Showing results by narrator "Paul Spera" in All Categories

"The 120 Days of Sodom" is "the most impure tale that has ever been told since our world began". It was written by the Marquis de Sade, a french noble man, in the space of 37 days, while imprisoned in the famous parisian Bastille. Fearing confiscation, the Marquis de Sade, Donatien-Alphonse-François, had to write it on a continuous roll of paper, made up of small pieces glued together. The original manuscript is now on display in Paris, and is the third most expensive kept in France, insured for 12 million euros.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is Arthur Conan Doyle's third Sherlock Holmes novel, first published in 1901–1902. Set in Dartmoor, it follows Holmes and Watson investigating a legendary supernatural hound said to haunt the Baskerville family. The novel marked Holmes's return after his presumed death. The story begins in 1889 when Dr. James Mortimer asks Holmes to look into the Baskerville family curse. The legend tells of Sir Hugo Baskerville, who was killed by a monstrous hound after kidnapping a farmer's daughter. Since then, the hound is believed to haunt the family, causing mysterious deaths.

Dr. Percy Trevelyon, a young neurologist, seeks Holmes' help. Two years earlier, he agreed to a strange deal with Mr. Blessington, who furnished a house and paid all expenses so Trevelyon could start his practice. Blessington, who has heart trouble, lives there as a permanent patient and takes most of the doctor's earnings. Though Trevelyon has become successful, something about the arrangement worries him, prompting Holmes to investigate.

The Final Problem is a Sherlock Holmes short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, first published in The Strand Magazine in the UK and McClure's in the US in December 1893. The story, set in 1891, introduces Holmes's arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, and was originally intended to mark the detective's death. Doyle later revived Holmes for further stories. In the narrative, Holmes confides in Watson about his pursuit of Moriarty's criminal network and the threats he faces, leading to a dramatic confrontation.

Jung regarded the unconscious and its symbolic content as crucial to our psychological development; among the central concepts of analytical psychology is individuation, which is the lifelong psychological process of differentiation of the self. Jung considered it to be the main task looming over every human being in their development, and experimented with a variety of practices to dive always deeper into it. These 100 quotes have been carefully selected to introduce you to his character and his way of thinking, and to inspire you into making your own discoveries about the unconscious.

Discover an abridged version of Marquis de Sade most famous and outrageous masterpieces: "Philosophy in the Bedroom" ("La philosophie dans le boudoir"), "Justine, or The Misfortunes of Virtue", and "The 120 Days of Sodom".

Albert Einstein is widely considered as one of the greatest minds that ever lived. He developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics alongside quantum mechanics, and penned the world's most famous equation, E=mc².

The story of Orpheus and Eurydice is the ultimate tragic love story. It is perhaps one of the most famous Greek myths, and the greatest artists have composed masterpieces to honour these two great lovers who lost their chance at reunion. The earliest account comes from Ibycus (circa 530 BC), a Greek lyric poet. This short story is a mixture of the various existing versions, presenting the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in all its details, all the way to Orpheus' death at the hands of the Bacchantes.

Discover a new version of Marquis de Sade's most famous and outrageous masterpieces: "Philosophy in the Bedroom" (La philosophie dans le boudoir), "Justine, or The Misfortunes of Virtue" and "The 120 Days of Sodom". "Philosophy in the Bedroom" (La philosophie dans le boudoir) was written in 1795 by the Marquis de Sade, while imprisoned in the Bastille. It is a work of extreme pornography, laced with socio-political subversion. The main characters are libertines, who decided to give a young maiden their own brand of sex education.

"Justine, or The Misfortunes of Virtue", is an early work by the Marquis de Sade. It is a novella, written in two weeks while he was imprisoned in the famous Bastille. Unlike some of his other works, it is not just a catalogue of sadism. It is meant to bring new life to an old genre, which had the reader accustomed to see virtue eventually triumph after trials only meant to bring out its value. Sade would have none of that in Justine: in her quest for virtue, the main character keeps falling into terrible situations, which humiliate her and present her with sexual lessons hidden under the mask of virtue.

