Showing results by narrator "John MacDonald" in All Categories

Peace may finally be at hand in the Middle East - as Deputy Director of the CIA Jack Ryan lays the groundwork for a peace plan that could end centuries of conflict. But ruthless terrorists have a final, desperate card to play: they have their hands on a nuclear weapon and have placed it on American soil in the midst of an escalation in tension with the Soviet Union. The terrorists hope to rekindle cold war animosity and prevent reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Razio Yamata is one of Japan's most influential industrialists, and part of a relatively small group of authority who wield tremendous authority in the Pacific Rim's economic powerhouse. He has devised a plan to cripple the American greatness, humble the US military, and elevate Japan to a position of dominance on the world stage. Yamata's motivation lies in his desire to pay off a Debt of Honor to his parents and to the country he feels is responsible for their deaths - America.

This ghostly (and ghastly) collection includes: "The Upper Berth", "The Lady's Maid", "Markheim", "Ghost Stories of the Tiled House","What Was It?", "Madame Crowl's Ghost" and "The Golden Arm".

Cunning. Corrupt. Charismatic. The degenerate characters in this collection shun conventional morality, and will stop at nothing to get what they want... These five sensational dramas, set in locations ranging from 16th century Venice to Victorian England, revolve around their unscrupulous actions – and the devastating consequences of the choices they make.

In the first story, Rip Van Winkle returns to a strange world after a very long sleep. In The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane encounters haunting difficulties and a headless horseman during his courtship of the lovely Katrina.

Selections include: "The Duel" and "The Umbrella" by Guy de Maupasssant; "The Schartz-Metterklume Method", "The Open Window", and "The Story Teller" by Saki; "The Scandal Monger" and "Verochka" by Anton Chekhov; and "The Wardrobe" by Thomas Mann.

Selections include "The Robber Bridegroom" by Washington Irving, "The Stolen White Elephant" by Mark Twain, "Chickamauga" by Ambrose Bierce, "The Mission of Jane" by Edith Wharton, and "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe.

In a small New England town, Ethan Frome aches for the love of his wife's cousin who is sharing their home. This beautifully written story is full of love, irony, and, ultimately, deep tragedy.

This volume includes: "When God Doesn't Listen" by Francis Chan; "Submission through Prayer" by James MacDonald; "Waiting On God" by John Ortberg: and "Why We Shouldn't Give Up On Prayer" by Bill Hybels.

These eerie tales include "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Adventure of Silver Blaze" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "The Old House On Vauxhall Walk" by Charlotte Riddle, "Levison's Victim" by Mary Braddon, and "The Woman With the Yellow Hair" by Anonymous.

Edgar Allan Poe (born Edgar Poe) was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19th, 1809, and was orphaned at an early age. Taken in by the Allan family, his education was cut short by lack of money, and he went to the military academy West Point where he failed to become an officer. His early literary works were poetic, but he quickly turned to prose. He worked for several magazines and journals until in January 1845, The Raven was published and became an instant classic.

In 'Rightfully Mine', Ella Hickson explores the relationship between a mother and a daughter and asks what rights raising a child gives you - do the things you do for your children really come for free? 'I suddenly wonder whether the best thing you can ever do for your child is not to sacrifice anything for them, to live, almost in spite of them - that way you'll never hold it against them - you'll never feel that they owe you anything...'

Leviathans stride the poetic stage, known to us all and revered by many. Their verse is at once familiar and yet constantly reveals new layers and depths, new ways of thinking and assembling words to reveal new truths, new feelings and above all new poetry.

Sherwood Anderson was born on 13th September 1876 in Camden, Ohio. That same year his first book ‘Windy McPherson’s Son’ was released and in 1919, his most famous book, ‘Winesburg, Ohio’, a collection of short stories about life in an Ohio town was released. Anderson continued to write short stories, novels and non-fiction but his only true bestseller came with ‘Dark Laughter’. His influence on writers that followed, from Faulkner to Hemingway, was immense. He also married a further two times.

The American West. A landscape hewn in vastness as its rips from Plains, to deserts, to mountain, to ocean overlaid by waves of emigration of peoples either dispossessed or searching for a new life and the American dream. These are their stories. Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.

William Sydney Porter was born on 11th September 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. At age 3 his mother died from tuberculosis. From an early age it was clear Porter had a large appetite for reading as he absorbed the world around him. He was a member of several singing and dramatic groups when he met 17 year old Athol Estes, daughter of a wealthy Austin family. Despite her mother’s objection owing to Athol’s tuberculosis, they began courting and in July 1887, they eloped and soon married.

William Sydney Porter was born on 11th September 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. At age 3 his mother died from tuberculosis. From an early age it was clear Porter had a large appetite for reading as he absorbed the world around him. He was a member of several singing and dramatic groups when he met 17 year old Athol Estes, daughter of a wealthy Austin family. Despite her mother’s objection owing to Athol’s tuberculosis, they began courting and in July 1887, they eloped and soon married.

Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce was born on 24th June 1842 at Horse Cave Creek in Meigs County, Ohio. His parents were poor but they introduced him to literature at an early age, instilling in him a deep appreciation of books, the written word and the elegance of language. In 1891 Bierce wrote and published the collection of 26 short stories which included ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’. Success and further works including poetry followed.

William Sydney Porter was born on 11th September 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. At age 3 his mother died from tuberculosis. From an early age it was clear Porter had a large appetite for reading as he absorbed the world around him. He was a member of several singing and dramatic groups when he met 17 year old Athol Estes, daughter of a wealthy Austin family. Despite her mother’s objection owing to Athol’s tuberculosis, they began courting and in July 1887, they eloped and soon married.

James Hogg was a farmer, poet, novelist and self-educated genius. A friend of Sir Walter Scott, he is recognised today as one of Scotland’s great writers. His masterpiece, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, has influenced authors from Robert Louis Stevenson to Irvine Welsh, and remains relevant today. Re-envisioned for radio, it is included here, alongside a chilling supernatural tale and a drama-documentary exploring his remarkable life.