Showing results by narrator "Katie Haigh" in All Categories

Have you ever been to a King Lear performance with the impression of not having understood everything? It's normal. Shakespeare's plays are the most beautiful of the theatrical repertoire, but you cannot go to a Shakespeare play if you do not have a minimum prepared this show: understand the issues, characters, context, cultural or historical references is indispensable. The same is true if you intend to read a play by William Shakespeare: our summaries will help you better understand what you have read.

Geoffrey Chaucer, born around 1340, was the first great English poet. The immense popularity of the "Canterbury Tales" is shown by the number of manuscript copies still in existence. It was one of the first books printed in England. The vividness with which the author describes scenes and events and people, as if he had them before his eyes, is one of his greatest charms as a writer. Those who know him best, place him second only to Shakespeare as a writer of delightful English.

Five famous English historical figures, five controversial characters of almost legendary proportions, that have to be well-known and understood if one is interested in knowing about the English spirit and history. Sir Francis Drake was a sea captain and a privateer of the Elizabethan era; his exploits made him a hero to the English but his privateering led the Spanish to brand him a pirate. Henry VIII was king in a time of extreme religious unrest, and became such a bloody monster that he was eventually called the "English Nero".

"The Iliad" tells the epic story of the war of Troy and its ten-year siege, bloody battles and great heroes. The mighty warrior Achilles, whose mother held him by the heel while immerging him in the river Styx to make him invulnerable, his brave companion Patroclus, kings and gods compete alike for the glory of ancient Greece, which is still resonating today.

This collection of 20 bedtime stories will help your child drift into a peaceful sleep, by concluding his day with delightful adventures, important teachings and symbolic imagery for enlightening dreams. Classic children's stories and fairy tales are an essential part of any kid's development. Our audiobook collection means to bring together the fairy tales, stories, myths and legends which have fed the children of many generations in the years when the imagination is awakening and craving stimulus and material to work upon. This compilation, specially designed for small children, includes folk tales, classic tales by Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Andersen, and stories from the Arabian Nights, narrated in a warm and soothing way:

Gautama Buddha is also known as Siddharta Gautama, or simply the Buddha, which means "Awakened" or "Enlightened". Born a prince, he chose a path of ascetism only to realize that it was as profound an illusion as self-indulgence. He achieved Enlightenment after 49 days of meditation; his awakening led him to discover the cause of suffering and the ways to eliminate it. These discoveries founded Buddhism, and his "Four Noble Truths" still form the heart of its teachings.

Poorly managed tension can lead to self-harm as an addictive and destructive way of taking control of anxiety. It has to be addressed as soon as possible with proven and effective tools. This series of exercises has been designed to provide you with simple and powerful techniques to get rid of tension before it escalates into self-harm, to build self-esteem through guided imagery and relaxation, and to relieve anxiety in a helpful, soothing way. Use these techniques whenever the need arises to take good care of yourself and heal.

The legend of the famous hero Robin Hood originates in dramatic pieces and ballads from the 15th century in England. His story has been given shape and retold through the centuries, and is still universally known to children nowadays. "The Tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men", as retold by Mary Macleod, is a faithful rendition of the original medieval legend full of colorful and moral adventures. It is read by Katie Haigh, for the delight of children and as well as adults sensitive to literary style.

This series of exercises is designed for children and adults suffering from nighttime anxiety or panic attacks. It provides essential tools and techniques for getting rid of tension and overcoming any anxiety, so as to fall asleep quickly and achieve a refreshing sleep. You will get in a relaxed state in which you can get rid of any fear of the dark, find guidance on how to overcome panic attacks, and familiarize yourself with powerful visualization techniques to get rid of tensions and rise from sleep in a relaxed, restored state.

Montaigne might well be one of the most sympathetic writers ever known. He is known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre; his style merges casual anecdotes and autobiography with deep intellectual insights. His "Essays" are among the most influential ever written; one can recognize Montaigne's direct influence on great literary figures all over the world, from René Descartes to Nietzsche, Isaac Asimov, and possibly William Shakespeare.

