One Hundred Best Books (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. With Commentary and an Essay on Books and ReadingBy John Cowper Powys
Length3h 16m
About this audiobook
In One Hundred Best Books, John Cowper Powys offers not a neutral catalogue but a passionate anatomy of reading, selecting works that disclose, for him, the deepest energies of human imagination. Moving from classical and biblical texts through European fiction, poetry, philosophy, and modern literature, the book blends criticism, exhortation, and personal confession. Its style is aphoristic, sensuous, and combative, characteristic of early twentieth-century literary humanism, when canon-making was also a form of spiritual self-definition. Powys, later renowned for his vast novels and idiosyncratic philosophical writings, was already a celebrated lecturer when he composed this work. His recommendations arise from a life spent performing literature aloud, treating books less as academic objects than as living presences capable of intensifying consciousness. His mystical temperament, anti-dogmatic instincts, and profound attachment to individual response shape every judgment, making the volume as revealing of Powys himself as of the authors he praises. This book is recommended to readers interested in literary canons, the history of criticism, and the art of impassioned reading. It remains valuable not because every choice is definitive, but because Powys teaches us to encounter great books with urgency, independence, and imaginative seriousness.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.7 (136)
Includes Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon
GenreLiterary Classics
Length3 hrs 16 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateNov 24, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Greatest Works of Knut Hamsun (Annotated)
2Introduction
3Historical Context
4Synopsis (Selection)
5PREFACE
Show all chaptersShow less
6BOOKS AND READING
7ONE HUNDRED BEST BOOKS
822. STRINDBERG. THE CONFESSIONS OF A FOOL.
926. THEODORE DREISER. THE TITAN.
1038. PAUL BOURGET. LE DISCIPLE.
1153. STERNE—TRISTRAM SHANDY.
1254. JONATHAN SWIFT. TALE OF A TUB.
1355. CHARLES LAMB. THE ESSAYS OF ELIA.
1456. SIR WALTER SCOTT. GUY MANNERING. BRIDE OF LAMMERMOOR. HEART OF. MIDLOTHIAN.
1559. THACKERAY. THE HISTORY OF HENRY ESMOND.
1660. CHARLES DICKENS. GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
1761. JANE AUSTEN. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE.
1862. EMILY BRONTË. WÜTHERING HEIGHTS.
1963. GEORGE MEREDITH. HARRY RICHMOND.
2064. HENRY JAMES. THE AMBASSADORS. THE TRAGIC MUSE. THE SOFT SIDE. THE. BETTER SORT. THE WINGS OF THE DOVE. THE GOLDEN BOWL.
2170. THOMAS HARDY. TESS OF THE D'URBEVILLES. THE RETURN OF THE NATIVE.. THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. WESSEX POEMS.
2280. WALTER PATER. MARIUS THE EPICUREAN. STUDIES IN THE RENAISSANCE.. IMAGINARY PORTRAITS. PLATO AND PLATONISM. GASTON DE LATOUR.
2385. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW. MAN AND SUPERMAN.
2486. GILBERT K. CHESTERTON. ORTHODOXY.
2587. OSCAR WILDE. INTENTIONS. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. DE. PROFUNDIS.
2690. RUDYARD KIPLING. THE JUNGLE BOOK.
2792. JOHN GALSWORTHY. THE COUNTRY HOUSE. THE MAN OF PROPERTY.. FRATERNITY.
2895. W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM. OF HUMAN BONDAGE.
2996. GILBERT CANNAN. ROUND THE CORNER.
3098. OLIVER ONIONS. THE STORY OF LOUIE.
3199. ARNOLD BENNETT. CLAYHANGER.
32100. OXFORD BOOK OF ENGLISH VERSE.
33REMINISCENT OF DOSTOIEVSKY
34SHAW'S FALL FICTION
35QUAKER-BORN, A ROMANCE OF THE GREAT WAR, BY IAN CAMPBELL HANNAH.
36THE CHILD OF THE MOAT, A STORY OF 1550, BY I.B. STOUGHTON HOLBORN.
