Tonight, for our final selection in our “Woodcraft” series, we will read selections of the author’s poetry, published as “Forest Runes” by George Washington Sears and published in 1887. Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. Runic alphabets are native to the ancient Germanic peoples, before they adopted the Latin alphabet. The earliest runic inscriptions found on artifacts give the name of either the craftsman or the proprietor, or sometimes, remain a linguistic mystery. Due to this, it is possible that the early runes were not used so much as a simple writing system, but rather as magical signs to be used for charms. Although some say the runes were used for divination, there is no direct evidence to suggest they were ever used in this way. The name rune itself, taken to mean "secret, something hidden", seems to indicate that knowledge of the runes was originally considered esoteric, or restricted to an elite. The Bluetooth logo is the combination of two runes that are the initials of Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson's who was a king of Denmark from the Viking Age. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the thirteenth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “The Delights of Anticipation”. In the last episode, titled “A Solemn Vow and a Promise,” Marilla is dismayed to hear about the wildflowers on Anne's Sunday school hat, and of course she lectures Anne about them. Though Anne points out many girls at church had bouquets pinned to their dresses—and many had artificial flowers on their hats—Marilla is worried about the bad impression Anne must have made. Marilla may have been more anxious than usual because she is about to bring Anne with her to meet Diana Barry, who lives close by and is Anne's age. As she has done in the past, she warns Anne of the importance of impressing Diana's strict mother. Out in the garden the two girls stare bashfully at each other until Anne breaks the silence by asking, "Do you think you can like me a little—enough to be my bosom friend?" It's an odd and startling question for someone Anne has just met, but Diana laughs and agrees. Diana says in response that, "I heard before that you were queer. But I believe I'm going to like you real well." — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Princess of Babylon”, found in the The Strange Storybook by Mrs. Lang, published in 1913. The first half aired last week. This story first aired way back in 2020. The story is taken from a lesser known philosophical tale by Voltaire, written in 1768. Voltaire was a French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, satirist, and historian. Famous for his wit and social critiques, he was an advocate of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state. In the first episode, the king holds a competition of the world’s rulers who were interested in marrying his daughter, the princess. The games would be impossibly difficult. A handsome and magical stranger appears out of seeming thin air to win the games, however he is suddenly called away to care to matters at home. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original story about a family who is visited by the fairy Luminastra Slumbornia, who gives the gift of peaceful sleep. Like Luminastra, all fairies are a type of mythical being, a form of spirit, often with metaphysical, supernatural, or preternatural qualities. Let’s define those three common fairy qualities. The system of metaphysics is a philosophical branch dealing with the first principles of things. This includes abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space. And whereas a supernatural force is one that is beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature, a preternatural force is one which is simply beyond what is normal or natural. An example would be to say that “autumn arrived with preternatural speed.” — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the third chapter to “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel. Originally, Alcott had it published as a second book but in later publishings the two were combined. Our last episode was the chapter titled “The First Wedding” and it is Meg’s sweet, little wedding we attend. All of the March sisters look lovely as they’ve grown into themselves more over the last three years. When Laurie asks what happened to the fancy wine that his grandfather sent, Meg tells him that they have put a little aside for medicinal use and have given the rest away. Meg then asks Laurie to promise her to never drink alcohol. It is a tall order, but he can’t refuse her. As Meg departs to her new home down the road, she asks her family to keep her in their hearts. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, for our monthly Snoozecast+ Deluxe bonus episode, we’ll read an original story that is about the dark side of birdwatching. And by dark, we simply mean that it is done in the cold and silence of a winter night. For the residents of Russell Mills, it’s the night of the first annual “Midnight Owl Prowl”. Expert and amateur birders alike convene at midnight at Parsons Field, guided by a RMNRT volunteer, with hopes to spot the elusive Snowy Owl. Mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey, owls are typified by their upright stance, large, broad heads, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Another notable feature of owls is their facial discs. These are the concave collection of feathers on owl’s faces surrounding their eyes. These facial discs collect sound waves and directs those waves towards the owl's ears. Owls can actually adjust their disc feathers to enable them to focus and locate prey by sound alone under snow, grass, and plant cover. In many species, these discs are placed asymmetrically, for better directional location. