Showing results by narrator "Sarah Bacaller" in All Categories

Oliver Twist is the well-loved tale of an orphan, who starts life in a workhouse and finds himself embroiled in London's criminal underworld, before being saved by a kind gentleman who knows something of his surprising family history. A satire and social commentary as well as a page-turning yarn, full of grit, wit, and some of the most memorable characters in English Literature. The second published serialised novel by Charles Dickens, The British Library remarks that "it has proven to be one of the best-loved novels in the history of literature".

Although his output was small, John of the Cross (1542 - 1591) is considered one of the most important figures in Spanish poetry. All his verses explore the same theme: the search of the soul for union with its creator and the glory of the resulting "mystical marriage". This selection of 20 poems opens with his most famous poem, "The Obscure Night of the Soul" and concludes with a free translation of "Psalm 137 (By the Waters of Babylon)".

In five hours, Andy will take you through Hegel’s Logic, the book on philosophy which has been most influential amongst radicals and revolutionaries and all those who stray from the well trodden path of conventional, bourgeois thinking. The book begins with an explanation of social conditions in early 19th-century Germany and then, walks through the text of the Logic paragraph by paragraph. This reading stands out from all others in its clarity of explanation and in Andy's ability to make Hegel's Logic relevant to social and political problems of today.

Accusation is the unperceived catalyst for this dramatic narrative; Job is framed by the accusation that his self-invested allegiance to God will evaporate if he is exposed to adversity. Job is unaware that this wager against his integrity has taken place. The drama that ensues on an epic scale resonates with universal experiences of human suffering - from Job's searching questions, to the grating interventions of Job's friends, and the sense that human misfortune can seem contingent on the whim of unseen powers.

In this collection, the authors were striving for a natural and unaffected style of verse that sought to avoid the elaborate structures and artifice that they considered had characterized much of the poetry of the 18th century. Of the 23 poems, only four are by Coleridge, including "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which is the most famous poem in the collection. The most notable contribution by Wordsworth is the concluding poem, "Tintern Abbey".

Seven Little Australians is the story of the mischievous seven children of the Woolcot family - Meg, Pip, Judy, Bunty, Nell, Baby, and the General, whose father little understands them and whose young stepmother is hardly an adult herself. The Australian bush sets an iconic backdrop for the misadventures of this energetic mob.

Two children embark on an extraordinary and mystical journey to discover their own pathways to peace. For children of all ages, this story invites creativity, imagination, and exploration of the beauty of world and the universe.

Between 1915 and 1921, C. J. Dennis published seven verse novels and two collections of poetry. The first of these was The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, which features Dennis' characteristic use of a distinctive Australian argot and which became an immediate bestseller.

Sybylla Melvin is a misfit. She barely endures the dreary life of dairy farming in a family that can hardly make ends meet. Out of the blue, she is invited to move back to the family property, Caddagat, to live with Grannie, Aunt Helen, and Uncle Jay Jay. With a cast of interesting neighbors and friends, Sybylla finally seems to discover hope in the world. She is nourished by thoughtful conversation, books, and music. Harold Beecham's love, however, throws her into indecision and painful tension.

Unlike the other verse novels of C. J. Dennis, this collection of 13 poems is focused on political satire. The action is set in the society of an arboreal race, known as Glugs, and described by the author "stupid race of docile folk". Among the targets of Dennis's mocking scrutiny are free trade, social conformity, and extravagant bureaucracy.   

One day, the King and Queen of a fairy kingdom receive an unfamiliar gift. That gift is a little daughter who is unlike anyone else in the kingdom. They all love her and celebrate her arrival. But then, a Shadow crosses the land and places a curse upon the little daughter, causing her to be different, delayed, unable to speak or walk. Three magic fairies try to overcome this curse by giving gifts to the girl. But the curse can only be broken when the girl herself discovers her unique powers. 

This collection follows on from Australian Christmas Yarns Volume I and consists of 10 stories by notable Australian author Mary Grant Bruce (1878-1958). These stories sketch challenges of landscape, relationship, loss and hope. 

Blinky Bill is a mischievous koala who lives in the Australian bush. Keen for adventure, he sets off to see the world. On his journeys, he makes trouble in Miss Pimm's shop, meets Old Wombo (Mr. Wombat), joins a frog choir, and gets invited to a rabbit's birthday party.  

This text draws together central components of Hegel's philosophical system as he explores the development of Mind (Spirit, Geist) in its individual, communal and conceptual aspects. Translator William Wallace writes (1894): 'I here offer a translation of the third or last part of Hegel's encyclopaedic sketch of philosophy, Philosophy of Mind. The volume, like its subject, stands complete in itself. But it may also be regarded as a supplement or continuation of the work begun in my version of his logic.'  

The Jumblies and Other Nonsense Verses by Edward Lear. Narrated by Denis Daly, Sarah Bacaller, and Lucy Bacaller. These 14 poems have been drawn from the Nonsense Books of Edward Lear.

The Wind in the Willows, first published in 1908, is one of the most beloved of all children's classics and has been adapted on multiple occasions for presentation on stage, in film, and as an opera. The action centers on the efforts of Mole, Rat, and Badger to discipline and reform their wealthy and self-destructive friend Toad, who lives in a splendid mansion known as Toad Hall.

Between 1896 and 1922, in addition to a series of full-length novels Lucy Maud Montgomery published over 140 short stories. In general, these tales are reflective of the coming of age themes and the sylvan settings which are explored in greater detail in the novels. 

In this short work, G.K. Chesterton writes with characteristic vivacity as he explores the compelling paradoxes of the book of Job, as found in the Hebrew Scriptures. Armed with keen precision and incisive wit, Chesterton revels in the reversions of expectation found in this story, particularly regarding the character of God. Indeed Chesterton names the God of Job a blasphemer, an atheist...and identifies the loneliness of God as the central idea of the Hebrew Scriptures. Listeners will delight in the twists and turns of Chesterton's thought.

Hegel in Fragments is a collection of writings in dialogue with the work of German philosopher, G. W. F. Hegel. In bite-sized pieces, Australian academic Stephen Curkpatrick applies Hegelian insights to themes such as contingency, truth, theology, identity, limit, and rhythms. This exploratory collection is informed by Hegel’s concept of spirit as relation and mediation, within which identity is both identity and difference.

Greybeards at Play is a short collection of humorous poetry by celebrated British writer and social commentator, Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936). Published in 1900, it was Chesterton's first publication. These rhymes and sketches spin witty lyrics around themes such as aestheticism, the philosopher's love of nature, and ill-directed altruism, in true Chestertonian style.