Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

Summary

Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.Shelley travelled through Europe in 1815, moving along the river Rhine in Germany, and stopping in Gernsheim, 17 kilometres (11 mi) away from Frankenstein Castle, where, about a century earlier, Johann Konrad Dippel, an alchemist, had engaged in experiments. She then journeyed to the region of Geneva, Switzerland, where much of the story takes place. Galvanism and occult ideas were topics of conversation for her companions, particularly for her lover and future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Available since: 12/11/2024.

Print length: 250 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Villette

Charlotte Brontë

"I am a person of no station."

Leaving behind a life of tragic loss in England, the reserved and observant Lucy Snowe travels alone to the fictional French-speaking city of Villette. Finding work as a teacher at a girls' boarding school, she navigates a labyrinth of cultural tensions, unrequited love, and her own crushing loneliness. Often considered Charlotte Brontë's finest technical achievement, Villette is a startlingly modern exploration of the female psyche and the courage required to live an authentic life.

A Ghostly Psychological Mystery: Is the "Nun" who haunts the dark corridors of the school a supernatural visitation, or a manifestation of Lucy's suppressed emotions? Brontë weaves a masterful Gothic thread through the narrative, using the legend of a buried nun to mirror Lucy's own isolation. As she finds herself torn between the handsome Dr. John and the fiery, irritable, yet deeply kindred Professor Paul Emanuel, Lucy must confront the "buried" parts of her own soul.

The Ultimate Story of Resilience: Unlike the more romanticized heroines of the era, Lucy Snowe is a "shadow" narrator—deeply private and fiercely independent. Villette challenges the conventions of the Victorian marriage plot, offering instead a profound meditation on mental health, self-reliance, and the price of freedom. It is a novel of stunning prose and devastating emotional honesty that remains a touchstone for readers who find power in the quietest voices.

Step into the shadows of the heart. Purchase "Villette" today and experience the crowning achievement of Charlotte Brontë.

Show book

Cain - From their pens to your...

Alexander Kuprin

Alexander Kuprin was born in Narovchat, Penza in Russia on 7th September 1870.
At 3 his Father died and he and mother moved to Moscow. By 10 he was enrolled at the Second Moscow Military High School and there his interest in literature began. The Alexander Military Academy followed and two years later he was a sub-lieutenant and posted to an Infantry Regiment for a further four years.
Despite his duties he was a now a keen writer and published his first short story at this time. His military duties also garnered him experiences for his breakthrough work ‘The Duel’. Leaving the military he left for Kiev to work for local newspapers. He continued to publish both stories and novels and by 1901 he was in St Petersburg becoming part of a group that included Chekhov, Ivan Bunin, Maxim Gorky and Leonid Andreyev.
In the years that followed further controversial works and acclaim followed. His comments on the regime meant he was also put under secret police surveillance.
As World War I erupted, Kuprin opened a military hospital but was then given command of an infantry company in Finland. He was soon discharged on grounds of ill health.
The October Revolution saw him praise Lenin, but he warned that the Bolsheviks threatened Russian culture and might cause further widespread suffering to the peasants. As Civil War raged he took his family to Helsinki and then on to Paris.
Exile saw his talents decline further and his succumbing to alcoholism. He became lonely and withdrawn. The family's poverty increased his malaise.
In May 1937, the Kuprin’s returned to Moscow. He now saw his work published but wrote almost nothing new. In 1938 his health rapidly deteriorated. Already suffering from a kidney problems and sclerosis, he had now developed cancer of the oesophagus.
Alexander Kuprin died on 25th August 1938.

