The World’s Story Volume I: China, Japan and the Islands of the Pacific


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.2 stars; 21 reviews)

This is the first volume of the 15-volume series of The World’s Story: a history of the World in story, song and art, edited by Eva March Tappan. Each book is a compilation of selections from prose literature, poetry and pictures and offers a comprehensive presentation of the world's history, art and culture, from the early times till the beginning of the 20th century.

Topics in Part I include China, Korea, Japan and the Islands of the Pacific. - Summary by Sonia

Cast list for The Sorrows of Han:

Emperor: Nemo
Lady/Princess: Eva Davis
Attendant: ToddHW
Envoy: SaraHale
President of the Council: Tomas Peter
Narrator: Sonia



Cast list for Ribs and Skin:

Rector: Nemo
Curate: Eva Davis
First Parishioner: Tomas Peter
Second Parishioner: ToddHW
Third Parishioner: SaraHale
Narrator: Sonia

Chapters

Select a chapter to play

Palace of the Dalai Lama at Lhasa, Thibet, Photograph, Frontispice 3:14 Read by Sonia
Publisher's note 3:40 Read by Sonia
Introduction, by Eva March Tappan 19:40 Read by Sonia
China Part I: In the earliest days: historical note 2:30 Read by Sonia
Shun of Yu who controlled the floods, by Confucius 13:15 Read by Sonia
China Part II: Confucius and his age: historical note 1:18 Read by Jim Locke
The story of Confucius, by Rev. A. W. Loomis 12:36 Read by Jim Locke
A visit to a temple of Confucius, by Rev. A. W. Loomis 8:49 Read by Jim Locke
Some of the proverbs of Confucius 2:44 Read by Jim Locke
Manners and customs of Confucius's day, by Rev. William Speer 17:21 Read by Jim Locke
Mencius, by S. Wells Williams 4:24 Read by Jim Locke
A story of Mencius, by Unknown 1:44 Read by Jim Locke
Proverbs of Mencius 1:12 Read by Jim Locke
China Part III: Times of change and confusion: historical note 1:40 Read by Jim Locke
The strenuous reign of Hoang-Ti, by Rev. Charles Gützlaff 16:42 Read by Jim Locke
The rule of the Hans, by Rev. William Speer 9:30 Read by Jim Locke
Rakan feeding the hungry spirit, Chinese painting, p. 52 3:09 Read by Jim Locke
The three religions, by W. A. P. Martin 6:14 Read by Jim Locke
Dream and reality, a Buddhist story, by Chuang Tzu 1:19 Read by Jim Locke
Mulan, the maiden chief, by Unknown 5:52 Read by Jim Locke
The prodigal emperor Wang-Ti, by Rounsevelle Wildman 5:57 Read by Sonia
China Part IV: The Augustan age: historical note 1:26 Read by Mona Jaheen (1956-2025)
Tai-Tsung the Good, by Rev. William Speer 6:24 Read by Sonia
The rule of the empress Wu, by S. Wells Williams 3:25 Read by brianna
The founding of Han-Lin College, by Rev. William Speer 5:25 Read by Sonia
The binding of feet, by Rev. William Speer 2:31 Read by andreearux
Printing, by Rev. William Speer 1:54 Read by wubwave
China Part V: The coming of the Tartars: historical note 2:49 Read by Jim Locke
The Tartars and their customs, by Marco Polo 11:25 Read by cathar maiden
The Chinese theater, by Archibald Little 6:55 Read by andreearux
The sorrows of Han, by Unknown 8:37 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Jenghiz Khan, the 'perfect warrior', by D. Petis de la Croix 5:52 Read by cathar maiden
Jenghiz Khan captures Peking, by D. Petis de la Croix 2:55 Read by cathar maiden
The dirge of Jenghiz Khan, by Unknown 1:37 Read by Tomas Peter
China Part VI: Stories of the great Khan: historical note 2:02 Read by brianna
The palace of the great Khan in Cambaluc (Peking), by Marco Polo 8:14 Read by realisticspeakers
How the great Khan ate his dinner, by Marco Polo 6:49 Read by realisticspeakers
How Kublai Khan went a-hunting, by Marco Polo 9:44 Read by realisticspeakers
How the Khan sent his messages, by Marco Polo 9:07 Read by realisticspeakers
The King's Messenger, by Chuang Tzu 1:17 Read by Tomas Peter
The Polos teach the Khan how to capture a city, by Marco Polo 4:47 Read by Tomas Peter
A Chinese city at the end of the thirteenth century, by Marco Polo 12:58 Read by cathar maiden
The Peking Observatory, photograph, p. 128 2:24 Read by brianna
China Part VII: Chinese fables and tales: historical note 1:51 Read by Tomas Peter
The boy philosopher, by Unknown 2:09 Read by andreearux
The elixir of life, by Unknown 1:24 Read by brianna
The tiger and the monkey, by Unknown 1:27 Read by SaraHale
Was he the only cheat?, by Unknown 2:33 Read by Tomas Peter
The appeal of Lady Chang 3:04 Read by Eva Davis (d. 2025)
The soul of the great bell, by Lafcadio Hearn 14:53 Read by Tony Addison
China Part VIII: The coming of the missionaries: historical note 2:04 Read by engineerSTL
An enterprising missionary, by John of Corvino 3:31 Read by engineerSTL
The woman with the cross, by Mendez Pinto 8:54 Read by Jim Locke
The worship of ancestors, by W. A. P. Martin 3:14 Read by brianna
Teaching science to the emperor, by Père du Halde 15:21 Read by Jim Locke
The emperor and the musician, by Père du Halde 4:14 Read by Eva Davis (d. 2025)
The man who was afraid of becoming a horse, by Père du Halde 3:43 Read by andreearux
How the bonzes got the ducks, by Père Le Comte 2:15 Read by brianna
A visit to a Lama, by Père Gerbillon 9:07 Read by Jim Locke
China Part IX: The first two centuries of Manchu rule: historical note 2:13 Read by Tomas Peter
The coming of the Kalmucks, by Thomas de Quincey 8:05 Read by Jim Locke
Chinese punishments, by Père du Halde 12:49 Read by andreearux
The temple of Heaven, Peking, photograph, p. 186 2:25 Read by Monika M. C.
Why the Chinaman wears a queue, by William Elliot Griffis 3:49 Read by Jim Locke
How the Chinese received the first English ambassador, by Charles Gützlaff 8:16 Read by Jim Locke
Opium-eaters, by William Speer 2:34 Read by brianna
