Downloads and Free Reading Options

As the summer days wind down, LibriVox volunteers bring you 11 different recordings of <em>A Summer’s Afternoon</em> by Benjamin King. This was the weekly poetry project for the week of July 29th, 2007.

Stanton H. King was from Barbados and followed his brothers to sea at the age of twelve in 1880. He spent only twelve years at sea for reasons given in this book. Thereafter, he became associated with the Sailors' Haven, Boston, Massachusetts and became its director. He was also a renowned Chantie singer and, in 1918, King's Book Of Chanties was published. King views the sailing life from "before the mast", that is, through the eyes of the common sailor. (Summary by Peter Kelleher)

3Daughter of the Sioux

By Charles King

Charles King was a United States soldier and a distinguished writer. He was the son of Civil War general Rufus King and great grandson of Rufus King, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He graduated from West point in 1866 and served in the Army during the Indian Wars under George Crook. He was wounded in the arm forcing his retirement from the regular army. During this time he became acquainted with Buffalo Bill Cody. King would later write scripts for several of Cody's silent films.<br/><br/> King's writings, relating to American Indians, cover a complex range of opinion within his novels. His sympathy for their cause of defending their homelands, and being forced to adopt a new lifestyle, did not stop him from graphically portraying them as savage and barbaric peoples. However, King also used his writings to harshly criticize U.S. government policies that resulted in Indian treaties not being honored and that permitted rampant corruption among government-appointed reservation agents. As a lieutenant in the 5th Cavalry, King was a participant on the American western frontier, who personally fought in battles with Southwestern and Plains Indians and observed government policies first hand. Charles King is credited today with helping to establish the "Western novel" as a romantic and dramatic genre of American literature, based upon a sturdy foundation of historical realism. (Summary compiled from Wikipedia and THE LIFE OF CHARLES KING by Nathan Bender, Housel Curator, McCracken Research Library within The Buffalo Bill Historical Center.)

4Starlight Ranch And Other Stories Of Army Life On The Frontier

By Charles King

Five stories of Army life in the mid to late 19th century. Charles King (1844 – 1933) was a United States soldier and a distinguished writer. He wrote and edited over 60 books and novels. Among his list of titles are Campaigning with Crook, Fort Frayne, Under Fire and Daughter of the Sioux. (Summary by Wikipedia and David Wales)

5Wild Olive

By Basil King

Norrie Ford, having been unfairly convicted of murder, has escaped. A lucky chance finds him being rescued by a mysterious girl (the Wild Olive of the title), who sets him up with a new life under a new name in Argentina. He makes such a success of his time there that he is posted back to New York by the company he works for – but not before he has become engaged to be married. Back in New York, he meets up again with the Wild Olive . . . (Summary by Simon Evers)

This is a volume of Benjamin King's collected verse, published shortly after his sudden death in 1894. The American humorist was very famous during his lifetime, and is still widely referenced and quoted until today. This volume was published in Chicago after his death, reportedly outselling any other volume of poetry in Michigan for 25 years after being published. It is also prefaced by two short biographies by John McGovern and Opie Read. - Summary by Carolin

7Inner Shrine

By Basil King

At the opening of this story Diane Eveleth returns from a party in Paris to her mother-in-law, who tells her that her husband George Eveleth has been killed in a duel, fought with the Marquis de Bienville. Diane secretly transfers her remaining patrimony to her mother-in-law and the two women sail for New York, where the elder woman has relatives.<BR><BR>Here Diane is offered the situation of chaperone for the daughter Dorothea of Derek Pruyn, a widower whom she has met before. Eventually, Pruyn makes her an offer of marriage. She withholds her answer until his return from a voyage to South America, when she is prepared to accept him, but on his home-coming she finds his attitude towards her completely changed. Pruyn has encountered de Bienville on his voyage and has heard from him that Diane was unfaithful to her husband.<BR><BR>The book concentrates on how the relationships between the various protagonists develop. (Summary by Simon Evers)

"Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" is a memoir by Clarence King of his adventures and work with the California Geological Survey. King later led a major survey along the 40th Parallel in the American West and then was appointed the first director of the new U.S. Geological Survey.<br><br>King's 1872 "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada" exhibits a modern sense of timing and insight, and his accounts of hand-and-foot rock climbing seem as fresh as last week's blog post. He was part of the Victorian wave of mountain-climbing that first scaled the highest world peaks in the mid-19th century and, as a scientist, was part of a similar wave of new theories and discoveries: Darwinian evolution, glaciers, volcanism, erosion, earthquakes, topographical techniques, and human ecology. California had just passed through the Gold Rush years, and further survey of the Sierra Nevada was desired to extend knowledge of California economic geography.<br><br>While listening to this historic book, please consult a supplemental web resource at http://melanie.mccalmont.org which provides 19th century references, photographs of Clarence King and the Sierras, geologic definitions, and links.<br><br>The book is arranged in 14 chapters, each with a distinct purpose. Chapter 1 'The Range' starts slowly as a geologic history and description of the Sierra Nevada, then switches midway to an adventure across the desert. Chapter 2 'The Forest' likewise starts at a slower pace as King describes in detail the pine and sequoia forest through which the corps of discovery moves, then switches to a human interest story of the Maidu Indians. Chapters 3, 4, 11, 12, and 13 are mountaineering stories at their finest, from a time when technical gear consisted of ropes and hob-nailed shoes only. Chapters 7 and 8 describes King's participation in the boundary survey of the new Yosemite National Park. Chapters 5, 6, 9, 10, and 14 are centered on human interest stories in the Sierra Nevada. (Melanie Schleeter McCalmont)