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ Deluxe to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Princess of Babylon”, found in the The Strange Storybook by Mrs. Lang, published in 1913. The second half will air next week. The story is taken from a lesser known philosophical tale by Voltaire, written in 1768. The story focuses on Amazan, a handsome, unknown shepherd, and Formosanta, the Princess of Babylon, whose love and jealousy drive them to travel the world. Through their travels they encounter the basic values of the Enlightenment. This episode first aired in January of 2020. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a light-hearted O. Henry short story that creates a pastiche out of the popular Sherlock Holmes stories. In this story, a man searching for his missing sister in New York realizes the official police detective can’t help him. Only one man can: the famous private consulting detective named Shamrock Jolnes. Although many of O. Henry’s stories involve crimes or contain some elements of mystery, the author never actually wrote detective fiction. The character of Shamrock Jolnes also appears in O. Henry’s short stories "The Adventures of Shamrock Jolnes" and "The Detective Detector". In reading about these stories, we found different but similar terms like pastiche, parody, spoof and satire. While both parody and pastiche imitate the works of others, pastiche does so respectfully. It is used to highlight and pay homage to the original works while not stealing directly from it. Parody, on the other hand, mocks and ridicules the original works. It exaggerates its form and language, often replacing serious subjects with silly ones. And whereas a parody imitates a specific work, a spoof imitates a general genre. Finally, satire is similar to parody in that it uses ridicule, exaggeration and irony, but instead of poking fun at a specific creative work, it comments on society, religion and politics. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Persuasion”, the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, and published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, a twenty-seven year old Englishwoman, whose family moves in order to lower their expenses and reduce their debt, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. The novel was well-received at it’s debut, but its greater fame came decades later, and continues to this day. In the first episode, we read chapter 1, in which we meet Sir Walter Elliot, a 54-year-old man of distinct ancestry, and his three daughters. The father prides himself on his good looks and family lineage. His eldest daughter, who most resembles him in personality and looks, is named Elizabeth. At 29 she is unmarried but attractive. His youngest daughter, Mary, has married a respectable local man. And then there is the middle child- Anne. She is also unmarried like Elizabeth, but at 27 years old has grown less attractive with age. Sir Walter feels that Anne is inferior to her sisters and often overlooks her. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Mr. Midshipman Easy,” an 1836 novel by Frederick Marryat, a retired captain in the Royal Navy. The novel is set during the Napoleonic Wars, in which Marryat himself served with distinction. This episode first aired in February of 2021. At fourteen, the naive Jack Easy leaves the luxury of his family estate in England and sails into a world of adventure aboard the sloop of war HMS Harpy. At first, Jack finds it hard to bear the discipline of naval life and is always getting himself into trouble. But soon he is bravely taming a band of mutinous seamen as the Harpy chases Spanish ships on the Mediterranean. This episode is dedicated to our many listeners who have requested Roald Dahl stories. Alas, he is not in the public domain yet for us to read. However, this particular author was listed as a literary influence on Dahl. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “American Notes” a travelogue written by Charles Dickens detailing his trip from the year 1842. While there he acted as a critical observer of North American society, almost as if returning a status report on their progress. Having arrived in Boston, he travelled as far south as Richmond, Virginia, as far west as St. Louis, Missouri and as far north as Quebec, Canada. The city he liked best on his trip? Boston. The inspiration for this episode came from our recent “Helen Keller” episode. Her autobiography references a story within another section of tonight’s book as inspiring Helen’s mother to seek out specialized education for her daughter. Dickens’s American journey was also an inspiration for his novel “Martin Chuzzlewit”. If you’ve been listening to our “Woodcraft” series of episodes lately, you may have heard mention of how the Woodcraft author named one of his famous hand-crafted canoes after a Chuzzlewit character. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Aronnax accompanies Nemo on an expedition at night without lanterns or anyone else. The two walk in darkness toward a red light for a couple miles before they climb up a platform of man-made stones and pillars. Aronnax realizes that the mountain they are climbing is a volcano, still emitting lava. They are visiting the fabled underwater ruins of Atlantis. The two men contemplate the scene and the history while the moon rises, before returning to the Nautilus as the sun rises. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Around the World in 80 Days,” a novel by Jules Verne published in 1872. In this story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a 20-thousand pound wager ( over two million pounds now) set by his friends. It is one of Verne's most acclaimed works.  — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Story of My Life” written by Helen Keller and published in 1903. The book details her early life, and especially her education. Helen Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer. Born in Alabama, she lost her sight and her hearing after a bout of illness when she was still a baby. She had limited communicative capability as a little girl. Her mother became inspired after reading a travelogue from Charles Dickens that described a similar girl being educated. This led the family on a quest to find such education for their daughter. Finally, at the age of seven, Helen met her first teacher and life-long companion Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller language, including reading and writing. Keller later became the first deafblind person in the United States to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1920, Helen Keller helped to found the American Civil Liberties Union. She traveled to over 40 countries with Sullivan, making several trips to Japan and becoming a favorite of the Japanese people. Keller met every U.S. president of her time, and was friends with many famous figures, including Alexander Graham Bell, Charlie Chaplin and Mark Twain. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the twelfth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “A Solemn Vow and Promise”. In the last episode, titled “Anne’s Impressions of Sunday-School”, Marilla shows Anne the new dresses she has made for her, all of which are embarrassingly unfashionable. The next day, Anne goes to church and Sunday school alone, wearing one of her new ugly dresses. On the way, she picks a bunch of flowers and decorates her otherwise plain hat with them, an eccentric adornment meant to make up for the dress, but that causes other churchgoers to scoff. After church, Anne reports to Marilla that the service did not impress her. She says that the whole experience was quite unimaginative. Anne was able to survive the boring morning only by daydreaming. Marilla scolds Anne for her inattention at church but inwardly agrees with her. Although she never articulates her own criticisms of the minister and the Sunday school teacher, she, like Anne, has always felt that the church service is rather uninspiring. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read “The Maiden of the Mist” or “Anne of Geierstein”, by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1829. It is set mainly in Switzerland, shortly after the Battle of Tewkesbury in the 1400s. This episode originally aired in January of 2021. In this story, two exiles are on a secret mission to the court of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, hoping to gain his help in regaining the English crown from Edward IV. The two Englishmen get into difficulties in the Swiss mountains. They meet Countess Anne and her family, who are involved in the politics of the newly independent Swiss Confederation and plan to confront Charles with complaints about his conduct towards the Swiss nation. This book is part of a long series called The Waverley Novels. For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. Because Scott did not publicly acknowledge authorship until later, the series takes its name from Waverley, the first novel of the series released. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, for our 801st episode, we’ll read a Snoozecast original sleep story, inspired by the classic fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea”. First published by H.C. Andersen in 1835, the tale features a princess who is tested to become wife to a lonely prince. At under 400 words long, it is triflingly short. Yet though it be small, it has served as the inspiration for many culturally popular works. The story was adapted to the musical stage in 1959 as Once Upon a Mattress, with comedian Carol Burnett playing the play's heroine, Princess Winnifred the Woebegone. The musical was revived in 1997 with Sarah Jessica Parker in the role. The story has been adapted into three films as well a television production starring Liza Minelli. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the second chapter to “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel. Originally, Alcott had it published as a second book but in later publishings the two were combined. If you haven’t listened to the first part to the book, you can search in your podcast player for “Snoozecast Presents: Little Women”. You will find a standalone series available so that you can refresh your memory or start from the very beginning if you’d like. Our last episode opens after three years have passed since the conclusion of “Little Women”. Meg is about to get married. The war has ended, and Mr. March and Mr. Brooke have returned home. In the meantime, Meg has learned more about keeping house, and Amy has taken over Jo’s job caring for Aunt March. Jo has continued to write stories for the newspaper, while Laurie has passed the years at college. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, for our monthly Snoozecast+ Deluxe bonus episode, we’ll read an original story about a mysterious cosmic ray that has baffled scientists around the globe. Where did it come from? What exactly was it? In our story, the phenomenon turns out to carry good fortune to the people of earth. Although the story begins and ends in science fiction, most of the science discussed including cosmic rays, interstellar distances and special relativity are not among other things. Cosmic Rays are high energy particles, usually protons, that originate from various sources within the Milky Way as well as from extragalactic sources . An international team of scientists use specialized equipment to detect, and study these rays which provide insight into the most energetic processes occurring in the universe. These processes include supernova explosions, active galactic nuclei and other astrophysical phenomena. