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  Imaginative Woman An - From...

  Thomas Hardy

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  Thomas Hardy was born in the hamlet of Upper Bockhampton about three miles east of Dorchester in Dorset, England, on 2nd June 1840.  
  Despite a fairly wide education and being an avid reader his parents thought it unlikely he would lead a successful scholarly or clerical career and he was apprenticed in 1856, at age 16, to a local architect whose speciality was in church restoration.  Hardy’s only opportunity to read was in the morning before work between the hours of five and eight.  
  On the back of a failed love affair he moved to London and spent five years working as an assistant to the architect Arthur Blomfield, also a restorer and designer of churches. Hardy though had by now become disillusioned with institutionalised forms of Christianity and abandoned any lingering hopes of ordination in the Anglican Church.  However, his writing of poetry was now flourishing, although it was still rejected for publication.  
  His novel ‘Desperate Remedies’, was published anonymously in 1871 and he now resolved to write full time though he was not yet in a position to achieve financial security or literary success. His second novel, ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’, appeared in 1872 and in 1873 ‘A Pair of Blue Eyes’, the most autobiographical of his works arrived. With ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’ in 1874, came critical acclaim, public attention and financial success. This was repeated in 1878 with ‘The Return of the Native’, and the ensuing years saw him rise to ever greater popularity.  
  His classic ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ arrived in 1886 and 5 years later ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’. The latter only saw publication after extensive alterations to its plot and the deletion of long passages to lessen the shock to the prudish Victorian audience who were dismayed by the seduction and ruin of a young girl by a rakish aristocrat.  
  ‘Jude the Obscure’, his last novel, suffered the same fate when it was published in 1895.  The uproar so disturbed him that he returned to poetry. In 1898 he had an earlier poetry collection, ‘Wessex Poems’ published. 
  Hardy spent the years between 1903 and 1908 writing ‘The Dynasts’, an epic poem on the Napoleonic Wars. 
  In his twilight years came honours and awards from the great and the good in recognition of his stature as one of the most outstanding of British authors across novels, short stories and poetry. George V conferred on him the Order of Merit in 1910. 
  From 1920 to 1927 he worked, in secret, on his autobiography, which was later published after his death as the work of his second wife, Florence Hardy.  
  Thomas Hardy OM died on the 11th January 1928. 
  His heart was buried alongside his first wife in Stinsford churchyard, Dorchester.

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  Night Before Christmas The - The...

  Clement Clarke Moore

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  'Tis the season for classic stories! Clement Clarke Moore's timeless Christmas poem comes gloriously to life as a soundscape audiobook. 
  Root & Twig Sound's fifth production is complete with delightful narration by Phil Dragash, festive original music by Alexander Amadeo and a guest appearance by the Virginian carolers, The Yuletides. Enjoy the Christmas season in a brand new way! 
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  A Root & Twig Sounds Production 
  Written by Clement Clarke Moore 
  Original text published on December 23rd of 1823 
  Produced as a Soundscape Audiobook on December 23rd of 2024 
  Read and Performed by Phil Dragash 
  Produced and Directed by Phil Dragash and A.Y. Barker 
  Original Music Composed by Alexander Amadeo 
  Special Thanks to Violet Virginia Mills Barker, Emma Purzycki, the families of Bedford and The Yuletides. 
  Cover Art by Phil Dragash 
  © Root & Twig Sounds, 2025 
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  The mission of Root and Twig Sounds is to be a beacon of classic stories spectacularly done for the modern ear, helping the world remember its great storytelling heritage. Find Root & Twig soundscape audiobooks wherever audiobooks are sold.

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  The Harvester

  Gene Stratton-Porter

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  A man at one with nature finds himself enchanted by a vision in this classic Midwestern romance from the naturalist and author of The Keeper of the Bees.   David Langston, the Harvester, allows his dog to decide his fate every year—to join the money-making scramble in the noise and grime of the city, or continue harvesting the goldenseal, mullein, and ginseng in the woods around their country home. Every year, his dog Bel chooses correctly—for they are both creatures of the woods.   But this year, there is another matter to ponder. Should Langston remain alone—or should he go courting? There are pros and cons of course—mostly cons—that bang around in Langston’s mind. That is, until he sees a ghostly vision near the lake, a slender dark-haired woman wrapped in robes of white, lovelier than any he has ever seen in his twenty-six years. And then one day he sees her crying in the woods. Ruth Jameson is a girl caught in a bad situation, and Langston finds himself willing to do anything to help her and make her every wish come true.  Praise for the writing of Gene Stratton-Porter   “As famous in the early 1900s as J.K. Rowling is now . . . Her natural settings, wholesome themes and strong lead characters fulfilled the public’s desires to connect with nature and give children positive role models.” —Smithsonian Magazine   “Her narrative is entertaining, her enthusiasm catching.” —The New York Times

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  A Pen-and-Ink Effect - From...

  Frances E Huntley the writing...

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  The bookshelves of British literature are incredible collections that have gathered together centuries of very talented authors.  From these Isles their fame spread and whilst among their number many are now forgotten or neglected their talents endure.  Among them is Ethel Colburn Mayne.

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  Orlando

  Virginia Woolf

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  Step into the Most Bold and Imaginative "Biography" Ever Written.
  
  Spanning three centuries and two genders, Virginia Woolf's Orlando is a dizzying, poetic journey through history and identity. The story begins in the Elizabethan era with Orlando, a young nobleman and aspiring poet who enjoys the favor of the Queen. After falling into a deep sleep that lasts days, Orlando awakens in the 18th century to find they have undergone a mysterious transformation: they are now a woman.
  
  Unburdened by the constraints of time or biology, Orlando lives through the Enlightenment, the Victorian era, and into the "present" day of 1928. Throughout this incredible voyage, Woolf explores the fluidity of the human spirit, the art of writing, and the shifting roles of men and women in society.
  
  Written as a "love letter" to Vita Sackville-West, Orlando is a cornerstone of queer literature and a daring departure from the traditional novel. It remains one of Woolf's most accessible and joyful works—a high-spirited blend of historical fiction, satire, and fantasy.
  
  Experience a story that transcends time and gender. Buy "Orlando" today and discover a masterpiece of modern imagination.

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  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

  Lewis Carroll

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  "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll whisks readers away to a whimsical world brimming with eccentric characters and curious happenings. Young Alice tumbles down a rabbit hole, encountering fantastical beings like the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. As she navigates this surreal landscape, Alice grapples with perplexing riddles and bizarre adventures, all underscored by Carroll's playful language and boundless imagination. A timeless journey into the absurd, it captivates and delights readers of all ages.

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