Showing results by narrator "Katie Haigh" in All Categories

The philosophy of Confucius was so powerful that it dominated intellectual life in ancient China for centuries. It even came to be considered a religion, and there are still temples where Confucius is worshipped as the God of Culture. His writings were transmitted as aphorisms, each one of them one concentrated teaching about philosophy, ethics, or society.

Have you ever been to a King Lear performance with the impression of not having understood everything? It's normal. Shakespeare's plays are the most beautiful of the theatrical repertoire, but you cannot go to a Shakespeare play if you do not have a minimum prepared this show: understand the issues, characters, context, cultural or historical references is indispensable. The same is true if you intend to read a play by William Shakespeare: our summaries will help you better understand what you have read.

The beautiful Sheherazade, threatened with death, manages to postpone the fatal day by telling one marvellous story every night. The stories themselves are folk tales, fairy tales and poems collected over many centuries, from ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and Egyptian folklore and literature. This makes The Arabian Nights a priceless treasure, as it takes us to the very roots of our culture in a delightful and passionate way...

The greatest poems from the greatest masters of French literature have been put together in a brilliant English adaptation in the form of an audiobook. Dive deep into Victor Hugo's superb style, with excerpts from his "Contemplations" or "Autumn Leaves"; enjoy the ephemeral poetry of Verlaine and the darkness of Charles Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil", narrated with precision and subtlety by Katie Haigh and Paul Edwards.

"Goldilocks and the three bears" is a family-friendly variation of an old tale in which a woman enter the house of three bears, eats their food, sits on their chair, and sleeps in their bed. This very old nursery tale is one of the most popular stories in the English language. It suggests the importance of respecting property and the consequences of just 'trying out' things that do not belong to you. As such, it will spark important interrogations from children: was Goldilocks right to come into the house? Were the bears really scary, or just helpless victims? What would have been the best thing to do?

Discover the endless fascination of Indian culture with five tales, selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. "The Alligator and the Jackal" is a tale of wit and cleverness, about which will defeat the other. "Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals" is another example of how cleverness can overcome even the most powerful. "The Farmer and the Money-Lender" shows the eternal struggle between class, and a way to trick the tricker; "Who Killed the Otter's Babies?" will bring you deep reflections about causality and responsibility; and Tit for Tat is a powerful lesson about the dangers of habits.

Here are 60 of the greatest poems of all time: the art of three major French authors, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, translated into English with perfect accuracy and elegance, and carefully selected excerpts of Japanese poetry, for a world-encompassing literary culture and delight.

Most people experience at least some anxiety in airports or on planes, but for some, flying causes panic attacks. This audiobook contains relaxation scripts designed to help decrease the stress associated with flying, stop the anxiety experienced on air planes and in airports, and take care of an anxiety attack before or during a flight. It is a series of exercises intended to bring the listener to a state of complete relaxation through simple, efficient and proven techniques, so as to relieve the symptoms of panic or anxiety attacks.

Discover Slavic culture with two ancient tales from the Eastern European world. The "Twelve Months" is a story about persistence, not unlike our "Cinderilla", but set in a fantastic world where seasons are all and winter, deadly. "The Two Brothers "is a tale about justice in a world where money corrupts easily. Enjoy these ancient tales from a faraway land, recorded by the best storytellers in a warm and lively way.

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness known to enhance capacities. It is used for a wide range of therapeutic purposes, including the reduction of pain, healing, treatment of addictions, or weight loss; it is also a way to facilitate relaxation. This audiobook describes five different methods to induce hypnosis, be it for entertainment or therapeutic purposes: a description of Dr. Cocke's method, another of Dr. Flint's method; the French method at Paris and Nancy, and the Hindoo Silent method; lastly, a much-needed method to wake a subject from hypnotic sleep.

On a cold New Year's Eve, a young, poor girl tries to sell matches in the street. She is already shivering from cold. She shelters in a nook and sits down. The girl lights the matches to warm herself. In their glow she sees several lovely visions, including a Christmas tree and a holiday feast. The girl looks skyward and sees a shooting star; she then remembers her grandmother saying that such a falling star means someone is dying and is going to Heaven. As she lights the next match, she sees a vision of her grandmother, the only person to have treated her with love and kindness. She strikes one match after another to keep the vision of her grandmother alive for as long as she can.

Young children live in an information-packed environment, and have yet to master their emotions and resist stress. Relaxation and simple meditation techniques have been proven to help them manage pressure, increase focus and concentrate. These simple relaxation exercises will introduce them to breathing techniques and mindfulness; these are the same self-calming techniques adults can learn, but presented in a soothing format appealing to children. Regular practice will improve their concentration skills, help them build self-esteem and fall asleep quickly and peacefully: a great help for everyday living at home and in the classroom.

‘The Three Asian Wise Men - Confucius, Lao Tzu, Buddha’ is a collection of quotes and sayings by the three great ancient sages, whose words of wisdom continue to influence Chinese society to this day. Architects of the three teachings: Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, they created the idea of Yin and Yang, going with the flow, reincarnation, benevolent leadership and many others.

Shakespeare's "Othello" is a heart-wrenching tale of evil and betrayal; it is the first of Shakespeare's great series of tragedies and history plays. The exotic Moor Othello and his beloved Desdemona are thrown into a mesh of intrigue and matters of the state; their strong love would overcome all of it, were it not for Iago. Trusted by his master Othello, he is actually seeking vengeance against him, and has vowed to destroy the Moor of Venice in the worst possible manner. Through insinuations about Desdemona's infidelity, Iago manages to draw Othello deeper and deeper into his schemes, until a horrific escalation quickly brings the play to a terrible end.

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration.

Victor Hugo is one of the best-known French writers, and is part of the greatest literary figures of all time. His poetry made him famous very early, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest lyric poets when he was only 20 years old. He was also a novelist and a dramatist, and furthered the cause of Romanticism, this exalted artistic movement which toyed with Sublime and soared on the winds of emotion.

"The unknown masterpiece", or "Le chef-d'œuvre inconnu", is a story by the French author Honoré de Balzac. This short text was of tremendous importance in the world of art, for it holds a groundbreaking reflection about artistic creation: what does completion or failure mean, and how is it that technique does not guarantee either. Paul Cézanne famously said "I am Frenhofer", identifying with the old master around which the story revolves. Pablo Picasso himself was absolutely fascinated by the text, so much that he had his studio moved in the Parisian street named in the story; there, he painted his own masterpiece, Guernica.

Ali Baba is a poor woodcutter who discovers the secret of a thieves' den, entered with the phrase "Open Sesame". The thieves learn this and try to kill Ali Baba, but Ali Baba's faithful slave-girl foils their plots. Ali Baba gives his son to her in marriage and keeps the secret of the treasure. This story is included in many versions of the "One Thousand and One Nights". It is one of the most familiar of the "Arabian Nights" tales.

This classic adaptation of James Barrie's play tells the story of Peter Pan, a mischievous little boy who can fly, and his adventures on the island of Neverland with Wendy Darling and her brothers, the fairy Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, and the pirate Captain Hook.

"King Lear" is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, depicting the gradual descent into madness of the title character after he disposes of his kingdom giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on their flattery of him, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is derived from the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king; after the English Restoration, it was often revised with a happy ending for audiences who disliked its dark and depressing tone, but since the nineteenth century, Shakespeare's original version has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements.