Showing results by narrator "Katie Haigh" in All Categories

Louis XI: this rebellious king was first called "The Prudent", in reference to his cunning ways, and then, "The Universal Spider" when it appeared that his ceaseless intrigues had turned into full-blown webs of plots and conspiracies. Learn how the Cunning King of France was able to eliminate his rebellious vassals, expand royal power, and strengthen the economic development of his country, all through the power of isolating treaties, precise timing, and intense diplomatic activities.

Henry IV of France, also known as the "Good King Henry", was King of France from 1589 to 1610. Born a Catholic but raised a Protestant, he barely escaped assassination in the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, and later led Protestant forces against the royal army, before being called to the French succession upon the death of his cousin Henry III.

Sir Francis Bacon had a tremendous impact on science and philosophy during the scientific revolution in XVIIth-century England. He was the first to argue for a skeptical and methodical approach in science, based on careful observation of events in nature, and founded on induction. His work, firmly grounded in empiricism to prevent projection of one's preferred hypothesis, made him the father of scientific method. This was a groundbreaking turn of events at the time, and is still the basis of the scientific framework today.

"The Fairies" is a classic folk tale by Charles Perrault. Once upon a time there was a widow who had two daughters. The elder was often mistaken for her mother, so like her was she both in nature and in looks. Both of them were so disagreeable and arrogant that no one could live with them. The younger girl, who was a true likeness of her father in the gentleness and sweetness of her disposition, was also one of the most beautiful girls imaginable. The mother doted on the elder daughter naturally enough, since she resembled her so closely; and she disliked the younger one just as intensely.

Gustave Flaubert is one of the major figures of French literature. He was made famous by his first novel, "Madame Bovary", and is also remembered for his Correspondance, full of precise introspection and reflections about realism in literature. Flaubert was known for his unvelievably scrupulous devotion to his style. He believed in the possibility and necessity of finding "le mot juste" ("the right word"), and would devout weeks to the achievement of sometimes a single page. Flaubert decisively established what most readers and writers now think of as modern realist narration, and his influence today is almost too familiar to be visible.

"The Story of Peter Pan", by James M. Barrie, is one of the most famous tales about youth and dream-like adventures; this classic adaptation of Barrie's play will let you fly on the wings of your imagination. "The History of Tom Thumb" was the first fairy tale ever printed in English. "The Three Sillies" is a very old folktale, and has been handed down over the centuries for its entertainment value. "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" is a classic folktale of which numerous versions are known; they all delight and educate children about the importance of boundaries and personal property. Last but not least, "Jack the Giant Killer" is a fascinating folk tale coming from the Middle Ages, set during King Arthur's reign; it shows how a young man uses clever tricks to outwit terrible giants and rid England of their terrible threats.

We have selected for you nine of the best Japanese myths and fairy tales. 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.

"The Tinder Box" is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. A poor soldier returning home from war meets a witch who asks him to climb into a hollow tree to retrieve a magic tinder box. In the tree, he finds three chambers filled with precious coins guarded by three monstrous dogs, "one with eyes the size of teacups", who guards a vault filled with pennies, one with "eyes the size of water wheels", who guards a vault filled with silver, and one with eyes "the size of Round Tower", who guards a vault filled with gold.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, strategist, and philosopher. He is credited with one of the most influential military treatises ever written, The Art of War. Countless leaders have drawn inspiration from this work, from Mao Zedong to General Douglas MacArthur. It is so powerful and straightforward that it is still influencing many domains other than military thinking, like business tactics, legal strategy, entrepreneurship, and beyond. We have selected from you 100 of Sun Tzu's most powerful quotes, for you to gain a new understanding in interpersonal dynamics, strategy, and everyday life.

Enjoy the short stories of three of the greatest writers of French literature, for the first time assembled together in audiobook and narrated in a lively way. Guy de Maupassant was an absolute master of the short story genre, delighting in clever plotting, concise style, and efficient storytelling, which he used to produce stunning pieces in a very condensed format. He produced more than 300 short stories; we selected for you nine of the most bizarre, influent, humorous or plain shocking.

Discover the essentials of political philosophy with selected quotes from the greatest thinkers: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Niccolò Machiavelli, and the Chinese general Sun Tzu, author of "The Art of War". This careful compilation summarizes the great masters' fundamental ideas and provides you with a concise understanding of their thought and inspiring new ideas to make up your own thinking and build more precise arguments.

Step into the captivating world of one of history's most influential literary figures with "Victor Hugo, a Biography." Explore the life and legacy of the renowned French writer whose works continue to resonate across generations. From his early struggles and literary breakthroughs to his political activism and lasting impact on French society, you'll get to discover the inspiration behind his timeless novels like "Les Misérables" and "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" - and much more.

Charles Baudelaire is one of the greatest French poets. His most famous work, "Les Fleurs du Mal"("The Flowers of Evil"), was deemed scandalous at the time because of its themes of sex and death, lesbianism, corruption, wine, and the oppressiveness of living. The effect on fellow artists was "immense, prodigious, unexpected, mingled with admiration and with some indefinable anxious fear", while the regime of the Second Empire had Baudelaire prosecuted and fined for his "insult to public decency". Baudelaire's style had a tremendous influence on French poetry, and also on English writers; he was a pioneering translator, and created strong ties with the Anglo-Saxon literature.

This series of exercises is a selection of the best techniques that will help you increase your powers of visualization, focus, relaxation and mental control. Visualization is a skill that can be trained, and you can get clearer and clearer images in no time through the use of proper techniques. These guided visualization scripts are all designed to induce vivid imagery; use them to make your powers of visualization stronger every time, while you take a refreshing mental vacation from everyday worries.

"Little Red Riding Hood" is a famous fairy tale about a young girl's encounter with a wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings. The Little Red Riding Hood story is among the most popular fairy tales in the world.

The story tells of a prince who wants to marry a princess, but is having difficulty finding a suitable wife. Something is always wrong with those he meets, and he cannot be certain they are real princesses. One stormy night a young woman drenched with rain seeks shelter in the prince's castle. She claims to be a princess. But how can the prince ascertain she really is? This classic tale tells the story of how he put her to the test.

These are the 10 most famous fairy tales, the best classic stories for children.

Idealism is the part of philosophy that focuses on the mind and its creations, which implies the problematic notion that everything we ever experience can only be shaped by our senses and the way our mind functions. It has its roots in German philosophy, of which Immanuel Kant is one of the most important figures. He is said to have affected a Copernican revolution in philosophy, akin to Copernicus' reversal of the age-old belief that the sun revolved around the earth.

Shyness, social anxiety or social phobia is linked to low self-esteem and a higher than usual fear of what other people will think of a person's behavior. It can lead sufferers to avoid social situations in order to keep from feeling uncomfortable; but this leads to perpetuation of anxiety as it doesn't address the underlying tension causing it. This series of exercises has been designed to provide you with proven and efficient tools for overcoming shyness through deep relaxation and relief techniques for obsessing thoughts.

This five famous Indian tales are a collection of stories on human behaviors, portrayed by animal characters, with a beautifully wrought moral at the end. Discover the oldest legends of ancient India with this still resonating folk tales.