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Areopagitica
- A Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, to the Parlament of England
- Narrated by: Martin Oldfield
- Length: 1 hr and 58 mins
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Publisher's summary
A prose polemic delivered to Parliament in 1644, "Areopagitica" stands as one of the most impassioned defenses of the freedom of expression in Western history.
In the tradition of Athenian orator Isocrates’ speech "Areopagitikos" at the Areopagus in Athens, as well as St. Paul’s defense of Christianity at the same location (Acts 17:18-34), Milton argues against Parliament’s 1643 Ordinance for Regulating Printing, which required authors to obtain government approval before publishing their work.
Though Milton’s work was not successful in persuading Parliament immediately, "Areopagitica" gained praise from leaders and lay alike, and ultimately influenced pro-liberty thinkers such as John Locke and the Founders of the United States of America.
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- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 22 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Published in 1651, Leviathan is considered to be one of the most important works of political philosophy and a major contribution to the modern idea of central government. In the mid-17th century, England was going through a turbulent time of change and unrest, which likely shaped Hobbes' ideas on strong government. Thomas Hobbes established the social contract theory. He believed that self-government did not create the ideal state due to the human tendency to be self-serving, something he believed would eventually lead to chaos.
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For the philosophical minds
- By Nicole on 07-15-17
By: Thomas Hobbes
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The Consolation of Philosophy
- By: Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Charged with treason under Theodoric the Great in sixth-century Rome, Boethius served one year's imprisonment, awaiting trial and eventual execution. During this time, he wrote The Consolation of Philosophy, which would go on to be one of the most popular philosophical works of all time, contributing much to medieval thought and influencing the likes of Dante and Chaucer, as well as Renaissance writers, such as Milton and Shakespeare.
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The Bestseller for a 1000 Years
- By Ken on 02-05-22
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The Courtier
- Il Cortegiano
- By: Baldassare Castiglione
- Narrated by: Peter Batchelor
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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The Book of the Courtier remains the definitive account of Renaissance court life. Because of this, it is considered one of the most important Renaissance works. The book is organized as a series of fictional conversations that occur between the courtiers of the Duke of Urbino in 1507 (when Baldassare was in fact part of the Duke's Court). In the book, the courtier is described as having a cool mind, a good voice (with beautiful, elegant and brave words) along with proper bearing and gestures.
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Very many Italian words mispronounced, gruesomely
- By gnudung on 12-25-14
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The Gay Science (The Joyful Wisdom)
- By: Friedrich Nietzsche
- Narrated by: Michael Lunts
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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The Gay Science (The Joyful Wisdom) is one of Nietzsche's greatest books. His wonderfully fertile mind roams over mankind, his thoughts, his emotions, his behaviour and his weaknesses with remarkable clarity, with insight - but also with humour!In this work are 383 separate paragraphs, some short, some long, but all singular observations - the epitome of his famous aphoristic style. 'Morality is the herd instinct in the individual.'
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I am now a full-fledged fan of Nietzsche
- By RS on 02-24-18
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The Art of Worldly Wisdom
- By: Balthasar Gracian
- Narrated by: Keira Grace
- Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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The Art of Worldly Wisdom was written in 1647. It is a collection of 300 maxims on various topics, each elaborated with a commentary. The sayings offer advice and guidance on how to live well, advance socially, and be a better person.
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Terrible Narration
- By John P. Owens on 08-31-22
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David Walker's Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World
- By: David Walker
- Narrated by: Rodney Louis Tompkins
- Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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David Walker, the son of an enslaved man and a free black woman, was an entrepreneur, abolitionist, author and anti-slavery activist. In 1829, he published An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World, a radical call for black solidarity and resistance to slavery. It raised awareness of the abuses of slavery, encouraged pride in its black readers and offered hope that change would eventually come. Being a radical anti-slavery document, it caused a stir upon publication, as it called upon readers to take an active role in fighting their oppression, regardless of the risk.
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Should be required required reading for all.
- By JCM on 04-01-23
By: David Walker
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The Pilgrim's Progress (AmazonClassics Edition)
- By: John Bunyan
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Plagued by spiritual anguish, devout everyman Christian fears his fate in the sinful City of Destruction. He’s told that only by embarking for the Celestial City can he achieve personal salvation. After his wife and children refuse to join him, he sets forth alone into the unknown. Mocked for his faith, tempted at every turn, and heartened by fellow pilgrims, Christian’s winding journey toward grace unfolds. But as he reaches Mount Zion, his family chooses to follow the same treacherous path, hoping to join Christian in the shining light.
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Best version I have heard
- By Julie Rae Loving on 11-09-19
By: John Bunyan
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Utopia
- By: Sir Thomas More
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 4 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Utopia is the name given by Sir Thomas More to an imaginary island in this political work written in 1516. Book I of Utopia, a dialogue, presents a perceptive analysis of contemporary social, economic, and moral ills in England. Book II is a narrative describing a country run according to the ideals of the English humanists, where poverty, crime, injustice, and other ills do not exist.
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More's unobtainable vision of the ideal society
- By Darwin8u on 06-12-13
By: Sir Thomas More
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Common Sense
- By: Thomas Payne
- Narrated by: Mike Vendetti
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Read by award-winning narrator Mike Vendetti, Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775-76 that inspired people in the Thirteen Colonies to declare and fight for independence from Great Britain in the summer of 1776. The pamphlet explained the advantages of and the need for immediate independence in clear, simple language. It was published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution and became an immediate sensation.
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very funny
- By Drew on 03-13-17
By: Thomas Payne