Showing results by narrator "Christopher Preece" in All Categories

Two-hundred years after its first publication, Ivanhoe remains both a timeless classic and a revered example of chivalric romance. With a fanciful and extravagant view of 12th century England, join Wilfred of Ivanhoe in Sir Walter Scott’s classic medieval romance novel as he battles rivals, faces off with nobles, and wins the heart of Lady Rowena. After being disowned by his father, Wilfred returns from the third crusade to an England in strife. Descendants of Saxons and families of Norman nobles all vie for control, with treachery and conflict rife.

A captivating and thought-provoking listen, War and Peace chronicles the French invasion of Russia and the lasting impact it had on five aristocratic families. It will take you on a soul-stirring journey as we follow several interconnected characters of the Tsarist society during the early 19th century as they navigate through love, fears, and personal struggles against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

Drawing on three of the greatest works of Russian literature, this sweeping collection breathes new life into Leo Tolstoy’s legacy, providing contemporary listeners with an easy, accessible way to discover and enjoy this great Russian author’s literary talents. With gripping prose and profound philosophical insights, listeners will be transported to the battles of the Napoleonic era in War and Peace, explore the trials and tribulations of upper-class Russian life and love in Anna Karenina, and uncover a controversial reflection on Russian culture.

Human society is full of would-be "change agents", a restless mix of campaigners, lobbyists, and officials, both individuals and organizations, set on transforming the world. They want to improve public services, reform laws and regulations, guarantee human rights, get a fairer deal for those on the sharp end, achieve greater recognition for any number of issues, or simply be treated with respect. Striking then, why so many universities lack programs for social activists, to which students can turn for advice and inspiration.

Glasgow, Scotland, 1981. The McLachlan family have dominated the criminal underworld for more than a decade. Masters in extortion, murder, and heroin trafficking, they hold the city in their iron fist. But a war is coming to Glasgow; a war unlike anything the McLachlans have known before. Over the course of one night, they will discover the wrath of one man: Jack "Gorilla" Grant, former spy and now freelance assassin. And he plays by his own set of violent, unforgiving rules.

Siddhartha is a novel that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautama Buddha. Siddhartha decides to leave behind his home in the hope of gaining spiritual illumination by becoming an ascetic wandering beggar of the Shramanas. Joined by his best friend, Govinda, Siddhartha fasts, becomes homeless, renounces all personal possessions, and intensely meditates, eventually seeking and personally speaking with Gautama, the famous Buddha, or Enlightened One.

In Nature, Emerson put forth the foundation of transcendentalism, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. Transcendentalism suggests that the divine, or God, suffuses nature, and suggests that reality can be understood by studying nature. Self Reliance contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow their own instincts and ideas.

Philip Pirrip, also known as Pip, a blacksmith’s apprentice in a country village, falls in love with Estella, the beautiful but cold-hearted daughter of eccentric Miss Havisham, a wealthy woman who lives in seclusion. He becomes motivated and aspires to become a gentleman to win her affection. His hopes are fueled when he receives a large and mysterious inheritance from a mysterious benefactor, this sets off a chain of events that will change his life.

Symposium by Plato is a philosophical dialogue centered around a banquet in ancient Athens, where several prominent figures, including Socrates, gather to discuss the nature of love.

“Apology by Plato" is a foundational text in Western philosophy, showcasing Socrates’ commitment to his principles and his unique approach to questioning and dialogue. It invites listeners to reflect on the need for justice, the power of virtue, and the role of the philosopher in society.

"Gorgias" by Plato is a dialogue, where Socrates discusses with Gorgias, a famous speaker, and his follower Polus, about rhetoric and its relationship to justice, morality, and the pursuit of knowledge.

The arrival of a newborn baby is an experience that will not only be unforgettable but will forever change your life as an expectant parent. You will soon see and hold your baby for the first time after nine long months of waiting. It can be very new and frightening for newborn babies and their proud parents in the first few weeks after birth.

Most babies are not decent sleepers necessarily, however they can be! This practical guide contains valuable fundamental knowledge about the essence of sleep and the development of natural sleep and body cycles during infancy that all parents should know. This book is full of (personally) tested techniques that allow your child to feel calm and comfortable all nights.

The opening of The Princelings and the Pirates, the second book in the series, finds Fred and George happily pursuing their interests and enjoying the hospitality of Castle Buckmore. When Prince Lupin of Buckmore announces his unhappiness with the wine, they set off to discover what has gone wrong at the winery. Captured by pirates, shipwrecked, and in danger for their very lives, the heroes are drawn into the Battle of Dimerie, where Fred meets his true love and George gets more than he bargained for.

Thurston Ridgely has been told stories all his life of the magic that exists just around the corner, for those bold and daring and believing enough to find it. When one fateful night his friends challenge him to a bet to prove the stories true, it will start him on a journey that will change his life forever. For there may well have been some truth to his mother’s old stories, and he is teetering on the edge of a world beyond his wildest imagination.

When the King's birthday feast is ruined by an unnatural power drain, our Princeling heroes leave their scientific experiments to set out in search of answers. They encounter the enigmatic businessman Hugo, the impressive Prince of Buckmore, the wise Lady Nimrod, and the irrepressible barkeeper Victor, but find themselves threatened by those with vested interests. The scene shifts from a rural, feudal setting to the towers and heights of the curious Isle of Hattan, but where, or when, are they?

In a world devastated by corruption, Father Darcy has lost his faith. After letting down the very people he pledged to protect, he decides to take a pilgrimage across the dangerous English countryside in an attempt to find his mission again. There, he meets men hungry for his blood. A vicious, relentless landscape. And two boys more dangerous than anything he has ever seen before. But can he save these children, or will they change his cause forever?

In a small town in southern England, a chance encounter triggers a catastrophic series of events from which no one will emerge unchanged. When Sebastian Briggs meets Ella she needs his help. The type of help required, however, is far from what he had expected; dragging him down a path of lust and violence. As a married father of three, Sebastian must fight between his loyalty to his family and the desire he feels for another woman, a woman full of secrets and with sinister intentions.

When Grace’s teacher asks her to write about the future, it’s the perfect opportunity to build her own time machine! Join Grace, and her pet monkey, Bobo, as they set off on a thrilling adventure to a strange land, and learn a valuable lesson from the creatures they meet.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886. The work is also known as The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It is about a London lawyer named Gabriel John Utterson who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the evil Edward Hyde. The novella's impact is such that it has become a part of the language, with the very phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" entering the vernacular to refer to people with an unpredictably dual nature.