Free Republic

Paradise Lost is the first epic of English literature written in the classical style. John Milton saw himself as the intellectual heir of Homer, Virgil, and Dante, and sought to create a work of art which fully represented the most basic tenets of the Protestant faith. His work, which was dictated from memory and transcribed by his daughter, remains as one of the most powerful English poems. (Summary by Caeristhiona)

A prose tract or polemic by John Milton, published November 23, 1644, at the height of the English Civil War... Milton, though a supporter of the Parliament, argued forcefully against the Licensing Order of 1643, noting that such censorship had never been a part of classical Greek and Roman society. The tract is full of biblical and classical references which Milton uses to strengthen his argument. The issue was personal for Milton as he had suffered censorship himself in his efforts to publish several tracts defending divorce (a radical stance at the time and one which met with no favor...

New audiobook release: Mourt's Relation; or Journal of the plantation at Plymouth, by Edward Winslow Because American culture is important to celebrate and remember. In this instance, the first Thanksgiving. Mourt's Relation; or Journal of the plantation at PlymouthMourt's Relation is an account of the first year of the Plymouth Colony who arrived in Massachusetts, and is one of two books used as primary sources about the first Thanksgiving. The other is William Bradford's "Of Plimoth Plantation". - Summary by progressingamerica"Of Plimoth Plantation": Bradford's History of the Plymouth Settlement, 1608-1650

"The purpose of this volume is to tell the story of Cicero's life, and at the same time to set forth from his writings a presentation of the concluding age of the Roman Republic, and to record the disastrous but not inglorious failure of the last Free State of the ancient world. So far as may be, I propose to let Cicero himself to speak to my readers."

Letter Concerning Toleration by John Locke was originally published in 1689. Its initial publication was in Latin, though it was immediately translated into other languages. In this "letter" addressed to an anonymous "Honored Sir" (actually Locke's close friend Philip von Limborch, who published it without Locke's knowledge) Locke argues for a new understanding of the relationship between religion and government. One of the founders of Empiricism, Locke develops a philosophy that is contrary to the one expressed by Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan, primarily because it supports toleration for various Christian denominations. Locke's work appeared amidst a fear that Catholicism might...

Today I am happy to announce the release of the very short audio for Thomas Jefferson's interesting letter "A Dialog between the Head and Heart", which reaches just past 30 minutes long. Yes, it is a very short recording, but this one is a little different than most others I work on. This recording is a compilation; that is, there are three voices present that are seemingly talking to each other in a way. One of the recordings in this I recorded. This does not signal my triumphant return to the microphone though. I wish. I still have a very...

On a search to answer the question "Who started the Great War?" the author details his encounter and subsequent journeys with a mysterious stranger - journeys not through towns and countries but through time. This spirit, whom the author names "Mered," - meaning "Rebellion" - acts as a guide and interpreter of many epochs and episodes of human history, explaining how deep are the troubles that bring about conflict, from the interactions of two individuals to the mutual destruction of nations. - Summary by E. Sharp --- Garet Garrett (February 19, 1878 – November 6, 1954), born Edward Peter Garrett,...

William Holmes McGuffey (September 23, 1800 – May 4, 1873) was an American professor and college president who is best known for writing the McGuffey Readers, one of the nation's first and most widely used series of textbooks. It is estimated that at least 122 million copies of McGuffey Readers were sold between 1836 and 1960, placing its sales in a category with the Bible and Webster's Dictionary.

Today, The Life of Calvin Coolidge by Horace Green is available. If you remember not long ago I pointed out that LibriVox has the Coolidge autobiography, so it is good that both are now getting coverage on this content platform. Calvin Coolidge is very likely the best president over the last 150 years, at least I think so. He has the unique distinction of having being the only one who has defeated both the left wing progressives, as represented by the Wilsonians, as well as the right wing progressives, as represented by the Bull Moose. After World War I, anything...

Today I'm happy to make a mention that Out of the Dark, a book written by Helen Keller, is now ready as downloadable audio. This book is interesting in that it is where Keller describes "how I became a socialist". Some of you may find that just as curious as I do as to what her reasonings were. https://librivox.org/out-of-the-dark-by-helen-keller/

Today I'm happy to announce the availability of the book Reflections on Violence, by George Sorel. A lot can be said about this book, but one of the keys to it is that the outlook it carries was instrumental to the syndicalism that motivated radicals in Italy in the early 20th century. It is a little outside of my normal focus but someone else started this work and then abandoned it, and I am aware of this book's importance so I continued its work to completion. It's been somewhat slow over at LibriVox these days, not that I haven't been...

France and England in North America is a multivolume history of the European colonization of North America, written by Francis Parkman. The series highlights the military struggles between France and Great Britain. It was well regarded at the time of publication and continues to enjoy a reputation as a literary masterpiece.

Full book title: An Appeal to the Religion, Justice, and Humanity of the Inhabitants of the British Empire, in behalf of the Negro Slaves in the West IndiesThis work speaks for itself. There is more I would like to say about it, but I'll do so later.

I talk a lot about the Founding Fathers but you should not think that this means I forgot about our Founding Mothers. In the early 1900s, an effort was made to catalog early prominent women in the U.S. and the British Colonies. The result of that effort is a three-volume set, "The Pioneer Mothers of America". Here we have the release of the first volume, which covers the years prior to the 1700s and some of the early 1700s. The second volume contains the bulk of our Founding Mothers and many of the Wives of the Signers, however this book...

Any time I see a Frederic Bastiat book appear on LibriVox for work and especially when they are completed I am always happy about these. Bastiat has many books already on LV, I would highly recommend them. Bastiat's work is wonderful and his logic in economics is direct and on point. Today's release (about a week ago) is Bastiat's work "Economic Sophisms". The work is described thus: Bastiat speaks with the greatest force to the highest order of intellects. At the same time, he is almost the only Political Economist whose style is brilliant and fascinating, whilst his irresistible logic...

I noticed some time ago that LV didn't have any works by Noah Webster, creator of that dictionary. Well, now they have one. https://librivox.org/examination-of-the-federal-constitution-by-noah-webster/

The Autobiography of Calvin CoolidgeCalvin Coolidge was a great man and president, and his legacy is entirely unique. Sure, it is due in part to the timing of when he became President but the thing of it is that as President, he acted accordingly. He was the only President in U.S. history who defeated both the left-wing progressives(the Wilsonians) and the right-wing progressives.(The Bull Moosers) Some people are placed in a position of greatness. Acting great once in that position is left solely to the man. It is Calvin Coolidge, he is why the Progressive Era came to an end....

If it be true that it takes a great man to interpret the life of a great man then Bushrod Washington made no mistake in the selection of a biographer. For Marshall, under the influence of Washington, came to be nearly as great a man as the character whose life and achievement held his deepest thought for nearly a quarter of a century. . . . Marshall's sympathetic understanding of his subject, his firsthand knowledge of events with his remarkable powers of expression qualified him to produce the masterpiece that has come down to us.

Franklin wrote his autobiography in the form of an extended letter to his son. While recording the events of his life, he adds instructions for good living which makes this work America’s first “How to Succeed” book. Edited by Frank Woodworth Pine (1869-1919).

"The expedition of Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, for exploring the river Missouri, and the best communication from that to the Pacific Ocean, has had all the success which could be expected. They have traced the Missouri nearly to its source; descended the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, ascertained with accuracy the Geography, of that interesting communication across the continent; learned the character of the country, its commerce and inhabitants; and it is but justice to say that Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, and their brave companions, have, by this arduous service, deserved well of their country." This volume is the 1840...