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the third part of a fairy tale called “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The first part originallyaired on January 4th, 2021. This story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed tales. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” In the second part, we follow little Gerda on her journey to find her friend Kay. She is bewitched and talks with flowers, and then gets caught up with a family of robbers. A raven tries to help her and leads her to a castle where he thinks he has seen her Kay. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read our second-to-last selection in our “Woodcraft” series, published by George Washington Sears, under the pen name "Nessmuk." Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. This episode will feature the last chapter of the “Woodcraft” book. Next month, for the final episode in the series, we will read selections of the author’s poetry, published as “Forest Runes”. In this episode, the author discusses his preference for clinker-built canoes over other styles. A Clinker-built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building in which the edges of hull planks overlap each other. Clinker-built ships were a trademark of Northern European navigation throughout the Middle Ages, particularly of the longships of the Viking raiders and traders. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, to start off “Persuasion”, our latest addition to the Friday rotation of four ongoing stories, we shall read the opening to the book. Or rather, we shall “re-read” the opening, as we have once before read the opening to this novel, several years ago now. This was the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, along with being considered her most mature and refined writing. “Persuasion” was published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, a twenty-seven year old Englishwoman, whose family moves to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. The novel was well-received at it’s debut, but its greater fame came decades later, and continues to this day — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the second part of a fairy tale called “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The first part originally aired on January 4th, 2021. The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” In the first part, we meet best friends, Gerda and Kay. We also learn of the wicked mirror that splinters into tiny pieces over the land. The shards sometimes land in unknowing people’s eyes or hearts, and cause them to be cold-hearted and mean-spirited. This happens to the little boy, Kay. Then he gets whisked away by the Snow Queen’s sled. Gerda goes in search of him, and meets a kindly witch. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Adventure of the Priory School” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The first half aired last week. In last week’s episode, Holmes is approached by Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable, the headmaster of the prestigious Priory School. Huxtable seeks Holmes's help in locating the missing Lord Saltire, the young heir to the Duke of Holdernesse. Lord Saltire disappeared under mysterious circumstances from the school. The Duke tells Holmes that he does not think that his estranged wife has anything to do with his son's disappearance, nor has there been a ransom demand. Holmes and Dr. Watson go hunting on the moor for clues. They find a bicycle track, but it is not the German school master Heidegger's. Almost everything observable has been obliterated by cow tracks (of which there are many tracks). We will pick up as they continue their search. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, harpooner Ned Land expresses his disappointment to Aronnax about their failed escape plan. Aronnax then fills him in about Nemo's treasure-filled “bank” of shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea. Although Land hopes for another chance, they realize that the Nautilus is departing. We will pick up where Nemo invites Aronnax alone to go with him on an underwater excursion. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the first part out of three episodes to the fairy tale “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The other two parts will air in the next two weeks. All three episodes first aired in January of 2021. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Adventure of the Priory School” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The second half will air next week. Doyle ranked this story tenth in his list of his twelve favorite Holmes stories. In this story, Holmes is approached by Dr. Thorneycroft Huxtable, the headmaster of the prestigious Priory School. Huxtable seeks Holmes's help in locating the missing Lord Saltire, the young heir to the Duke of Holdernesse. Lord Saltire disappeared under mysterious circumstances from the school. If you can stay awake, you will find a plot that is filled with twists and turns, showcasing Holmes's keen observational skills and his ability to connect seemingly unrelated clues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the eleventh chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne’s Impressions of Sunday School”. In the last episode, titled “Anne’s Apology”, Anne spends the entire next day sulking in her room, avoiding food and nursing her wounded pride. Concerned for Anne, Matthew, who hasn't been upstairs in four years, secretly creeps into her room after Marilla leaves. He persuades Anne to apologize to Mrs. Rachel, knowing Marilla won't change her mind about the punishment. Anne, less furious but still reluctant, agrees to apologize to please Matthew. Satisfied with his success, Matthew hurries away to avoid Marilla's disapproval of his interference. Anne and Marilla then visit Mrs. Rachel's house, where Anne initially displays shame and remorse. However, midway through the walk, her demeanor shifts to dreaminess. At Mrs. Rachel's, Anne theatrically apologizes, confessing to being a wicked and ungrateful girl. Mrs. Rachel readily accepts the apology, attempting to make amends for her own thoughtlessness by predicting Anne's red hair may turn auburn. Marilla, uneasy about the dramatic apology, senses that Anne enjoyed the punishment. Despite feeling it backfired, Marilla refrains from chastising Anne, and on their way home, Anne's simple gesture of holding Marilla's hand evokes a rush of unexpected maternal warmth, prompting Marilla to regain emotional control by emphasizing good behavior. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read from The Journals of Lewis and Clark. The Lewis and Clark Expedition, from 1803 to 1806, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country. The Corps of Discovery was a select group of Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend Lieutenant William Clark. This episode first aired in December of 2020. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition shortly after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to explore and to map the newly acquired territory, to find a practical route across the western half of the continent, and to establish an American presence in this territory before other powers tried to claim it. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area's plants, animal life, and geography, and to establish trade with local American Indian tribes. The expedition returned to Jefferson, with maps, sketches, and journals in hand. — read by 'M' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original story called “Adrian and the Unicorn’s Realm”. This is the follow up story to last month’s episode titled “Adaline and the Unicorn’s Realm.” In this story, Adrian, a budding artist with a penchant for vibrant designs, stumbles upon an otherworldly revelation guided by a mysterious figure. He discovers the enchanting potential of his own creations to transport him into a realm beyond imagination, where a unicorn emerges as a mystical guide between the tangible and the extraordinary. In the study of classical antiquity, unicorns are not found in Greek mythology, but rather in the accounts of their natural history. Greek writers of natural history were convinced of the reality of unicorns, which they believed lived in India, a distant and fabulous realm for them. The earliest description described them as wild asses, fleet of foot, having a horn over two feet in length, and colored white, red and black. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the first chapter to “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel. Originally, Alcott had it published as a second book but in later publishings the two were combined. This book picks up three years later as Meg is preparing for her wedding. As always, Snoozecast episodes on Fridays are on a rotation of four current books. When one finishes, we will replace it with something new. This way you can be assured that any series on Fridays will always come out at least once a month. Another detail about Snoozecast is that we have many different series available separately from our primary Snoozecast show. If we are still adding new episodes to a series, it is fully available for anyone to listen to. Once a series is completed, it will eventually be made only fully available to our Snoozecast+ listeners. To find a list of current series available for free, and which ones are only fully available to our premium subscribers, go to snoozecast.com/plus. Because “Good Wives” is a continuation of “Little Women”, we have decided to make the “Snoozecast Presents: Little Women” standalone series available to the public again as well, so that you can refresh your memory or start from the very beginning if you’d like. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, for this monthly Snoozecast+ Deluxe bonus, we’ll read an original story about a curious kitten named Baxter. He accidentally falls whiskers over paws into Santa’s sack during a midnight visit, and is soon whisked away to fall off lands to see new sights. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from Wilkie Collin’s 1864 novel “Armadale.” It is the third of his four 'great novels' of the decade: after “The Woman in White” and “No Name”, and before “The Moonstone.” This is Snoozecast’s third-and-a-half time featuring Collins’ work. If you enjoy this episode, you can also find our “Moonstone” episode from March 2019, our “Woman in White” episode from December 2019, and the “Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices” from July 2020, which Collins co-wrote with his friend Charles Dickins. This episode first aired in December of 2021.  — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the short story “Ma'ame Pélagie” written by Kate Chopin [Show-Pan]. Chopin was an American author of short stories and novels based in Louisiana. Her major works were two short story collections (of which this story is found) and two novels. One of those novels, “The Awakening” is what she is best known for today. Snoozecast read an excerpt back in 2019, but it has been much too long since we have read any more from this author. Kate Chopin lived in a variety of locations, based on different economies and societies. These were sources of insights and observations from which she analyzed and expressed her ideas about late 19th-century Southern American society. She based many of her stories and sketches on her life in Louisiana. They expressed her unusual portrayals (for the time) of women as individuals with separate wants and needs. