Audiobook · read by volunteers
Otto of the Silver Hand
Howard Pyle (1853–1911)
Read by Arctura, Jim Mowatt, Kirsten Ferreri, Tim Lundeen, Brett Condron, entada · 15 chapters · 3 h 03
About the book
Little Otto is a gentle, peace-loving child born in the heart of turmoil. His father is a robber baron who lives in a grim castle perched high above the valley, in a Germany torn by feuds. His mother, who longed for peace, has died, and the boy grows up uneasily among rough men and fierce quarrels.
Then he is sent to live in a monastery, where he finds friends and a love of learning, until one day the world of violence comes calling again, and he must face a very different kind of challenge, one that will test his courage in an unexpected way.
Howard Pyle was a master illustrator, and this tale is told with the clarity and colour of his art. In fifteen chapters, over three hours, it is a moving story of kindness among the clash of arms. An excellent choice for children and families.
Introduction
Howard Pyle (1853-1911) was an American illustrator and author who played a major part in shaping children’s book illustration in the United States. He taught a whole generation of artists, among them N. C. Wyeth, at his own school in Wilmington, Delaware. His retelling of the Robin Hood legend, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, published in 1883, is still read today, and he also produced books on King Arthur and on pirates.
Otto of the Silver Hand appeared in 1888 and is a historical novel for young readers set in medieval Germany. The background is a time of private warfare, in which local lords fought one another from fortified castles, and the church often offered the only refuge from violence. Pyle created his own illustrations for the book, in a bold style inspired by the woodcuts and engravings of the German Renaissance, and the text itself has a lean, clear quality.
The story is notable for its attitude to violence, which is presented as cruel and destructive, rather than as glorious. It treats its young hero’s gentleness as a strength, and builds toward a conclusion that affirms compassion. Some scenes are dark, and parents may want to bear this in mind with very young listeners, but the tone is never gratuitous.
This recording has fifteen chapters and lasts about three hours, read by LibriVox volunteers. It is a short, memorable listen, an ideal choice for older children and anyone who appreciates a classic of American children’s literature.
Public domain
Howard Pyle died in 1911: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text