Showing results by author "Mentor New York" in All Categories

I first read this little book when I was in the fifth grade, and now more than fifty years later, I still find it fascinating. Ernest Thompson Seton was a man with a concern for nature her creatures and an excellent story teller. I could almost feel Wahb, the great grizzly’s pain and frustration as he tried to avoid contact with humans and just be left alone to carry out his bear business. Listening to this audio book will be an hour and a half well spent. Summary by Mike Vendetti, Narrator.

The first of 14 volumes, this book discusses ancient civilization looking primarily at religion and philosophy. Summary by KHand

Neither the name of Shakespeare nor that of Stratford appears directly in this short piece by James, and yet both are absolutely central to his plot. The story has to do with Mr. and Mrs. Gedge, tempted away from a dreary northern town library, which he runs, to become the wardens – caretakers and tour guides – of the house where the greatest writer of the English language was born, and in which he grew up. Or did he? There is, after all, a paucity of facts about His life (in James's text, that pronoun is always capitalized, as befits a deity) and only the slenderest of historical evidence...

A series of essays offering a humorous look at commonplace items and occurrences. (Summary by Nick Bulka)

"Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street" is a short story by Herman Melville. The story first appeared, anonymously, in Putnam's Magazine in two parts. The first part appeared in November 1853, with the conclusion published in December 1853. It was reprinted in Melville's The Piazza Tales in 1856 with minor textual alterations. The work is said to have been inspired, in part, by Melville's reading of Emerson, and some have pointed to specific parallels to Emerson's essay, "The Transcendentalist." The story has been adapted twice: once in 1970, starring Paul Scofield, and again in 2001,...

The young, intelligent Mary discovers that through an act of will she can transform her appearance to make herself incredibly beautiful. But will her newfound identity be all that she hopes? This recording is from the novella’s original publication in The Savoy in August and September 1896. (Newgatenovelist)

The Adventures of Paddy Beaver is another in the long list of children’s books by the conservationist, Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the industrious and clever Paddy Beaver, a newcomer to the Green Forest, has encounters with Sammy Jay, Jerry Muskrat, Ol’ Man Coyote and other inhabitants of the Green Forest. Along the way, we learn how Paddy builds his dam and his house, and how he stores his food. We also learn little lessons about life, such as the importance of planning before doing, caring for Nature, trusting others, the benefits of working together and how wonderful it is to ...

Wahb (meaning White Bear) is an orphaned Grizzly Bear who learns to respect his fears, fight for peace, and trust the healing powers of a stinky hot-spring. The story is aptly titled The Biography of a Grizzly because it is about the life of a Grizzly. Seton writes with a folksy tone that will enlighten children to the gore and war that Grizzly Bears endure. I thought it was fun to learn (through Wahb's story) about their life span, their diet, their ability to survive gunshots and bear-traps. Beautifully written, the author captures each moment in a way that you almost feel as though you're ...

The hilarious diary of a young man's recruitment into, and service in a navy, which, though well equipped and disciplined, remains woefully ill prepared for his arrival and dubious contribution. (Introduction by Nigel Boydell)

An approved Treatise of Hawkes and Hawking. Divided into three Bookes. The first teacheth, How to make a short-winged Hawke good, with good conditions. The second, How to reclaime a Hawke from any ill condition. The third teacheth. Cures for all knowne griefes and diseases. By Edmund Bert, Gentleman. The author, who lived at Collier Row, near Romford, Essex, details his method of training the Goshawk, in which he was very successful. He used to ride out of Essex into Sussex to hawk over the downs, where, he says, " I have killed for the most part of a moneth together with an intermewed ...

Pretty but socially clueless Bernice lets her know-it-all cousin push her around, but eventually, something's gotta give! (Introduction by BellonaTimes)

Born on Christmas Day, little Carol Bird is a gentle soul who touches every life around her. Despite physical illness, Carol is loved by everyone who knows her. This year, she is going to make Christmas extra special for her family and the little Ruggles children who live nearby. (Introduction by Andrea Boltz)

Daniel Feldman was a doctor once. He made the mistake of saving a friend's life in violation of Medical Lobby rules. Now, he's a pariah, shunned by all, forbidden to touch another patient. But things are more loose on Mars. There, Doc Feldman is welcomed by the colonists, even as he's hunted by the authorities. But, when he discovers a Martian plague may soon wipe out humanity on two planets, Feldman finds himself a pivotal figure. War erupts. Earth is poised to wipe out the Mars colony utterly. A cure to the plague is the price of peace, and only Feldman can find it. (summary by Steven H. ...

Despite its brevity, this Little Blue Book #142 by the Oxford historian, Sir F.M. Powicke, provides a valuable overview of the political history of Germany from medieval to modern times, culminating in the career of Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898), the Prussian Junker who masterminded the unification of Germany and served as its first Chancellor. - Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.

Alice’s adventures in Wonderland is probably one of the most well known and popular children's novels in the English language. Written in 1865 by Charles Lutwidge Dodgeson, better known by his pen name ‘Lewis Carrol’. Lewis, a mathematician, poet, photographer and inventor, tells a surreal fantasy tale, of Alice, who visits a world of unnatural logic after following a very smart White Rabbit, down a rabbit hole. The world she discovers is inhabited by the strangest and most endearing characters; The ‘Mad Hatter’, the sleepy ‘Dormouse’, the ‘Queen of Hearts’ and many ...

During the later part of his life Hudson lived in southern England, where he was involved very early on with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Birds and Man is a slow moving work where Hudson discusses his love of birds, and the need for better protection of them. - Summary by clarinetcarrot

Grant Allen was an anthropologist, scientific writer, novelist and poet, though the biographer and writer Frank Harris has said of him that "He could be described with more 'ists' than anyone else I ever saw. He was an atheist and pacifist and socialist, a botanist and zoologist and optimist, a chemist and physicist, a scientist of scientists, a monist, meliorist and hedonist…". As a novelist, he is noted as a pioneer in both the detective and science fiction genres. He was born in Canada but spent the latter part of his life in England. "Biographies of Working Men" is a volume containing ...

Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (1782 – 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. François-Joseph Fétis (1784 – 1871) was a Belgian musicologist, composer, teacher, and one of the most influential music critics of the 19th century.- Summary by David Wales

Matilda Sophia Hanson, whose father has recently died in their country of Barbadoes in the West Indies, must live for a time with family friends in England. The Harewood family is astonished at how spoiled, rude, and uneducated the child is. However, with seemingly endless patience and love, they help Matilda work to conquer her bad temper, and become a sensible, good, and well-informed young lady. This story reminds children and adults alike, though you have many battles with yourself, you must never relinquish hope and be assured you will find every victory easier than the last. When you ...

What has Manton gotten himself into? His impersonation has broader implications -- and more dangerous ones -- than he had imagined. (Summary by David Wales)