"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" is the original and still the greatest undersea adventure. Ships are being attacked by a strange sea monster. Professor Aronnax joins an expedition to stop the beast, but is washed overboard his ship and finds himself in a submarine helmed by the brooding and terrible Captain Nemo. Thus begins a breathtaking and dangerous underwater journey, through coral reefs and lost continents, amidst sea storms and terrible battles. Will Aronnax and his companions escape the clutches of Nemo, or will they remain trapped in a watery prison? Narrator: Norman Dietz.

The seemingly peaceful country village of Hayslope is the setting for this ambitious first novel by George Eliot. Adam Bede addresses profound questions of morality, religion, and the role of women in society, while at the same time seeking to establish a new aesthetic for fiction. Narrator: David Case.

Of all the contenders for the title of The Great American Novel, none has a better claim than The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Intended at first as a simple story of a boy's adventures in the Mississippi Valley, the book grew and matured under Twain's hand into a work of immeasurable richness and complexity. More than a century after its publication, the critical debate over the symbolic significance of Huck's and Jim's voyage is still fresh, and it remains a major work that can be enjoyed at many levels: as an incomparable adventure story and as a classic of American humor. Narrator: Norman Dietz

Here are some of the best known Holmes stories, including A scandal in Bohemia,The red-headed league, The man with the twisted lip, The adventure of the copper beaches and more. Narrator: Simon Prebble.

In 1872 Phileas Fogg wins a bet by traveling around the world in seventy-nine days, twenty-three hours, and fifty-seven minutes. Narrator: Ralph Cosham.

The story, set in 1920's England, examines the wealthy Flyte family through the eyes of Sebastian Flyte's less wealthy school friend Charles Ryder, who is eventually tempted into an extra-marital affair with Sebastian's sister, Lady Julia. Narrator: Jeremy Irons.

The story of survival depicted through a half St. Bernard and half Scottish shepherd dog named Buck. Stolen from his domestic home and thrown forcibly into the harsh and wild northern California woods, Buck must learn how to withstand the elements and fight to endure. Narrator: Patrick Lawlor.

"Cannery Row" focuses on the acceptance of life as is--both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. Creating characters based on his memories of real inhabitants of Monterey, California, Steinbeck interweaves the stories of Doc, Henri, Mack, and the boys in a world where only the fittest survive. Narrator: Jerry Farden.

Some of Poe's best known stories are here, including The raven, Tell-tale heart, The black cat, The fall of the house of Usher, The murders in the Rue Morgue and more. Narrator: Ralph Cosham.

Raskolnikov, a nihilistic young man in the midst of a spiritual crisis, makes the fateful decision to murder a cruel pawnbroker, justifying his actions by relying on science and reason, and creating his own morality system. The aftermath of his crime and Petrovich's murder investigation result in an utterly compelling, truly unforgettable cat-and-mouse game. Narrator: George Guidall.

Charles Dickens' 1850 classic epic, David Copperfield, unfolds the story of David, an optimistic and hard-working lad who's orphaned in his youth. Raised initially by his brutal stepfather, who halts David's schooling and sends him to work in a factory, David eventually finds a home with his eccentric, but kind aunt, Betsey. Later in life, David trains for a career in law, but eventually becomes a writer. Narrator: Simon Vance.

Stacy Keach and Jane Kaczmarek stars in Arthur Miller's 1949 masterpiece, a searing portrait of the physical, emotional, and psychological costs of the American dream. Willy Loman (Keach) is the play's iconic traveling salesman, whose family is torn apart by his desperate obsession with greatness and social acceptance. As his two sons cast about aimlessly for their station in life, Willy begins to come unraveled when the reality of his life threatens his long-cherished illusions. A full-cast performance from L.A. Theatre Works.
 

Adam and Charles Trask are raised by their stern father to become soldiers. But even as boys, they are at war. Adam's gentle passivity enrages the fiercely competitive Charles, who is sure his father favors Adam. Cathy Ames is beautiful but amoral; she uses the world to get what she wants. When Adam falls under her spell, she become a force that will poison both brothers and the future generations of two families. Narrator: Richard Poe.

This portrait of a golden-tongued evangelist, who lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and self-indulgence, is also the chronicle of a reign of vulgarity, which but for Lewis would have left no record of itself. Narrator: Anthony Heald.

