Downloads & Free Reading Options - Results

1Ballads of a Bohemian

By Robert W. Service

Ballads of a Bohemian is a collection of poems tied together by the narration of the "author" Stephen Poore. The poems speak of bohemian life in Paris before the war, his experiences during World War I and its aftermath. (Summary by Kristin Hughes)

LibriVox volunteers bring you 21 different recordings of <em>My Madonna</em> by Robert W. Service. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of August 12th, 2007.

LibriVox volunteers bring you 7 different recordings of <em>The Cremation of Sam McGee</em> by Robert W. Service.

4Selections from Ballads of a Cheechako

By Robert W. Service

These twelve poems are taken from Ballads of a Cheechako which was Robert W. Service's third book of Yukon poems, published in 1909. The word Cheechako, from Chinook Jargon, originated in the United States (Alaska) and Canada (Yukon) and was imported into local English during the Yukon gold rush that began in 1896. Cheechako, is a non derogatory word meaning "newcomer" or "tenderfoot." The derivation looks something like this: chee new cha come ko home. (summary by Heidi Preuss)

LibriVox volunteers bring you 8 recordings of <em>The Land God Forgot</em> by Robert Service. This was the weekly poetry project for January 25th, 2009.

6Spell of the Yukon

By Robert W. Service

LibriVox volunteers bring you 13 recordings of The Spell of the Yukon by Robert W. Service. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for December 27th, 2009.

7To the Man of the High North

By Robert W. Service

LibriVox volunteers bring you 5 recordings of To the Man of the High North by Robert Service. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for November 28, 2010.<br><br>Robert William Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) was a poet and writer, sometimes referred to as "the Bard of the Yukon".<br><br>His writing was so expressive that his readers took him for a hard-bitten old Klondike prospector, not the later-arriving bank clerk he actually was.<br><br>In addition to his Yukon works, Service also wrote poetry set in locales as diverse as South Africa, Afghanistan, and New Zealand.

8Ottawa Folk Festival Robert Service Collection (from The Spell of the Yukon)

By Robert W. Service

On August 13-15, 2010, A hearty band of Librivox volunteers, led by Bob Ledrew and Sean McGaughey, recorded selections from the Spell of the Yukon by Robert Service with patrons, musicians and organizers of the Ottawa Folk Festival. We chose Robert Service because he is an iconic Canadian poet. It was our intention to record the whole volume, but the festival was disrupted by torrential rains on its final day. Sean McGaughey also prepared a behind the scenes podcast of this project at <a href="http://www.ductapeguy.net/2010/12/for-the-sake-of-the-song-live-from-the-ottawa-folk-festival/">http://www.ductapeguy.net/2010/12/for-the-sake-of-the-song-live-from-the-ottawa-folk-festival/</a> (Summary by Sean McGaughey)

9Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses

By Robert W. Service

Known as the Bard of the Yukon and as a people's poet, Robert Service immortalized his experience with the Yukon and its gold rush and this collection of poetry. While some poems are anecdotal and amusing, others capture the raw brilliance that frontiers evoke and the ever pioneering spirit of man. Alternately titled Songs of a Sourdough in the United Kingdoms. (Introduction by Becky)

10Passing of the Year

By Robert W. Service

LibriVox volunteers bring you 8 recordings of The Passing of the Year by by Robert W. Service. This was the Fortnightly Poetry project for December 18, 2011.<br><br>Robert William Service was a poet and writer who has often been called "the Bard of the Yukon". This poem taken from Rhymes of a Rolling Stone, published in 1912.(Summary from Wikipedia)<br><br>I have no doubt at all the Devil grins<br>As seas of ink I spatter.<br>Ye gods, forgive my "literary" sins —<br>The other kind don't matter.(frontispiece)

Reputedly the best-selling poetry collection of the 20th century, 'Songs of a Sourdough' is best known for Robert W. Service's classic Yukon ballads, 'The Shooting of Dan McGrew' and 'The Cremation of Sam McGhee'. Service was born in Preston, Lancashire, and grew up in Scotland. In his twenties, he made his way to Canada and settled in the Yukon where he worked as a bank clerk but evidently dreamed of more adventurous pursuits. Service's readings of his poems show that he could adopt either a Scottish or North American accent. Here they are read in an accent that is not too far removed from the place of his birth. - Summary by Phil Benson

12Rhymes of a Red Cross Man

By Robert W. Service

Robert Service was born in Lancashire, England, but at age 21 moved to Canada and eventually ended up in the Yukon during the gold rush. His poems "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee" helped secure his reputation as the “Bard of the Yukon.” During World War I, Service was an ambulance driver and stretcher bearer for the Red Cross. This volume of poems springs from these experiences during the war. - Summary by Larry Wilson

13Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses (Version 2)

By Robert W. Service

This collection deals with wanderlust in general but the bulk of the poems are based on Service’s time in the Yukon. He captures the excitement and energy of the place but also the dangers, both physical and spiritual, that await: “No spot on the map in so short a space/ has hustled more souls to hell.” (Summary by Gerald A Moe)