Audiobooks narrated by Mark Rice-Oxley

Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko was born in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire on 27th July 1853.His father died when he was 13 and life was then often struck with bouts of poverty, which resulted in his education being somewhat erratic. A spell in exile at 23 was followed by another as the politics of the times opposed his volatile but heart-felt passions.Writing was also coming to the fore and in 1879 his debut short story telling of a young Narodnik searching for social and spiritual identity, was published.In 1881, Korolenko refused to swear allegiance to the new Russian Tsar and was again exiled, this time much farther afield. He spent the next three years doing manual work, but took time to study local customs and history. These impressions in exile provided rich material for his writings.In 1885 he was allowed to settle in Nizhny, where again he repeatedly questioned the authorities. That same year ‘Makar's Dream’ established his literary reputation and was part of his first collection ‘Sketches and Stories’, the following year.In the early 1890’s when famine struck Central Russia, he went to work on relief missions, collecting donations, supervising the delivery and distribution of food, opening 45 free canteens, all this while writing the graphic reports that would later be published as ‘In the Year of Famine’ in 1893.By 1896 despite some psychological disorders, he was well regarded amongst Russian writers and was even a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Throughout his writing career Korolenko was a staunch advocate of human rights, putting that sacred activity above what he called his 'part-time-writing'.In the Revolutionary year of 1905, under his editorship, Russkoye Bogatstvo published the Manifest by the Petersburg Soviet of the Workers' deputies. Korolenko was now repeatedly harassed by the authorities, had his flat raided many times and materials confiscated.As a lifetime opponent of Tsarism, he guardedly welcomed the Revolution of 1917. Once the nature of Bolshevism was established, he soon started to criticize it. During the Russian Civil War that ensued, he condemned both the Red Terror and the White Terror. Despite suffering from a progressive heart disorder, he collected food packages for children in famine-stricken Moscow and Petrograd as well as organised orphanages and shelters for the homeless. Vladimir Korolenko died in Poltava, Ukraine, of the complications of pneumonia on 25th December 1921. He was 68.

Vladimir Korolenko (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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The Beast with Five Fingers

William Fryer Harvey AM was born on 14th April 1885 into a wealthy Quaker family in Leeds, West Yorkshire.He was educated at the Quaker Bootham School in Yorkshire and Leighton Park School in Reading before university at Balliol College, Oxford. His health was fragile and he poured his energies into writing short stories and in 1910 published his first collection ‘Midnight House’.In the Great War he was with the Friends' Ambulance Unit and then served as a surgeon-lieutenant in the Royal Navy. There he received the Albert Medal for Lifesaving but lung damage received at that time troubled him for the rest of his life.He continued to write short stories, and even a memoir, but by 1925 ill health had forced his retirement to any outside work. Three years later he published his second collection which contained his macabre classic ‘The Beast with Five fingers’, only one more collection would come from his pen in his lifetime.For many years of his life he now lived in Switzerland with his wife but a yearning to be home saw them come back to England in 1935.W F Harvey died in Letchworth on the 4th June 1937. He was 52.

W F Harvey (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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A Rose of the Ghetto

Israel Zangwill was born in London on 21st January 1864, to a family of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. Zangwill was initially educated in Plymouth and Bristol. At age 9 he was enrolled in the Jews' Free School in Spitalfields in east London. Zangwill excelled here. He began to teach part-time at the school and eventually full time. Whilst teaching he also studied with the University of London and by 1884 had earned his BA with triple honours in philosophy, history, and the sciences.His writing earned him the sobriquet "the Dickens of the Ghetto" primarily based on his much lauded novel 'Children of the Ghetto: A Study of a Peculiar People' in 1892 and its glimpse of the poverty-stricken life in London's Jewish quarter.As a writer he was keen to reflect on his political and social outlooks. His simulation of Yiddish sentence structure in English aroused great interest. His mystery work, 'The Big Bow Mystery' (1892) was the first locked room mystery novel. Zangwill was also involved with narrowly focused Jewish issues as an assimilationist, an early Zionist, and later a territorialist. In the early 1890s he joined the Lovers of Zion movement in England. In 1897 he joined Theodor Herzl (considered the father of modern political Zionism) in founding the World Zionist Organization. Zangwill quit the established philosophy of Zionism when his plan for a homeland in Uganda was rejected and founded his own organisation; the Jewish Territorialist Organization. Its stated goal was to create a Jewish homeland in whatever territory in the world could be found for them. Amongst the challenges in his life he found time to write poetry. He had translated a medieval Jewish poet in 1903 and his volume 'Blind Children' in 1908 was well received. 'The Melting Pot' in 1909 made Zangwill's name as an admired playwright. When the play opened in Washington D.C., former President Theodore Roosevelt leaned over the edge of his box and shouted, "That's a great play, Mr. Zangwill, that's a great play." Israel Zangwill died on 1st August 1926 in Midhurst, West Sussex.

