Classic Audiobook Collection

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The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell ~ Full Audiobook [philosophy] Mar 28, 2023

Show notes

The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell audiobook.

Genre: philosophy

The Problems of Philosophy is one of Bertrand Russell's attempts to create a brief and accessible guide to the problems of philosophy. Focusing on problems he believes will provoke positive and constructive discussion, Russell concentrates on knowledge rather than metaphysics.

Russell guides the reader through his famous distinction between 'knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description' and introduces important theories of Plato, Aristotle, René Descartes, David Hume, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, Georg Hegel and others to lay the foundation for philosophical inquiry by general readers and scholars alike.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:17:53) Chapter 02

(00:37:50) Chapter 03

(00:57:53) Chapter 04

(01:14:05) Chapter 05

(01:42:24) Chapter 06

(01:59:08) Chapter 07

(02:16:07) Chapter 08

(02:32:14) Chapter 09

(02:53:21) Chapter 10

(03:13:10) Chapter 11

(03:34:06) Chapter 12

(03:51:50) Chapter 13

(04:13:38) Chapter 14

(04:34:41) Chapter 15

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Studies in Pessimism by Arthur Schopenhauer ~ Full Audiobook [philosophy] Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Studies in Pessimism by Arthur Schopenhauer audiobook.

Genre: philosophy

Arthur Schopenhauer, an early 19th century philosopher, made significant contributions to metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics. His work also informed theories of evolution and psychology, largely through his theory of the will to power – a concept which Nietzsche famously adopted and developed. Despite this, he is today, as he was during his life, overshadowed by his contemporary, Hegel. Schopenhauer's social/psychological views, put forth in this work and in others, are directly derived from his metaphysics, which was strongly influenced by Eastern thought. His pessimism forms an interesting and perhaps questionable contrast with his obvious joy in self-expression, both in the elegance of his prose and in his practice of playing the flute nightly.

His brilliance, poetry, and crushing pessimism can be seen immediately in this work, as for example in this claim from the first chapter: 'The pleasure in this world, it has been said, outweighs the pain; or, at any rate, there is an even balance between the two. If the reader wishes to see shortly whether this statement is true, let him compare the respective feelings of two animals, one of which is engaged in eating the other.' We see also, in this work, his misogyny, as for example in his claim that 'as lions are provided with claws and teeth, and elephants and boars with tusks, . . . so Nature has equipped woman, for her defence and protection, with the arts of dissimulation; and all the power which Nature has conferred upon man in the shape of physical strength and reason, has been bestowed upon women in this form.' Given his opening comment, the translator, T.B. Saunders, seems to have been at least somewhat sympathetic to this perspective.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 1

(00:02:03) Chapter 2

(00:35:42) Chapter 3

(00:48:29) Chapter 4

(01:02:38) Chapter 5

(01:13:52) Chapter 6

(02:06:33) Chapter 7

(02:24:58) Chapter 8

(03:01:26) Chapter 9

(03:14:07) Chapter 10

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Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter ~ Full Audiobook [family] Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Treasury of Beatrix Potter by Beatrix Potter audiobook.

Genre: family

Step into the green and bustling countryside of Beatrix Potter's England in Treasury of Beatrix Potter, a beloved collection of classic tales where animals wear coats, take tea, and get into very human trouble. Here you will meet the mischievous Peter Rabbit as he tests the boundaries of safety and obedience, the determined Jemima Puddle-Duck as she searches for a secure place to nest, and the sharp-witted woodland creatures who must navigate vanity, appetite, and danger. Each story unfolds like a miniature drama: a simple errand becomes an adventure, a quiet garden turns into a perilous maze, and a cozy home is never far from the wildness just beyond the hedgerow. Potter's gentle humor and keen observations bring to life a world governed by manners and consequences, where courage can be small but meaningful and where cleverness does not always guarantee an easy escape. Perfect for listening together or returning to alone, this treasury celebrates curiosity, comfort, and the timeless thrill of a good story told softly but with real stakes.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:06:49) Chapter 02