Sir Winston Churchill was a British statesman, orator, and author who, as prime minister, rallied the British people during World War II and led Britain to an allied victory. Churchill's "bulldog" spirit seemed to summarise the mood of the British people even during the bad times, such as Dunkirk, and the inspirational victories, such as the Battle of Britain. His was a brilliant mind, full of wit and intelligence; his oratory brilliance and his admirable style led him to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.

Améliorez votre anglais en écoutant de la littérature ! C'est notre promesse, notre engagement.Retrouvez 10 aventures du plus célèbre des voyous au grand cœur, le célèbre Arsène Lupin. Chaque histoire est interprétée d'abord en version française, puis elle est suivie à chaque fois de la même histoire interprétée en anglais : L'arrestation d'Arsène Lupin/The arrest of Arsène Lupin ; Arsène Lupin en prison/ Arsène Lupin in prison ; L'Évasion d'Arsène Lupin/The escape of Arsène Lupin ; Le Mystérieux voyageur/ The mysterious traveller.

"Philosophy in the Bedroom" ("La philosophie dans le boudoir") was written in 1795 by the Marquis de Sade, while imprisoned in the Bastille. It is a work of erotism, laced with socio-political subversion. The main characters are libertines, who decided to give a young maiden their own brand of sex education. They explain to her that pleasure is the most important goal of all, and then proceed with affirming that she will not be able to feel "true pleasure" without pain.

Améliorez votre anglais en écoutant de la littérature !C'est notre promesse, notre engagement. Retrouvez 5 aventures du plus célèbre des voyous au grand cœur, le célèbre Arsène Lupin. Chaque histoire est interprétée d'abord en version française, puis elle est suivie à chaque fois de la même histoire interprétée en anglais : L'arrestation d'Arsène Lupin/The arrest of Arsène Lupin ; Arsène Lupin en prison/Arsène Lupin in prison ; L'Évasion d'Arsène Lupin/The escape of Arsène Lupin ; Le Mystérieux voyageur/The mysterious traveller.

Mr. Ferguson is convinced his Peruvian second wife is harming their baby, claiming she has been sucking his son's blood. As Holmes untangles the strange behavior, hidden motives, and family secrets, the truth reveals a cunning twist that is far more shocking than any superstition.

Mahatma Gandhi is a world-famous pacifist figure who managed to lead the Indian independence movement against British rule by employing nonviolent civil disobedience. His ethics and unwavering stance inspired movements for civil rights and freedom all across the world, long after his assassination in 1948.

In this audiobook, read by Paul Spera, each historical event is replaced into context and presented in clear and easy-to-read snippets, so that younger and older readers can deepen their understanding of how modern France came to be and broaden their culture. This historical essays deals with France's earlier kings, the hundred years' war, the struggle with Burgundy, the Italian wars, the wars of religion, absolute monarchy, and the French Revolution.

The story follows Holmes and Watson as they investigate John Hector McFarlane, a young lawyer accused of murdering his client, builder Jonas Oldacre, after Oldacre unexpectedly named McFarlane the sole beneficiary of his will.

The myth of Icarus is an ageless story of failure at the hands of pride, similar to that of Phaeton. It is a fundamental part of Greek mythology and of modern culture. This short story is a retelling of the myth from 1914, a year in which it was easy to fear for a son who would soar in the sky with metal wings; the story of Icarus and Daedalus is told in great detail and with an elegant style that will edify children and adults alike.

"Animal Farm", a fairy story, is a short novel by George Orwell. It describes a farm where animals revolt, take over and drive out men. It is an apologue written in the form of an animal fable, but also a dystopia. In this novel, Orwell offers a satire of the Russian Revolution and a critique of the Soviet regime, particularly Stalinism, and beyond that, authoritarian regimes and totalitarianism. The book was named one of the 100 best English-language novels written from 1923 to 2005 by Time magazine.