Israel Zangwill (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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The 4.15 Express

Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards was born on 7th June 1831 in Islington, London. She was educated at home by her mother and showed early promise as a writer, publishing her first poem at the age of 7 and her first story at 12. Thereafter several popular periodicals published her poetry, stories and articles.In addition she also illustrated some of her own writings and painted scenes from books she had read. This talent was not supported by her parents, who saw an artist's life as scandalous. Undeterred Amelia took up composing and performing music until a bout of typhus caused throat damage. Other interests soon followed until, early in the 1850s, Amelia focused exclusively on writing. Her early novels were well received, and with 'Barbara's History' in 1864, a work revolving around bigamy, her reputation was established. Amelia's pen was also the purveyor of ghost stories for magazines and are still anthologized as classic tales to this day.In January 1851, Amelia became engaged, apparently to please her parents, but she quickly broke it off. In reality her emotional attachments were almost exclusively with women. From the early 1860s she lived with Ellen Drew Braysher, a widow 27 years her senior, until both women died in early 1892. During this relationship other women also entered and left her life. Her frequent travelling companion, Lucy Renshaw, accompanied her to Egypt in the winter of 1873 and there she found a life-changing interest in Egyptology. Aware of increasing threats from tourism and modern development she became an advocate for their research and preservation. To advance the work Amelia largely abandoned much of her writing in favour of Egyptology and even took on strenuous lecture tours to raise funds.After catching influenza, Amelia Edwards, 'the Godmother of Egyptology' died on 15th April 1892 at Weston-super-Mare. She was 60.

Amelia B. Edwards (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Amelia Edwards - A Short Story Collection

Amelia B. Edwards (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Mrs Raeburn's Waxwork

Lady Eleanor Furneaux Smith was born in Birkenhead, Merseyside in England on the 7th August 1902 into a privileged family steeped in titles and politics.Part of her education was at Miss Douglas's school at Queen's Gate. Here she met and befriended several other young women that the British tabloid press would later call the 'Bright Young Things', a group of bohemian young aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London.Smith's paternal great-grandmother, was said to have been a Gypsy, and this sparked an early and life-long interest with the Romani people, she even went so far as to learn to read and speak the language, which she called 'musical and broken.'Her life was full of adventure and mishaps. A mistaken encounter with a man she thought could help her into the film business turned out to threats of marriage and death from a man wanted for the murder of his father. She was even arrested twice. Once for listing her career as a journalist and another, in Rome, for walking around in a sleeveless dress.Smith began her career writing society gossip columns for various newspapers but later received an offer to write for the newly-formed Great Carmo Circus, with which she travelled for several years and was the source material for many of her books.Her first novel, 'Red Wagon', was published when she was 28 and it was an immediate bestseller. A prolific writer several of her works were also adapted for films.Smith also wrote ghost stories and others flavoured with evil. Her support for the Conservative party may be forgiven but her attributed quote to be a 'warm adherent of General Franco' less so.Lady Eleanor Furneaux Smith died on the 20th October 1945 in Westminster after a long illness. She was 43.

Lady Eleanor Smith (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Love Triangle - Short Stories

Love. Perhaps the one word solution for everything. An emotion, a state of mind that we strive for, search for. A wondrous force that binds, inspires, and a force that can spin out of control; unbalanced and fragile. Love reflects, changes and embraces us all. In this series we explore the many facets of love through literary talents that span both time and country. In true love one plus one will almost always equal that ideal. But sometimes the formula is a little different. In a love triangle a third party assumes a bigger role. One person is drawn to them, the other experiences rage, humiliation, rejection, pain. Maybe all. And so the question is do they fight to remove the interloper or see that it is they themselves who must go. Our writers ask, and probe, and reveal answers and solutions of almost every scenario.1 - Love Triangle - Short Stories - An Introduction2 - Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F Scott Fitzgerald3 - Two Little Soldiers by Guy de Maupassant4 - The Power of Darkness by Edith Nesbit5 - The Converts by Israel Zangwill6 - The Criminal from Lost Honour by Friedrich Schiller7 - The Sexton's Hero by Elizabeth Gaskell8 - The Snow by Hugh Walpole9 - No 5 Branch Line. The Engineer by Amelia Edwards10 - The Victory by Rabindranath Tagore11 - The Unfortunate Bride or The Blind Lady a Beauty by Aphra Behn12 - The Pleasant Husband by Marjorie Bowen13 - The Awakening by Sherwood Anderson14 - Cheating The Gallows by Israel Zangwill

