By Pike and Dyke: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic

George Alfred Henty (1832–1902) was born in Trumpington, England. He studied at Cambridge but left without his degree to volunteer for service in the Crimean War. After several failed attempts at careers, he decided in 1865 to become a writer, beginning as a correspondent for the Standard. He wrote his first boys’ adventure, Out of the Pampas, in 1868, and its popularity spurred him to write some eighty more children’s books. Drawing on his own experiences fighting in the Crimean War and as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa, Henty fashioned stories for children that combined realism and what he called a “manly tone.” His novels encompass an array of times and places from the early days of Egypt to the mines of the California Gold Rush. He died in 1906, having left a legacy of 144 books and several short stories.

Jim Hodges began reading aloud in the second grade with a stirring rendition of Dick and Jane. He continued to volunteer to speak throughout his schooling years, performed as a newscaster while in the Navy, and participated in community theater groups. His wife, Monica, once asked what his dream job would be. He answered, “I’d record books.” And so began Jim Hodges Audio Books, producing unabridged recordings of the G. A. Henty historical novels, children’s books, Overtly Christian titles, and classic literature.