Short Nonfiction Collection Vol. 009


Leído por LibriVox Volunteers

(3.8 stars; 3 reviews)

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)

Capítulos

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

Reseñas

These "collections" of short works ...


(5 stars)

... 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)

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