Tom Playfair; Or Making a Start is a book by a Roman Catholic priest, originally published in 1890, and written for youth ages 9-12.
The story opens with 10-year-old Tom Playfair being quite a handful for his well-meaning but soft-hearted aunt. (Tom's mother has died.) Mr. Playfair decides to ship his son off to St. Maure's boarding school — an all-boys academy run by Jesuits — to shape him up, as well as to help him make a good preparation for his upcoming First Communion. Tom is less than enthusiastic, but his adventures are just about to begin: life at St. Maure's will not be dull. (Introduction from Wikipedia)
The story opens with 10-year-old Tom Playfair being quite a handful for his well-meaning but soft-hearted aunt. (Tom's mother has died.) Mr. Playfair decides to ship his son off to St. Maure's boarding school — an all-boys academy run by Jesuits — to shape him up, as well as to help him make a good preparation for his upcoming First Communion. Tom is less than enthusiastic, but his adventures are just about to begin: life at St. Maure's will not be dull. (Introduction from Wikipedia)
LibriVox recordings are public domain in the United States; copyright status may differ elsewhere.
Chapters
- Chapter 1
00 - Preface
03:59 - Chapter 2
01 - In Which the Hero of the Story is Represented in a Doubtful Light
09:29 - Chapter 3
02 - In Which Tom by a Series of Misadventures Brings Down the Wrath of His Father in Such Wise that the Author, For Fear of Forfeiting Tom's Chances of Becoming a Hero in the Reader's Eyes, Discreetly Veils What Actually Happened When Justice Was Administered
15:46 - Chapter 4
03 - In Which Tom Leaves for St. Maure's, and Finds On the Road Thither That Fun Sometimes Comes Expensive
19:16 - Chapter 5
04 - Tom Arrives at St. Maure's, and Makes the Aquaintance of John Green Under Circumstances Not Entirely Grateful to That Interesting Character
24:15 - Chapter 6
05 - In Which Tom Is Persuaded to Go to Sleep
12:22 - Chapter 7
06 - In Which Green and Tom Run a Race Which Proves Disastrous to Both
11:15 - Chapter 8
07 - In Which Tom Usurps Minor Orders with Startling Results
11:44 - Chapter 9
08 - In Which Tom Gets Into Many Difficulties, and Holds an Astonishing Interview With Mr. Middleton
22:31 - Chapter 10
09 - In Which Tom Concludes That Vinegar Never Catches Flies
06:39 - Chapter 11
10 - In Which Tom Gives Green a Bit of Advice, Which, Aided by a Storm, is Not Without Its Effect
17:29 - Chapter 12
11 - The Night of the First Friday in November
12:54 - Chapter 13
12 - Tom's Midnight Adventure
09:37 - Chapter 14
13 - In Which Tom Takes a Trip
08:08 - Chapter 15
14 - In Which Tom Goes to the Theatre
06:19 - Chapter 16
15 - In Which Tom is Lost
18:22 - Chapter 17
16 - In Which Tom Enters Upon a Career of Extravagance
12:07 - Chapter 18
17 - In Which the Prodigal Returns
15:41 - Chapter 19
18 - In Which Tom Astonishes and Horrifies His Aunt
20:20 - Chapter 20
19 - In Which Tom and Keenan Hold a Council of War
09:28 - Chapter 21
20 - Storming of the Snow-Fort - Mr. Beakey Talks at Cross Purposes With the Senior Students
16:40 - Chapter 22
21 - In Which Tom Meets With a Bitter Trial
09:50 - Chapter 23
22 - In Which Tom Wins a New Friend and Hears a Strange Story
16:10 - Chapter 24
23 - In Which the "Knickerbockers" Play the "Red Clippers"
08:23 - Chapter 25
24 - Trouble Ahead
11:12 - Chapter 26
25 - A Joyous Going Forth, and a Sad Journey Home
13:15 - Chapter 27
26 - Sickness
07:02 - Chapter 28
27 - Death
10:08 - Chapter 29
28 - An Escape From Jail, and the Beginning of a Snow-Storm
10:07 - Chapter 30
29 - End of the Snow-Storm
03:40 - Chapter 31
30 - Conclusion
05:18