Showing results by narrator "Tom Weiss" in All Categories

"The History of the Standard Oil Company" is a book written by journalist Ida Tarbell in 1904. It was an exposé of the Standard Oil Company, run at that time by oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller the richest figure in America's history. Originally serialized in 19 parts in McClure's magazine, the book was a seminal example of muckraking, and inspired many other journalists to write about trusts, large businesses that (in the absence of strong antitrust law in the 19th century) attempted to gain monopolies in various industries.

The Burgess Bird Book for Children introduces children to the fascinating subject of bird life in storybook fashion. Thornton Burgess uses Peter Rabbit as a means for younger children to learn about birds in the Green Forest and Green Meadows. On the journey through the book, Peter learns a great deal from sassy Jenny Wren and other neighbors. Listeners learn about common birds' physical appearance, eating, nesting habits, and songs and calls.

Peter Rabbit would like to know more about the four-footed friends who share the Green Meadows and Green Forest with him. Old Mother Nature is only too happy to help and holds a "school" for Peter. Along the way, many others of the Green Meadow and Green Forest creatures join Peter at school as he learns about his neighbors. As with all Thornton W. Burgess stories, young listeners gain positive values while learning a great deal about the animals that share their world.

The novel's protagonist, a tyrant called The Master, attempts to control civilization by using a madness-inducing drug, hence the title "Murder Madness". Our champion, Charly Bell, is a member of a super-secret group named the Trade which does not officially exist. He is covertly sent on a mission to discover why seven United States Secret Service men have disappeared in South America. Another is found - a screaming homicidal maniac. It is rumored that they are victims of a diabolical poison which produces the "murder madness."

In Tales of the Unknown, Wells' series of 15 stories investigate "the other side"; that is, a fourth dimension where human beings enter into a world outside or parallel to our own. In the otherworld that Wells describes, it seems we can see others, observe their actions, yet be unable to speak, hear, or touch them.

Written in 1860 in the language of the day by William and Ellen Craft, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom tells the story of a husband and wife's plight to escape slavery in 1848 Georgia. Unlike many slaves who escaped in the dead of night chased by slave hunters and bloodhounds, the Crafts traveled in first-class trains, dined with a steamboat captain, and stayed in the best hotels during their escape to Philadelphia and freedom. Ellen, who was nearly white, disguised herself as a young male cotton planter traveling with his slave, William.

London takes us back to the Pleistocene when we still lived in the trees. Written in the first-person, the story revolves around the vivid, interlocking dreams from childhood that involve racial memories and the knowledge of his prior existence as a man-like creature named Big Tooth.

Maya is a young bee who does not want to want work in the hive. Rather, she wants to explore the world and especially learn about human beings. Youngsters of all ages can learn about the world of insects through Maya’s adventures. While Thornton W Burgess’ stories lead young children to learn about animals and acquire good morals, Waldemar Bonsels' story leads listeners to learn about the world of insects by giving them personalities. Waldemar Bonsels was a German writer who lived from 1880 to 1952.

Bumper is a young white rabbit who lives in the city, in a crowded pen with lots of other rabbits. The old woman who raises bunnies takes a few downtown every day to try to sell them. Bumper is sold to Aunt Helen who gives him to Toby, a spoiled nephew. Toby mistreats Bumper, and a little red-headed girl named Edith takes Bumper from Toby to rescue him. After being put outside in a pen, Bumper manages to escape the pen and his adventures, some not so nice, begin. Eventually, Bumper manages to meet some of his forest cousins, not to return again to the little red-headed girl.

Old Man Coyote deliberately leads Bowser the Hound far away from Farmer Brown's farm because he is tired of being chased. Bowser gets lost and injures himself during the pursuit. Help for Bowser comes from an unlikely source, which proves that there is some good in everyone. As with all Thornton W. Burgess stories, young listeners gain positive values while learning a great deal about the animals that share their world. Burgess was a conservationist and author of children's stories. He loved the beauty of nature and its living creatures so much that he wrote about them for 50 years.

