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Inventor and scientist Nikola Tesla believed in life on other planets. One night in his laboratory in the Colorado mountains, he began noting electronic signals that he deduced came from an intelligent life form on another planet. While over 100 years later we have still failed to prove the existence of alien life, Tesla’s short article provides a fascinating look at the possibility of interplanetary communication. To the visionary who invented wireless communication, sending a message to Mars was merely the logical next step.

Julius Caesar peaked as one of the most powerful generals in Roman history. In “The Life of Caesar", Plutarch attempts to capture the greatness of this man on paper. With stirring prose, he documents Caesar’s military might and rousing spirit. The biography ends with the details of Caesar’s assassination, but Plutarch assures us that the murderers eventually paid for the deed.   

Cato the Younger was one of the many biographies documented by Plutarch in his series called Parallel Lives. Related to Cato the Elder, Cato the Younger was also a student of philosophy as well as a Roman Statesman. After his father died and he gained his inheritance, Cato the Younger began his life as philosopher, warrior, and political leader. His life ended, as so many Roman lives did back then, in tragedy.

Mr. Winkleman thinks he ought not to have to watch his tongue in his own home. Yet one morning, his angry words bring his wife to tears, and he faces the conviction that perhaps a kind tone is not such a strenuous demand after all. Arthur begins and ends this story with verses from "Proverbs" describing the power of the tongue. Moral stories like this one helped define middle-class values in the 19th century.

E. M. Bounds examines the importance of prayer in a Christian's life with this seminal book that is still studied widely today. Bounds, a former Army chaplain, directed his text at church leaders, but his musings can be useful for all Christians looking to revitalize their prayer life. He firmly believed that devoted prayer was at the root of a successful church ministry; he himself set aside three hours for prayer every morning. "The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men."

As humans, we often wonder about our heroes’ (and, perhaps, our enemies’) opinions on the most assorted of topics. Mark Twain’s speech “Cigars and Tobacco” serves to satiate such curiosities. In it, he details his storied history with those two substances and his search for the “worst cigar in the New York Market.” It’s a brief treat for anyone who’s ever wondered about Twain’s tobacco consumption, or simply wants to read some miscellaneous wit from this literary master.

Billy the Kid was a real-life outlaw, a cattle rustler in the Southwest who was wanted - dead or alive. One fateful night in 1881, he was shot and killed in a darkened room by nemesis Sheriff Pat Garrett. With this account, the sheriff aimed to set the record straight about his final showdown with the Kid. Since its publication, The Authentic Life of Billy, the Kid has served as a primary source on this legendary outlaw’s life for historians and storytellers alike.

Cat haters beware. This piece by H.P. Lovecraft is largely memoirish, whereby the narrator is compelled to tell the listener about Ulthar after petting his own cat. When a travelling caravan passes through, a young orphan named Menes finds his beloved black kitten has gone missing and fears the worst - that his kitten had suffered a torturous end at the hands of the town cat killers. Annoyed by the lack of action on the part of the townspeople, Menes invokes a prayer that results in the cats of the town rising and slaying the cat-killing couple.

The Nameless City, now defunct in part of the Arabian Peninsula, tells the tale of a civilization run by reptilian creatures long before the dawn of humanity. It describes how they lived, worked, and ran until the ocean receded. Desertlike conditions bring about the downfall of the civilization, and this is documented by the author of the Necronomicon. Despite this downfall, their hieroglyphs remain, and it is rumored that deep beneath the surface, some reptilian creatures remain, too.

When Army lieutenant Philip Nolan rashly proclaims that he never wants to hear about the United States again, he has no idea that his wishes will be so literally carried out. Sentenced to spend the rest of his life in exile, never to hear news of the US again, Nolan truly learns what it means to be “without a country.” Originally published amid the division and chaos of the Civil War, The Man Without a Country gets right to the heart of some timeless and universal themes. Philip Nolan’s poignant tale will make you rethink the true meaning of patriotism.

The Roman statesman Sulla had the nickname “Felix” - meaning “lucky.” Yet his accomplishments were more a matter of brute force than good fortune. He put an end to a civil war, declared himself dictator, and used his power to bring Rome back to its former value system, purging thousands of Roman enemies along the way. Plutarch’s biography of Sulla shows how one man’s use of force to obtain political power influenced many who came after him, most notably Julius Caesar.   

The story of Romulus is perhaps the most noteworthy entry in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives. According to legend, Romulus and his brother Remus founded Rome after being raised by a “she-wolf”, though Plutarch notes that this word was also used to describe sexually immoral women. “The Life of Romulus” shows how it is impossible to separate the man from the myth. For this reason, Plutarch’s portrait of Romulus argues that legends often have as great an influence on culture as the truth.

Petty criminals Bill and Sam decide to kidnap 10-year-old Johnny for ransom money from his wealthy father. The plan turns on its head, however, when Johnny “Red Chief” Dorset decides he likes his captors better than his father.

In contrast to some of the other, bloodier names listed in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, Demosthenes was a great orator and politician. The Life of Demosthenes starts out uniquely, detailing Demosthenes’ commitment to his study - one so fierce that he built an underground study room and shaved half his head so he wouldn’t go outside. All this was to take his guardians to court for not allowing him to take gymnastics, but his education went on to help him in the end. Going on to write speeches for the greatest politicians, Demosthenes made his mark on Ancient Greece through his craft.

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 the church. He argues that the Catholic church abuses undue power, and asks, “If we rightly hang thieves and behead robbers, why do we leave the greed of Rome unpunished?”

The fate of a young university student, an amoral scientist, and his beautiful daughter clash in this Gothic tale of science and control. All the young men in Padua, Italy have fallen for Beatrice, who tends the exotic plants in her father’s garden. Giovanni makes his way into the garden and Beatrice’s heart, but the joy of young love shatters when he uncovers a terrible secret about her father’s work. This twisted gothic story presents powerful literary themes with the thrill of horror.

After Marathon, the Athenian government needed a new type of leader. That leader was politician and general Themistocles, whose life is well-attributed in Plutarch’s Parallel Lives series. From how he handled the Persian invasion to his time in Athens after the navy, Themistocles was known as the “Glory of the Law”. Though his later life was fraught with whisperings of treason, he went on to be remembered as one of the greatest navy leaders and politicians that Greece had.   

John Calvin describes the Catholic Church as “very miserable, and almost desperate” in this 1543 work. He appeals directly to Holy Roman Emperor King Charles V, pointing out the failures of the church and demanding change. On behalf of the reformers, Calvin details his proposed solution.

"Plough with an ox which will not miss a farrow." (Charles Spurgeon) "A Spur for a Free Horse" is a classic sermon by Charles Spurgeon. This audio edition is beautifully narrated by Bryan Nyman.

In this sermon, Charles Spurgeon discusses the Day of Atonement. While himself a Reformed Baptist preacher, Spurgeon respected the deep symbolism of this Jewish tradition. He carefully analyzes the parallels between the Old Testament high priest and Jesus as the High Priest, who makes the atoning sacrifice.