William CarÂlos Williams – docÂtor by day, poet by night, and cerÂtainÂly one of AmerÂiÂca’s finest. In this 1954 audio clip, we hear Williams readÂing his own poetÂry at the stoÂried 92nd Street Y in New York City. Poems include: “A Sort of a Song,” “The ManeuÂver,” “SeaÂfarÂer,” “The Three Graces,” “PaterÂson, Episode 17,” “The Descent” and “Fish.” The reads are now added to the PoetÂry secÂtion of our Free Audio Books ColÂlecÂtion.
PoetÂry lovers take note: PeoÂple ReadÂing Poems is a very new web site where users can come to hear recordÂings of peoÂple readÂing poems they love, and also to share their own favorite poems. It’s all comÂpleteÂly free and easy to use. If you have a free moment, pay it a visÂit and help the site grow.
OC conÂtribÂuÂtor Seth HarÂwood has someÂthing excitÂing going on over at his site today: he’s launchÂing the pre-order sales of his new novÂel YOUNG JUNIUS, which is due out this fall. This is partÂly worth notÂing because Seth’s path to pubÂliÂcaÂtion involves givÂing away his work for free as MP3 audioÂbooks. You can even lisÂten to all of YOUNG JUNIUS before you make a buy. If you’re a fan of crime or mysÂtery ficÂtion, or you dig The Wire, you’ll love this book!
Now, Seth is partÂnerÂing with indeÂpenÂdent pubÂlishÂer Tyrus Books to break new ground in pubÂlishÂing strateÂgies. To read the full descripÂtion of what he’s up to, go here. The brief verÂsion involves the pre-order of speÂcial, limÂitÂed ediÂtion copies of the book that feaÂture cloth bindÂing, fan-creÂatÂed covÂer art, phoÂtos of the stoÂry’s locaÂtions, signed perÂsonÂalÂizaÂtion and more. By offerÂing these for a limÂitÂed time via his site, he and Tyrus are able to print just the quanÂtiÂty sold and balÂance some of the cost (reduce the risk) of the book’s full print run–hardcover, paperÂback AND speÂcial ediÂtion.
If you’d like to read more about this or order a copy, head over to sethharwood.com. When you do, use the code OC to save $3 off the covÂer price of the book! Enjoy!!
Seth HarÂwood is a voraÂcious readÂer, subÂverÂsive pubÂlishÂing maven and crime novÂelÂist.
This year, Tim BurÂton’s proÂducÂtion of Alice In WonÂderÂland was welÂcomed by a flurÂry of media buzz and a rather polarÂized pubÂlic response debatÂing whether the iconÂic direcÂtor had butchered or reinÂventÂed the even more iconÂic chilÂdren’s clasÂsic. But disÂcusÂsion of the film’s creÂative merÂits aside, one thing it did do brilÂliantÂly was rekinÂdle the pubÂlic’s interÂest in what’s easÂiÂly the most beloved work of chilÂdren’s litÂerÂaÂture of the past two cenÂturies.
So beloved, in fact, that Lewis CarÂrolÂl’s 1865 novÂel has genÂerÂatÂed hunÂdreds of reprints, film adapÂtaÂtions and varÂiÂous derivÂaÂtive works over the years. Many of these works are now availÂable in the pubÂlic domain — even a simÂple search in the InterÂnet Archive sends you down a rabÂbit hole of adapÂtaÂtions and remakes, spanÂning from landÂmark earÂly cinÂeÂma treaÂsures to offÂbeat prodÂucts of conÂtemÂpoÂrary digÂiÂtal culÂture.
Today, we’ve curatÂed a selecÂtion of the most interÂestÂing and culÂturÂalÂly sigÂnifÂiÂcant — the “curiÂouser and curiÂouser,” if you will — free verÂsions of, tribÂutes to, and derivÂaÂtives of Alice’s AdvenÂtures In WonÂderÂland.