"The Twelve Labours of Hercules" are a series of feats ordered by the gods carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as Hercules. The legend was first written whole, as a fixed cycle of twelve labours, in an epic Greek poem now lost, in about 600BC; as they survive in the original source, the labours are not all recounted in a single place, but must be reassembled from many sources. This short story is a retelling of Hercules' legend with an elegant style that will edify children and adults alike.

"Just So Stories" is a classic of children's literature, and one of Rudyard Kipling's best known books. It was published in 1902, as a collection of the stories he told his daughter Josephine at bedtime; the little girl insisted that the stories be told "just so" or she would wake up and add the missing sentence, eventually making all these stories like charms, effective if untouched.

Classic fairy tales and stories are an essential part of children's development. This collection brings together rare fairy tales, stories, myths and legends, to feed the intelligence and imagination of children in their years of development. Here are seven of the rarest and most delightful tales: "How to Tell a True Princess" and "The Darning Needle" by master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen; "Belling the Cat" and "The Wolf and the Fox", taken from Aesop's fables; an English fairy tale, "Master of all Masters"; "Persevere and Prosper", and "The Story of Caliph Stork", two old Arabian tales.

Socrates is an enigmatic figure, known chiefly through the accounts of others like Plato and Aristophanes. He was one of the most brilliant intellects ever, and devised what would later be called the Socratic method, which is a way of leading one's interlocutor to see his errors and contradictions through clever questioning before leading him to the truth. In ancient Athens, Socrates was widely known as a "gadfly", that is, an annoying insect buzzing at people's ears, because he kept questioning prejudices and contradictions; he was eventually tried and executed for "corrupting the minds of the youth".

Sitting on the banks of the river Seine, in the very heart of Paris, the Musée d'Orsay is known worldwide for its exceptional collection of impressionist paintings. These works were absolutely scandalous at the time and for some, they still obviously are. Also, it provides a genuine feeling of time travel by recreating the context in which every single work of art has been produced. Its history is also full of twists and surprises. All of this contributes to making the Musée d'Orsay one of the most alive and striking museums ever.

Lao-Tzu was a philosopher and poet of ancient China. He is known as the reputed author of the Tao Te Ching and the founder of philosophical Taoism, and as a deity in religious Taoism and traditional Chinese religions. As a central figure in Chinese culture, the emperors of the Tang dynasty and modern people both claim Lao Tzu. Some of his great quotes are "When goodness is lost, it is replaced by morality." "Without Darkness, there can be no Light." "The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness."

"Goldilocks and the three bears" is a family-friendly variation of an old tale in which a woman enter the house of three bears, eats their food, sits on their chair, and sleeps in their bed. This very old nursery tale is one of the most popular stories in the English language. It suggests the importance of respecting property and the consequences of just 'trying out' things that do not belong to you. As such, it will spark important interrogations from children: was Goldilocks right to come into the house? Were the bears really scary, or just helpless victims? What would have been the best thing to do?

Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the greatest military figures ever. He rose to prominence during the French Revolution, after which he kept on soaring higher and higher until he was crowned Emperor of the French. He then moved on to gain control of the whole of continental Europe, before the ultimate defeat of 1815. Today, his campaigns are studied in every military school, his liberal politics have had a strong legacy worldwide, and he remains one of the most celebrated and controversial political figures in Western history.

Little children need tales and stories, for they play an essential part in their development by awakening their imagination, introducing them to symbolic imagery, and bringing forth emotions in a healthy, constructive way. Our audiobook collection brings together the fairy tales, stories, myths and legends, which have fed the imagination of children of many generations in the years when the imagination is awakening and craving stimulus and material to work upon.

At the climax of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. When the young Louis XVII, Louis XVI's son, died in prison in June 1795, Louis XVIII succeeded his nephew as titular King. His reign was marked by exile, first because of the Revolution, and then of Napoleon, who set to conquer Europe and become Emperor of the French - before a coalition defeated him and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.