The Story of My Life is the explosive and exhilarating autobiography by the infamous libertine Giacomo Casanova. Intense and scandalous, Casanova's extraordinary adventures take the listener on an incredible voyage across 18th-century Europe - from France to Russia, Poland to Spain and Turkey to Germany, with Venice at their heart. He falls madly in love, has wild flings and delirious orgies, and encounters some of the most brilliant figures of his time, including Catherine the Great, Louis XV and Benjamin Franklin. He holds a verbal duel with Voltaire, a pistol duel with a Polish noble, and finds himself hauled before the court multiple times, including in London, where the judge in question turns out to be none other than Henry Fielding. His appetite for life is voracious; for him, a life lived close to the precipice is the only life worth living. The book is divided into six sections. Volume 3 contains the fifth and sixth sections: '5: In London and Moscow' and '6: Spanish Passions'.

Written from the perspective of an unbeliever, Fear and Trembling explores the paradox of faith, the nature of Christianity and the complexity of human emotion. Kierkegaard examines the biblical story of Abraham, instructed to sacrifice his son Isaac, and forces us to consider Abraham's state of mind. What drove Abraham, and what made him carry out such an absurd and extreme request from God? Kierkegaard argues that Abraham's agreement to sacrifice Isaac, and his suspension of reason, elevated him to the highest level of faith. He explores more comprehensible alternatives, but in each one Abraham fails the test of faith, thus showing that true faith cannot be explained, understood, or made rational. His thesis is a compelling counterpoint to Hegel, who maintained that reason was the highest form of thought, and proved a significant source of inspiration to later existentialist philosophers such as Camus and Sartre.

A milestone in the history of the novel, Samuel Richardson's epistolary and elaborate Clarissa follows the life of a chaste young woman desperate to protect her virtue. When beautiful Clarissa Harlowe is forced to marry the rich but repulsive Mr. Solmes, she refuses, much to her family's chagrin. She escapes their persecution with the help of Mr. Lovelace, a dashing and seductive rake, but soon finds herself in a far worse dilemma. Terrifying and enlightening, Clarissa weaves a tapestry of narrative experimentation into a gripping morality tale of good versus evil. The recording is divided into three volumes.

The Decameron is one of the greatest literary works of the Middle Ages. Ten young people have fled the terrible effects of the Black Death in Florence and, in an idyllic setting, tell a series of brilliant stories, by turns humorous, bawdy, tragic and provocative. This celebration of physical and sexual vitality is Boccaccio’s answer to the sublime other-worldliness of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Known for its widespread influence including Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and poetry by Keats, The Decameron is also a valuable document of life at the time of the Black Death. This is the first unabridged cast recording in English and includes prolific stage actor Simon Russell Beale. Ten original songs are featured, composed by West End composer Steven Edis. Guido Waldman’s vibrant translation captures the exuberance of Boccaccio’s masterpiece.

Returned from Ireland after the death of his wife, Phineas Finn has a newfound ambition to rise through the ranks of English politics. But not long after regaining his seat in parliament, Phineas's luck begins to desert him. His reputation is tarnished after the press circulate rumors of an affair with Laura Kennedy, and his ambitions are frustrated by opposition from within the Party. Then, when his Party rival Mr. Bonteen is discovered dead, all fingers point towards Phineas, leading to his incarceration and humiliation at the dock... How will he redeem himself, and who will come to his aid? Phineas Redux is a gripping look at the political stage in Victorian England. It is perhaps the most personal of Trollope's Palliser series, being colored by the author's own experiences as a Liberal candidate between the time he wrote this and Phineas Finn.

Following the success of the first Great Scientists title in the "Junior Classics" range, this collection features the lives of nine more remarkable scientists, with descriptions of their discoveries. From the astronomy of Copernicus and Halley to the natural science of Linnaeus and Humboldt, and from the discoveries of Pascal, Davy, Volta and Babbage to the harnessing of atomic power by Julius Oppenheimer, it explores the contrubtions made by these great scientists, and the impact on our everyday lives. This audiobook is a marvellous snapshot of nine of the world's greatest scientists, written and narrated so as to spark the interest of a junior audience in the fascinating topic of science.

The Story of My Life is the explosive and exhilarating autobiography by the infamous libertine Giacomo Casanova. Intense and scandalous, Casanova's extraordinary adventures take the listener on an incredible voyage across 18th-century Europe - from France to Russia, Poland to Spain and Turkey to Germany, with Venice at their heart. He falls madly in love, has wild flings and delirious orgies, and encounters some of the most brilliant figures of his time, including Catherine the Great, Louis XV and Benjamin Franklin. He holds a verbal duel with Voltaire, a pistol duel with a Polish noble, and finds himself hauled before the court multiple times, including in London, where the judge in question turns out to be none other than Henry Fielding. His appetite for life is voracious; for him, a life lived close to the precipice is the only life worth living. The book is divided into six sections. Volume 2 contains the third and fourth sections: '3: The Eternal Quest' and '4: Adventures in the South'.