The funÂdaÂmenÂtals: A Project GutenÂberg free digÂiÂtal copy of CarÂrolÂl’s origÂiÂnal Alice’s AdvenÂtures In WonÂderÂland text
A 1916 abridged verÂsion intendÂed for younger chilÂdren, digÂiÂtized by the Library of ConÂgress, is availÂable from the InterÂnaÂtionÂal ChilÂdren’s DigÂiÂtal Library and feaÂtures some wonÂderÂful illusÂtraÂtion — though, regretÂtably, it lacks the Cheshire Cat
For a clasÂsic with a spin, try this audio verÂsion read by blogÂger extraÂorÂdiÂnaire, BoingÂBoÂing co-ediÂtor, PopÂuÂlar SciÂence columÂnist and vocal free conÂtent advoÂcate Cory DocÂtorow
The earÂliÂest cinÂeÂmatÂic adapÂtaÂtion of the book, directÂed by Cecil HepÂworth in 1903, is a silent film gem, clockÂing in at just 8 minÂutes and 19 secÂonds. Watch above.
In 1915, W. W. Young directÂed the secÂond AmerÂiÂcan adapÂtaÂtion of Alice — a masÂsive six-reel proÂducÂtion that showÂcased the rapid evoÂluÂtion of filmÂmakÂing in just a decade since the first proÂducÂtion. Though much of the film is now lost, 42 minÂutes of it can be seen at the InterÂnet Archive for free
A 1966 British adapÂtaÂtion by direcÂtor Jonathan Miller for the BBC feaÂtures an ambiÂtious cast — includÂing Peter SellÂers as the King of Hearts, Sir John GielÂguld as Mock TurÂtle, Michael RedÂgrave as The CaterÂpilÂlar and Peter Cook as the Mad HatÂter — and its soundÂtrack, scored by the legÂendary Ravi Shankar, exudes the borÂderÂline folk-psyÂcheÂdelia sound of the WoodÂstock era. The film, dividÂed into sevÂen parts, is availÂable for free on YouTube.
This 2‑minute verÂsion of Alice In WonÂderÂland shot in the virÂtuÂal world SecÂond Life is an eerie tesÂtaÂment to just how wideÂly CarÂrolÂl’s clasÂsic resÂonates.
PerÂhaps the biggest treaÂsure of all, Lewis CarÂrolÂl’s origÂiÂnal manÂuÂscript, availÂable from the British Library — 91 pages of preÂcious litÂerÂary hisÂtoÂry, with origÂiÂnal illusÂtraÂtions from artist John TenÂniel. The online gallery also feaÂtures a prefÂace telling the fasÂciÂnatÂing stoÂry of the Oxford mathÂeÂmatiÂcian’s real-life inspiÂraÂtion for the book and the fate of the real Alice
Maria PopoÂva is the founder and ediÂtor in chief of Brain PickÂings, a curatÂed invenÂtoÂry of eclecÂtic interÂestÂingÂness and indisÂcrimÂiÂnate curiosÂiÂty. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD MagÂaÂzine and HuffÂinÂgÂton Post, and spends a disÂturbÂing amount of time curatÂing interÂestÂingÂness on TwitÂter.
We’re bringÂing you some great authors this week. First it was HemÂingÂway, then Orwell, and now Capote.
In 1958, TruÂman Capote put his stamp on the AmerÂiÂcan litÂerÂary scene when he pubÂlished his short novÂel, BreakÂfast at Tiffany’s, in the pages of Esquire magÂaÂzine. Authors and critÂics were quick to recÂogÂnize what Capote had accomÂplished here. The always opinÂionÂatÂed NorÂman MailÂer would say that Capote “is the most perÂfect writer of my genÂerÂaÂtion, he writes the best senÂtences word for word, rhythm upon rhythm. I would not have changed two words in BreakÂfast at Tiffany’s which will become a small clasÂsic.” About that, MailÂer was exactÂly right. BreakÂfast at Tiffany’s is now a clasÂsic book – not to menÂtion a clasÂsic film too (watch the trailÂer with the iconÂic Audrey HepÂburn here). And now let’s rewind the audioÂtape and take you back to 1963, to the great 92nd Street Y in New York city, where TruÂman Capote reads from his litÂtle clasÂsic in his own disÂtincÂtive voice. This audio clip runs about 17 minÂutes. Have a lisÂten.
