LibriVox and the Cornucopia of the Commons

Or why “Have Fun!” is the most important thing you’ll ever hear in the LibriVox fora. From a classic discussion of self-interest as applied to shared grazing-land: Therein is the tragedy. Each man is locked into a system that compels him to increase his herd without limit — in a world that is limited. Ruin… Read more »

New audiobook: Around the World in Stilettos

Now, myself, I couldn’t make it across the lounge in stilettos, let alone out of the front door and onward. But the heroine of my newest audiobook, Sophie Farrier, can do exactly that, as travel writer and glamour puss extraordinaire. She loves her job, she loves her shopping (most particularly shoes) and … all she… Read more »

Wharton’s The Valley of Childish Things, and Other Emblems

I recorded this collection of short parables by Edith Wharton a few months ago, as a sound test for my latest recording booth. It’s just been catalogued and is now available for general listening: [audio:http://www.archive.org/download/short_story_049_1108_librivox/shortstory049_07_valleychildishthings_cs.mp3] (13:48) In the introduction to another of her short story collections, she wrote: “To a generation for whom everything which… Read more »