Audio Sommelier

As per tradition, Queen Victoria’s throne speech marked the start of the annual legislative session. 1880 held a general election in which Gladstone beat out Disraeli for prime minister, much to Victoria’s disappointment. She addresses this change...

Queen Victoria’s 1890 throne speech reads like a state of the union address. In it, she discusses the foreign affairs with Portugal, the United States, and Australia, and introduces her proposal for improving relations with Ireland by helping them...

Queen Victoria’s 1892 throne speech marks the second time in British history when the monarch’s wishes led to a vote of no confidence. Victoria retained her support for the Marquess of Salisbury as prime minister. However, following the speech, the...

Martin Luther’s 95 Theses started the schism in the Catholic church that led to the Reformation. He penned this text out of frustration with the church’s sale of indulgences, which were documents granting forgiveness for sins on behalf of the...

Politician William Jennings Bryan delivered this speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1896. Historians consider it one of the most famous political speeches in American history; Bryan stirred the crowd into a frenzy with his support for...

"The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, that Paul preached, is the truth that I must preach to-day, or else be false to my conscience and my God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of...

Poe brings the reality of life and death to the forefront as he weaves a story within a story. When the narrator runs into an old man, the man begins to tell the tale of how he aged so rapidly. Only a day before, he was young – but lost his shipmates...

Congregationalist minister Harvey Newcomb wrote countless volumes of spiritual advice for adults and children alike. He compiled this guide for young people seeking to develop a deeper understanding of the Bible. His advice spans general guidelines...

A House divided was a speech that was given after his nomination to be a state senator by the Republican Party at the Illinois State Capital. In this speech, he clearly states something that he had always held to be true – that the United States could...

Benjamin Franklin left behind quite a legacy as an inventor, politician, and philosopher. Yet when he first arrived in Philadelphia, his future wife thought he had “a most awkward, ridiculous appearance.” Franklin recalls that this was because at the...

A New Year's Benediction is a classic sermon by Charles H. Spurgeon, first delivered on Sunday morning, January 1st 1860. Bryan Nyman beautifully narrates this rendition. Author - Charles Spurgeon. Narrator - Bryan Nyman. Published Date - Sunday, 22...

Charles Spurgeon has been called the “prince of preachers,” a man in a league of his own in 19th-century Britain. Yet in “A Pastoral Letter,” his humble tone would lead one to believe he was writing to a small congregation in a country chapel. He...

This spoof is from the point of view of a colleague of Samuel Johnson, something that showcased Lovecraft’s passion for antiquities and classical writers. The narrator introduces himself as being 228 years old and goes on to document his interactions...

"Plough with an ox which will not miss a farrow."Charles SpurgeonA Spur for a Free Horse is a classic sermon by Charles Spurgeon. This audio edition is beautifully narrated by Bryan Nyman. Author - Charles Spurgeon. Narrator - Bryan Nyman. Published...

Septima Collis, a native of South Carolina, married Union general Charles H.T. Collis prior to the Civil War. She supported and accompanied her husband during the Civil War. This rendition is beautifully narrated by Suzi Woods. Author - Septima M....

President Woodrow Wilson delivered this address on January 22, 1917, a few months before he asked Congress to vote to enter World War I. This speech reveals that he planned for the US to participate in the peace-making agreements long before he...

This was the first speech given by the newly-elected President of the United States. In an already tense state, Lincoln made the address with the hopes that the discordant South would listen. While reinforcing that the Union would never break, he...

George Washington gained a reputation for military excellence for his service in the French and Indian War. This experience, combined with his unique situation as a relative outsider, made him an obvious choice to lead the Continental Army. Washington...

In 1520, Martin Luther debated Catholic theologian Johann Eck in Leipzig—and lost. After the debate, the pope threatened Luther with excommunication. He responded by writing this address to the German nobility, urging them to consider his reforms for...

After criticizing US involvement in WWI, Eugene Debs found himself testifying in court for violation of the Sedition Act of 1918. Debs, an outspoken socialist and advocate, stated that he saw this law “as a despotic enactment in flagrant conflict with...

William Penn acquired a large section of American land in a debt settlement and transformed it into a thriving colony. He wrote this tract (and others) to recruit British colonists to Pennsylvania. In it, he praises the quality of the weather, the...

Mark Twain wrote this essay when asked to share something with America’s youth. Though he begins in a serious tone, his advice quickly takes a turn for the satirical: “Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the...

"Against the Infidels” is Fulcher of Chartres eyewitness account of Pope Urban II’s call-to-arms in 1095. This speech launched the First Crusade, but the several historical transcripts record it slightly differently. Fulcher’s account includes a...

Cabeza de Vaca left Spain to explore the New World on a 1527 expedition. He was second in command of nearly 600 men, but only he and three others survived the treacherous weather, exotic diseases, and attacking indigenous people. Cabeza de Vaca...