Twenty-one-year-old Emma Woodhouse loves playing matchmaker. When pretty and socially inferior Harriet arrives, Emma decides to indulge her passion. Against the advice of family friend and surrogate older brother Mr. Knightly, Emma persuades Harriet to reject a marriage proposal from a local farmer in order to hold out for an offer from the dashing Mr. Elton. But Emma soon discovers Mr. Elton's true motives and her advice to Harriet goes terribly awry. Narrator: Victoria Morgan.

A slave bride of a Chinese laborer devotes herself to her husband's family, but when civil war in China brings wealth to the family, her happiness is endangered as her husband brings home a second wife. Narrator: Anthony Heald.

Playaway also available.

Forced from their home, the Joad family is lured to California to find work; instead they find disillusionment, exploitation, and hunger. Narrator: Dylan Baker.

The orphan, Pip, and the convict, Magwitch, the beautiful Estella, and her guardian, the embittered and vengeful Miss Havisham, the ambitious lawyer, Mr. Jaggers -- all have a part to play in the mystery. Dickens supplied two endings to his great novel, both are recorded leaving the listener to judge. Narrator: Frank Muller.

Bathtub gin, flappers and house parties that last all week enliven Fitzgerald's classic tale. Stylish and engaging, "The Great Gatsby" is also a startling literate portrait of Gatsby's search for meaning in his opulent world. Narrator: Frank Muller.

When Louisa, trapped in a loveless marriage, falls prey to an idle seducer, the crisis forces her father to reconsider his cherished system. Yet even as the development of the story reflects Dickens's growing pessimism about human nature and society, "Hard Times" marks his return to the theme which had made his early works so popular: the amusements of the people. Sleary's circus represents Dickens's most considered defence of the necessity of entertainment, and infuses the novel with the good humour which has ensured its appeal to generations of readers. Narrator: Patrick Tull

The Pyncheons, having lived for generations under the curse of a supposed witch who once occupied the land on which the family mansion was built, gain a new lease on life with the arrival of young Phoebe Pyncheon from the country. Narrator: Donada Peters. 

In Edwardian England, three vastly dissimilar classes of people are thrown together and disasters and discoveries ensue. Narrator: John Franklyn-Robbins.

When Paris of Troy fell in love with Helen of Sparta and took her to his homeland, the princes of Greece launched a fleet of a thousand ships filled with armed men to bring her back. Led by Helen's brother-in-law, Agamemnon, this immense force would besiege Troy for 10 years in a staggering effort to rescue the princess. The Iliad is the story of Achilles, the greatest warrior of this decade-long war, and his desperate but ultimately futile battle against the once magnificent city. Narrator: George Guidall.

To escape his dull country routine, Jack Worthing creates a fictitious brother named Earnest who lives in London, but Jack finds the lie backfiring when he falls in love. Multi-voiced cast.

On a freezing February day, a stranger emerges from out of the gray to request a room at a local provincial inn. Who is this out-of-season traveler? More confounding is the thick mask of bandages obscuring his face. Why does he disguise himself in this manner and keep himself hidden away in his room? Aroused by trepidation and curiosity, the local villagers bring it upon themselves to find the answers. What they discover is a man trapped in a terror of his own creation, and a chilling reflection of the unsolvable mysteries of their own souls. Narrator: James Adams.
 

 In early nineteenth-century England, an orphaned young woman accepts employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall, a country estate owned by the mysteriously remote Mr. Rochester. Narrator: Susan Ericksen

A documentary novel portraying industry's conditions at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Sinclair's novel prompted public outrage which led President Theodore Roosevelt to demand an official investigation. This eventually led to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug laws. Narrator: Robert Morris.

"Kim" is the story of a sharp-witted boy who learns about life on the streets of Lahore, India. His friends from all walks of life call him "Friend of All the World." He meets and adopts a gentle old man from Tibet. The holy man takes the boy to be a chela (disciple) sent from heaven. But the authorities discover Kim, give him a Sahib's education, and at 16 years of age, enlist him into the Great Game -- the dangerous world of British espionage, at which he excels. Narrator: Sam Dastor.

