Showing results by narrator "Melissa Thompson" in All Categories

When marijuana enthusiast Blue McKenna suffers an apocalyptic case of writer's block, reality TV seems like an easy way out. A conglomerate of kooky contestants invades the polygamist community of Navel, Utah, to compete in a TV reality show. Participants include Steven Finch, a lovable stoner who develops a conspiracy theory involving a rock band called the Rectal Surgeons, and Randall Smoot, a member of the Gay Mafia.

The agenda to control the masses may be true. Most people today have heard of the Illuminati - a dark, evil, and sinister group that some say controls the world and whose powerful influence reaches into governments, religious powers, and the world's largest corporations. They are unseen, unheard, and yet their power and intent is clear - to change the world for their own ends.

Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879), a pioneering classic of outdoor literature, is one of Robert Louis Stevenson's earliest published works. It gives an account of his 12 day, 200 kilometer hiking journey through the sparsely populated areas of the Cévennes mountains in south-central France. The Cévennes was the site of a Protestant rebellion around 1702, which was severely suppressed by Louis XIV. Stevenson was well-versed in the history and evokes scenes from the rebellion as he passes through the area of the rebellion during the final days of his trek.

Charles Dudley Warner was an essayist, novelist, and friend of Mark Twain. My Summer in a Garden is a landmark of American garden writing. In the book, Warner chronicles his work in the garden, where he and his cat, Calvin, try to ward off a stream of invaders, from the neighbors' cows and thieving children, to the pusley weed. He makes the rounds of his beloved vegetable patch, to feel the sun on his back, the hoe in his hands, and to ponder the philosophical implications of contact with the earth, and companionship with gently growing things.

Sara Teasdale (1884 -1933) was a lyric poet whose third major work, 1917's Love Songs won both the Columbia Poetry Prize (later the Pulitzer) and the Poetry Society of America Prize in 1918. Her haunting poetry is characterized by clarity, simplicity, the use of classical forms, and romantic subject matter. The themes of Love Songs include love, nature, and death. Parts I and III of Love Songs include some poems from "Helen of Troy and other Poems" (1911) and "Rivers to the Sea" (1915).

"A Message to Garcia" is an inspirational essay by Elbert Hubbard, and was first published in 1899. It highlights the value of individual initiative and uses, as its primary example, a dramatized account of a brave feat performed by an American soldier, Andrew S. Rowan, just before the Spanish-American War. The narrative describes Rowan carrying a message from President William McKinley to General Calixto García, a leader of the Cuban insurgents in the mountains of Cuba. The essay has been published in book form and reprinted in many anthologies of inspirational literature.

Reporter Eva Heart is sent to Cloud Lake to write an exposé on flying saucer sightings, a subject she is extremely familiar with. Nearly 20 years ago, Eva, then known as Jessica Carver, went missing, only to appear a week later, confused and frightened. A man went to jail for the crime. Now Eva must face demons from her past as she meets both old and new friends along the way. Will her real identity be exposed? Can history truly repeat itself?

History of the Early Settlement and Indian Wars of Western Virginia is an account of the various expeditions that took place in the region up to 1795. It also includes biographical sketches of Col. Ebenezer Zane, Major Samuel M'Collach, and other pioneers.

Sarah Luse Larimer was taken captive by the Oglala Sioux at Little Box Elder Creek in Wyoming on July 12, 1864. This is her account of living among the Sioux for five months, and her escape....

An examination of the politics and social mores of Queen Anne's reign. The book includes sections on the War of Spanish succession, politics, literature, and society and manners. Queen Anne’s reign had lasting effects, like the dominance of the Church of England, The Act of Union, and the flowering of literature.

Narcissa Whitman (1808-1847) was a missionary in Oregon Country and one of the first white women west of the Rocky Mountains. She started the Whitman Mission along the Oregon Trail. These are her letters and accounts of missionary work among the Native American tribes in the Columbia Plateau region in what is today Washington state.

As a journalist in Australia, Annie Osborn edited the woman's pages of The Age and The Leader: a weekly journal of news, politics, literature, and art in Melbourne. She also wrote regularly for the Presbyterian journal, The Messenger, and for the Australian Christian World. Her political pamphlet "Women and the State" was published in 1919.

Elinore Pruitt Stewart (1876-1933) was a homesteader in Wyoming and a memoirist who, between 1909 and 1914, wrote a series of engaging letters describing her life. The letters, which are short stories, reveal an adventurous and resourceful personality. They were first published in the Atlantic Monthly.

This book is a collection of ancient and classical legends involving islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It includes Socrates's discussion of Atlantis, the classical Irish tales of Oisin, the British stories of Arthur, and the tale of Ponce de Leon. The narrative is interspersed with poetry and song. The narrative is interspersed with poetry and song.

The New Treasure Seekers is the third of Edith Nesbit’s delightful books about the six Bastable siblings in search of treasure to restore their family's failed fortune. The best efforts of the well-meaning children - Oswald (a master of the malapropism), Dora, Dickey, Alice, Noël, and Horace Octavius - go spectacularly astray.

Harriet Beecher Stowe is most known for her revolutionary novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin which greatly influenced the anti-slavery movements. Stowe had been active in many different genres, however, including the writing of short stories that further her firm grasp of moral principles. Betty’s Bright Idea shares three short stories exploring themes of charity, sacrifice, and joyful celebrations.

"Kat is a warrior, both on the track and off it. This book is a stunning testimony to the power of believing in yourself" - SIR CHRIS HOY "An extraordinary story of resilience and determination, from an incredible athlete" - DAME JESSICA ENNIS-HILL The inspirational and powerful memoir from...