Showing results by author "John Dryden" in All Categories

While running in Central Park, New York Times science writer Damon Ellis crashes—literally—into a story that just might resurrect his career…and change the course of human history. On the face of it, it seems absurd—a small biotech company in Boston called Calypso that claims to have cracked the secret of eternal youth. Surely a hoax. Or is it?

Raunchy, risqué and rebellious, early Restoration comedies were a breath of fresh air for 17th century theatregoers. With Charles II restored to the throne in 1660, Oliver Cromwell's ban on stage performances was rescinded, and for the first time, women were invited to tread the boards as actresses. Playwrights developed a new style of social comedy, packed with amorous escapades, bawdy humour, wicked wit and sexual innuendo. This scintillating anthology showcases six leading lights of early Restoration drama.

Tumanbay: the wealthiest city on Earth. The beating heart of a vast empire. A city of dreams, where those who once arrived as slaves now hold power, and merchants, artists and warriors live side-by-side in peace. But this magnificent city is under threat. A rebellion in a far-off province, led by 'Queen' Maya, is gathering strength - and a mysterious force is devouring the empire from within.

Plutarch’s Lives remains one of the world’s most profoundly influential literary works. Written at the beginning of the second century, it forms a brilliant social history of the ancient world. His “parallel lives” were originally presented in a series of books that gave an account of one Greek and one Roman life, followed by a comparison of the two. Volume 1 compares Theseus and Romulus, Alcibiades and Coriolanus, and Aristides and Marcus Cato, among others.

On 4 January 2011, millionaire businessman and governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer was shot to death. He had been leading a campaign to amend Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, after an illiterate Christian woman was sentenced to death for blasphemy. Within hours, a Facebook page for the assassin Mumtaz Qadri had over 2000 members. Transferred to jail, Qadri was garlanded with roses by lawyers offering to take his case for free.

This epic chronicle by Plutarch (A.D. 46-120) continues with the lives of great Grecians and Romans. These biographies of the men who created the ancient world are brought to life in this new, high-quality recording. Legends such as Caesar, Alexander, Cicero, Demosthenes, and many others come alive as their politics, economy, and their individual stories play out in the time of the ancients. This translation is by John Dryden and is considered by scholars to be the quintessential translation.

After a century of civil strife in Rome and Italy, the poet Virgil wrote The Aeneid to honor the emperor Augustus by praising Aeneas, Augustus's legendary ancestor. As a patriotic epic imitating Homer, The Aeneid also set out to provide Rome with a literature equal to that of Greece.

A three-part BBC Radio drama about modern-day spying set in Cairo against a backdrop of the "Arab Spring". Hard-up Coptic art expert Duncan Kavanagh scrapes a living as a private English language tutor and by showing tourists around the ancient churches of Cairo. He lives with his...

This captivating book blends history and travelogue, recounting a brief visit by a wealthy U.S. politician during a tumultuous era in Haiti’s past, marked by American invasion and occupation. Through Dryden’s eyes, we explore various facets of Haitian culture, including education, religion, and commerce, revealing a mix of optimism and the limitations of a casual observers perspective. One memorable chapter details his duck hunting expedition, illustrating the disconnect between privilege and the lived realities of the Haitian people. Despite its shortcomings, this account sheds light on ...

Dive into the rich tapestry of verse that defines the era of John Dryden, as this podcast presents a rotating collection of his poetic works. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, showcasing Dryden's role as a significant political and religious commentator of his time. With themes of power, loyalty, and societal reflection woven throughout his elaborate poems, listeners will encounter a landscape filled with panegyrics, allegories, and incisive satires that challenge the status quo. These unique explorations offer insight into the complexities of Restoration England, where the ...

Immerse yourself in a realm where magic, betrayal, and redemption collide, inspired by the evocative title "Tempest." This podcast invites listeners to explore the intricate dance between power and vulnerability, as characters grapple with their pasts and seek to reclaim their destinies amidst swirling chaos. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that delves into themes of transformation, the human spirit, and the tempestuous forces of nature and emotion. This is not a single story but a collection of unique narratives that illuminate the complexities of life and the choices we make. ...

Dive into the spirited realm of poetic rivalry as "Dryden vs Shadwell - a Poetic Duel" invites listeners to explore the dynamic tension between creativity and criticism. This podcast unpacks the intricate relationship between two influential poets whose clash of ideas sparked a vibrant exchange of satire and artistry. With each episode featuring a new complete audiobook, audiences will encounter a rotating collection of works that highlight the themes of artistic ambition, intellectual rivalry, and the struggle for literary legacy. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations...

Delve into a landscape where political intrigue and personal ambition intertwine, inspired by the complex dynamics of power struggles and betrayal. This podcast invites you to explore the themes of loyalty, rebellion, and the blurred lines between advisor and adversary, as reflected in the rich allegory of Absalom and Achitophel. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, offering a rotating collection that captures the essence of historical and contemporary narratives steeped in political tension. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that illuminate the timeless...

This book is part history and part travelogue, an account of a brief visit by a wealthy, white U.S. politician during a lamentable time in Haiti’s history of its invasion and occupation by the U.S. military. Dryden offers his views of elements of Haitian culture such as education, religion and commerce, with some optimism but with the shallow understanding of a casual observer who has not been immersed in the culture enough to provide truly insightful understanding. One chapter is an account of his duck hunting expedition. This is, nonetheless, valuable in helping us understand how many ...

John Dryden was an English poet and playwright who was the first person to hold the title of Poet Laureate. Many of Dryden's lyrics were designed to be set music and this was done by a number of composers including Henry Purcell and George Frederick Handel. - Summary by Alan Mapstone

King Arthur, or The British Worthy, is a play or Semi-Opera with a libretto by John Dryden and music by Henry Purcell. It was first performed at the Queen's Theatre in London in 1691. In this unusual version of the Arthurian legend Arthur is King of Britain fighting to repel the invading Saxons led by Oswald, King of Kent, and in love with the blind Princess Emmeline, daughter of the Duke of Cornwall. The play has many supernatural elements, Enchanters, Magicians, Spirits, Apparitions and Transformations. The play ends with a Masque for which Purcell wrote some of his finest music including ...

In 1667, Dryden published Annus Mirabilis, a lengthy historical poem which described the English defeat of the Dutch naval fleet and the Great Fire of London. This work established him as the pre-eminent poet of his generation, and was crucial in his attaining the posts of Poet Laureate in 1668 and a couple of years later, historiographer royal (1670), as his talent encompassed many forms; from poetry to plays to translations. In 1694 he began work on what would be his most ambitious and defining work as translator, The Works of Virgil (1697).

June - the sixth month of the year in our Gregorian calendar and the official byginning of summer. The days stretch to their longest, and many subjects and thoughts fill the minds of our poets, such as Dryden, Levy, Raleigh, Blunt and Dickenson, as they describy the warming days.

A three-part thriller by John Dryden. In Part 1, 'The Present', Dr Jan Roldano, microbiologist and WHO advisor on infectious diseases, arrives in Bangkok to give a keynote lecture at a medical conference. But when a virulent strain of bird flu emerges, he finds himself trapped in Thailand...

Plutarch’s Lives remains one of the world’s most profoundly influential literary works. Written at the beginning of the second century, it forms a brilliant social history of the ancient world. second volume includes Alexander and Caesar, Demetrius and Antony, Dion and Marcus Brutus, the aforementioned Demosthenes and Cicero, as well as biographies of Alexander, Caesar, Cato the Younger, and others.