Israel Zangwill, Sherwood Anderson (Author), Eve Karpf, Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Arthur Machen - A Short Story Collection

Arthur Llewelyn Jones was born in Caerleon, Monmouthshire on the 3rd March 1863.Machen came from a long line of clergymen, and when he was two, his father became vicar of a small parish about five miles north of Caerleon, and Machen was brought up at the rectory there.In his early years he received an excellent classical education, but family poverty ruled out university, and he was sent to London to sit exams to attend medical school but failed the exams. He did show literary promise with the publication of the poem 'Eleusinia' in 1821. But life in London was difficult and it was only in 1884 that he published again and was taken on to translate several French works which thereafter became the standard editions for many years.In 1887, his father died. That same year he married Amelia Hogg, a maverick music teacher with a passion for the theatre. He also began to receive legacies from Scottish relatives which allowed him to devote more time to writing.After publishing in literary magazines in 1894 he published his first book 'The Great God Pan'. Its sexual and horrific content very much helped sales.Over the next decade or so he wrote some of his best work but was unable to find a publisher mainly due to the collapse of the decadent market over Oscar Wilde's scandalous trial.In 1899, his wife died and during his long recovery he took up acting and travelled around the country as part of a travelling company. Three years later he was publishing again and had remarried.Re-publishing of earlier works helped anchor both his reputation and his income. By the time the Great War opened Europe's wounds he returned to the public eye with 'The Bowmen' helped by the publicity around the 'Angel of Mons' episode.However, by the late 20's new works had dried up and his back catalogue was no longer a source of regular income.In 1932 he received a Civil List pension of ?100 per annum but other work was not forthcoming. His finances finally stabilised with a literary appeal in 1943 for his eightieth birthday and allowed him to live his remaining years in relative comfort.Arthur Machen died on 15th December 1947 in Beaconsfield. He was 84.1 - Arthur Machen - A Short Story Collection - An Introduction2 - N by Arthur Machen3 - Psychology by Arthur Machen4 - Dr Duthoit's Vision by Arthur Machen5 - The Bowmen by Arthur Machen6 - Witchcraft by Arthur Machen7 - The Novel of the White Powder by Arthur Machen

Arthur Machen, James Weldon Johnson (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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The Telegram

H G Wells and Ford Maddox Ford|Isobel Violet Hunt was born on 28th September 1862 in Durham. As a young child her family moved to London and Hunt was brought up amongst the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists. As a writer she was comfortable and talented enough to write across several forms including short stories|and biography. Her novels are excellent examples of New Woman fiction and help illustrate her activities fighting for and promoting better rights for women.Although she remained unmarried she had lovers as notable as Somerset Maugham|and for her founding of the Women Writers' Suffrage League in 1908 and her participation in the founding of International PEN in 1921.Violet Hunt died of pneumonia at her home in Campden Hill on 16th January 1942. She was 79 and is buried at Brookwood Cemetery.Once more Hunt takes a common occurrence|as the stepping off point for a woman to question whether she should get married|but fate has not yet dealt its final hand.|memoir|novels|the delivery of a telegram|the latter whom she lived with for a number of years.Her collections of supernatural short stories contain much of her best work and despite her considerable talents and literary output her reputation rests both on the literary salons she held at her home in Campden Hill|where the very best of literary society attended

Violet Hunt (Author), Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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Short Stories About Suicide