The Scarlet Letter is one of the great classics of American literature. One of the first, and most popular stories from 19th-century American literature, the book has been the subject of numerous film, television, and stage adaptations and is commonly found on school and university syllabi across the world. Set in the harsh Puritan environment of 17th-century Boston, it describes the plight of Hester Prynne, an independent-minded woman who stands alone against society. Having given birth to a child after an illicit affair, she refuses to name the father and is forced to wear the letter 'A' for Adulteress, embroidered on her dress. Adam Sims, experienced in radio, television and theatre performances, captures the elegance of Hawthorne's rich and lyrical language.

The University Press of France and Fremeaux & Associes offer a special course on the history of philosophy, given here by Pierre Guenancia, professor at the University of Burgundy and specialist in the history of modern philosophy. After a first course, “De Descartes a Hume,” we are pursuing now a new path taken by contemporary philosophy at the end of the 19th century, the “way of consciousness.” Philosophy does not want to be a philosophical system anymore, rather, its ambition is to return things to themselves and describe the phenomena such as they give themselves to consciousness. Husserl opened the way to Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, and Ricoeur, the great figures of the twentieth century philosophy that Pierre Guenancia presents to us in this release.

What is a man? Nothing at all: a tiny mammal on a small planet spinning around a star like any other, in a galaxy like any other. And then, at the same time, he is the bearer of the most complicated organ that exists and which is known throughout the universe. Yves Coppens, eminent prehistorian and excellent storyteller, invites us to discover the history of humanity, from the beginnings of our universe and the appearance and deployment of life on earth, to the development of primates, prehumans, then Homo Sapiens. A fourth album is devoted to the life of prehistoric people, to what we know about their way of life, and it's evolution over millennia. Beyond an ambitious course in the history of mankind, this recording is also the testimony of a man of considerable work.

Please Sir! (1916) is one of the first novels of the popular Hungarian author, Frigyes Karinthy (1887 - 1938), which tells his school years with a lot of humor and empathy. Endre Illes wrote: "All Karinthy's writings have the violent, blinding brilliance of a spluttering Christmas sparkler. He wrote several thousand sketches, hundreds of stories, a few novels and two volumes of poetry. He experimented with literary forms and techniques: plays, philosophical studies, anecdotes, reviews, articles. But no matter what he wrote, his message was always as fresh and sensitive as the first flash of the idea which inspired it. One could say that his real medium was the idea, the instant spark." The work is read here by P�l M�csai.

Jeno Rejto (1905-1943) was a journalist, prolific author of cabaret skits, and the steadfast practitioner of comic thrillers with unforgettable characters and one-liners that together have become part and parcel of Hungarian literary folklore. The Frontier Garrison is one of Rejto's most popular novels. Andras Kern is a Hungarian actor, producer, writer, singer and comedian. He graduated from the Academy of Drama and Film in Budapest in 1970. He has appeared in numerous films, has written and appeared in many radio sitcoms as well as in many popular Hungarian TV shows such as Heti Hetes and Activity Show.

This new release compiles the very best recordings from Hofi Geza, Hungarian actor and comedian. The most popular Hungarian parodist, he had a strong influence on the culture of Hungarian cabaret. Hofi G�za was for many years the highlight of Hungarian cabaret. He never followed any pattern or trend; he was always following his own trail. His unique performances made him the most popular comedian of his time in Hungary. His death created an enormous vacuum in Hungarian comedy, and it is a common consensus among people who witnessed his performances that there may never be another comedian like him. His style as a comedian was unique. It couldn't exactly be categorized as stand-up comedy, though it didn't fit any other category either. There are no current comedians in Hungary who would try to emulate his style-his legacy on Hungarian humor is somewhat analogous to that of Beethoven's on German music in the 1800s. His theatre shows were sold out many months in advance, and there was rarely an empty seat in the house.

Jeno Rejto (1905-1943) was a journalist, prolific author of cabaret skits, and a steadfast practitioner of comic thrillers with unforgettable characters and one-liners that together have become part and parcel of Hungarian literary folklore. Delightfully grotesque parodies of the detective novels that had their heyday at the time, Rejto wrote most of his books in the 1930s under the pen-name of P. Howard. The Lost Battleship is one of Rejto's most popular novels. It is read here by Hungarian actor Kern Andras.

