Showing results by narrator "Alastair Cameron" in All Categories

Utilitarianism is a book released in 1863 by John Stuart Mill to provide the support for the value of utilitarianism as a moral theory and to respond to misconceptions about it. =The book consists of five chapters; the introduction to the essay, the definition of utilitarianism and its common criticisms, the rewards it can offer the methods of proving its validity and in the final chapter looks at the connection between justice and utility and argues that happiness is the foundation of justice.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra is the fictional account of the travels and teaching of the prophet Zarathustra. One of the more controversial aspects of Nietzsche's work is that he puts forth the idea of human evolution and the transformation of modern humans from their ape-like ancestors. Nietzsche inserts a number of controversial ideas into his fictional account of Zarathustra, including some reoccurring themes such as the superman, a self-mastered individual.

The Ambassadors is the story of early 20th century American Puritanism and how such attitudes restrict the joy of living a full life. When Lewis Strether's widowed fiancé, Mrs. Newsome, sends him to Paris to convince her wayward son, Chad, to return to Massachusetts and take his place in the family business, life gets complicated.

In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle delves into the question of what is best for mankind and humans as individuals. His conclusion is that happiness is the best possible human condition, though he is not referencing the emotion of happiness. Instead, Aristotle concludes that true happiness comes as a way of life in which the individual contributes to the good of his community, as well as his mind.

Devils, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, is a classic political satire exploring the effects of imported European ideologies such as atheism and nihilism on Christian Russia. Based on the true-life political murder of Ivan Ivanov by the revolutionary Sergey Nechayev, Dostoevsky wrote this tale of society scandals, doomed marriages and fatally misguided idealism after returning from exile in Siberia.

In Politics, Aristotle discusses a variety of different regimes, and methods of community, organizing that would ensure success for the many, providing a convincing argument on the usefulness of Democracy. He also goes into some detail on the structures of different types of governments, including dictatorships, monarchies, and constitutional democracies.

When it comes to classic literature, Histories by Herodotus is one of the masterpieces. In this classic, Herodotus tells of how a group of Greek states banded together to defeat the mighty Persian Empire. Throughout the story, Herodotus includes colorful descriptions of Egypt, as well as tales of lake dwellers in Europe and even a dog that can heal the ill and ants that dig gold from the earth.

David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding was considered to be one of the most contentious works of its time. Hume's view of reasoning through experience and "sophistry and illusion" in reference to religiously inspired fantasy was extremely controversial in the 18th century.

Usually timid and subservient, councilor Golyadkin has lately become worryingly paranoid. After being humiliatingly thrown out of a party for acting erratically, he runs off into the night where he is shocked to come across a man who appears to be his exact double. The double follows him home and begins to insinuate himself into every part of Golyadkin's life, and alternates between befriending him and cruelly taunting him.

Fyodor Dostoevsky masterfully blends realism and romanticism in this heartfelt tale of unrequited love and the human journey. Set in 19th-century St. Petersburg, "White Nights" is the story of a young man's inner conflict and how his feelings of discontent and loneliness draw him to a young woman who has been jilted by her lover. The lonely hearts come together in a sweet and tender bubble of sharing and romance, but will it last?

The Gods of Mars is the second book in a thrilling sci-fi series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, where John Carter, the main character, returns from a 10-year trip to Earth back to the planet Barsoom. The inhabitants of Barsoom are made up of different types of aliens, including the Plant Men, Green Martians, and Red Martians. Carter soon discovers that all of Barsoom's inhabitants have been tricked by another Barsoomian race, the Therns.

The Age of Reason is formed of two parts. The first, written in 1793 in France during the revolution, is a criticism of not just the Christian church, although it is primarily focused on Christian theology, but as a rejection of all forms of organized religion, including Judaism and Islam. However, Paine's position is not one of atheism, and he begins the book with a declaration of faith in one god.

Published in 1862 by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, The House of the Dead tells the story of life in a 19th century Russian prison. Narrated by the fictional character, Alexander Goryanchikov, this audiobook provides the listener with a firsthand account of life in a Russian prison. The author portrays his fellow inmates with sympathy and, at times, even admiration. By the time Fyodor Dostoevsky was released, he concluded that Russia's prison system was tragic beyond reason.

In this acclaimed Plato masterpiece, you travel back in time to attend an elaborate high society dinner. At this party, you meet Plato's mentor, Socrates, and the comic poet Aristophanes. During the banquet, each of these men is invited to praise Eros, the god of love and desire. You witness them deliver speeches that embody their wisdom and philosophies on love. You hear Socrates' celebrated account of Diotima, the prophetess who taught him that love is the manifestation of human goodness. Finally, you even hear from the famous Alcibiades.

Many people know Benjamin Franklin as one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, but not many people understand exactly what the famed inventor and politician contributed to society. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a compilation of some of the great events from the man's life that have made him an American legend.

This gloomy book is written in the form of letters exchanged between two cousins, Makar Devushkin and Varvara Dobroselova, who live on the same street in a shockingly deprived part of St. Petersburg Russia. Makar is a lowly clerk, who is being bullied at work and lives in the screened-off corner of someone else's kitchen and Varvara has taken in sewing as a means of avoiding falling into prostitution to make money. Their friendship is touching and sentimental, but it begins to suffer.

"Night Mission", with its burning plane, heroism, and greed, was - like the other six short stories in this collection - inspired by Clive Lodge's experiences in World War II and the decade after. "There's No Scar Now" - with its gripping opener, "I killed John James Beresford", is set in Kent and draws on his experience in the Home Guard before he enlisted in the RAF. "The Tunnel", by contrast, is set in peacetime, some years after the war, but reveals how unpunished atrocities of war can haunt a person.

It's 1647: a time of bitter civil wars in England. Wayland, the village blacksmith, returns from army service to find his wife, Rebecca, murdered, and his son traumatised and struck dumb. Wayland's overpowering desire for revenge is thwarted by the collapse of laws and a dearth of clues to her sadistic killer. Thwarted, that is, until the villagers ask him to investigate a runaway horse. Whilst searching for its rider, he discovers instead the body of a young boy, cut with symbols in the same way as Rebecca's body had been.

In the 15th century, the Augustinian monk, Thomas Kempis authored one of the most profound Christian works to date. The Imitation of Christ focuses on living the life that Jesus and his followers promoted through ministry, emphasizing the need for isolation and prayer, as well as renouncing worldly vanities and searching for eternal truths as a method of getting closer to Christ and God.

Written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, The Federalist Papers have long been considered to be some of the most important works in political science ever written. The Federalist Papers establishes a method of constitutional government that was the building block for the type of government the United States has operated under for over 200 years.