LibriVox

[jimmowatt]

All recordings can be found on our catalog page: http://librivox.org/history-of-england-volume-1-chapter-1/

History of England, from the Accession of James the Second, vol1 by Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron, 1800-1859 .


For a general overview of the progress of the Macaulay project visit
http://www.umor.co.uk/macaulay.html


Chapters in this series still ongoing and needing volunteers are:
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1797
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2272
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2274
http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2275

This is part of a series of books written by the Baron Macaulay in the 19th century. It starts with a brief resume of the history of England up until the Stuart kings and then starts to delve into a little more detail. Macaulay is primarily fascinated by ending of any claim to divine right of kings and the growing role of Parliament in the governing of the country. He sees the accession of William and Mary (Dutch, Protestant royalty) to the British throne as a key moment in the history of the British Isles.
This is a book delightful for the literary gifts of the author and intriguing for his view of 18th century English and world politics.

1. How to claim a part, and 'how it all works' here
   To find a section to record, simply look at point 5. below at the sections. All the ones without names beside them are “up for grabs.” Click "Post reply" at the top left of the screen and tell us which section you’d like to read (include the blue number, please).
   Read points 6. to 8. below for what to do before, during and after your recording.
   
   
2. New to recording?
   Please read our Newbie Guide to Recording!
   
   
3. Is there a deadline?
   Target completion date of this project: 30th May 2006 – but try to send your recordings as soon as you can. If you cannot do your section, for whatever reason, just let me know and it’ll go back to the pool. There’s no shame in this; we’re all volunteers and things happen.
   
   
4. Where do I find the text?
   Just click on the part numbers to open the text itself. You may of course also choose to get the complete text from Project Gutenberg at this link:
   http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/1468
   
   
   
5. Please claim chapters (the blue numbers)!
   
   Reader list last updated: 13th April, 15:03 BST.
   Parts claimed: 14 of 14
   Parts done:14 of 14
   
   
   Chapter 1 -part 01 ~29min Claimed ChipDoc Done
   Chapter 1 -part 02 ~32min Claimed jimmowatt Done
   Chapter 1 -part 03 ~18min Claimed Kayray Done
   Chapter 1 -part 04 ~18min Claimed Kayray Done
   Chapter 1 -part 05 ~29min Claimed jimmowatt Done
   Chapter 1 -part 06 ~32min Claimed ChipDoc Done
   Chapter 1 -part 07 ~20min Claimed Kayray Done
   Chapter 1 -part 08 ~31min Claimed ChipDoc Done
   Chapter 1 -part 09 ~18min Claimed Dilini Done
   Chapter 1 -part 10 ~42min Claimed ChipDoc Done
   Chapter 1 -part 11 ~24min Claimed jimmowatt Done
   Chapter 1 -part 12 ~30min Claimed Kayray Done
   Chapter 1 -part 13 ~34min Claimed AaronH Done
   Chapter 1 -part 14 ~27minClaimed Dilini Done
   
6. BEFORE recording:
   Please check the Recording Notes:
   http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430
   
   
7. DURING recording:
   Make sure you add this to the beginning and end of your recording:
   Start of recording (Intro)
   • "This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit: librivox DOT org"
     
   • If you wish, say:
     "Recording by [your name], [city, your blog, podcast, web address]"
     
     
   • Say:
     "THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES THE SECOND BY THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY.
     Book 1, Chapter 1, Part # (where # is your part number)"
   
   End of recording
   • At the end of the section, say:
     “End of [part #] (where # is your part number)"
     
     
   • At the end of the book, say (in addition):
     "End of History of England, volume 1, chapter 1, by Thomas Babington Macaulay."
   
   Please leave a couple of seconds silence at the end of your recording!
   
   Also, please remember to check this thread frequently for updates!
   
   
8. AFTER recording:
   Save files as
   128 kbps MP3 with a 44100 Hz sample rate
   historyofengland01ch01_#_macaulay.mp3 , all lower-case, where # is your 2 digit part number. (historyofengland01ch01_01_macaulay.mp3)
   
   ID3 V2 tags
   (To find out more about ID3 tags, go to our wiki: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/WhatIsID3)
   Add the following tags to your .mp3 file (how you do this depends on which software you use – if you are unsure about ID3 tags, send me a message). Please mind upper and lower case!
   