A young woman, unable to be intimate with her husband after his war injuries, seeks solace and physical passion in the arms of a gamekeeper. Narrator: Margaret Hilton.

A lord, his wife, her admirer and an infamous blackmailer converge in the irreverent satire that launched Wilde's succession of classic social comedies. This delicious comic feast serves up a scandal about good girls, bad husbands and hilarious hypocrisy-- utterly contemporary and divinely funny. Multi-voiced cast.

A Mohican brave struggles to protect two English girls from an evil Huron during the French and Indian War in upstate New York. Narrator: Larry McKeever.
 

In a delightful series of adventures, Nicholas, the hearty young hero, takes us on a journey through nineteenth-century England accompanied by some of Dickens's best swaggering scoundrels and most unforgettable eccentrics. From the dungeon-like Yorkshire boys' boarding school run by the cruel Wackford Squeers to the high-spirited stage of Vincent Crummles's extraordinary acting troupe, Nicholas Nickleby is a triumph of the imagination and a marvelously energetic work bursting with scenes of brilliant color, luminous humor, and poignant social commentary. Narrator: Simon Vance.

Lena Grove's resolute search for the father of her unborn child begets a rich, poignant, and ultimately hopeful story of perseverance in the face of mortality. It also acquaints us with several of Faulkner's most unforgettable characters, including the Reverend Gail Hightower, plagued by visions of Confederate horsemen, and Joe Christmas, a ragged, itinerant soul obsessed with his mixed-race ancestry. Narrator: Mark Hammer.

Aramis bribes his way into the Bastille where a man held prisoner for eight years unknowingly has the power to dethrone the King of France. Narrator: Geoffrey Sherman.

Thomas Hardy's exploration of his most tragic hero, Michael Henchard, is the classic tale of over-ambition. From his drunken sale of his wife and baby at a country fair, to his subjugation of a farming village, Henchard's life is an epic attempt to bring the world to heel as he hides even from himself all vestiges of emotional vulnerability. Narrator: Anton Lesser.

Holmes's deductions turn out to be wrong, the first appearance of the detective's brother Mycroft, and Watson's report of Holmes's death at the hands of Professor Moriarty are of note in this second set of adventure tales featuring the world's first consulting detective. Narrator: Simon Prebble.

One of the great works of 19th-century England as well as one of the masterpieces of English fiction, this novel is set in the Midlands, 1830-32, in the fictitious town of Middlemarch. It is concerned with the blighted marriage of a young idealistic woman, but also presents a vivid portrait of England during the Georgian era. Narrator: Juliet Stevenson.

Ishmael, Queequeg, and Starbuck of the whaling ship Pequod watch on as the driven - and perhaps mad - Captain Ahab pushes ship and crew around Good Hope, and 'round the Horn, and 'round the Norway Maelstrom, and 'round perdition's flames in his doomed quest to hunt down the eponymous Great White Whale. Narrator: William Hootkins.

An orphan, born in a prison, works her way from the streets of London to a Virginia plantation. Narrator: Virginia Leishman.

Willa Cather's My Ántonia is considered one of the most significant American novels of the twentieth century. Set during the great migration west to settle the plains of the North American continent, the narrative follows Ántonia Shimerda, a pioneer who comes to Nebraska as a child and grows with the country, inspiring a childhood friend, Jim Burden, to write her life story. The novel is important both for its literary aesthetic and as a portrayal of important aspects of American social ideals and history, particularly the centrality of migration to American culture.  Narrator: Patrick Lawlor.

 

This is one of the earliest novels of industrial alienation, tellingly linked to the plight of 19th-century women. It tells of the relationship between Margaret Hale, a girl from the old rural south, and John Thornton, a mill owner from the new industrial north. Narrator: Juliet Stevenson.

A collection of stories by a notable American author. One of these stories is about the last minutes in the life of a condemned man of the American Civil War who stands on a bridge awaiting his hanging. Narrator: Jonathan Reese.

A Greek epic tells of the adventures of the hero Odysseus during his perilous and protracted journey home from the Trojan War. Narrator: Norman Dietz.

