Showing results by publisher "Audioliterature" in Comedy & Humor

"The Irish R.M." refers to a series of books by the Anglo-Irish novelists Somerville and Ross. They are set in the turn-of-the-20th-century west of Ireland. The humor in the audiobook is greatly enhanced if the listener has a broad understanding of the history of Ireland's relationship with England, and how Ireland was governed, as well as the Irish country way of life. The show is, however, not political, although caricatures of Irish and British people are used for humorous purposes.

"Buried Alive" (1908) is a witty satire by Arnold Bennett about a shy painter. Excerpt from the book: "The peculiar angle of the earth's axis to the plane of the ecliptic - that angle which is chiefly responsible for our geography and therefore for our history - had caused the phenomenon known in London as summer. The whizzing globe happened to have turned its most civilized face away from the sun, thus producing night in Selwood Terrace, South Kensington.

"The White Feather" is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. When Sheen, a quiet and studious boy, finds himself facing a street brawl between boys of Wrykyn and those of St. Jude's, their sworn enemies, he slips away to safety to avoid the wrath of his masters. However, his cowardliness is noticed by his fellows, who send him to Coventry. In order to save his reputation, he must train secretly under boxing legend Joe Bevan. Can he overcome the many obstacles in his path and restore the school's honor in the ring?

"The Hand of Ethelberta" (1876) is a comedy novel by Thomas Hardy. Ethelberta was raised in humble circumstances but, through her work as a governess, married well at the age of eighteen. Her husband died two weeks after the wedding and, now twenty-one, Ethelberta lives with her mother-in-law, Lady Petherwin. In the three years that have elapsed since the deaths of both her husband and father-in-law, Ethelberta has been treated to foreign travel and further privilege by her benefactress, but restricted from seeing her poor family.

"Three Men on the Bummel" (1900) is a comical travelogue by Jerome K. Jerome. The three companions are on a bicycle tour through the German Black Forest. What does Bummel mean? D. C. Browning writes: "The title must be puzzling to many readers, for 'bummel' will not be found in English dictionaries." You can learn its meaning at the last chapter of the book, which is a series of humorous vignettes, each of which builds slowly, through accumulation of layer on layer of detail, through several pages.

"His Grace of Osmonde" (1897) is a historical satire by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Excerpt from the book: "Upon the village of Camylott there had rested since the earliest peep of dawn a hush of affectionate and anxious expectancy, the very plough-boys going about their labours without boisterous laughter, the children playing quietly, and the good wives bustling less and modulating the sharpness of their voices, the most motherly among them in truth finding themselves falling into whispering as they gossiped of the great subject of the hour.

This is a hilarious collection of 35 of the master humorist Bill Nye's funniest pieces and stories; originally hundreds of newspaper columns and later assembled into books. Absolutely essential listening for those of us who have a sense of self deprecation and just plain good old sense of humor!

"My Man Jeeves" is a collection of short stories by the master of British comedy P. G. Wodehouse, published in 1919. The stories all feature the author's most well known characters: the extremely intelligent manservant Jeeves and his dimwitted but kind employer Bertie. As always, Jeeves will be stretched to his utmost in the performance of his protective duties against manipulative stratagems, nosy relatives, shady scams and all kinds of goings on, most often aimed at taking advantage of Bertie's kindness and cluelessness... As always: pure gold for the listener!

"Niels Klim's Underground Travels" (1741), originally published in Latin, is a satirical science-fiction/fantasy novel written by Ludvig Holberg. It describes a utopian society from an outsider's point of view, and often pokes fun at diverse cultural and social topics such as morality, science, sexual equality, religion, governments, and philosophy. The novel starts with a foreword that assures that everything in the story is a real account of the title character's exploits in the Underworld.

"The Card" is a comic novel by Arnold Bennett, published in 1911. Like much of Bennett's best work, it is set in the Potteries District of Staffordshire. It chronicles the rise of Edward Henry ("Denry") Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley (a fictitious town based on Burslem). This is accomplished through luck, initiative and a fair bit of guts!