K�lm�n Miksz�th was a major Hungarian novelist, journalist, and politician. Born in Szklabonya in Upper Hungary, he studied Law at the University of Budapest before becoming involved in journalism, writing for many Hungarian newspapers including the Pesti Hirlap. His early short stories were based on the lives of peasants and artisans, and were not widely read during his time. However, they demonstrated his skill in crafting humorous anecdotes, which would be developed in his later, more popular works. Many of his novels contained social commentary and satire, and towards the end of his life they became increasingly critical of the aristocracy and the burden he believed the latter placed on Hungarian society. On this release, several of his short stories are read in Hungarian by Hungarian actor Sandor Gaspar, who has appeared in more than seventy films since 1978.

Underneath the patina of civilized society lies the Sadean demimonde: a bundle of lustful appetites fueled by momentary impulse and a desire for unfettered indulgence. And the target of this savagery: Justine de Bertole, a pious and virginal heroine. While her amoral sister Juliette gets all the wonders in the world, virtuous and faithful Justine is subjected to punishment after punishment at the hands of sadistic and abusive deviants. Grotesque, inhumane and compelling, Sade's novel overturns Rousseau's views of the social contract, and the common trope that punishment only visits sinners, to deliver a passionate treatise on good and evil, virtue and sin. Justine is infamous for it's controversial content and themes. There continues to be much fascination with Sade among scholars and writers, and many film adaptations have been made of his work, including Pasolini's 1975 film 'Salo.' This is the first unabridged recording. John Phillips' accessible new translation has been exclusively licensed to Naxos AudioBooks by Oxford University Press.

Cette selection de Jean-Baptiste Mersiol et livret de Stephanie Acquette reunit les enregistrements historiques des scenes marquantes du drame romantique Ruy Blas et de quelques poemes du prolifique Victor Hugo, declames par certains des plus grands comediens francais du XXe siecle entre 1958 et 1962. Les interpretations de Paul-emile Deiber, dans son premier grand role dramatique, Pierre Dux ou Jean Meyer, offrent une fen�tre sur l'ame du theatre francais de cette epoque. Temoignage unique sur l'art de la declamation propre au lyrisme de cette periode, ce coffret consacre celui qui selon Andre Gide etait � helas ! � le plus grand poete francais qu'il n'a, encore aujourd'hui, jamais cesse d'�tre. This selection by Jean-Baptiste Mersiol and booklet by Stephanie Acquette brings together historic recordings of key scenes from the from the Romantic drama Ruy Blas and a selection of poems by the prolific Victor Hugo, recited by some of France's by some of the greatest French actors of the 20th century between 1958 and 1962. Performances by Paul-emile Deiber, in his first major in his first major dramatic role, Pierre Dux and Jean Meyer, offer a window into the soul of French theater at the time. Period. A unique testimony to the art of declamation specific to the lyricism of this period, this boxed set celebrates the man who, according to Andre Gide, was "alas!" the greatest French poet he still is today. RUY BLAS : DON SALLUSTE - LA REINE D'ESPAGNE - RUY BLAS - DON CeSAR - LE TIGRE ET LE LION. PAR LES COMeDIENS DE LA COMeDIE FRANcAISE. POeSIES : JEAN DESCHAMPS : OCEANO NOX - LE MENDIANT - DEMAIN DeS L'AUBE - L'EXPIATION - SOLEILS COUCHANTS - TRISTESSE D'OLYMPIO � ANDRe FALCON : CE SIeCLE AVAIT DEUX ANS... - T'EN SOUVIENS-TU MON FReRE ? � MAURICE TEYNAC : VIEILLE CHANSON DU JEUNE TEMPS - LE SACRE DE LA FEMME - CHANT DU BOL DE PUNCH - a L'HOMME - PUISQUE MAI TOUT EN FLEUR - AVE, DEA, MORITURUS TE � GEORGES WILSON : APReS LA BATAILLE - JEANNE AU PAIN SEC � PAUL-eMILE DEIBER : LA ROSE DE L'INFANTE � GEORGES DESCRIeRES : VIENS, UNE FL�TE INVISIBLE - LA VACHE � JEAN DAVY : LA MORT D'UN CHIEN - SAISON DES SEMAILLES � GeRARD PHILIPE : BOOZ ENDORMI.

For a period of seven years, Wilfred Thesiger canoed through the marshes at the confluence of Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers, living among the native Madan tribes and their islands made of reeds. Now extinct, their ancient way of life is speculated to have existed for 5,000 years, going back to the days of ancient Sumer, and possessed a unique culture found nowhere else in the Middle East. Thesiger documents the tribes' conflicts, traditions, cuisine, relationships, justice systems and art, and reveals how they built their unique water-borne society, with it's beautiful canoes (taradas) and stately guest houses (mudhifs) - it is a remarkable familiarity gained through Thesiger's innate understanding of tribal ritual and etiquette, and the trust he earned through the use of a basic medical supply kit that he brought along with him. Poetic and immersing, The Marsh Arabs brings alive the sights, sounds and smells of the marshes, and a culture that has now vanished forever.