(00:24:13) Chapter 03

(00:33:05) Chapter 04

(00:39:39) Chapter 05

(00:47:08) Chapter 06

(00:56:21) Chapter 07

(01:05:50) Chapter 08

(01:12:01) Chapter 09

(01:14:48) Chapter 10

(01:16:54) Chapter 11

(01:22:08) Chapter 12

(01:38:02) Chapter 13

(01:57:25) Chapter 14

(02:05:39) Chapter 15

(02:13:40) Chapter 16

(02:23:33) Chapter 17

(03:03:19) Chapter 18

(03:32:06) Chapter 19

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Buried Alive by Arnold Bennett ~ Full Audiobook [drama] Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Buried Alive by Arnold Bennett audiobook.

Genre: drama

The hero is Mr Priam Farll, a painter of considerable ability. He is, however, extremely shy – so shy that when his valet, Henry Leek, dies suddenly, the doctor believes the dead man to be Priam Farll and the live man the valet. The artist does not try to disabuse him. After the funeral (in Westminster Abbey), Priam Farll marries a widow and lives a happy life until the loss of his wife’s money means he has to take up painting again. A connoisseur of art recognises his style but thinks the paintings are by an imposter. He makes a fortune by buying his works through a small dealer and selling them in America as genuine. Meanwhile Priam Farll refuses through his obstinate shyness to prove his own identity.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:31:19) Chapter 02

(01:01:02) Chapter 03

(01:32:12) Chapter 04

(02:00:23) Chapter 05

(02:28:58) Chapter 06

(03:01:32) Chapter 07

(03:25:06) Chapter 08

(03:52:56) Chapter 09

(04:24:22) Chapter 10

(04:53:17) Chapter 11

(05:24:23) Chapter 12

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Adeline Mowbray by Amelia Opie ~ Full Audiobook [tragedy] Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

Adeline Mowbray by Amelia Opie audiobook.

Genre: tragedy

In Amelia Opie's Adeline Mowbray, a brilliant, warm-hearted young woman comes of age under the influence of bold new ideas about reason, independence, and marriage. Raised by a mother who prizes enlightened principles over convention, Adeline is encouraged to question the social rules that govern love and respectability. When she encounters the charismatic writer and thinker Glenmurray, Adeline is drawn into a relationship that seems to promise moral sincerity without the constraints of law or ceremony. But the world beyond the salon is less forgiving than the world of theory. As Adeline tries to live honestly according to her beliefs, she faces gossip, legal vulnerability, and the quiet cruelty of polite society - pressures that test her pride, her compassion, and her sense of self. Moving between intimate domestic scenes and public scrutiny, the novel follows Adeline's shifting friendships, painful reckonings, and hard-won insight into the gap between ideals and lived experience. At once a critique of hypocrisy and a portrait of a woman struggling to define her own life, Opie's story asks what it costs to defy custom, and who pays the price when principle collides with prejudice.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:11:30) Chapter 02

(00:27:16) Chapter 03

(00:44:32) Chapter 04

(00:55:13) Chapter 05

(01:12:13) Chapter 06

(01:32:10) Chapter 07

(01:44:12) Chapter 08

(02:06:57) Chapter 09

(02:31:37) Chapter 10

(02:40:15) Chapter 11

(02:51:17) Chapter 12

(03:00:52) Chapter 13

(03:19:48) Chapter 14

(03:42:59) Chapter 15

(04:06:49) Chapter 16

(04:28:37) Chapter 17

(05:17:42) Chapter 18

(05:58:05) Chapter 19

(06:42:05) Chapter 20

(07:16:38) Chapter 21

(08:03:58) Chapter 22

(08:28:31) Chapter 23

(08:41:43) Chapter 24

(08:54:32) Chapter 25

(09:10:16) Chapter 26

(09:24:41) Chapter 27

(09:32:59) Chapter 28

(09:43:56) Chapter 29

(10:12:26) Chapter 30

(10:24:15) Chapter 31

(10:33:00) Chapter 32

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The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog, Too by Alfred Elwes ~ Full Audiobook [family] Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog, Too by Alfred Elwes audiobook.

