and baby son, Levin struggles with thoughts of death and the horror of living when he does not understand 'the whence, and why, and how, and what [life] was.' (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn)
More information: http://librivox.org/anna-karenina-book-8-by-leo-tolstoy/
The Brothers Karamazov (version 2) by Fyodor DOSTOYEVSKY (1821 - 1881), translated by Constance GARNETT (1861 - 1946)
Genre(s): Family Life, Published 1800 -1900
Read by: Tony Addison in English
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 18 - Book Three Chapter Five
00:29:45 - 19 - Book Three Chapter Six
00:52:09 - 20 - Book Three Chapter Seveh
01:14:05 - 21 - Book Three Chapter Eight
01:38:55 - 22 - Book Three Chapter Nine
01:58:39 - 23 - Book Three Chapter Ten
02:40:32 - 24 - Book Three Chapter Eleven
03:06:31 - 25 - Book Four Chapter One
03:43:51 - 26 - Book Four Chapter Two
03:59:26 - 27 - Book Four Chapter Three
04:14:27 - 28 - Book Four Chapter Four
04:30:55 - 29 - Book Four Chapter Five
05:07:48 - 30 - Book Four Chapter Six
05:33:28 - 31 - Book Four Chapter Seven
06:02:42 - 32 - Book Five Chapter One
06:32:51 - 33 - Book Five Chapter Two
06:52:45 - 34 - Book Five Chapter Three
Described as the Great Book of Wonders by Arthur Miller, this everyday tale of fraternal affection, sibling rivalry, obsession, lust, parricide, family intrigue, spiritual faith, death by economic deprivation and ultimate salvation in the soul, boasts (among other wonders) the perfect role for Marilyn Monroe, had Arthur only ever written the play. Madness, murder, mayhem and the courtroom drama to end all courtroom dramas it may be, but it is also (strangely) hilariously funny. It's all in the point of view. - Summary by Tony Addison
More information: http://librivox.org/the-brothers-karamazov-by-fyodor-dostoyevsky-2/
LibriVox - free public domain audiobooks (https://librivox.org/)
Peter and Wendy (Version 2) by J. M. Barrie (1860 - 1937)
Genre(s): Children's Fiction
Read by: Jack Kali, James K. White, Heather McKee, Jim Locke, Jaime Kurzweg, daydegenza, elmachina, Dawn Sutton, Cindy Terry, Marie Christian in English
Cover design by Annise.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 01 - Peter Breaks Through
00:18:58 - 02 - The Shadow
00:37:42 - 03 - Come Away, Come Away!
01:07:41 - 04 - The Flight
01:26:53 - 05 - The Island Come True
01:45:48 - 06 - The Little House
02:02:07 - 07 - The Home Underground
02:14:53 - 08 - The Mermaid's Lagoon
02:41:57 - 09 - The Neverbird
02:47:26 - 10 - The Happy Home
03:01:33 - 11 - Wendy's Story
03:20:52 - 12 - The Children Are Carried Off
03:31:04 - 13 - Do You Believe in Fairies?
03:46:15 - 14 - The Pirate Ship
03:58:35 - 15 - 'Hook or Me This Time'
04:15:11 - 16 - The Return Home
04:33:56 - 17 - When Wendy Grew Up
'Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and Peter and Wendy are the stage play and novel (respectively) which tell the well-known story of Peter Pan, a mischievous little boy who spends his never-ending childhood on the island of Neverland, and his adventure with the ordinary girl Wendy Darling and her brothers. The story was written by Scottish playwright and novelist J. M. Barrie (1860-1937). It features many fantastical elements, including children who can fly, a magical fairy, and mermaids. It was first staged at the Duke of York's Theatre on 27 December 1904, then adapted by Barrie into a novel published in 1911, and since adapted numerous times for film and other media, remaining popular with generations of children and adults.'