After orphan Oliver Twist asks for more food, he has to flee the workhouse and ends up on the streets of London. There he meets the Artful Dodger, who leads him to Fagin and his gang of pickpockets. When a thieving mission goes wrong, Oliver narrowly avoids prison and finds himself in the care of kind Mr. Brownlow. But Fagin and the brutal Bill Sikes go in search of the young orphan, determined to drag him back. Narrator: Flo Gibson.

Adela Quested is a plucky young woman who journeys from England with the free-spirited Mrs. Moore. Flouting convention, the two women accompany the handsome Dr. Azis on a tour of the mysterious Marabar Caves. But things turn ugly when Adela returns scratched and bloodied from the expedition. As British authorities urge her to press charges against Aziz, the line separating truth and fantasy begin to blur. Narrator: Sam Dastor.

When Isabel Archer, a beautiful, spirited American, is brought to Europe by her wealthy Aunt Touchett, it is expected that she will soon marry. But Isabel, resolved to determine her own fate, does not hesitate to turn down two eligible suitors. She then finds herself irresistibly drawn to Gilbert Osmond, who, beneath his veneer of charm and cultivation, is cruelty itself.  Narrator: John Wood.

From its famous opening sentence the story of the Bennet family and of the novel's two protagonists, Elizabeth and Darcy, told with a wit that its author feared might prove 'rather too light and bright, and sparkling', delights its most familiar readers as thoroughly as it does those who encounter it for the first time. Narrator: Flo Gibson

During his service in the Civil War a young Union soldier matures to manhood and finds peace of mind as he comes to grips with his conflicting emotions about war. Narrator: Roger Dressler.

Following the enormous success of 'The Thin Man' movie in 1934, Hammett was commissioned to write stories for additional films. He wrote two full-length novellas for the films that became 'After the Thin Man' and 'Another Thin Man,' in which he brought back his classic characters, retired private investigator Nick Charles and his former debutante wife Nora, written with classic, barbed Hammett dialogue. Multi-voiced narration with Peter Ganim as Nick, Nicola Barber as Nora and Scott Brick as the narrator. (Publishers summary)

During one of his several adventurous voyages in the 1600s, an Englishman becomes the sole survivor of a shipwreck and lives for nearly thirty years on a deserted island. Narrator: John Lescault.

A well-reared Edwardian girl is lead into impropriety, confusion and passion on her first trip to Florence. Narrator: Joanna David.

Set in the harsh Puritan environment of 17th century Boston, "The scarlet letter" describes the plight of Hester Prynne, an independent-minded woman who stands alone against society. Having given birth to a child after an illicit affair, she refuses to name the father and is forced to wear the letter "A" for adulteress embroidered on her dress. Narrator:  Kristen Underwood.

A thrilling epic of a sea voyage and a complex novel of ideas. "The Sea Wolf" is a standard-bearer of its genre. Here is the vivid story of a gentleman scholar's rescue and subsequent ordeal at the hands of a hunting schooner's brutal captain and devious crew. Narrator: Dick Hill.

Marianne Dashwood wears her heart on her sleeve, and when she falls in love with the dashing but unsuitable John Willoughby she ignores her sister Elinor's warning that her impulsive behaviour leaves her open to gossip and innuendo. Meanwhile Elinor, always sensitive to social convention, is struggling to conceal her own romantic disappointment, even from those closest to her. Through their parallel experience of love(and its threatened loss) the sisters learn that sense must mix with sensibility if they are to find personal happiness in a society where status and money govern the rules of love. Narrator: Flo Gibson.
 

"The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories" contains ten of Hemingway's most acclaimed and popular works of short fiction. Beautiful in their simplicity, startling in their originality, and unsurpassed in their craftsmanship, the stories in this volume highlight one of America's master storytellers at the top of his form. Narrator: Stacy Keach.

Beautiful and lyrical, this third novel by Willa Cather follows the life of Thea Kronberg from her childhood in 19th-century Nebraska to her career as a renowned opera singer. Since the time of its publication in 1915, this novel had captivated readers with its sharp observations, shimmering descriptions, sly humor, and its provocative heroine -- a feisty young woman who strives to create her own destiny, regardless of social restrictions. (Summary by Syndetics™)  Narrator: Barbara Caruso.
 

