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Speeches: Literary and Social is a collection of speeches given by Charles Dickens in various settings, including banquets, public gatherings, and charitable events. It includes Dickens' thoughts on literature, society, and philanthropy, as well as his personal experiences as a writer and public figure. With his signature wit and charm, Dickens addresses topics such as education, poverty, and the importance of reading, while also sharing anecdotes and reflections on his own life. This book provides a fascinating glimpse into the mind and personality of one of the greatest writers in English ...

Born in the Marshalsea Prison for Debtors, Amy—Little Dorrit—the daughter of the ruined, but self-respectful William Dorrit, has put her entire heart in caring for her dear father, until one day her humble path is crossed by Arthur Clennam. Their meeting proves providential not only for Amy's life, but for the whole Dorrit family, whose new rise will, in many ways, be also their fall. As in all his novels, in Little Dorrit Dickens ushers us into a fascinating and startlingly rich world of human characters and destinies, where virtue and nobility cross swords with vice and villainy, where ...

The American Claimant is an 1892 novel by American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The story focuses on the class differences and expectations of monarchic, hierarchical Britain and the upstart, "all men are created equal" America. Twain wrote the novel with the help of phonographic dictation, the first author (according to Twain himself) to do so. This was also (according to Twain) an attempt to write a book without mention of the weather, the first of its kind in fictitious literature. Indeed, all the weather is contained in an appendix, at the back of the book, which the reader is ...

Dickens portrayal of selfishness, in this case in the Chuzzlewit family. Old Martin has a great fortune, and everyone wants in on it, especially distant cousin Seth Pecksniff. Meanwhile, his grandson, young Martin, has fallen in love with his grandfather's ward Mary and is disinherited, sending young Martin on an adventure in America from which he will return a changed man. Will he win Mary? Also featuring the dastardly villain Jonas Chuzzlewit, young Martin's cousin, and the hilarious nurse/midwife Sarah Gamp, who is usually found in a state of intoxication. - Summary by Brad J Filippone

The Old Curiosity Shop tells the story of Little Nell, a beautiful and virtuous young girl who lives with her grandfather in his shop of curiosities. Her grandfather loves her dearly, and Nell does not complain, but she lives a lonely existence without friends of her own age. Her only friend is Kit, an honest young lad who works at the shop, and whom she is teaching to write. Unbeknownst to Nell, her grandfather is obsessed with their precarious financial position and is attempting to make Nell a good inheritance by winning at cards. He keeps these nocturnal activities a secret, but borrows ...

Early biography of Charles Dickens published just 17 years after Dickens' death. Summary by Colleen McMahon

The Old Curiosity Shop; Hard Times; A Tale of Two Cities; Oliver Twist; The Pickwick Papers. Have you read any or all of these famous Dickens stories? The author of this marvelous book, Rives Ermine, a highly successful author in her own right, simply wanted to retell the basic elements of some of Dickens best beloved novels and story lines. Now is your chance to revisit these stories and revive the memories of great reads. Of it you haven't gotten around to some of these classics, this would be a marvelous chance to listen to what they are about so you can enjoy them even more in the original...

"David Copperfield" or "The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery" was first published in 1850. Like all except five of his works, it originally appeared in serial form. Many elements within the novel follow events in Dickens' own life, and it is probably the most autobiographical of all of his novels. It is also Dickens' "favorite child." (Summary adapted from Wikipedia)

Barnaby Rudge is, naast Londen en Parijs, een van de twee historische romans van Charles Dickens. Het verhaal behandelt de Gordon oproer uit 1780, een godsdienstig gemotiveerde aanval van protestanten op de Rooms-Katholieken. Dickens beschrijft deze gebeurtenissen aan de hand van het leven van Barnaby Rudge een onschuldige dorpsgek die door de opstandelingen wordt meegesleept in het kwaad. (Introductie door Marcel Coenders)

“These papers were originally published as prefaces to the separate books of Dickens in one of the most extensive of those cheap libraries of the classics which are one of the real improvements of recent times. Thus they were harmless, being diluted by, or rather drowned in Dickens. My scrap of theory was a mere dry biscuit to be taken with the grand tawny port of great English comedy; and by most people it was not taken at all--like the biscuit.Nevertheless the essays were not in intention so aimless as they appear in fact. I had a general notion of what needed saying about Dickens to the ...

