Summer has officially begun! Cool down on the 6th leg of the LibriVox World Tour, where we move all the way to Scandinavia and beyond with 10 gems from our catalog.

Let’s start Farthest North, at 86° 14′ northern latitude, to be precise. This was the record set by Fridtjof Nansen on his expecition with the Fram. Starting out in 1893, he eventually made it home after being rescued in 1896.

In the novel by Juhani Aho, Juha also goes on a rescue mission when he finds his wife abducted by travelling merchant Shemeikka. He finally catches up with him in Russia, but the story Juha hears is unexpected…

Student Arkenholz imagines wonderful things in an apartment building in Stockholm. But when he is admitted to the society, nothing is what it seems from the outside. Listen to our dramatic production of The Ghost Sonata, one of August Strindberg’s modernist dramas.

A drama also unfolds in the novel by Johan Bojer, when Norby, who once co-signed a loan for Wangen, accuses him of forging the signature. All looks good for the moment, but The Power of a Lie threatens both of their families in the end…

We advise caution when reading Piloting Directions for the Gulf of Finland. Although the book by John W. Norie is interesting from a historic perspective, the information on ports, landmarks etc. should not be relied upon.

After the death of her father, Edith Sternfeld came to rely on her mother. She wants Edith to marry a count, but the headstrong girl loves somebody else… Find out what happens to this Nykfull Kvinna in the 4-book Swedish saga by Emilie Flygare-Carlén.

No compilation of books from northern Europe would be complete without one of the old sagas. Here are two-in-one: Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson, great stories of the Norse myths. We even have this epic in a Spanish translation.

Speaking of complation, Eva March Tappan has outdone herself with The World’s Story. Volume VIII contains history, plays, fiction, and even descriptions of famous paitings related to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Greenland and the search for the Poles.

Eight-year old Pelle the Conquerer comes to Denmark with his father. Together, they work under harsh conditions on a farm. However, the boy never loses his faith in things getting better in the book by Martin Andersen Nexø.

Lisbeth Longfrock is also eight, but she lives in one of the steep Norwegian valleys. Spend the summer with her on the quiet mountain pastures amidst cows and goats in this lovely children’s book by Hans Aanrud.

Enjoy your summer (or winter) and take care when travelling!

It’s already June, and while we didn’t beat the Corona Pandemic yet, at least the warmer weather should lift your mood. If not, join us on our world tour through Central Europe and Great Britain and Ireland with 10 gems from our catalog.

Nothing lies deeper in Central Europe than St. Peter, a little village high in the Swiss Alps. Its people depend on an ancient water pipeline, and when it needs repairing this time, Blatter Seppi is chosen for the dangerous task. Read An Heiligen Wassern by Jakob Heer to find out if Seppi succeeds.

Just like the Alps, England is filled with superstitions and ghost stories. Elliot O’Donnell has collected the best stories set in Some Haunted Houses of England and Wales and at the same time explores the history of these hotels, abbeys, farms, and mansions of nobility.

When Henry visits Catherine, the woman he loves, early on Valentine’s Day, he is just in time to witness her kidnapping. Apparently even the local gentry is interested in The Fair Maid of Perth… Find out if the two can resist the higher forces in the novel by Sir Walter Scott.

The attraction between George Dandin and Angelique was irresistable, so they got married. However, Angelique’s higher social status doesn’t make it easy, especially since their acquaintances don’t let them forget it in the comedy by Moliere. We also have an English version of this play.

Resistance is futile for a young Dutch clerk of average smarts when it comes to the ambitions of his wife. She is ready to pull all registers, legal and not-quite-so, to make him climb the ladder in the East-India Company. Paul Adriaan Daum tells the intriguiging story of Hoe hij raad van Indie werd.

The Dutch built their wealth on the back of their colonies, founded by countless explorers. But not every expedition was successful, and Hendrik van Loon describes some of the worst failures – often by experienced captains – in his Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators.

Undoubtedly one of the most successful politicians of the 19th century was Otto von Bismarck. He united the small German states under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm and was known for his power diplomacy in- and outside of Germany. The biography by Georges Lacour-Gayet containes many quotes by the man himself.

A more subtle influence on his surroundings had Viennese Boheme-poet Otfried Krzyzanowski. Although well-kown in literary circles of his time, he starved to death in 1918. Unser täglich Gift, a collection of 41 of his poems, was published posthumously by his friends.

French novelist and writer George Sand on the other hand was already famous during her life time. 16 of her short stories and novellas, united by a rural setting or feeling, are collected in Legendes rustiques.

The Fate of Fenella is maybe best described as sensational Victorian novel. It was written by 24 authors from Great Britain and Ireland. The story moves from England to France and other countries and provides plenty of comic relief for hard times like these.

Enjoy our stories from the heart of Europe and stay healthy and safe!

How are you all doing? Things seem to get better, but if you prefer to stay home still, follow us to Southern Europe with 10 gems from our catalog.

Western culture started in Ancient Greece. In a long lost manuscript, Aristotle gives an in-depth explanation of The Constitution of Athens. This recording is in modern Greek, but we also have a translation into English.

Who knows if Portuguese author Luís Vaz de Camões was versed in Greek philosophy. In any case, he explores a number of decidedly philosophical themes in the poetry collected in Sonetos – Poemas Filosoficos.

Not quite so serious are the children’s stories written by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. The well-known kid-lit author draws her inspiration from ancient myths of Croatia in her collection Priče iz Davnine.

When Washington Irving visited Granada in 1828, he asked to stay in the Alhambra. There, he was inspired to A Series of Tales and Sketches of the Moors and Spaniards, a selection of which was translated into Spanish.

For a long time, the Ottoman empire ruled over large parts of Europe, including what is today’s Albania. One of their most cruel rulers was immortalised by Alexandre Dumas in his series Celebrated Crimes: Ali Pacha.

As an outlaw in the mountains lives Ibo, while his former partner in crime, Albert, now works as a policeman. When Ibo kidnaps Albert’s fiancee, this leads to an outright guerilla war in the Catalan novel La Punyalada by Marian Vayreda.

A single bad decision where they lose all their money brings the downfall of the Malavoglia family in Sicily. The aftermath is described in the family saga I Malavoglia by Giovanni Verga. We also have an English translation of this scathing social commentary.

Another dramatic family breakdown is told by Terence. Pamphilus leaves town when his mistress is upset about his recent marriage. Upon returning, his wife has a newborn child, but he could not possibly be the father… Find out if he was right or wrong in Hecyra: The Mother-in-Law.

John Graham Gillam was definitely wrong when he underestimated the Turkish campaign in WWI. His Gallipoli Diary details the 9 months in 1915/16 when he tried to keep 4000 soldiers supplied with the necessities.

Only four authors and five works are contained in the collection Stories by Foreign Authors – Spanish. However, they should whet your appetite for further discoveries in the depths of our catalog.

Enjoy – and stay healthy and safe!