Life has the capacity of great moments and attainment, of lives well lived, fulfilling for ourselves and for those we touch.But for others life is arduous. There is no spark to ignite the curiosity, to explore and achieve a stability and a growth to their lives. Indeed their lives, in their own eyes, become almost meaningless, their sense of themselves subsumed under a myriad of problems, whether real or imagined. Seismic events in a life might crush them; the loss of a loved one for instance. Coping is difficult, support hard to find and isolation abounds. We never really know the reason or motivation but sometimes one final, dreadful way out is the solution. In this volume our authors including, Amy Levy, Willa Cather, Honore de Balzac, O Henry, Franz Kafka and a wealth or others explore stories that help us to understand and recognise a tragic circumstance.1 - Short Stories About Suicide - An Introduction2 - Suicides by Guy de Maupassant3 - The Dream of a Ridiculous Man by Fyodor Dostovesky4 - A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka5 - The Legacy by Virginia Woolf6 - The Informer by Joseph Conrad7 - Claude Gueux by Victor Hugo8 - The Furnished Room by O Henry9 - The Mourner by Mary Shelley10 - The Victory by Rabindranath Tagore11 - A Passion in the Desert by Honore De Balzac12 - An Imaginative Woman by Thomas Hardy13 - An Egyptian Cigarette by Kate Chopin14 - Volodya by Anton Chekhov15 - Paul's Case by Willa Cather16 - A Slav Soul by Alexander Kuprin17 - Cohen of Trinity by Amy Levy18 - The Story of A Conscience by Ambrose Bierce19 - The Cold Embrace by Mary Elizabeth Braddon20 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb21 - The Crystal Man by Edward Page Mitchell22 - The End of a Show by Barry Pain23 - An Outcast of the People by Bithia Mary Croker24 - A Responsibility by Henry Harland25 - When Spirits Steal by Philippa Forest26 - The Spider by Hanns Heinz Ewers27 - The Quadroons by Lydia Maria Child28 - Sokratics in the Strand by Amy Levy29 - In the Penal Colony by Franz Kafka

Ambrose Bierce, Amy Levy, Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostovesky, Guy De Maupassant, Honore de Balzac, Joseph Conrad, Kate Chopin, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, O Henry, Rabindranath Tagore, Thomas Hardy, Victor Hugo, Virginia Woolf (Author), Laurel Lefkow, Mark Rice-Oxley, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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The Ghost in the Garden Room

Elizabeth Stevenson was born in Chelsea in London on 29th September 1810. Both parents embedded their strong Unitarian beliefs into Elizabeth who rebelliously was often reluctant to display these religious convictions. The early death of Elizabeth's mother saw her sent away to be brought up by her maternal aunt in Knutsford, Cheshire. Her father now remarried but Elizabeth spent most of her childhood in Cheshire away from her father and his new family but was supportive towards her half-siblings. Elizabeth's aunt encouraged her education and particularly to read and express herself through writing. In 1828, her brother John, who worked in the merchant navy, disappeared on a journey to India. This disastrous loss depressed her father, and she went to his household to nurse him for the next year before he died. In 1832, she fell in love with William Gaskell, a Unitarian minister like her father, and married him. They settled in Manchester. This booming industrial city had a great impact on Elizabeth who felt the need to speak up for poor workers and their exploitation by large industrial companies. A collection of poems and short stories, 'Sketches among the Poor' appeared in 1837, co-authored by her husband. Her first major work, under a pseudonym, was 'Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life' published in 1848.During her career she worked continually with Charles Dickens and published much in his various magazines. With him she published 'Lizzie Leigh' in 1850 which dealt with the taboo subject of prostitution. She was an excellent writer and impressed her many Victorian literary peers. Much of her writing reflects her work as a social critic highlighting the exploitation of the working class and the situation of women in society. On 12th November 1865, Elizabeth Gaskell died in Holybourne, Hampshire, after suffering from a heart attack a month earlier.

Elizabeth Gaskell (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Mark Rice-Oxley (Narrator)

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The Haunted House

Whilst writer Charles Dickens needs no introduction, his 'Haunted House' anthology might, not least because in his role as editor he introduces a formidable array of known and lesser-known literary talents. Dickens started a tradition of releasing stories each Christmas with 'A Christmas Carol' in 1843. 'The Haunted House' was his 1859 offering and, as the name suggests, is set in a large house which, as his introductory story explains, is desired by John the narrator, as a temporary country retreat for health reasons. He is made aware of the terror the house holds for the locals but undaunted, he and his sister, Patty, take residence without any servants, save for the deaf stable hand, who is untroubled by the ghostly goings on. John and Patty invite friends to visit and except Patty who keeps her own room, they all draw lots for which rooms they will stay in but agree not to share their experiences of their rooms until the twelfth night.On that night they all gather together to feast on their experiences and share them with each other. The Haunted House is a skillful portmanteau by Dickens, assembling the best literary talent of his age including Wilkie Collins, Elizabeth Gaskell, Hesba Stretton, Adelaide Anne Proctor, George Augustus Sala and, of course, the literary leviathan himself to delight us, scare us and occasionally raise a laugh or two before the next moment of fear and dread come calling.

Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins (Author), Ghizela Rowe, Mark Rice-Oxley, Richard Mitchley (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Mark Rice-Oxley