Showing results by narrator "Katie Haigh" in All Categories

Shakespeare's "Othello" is a heart-wrenching tale of evil and betrayal; it is the first of Shakespeare's great series of tragedies and history plays. The exotic Moor Othello and his beloved Desdemona are thrown into a mesh of intrigue and matters of the state; their strong love would overcome all of it, were it not for Iago. Trusted by his master Othello, he is actually seeking vengeance against him, and has vowed to destroy the Moor of Venice in the worst possible manner. Through insinuations about Desdemona's infidelity, Iago manages to draw Othello deeper and deeper into his schemes, until a horrific escalation quickly brings the play to a terrible end.

Discover the endless fascination of Japanese culture with seven ancient tales, selected for you for their power of evocation, wisdom and humor. Not unlike the western folk tales compiled by the Brothers Grimm, these stories faithfully preserve the spirit of medieval Japan, while rendered in a translation accessible to all ages.

"The Fair One with Golden Locks" is a fairy tale by Madame d'Aulnoy. It has also been translated under the title "Pretty Goldilocks", which is not to be confused with the Story of the Three Bears. A princess is so beautiful and has such golden hair that she is known as Pretty Goldilocks. A neighboring king falls in love with her from her description and sends his servant to plead his cause.

"The White Cat" is an old French fairy tale written by the Comtesse d'Aulnoy in 1698. It is a variation on an old German tale, "Puddocky", and "Cherry", another tale collected by the brothers Grimm in the nineteenth century. A king has three sons and sets them tasks to perform so that he can decide who gets the kingdom after his passing. The tasks are increasingly difficult, but the youngest prince encounters the aid of a mysterious white cat, who seems to have been human at some time but will not tell its sad story.

Søren Kierkegaard, a name meaning "church's garden", is a Christian philosopher whose work had a considerable influence on western philosophy and theology. His thoughts focused primarly on what it means to become a subject of one's existence, what feelings arise when faced with life choices, and the relation with God through faith. He is credited with numerous reflections on the three stages of life; he also questioned existential despair, absurdity and anxiety.

The bar was high after the glorious reign of the Sun King. Louis XV, his successor, had a difficult time driving the country through religious disputes, intellectual shifts and economical hardness. This eventually led to a steep economic decline, which played an important role in the reaction of the French people against the monarchy, and eventually gave way to the French Revolution.

Sun Tzu was a revered Chinese general, strategist, and philosopher. He is credited with one of the most influent military treatises ever written, the "Art of War". Countless leaders have drawn inspiration from this work, from Mao Zedong to General Douglas MacArthur. It is so powerful and straightforward that it is still influencing many domains other than military thinking, like business tactics, legal strategy, entrepreneurship, and beyond.

The 100 greatest poems of three major French authors, Baudelaire, Victor Hugo, Paul Verlaine, translated into English with perfect accuracy and elegance, narrated by Katie Haigh and Paul Edwards. Excerpts from Hugo's "Contemplations and Autumn Leaves", Baudelaire's "Flowers of Evil", which started as a banned book in France because of its indecency, and Verlaine's "Poèmes Saturniens": here is enough to delight in the greatest poetry lines ever written and to nourish one's literary culture.

The beautiful Sheherazade, threatened with death, manages to postpone the fatal day by telling one marvellous story every night. The stories themselves are folk tales, fairy tales and poems collected over many centuries, from ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and Egyptian folklore and literature. This makes The Arabian Nights a priceless treasure, as it takes us to the very roots of our culture in a delightful and passionate way...

Victor Hugo is one of the best-known French writers, and is part of the greatest literary figures of all time. His poetry made him famous very early, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest lyric poets when he was only 20 years old. He was also a novelist and a dramatist, and furthered the cause of Romanticism, this exalted artistic movement, which toyed with Sublime and soared on the winds of emotion. The high-achieving poet was also actively involved in politics, defending the poor until his last breath; he was even forced into exile, from which he kept on writing, beloved by the masses he stood up for. When he died, it was an intense day of mourning in France, and more than two million people joined his funeral procession to the Panthéon. Today, most large towns in France have at least a street named after him.

"The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in English literature, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others." The play seems to have been one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime and still ranks among his most-performed. It has inspired writers from Goethe and Dickens to Joyce and Murdoch, and has been described as "the world's most-filmed story after Cinderella".

"The Three Little Pigs" is a very funny and famous fairytale featuring anthropomorphic pigs who build three houses of different materials. The story begins with the title characters being sent out into the world by their mother, to "seek out their fortune". The first little pig builds a house of straw, but a wolf blows it down and eats him. The second pig builds a house of furze sticks, which the wolf also blows down and eats him. Each exchange between wolf and pig features ringing proverbial phrases, namely: "Little pig, little Pig, let me come in." "No, no, not by the hair on my chinny chin chin." "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in." The third pig builds a house of bricks. This little pig is very smart, and the end is a big surprise for everyone.

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."

All Henry VI "The Mad" ever wanted was peace. But everything kept going to hell around him, till his mind broke from the pressure of having to rule two kingdoms, wage a war, and survive countless cabals all the while having not a single clue how rulership worked. Henry VI was thrown into power at the tender age of nine months, and kept being let down by everyone around him, while he struggled to understand what was going on.

Young children live in an information-packed environment, and have yet to master their emotions and resist stress. Relaxation and simple meditation techniques have been proven to help them manage pressure, increase focus and concentrate. These simple relaxation exercises will introduce them to breathing techniques and mindfulness; these are the same self-calming techniques adults can learn, but presented in a soothing format appealing to children. Regular practice will improve their concentration skills, help them build self-esteem and fall asleep quickly and peacefully: a great help for everyday living at home and in the classroom.

This classic adaptation of James Barrie's play tells the story of Peter Pan, a mischievous little boy who can fly, and his adventures on the island of Neverland with Wendy Darling and her brothers, the fairy Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, and the pirate Captain Hook.

Louis XI: this rebellious king was first called "The Prudent", in reference to his cunning ways, and then, "The Universal Spider" when it appeared that his ceaseless intrigues had turned into full-blown webs of plots and conspiracies. Learn how the Cunning King of France was able to eliminate his rebellious vassals, expand royal power, and strengthen the economic development of his country, all through the power of isolating treaties, precise timing, and intense diplomatic activities.

Rejection and failure are unavoidable parts of living. Being unable to cope with them in a relaxed and efficient way prevents achievements by leading you into withdrawal. True success comes from being consciously prepared for failure and being able to deal with it when it inevitably comes, so that it becomes possible to try and push towards one's goal without the hindrance of fear and low self-esteem.

Classic tales and stories are an fundamental part of children's development, as they awaken imagination and bring essential teachings. These stories inspire children through important archetypes and symbolic imagery; they will bring them into a journey in fantastic worlds, full of possibilities and wonders. This specially designed compilation includes classic folk tales, famous stories by Hans Christian Andersen and fairy tales.

Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's best dramatist. His plays have been translated into every major language, and are the most performed ever. His work contains stunningly modern insight, witty jokes and soaring passion; it is an endless source of amazement and inspiration.