Genre: family

Told as the autobiography of a streetwise dog named Job, The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog, Too begins in the curious city of Caneville, where dogs have their own society, rivalries, and rules. Job grows up hungry and unwanted, learning to scavenge, avoid bullies, and survive rough treatment without letting bitterness harden him. Framed by an introduction from the feline editor Miss Minette Gattina, Job's plainspoken account follows him through a string of trials - quarrels over food, fights he never sought but cannot always escape, sudden changes of fortune, and moments when courage means choosing restraint instead of revenge. Along the way, Job discovers how easily strength can become cruelty, and how difficult it is to stay honest when the world rewards swagger and violence. As danger rises in Caneville, including a sweeping natural emergency that tests every creature's instincts, Job is pushed toward a life defined not by luck but by duty. Part animal adventure, part moral fable, this 19th century tale celebrates loyalty, compassion, and the hard-earned dignity of being good when no one is watching.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 00

(00:16:29) Chapter 01

(00:48:17) Chapter 02

(01:18:47) Chapter 03

(01:38:28) Chapter 04

(02:00:27) Chapter 05

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The Mind and the Brain by Alfred Binet ~ Full Audiobook [science] Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

The Mind and the Brain by Alfred Binet audiobook.

Genre: science

In The Mind and the Brain, pioneering psychologist Alfred Binet explores one of the most enduring questions in human inquiry: how does the inner life of thoughts, feelings, and will relate to the physical organ of the brain? Writing at a moment when experimental psychology and neurology were rapidly reshaping medicine and philosophy, Binet guides listeners through the major debates of his era, weighing materialist explanations against views that defend the autonomy of mental life. He examines perception, memory, attention, and personality, asking what can be measured, what can be inferred, and where scientific description reaches its limits. Along the way, Binet introduces key clinical and laboratory observations, including cases of brain injury and disorders of consciousness, to show how changes in the nervous system can illuminate the structure of experience. Clear, argumentative, and often surprisingly modern in its caution about easy answers, the book offers a thoughtful framework for anyone curious about the origins of consciousness and the methods we use to study it. This is a brisk, idea-driven work that connects early psychology, philosophy of mind, and emerging brain science into a single, provocative investigation.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:08:21) Chapter 02

(00:30:18) Chapter 03

(00:52:40) Chapter 04

(01:02:56) Chapter 05

(01:10:06) Chapter 06

(01:36:29) Chapter 07

(01:53:17) Chapter 08

(02:05:18) Chapter 09

(02:17:53) Chapter 10

(02:45:52) Chapter 11

(02:56:00) Chapter 12

(03:09:24) Chapter 13

(04:10:20) Chapter 14

(04:30:41) Chapter 15

(04:46:41) Chapter 16

(05:19:40) Chapter 17

(05:33:41) Chapter 18

(06:15:30) Chapter 19

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The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne ~ Full Audiobook [mystery] Mar 23, 2023

Show notes

The Red House Mystery by A. A. Milne audiobook.

Genre: mystery

When a quiet weekend at an English country estate turns violent, the calm facade of Red House is shattered by a murder that seems to defy common sense. Mark Ablett, newly returned from overseas and eager to settle into his family home, is drawn into a web of suspicion when the wealthy and unpopular Cayley is found dead inside a locked room, and a mysterious visitor has vanished without a trace. With the household rattled and the local police following the most obvious leads, Mark turns for help to his close friend Antony Gillingham, an amiable, sharp-minded amateur sleuth with a taste for puzzles and a talent for seeing what others overlook. Together they sift through contradictory statements, hidden motives, and the estate's geography, testing each theory against the stubborn facts of time, space, and opportunity. As the investigation deepens, the pair must separate coincidence from design and decide whom to trust before panic and accusation destroy the household from within. Clever, playful, and classically structured, The Red House Mystery invites listeners to match wits with its investigators in a quintessentially British whodunit where every detail matters.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:16:53) Chapter 02