LookÂing for free, proÂfesÂsionÂalÂly-read audio books from Audible.com? Here’s a great, no-strings-attached deal. If you start a 30 day free triÂal with Audible.com, you can downÂload two free audio books of your choice. Get more details on the offer here.
William FaulknÂer’s As I Lay Dying is wideÂly conÂsidÂered one of the great AmerÂiÂcan novÂels. Quite an accomÂplishÂment, espeÂcialÂly conÂsidÂerÂing that FaulknÂer wrote the novÂel in six weeks while workÂing at a powÂer plant in 1929–30. Read more about his day jobs here.
Thanks to HarperÂCollins, you can now lisÂten to FaulknÂer, himÂself, readÂing from his masÂterÂpiece: .au file (4.4 Mb), .gsm file (0.9 Mb), .ra file (0.5 Mb). The audio can be a litÂtle difÂfiÂcult to make out at times. But you can read right along with the text in Google Books. Enjoy. Thanks MS.
For more audio clasÂsics, check out our colÂlecÂtion of Free Audio Books.
Kurt VonÂnegut’s SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five was pubÂlished back in 1969, and the anti-war sci fi novÂel quickÂly became a clasÂsic. (The book now appears, for examÂple, on Time MagÂaÂzine’s list of All Time 100 NovÂels.) Whether you’ve read the novÂel or not, you’ll want to check this out. HarperÂCollins has postÂed online a recordÂing of VonÂnegut himÂself readÂing a lengthy pasÂsage from the work. And he does it with the “casuÂal irony that comÂpleÂments the novÂelÂ’s wonÂderÂfulÂly eccenÂtric tone.” You can stream VonÂnegut’s readÂing in the folÂlowÂing forÂmats: .au forÂmat (4.5 Mb), .gsm forÂmat (900 Kb), .ra forÂmat ( Mb). (SorÂry a straightÂforÂward mp3 is not availÂable.) Also, if you want some more VonÂnegut, feel free to downÂload his 1962 sci fi short stoÂry, 2BR02B, which is othÂerÂwise listÂed in our colÂlecÂtion of Free Audio Books.
Note: Audible.com offers a verÂsion of SlaughÂterÂhouse-Five narÂratÂed by actor/writer Ethan Hawke. You can downÂload it (or any anothÂer othÂer book) for free if you start a free 14 day triÂal. It has no strings attached. Get some more basic details here.
PerÂhaps you’re already familÂiar with LibÂrivox. If not, you should be. LibÂrivox proÂvides over 3000 free audio books. The books (all in the pubÂlic domain) are recordÂed by a pasÂsionÂate comÂmuÂniÂty of volÂunÂteers, and they’re all made freely availÂable to you. (See their catÂaÂlogue here.) MilÂlions of peoÂple have downÂloaded their books. And, as you can imagÂine, the web hostÂing costs can run quite high. For the first time in 4+ years, LibÂrivox is lookÂing to raise some monÂey. Please conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion, howÂevÂer small or large, and supÂport this very worthÂwhile project. You can find more inforÂmaÂtion and donate here.
About a week ago, I postÂed here about my PubÂlishÂing ExperÂiÂment Take 1. I spoke of the need for authors (Yes, Authors!) to make experÂiÂments in new media and pubÂlishÂing. Well, now’s the time to put my ficÂtion where my mouth is. Today I’m launchÂing my colÂlecÂtion of short stoÂries, A Long Way from DisÂney, on AmaÂzon’s KinÂdle platÂform at the price of $.99.
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