Showing results by narrator "Katie Haigh" in All Categories

The 100 greatest poems of three major French authors, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, translated into English with perfect accuracy and elegance, narrated by Katie Haigh and Paul Edwards. Excerpts from Hugo's "Contemplations and Autumn Leaves", Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil", which started as a banned book in France because of its indecency, and Verlaine's "Poèmes Saturniens": here is enough to delight in the greatest poetry lines ever written and to nourish one's literary culture.

"The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids" is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. A mother leaves her seven children at home while she ventures into the forest to find food. Before she leaves, she warns her young about the Big Bad Wolf who will try to sneak into the house and gobble them up. The wolf will pretend to be their mother and convince the kids to open the door. The young children will be able to recognize their true mother by her white feet and sweet voice. The mother leaves and the seven kids stay in the house. Before long, they hear a voice at the door that says "Let me in children, your mother has something for each and every one of you". His gruff voice betrays him and the kids do not let him in.

Understand a crucial part of the history of French monarchy with this collection of portraits of some of the most spectacular rulers of France: Louis XI, Louis XII, Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Louis XVII, Louis XVIII, Louis-Philippe, and Henry IV, also known as the "Good King Henry". The history of the kingdom of France is crucial to understanding the shape of politics in Europe, and this detailed dive into the lives and reigns of these most famous rulers will familiarize you with the human and strategic stakes of this period.

A time of extreme religious unrest, a most magnificent and dangerous court, and strong ideas about the need for a perfect heir: all this may have been enough to transform an intelligent, compassionate and generous young king into such a bloody monster that he was eventually called the "English Nero". Henry VIII is most remembered for his six marriages, two of which ended with beheadings.

Understand a crucial part of the history of French monarchy, with this collection of portraits of some of the most spectacular rulers of France. This catalog lists the kings named Louis, from Louis XIII the Just who stood up against political intrigues, to Louis XVIII who reigned during the Restauration of the French Monarchy after the fall of Emperor Napoleon. For each one of these Kings, you will find a detailed description of the style of his reign and his political achievements.

Discover the endless fascination of Japanese culture with seven ancient tales, selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, these stories faithfully preserve the spirit of medieval Japan, while rendered in a translation accessible to all ages.

Bluebeard is a wealthy aristocrat, feared and shunned because of his ugly, blue beard. He has been married several times, but no one knows what became of his wives. He is therefore avoided by the local girls. When Bluebeard visits one of his neighbours and asks to marry one of his two daughters, the girls are terrified, and each tries to pass him on to the other. Eventually he talks the younger daughter into visiting him, and after hosting a wonderful banquet, he persuades her to marry him.

Once upon a time, there was a wealthy widower who married a proud and haughty woman as his second wife. She had two daughters, who were equally vain and selfish. By his first wife, he'd had a beautiful young daughter, a girl of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. The stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter into servitude, where she was made to work day and night doing menial chores.

Here are 60 of the greatest poems of all time: the art of three major French authors, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, translated into English with perfect accuracy and elegance, and carefully selected excerpts of Japanese poetry, for a world-encompassing literary culture and delight.

This collection of 10 bedtime stories will help your child drift into a peaceful sleep, by concluding his day with delightful adventures, important teachings and symbolic imagery for enlightening dreams. Classic children's stories and fairy tales are an essential part of any kid's development. Our audiobook collection means to bring together the fairy tales, stories, myths and legends which have fed the children of many generations in the years when the imagination is awakening and craving stimulus and material to work upon. This compilation, specially designed for small children, includes folk tales, classic tales by Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Andersen, and stories from the Arabian Nights, narrated in a warm and soothing way:

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration.

"The Merchant of Venice" is a 16th-century play by William Shakespeare in which a merchant in Venice must default on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender. It has been listed among Shakespeare's greatest comedies, although its tone is often dramatic. This is a detailed summary of the play, written in today's language, for all willing to acquire a greater understanding of Shakespeare's work and widen their culture.

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration.

Victor Hugo is one of the best-known French writers, and is part of the greatest literary figures of all time. His poetry made him famous very early, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest lyric poets when he was only 20 years old. He was also a novelist and a dramatist, and furthered the cause of Romanticism, this exalted artistic movement which toyed with Sublime and soared on the winds of emotion.

"Herodias" is a short story by Gustave Flaubert, one of the great masters of French literature. It is a reworking of the tale of Salomé and John the Baptist, in which faith and cruelty are blended in a deadly dance culminating in tragedy. A stylistic masterpiece, with orientalist sensuality and an inspired dive into religious fervor, this short story brings the ancient era to the most colorful possible life.

Intrusive, obsessive or unpleasant thoughts popping up in your mind are a very distressing experience associated with depression, OCD, general anxiety and stress disorders. Relaxation techniques and mindfulness have been proven to be effective in reducing the hold of obsessive thoughts by decreasing the tension leading to their apparition, and by allowing conscious control of the mind instead of letting oneself be ruled out by reflexive negative tendencies.

"The Tragedy of Macbeth" is a play written by William Shakespeare. Set mainly in Scotland, the play illustrates the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake. The play was most likely written during the reign of James I, who had been James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne in 1603. James was a patron of Shakespeare's acting company and of all the plays Shakespeare wrote during James's reign, "Macbeth" most clearly reflects the playwright's relationship with the sovereign.

"King Lear" is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, depicting the gradual descent into madness of the title character after he disposes of his kingdom giving bequests to two of his three daughters based on their flattery of him, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is derived from the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king; after the English Restoration, it was often revised with a happy ending for audiences who disliked its dark and depressing tone, but since the nineteenth century, Shakespeare's original version has been regarded as one of his supreme achievements.

The bar was high after the glorious reign of the Sun King. Louis XV, his successor, had a difficult time driving the country through religious disputes, intellectual shifts and economical hardness. This eventually led to a steep economic decline, which played an important role in the reaction of the French people against the monarchy, and eventually gave way to the French Revolution.

Richard III: one of the most divisive and enigmatic figures in British history. Few monarchs have been held in greater infamy than Richard Plantagenet, who would later ascend the throne as King Richard III; his character has been passionately besmirched and defended, and the arguments still rage after several centuries. He was depicted as a deformed monster in Shakespeare's play, but maybe this was to obey the will of the Tudor monarchy of the time. His real tragedy was both personal and political; his story, replete with intrigue, murder, war, and treachery. Richard III laid the foundations for modern government, often taking the side of the people against the barons; for this, he eventually paid a terrible price.