Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

"It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end [...] Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long continuance a those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent."— Musings upon the Big/Little end heresy, Gulliver's Travels

"One of the precursors of Speculative Fiction, [Gulliver's Travels], was written by Jonathan Swift as a parody of the now-dead genre of traveller's tale, satirising 18th century follies, but is now, sadly, largely remembered as a children's tale, despite being Swift'sMagnum Opus and a heavily satirical and adult book."- Tv Tropes

Read It!


audio book

A Negro Explorer at the North Pole by Matthew A. Henson

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION:

FIRST PANEL: (two explorers, one black, one white, both with parkas and mustaches)

Black Explorer (Matt Henson): Like I said Peary, here it is.

White Explorer (Robert Peary): At last! It's mine!

SECOND PANEL: (we now see that Peary is strapped to a dog sled)

Peary: Now get me out of this sled so that I may be the FIRST to set foot on the NORTH POLE!!

THIRD PANEL:

Henson: Well, I already did, before we drove you here.

Peary: Oh, Henson, you know what I mean.

FOURTH PANEL: (Henson has a serious look on his face)

Heson: Yes, I see

FIFTH PANEL:

Henson: Man, it sure feels nice, being up here on the North Pole.

Peary: Henson let me out of this sled.

SIXTH PANEL:

Henson: Gonna do some squats.

Peary: HENSON

Henson: On the North Pole. Feels good.

SEVENTH PANEL

Henson: Phew! All those squats, they're making me tired! Who's ready to go home?

EIGHTH PANEL: (the dog sled races away. Henson is grinning ear to ear. Peary looks as mad as hell. )] - Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton



"It is always interesting to note that at the very same time that Canadian immigration was insisting black people couldn't handle the cold, a black man was the first non-native person to set foot on the North Pole. This is such a stupid country sometimes." -Kate Beaton

Read It!

National Geographic Profile of Matthew A. Henson

Three Men In A Boat (To Say Nothing Of The Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome

"A humorous account of a boating holiday on the Thames between Kingston and Oxford." -  Wikipedia

"You can never rouse Harris. There is no poetry about Harris- no wild yearning for the unattainable. Harris never "weeps, he knows not why." If Harris's eyes fill with tears, you can bet it is because Harris has been eating raw onions, or has put too much Worcester over his chop.

If you were to stand at night by the sea-shore with Harris, and say:

"Hark! do you not hear? Is it but the mermaids singing deep below the waving waters; or sad spirits, chanting dirges for white corpses held by seaweed?" Harris would take you by the arm, and say:

"I know what it is, old man; you've got a chill. Now you come along with me. I know a place round the corner here, where you can get a drop of the finest Scotch whisky you ever tasted- put you right in less than no time."

Harris always does know a place round the corner where you can get something brilliant in the drinking line. I believe that if you met Harris up in Paradise (supposing such a thing likely), he would immediately greet you with:

"So glad you've come, old fellow; I've found a nice place round the corner here, where you can get some really first-class nectar." - Three Men In A Boat

Read it!


 Audio book