The Letters of Abelard and Heloise is one of the most extraordinary correspondences in European history. Written in the 12th century, the letters document the love affair between Peter Abelard, a revolutionary philosopher and biblical scholar, and his beautiful and precocious student, Heloise. Eviscerated by his religious opponents and castrated by Heloise's family, Abelard is haunted by ill fortune, and the star-crossed lovers are forced into separate lives, as monk and nun respectively, with letters being their only form of communication. What unfolds is tragic and heartbreaking, but also fascinating. The letters gave rise to compelling philosophical, theological and sociological discussions, and they provide a window into the medieval mind as the everyday lives of the two lovers are laid bare through their passionate discourse.

Set in the court of Urbino in 1507, Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier presents an invaluable look at court life and culture during the Renaissance. Over four nights of dialogue, the book explores the key question, 'What should a courtier be like?' and presents a deep and timeless discussion that is reminiscent of Plato's Symposium and Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and invites comparisons with Machiavelli's The Prince. It is absorbing and enlightening, and encompasses a wide range of topics that include dancing, fencing, war, religion, culture, courtly and corporeal love and gender relations, with a surprisingly modern defense of women and equal rights. Nicholas Boulton is an exemplary narrator. He leads us through Castiglione's fascinating courtesy book with great fluency.

Nana Coupeau is a beautiful woman, able to attract men of enormous wealth with the crook of her finger. Part-time prostitute, part-time actress, she makes her debut in a mediocre operetta The Blonde Venus at the bustling Paris World's Fair of 1867. She can't sing, act or dance, yet she is stunning. Nana soon rockets through elite Parisian society, and, blinded by desire, men crawl to her feet, yielding to her every demand. Affections are manipulated, hearts are broken; fortunes are gutted and inheritances squandered. The poverty and violence of Nana's upbringing have led her to a cold and profligate life - a metaphoric indictment of the excesses of France's Second Empire, and a striking example of Zola's Naturalism.

Intended to be a defense of the Christian religion, Pensees is a penetrating collection of thoughts on faith, reason, and theology. Unfinished at the time of Pascal's death, the book consists of philosophical fragments on the 'wretchedness' of man and the controversial schisms of the church at the time. It includes the philosopher's infamous wager encouraging belief over agnosticism, as well as his thoughts on numerous other topics, including the great essayist Montaigne and the Stoic teacher Epictetus. Endlessly quotable, Pensees overflows with pearls of wisdom, with each elusive sentence pregnant with a universe of thought. Peter Wickham's elegant and personable reading makes Pascal's work immediately approachable and accessible.

Assembled from notes and jottings left unpublished at the time of the author's death, The Book of Disquiet is a collection of aphoristic prose-poetry musings on dreams, solitude, time and memory. Credited to Pessoa's alter ego, Bernardo Soares, who chronicles his contemplations in this so-called 'factless' autobiography, the work is a journey of one man's soul and, by extension, of all human souls that allow their minds and hearts to roam far and free. Though his outward life as an assistant bookkeeper in downtown Lisbon is a humdrum affair, Soares lives a rich and varied existence within the contours of his own mind, where he can be and do anything. Soares has no ambition, nor has he any friends; he is plagued with disquiet, and only imagination and dreams can conquer it. Compiled by the translator Richard Zenith, Fernando Pessoa's The Book of Disquiet is a fulgent tribute to the imagination of man.

Phineas Finn, a handsome young man of 23, comes to England to make his fortune in parliamentary politics. But despite all his aspirations, Finn is haunted by ethical questions as his personal convictions conflict with his duty towards his party. Loyalty versus honour, love versus money, and privacy versus prominence: our eponymous hero faces a variety of dilemmas as he navigates his way through the House of Commons. The second installment of Trollope’s celebrated Palliser series, Phineas Finn is a delightful and humorous look at the complexity of human relationships and the politics surrounding the Second Reform Bill of the 1860s.

Thomas Hardy’s first published novel, Desperate Remedies is a thrilling blend of Gothic mystery and love-triangle romance. After the untimely death of their parents, Cytheria and Owen Graye must go out into the world and fend for themselves. Cytheria’s journey leads her to the dark and mysterious household of Miss Aldclyffe, a capricious and eccentric woman, who steers Cytheria into a love affair with her charismatic steward Aeneous Manston. All is not what it seems, and Cytheria finds herself entangled in a violent web of lust, murder, deception and blackmail. With its beautiful and evocative scenes, along with themes of fate and class, the novel contains many traces of Hardy’s signature style, and is a unique take on the Victorian ‘sensation’ novel.