Show book

The Sea Curse

Robert E. Howard

More classic horror narrations on Jonathan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanDunneHorrorAudiobooks
Title: The Sea Curse
Author: Robert E. Howard
Narrator: Jonathan Dunne
Original Publication: 1928
Public Domain: Yes
Series: Timeless Terrors
Number: 99
Description:
The Sea Curse is a brooding tale of vengeance, doomed love, and the relentless power of fate, set against the harsh winds and restless tides of the North Sea. The story follows a fisherman whose youthful betrayal of a dark-eyed woman—ostracized by the village as a witch—returns to haunt him years later. When she vanishes into the sea after calling down a terrible curse, he dismisses her words as the ravings of a scorned heart. But the ocean remembers.
As time passes, prosperity and family dull his guilt—until the sea begins to claim what he loves most. One by one, tragedy strikes with uncanny precision, and whispers of witchcraft rise again among the wary villagers. Howard weaves folklore and fatalism into a stark maritime drama, where superstition and destiny intertwine and no man may outrun the tides of his own making.
Unlike tales of cosmic horror, The Sea Curse derives its dread from inevitability—the slow, tightening coil of retribution born from cruelty and pride. The sea itself becomes a silent, implacable force: vast, indifferent, and hungry.
Narrated by Amazon-bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance captures Howard’s austere prose and gathering sense of doom, immersing listeners in a world of crashing surf, lonely shores, and ancestral fear.

Show book

August Heat - The classic tale...

William Fryer Harvey

A classic short story, generally recognized as one of the finest examples of precognition in all of fiction. First published in 1910, this story of a fateful meeting between a sketch artist and a stonemason on a hot August day has stood the test of time. Adapted at least four times for radio, you can hear it now right here. 
August Heat by William Fryer Harvey. 
Read by Edison McDaniels.

Show book

The Water Babies

Charles Kingsley

Charles Kingsley's "The Water-Babies" stands as a timeless masterpiece that has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers since its first publication in 1863. A remarkable Victorian clergyman, author, and social reformer, Kingsley wove together a captivating narrative that transcends its era, providing readers with a delightful blend of fantasy, morality, and social commentary.
Set against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, "The Water-Babies" reflects the societal concerns and moral dilemmas of Kingsley's time. In this enchanting tale, we follow the journey of Tom, a chimney sweep's apprentice who undergoes a miraculous transformation into a water-baby after a series of trials and adventures. As Tom explores the aquatic world, encountering an array of whimsical characters and undergoing moral lessons, Kingsley invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the world around them.
One of the novel's unique features is its dual nature as both a charming fairy tale and a vehicle for social critique. Kingsley uses the fantastical underwater realm to address issues of child labour, environmental degradation, and the moral conduct of society. Through humour, wit, and imaginative storytelling, he imparts valuable lessons about compassion, responsibility, and personal growth.
"The Water-Babies" remains relevant today as it resonates with universal themes and moral insights that extend beyond the Victorian context. The narrative's enduring appeal lies not only in its engaging storyline but also in the profound messages that it conveys about human nature and societal values.
Head Stories Audio presents " The Water Babies" by Charles Kingsley - narrated by Simon Hester. With original music.

Show book

The Wound Dresser - The Lost...

Walt Whitman

Walter Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse. His work was controversial in its time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described as obscene for its overt sensuality. Whitman's own life came under scrutiny for his presumed homosexuality. 
 
Born in Huntington on Long Island, as a child and through much of his career, he resided in Brooklyn. At age 11, he left formal schooling to go to work. Later, Whitman worked as a journalist, a teacher, and a government clerk. Whitman's major poetry collection, Leaves of Grass, was first published in 1855 with his own money and became well known. The work was an attempt at reaching out to the common person with an American epic. He continued expanding and revising it until his death in 1892. During the American Civil War, he went to Washington, D.C. and worked in hospitals caring for the wounded. His poetry often focused on both loss and healing. On the death of Abraham Lincoln, whom Whitman greatly admired, he wrote his well-known poems, "O Captain! My Captain!" and "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd", and gave a series of lectures. After a stroke towards the end of his life, Whitman moved to Camden, New Jersey, where his health further declined. When he died at age 72, his funeral was a public event. 
 
Whitman's influence on poetry remains strong. Mary Whitall Smith Costelloe argued: "You cannot really understand America without Walt Whitman, without Leaves of Grass ... He has expressed that civilization, 'up to date,' as he would say, and no student of the philosophy of history can do without him." Modernist poet Ezra Pound called Whitman "America's poet ... He is America.

Show book