In Echoes of Purple and Gold, Jack Keefe stacks local history like cordwood, telling forgotten tales and making odd connections that people no longer suspect.What school kid hasn't heard--or heard about--the story of Ichabod Crane in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"? He was both fictional and real. The fictional Crane is the one everyone knows about. But there were also two real ones. One was a military man in the nineteenth century; the other had a lot of influence on central Illinoi...

In 1801, everything changed for the people of Ireland. Several years after the Act of Union forces Ireland to become the breadbasket for England, blight ravages the potato crops, and the country and its residents begin to starve. As thousands die and more emigrate, greedy landlords wreak havoc on those who remain to work their land.English landlord James Palmerstona man known for using brutality to get his wayrides through a sheep meadow on his horse, running down farmer Sean Kavan...

Are you interested in learning more about the Vatican City, the world’s smallest state and home to the Pope? This walled enclave is one of the world’s top tourist destinations, attracting millions of people each year with its stunning architecture and incredible works of art. In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Lawrence Keefe talks us through over one hundred amazing facts about the sovereign state, covering subjects such as the Sistine Chapel, other well-known landmarks, the Swiss Gua...

Did you know that in medieval times dogs were known to have accompanied their masters into battle wearing suits of armour? Or that the Rhodesian Ridgeback was first bred to fight lions? In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Lawrence Keefe talks us through over one hundred facts about dogs, covering categories such as evolution, health, behaviour and more. So whether you want to know who the heaviest dog that ever lived was, or why the wagometer was invented, this is the perfect audiobook...

Do you know the origin of the word ‘Nazi’? Who were the key figures involved in the Second World War, and what terrible weapons did they unleash? How did the war begin, and when did it actually end? In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Lawrence Keefe talks us through over one hundred amazing facts about the Second World War. With sections including key figures, statistics, weapons and more, this is an excellent addition to anyone’s audiobook collection.

Are you a fan of Sherlock Holmes? Do you want to know some incredible trivia about the world’s greatest detective? Whether you prefer Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC’s Sherlock, Robert Downey Junior’s portrayal in the film series, or even Basil Rathbone’s performances almost 80 years ago, this fascinating audiobook narrated expertly by Lawrence Keefe is sure to interest you regardless. With over 100 amazing facts covering everything Sherlockian - from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to Gregory Hous...

Famine Ghost: Englands Genocide of the Irish,/i>Famine Ghost is a book of historical fiction, the story of the Irish Famine (1845-1850) as seen through the eyes of young Johnjoe Kevane. He and his family are evicted from their cottage in Dingle. Disdaining the option of life in the local workhouse, the Kevanes sail in a coffin ship to Grosse Ile in Canada. Johnjoe keeps a diary of his familys suffering in the dark bowels of the overcrowded ship. When his parents die of...

Do you know the age of the youngest soldier to receive the Victoria Cross during the First World War? What role did tanks play in the conflict? And how much were Germany ordered to pay in reparations after the war? In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Lawrence Keefe answers all these questions and more, talking us through over one hundred facts about The Great War. In addition to learning about one of history’s worst ever conflicts, listen to Lawrence’s moving narration of two famous po...

Stories from fishing on the Labrador coast to the fire in Nain in 1921, enjoy tales from a bygone era in Labrador.

The book begins with a survey of the hatred beween England and Ireland, dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth, and then is followed by references to the Irish potato famine. American President Wilson was against Ireland in the Rising, even leaking information to the British. This book reports on the turmoil of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin and focuses on an English killer, Major Browne, and an Irish soldier, Jerry Murphy. They encounter one another in Dingle again where the English...

Did you know that the Latin name for the tree from which we get the seed that we turn into chocolate translates as ‘Food of the Gods’? Or that eating chocolate can in fact help prevent tooth decay? In this fascinating audiobook, narrator Lawrence Keefe talks us through over one hundred amazing facts like these as he tackles the rather tasty subject of chocolate. From information about chocolate throughout history and around the world to how the production process developed and much more, t...

I bet you've never even heard of the Stuarts. They don't sound very terrible, do they? But you'll soon change your mind once you hear the sickening story which started when gibbering James I took the throne!