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Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin
51 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★ - 4 ratingsKing Alfred and the Cakes. Damon and Pythias. The Sword of Damocles. Bruce and the Spider. These are stories that many people who grew up in the last century would be familiar with. They were included in our text books or to be found in anthologies in our school libraries. However, for a new generation growing up, some of these may be new and unknown. Hence, Fifty Famous Stories Retold by James Baldwin would indeed be a great addition to your children's bookshelf.
James Baldwin, who shares his name with another famous American author was an editor, author and gifted teacher. He worked as a textbook editor and also wrote more than fifty books for children concerning mythology, legends and the stories of famous historical figures. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, his works were extremely popular and had a considerable influence on the reading habits of generations of youngsters.
He retired as the Editor in Chief of the American Book Company and compiled the much acclaimed Baldwin Readers and co-authored the Expressive Readers. These went on to set the standard for textbooks for nearly a century, at a time when education was undergoing huge systemic reform.
Fifty Famous Stories Retold contains a preface by the author, in which he describes the motives behind such an anthology. “...that the reading of them will give not only pleasure but also lay the foundation for broader literary studies...” he opines. Some of the stories were selected for their historical value, others for the moral truths they convey, while some are intended solely to amuse. They are taken from a variety of sources. Folktales, legends and ballads also are a rich source. Baldwin remarks that he took care not to include myths, fairytales and fables.
Hence we find old favorites like Dick Whittington's Cat, The Story of Robin Hood and George Washington and His Hatchet alongside less familiar ones like Inchcape Rock, Doctor Goldsmith or Diogenes the Wise. The original contains charming illustrations.
In Baldwin's own words, the encounter with good literature and good books was what spurred him to develop the reading habit. For a new generation which is fast losing the pleasure that books can bring, perhaps Fifty Famous Stories Retold could serve as a springboard and encourage them to rediscover the joy of reading.
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Episodes
00 – Concerning These Stories
January 02, 2024 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
01 – King Alfred and the Cakes
January 01, 2024 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
02 – King Alfred and the Beggar
December 31, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
03 – King Canute on the Seashore
December 30, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
04 – The Sons of William the Conqueror
December 29, 2023 00:00 - 6 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
05 – The White Ship
December 28, 2023 00:00 - 6 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
06 – King John and the Abbot
December 27, 2023 00:00 - 8 minutes - 3.81 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
07 – A Story of Robin Hood
December 26, 2023 00:00 - 5 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
08 – Bruce and the Spider
December 25, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
09 – The Black Douglas
December 24, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
10 – Three Men of Gotham
December 23, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
11 – Other Wise Men of Gotham
December 22, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
12 – The Miller of the Dee
December 21, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
13 – Sir Philip Sidney
December 20, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
14 – The Ungrateful Soldier
December 19, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
15 – Sir Humphrey Gilbert
December 18, 2023 00:00 - 1 minute - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
16 – Sir Walter Raleigh
December 17, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
18 – George Washington and his Hatchet
December 15, 2023 00:00 - 1 minute - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
20 – The Story of William Tell
December 13, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
21 – Alrnold Winkelried
December 12, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
22 – The Bell of Atri
December 11, 2023 00:00 - 7 minutes - 2.86 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
23 – How Napoleon Crossed The Alps
December 10, 2023 00:00 - 1 minute - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
24 – The Story of Cincinnatus
December 09, 2023 00:00 - 7 minutes - 2.86 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
25 – The Story of Regulus
December 08, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
26 – Cornelia’s Jewels
December 07, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
27 – Androclus and the Lion
December 06, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
28 – Horatius at the Bridge
December 05, 2023 00:00 - 6 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
30 – The Sword of Damocles
December 03, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
31 – Damon and Pythias
December 02, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
32 – A Laconic Answer
December 01, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
33 – The Ungrateful Guest
November 30, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
34 – Alexander and Bucephalus
November 29, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
35 – Diogenes the Wise Man
November 28, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
36 – The Brave Three Hundred
November 27, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
37 – Socrates and his House
November 26, 2023 00:00 - 1 minute - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
38 – The King and His Hawk
November 25, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
39 – Doctor Goldsmith
November 24, 2023 00:00 - 2 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
41 – The Barmecide Feast
November 22, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
42 – The Endless Tale
November 21, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
43 – The Blind Men and the Elephant
November 20, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
44 – Maximilian and the Goose Boy
November 19, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
45 – The Inchcape Rock
November 18, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 977 KBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
46 – Whittington and His Cat
November 17, 2023 00:00 - 14 minutes - 5.72 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com
48 – Antonio Canova
November 15, 2023 00:00 - 6 minutes - 1.91 MBMore great books at LoyalBooks.com