A 'Boston tea-party' in China, by William Speer 5:49 Read by Monika M. C.
What the Chinese thought about the English, by Unknown 2:48 Read by brianna
How the 'Arrow War' began, by W. A. P. Martin 5:02 Read by ToddHW
Receiving the yellow jacket, by A. Egmont Hake 4:16 Read by ToddHW
China Part X: Language, schools, and examinations: historical note 1:42 Read by Mona Jaheen (1956-2025)
The Mandarin language, by Père du Halde 4:10 Read by ToddHW
How Chinese children learn to read, by Père du Halde 6:54 Read by April6090
When I went to school in China, by Yan Phou Lee 14:40 Read by April6090
A child's first lesson, by Unknown 2:46 Read by brianna
Civil-service examinations in China, by W. A. P. Martin 15:22 Read by Jim Locke
Questions from a civil-service examination 2:01 Read by Jim Locke
China Part XI: In recent years: historical note 2:16 Read by Tomas Peter
War between China and Japan, by W. A. P. Martin 9:08 Read by Demosthenes
The adventures of Yao Chen-Yuan 17:51 Read by Jim Locke
When the allies entered Pekin, by Pierre Loti 16:59 Read by Jim Locke
A diplomatic correspondence between the United States and China 6:19 Read by Devorah Allen
The republic of China 1:44 Read by Tomas Peter
Korea: historical note 2:00 Read by Availle
A grain shop in Korea, photograph, p. 264 2:23 Read by Availle
When Hideyoshi invaded Korea, by Homer B. Hulbert 20:56 Read by Availle
Japan Part I: In ancient times: historical note 1:46 Read by Availle
Jimmu Tenno, the first mikado of Japan, by William Elliot Griffis 7:52 Read by Nuria
The Japanese story-teller, by Sir Edwin Arnold 12:49 Read by Nemo
The fisher-boy Urashima, by Unknown 4:36 Read by Nemo
Social life in Kioto, by William Elliot Griffis 14:27 Read by Jim Locke
The story of Yoshitsune, by Yei Theodora Ozaki 30:29 Read by Colleen McMahon
Three Japanese poems, translated by Frederick Victor Dickins 1:40 Read by Nemo
The great Buddha of Kamakura, photograph, p. 318 3:58 Read by Demosthenes
Japan Part II: The rule of the Shoguns: historical note 1:58 Read by Availle
The great Khan Kublai invades Japan, by Marco Polo 9:30 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The coming of Will Adams to Japan, by Will Adams 12:59 Read by Availle
Long spears or short spears, by Walter Dening 18:31 Read by Availle
How a man became a god, by Lafcadio Hearn 24:14 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Ribs and skin, by Unknown 16:56 Read by LibriVox Volunteers
How it would feel to be a Shinto god, by Lafcadio Hearn 12:59 Read by Eva Davis (d. 2025)
Interior of a Japanese temple, photograph p. 368 3:32 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Tadasuke, the Japanese Solomon, by Walter Dening 20:05 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
The sword of Japan, by Sir Edwin Arnold 24:18 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Japan Part III: Some curious customs: historical note 1:30 Read by SaraHale
A Japanese dinner party, by Sir Edwin Arnold 18:01 Read by realisticspeakers
How Japanese ladies go shopping, by Alice M. Bacon 13:27 Read by April6090
An incense party, by Sir Edwin Arnold 11:32 Read by Devorah Allen
A Japanese house, by Basil Hall Chamberlain 5:19 Read by April6090
Thinking out a garden, by Mortimer Menpes 3:09 Read by April6090
A stone gateway, photograph p. 418 1:17 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
An artist in flowers, by Mortimer Menpes 5:59 Read by realisticspeakers
How a Japanese paints, by Mortimer Menpes 3:54 Read by Emma Charlotte
How to talk politely in Japan, by Percival Lowell 2:15 Read by Availle
Japan Part IV: The awakening of Japan: historical note 2:57 Read by realisticspeakers
When Commodore Perry landed in Japan, by Francis L. Hawks 22:50 Read by realisticspeakers
The president's letter, by Townsend Harris 10:58 Read by realisticspeakers
The schools of old Japan, by Francis Ottiwell Adams 7:21 Read by Nuria
How to learn Japanese, by Rev. M. L. Gordon 9:08 Read by Availle
The attack upon Port Arthur, by Lieutenant Tadayoshi Sakurai 13:22 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Japan Part V: Little stories of Japan: historical note 1:37 Read by SaraHale
Japanese politeness, by Mortimer Menpes 1:53 Read by April6090
How the shopkeeper lost his queue, by Lafcadio Hearn 2:14 Read by Eva Davis (d. 2025)
Fuji-Yama, photograph, p. 462 2:06 Read by Availle
The cherry tree of the sixteenth day, by Lafcadio Hearn 3:53 Read by Nemo
Japanese children and their games, by Sir Edwin Arnold 23:51 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Islands of the Pacific: historical note 1:41 Read by Sonia
The first Australian colonists, by W. H. Lang 13:44 Read by Son of the Exiles
Gold, gold, gold!, by W. H. Lang 18:38 Read by Son of the Exiles
The missionary and the cannibals, by Reginald Horsley 18:46 Read by Jim Locke
Hot-water basins, New Zealand, photograph, p. 502 2:37 Read by Tomas Peter
The story of Pitcairn Island, by Anonymous 11:58 Read by BettyB
The last voyage of Captain Cook, by Charles C. B. Seymour 21:10 Read by BettyB
The vengeance of the goddess Pele, by Kalakaua 11:51 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
Father Damien, the missionary to the lepers, by John C. Lambert 21:50 Read by Lynda Marie Neilson
A visit to Aguinaldo, by Edwin Wildman 10:11 Read by SimonNix
Preparing our Moros for government, by R. L. Bullard 42:11 Read by Jim Locke
Baro Buddor, an ancient temple of Java, photograph, p. 562 2:48 Read by Monika M. C.
Detail of temple at Bramabanan, photograph p. 562 0:56 Read by Monika M. C.
A visit to a head-hunter of Borneo, by William Henry Furness, third 16:43 Read by cathar maiden

