Showing results by narrator "Geoffrey Giuliano" in All Categories

Brave New World is a dystopian social science fiction novel by English author Aldous Huxley, written in 1931 and published a year later. Largely set in a futuristic World State, whose citizens are environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation, and classical conditioning that are combined to make a dystopian society that is challenged by only a single individual: the story's protagonist.

George Armstrong Custer, a flamboyant American military leader, first came to the world’s attention as a cavalry commander for the Union army during the American Civil War and in the opening of the Western territories. The influx of whites into American Indian lands angered the Sioux nation, thus a war resulted between them and the United States. In 1876, Custer was instructed to help drive the Sioux and Cheyenne onto their reservations.

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini, born on July 29, 1883, who went by the nickname “Il Duce” (“the Leader”), was a deeply unbalanced tyrannical Italian dictator who created the dreaded Fascist Party in 1919. Eventually, he held all power in Italy as the country’s prime minister from 1922 to 1943. An ardent socialist as a youth, Mussolini followed in his father's political footsteps but was expelled by the party for his overt support of World War I. As an evil dictator during World War II, he greatly overextended his forces and was killed by his own people in Mezzegra, Italy.

Homer is one of the most important figures in ancient Greek literature, believed to have lived in the 8th century BC. He is most famous for his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which are considered to be the founding works of Western literature. The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, focusing on the hero Achilles, while the Odyssey recounts the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus as he attempts to return home after the war. Both works are celebrated for their vivid storytelling, complex characters, and profound exploration of human nature.

The Swiss Family Robinson is a classic novel by Johann David Wyss, first published in 1812, about a Swiss family of immigrants whose ship en route to Port Jackson, Australia, goes off course and is shipwrecked in the East Indies. Upon reaching a nearby island, the family sets up a makeshift camp. William knows that they must prepare for a long time on the island, and his thoughts are as much on provisions for the future as for their immediate wants. William and his oldest son, Fritz, spend the next day exploring the island.

Middlemarch is a novel by the English author Mary Anne Evans, who wrote as George Eliot. It first appeared in eight installments in 1871 and 1872. Set in Middlemarch, a fictional English Midland town, from 1829 to 1832, it follows distinct, intersecting stories with many characters. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education. Despite comic elements, Middlemarch uses realism to encompass historical events.

Nat Turner was an enslaved African-American preacher who led a four-day rebellion of enslaved and free black people in Southampton County, Virginia in 1831. Turner was recorded simply as "Nat" by Benjamin Turner, the man enslaving this family. When Turner died in 1810, Nat was inherited as property by Benjamin's son Samuel Turner.

The recordings that Linda Tripp surreptitiously made of her conversations with Monica Lewinsky about Lewinsky's affair with President Clinton have mesmerized the nation and are bound to become as much a part of our national consciousness as the Watergate tapes. We've read about the scandal and the people involved - we've heard the pundits' opinions and the politicians' spins - but now we are finally able to hear two of the key participants - in their own words - and to get a glimpse of the people behind the headlines.

Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist and short-story writer, widely considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Hemingway's writing style was characterized by its spare and concise prose, and he was known for his ability to convey deep emotions through simple, direct language. Hemingway's most famous works include "The Sun Also Rises," "A Farewell to Arms," and "The Old Man and the Sea."

Huey Percy Newton was an African-American political activist and Marxist-Leninist revolutionary who, along with fellow Merritt College student Bobby Seale, co-founded the Black Panther Party (1966-1982). Together with Seale, Newton created a 10-point program which laid out guidelines for how the African-American community could achieve liberation.

1984 centers on the consequences of totalitarianism, mass surveillance, and repressive regimentation of persons and behaviors within society. Orwell modeled the totalitarian government in the novel after Stalinist Russia. More broadly, the novel examines the role of truth and facts within politics and the ways in which they are manipulated. The story takes place in an imagined future, the year 1984 when much of the world has fallen victim to perpetual war, omnipresent government surveillance, historical negationism, and propaganda.

Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. Accordingly, he was described by abolitionists in his time as a living counter-example to slaveholders' arguments that slaves lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens.

"A Passage to India" is a novel written by E.M. Forster and published in 1924. It explores the complexities of human relationships and the clash of cultures during the British Raj in India. The novel revolves around the experiences of various characters, both British and Indian, in the fictional city of Chandrapore. The main plot follows Dr. Aziz, a young Indian Muslim physician, and his interactions with a British schoolteacher named Adela Quested.

In this dynamic, hard-hitting audiobook, music biographer Geoffrey Giuliano examines the turbulent life and times of Elvis Presley. With an in-depth, insightful narration by the author as well as rare archival, unheard interviews, here is the perfect collection celebrating the king of rock for every dedicated fan, music historian, the media as well as all school, library, institutional, and university collections.

In 30 Years a Slave Hughes provides vivid descriptions and explicit accounts of how the McGee plantation in Mississippi, and the McGee mansion in Tennessee functioned - accounts of the lives of the many slaves that lived, suffered and sometimes died under the cruel and unusual punishments meted out by Boss and his monstrously unstable and vindictive wife. He described the profane manner in which this peculiar institution dehumanized, on a daily basis, not only the black man but even more so the white man.

Welcome to the world of Jane Austen, one of the most beloved authors in the English language. Austen's works are known for their wit, social commentary, and romantic storylines that have captivated readers for generations.

"Understood Betsy" is a beloved children's book that was first published in 1916. It tells the story of Elizabeth Ann, a young girl who has been raised in a sheltered and overprotective environment by her Aunt Frances. Elizabeth Ann is a timid and obedient child who has never been allowed to make her own decisions or take risks. She has always been told what to do and how to behave. However, when Aunt Frances falls ill and is unable to care for Elizabeth Ann, she is sent to live with her previously unknown relatives in rural Vermont.

Moonchild is a novel written by the British occultist Aleister Crowley in 1917. Its plot involves a magical war between a group of white magicians, led by Simon Iff, and a group of black magicians, over an unborn child.

George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist, and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture, and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than 60 plays, which included major works such as Man and Superman. Here in this exciting audiobook experience, you will find the very best of George Bernard Shaw’s vibrant personality and inspirational words. A rare audiobook adventure!

Theodore Roosevelt Jr., often referred to as Teddy Roosevelt, was an American statesman, politician, conservationist, naturalist, and writer who served as the 26th president of the United States from 1901 to 1909. He previously served as 33rd governor of New York from 1899 to 1900 and the 25th vice president of the United States from March to September 1901. Roosevelt emerged as a leader of the Republican Party and became a driving force for the anti-trust policy while supporting Progressive Era policies in the early 20th century.