Showing results by author "Samuel Butler" in All Categories

Originally meant to be heard rather than read, this great epic returns to the oral form for today's listeners.

The Iliad, together with The Odyssey, is one of two ancient Greek epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer. The work is commonly dated to the 8th or 7th century BC, and many scholars believe it is the oldest extant work of literature in the Greek language, making it the first work of European literature. The story concerns events during the 10th and final year in the siege of the city of Troy by the Greeks.

A thinly disguised autobiographical novel, The Way of All Flesh is a powerful critique of late Victorian beliefs and values. It tells of several generations of the Pontifex family, with Ernest, son of hypocritical and domineering parents, at the center of its narrative. After a disastrous career in the church, culminating in a spell in prison, Ernest goes on to find his own way in the world, rejecting both Christianity and the strictures imposed by his family.

Having spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus embarks on his journey back to Ithica. To get there he must deceive a giant Cyclops, face Poseidon’s wrath, escape cannibalism, defeat the witch-goddess Circe, skirt the land of the Sirens, sail between a six-headed monster and a raging whirlpool, and escape captivity on the island of Calypso. But perhaps his biggest threat is his prolonged absence from home, as 108 suitors are vying for his wife’s hand in marriage.

The Way of All Flesh (1903) is a compelling semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler that boldly critiques the hypocrisy of the Victorian era. Spanning the lives of four generations of the Pontifex family, the narrative explores the decline of religious fervor, particularly through a Calvinistic lens that Butler portrays as unforgiving. Although he hesitated to publish it during his lifetime, the novel emerged posthumously as a powerful voice against Victorian ideals. Recognized for its impact, it ranks as the 12th greatest novel of the 20th century according to the Modern Library Board of...

Setting out to make his fortune in a far-off country, a young traveller discovers the remote and beautiful land of Erewhon, and is given a home among its extraordinarily handsome citizens. But their visitor soon discovers that this seemingly ideal community has its faults - here crime is treated indulgently as a malady to be cured, while illness, poverty, and misfortune are cruelly punished, and all machines have been superstitiously destroyed after a bizarre prophecy.

Step into the world of Erewhon, a strange and fascinating place unlike any you've ever encountered. In this groundbreaking novel by Samuel Butler, you'll find yourself questioning the very foundations of society. Join us as we delve into the thought-provoking themes and imaginative story of Erewhon. Subscribe now and be transported to a world of endless possibilities and endless questions. Don't miss a moment of this classic work of fiction, subscribe now.https://www.solgood.org - Check out our Streaming Service for our full collection of audiobooks, podcasts, short stories, & 10 hour sounds ...

This brilliant satirical novel, tracing the life and loves of Ernest Pontifex, has continued in popularity since its original publication in 1903. Every generation finds in The Way of All Flesh a reaffirmation of youth's rightful struggle against the tyranny of harsh parents and its admirable will for freedom of personal expression.

With The Way of All Flesh, Samuel Butler threw a subversive brick at the smug face of Victorian domesticity. Published in 1903, a year after Butler's death, the novel is a thinly disguised account of his own childhood and youth "in the bosom of a Christian family." With irony, wit, and sometimes rancor, he savaged contemporary values and beliefs, turning inside-out the conventional novel of a family's life through several generations.

Long considered the world's greatest adventure story, The Odyssey is celebration of life in all its infinite variety. The poem has deeply ingrained in us the sense of life as a journey, introducing a gallery of characters and events that have profoundly influenced western literature. Scylla and Charybdis, Circe, the Lotus Eaters, a visit with the dead, and, through it all, Odysseus's determined search for home, are all here in a classic translation.

Erewhon is not only an adventure story but also Butler's satirical inversion of English customs and philosophy in the 19th century. The explorer Higgs discovers a well organised and civilised country - apparently idyllic. However, the body politic has two ruling obsessions, disease is considered a crime and machinery is seen as a threat to the supremacy of man.

The Way of All Flesh is a semi-autobiographical novel by Samuel Butler which attacks Victorian-era hypocrisy. Written between 1873 and 1884, it traces four generations of the Pontifex family. It represents a relaxation from the religious outlook from a Calvinistic approach, which is presented as harsh. Butler dared not publish it during his lifetime, but when it was published, it was accepted as part of the general revulsion against Victorianism.

Set sail on a journey back to 1860 with Samuel Butler, as he leaves behind his life as the son of a Church of England clergyman and ventures to the South Island of New Zealand in search of fortune. Arriving at Lyttleton, the key port for the Canterbury Settlement, Butler embarks on a life-changing adventure into sheep farming. In A First Year in Canterbury Settlement, Butler vividly recounts his daring travels on horseback along the Canterbury rivers, leading him to the high country sheep run where he founded his station, Mesopotamia. He successfully returned to England in 1864, with his ...

What if everything we believed about morality, crime, health, and machines was reversed? In Erewhon, Samuel Butler delivers a brilliant satirical utopia where illness is treated as a crime, criminals are pitied like the sick, and machines are feared as dangerous competitors to mankind’s future. Originally published in 1872, this classic dystopian novel was far ahead of its time—questioning Victorian values, blind progress, and the foundations of civilization itself.