   Title: Vol 1, chapter 1, part # (where # is your 2 digit part number)
   Artist: Thomas Babington Macaulay
   Album: History of England, Vol 1, chapter 1
   
   Transfer of files (completed recordings)
   Files can either be posted here in the forum (link to your webspace) or emailed via http://yousendit.com to:jim@umor.co.uk(if you use yousendit, it's helpful if you'll post the resulting link in this thread)
   
   I'll need the following information from you when you submit a recording:
   - your name as you want it to appear in the LibriVox catalog,
   - your webpage URL (if applicable)
   

Any questions?
Please post below or PM me.

[jimmowatt]

This is an absolutely delightful book to read aloud.
I've read part 2 but unfortunately it was too quiet and when I used the amplify function in Audacity the background noise grew to unacceptable levels. I shall re-record and thoroughly enjoy doing so.

Macaulay had a reputation as a fine orator and it shines through in his writing. It seems as if it had been written to be read aloud.
The language is simple, clear and effective.

Macaulay is often pompous but very human. He gets a little carried away as to the glorious qualities of England and Englishmen but it is balanced by an awareness of the sufferings caused by expansion of empire.

Macaulay was an abolitionist (slave trade) and spoke out often on the problems in India and how to improve life for those who lived under British rule in India.

A fine politician, a fine orator and a fine writer.
Here's his Wikipedia link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Babbington_Macaulay
and one from a site called Spartacus http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRmacaulay.htm

We're just doing the first chapter of the first volume of his history of England at this time as they are huge works and sometimes it's easier to tackle a series of small hills than a mountain.

Click on one of the links and just read some of the text to yourself.
You will be entranced within moments.

Please sign up for one of the parts.
You know you want to.
It'll be fun.

[Gesine]

Looks great, Jim! I'm so tempted to claim a chapter, but I have sworn to myself to do my other chapters and my solo project first... but I can't wait to listen to it! This is a fascinating part of history and, as you said, very well written.

Good luck with your first BC project! :)
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[jimmowatt]

[jimmowatt]

[LibraryLady]

Good job, Jim. I'll be your MC and I've added this to the catalog page. Let me know if you have any questions!
_________________
Annie Coleman Rothenberg
http://www.anniecoleman.com/

"I hear the sound I love, the sound of the human voice." ~Whitman

[kayray]

Fabulous! I'd like ch 1 pt 3 (or the next available shortish section). Thanks for dividing up the text for us, Chip, that'll make it SO easy to get started!
_________________
Kara
http://kayray.org/
--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her USB MacMice MicFlex, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)

[kayray]

Ooo quick question --- the nice text files have slightly different intro text from the first post here.

Text file says:
"THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES THE SECOND BY THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY.
Book 1, Chapter 1, Part 3"

But first post says
"Say:
History of England, Volume 1 by Thomas Babington Macaulay [Chapter 1, part # (where # is your part number]"

So which would you like? :)
_________________
Kara
http://kayray.org/
--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her USB MacMice MicFlex, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)

[jimmowatt]

[jimmowatt]

[kayray]

Thank you, Jim!

If you're having trouble with those popping Ps and Bs, try putting your mic off to the side a bit, and speaking past it instead of into it. Or, I've heard that you can make a dandy pop-filter out of a length of wire and an old stocking.
_________________
Kara
http://kayray.org/
--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her USB MacMice MicFlex, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)

[jimmowatt]

I've changed the filename in first post to:


historyofengland01ch01_#_macaulay.mp3 , all lower-case, where # is your 2 digit part number. (historyofengland01ch01_01_macaulay.mp3)


So I've taken out the 3 letters vol before the first 01.
I'd rather have them there but I noticed that Windows shows the filename truncated and in its truncated form you can't quite see the part number.

Taking out vol fixes this it seems.

[jimmowatt]

I've finished my first one.
A good feeling and it's turned out OK.

I've grabbed another although resisted grabbing the next one in order so that someone who only wants to do a short one can grab that.

[ChipDoc]

[Gesine]

Ah, but it's not the idea that makes a thing work, it's getting it done! Without your work, this project would have languished quite a while longer... :) Besides, I got the idea of linking to the reading files from you, Chip - you first did it for Aesop and Richard. So there... thanks, Chip!
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein