Charles Dickens: A Child’s History of England, read by Renee Ellison (audio)
You, too, can understand the history of England, at last. In short, no one could say it like Charles Dickens did. Have this rare work in your home, school room, or car—without the sneezes. Easily accessible on a USB thumb drive of MP3 audio files: nearly 14 listening hours. For junior high through adult. Digitally mastered for optimal sound quality. Read the Dickens audio album booklet.
Here’s how this audio set came to be:
In the first place, I never even knew that Charles Dickens had written a child’s history of England. But given his writing style, and that it was for children (even I could understand that), it had to be riveting and I must have it!
In the second place, in which old bookstore would I find it? Where in the entire world would it be? Coughing and spluttering through rare volumes, I searched, I found, I seized with joy. Veni, Vidi, Vici! (I came, I saw, I conquered.)
And in the third place, with whom could I share my great treasure? The pages were so old and brittle, they barely made it from one side of the book to the other as I turned them.
Idea! I shall record the entire book to share with my friends. Sneezing through the mildew and dust, making out some words that were barely there, I prayed to give you a rapid-paced, winsome rendering of Dickens’ history. I daresay that when you listen you’ll find yourself routing about for a bit of British tea and crumpets, too! It just takes one over, you know.
Rare—only available from Homeschool How-Tos!
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Here’s the preface to the audio description by Renee Ellison:
It is with mixed emotions that I send you this chapter of man’s history. While recording, at times I felt like renaming the whole saga “101 ways to be devious, treacherous and cutthroat.”
It is truly the story of fallen man. At no time was a king or queen secure upon the throne. For, once they gained it they were immediately the targets of relatives who engaged in espionage. Both king and people were fearful of murder and retribution from each other.
Religious persecution was oftentimes severe. The lust to conquer other countries was apparently unquenchable. For a while England imbibed the spirit of Alexander the Great who, after conquering the entire known world by the age of 30, sat down and wept that there were no more.
As Americans, hearing this history of our mother country puts in bold relief why it was that the Pilgrims and Puritans were willing to risk anything and to go to any lengths to establish a new kingdom. But alas, now we see it, too, crumbling. From such a bright beginning, man falls yet again. Now with no place to go but the moon, we cry “uncle” at last, saying, “Oh LORD, deliver us from the rule of man. May the kingdoms of this earth become the kingdoms of our LORD and of His Messiah, that He alone may reign forever and ever.” The historical record shows that mankind does, after all, need a Savior.
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A Child’s History of England, written by Charles Dickens and read by Renee Ellison.
Chapters and CD Discs [now folders on the thumb drive]: Table of Contents and Chronology
Chapter.......Chapter Title............Time Period.......Thumb Drive Folder #
1. Ancient England and the Romans........50 B.C.-450…......1
2. Ancient England under the Early Saxons........450-871…......1
3. England under the Good Saxon Alfred, and Edward the Elder........871-[925]…......1
4. England under Athelstane and the Six Boy-Kings........925-1016…......1
5. England under Canute the Dane........1016-1035…......1
6. England under Harold Harefoot, Hardicanute & Edward the Confessor........035-1066…......1 and 2
7. England under Harold the Second, and conquered by the Normans........1066…......2
8. England under William the First, the Norman Conqueror........1066-1087…......2
9. England under William the Second, called Rufus........1087-1100…......2
10. England under Henry the First, called Fine-Schola........100-1135…......2
11. England under Matilda and Stephen........1135-1154…...…2 and 3
12. England under Henry the Second........1154-1189…......3
13. England under Richard the First, called the Lion-Heart........1189-1199…...…..3
14. England under John, called Lackland........1199-1216…......3 and 4
15. England under Henry the Third........1216-1272…......4
16. England under Edward the First, called Longshanks........1272-1307…......4 and 5
17. England under Edward the Second........1307-1327…......5
18. England under Edward the Third........1327-1377…......5
19. England under Richard the Second........1377-1399…......5
20. England under Henry the Fourth, called Bolingbroke........1399-1413…......5 and 6
21. England under Henry the Fifth........1413-1422….…..6
22. England under Henry the Sixth [and Joan of Arc]........1422-1461….......6
23. England under Edward the Fourth........1461-1483…......6 and 7
24. England under Edward the Fifth........1483 (a few weeks)…......7
25. England under Richard the Third........1483-1485…......7
26. England under Henry the Seventh........1485-1509…......7
27. England under Henry the Eighth, called Bluff King Hal and Burly King Harry........1509-1533…......7 and 8
28. England under Henry the Eighth [continued]........1533-1547…......8
29. England under Edward the Sixth........1547-1553…......8
30. England under Mary........1553-1558…..…8 and 9
31. England under Elizabeth........1558-1603..…..9
32. England under James the First........1603-1625…….9 and 10
33. England under Charles the First........1625-1649…....10 and 11
34. England under Oliver Cromwell........1649-1660.…...11
35. England under Charles the Second, called the Merry Monarch........1660-1685…......1 and 12
36. England under James the Second........1685-1688…......12
37. Conclusion........1688-1837…......12