Reviews

Great book, some not so great readers


(3 stars)

As a passionate reader of Asian History I did enjoy the narrative and the stories told here. But I had to skip some chapters (specially those read by Brianna) out of pure desperation. Her reading speed falls so behind what's natural that I find myself focusing more and more on the silent spaces between words and sentences. I generally enjoy slow paced readers since I mostly listen to these audio books right before bed and find them relaxing. But I'm sorry to say some of these readers ruined half the book for me.

very interesting


(4 stars)

From the Publisher's Note: "The scope of " The World's Story " is briefly suggested by its subtitle, " A History of the World in Story, Song, and Art." It is a series of selections from the best prose literature, the most inspiring poetry, and the most striking examples of historical painting, made with a view to obtaining, from these three sources, a comprehensive and reasonably complete presentation of the world's history, from the earliest recorded events to the present time. It aims to utilize the writings of the best authors and the paintings of the greatest artists to present a series of pictures, each interesting and instructive in itself, and constituting as a whole an illuminating review of the most important events of the world's history. Art is relied upon to furnish its quota of material in precisely the same manner as literature."


(3 stars)

I’m sorry, but parts of this are unlistenable


(5 stars)

love this book man the whole series in fact but everyone knows Confucius ent the most famous person ever to come out of China, it's Jacky Chan! Apart from that the rest is all correct as far as I can tell. lol