Die Abenteuer des Tom Sawyer (Originaltitel: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) ist ein Roman des US-amerikanischen Schriftstellers Mark Twain. Das Buch erschien 1876 zugleich auch als deutsche Übersetzung."Die Abenteuer des Tom Sawyer" ist eine typische Lausbubengeschichte und spielt in der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts im kleinen Ort St. Petersburg am Mississippi. Der Waisenjunge Tom lebt bei seiner Tante Polly, zusammen mit seinem Halbbruder Sid, seiner Cousine Mary und dem schwarzen Sklaven Jim. Sid ist brav und verpetzt Tom bei jeder Gelegenheit. Tom hingegen schwänzt gern die Schule, prügelt ...

David Copperfield, Originaltitel 'David Copperfield or The Personal History Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery' ist ein Bildungsroman des englischen Schriftstellers Charles Dickens aus dem Jahr 1849. Der Roman erzählt die Lebensgeschichte von David Copperfield, hinter dem sich der Autor selbst in verfremdeter Form verbirgt. Man erfährt von David Copperfields Werdegang und langsamem Erwachsenwerden. Die Erzählung lebt von den zahlreichen (berühmt gewordenen) Figuren, die seinen Weg kreuzen, ihn einen Teil seines Lebens begleiten, verschwinden...

Oliver Twist es una novela humorística en la que se presentan también la hipocresía y los males sociales de la época, especialmente el reclutamiento de niños para el crimen organizado. Se publicó en 1838 como una serie de artículos. ( tux)

While "The Battle of Life" is one of Charles Dickens' Christmas Books - his annual release of a story just before Christmas - this one breaks the tradition by not being concerned with Christmas. Rather, its subtitle, "A Love Story", reveals more of the plot. The major events of this book take place on land that once was a battleground. That is just a backdrop for Dickens' idea of the real battle of life - finding and winning the right partner, so that life will go on to the next generation. The family that lives there is rather confused in its affections and intentions regarding who should end...

This audiobook is a collection of Mark Twain's anti-imperialist writings (newspaper articles, interviews, speeches, letters, essays and pamphlets). (Summary by Vineshen Pillay)

This is a detailed exploration of the references to music in the novels of Dickens: songs, instrumental pieces, performers, composers, and musical instruments. It also includes Dickens' interactions with musicians. - Summary by Warren Bergmann

The Adventures of Old Man Coyote is another in the long list of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the residents of The Green Pasture and The Green Forest are concerned about a strange newcomer, Old Man Coyote. Old Many Coyote matches wits with Old Granny Fox and has encounters with Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit, and a particularly sharp confrontation with Prickly Porky. - Summary by John Lieder

Please note: this recording contains strong language."1601," wrote Mark Twain, "is a supposititious conversation which takes place in Queen Elizabeth's closet in that year, between the Queen, Ben Jonson, Beaumont, Sir Walter Raleigh, the Duchess of Bilgewater, and one or two others ... If there is a decent word findable in it, it is because I overlooked it." 1601 depicts a highfalutin and earthy discussion between the Queen and her court about farting and a variety of sexual peccadillos, narrated disapprovingly and sanctimoniously by the Queen's Cup-Bearer, an eyewitness at "the Social ...

Oliver Twist is an 1838 novel by Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial.Like most of Dickens' work, the book is used to call the public's attention to various contemporary social evils, including the workhouse, child labour and the recruitment of children as criminals. The novel is full of sarcasm and dark humour, even as it treats its serious subject, revealing the hypocrisies of the time.It has been the subject of numerous film and television adaptations, and the basis for a highly successful British musical, Oliver!. (Summary from Wikipedia)

When an innocent blue jay starts talking in his sleep, it's up to him to find out what's going on in this fun, naturalistic, Southern-style children's story. (Summary by Miriam Esther Goldman)Cast:Narration: Marty KrisMr. Mocker: GargoyleUnc’ Billy Possum: Barry EadsOld Mrs. Possum: Donna LautenJimmy Skunk: Phil ChenevertSammy Jay: Marty KrisPeter Rabbit: om123Jerry Muskrat: Marty KrisHooty the Owl: Laurie Anne WaldenJenny Wren: Elisabeth HarveyBlacky the Crow: Beverly ScottReddy Fox: JimOCRBoomer the Nighthawk: Marty KrisBobby Coon: Marty KrisSticky-Toes the Tree Toad: Cheri GardnerMistah ...