Spot is a farm dog. His master is Johnny Green, son of Farmer and Mrs. Green. As with many dogs, Spot manages to get into his share of scrapes. He has run-ins with some of the farm animals, most notably Miss Kitty Cat. Miss Kitty Cat and Spot have their battles, and Spot has the scars on his nose to prove it. Miss Kitty Cat would be happy if Spot were not on the farm at all. Henrietta Hen and Turkey Proudfoot are also not very fond of Spot. Spot wants to be included in most of the Green family's activities, and this leads to some interesting problems for them and Spot.

Ken Holt is the son of a world-famous foreign correspondent named Richard Holt. Holt travels the world and is home infrequently. Ken's mother is no longer alive and Ken lives with the Allen family. One of his closest friends is Sandy Allen. Sandy and Ken both at the Brentwood Advance, a local newspaper. Things start off innocently enough as Ken's father comes to stay with the Allen's for the Christmas holiday. Naturally he brings gifts. For Mom Allen, he has brought an ornate iron box. The box is old but apparently, not very valuable.

The Man with the Clubfoot is one of the most ingenious and sinister secret agents in Europe. It is to him that the task is assigned of regaining possession of an indiscreet letter written by the Kaiser. Desmond Okewood, a young British officer with a genius for secret service work, sets out to thwart this man and, incidentally, discover the whereabouts of his brother. He penetrates Germany disguised and meets with many thrilling adventures before he finally achieves his mission.

The Adventures of Buster Bear follows a bear who has moved from the Great Woods to the Green Forest. Unknown to the little people of the Green Forest, Buster Bear, although is big and has a grumbly rumbly voice is actually very shy. As with most Burgess books, there is a positive morale to the story.

What if German forces landed on the east coast of England and advanced on London while the British were struggling to mount a counter-attack? That’s premise of William Le Queux’s The Invasion of 1910, one of the most popular "invasion fiction" novels of all time. The novel revolves around Germany’s rising naval power and its threat to a weak Britain, unprepared for war politically, physically and psychologically. As the Germans occupy half of London, a junior Parliamentarian declares "Britain is not defeated." A newly formed Army liberates London, but the war is far from over.

Herbert Wrayson, a bachelor returns to his flat one night to find a young lady rifling his desk. He questions her and finds she thought she was in the apartment of his neighbor, Morris Barnes, who lives above him. While he is on the telephone, she quietly slips out of his flat and heads to Barnes' abode. A few hours later, she is once again at his door - this time looking scared and faint. She asks Wrayson to escort her downstairs as the hallway is unlit. As they emerge, a hansom sits at the doorway with Morris Barnes in it. But, they discover that Barnes has been strangled.

Two scientists working on a top-secret government project suddenly start talking gibberish. The government does not know how or why this has happened and asks the Brants if they can move the remaining scientists to Spindrift Island, a scientific foundation located on an island off the New Jersey Coast, in order to better protect them. The Brants agree. Rick and Scotty become suspicious of a new barber in town and believe he is part of an espionage ring.

The short story "Doctor" chronicles a fear of a virus that has already decimated one planet and is so deadly that there is no cure for it. Planets that are known to have chlorphage are quarantined from the rest of the galaxy. Unknown to others, a small girl who is infected manages to board an interplanetary ship and the ship's doctor tries to combat the virus.

After a century-long cold war between Us and Them, an agent arrives and informs authorities that robots identical to humans have been developed by Them. Ten are already in America and when they get together, their combined components will trigger a nuclear-level explosion capable of destroying a major American city. The head of U.S. robotics is tasked with finding and destroying them before they can succeed.

Thornton Burgess wrote the Burgess Flower Book for children to instill a love of flowers in young children. Burgess uses one of his favorite characters, Peter Rabbit, to search for flowers. The story begins in early spring as Peter discovers the first blooms. Peter's search for flowers continues all summer and into the fall. Along the way, Burgess characters, including the Merry Little Breezes, Grandfather Frog, and others, help Peter find new flowers as they bloom. The description of the flowers is very detailed.