9Empty Sack

By Basil King

The book follows the fortunes of Jennie Follett, a New York artist’s model, and Teddy, her brother. After their father’s dismissal from his lowly position in the bank and his subsequent death, the family struggles financially. In desperation, Teddy steals money from the bank where he also works, with disastrous consequences. Jennie meanwhile agrees to marry Bob Collingham, a member of a seriously rich banking family, who has fallen in love with her.

10Thread of Flame

By Basil King

Edward wakes up on board a ship crossing the Atlantic, on his return from the Great War – however, he finds that his memory of who he is and where he comes from is only fragmentary. The book follows his fascinating journey back to health and his growing realisation about what effect the War and its aftermath has had on him and also on the people he meets - as well as his family. (Summary by Simon Evers)

11Dust Flower

By Basil King

Rashleigh Allerton, a wealthy New Yorker, quarrels with his well-to-do fiancée Barbara and impetuously says that he will marry instead the first person he meets. The book follows the result of this absurd promise, with consequences that neither of them (nor Rashleigh’s faithful elderly man-servant Steptoe) expect. - Summary by Simon Evers

12Side of the Angels

By Basil King

The book is set in New England in the early 20th century in an old established community where times are rapidly changing but nonetheless the rules of a hierarchical society still hold good. Thor, a rich doctor from an old family, in trying to help Rosie, the poor woman he truly loves, offers her money so that his brother Claude can marry her and have the things they will need in life. Things unravel in the close-knit community with an intriguing mixture of philosophy and romance as the younger generation learns to be free in their pursuit of love and life. The approach of the older generation to the different ways of the younger and the church all add to the involvement. - Summary by Simon Evers

13Mountain Idylls, and Other Poems

By Alfred Castner King

"The author of this unpretentious volume has long questioned the advisability of adding a book to our already inflated and overloaded literature, unless it should contain something in the nature of a deviation from beaten literary paths.<br><br> Whether the reading public will regard this as such or not is a question for the future to determine, as every book is a creature of circumstance, and at the date of its publication an algebraic unknown quantity.<br><br> It was not the original intention of the author to publish any of his effusions in collective form until more mature years and riper judgment should better qualify him for the task of composition, and should enable him to still further pursue the important studies of etymology, rhetoric, Latin and Greek, and complete the education which youthful environment denied.<br><br> On the 17th of March, A.D. 1900, occurred an accident in the form of a premature mining explosion which banished the light of the Colorado sun from his eyes forever, adding the almost insurmountable barrier of total and hopeless blindness to those of limited means and insufficient education. At first further effort seemed useless, but as time meliorates in some degree even the most deplorable and distressing physical conditions, ambition slowly rallied, and while lying for several months a patient in various hospitals in an ineffectual attempt to regain even partial sight, the following ideas and efforts of past years were gradually recalled from the recesses of memory, and reduced to their present form, in which, with no small hesitation and misgiving, they are presented to the consideration of the reading public, which in the humble opinion of the author has frequently failed to receive and appreciate productions of vastly superior merit." (Excerpt from the Preface)

14Street Called Straight

By Basil King

Henry Guion, a rich and successful American businessman, faces complete ruin and jail as he has embezzled all his client’s money. He tells his daughter, Olivia, of all that has happened and the inevitable scandal which will follow. Olivia meanwhile is engaged to be married to a dashing English Colonel, Rupert Ashley. Peter Davenant, a self-made man, offers to give a vast amount of money to Guion to avert the scandal. He is no stranger to the family as, some years ago, he proposed to Olivia, who turned him down. Olivia is torn -between accepting the money and not wanting to be beholden to Davenant. She is also concerned about how the financial scandal will affect her fiancé’s military career. The book follows the fortunes of these four. (Summary by Simon Evers)

Only months after his return from his mammoth Second Voyage, the Admiralty ordered Cook back to the Pacific, ostensibly to return Omai, a young man from Raiatea, to his homeland, but in fact to attempt the discovery of the Northwest Passage (a proposed route from the Pacific to the Atlantic north of Canada). Cook commanded HMS Resolution and was accompanied by Captain Clerke commanding HMS Discovery. After sailing to the Pacific via Tenerife, Cape Town and New Zealand, Omai was returned to his home, after which Cook became the first European to visit the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and then mapped the West Coast of North America. After many delays, he penetrated the Bering Strait, but was unable because of ice to proceed either East or West. He eventually returned to Hawaii, where Cook was killed by the natives. Following the death of Captain Clerke from tuberculosis, the ships eventually returned to Britain under the command of Captain Gore. This third and last volume covers the death of Captain Cook, the second fruitless attempt to find the Northwest Passage, the death of Captain Clerke and the return of the expedition via Canton and the Cape of Good Hope - Summary by David Cole