The Spinster Book
Myrtle REED (1874 – 1911)

A cross between guidebook and social commentary, The Spinster Book gives clever and humorous insights on topics such as courting, handling men and women, love letters, marriage and spinsterhood. (Summary by Kristin Hughes)

Genre(s): *Non-fiction, Self-Help
Language: English (FULL Audiobook)

 

Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, and Hints to Young Housekeepers audiobook Elizabeth E. LEA (1793 - 1858) The compiler of [this book] having entered early in life upon a train of duties, was frequently embarrassed by her ignorance of domestic affairs. For, whilst receipt books for elegant preparations were often seen, those connected with the ordinary, but far more useful part of household duties, were not easily procured; thus situated, she applied to persons of experience, and embodied the Read more [...]
365 Foreign Dishes audiobook UNKNOWN ( - ) Starters, main courses and desserts from around the world, one dish for every day of the year. From Turkey to China, from India to England, from Austria to Egypt, a wide variety of mouth-watering cuisines are represented. Each recipe is described in one short paragraph, making this book perfect for dipping into when you're seeking inspiration on what to cook. (Summary by Lucy Perry) Genre(s): *Non-fiction, Self-Help Language: English (FULL Audiobook)   Read more [...]
The Art of Controversy (or: The Art of Being Right) audiobook Arthur SCHOPENHAUER (1788 - 1860), translated by T. Bailey SAUNDERS (1860 - 1928) The Art of Controversy (or The Art of Being Right) (Die Kunst, Recht zu Behalten) is a short treatise written in 1831 by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in which he presents thirty-eight methods of gaining an unfair advantage in a debate and thereby being right even if you are wrong. Schopenhauer champions the virtue of dialectical argument, Read more [...]
The Art of War audiobook SUN TZU (554 BCE - 496 BCE), translated by Lionel GILES (1875 - 1958) First compiled in the 6th century BC, The Art of War presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles. It is accepted as a masterpiece on strategy and is frequently cited and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first published, translated, and distributed internationally. The book is not only popular among military theorists, but has also become increasingly popular Read more [...]
How to Listen to Music audiobook Henry Edward KREHBIEL (1854 - 1923) This book is "not written for professional musicians, but for untaught lovers of the art". It gives broad instruction on composers, styles, instruments, venues - and when to believe the critics. (Summary by Sarah Jennings) Genre(s): *Non-fiction, Music, Self-Help Language: English (FULL Audiobook)   Read more [...]
Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home Emily Post (1872 - 1960) From advice on planning the perfect wedding to eating an artichoke correctly, Emily Post offers instruction on how to live a well-mannered life circa 1922. With a sometimes gentle, sometimes sharp wit, she maintains that true ladies and gentlemen are characterized not by wealth but by their behavior toward others. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden) Genre(s): Self-Help Language: English     Read more [...]
Hints for Lovers audiobook by Theodore Arnold Haultain (1857--1941) "Hints for Lovers" is a thorough analysis of relationships between men and women, about everything that lovers should know, and delves deep into the psychology of men and women, and the philosophy of courtship, engagement, kissing, making love, marriage, etc, in a light-hearted tone, with refreshing humor. (Summary by Neeru Iyer)     Read more [...]
Psychopathology of Everyday Life by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Translated by A. A. Brill (1874-1948) Professor Freud developed his system of psychoanalysis while studying the so-called borderline cases of mental diseases, such as hysteria and compulsion neurosis. By discarding the old methods of treatment and strictly applying himself to a study of the patient's life he discovered that the hitherto puzzling symptoms had a definite meaning, and that there was nothing arbitrary in any morbid manifestation. Read more [...]
Dream Psychology audiobook by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Translated by M.D. Eder (1866-1936) with an introduction by Andre Tridon (1877-1922). Not a few serious-minded students, [...], have been discouraged from attempting a study of Freud's dream psychology. The book in which he originally offered to the world his interpretation of dreams was as circumstantial as a legal record to be pondered over by scientists at their leisure, not to be assimilated in a few hours by the average alert reader. Read more [...]
Laugh and Live audiobook by Douglas Fairbanks (1883-1939) Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. (May 23, 1883 -- December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Baghdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro. His book, Laugh and Live, is a book about positive virtues and advice for leading a good, healthy, and successful life. An advisory about this book is in order. Published in 1917, it was written Read more [...]
The Speaking Voice audiobook by Katherine Jewell Everts (d. after 1919) From the Preface of The Speaking Voice: principles of training simplified and condensed: "This book offers a method of voice training which is the result of a deliberate effort to simplify and condense, for general use, the principles which are fundamental to all recognized systems of vocal instruction. It contains practical directions accompanied by simple and fundamental exercises, first for the freeing of the voice and Read more [...]
Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus audiobook by Rufus Estes (b. 1857) Rufus Estes was born a slave in 1857 in Tennessee, and experienced first hand the turmoil of the Civil War. He began working in a Nashville restaurant at the age of 16, and in 1883 took up employment as a Pullman cook. In 1897, he was hired as principal chef for the private railway car of U.S. Steel magnates (the fin-de-siecle equivalent of today's Lear Jets for corporate travel). There he served succulent fare for the Read more [...]
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Audiobook by Havelock Ellis (1859-1939) The first of six volumes, this volume covers in extensive detail the topics of "The Evolution of Modesty", "The Phenomena of Sexual Periodicity", and "Auto-Eroticism". Written as an anthropological and psychological study from the point of view of Havelock, the famous British sexologist of the late 19th century, who was also a physician and social reformer. (Summary by Tim Ferreira)     Read more [...]
Your Psychic Powers and How to Develop Them by Hereward Carrington (1880-1959) Instructions in how to develop your psychic powers including telepathy, clairvoyance, self-projection, reincarnation, and other topics. Seriously. "It must be distinctly understood ... that I believe the vast bulk of the material presented in this book to be sound and helpful; the practical instructions are good, and the reader cannot go far wrong in following them. May he develop his own psychic powers, and gain light Read more [...]
The Art of Public Speaking audiobook by Dale Carnegie (1888 - 1955) and Joseph Berg Esenwein (1867-1946) The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnagay (aka Carnegie) and Joseph B. Esenwein is a manual for people who have to speak in public, and it is still in use today. Whether the occasion in question is sharing travel experiences with friends, a toast for newly-weds, or a public debate, the tips and tricks collected in this book will come handy anywhere. The book describes how to make effective Read more [...]
The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles (1860-1911) Would you like to be rich? Yes? Well, who wouldn't. The Science of Getting Rich is a book written by the New Thought Movement writer Wallace D. Wattles. The book is still in print after almost 100 years. According to USA Today, the text is "divided into 17 short, straight-to-the-point chapters that explain how to overcome mental barriers, and how creation, not competition, is the hidden key to wealth attraction." (Summary by Diana Read more [...]
The Human Machine audiobook by Arnold Bennett (1867-1931) Bennett asks us to consider our brains as the most wonderful machine, a machine which is the only thing in this world that we can control. As he writes: "I am simply bent on calling your attention to a fact which has perhaps wholly or partially escaped you -- namely, that you are the most fascinating bit of machinery that ever was." As ever, his prose is honeyed, his thoughts inspired, and his advice as relevant today as when it was Read more [...]