The quintessential novel of the Lost Generation, "The Sun Also Rises" is one of Hemingway's masterpieces and a classic example of his spare but powerful writing style. A poignant look at the disillusionment and angst of the post-World War I generation, the novel introduces two of Hemingway's most unforgettable characters: Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story follows the flamboyant Brett and the hapless Jake as they journey from the wild nightlife of 1920s Paris to the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain with a motley group of expatriates. Narrator: William Hurt.

The inhabitants of two cities--including a doctor, his devoted daughter, the young French aristocrat she loves, and their English friend--are swept into the tide of the French Revolution. Narrator: Frank Muller.

The stage has been set for a typical Gothic romance: A half-ruined mansion on a lonely moor offers sanctuary to a mysterious heroine fleeing a degenerate husband. Written in 1848, this novel by the youngest of the Bronte sisters is probably a better book than posterity has acknowledged. Its poignant, feminist overtones alone would appeal to today's readers. Although the writing is naturally dated, two experienced narrators have transformed the stilted prose into live-action drama. Alex Jennings is Gilbert Markham, the neighbor who falls in love with the married Helen Huntington, while Jenny Agutter reads with quiet charm from Helen's diary. (Copyright 2010. Library Journal)

Published in 1934, Tender Is the Night was one of the most talked-about books of the year. Set on the French Riviera in the late 1920s, the novel is the tragic romance of the young actress Rosemary Hoyt and the stylish American couple Dick and Nicole Diver. A brilliant young psychiatrist at the time of his marriage, Dick is both husband and doctor to Nicole, whose wealth goads him into a lifestyle not his own, and whose growing strength highlights Dick's harrowing demise. A profound study of the romantic concept of character -- lyrical, expansive, and hauntingly evocative. (Syndetics) Narrator: George Guidall.
 

The chance discovery by a young peasant woman that she is a descendant of the noble family of d'Urbervilles is to change the course of her life. Tess Durbeyfield leaves home on the first of her fateful journeys, and meets the ruthless Alec d'Urberville. Thomas Hardy's impassioned story tells of hope and disappointment, rejection and enduring love. Narrator: Ralph Cosham.

Nick Charles is asked by a pretty blonde to help find her father, a wealthy inventor. Nick and his wife Nora are soon caught up in a complicated web of confused identities and cold-blooded murder. Narrator: William Dufris.

 

An historical romance, this novel tells of the adventures of the hot-headed young Gascon nobleman, d'Artagnan, and his three companions Athos, Porthos and Aramis as they gallantly defend the Queen of France, using their wit and their swords. Narrator: Michael Page.

"The Turn of the Screw" tells the story of a young governess sent to a country home to take charge of two orphans, Miles and Flora. Unsettled by a sense of intense evil within the house, she soon becomes obsessed with the belief that malevolent forces are stalking the children in her care. Narrator: Flo Gibson

Set during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, this classic gives a satirical picture of a worldly society. The novel revolves around the exploits of the impoverished but beautiful and devious Becky Sharp.  Narrator: John Castle.
 

'If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music he hears, however measured or far away.' Disdainful of America's growing commercialism and industrialism, Henry David Thoreau left Concord, Massachusetts, in 1845 to live in solitude in the woods by Walden Pond. "Walden", the classic account of his stay there, conveys at once a naturalist's wonder at the commonplace and a Transcendentalist's yearning for spiritual truth and self-reliance. Narrator: Adams Morgan.

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's." When massive, intelligent aliens from Mars touch down in Victorian England and threaten to destroy the civilized world, humanity's vaunted knowledge proves to be of little use. Narrator: Simon Vance.

Part wolf and part dog, orphaned White Fang relies on his instincts as well as his inborn strength and courage to survive in the Yukon wilderness despite both animal and human predators; however, Fang eventually comes to make his peace with humans. Narrator: Jonathan Kent.

Set in the beautiful Blackmoor Vale, "The Woodlanders" concerns the fortunes of Giles Winterborne, whose love for the well-to-do Grace Melbury is challenged by the arrival of the dashing and dissolute doctor, Edred Fitzpiers. Narrator: Samuel West.

The story of the stormy relationship between the mysterious Heathcliff, the beautiful and stubborn Cathy, and the people who live at Wuthering Heights. Narrators: Michael Page and Laural Merlington.