Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 009

A collection of fifteen short nonfiction works in the public domain. The essays, speeches, news items and reports included in these collections are independently selected by the readers, and the topics encompass history, politics, philosophy, nature, religion, etc. (6 hr 11 min)

Chapters

The Application of Thought to Textual Criticism	39:04	Read by Philippa
Before the Diet of Worms	7:34	Read by T. Wellington
The Book of Accidents, Designed for Young Children	24:40	Read by Peter Eastman
Christ Triumphant	37:19	Read by Jordan
Fourth Not Really Independence Day	11:13	Read by Jan MacGillivray
The Fable of the Bees	41:50	Read by Anna Simon
Introduction to "Madrigals in the Time of Shakespeare"	48:59	Read by Ruth Golding
On the Method of Grace	14:39	Read by T. Wellington
On Running After One's Hat	8:04	Read by Jerome Lawsen
The Place of Science in a Liberal Education	21:41	Read by J. M. Smallheer
A Plea for Captain John Brown	55:05	Read by Matthew Westra
Public Prayer	12:32	Read by T. Wellington
USAF Fact Sheet 95-03: Unidentified Flying Objects and Air Force Project Blue Bo	3:34	Read by James Christopher
What the Tortoise Said to Achilles	7:36	Read by Annoying Twit
Wonderful Discover of Elizabeth Sawyer, A Witch	37:59	Read by David Nicol

Reviews

These "collections" of short works ...

(5 stars)

notmyname

... never seem to get reviewed, because they typically consist of a bunch of unrelated pieces. Too bad the Archive doesn't give each its own page, because there are often some gems. I'm only reviewing four tracks here. 1. The Application of Thought to Textual Criticism, by A. E. Housman. This is a great, cranky essay about the failings Housman saw in his fellow textual critics -- basically, that they refused to think critically and made specious generalizations. The bits of Latin he quotes might not mean anything to me, but everything else comes through and is still relevant. The female, high-voiced, British-sounding reader gives an excellent, clear, expressive reading. Good recording quality, no skips or pops. Five stars. ***** 10. The Place of Science in a Liberal Education, by Bertrand Russell. A thoughtful essay. Good, clear reading by a female, American-sounding reader. Good recording quality. Four stars. **** 11. A Plea for Captain John Brown, by Henry David Thoreau. A very passionate defense of the abolitionist John Brown, almost a canonization. The male, American-sounding reader is clear and fairly expressive. Good recording quality. Four stars. **** 15. The Wonderful Discovery of Elizabeth Sawyer, a Witch, by Henry Goodcole. Actually the full title is "The wonderfull discouerie of Elizabeth SaWyer a Witch, late of Edmonton, her conuiction and condemnation and Death. Together with the relation of the Diuels accesse to her, and their conference together," and it was written in 1621. As you can imagine, this is awesome, as well as very unsettling. The reader (male and British-sounding, and very expressive) gives the poor condemned woman an accent and a rather silly voice, and the sheer ridiculousness of her confession makes it all hilarious and disturbing. Very good recording quality, in my opinion. Five stars. *****

doesn't really stick to the prose in the Fable of the bees.

(3 stars)

Brandon Dixon

didn't follow the meter, just read the story like a narrative.