"Indiscretions of Archie" is a 1921 comedic novel by the British master of the genre, P. G. Wodehouse. The novel tells the story of impoverished, embarrassment-prone Archibald "Archie" Moffam (pronounced "Moom") and his difficult relationship with his art-collecting, hotel-owning, millionaire father-in-law Daniel Brewster, who is the father of Archie's new bride Lucille. Archie's attempts to ingratiate himself with Brewster only get him further into trouble. The story takes place in New York City.

"The Little Nugget" is a novel by the undisputed master of comedy P. G. Wodehouse, first published in 1913. Mrs. Nesta Ford, in her London hotel room, reveals to her new friend Lord Mountry that she hopes to take her son Ogden on a yachting trip proposed by Mountry, despite her ex-husband having won custody of the boy. As Mountry leaves, Cynthia Drassilis arrives with Ogden, whom she has led away from his father's country house.

"The Girl on the Boat" (1922) is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. The girl from the title is the red-haired, dog-loving Wilhelmina "Billie" Bennett, and the three men are: Bream Mortimer, a long-time and long-suffering suitor of Billie; Eustace Hignett, a shy poet who is cowed by his domineering mother but secretly engaged to Billie at the opening of the tale; Sam Marlowe, Eustace's dashing cousin, who falls in love with Billie "at first sight".

"A Great Man: a Frolic" (1904) is a humorous novel by Arnold Bennett about the beginning of the marriage of another author: Henry Shakspere Knight. Excerpt from the book: "On an evening in 1866 Mr. Henry Knight, a draper's manager, aged forty, dark, clean-shaven, short, but not stout, sat in his sitting-room on the second-floor over the shop which he managed in Oxford Street, London. He was proud of that sitting-room, which represented the achievement of an ideal.

Cobb's Anatomy is a wonderfully humorous work by Irvin S. Cobb, published in 1912. The author discusses the tummy, teeth, hair, hands and feet parts of the human body, creating deep belly laughs in the lucky listener of this classic piece of American humor!

A classic and hilarious comedy gem. Filmed many times, with great popular success. The complicated storyline involves a rich businessman's son, Travers, who learns of a planned burglary of his house and decides to dress himself up as a policeman to confront the legendary criminal (and also to alleviate his own boredom)... From here on things get really complicated and funny, as the criminal pretends to be Travers and as the criminal's girlfriend shows up; also believing him to be Travers!

"Only a Ghost! by Irenæus the Deacon" is a humorous fictional travelogue written by Sabine Baring-Gould. The ghost of Irenæus the Deacon of the church of the 4th century Jerusalem visits London, the "most religious city of the world" in 1870. Baring-Gould described Irenæus’ astonishment on the state of hypocritical, superficial and superstitious "Christianity", and their astonishment in return on the unwarranted thoughts of Irenæus'.

"The Rain-Girl (1919) " by Herbert George Jenkins is a romantic novel about a World War I veteran. After returning from the war, Richard Beresford cannot find his place in society any more. He is not interested in family, work, leisure or pleasure: he sells his belongings and starts wandering. During these wanderings, he meets a kindred spirit: the mysterious but happy Rain-Girl.

"In Brief Authority" (1915) by F. Anstey is a satiric comedy about a British newly rich family. They are taken in a car drawn by storks to Märchenland - Fairyland, practically. The father and mother have been made King and Queen, and they are keen to practice their new authority to establish their customs in their new reign. The inhabitants of Fairyland - a dragon, a fairy godmother, giants, gnomes, etc. do not really like the new rich as the new rulers. Will there be a magic insurgency? Listen to the recording to find it out!

"The Calico Cat" (1908) is a novel by Charles Miner Thompson. Excerpt: There in the sun, prone upon the top of the fence, dozed the bane of his life - the Calico Cat. Her coat was made up of patches of yellow and white, varied with a black stocking on her right hind leg, and a large, round, black spot about her right eye, which gave her a peculiarly predatory and disreputable appearance. Solomon had disliked her at sight. Ever since he had bought the house in Ellmington he had been trying to drive her from the premises, but stay away she would not. Not all the missiles in existence could convince her that his house was not a desirable place of abode. And she was a constant vexation and annoyance.

Artist Bio Author: Charles Miner Thompson (1864-1941) was an American journalist, editor of the Youth’s Companion. His most known works are: "The Nimble Dollar", "Life of Ethan Allen", "An Army Mule".