More information: https://librivox.org/peter-and-wendy-version-2-by-j-m-barrie/
LibriVox - free public domain audiobooks (https://librivox.org/)
Apologia by John Newton (1725 - 1807)
Genre(s): Christianity - Other
Read by: InTheDesert in English
Cover design by Lion24: this picture is on the public domain.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 01 - Letter 1
00:24:42 - 02 - Letter 2
00:49:23 - 03 - Letter 3
01:09:57 - 04 - Letter 4
More information: https://librivox.org/apologia-by-john-newton/
LibriVox - free public domain audiobooks (https://librivox.org/)
When I heard the Learn’d Astronomer by Walt WHITMAN (1819 - 1892)
Genre(s): Multi-version (Weekly and Fortnightly poetry)
Read by: Algy Pug, Bruce Kachuk, Christine Lehman, David Lawrence, Newgatenovelist, Ezwa, fshort, Ian King, Jason in Panama, Julia Ward, Lee Ann Howlett, Maria Kasper, Matthew Datcher, Nathan Rosquist, Phil Schempf, Peter Yearsley, Rachel Murray, Scotty Smith, Tomas Peter in English
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 01 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by ALP
00:00:58 - 02 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by BK
00:02:13 - 03 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by CAL
00:03:11 - 04 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by DL
00:04:16 - 05 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by EL
00:05:22 - 06 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by EZWA
00:06:21 - 07 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by FS
00:07:16 - 08 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by IK
00:08:22 - 09 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by JCB
00:09:24 - 10 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by JW
00:10:21 - 11 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by LAH
00:11:23 - 12 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by MK
00:12:25 - 13 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by MSD
00:13:24 - 14 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by NWR
00:14:20 - 15 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by PS
00:15:11 - 16 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by PY
00:16:11 - 17 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by RHM
00:17:26 - 18 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by SWS
00:18:30 - 19 - When I heard the Learn'd Astronomer - Read by TP
Whitman claimed that after years of competing for 'the usual rewards', he determined to become a poet. He first experimented with a variety of popular literary genres which appealed to the cultural tastes of the period. As early as 1850, he began writing what would become Leaves of Grass, a collection of poetry which he would continue editing and revising until his death. Whitman intended to write a distinctly American epic and used free verse with a cadence based on the Bible. At the end of June 1855, Whitman surprised his brothers with the already-printed first edition of Leaves of Grass. Whitman paid for the publication of the first edition of Leaves of Grass himself. ( Wikipedia )
More information: http://librivox.org/when-i-heard-the-learnd-astronomer-by-walt-whitman/
LibriVox - free public domain audiobooks (https://librivox.org/)
Summa Theologica - 11 Pars Secunda Secundae, Treatise on the Cardinal Virtues: Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance by Saint Thomas AQUINAS (1225 - 1274)
Genre(s): Early Modern, Christianity - Other
Read by: M.S.C. Lambert, LC in English
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 128 - Question 165 - OF OUR FIRST PARENTS' TEMPTATION (In Two Articles)
00:15:43 - 129 - Question 166 - OF STUDIOUSNESS (In Two Articles)
00:28:46 - 130 - Question 167 - OF CURIOSITY (In Two Articles)
00:46:47 - 131 - Question 168 - OF MODESTY AS CONSISTING IN THE OUTWARD MOVEMENTS OF THE BODY (In Four Articles)
01:19:24 - 132 - Question 169 - OF MODESTY IN THE OUTWARD APPAREL (In Two Articles)
01:41:33 - 133 - Question 170 - OF THE PRECEPTS OF TEMPERANCE (In Two Articles)
The Summa Theologica (or the Summa Theologiae or simply the Summa, written 1265-1274) is the most famous work of Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225-1274) although it was never finished. It was intended as a manual for beginners and a compilation of all of the main theological teachings of that time. It summarizes the reasoning for almost all points of Christian theology in the West, which, before the Protestant Reformation, subsisted solely in the Roman Catholic Church. The Summa's topics follow a cycle: the existence of God, God's creation, Man, Man's purpose, Christ, the Sacraments, and back to God. (Summary adapted from the Wikipedia)This selection of the Summa Theologica covers questions 47-170 of the Secunda Secundae ('Second-half of the Second Part'), comprising a Treatise on the Cardinal Virtues: Prudence (questions 47-56), Justice (questions 57-122), Fortitude (questions 123-140), and Temperance (questions 141-170) - each with their own subordinate moral virtues.
More information: https://librivox.org/summa-theologica-11-pars-secunda-secundae-treatise-on-the-cardinal-virtues-prudence-justice-fortitude-temperance-by-saint-thomas-aquinas/
LibriVox - free public domain audiobooks (https://librivox.org/)
The Claverings by Anthony TROLLOPE (1815 - 1882)
Genre(s): General Fiction
Read by: bobolink, Simon Evers, Roxanna Nazari, Tim Quinn, Lewis, Barry O'Neill, HurstPP, montmorency, Rosie, Jean Bascom in English
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 40 - 40 - Mr. Saul's Abode
00:24:46 - 41 - 41 - Going To Norway
00:37:41 - 42 - 42 - Parting
00:51:59 - 43 - 43 - Captain Clavering Makes His Last Attempt
01:13:04 - 44 - 44 - What Lady Ongar Thought About It
01:36:07 - 45 - 45 - How To Dispose Of A Wife
02:24:14 - 46 - 46 - Showing How Mrs. Burton Fought Her Battle
02:45:29 - 47 - 47 - The Sheep Returns To The Fold
03:35:49 - 48 - 48 - Lady Ongar's Revenge
03:57:46 - 49 - 49 - Showing What Happened Off Heligoland
04:43:56 - 50 - 50 - Madam Gordeloup Retires From British Diplomacy
05:06:16 - 51 - 51 - Showing How Things Settled Themselves At The Rectory
05:30:22 - 52 - 52 - Conclusion
'I consider the story as a whole to he good, though I am not aware that the public ever corroborated that verdict.' - the author The Claverings is the best wrought of the novels designed for The Cornhill, and as surely conceived as any book he ever wrote.' - Sadleir. 'It is a novel of atmosphere, and the atmosphere is of that sort very dangerous for the English novelist, the atmosphere captured so supremely well by Thackeray the green-lighted, close-scented gambling rooms, the shabby adventures of half-deserted spas, the shelving beaches of foreign watering-places, concealed accents, stolen passports, impoverished counts and impertinent ladies' maids.... Trollope's most serious attempt to escape from his own personality.' - Walpole (Summary by )
More information: http://librivox.org/the-claverings-by-anthony-trollope/