That Office Boy: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

That Office Boy, credited to Francis J. Finn, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of That Office Boy by Francis J. Finn. Read in English by Maria Therese A new story by Father Finn! It will be glad news to many to learn that Father Finn has found time from his many duties to write a new story, and such a story! From the opening chapter to the last page of the book the interest never lags. The plot is very simple, turning on a prize contest for pianos offered by certain newspapers to the school, society or club that receives the greatest number of coupons. Of course, this calls for keen competition on the part of the young people of the city, and it is in this contest that Michael Desmond, "That Office Boy," figures prominently. The characters in the book are just those people that Father Finn delights in drawing—people that we meet every day, that we know intimately—good, straightforward folks and others, too, that we would not care to associate with. What the result of the contest is, who the successful competitors are, must be learned by reading the story. Of course, there is a strain of Father Finn's delightful humor running through the book, with here and there a touch of genuine pathos that brings the tears to our eyes. Father Finn has so long been recognized as a master of fiction that he needs no words of commendation. Suffice it that "That Office Boy" is the equal of anything he has ever written. - Summary from the American Catholic Quarterly Review

Recording facts

• Recording title: That Office Boy
• Author credits: Francis J. Finn
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 18
• Listed recording duration: 4:45:41

Catalogue topics

• Catholic
• school
• Cincinnati
• father finn
• contest

Track guide

1. 01 - In which Michael Desmond reads the morning paper, and, in consequence, is drawn into a series of adventures and undreamed-of complications — 31:31
2. 02 - In which Michael goes home, and the first skirmishes of the contest are narrated — 16:43
3. 03 - In which the troubles of Michael are multiplied by seventeen, and Father Carney goes without lunch — 19:00
4. 04 - Father Carney becomes a diplomatist, and creates a sensation — 12:22
5. 05 - Father Donnell entertains an angel unawares, and looks vainly for more heavenly visitants — 14:45
6. 06 - In which is given a true and unvarnished account of Policeman Jones and his experiences in attempting to disperse an army of small boys — 24:28
7. 07 - James Connell goes to confession, thereby saving two detectives from considerable trouble — 23:20
8. 08 - The Sunflowers begin to show their strength. Michael visits Father Carney and meets Colonel Bridwell — 12:45
9. 09 - A sad chapter, and therefore short. Michael becoming desperate, seeks counsel — 6:31
10. 10 - Michael carries a secret in his bosom. Enter a mysterious woman. The plot thickens. — 12:54
11. 11 - Eva Fagan walks in mystery, and Brother Fat leaves his supper untasted. Josephine is tempted to pray for life, and yields. — 12:03
12. 12 - The mysterious woman again. Miss Tennison faints, and the office force is shocked — 9:28
13. 13 - A chapter of surprises\; Eva is taken ill, and Brother Fat makes a startling discovery — 17:13
14. 14 - St. Xavier School is always on top. Jerry sees the very latest thing in the way of a ghost — 9:33
15. 15 - In which Michael discovers his little secret, and dismays the 'Starboard' Contest Editor — 10:15
16. 16 - Colonel Bridwell, mindful of Christmas, acts as the dove of peace — 6:48
17. 17 - A little love and a case of scruples — 23:25
18. 18 - In which Christmas comes and everybody is happy — 22:37

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Source and rights

This is a record from LibriVox's official Internet Archive collection, with a public-domain licence recorded in its metadata. LibriVox's policy includes its catalogue summaries as well as its recordings. Its public-domain assessment follows United States law; copyright status can differ elsewhere. The summary and track facts are reproduced and reformatted from that record. Dates attached to the archive upload are not treated as original book publication dates.