Showing results by narrator "Sara Nichols" in All Categories

Literary cohorts and members of the famous Algonquin Round Table, Dorothy Parker and Franklin P. Adams, made these two short audiobooks to humorously contrast the experiences of both men and women meeting, dating...and then deciding not to marry various men and women in their lives.

The most romantic literary lovers in history: Jane Eyre and Mr. Rochester. Oliver Mellors and Constance Chatterley. Marie Shabata and Emil Bergson. Now, all three of their classic stories are collected in one volume.

Universally acknowledged as one of the most popular and brilliant books ever written, "Jane Eyre" is Charlotte Brontë's masterpiece, often listed with Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" as among the finest romance novels ever published. The story follows the hardscrabble life of its eponymous lead character, Jane Eyre, who is orphaned at a young age and forced to live under the rule of her heartless Aunt Reed and her equally cruel children.

In "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes," Sir Arthur Conan Doyle attempted a feat that even the greatest criminal minds in England could not accomplish: He tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes. (And he very nearly succeeded.) Doyle's 1894 collection of short stories—which featured some of the most enjoyable tales in the Holmes canon, including "Silver Blaze," "The Musgrave Ritual" and "The Crooked Man"—concludes with what was meant to be the last Sherlock Holmes story, "The Final Problem."

"Summer" is one of only two novels Edith Wharton wrote that takes place in a rural setting (the other being her classic "Ethan Frome.") Given the subject matter (and the behavior of its lead character), the book was considered scandalous in its day, but it is now considered a classic of early 20th century American literature. The story follows the life and sexual awakening of Charity Royall, a young girl living in a small town who has dreams of moving out of her poverty-stricken community.

"Kilmeny of the Orchard" is one of the few stand-alone novels by Canadian author L.M. Montgomery, best known for her "Anne of Green Gables" series of books. "Kilmeny of the Orchard" tells the story of Eric Marshall, a young, successful teacher who takes a temporary position on Prince Edward Island. While there, he meets Kilmeny Gordon, a beautiful and talented young woman who is mute. Kilmeny lives a secluded life, communicating through writing and music, her violin expressing what words cannot. Eric becomes captivated by her innocence, intelligence, and mysterious silence.

Written in 1927, To the Lighthouse is Virginia Woolf's experimental and brilliant third novel. The narrative concerns the annual visits by the Ramsay family to their summer home in the Isle of Skye in Scotland between 1910 and 1920. Once again employing her unique stream-of-consciousness style of writing, Woolf creates a fascinating and complex novel where the point of view of the narration switches between the various Ramsay family members and their guests.

Unearth the mystery of the Mayflower Court flats, and play find-the-lady at the murky, yet majestic, manor house.

Taking place at Christmastime, the tale revolves around Gabriel Conroy and his wife Gretta, who are attending a holiday party hosted by Gabriel's elderly aunts. In typical Joycean style, this seemingly mundane setting hides many of the guests' mysteries, not the least of which is shielded by Gretta herself. When her secret finally spills forth, it has a profound and immediate effect on Gabriel, changing his life forever.

William Shakespeare, long hailed as history's greatest dramatic writer, has been lauded for his mastery of poetic expression, his insight into the human condition, and his deep exploration into the psyche and motivations of his characters.

E.T.A. Hoffmann's The Nutcracker and the Mouse King is one of the most beloved children's stories of all time and a Christmas classic. The story is the basis for the popular ballet "The Nutcracker." In the story, a young girl named Marie is given a precious nutcracker as a Christmas present by her godfather, the enigmatic Drosselmeier. When the nutcracker is broken, Marie attempts to repair it and stays up late to tend to her new toy, but when the nursery is invaded by an army of mice, the nutcracker comes to life to both drive off the mice and escort Marie to a magical land of living dolls.

"The Secret Garden" is Frances Hodgson Burnett's most beloved and popular book, a childre's classic that has been adapted dozens of times for the stage and screen. When Mary Lennox — an ill-tempered and lonely orphan — is sent to live with her gloomy uncle in England, her future prospects appear dim. Her only companions are her cousin Colin, who is wheelchair bound, and the local boy Dickon Sowerby...and none of the children seem to have anything in common.

In the story, we meet Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters, who are betrayed by a family member and left in dire financial straits. Since none of the girls will come with a dowry, the prospects of their marrying well are extremely unlikely. One day, while out for a walk in the rain, the middle daughter, Marianne, twists her ankle and is rescued by the handsome Mr. Willoughby. Though cautioned by her older sister Elinor to be wary, Marianne - blinded by love - rushes into the budding romance headlong...with grim consequences.

"The Snow Queen" is the classic Christmas tale from internationally revered children's author Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the challenges faced by two childhood friends Gerda and Kay, whose relationship is shattered when Kai is infected by dark magic and disappears, spirited up to the Snow Queen's palace in the sky.

"His Last Bow" is a classic mystery collection from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It also contains the very last story featuring Doyle's greatest creation: the legendary and enigmatic consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes. Along with the coda to the Holmes canon, this collection also contains a number of Holmes favorites, including The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge and The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans. But without a doubt, the final story - "His Last Bow" - is the most exciting entry in this one-of-a-kind volume.

Presented here are two holiday classics: E.T.A. Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" (which formed the basis for the Christmas ballet "The Nutcracker") and Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," (upon which Disney's "Frozen" is based). First, we meet young Marie, young girl who is given a precious nutcracker as a Christmas present by her godfather, the enigmatic Drosselmeier.

In O Pioneers, we meet the Bergsons, a family of farmers in the fictional town of Hanover, Nebraska who have emigrated to America from Sweden. When the family patriarch dies, the running of the farm falls to the eldest daughter, Alexandra, who struggles to make the farm viable and provide for the family. Eventually, the focus turns to the romantic entanglements of Alexandra and her brother as well as touching upon the enormous difficulties of running a farm at the turn of the last century.

This is a SoundCraft Audiobooks production—enhanced with music and sound effects—of perhaps the most revered and popular children's book of all time: Peter Pan. Featuring Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy, and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook and his trusty first mate Smee, these indelible creations have become some of the most iconic characters in all of children's literature. Barrie's playful and impish prose perfectly captures the cruelty, kindness, and complexities of youth, as seen through the eyes of history's most famous flying orphan.

Orlando: A Biography is a groundbreaking English novel by Virginia Woolf that explores English history, gender roles, and sexual politics in a way few books have before or since. Inspired by the life of Woolf's friend and lover Vita Sackville-West—herself an accomplished poet and novelist—the story follows the life of an aristocratic nobleman who changes from man to woman and goes on to live for centuries, meeting all of the most influential and powerful figures in English history.

When D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover first appeared in print in the late 1920s, it was an immediate sensation. A vivid—often graphic—exploration of infidelity, sexual awakening, intimacy and free thinking, Chatterley was banned in Britain, America and dozens of other countries for its frank depiction of the sexual act, explicit descriptions of physical love and the liberal use of once-prohibited four-letter words.