37SUSPENDED JUDGMENTS
38G. ARNOLD SHAW, PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS ASSOCIATION
39THE WAR AND CULTURE
40THE SOLILOQUY OF A HERMIT
41G. ARNOLD SHAW, PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS ASSOCIATION
42BOOKS BY I.B. STOUGHTON HOLBORN
43ARCHITECTURES OF EUROPEAN RELIGIONS
44G. ARNOLD SHAW, PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS ASSOCIATION
45OTHER BOOKS BY IAN C. HANNAH
46Analysis
47Reflection
48Memorable Quotes
More from John Cowper Powys
The Complete Novels of Jane Austen & Brontë Sisters (Annotated)Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë204h 15m4.7 (2.6K)$0.99 · $0.00
The Complete Works: Charlotte, Emily, Anne, Patrick & Branwell BrontëCharlotte Brontë, Anne Brontë, Emily Brontë138h 12m4.6 (2.8K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (Annotated)Oscar Wilde126h 19m4.6 (2.7K)$2 · $0.00
L. M. Montgomery – Premium Collection: Novels, Short Stories, Poetry & MemoirsLucy Maud Montgomery155h 1m4.7 (1.1K)$2 · $0.00
The Complete Works of the Brontë Family Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë140h 13m4.6 (2.6K)$2 · $0.00
MARK TWAIN: 12 Novels, 195 Short Stories, Autobiography, 10 Travel Books, 160+ Essays & Speeches (Illustrated)Mark Twain415h 9m4.6 (2.5K)$2 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
The Complete Works: Novels, Short Stories, Plays, Articles, Essays, Travel Sketches and Memoirs (Annotated)Anthony Trollope1096h 4m4.6 (1.4K)$0.99 · $0.00
Ivanhoe (Annotated)Walter Scott22h 52m4.8 (88)$2 · $0.00
The Complete Works of G. K. Chesterton (Annotated)G. K. Chesterton421h 37m4.6 (1.2K)$1.99 · $0.00
All NovelsGeorge Orwell53h 48m4.6 (2.1K)$10 · $0.00
The Complete Works of TolstoyLeo Tolstoy412h 44m4.6 (2.7K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Works of Louisa May Alcott (Annotated)Louisa May Alcott226h 24m4.6 (2.5K)$0.99 · $0.00
Sherlock Holmes series - completeArthur Conan54h 8m4.6 (264.2K)$3.50 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
The Count of Monte Cristo (With Original Illustrations)Alexandre Dumas54h4.6 (3.8K)$1 · $0.00
H. P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft50h 45m4.6 (39.1K)$2 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
The Complete Novels of Charlotte Brontë (Annotated)Charlotte Brontë80h 44m4.6 (3.5K)$0.99 · $0.00
You may also like
The Science of Getting RichWallace D. Wattles2h 4m4.2 (64.7K)$1 · $0.00
Executive Presence 2.0Sylvia Ann Hewlett9h 10m3.5 (2.6K)$29 · $0.00
Magic WordsJonah Berger6h 54m3.9 (2.6K)$24 · $0.00
The Invisible Hand of the Market: The Theory of Moral Sentiments + The Wealth of NationsAdam Smith59h 8m4.2 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
Choose PossibilitySukhinder Singh Cassidy7h 33m4.0 (774)$26 · $0.00
BuildTony Fadell11h 5m4.5 (14.3K)$8 · $0.00
Impact PlayersLiz Wiseman10h 49m4.1 (4K)$29 · $0.00
Overcoming Top Sales ObjectionsMade for Success3h 13m4.2 (433)$14
The Art of FictionHenry James2h 17m3.8 (1.5K)$2.30 · $0.00
Coaching and Mentoring Resource ManualJimmy Petruzzi3h 47m$8 · $0.00
History of the French NovelGeorge Saintsbury46h 9m$1 · $0.00
Thinking SmartNirmalya Kumar7h 22m4.0 (31)$24 · $0.00
The Story Theater MethodDoug Stevenson1h 57m4.3 (170)$10
The TeacherJacob Abbott10h 7m2.6 (15)$2 · $0.00
The Simple Path to More Profit: The 3P SystemPhilip Semmelroth59m4.8 (20)$0.00 · $0.00
The Nonverbal CommunicatorMade for Success6h 27m$20
Innovation CultureChristian Buchholz, Rainer Krumm1h 56m$10 · $0.00
Laws of ProspectingMade for Success25m$5
English for job interviews!José Roberto A. Igreja49m4.4 (116)$1 · $0.00
Charming Your Way to the TopMichael Levine6h 35m3.0 (86)$14