(00:36:49) Chapter 03

(00:56:01) Chapter 04

(01:14:36) Chapter 05

(01:34:02) Chapter 06

(01:50:08) Chapter 07

(02:06:02) Chapter 08

(02:28:34) Chapter 09

(02:49:00) Chapter 10

(03:07:33) Chapter 11

(03:25:12) Chapter 12

(03:40:25) Chapter 13

(03:58:45) Chapter 14

(04:17:23) Chapter 15

(04:36:50) Chapter 16

(04:57:22) Chapter 17

(05:27:57) Chapter 18

(05:43:54) Chapter 19

(06:04:06) Chapter 20

(06:17:07) Chapter 21

(06:42:07) Chapter 22

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Under the Andes by Rex Stout ~ Full Audiobook [mystery] Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

Under the Andes by Rex Stout audiobook.

Genre: mystery

Under the Andes was written by Rex Stout years before his creation of the immensely popular Nero Wolfe series of novels, and while perhaps his future writing style is still blossoming, certainly his knack for weaving a fantastic tale of mystery and adventure will have most readers anxious for the next phase of adventure at every turn.

The story finds two brothers and a pretty female companion on a journey which eventually takes them to a series of underground caves under the Andes of South America, where they encounter a lost tribe of Incas who have apparently survived hundreds of years oblivious of the outside world. The apparent 'king' of the tribe has become infatuated with the fair-skinned female intruder of the group and, well, suffice it to say there's a lot of action, attempted escapes, heroism, and peculiar interactions between all, reminiscent of H. Rider Haggard with a touch of Edgar Rice Burroughs.

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(00:23:16) Chapter 02

(00:43:10) Chapter 03

(01:07:54) Chapter 04

(01:36:04) Chapter 05

(01:57:49) Chapter 06

(02:24:11) Chapter 07

(02:43:36) Chapter 08

(03:12:35) Chapter 09

(03:43:10) Chapter 10

(04:12:23) Chapter 11

(04:41:24) Chapter 12

(05:10:42) Chapter 13

(05:40:36) Chapter 14

(06:11:56) Chapter 15

(06:42:56) Chapter 16

(07:11:10) Chapter 17

(07:41:06) Chapter 18

(08:11:26) Chapter 19

(08:40:09) Chapter 20

(09:08:59) Chapter 21

(09:38:42) Chapter 22

(10:07:52) Chapter 23

(10:38:24) Chapter 24

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People Minus X by Raymond Z. Gallun ~ Full Audiobook [scifi] Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

People Minus X by Raymond Z. Gallun audiobook.

Genre: scifi

When young Ed Dukas sits down to write a simple letter, he notices something impossible: faint words forming on the page as if an unseen hand is writing beside him. The incident cracks open a lifetime of buried fear and wonder, all tracing back to his uncle, Dr. Mitchell Prell, the brilliant scientist blamed for an experiment that shattered the Moon and helped trigger catastrophe on Earth. In the aftermath, Prell's most controversial breakthrough spreads through the Solar System: living artificial flesh that can rebuild bodies and, paired with recorded memories and personality patterns, restore the dead as humanlike androids. To some, the restored are humanity's second chance. To others, they are

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Chapters (Approximate)

(00:00:00) Chapter 01

(01:04:20) Chapter 02

(01:40:29) Chapter 03

(02:11:30) Chapter 04

(02:31:35) Chapter 05

(03:07:36) Chapter 06

(03:43:25) Chapter 07

(04:16:54) Chapter 08

(04:44:10) Chapter 09

(05:18:23) Chapter 10