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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rasselas-prince-of-abyssinia--7060176</link><description><![CDATA[In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to that quirky authority, James Boswell, Johnson penned his only work of prose fiction in a handful of days to cover the cost of his mother's funeral. The stylistic elegance of the book and its wide-ranging philosophical concerns give no hint of haste or superficiality. Among other still burning issues Johnson's characters pursue questions of education, colonialism, the nature of the soul and even climate alteration. Johnson's profoundest concern, however, is with the alternating attractions of solitude and social participation, seen not only as the ultimate life-choice but as the arena in which are played out the deepest fears of the individual: "Of the uncertainties of our present state, the most dreadful and alarming is the uncertain continuance of Reason.” (Summary by Martin Geeson)]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7060176/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright General Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3202b295526d24255dd67ba61625f291.jpg</url><title>Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/rasselas-prince-of-abyssinia--7060176</link></image><lastBuildDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 11:39:57 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Samuel Johnson</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>General Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker54@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3202b295526d24255dd67ba61625f291.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to that quirky authority, James Boswell, Johnson penned his only work of prose fiction in a handful of days to cover the cost of his mother's funeral. The stylistic elegance of the book and its wide-ranging philosophical concerns give no hint of haste or superficiality. Among other still burning issues Johnson's characters pursue questions of education, colonialism, the nature of the soul and even climate alteration. Johnson's profoundest concern, however, is with the alternating attractions of solitude and social participation, seen not only as the ultimate life-choice but as the arena in which are played out the deepest fears of the individual: "Of the uncertainties of our present state, the most dreadful and alarming is the uncertain continuance of Reason.” (Summary by Martin Geeson)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"/><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Nature"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Outlaw of Torn - Edgar Rice Burroughs</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/outlaw-of-torn-edgar-rice-burroughs--73311911</link><description><![CDATA[Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a captivating tale that explores themes of honor, rebellion, and the quest for identity against a backdrop of medieval intrigue. As the protagonist navigates a world filled with conflict and moral dilemmas, listeners are invited to reflect on the timeless struggle between personal desire and societal expectations. This enduring narrative resonates today, reminding us of the complexities of loyalty and the courage it takes to stand against oppression. Burroughs’ masterful storytelling not only entertains but also encourages a deeper understanding of the human spirit's resilience in the face of adversity, making it a compelling listen for audiences both old and new.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73311911</guid><pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 11:39:55 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73311911/3632_outlaw_of_torn_edgar_rice_burroughs.mp3" length="201694351" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Samuel Johnson</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a captivating tale that explores themes of honor, rebellion, and the quest for identity against a backdrop of medieval intrigue. As the protagonist navigates a world filled with conflict and moral dilemmas,...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Outlaw of Torn by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a captivating tale that explores themes of honor, rebellion, and the quest for identity against a backdrop of medieval intrigue. As the protagonist navigates a world filled with conflict and moral dilemmas, listeners are invited to reflect on the timeless struggle between personal desire and societal expectations. This enduring narrative resonates today, reminding us of the complexities of loyalty and the courage it takes to stand against oppression. Burroughs’ masterful storytelling not only entertains but also encourages a deeper understanding of the human spirit's resilience in the face of adversity, making it a compelling listen for audiences both old and new.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25186</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3202b295526d24255dd67ba61625f291.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Rasselas Prince of Abyssinia - Samuel Johnson</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/rasselas-prince-of-abyssinia-samuel-johnson--72172582</link><description><![CDATA[In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to that quirky authority, James Boswell, Johnson penned his only work of prose fiction in a handful of days to cover the cost of his mother's funeral. The stylistic elegance of the book and its wide-ranging philosophical concerns give no hint of haste or superficiality. Among other still burning issues Johnson's characters pursue questions of education, colonialism, the nature of the soul and even climate alteration. Johnson's profoundest concern, however, is with the alternating attractions of solitude and social participation, seen not only as the ultimate life-choice but as the arena in which are played out the deepest fears of the individual: "Of the uncertainties of our present state, the most dreadful and alarming is the uncertain continuance of Reason.” (Summary by Martin Geeson)]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72172582</guid><pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 17:14:25 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72172582/rasselas_prince_of_abyssinia_samuel_johnson.mp3" length="158776249" type="audio/mpeg"/><itunes:author>Samuel Johnson</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[In this enchanting fable (subtitled The Choice of Life), Rasselas and his retinue burrow their way out of the totalitarian paradise of the Happy Valley in search of that triad of eighteenth-century aspiration - life, liberty and happiness.According to that quirky authority, James Boswell, Johnson penned his only work of prose fiction in a handful of days to cover the cost of his mother's funeral. The stylistic elegance of the book and its wide-ranging philosophical concerns give no hint of haste or superficiality. Among other still burning issues Johnson's characters pursue questions of education, colonialism, the nature of the soul and even climate alteration. Johnson's profoundest concern, however, is with the alternating attractions of solitude and social participation, seen not only as the ultimate life-choice but as the arena in which are played out the deepest fears of the individual: "Of the uncertainties of our present state, the most dreadful and alarming is the uncertain continuance of Reason.” (Summary by Martin Geeson)]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>19847</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>abyssinia,choice,fantasy,johnson,prince,rasselas,retinue,superficiality,triad,uncertainties</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3202b295526d24255dd67ba61625f291.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