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we shall read the final part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. This has been our longest running series as we started reading it way back in the summer of 2019. Welcome to all our newer listeners, and a sincere thank you to our listeners that have been following along throughout these four years. In the last episode, Darcy and Elizabeth take a long walk together alone. They are joyful to learn that they both would like to be married. Elizabeth discovers that she has Lady Catherine to thank for Darcy’s visit, for she had told him of Elizabeth's refusal to promise not to accept him. Darcy also explains how her previous reproofs of him made him realize how rude and spoiled he had been. He made it his aim to show her he had changed. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a Japanese tale adapted by Snoozecast called “The Precious Fishing Hook” or “The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher.” It was originally found in “Japanese Fairy Tales” compiled by Yei Theodora Ozaki. If you enjoy this sleep story, be sure to check out our other ones that come from the same book. “The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon Child” is a two-parter that first aired in April of 2019. “Momotaro” also aired in April 2019. “The Fisher-Boy Urashima” aired in May of 2020. And this particular story originally aired in November of 2021. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Westward Hoboes” written by Winifred Hawkridge Dixon and published in 1921. In this story, two early 1920s girls from Boston set out to tour the West all by themselves, equipped with a sturdy car, a camping outfit, courage and a sense of humor. A hobo is an old-fashioned term for a migrant worker in the United States. Hoboes, tramps, and bums are generally regarded as related, but distinct. A hobo travels and is willing to work. A tramp travels, but avoids work if possible. A bum neither travels nor works. Following these definitions, it seems that the protagonists should have been referred to as tramps instead of hoboes, as they were only traveling, not working. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, the submarine the Nautilus glides quickly through the Mediterranean Sea, to the chagrin of Ned Land, who was really hoping to make his escape. Aronnax and Conseil were less eager, but agreed to go with Ned. Soon, however, they find themselves in the rough seas of the Atlantic. Ned is not swayed, and insists that they must make their break that night, at 9 pm. While Aronnax wrestles with conflicted feelings on this, he prepares himself to leave. As the time approaches, the submarine suddenly stops. There is no sign of Ned where Aronnax waits in the salon. Nemo suddenly appears and launches into an impromptu Spanish history lesson, where we will pick up the story. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Nutcracker of Nuremberg” story, originally published in 1844. Dumas’ version of The Nutcracker was itself adapted from the original, written by E.T.A. Hoffman. However it was Dumas adaptation that gave inspiration to the famous “Nutcracker” ballet composed by Tchaikovsky. This episode originally aired in December of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “Woodcraft” published by George Washington Sears, under the pen name "Nessmuk." Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. This chapter is called “Canoeing”. In contemporary times, the author lives on not just through his writing but through his canoe. In fact, one of the most celebrated canoes in American canoeing annals and referred to as “the Nessmuk”. Historic replicas of this canoe can be purchased so that canoeists can paddle in one just like the one commissioned by the author for his famous 1880 Adirondack cruise. This type of craft has come to be generically known as the Adirondack Pack canoe, and is the best way to obtain the smallest, lightest solo recreation paddle craft. Incredibly handy to paddle and transport, the Nessmuk is still known to surprise paddlers with her quickness and seaworthiness. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the tenth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne’s Apology”. In the last episode, titled “Mrs. Rachel Lynde Is Properly Horrified”, Anne has been settling in at Green Gables for the last couple weeks, when Mrs. Rachel Lynde pays a visit. She would have visited sooner, but had been laid up with a bout of grippe, which is an archaic term for the flu. Mrs. Lynde sees any orphan as suspicious as a rule, and when Anne comes in from playing outside, she is messy, dirty, and in ill-fitting orphanage clothes. The lady does not hold her tongue on how she perceives Anne- as a homely, pathetic creature with “hair as red as carrots”. Anne in return also does not hold back- and calls Mrs. Lynde fat, clumsy and without imagination. Later, Marilla talks to Anne privately and insists that while Mrs. Lynde may have deserved what she got, she was still Anne’s elder and must be treated with an expected amount of courtesy. Otherwise, it would harm not only Anne’s reputation in the community but also Marilla’s. Thus, Anne would need to muster up the courage to apologize — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read from “For Luncheon and Supper Guests” written by Alice Bradley published in 1923. “Luncheon” is the formal word for lunch, a light mid-day meal. In the Middle Ages, before electric lighting and industrialization, the mid-day meal was large and considered dinner. There was no lunch, so later in the evening a lighter meal was had called “supper”. But by the 1800s, the large meal of dinner was pushed into the evening and thus, not only was supper squeezed out, but there was a need for something to eat in between breakfast and dinner. Up until the early 1800s, luncheon was generally reserved for ladies, who would often have lunch with one another when their husbands were out. The meal was often made up of left-overs from the previous night's plentiful dinner. Beginning in the Victorian era, afternoon tea supplemented this luncheon at four o'clock. This episode first aired in November of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Clock Strikes Thirteen” part of the “Penny Parker” anthology written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. It was originally published in 1942. Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper. In this story, Penny investigates mysterious riders who are bothering farmers at night. Meanwhile, a man makes a suspiciously generous donation to the Riverview orphan's camp. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and originally published in 1924. We are reading this original, full version, and in it the children’s last name is Cordyce. Later, in 1942, the stories were revised shorter, and the children’s last name was changed to Alden. As Warner wrote the story, she read it to her first grade class and rewrote it many times so the words were easy to understand. Some of her pupils spoke other languages at home, so the book gave them a fun story that was easy to read. Warner once wrote that the original book "raised a storm of protest from librarians who thought the children were having too good a time without any parental control! That is exactly why children like it!" In the last episode, the children and their grandfather are reunited. He is not only overjoyed to invite them to live with him (rather than out in an old boxcar in the woods) but he happens to live in a mansion with plenty of extra room. We will pick up on the tail-end of their grand tour of their new home. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read from “In the Mist of the Mountains,” by Australian novelist and children’s writer Ethel Turner, published in 1906. Her best-known work is her first novel, Seven Little Australians (1894), which is widely considered as a classic of Australian children's literature. Turner was awarded a number of prestigious literary awards and could be considered one of Australia's best-loved authors. This story is set in a tiny mountain vacation town during tourist season. This episode first aired in November of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original story, unveiling the tale of a girl briefly transported into a mysterious and enchanting reality. As an adult, she grapples with a dual existence—navigating her public persona as an acclaimed artist while nurturing a clandestine passion for rediscovering the mystical realm. Commissioned for conventional paintings, she conceals a world teeming with vibrant and fantastical creations. The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years or so been depicted as a white horse-like animal with a long straight horn with spiralling grooves, cloven hooves, and sometimes a goat's beard. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, it was commonly described as an extremely wild woodland creature, and a symbol of purity and grace. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Elizabeth’s father stuns her with his congratulations on her upcoming engagement. He reads a letter he received from Mr. Collins in which Elizabeth is cautioned not to go forward with an engagement to Darcy against Lady Catherine's wishes. Mr. Bennet thinks this is simply a ridiculous rumor because he is certain that Elizabeth hates Darcy and that Darcy is indifferent to her. Elizabeth fakes laughter to hide her embarrassment about her father's misjudgment while she privately wonders if her father might be on to something. Could she have overestimated Darcy's interest? A few days later, Darcy and Bingley visit Longbourn. They all go for a walk and Elizabeth and Darcy soon find themselves alone. Elizabeth cannot contain her gratitude any longer for all that Darcy suffered and sacrificed for Lydia. Darcy tells Elizabeth that he did everything for her. Darcy says his feelings for her have not changed since his rejected proposal. Elizabeth confesses that her feelings have significantly changed. Darcy is overjoyed. That is where we will resume our story. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast+ Deluxe original story about uncovering a special pumpkin pie recipe to feed the community at Thanksgiving. Faced with the impending sale and demolition of Acorn Hollow's textile mill, Emma O'Connell decides that the way to bring everyone together is through their stomachs. A day of Thanksgiving in America had been a sporadic occurrence for most of the country’s history, typically being an autumn harvest feast although sometimes occurring at other times of the year. A Thanksgiving feast was primarily a social gathering, although sometimes some prayer was involved. It wasn’t until 1863, when President Lincoln proclaimed that November 26th would be a national Thanksgiving Day, to be observed every year on the fourth Thursday of November. Today, Thanksgiving is a time when many families come together, and many churches are open for special services. We have both Native Americans and immigrants to thank for the opportunity to observe a day of thanksgiving. — read by 'V' — This has been written exclusively for our Snoozecast+ Deluxe listeners. To learn more, go to Snoozecast.com/plus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the short story “Aunt Susanna’s Thanksgiving Dinner” written by Lucy Maud Montgomery in 1907. This is a heart-warming holiday tale from the author of “Anne of Green Gables.” Maud was a prolific writer, with over 500 short stories and poems to her name, along with some 20 novels. This episode originally aired in November of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Stormy, Misty’s Foal” a children's novel written by Marguerite Henry and published in 1963. The Chincoteague pony, also known as the Assateague horse, is a breed of horse that developed, and now lives, within a semi-feral island population off the US states of Virginia and Maryland. The Chincoteague pony is one of the many breeds of feral horses in the United States, but it was made famous by the series of pony books written by this author about Misty, the mother of Stormy. The story describes events on the island during a powerful hurricane of 1962.  — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, their submarine has navigated into the Mediterranean. Ned Land expresses his firm desire to escape the Nautilus, now that they have made it to European territory. Aronnax feels conflicted. He doesn’t like being held captive, however he is thrilled at the scientific exploration he has been allowed to make. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the fairy tale “Cinderella” taken from the old French tale by Charles Perrault originally published in 1697. This version has also been lightly adapted by Snoozecast. "Cinderella", also known as "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale about the triumphant reward of a persecuted heroine. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world, since ancient times. This episode first aired in November of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “Woodcraft” published by George Washington Sears, under the pen name "Nessmuk." Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. This chapter is called “A Ten Day’s Trip in the Wilderness- Going It Alone.” At 40 years old, Sears served in the Civil War. Five years later he traveled up the Amazon River in Brazil. At the age of 59, a little more than 5 feet tall, weighing less than 105 pounds, and weak with tuberculosis, Sears decided to see if the Adirondack lakes and forests could improve his health. Only then is when his experiences (and plentiful writings) as an Old Adirondack Woodsman began. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tonight, we’ll read the ninth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Mrs. Rachel Lynde is properly horrified”. In the last episode, titled “Anne’s Bringing-Up Has Begun”, Anne learns from Marilla that she can indeed stay at Green Gables permanently. Anne is so happy, she cries. Marilla instructs Anne to memorize the Lord’s prayer. Anne asks Marilla if she might find “a kindred spirit” in Avonlea. Marilla says there is another girl named Diana who is Anne’s age. Anne is excited to meet her, and excited to now officially be “Anne of Green Gables”. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read stories from “Pussy and Doggy Tales” written by English author and poet Edith Nesbit, published in 1899. Nesbit wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature under the name E. Nesbit, along with being a political activist. This particular collection of stories follows the lives of various cats and dogs and will appeal to all of our animal-loving listeners. This episode originally aired in October of 2021. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read about the love between a kennel maid who is betrothed to a confirmed bachelor. It comes from the opening to the 1928 novel by Eden Phillpotts titled “Children of Men”. Phillpotts was an English author who maintained a steady output of more than three books a year for a half century. Many of his novels were about rural life. Eden is best known as the author of many novels, plays and poems about Dartmoor. His Dartmoor cycle of 18 novels and two volumes of short stories still has many avid readers despite the fact that many titles are out of print. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. In the last episode, the children gather wild ginseng around their woodland home to sell to local pharmacies. Violet comes down with a fever and is taken to the doctor’s home. While she is being cared for there, the doctor secretly calls for the grandfather to come. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, for the final in our 5th annual Spooky Sleep Story Series, we’ll read a Snoozecast original story about a fictional New England town and the brother and sister who go out on a trick or treating adventure within it. While this is the end of this years spooky sleep stories, be sure to check out our freely available – called “Snoozecast Presents: Spooky Stories” or go to snoozecast.com/series to listen directly from our website. If you are a premium subscriber of Snoozecast+, all of our podcast series, including that one, are available to you ad-free.  — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read about the Persian empire at the zenith of its expansion from the book “The Retreat of the Ten Thousand” by Carl Witt, published in 1896. The ancient Persian or Iranian empire was the largest empire the world had ever seen at its time, spanning from the Balkans and Egypt in the west to Central Asia and the Indus Valley in the east. In the modern era, this empire has been recognized for its imposition of a successful model of centralized, bureaucratic administration; its multicultural policy; building complex infrastructure, such as road systems and an organized postal system; the use of official languages across its territories; and the development of civil services. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, soon after Jane accepts Bingley’s marriage proposal, Lady Catherine De Bourgh makes a surprise visit to Elizabeth. She says almost nothing to Mrs. Bennet, coolly inspecting the rooms and property, then asks Elizabeth to take a walk. Lady Catherine rudely interrogates Elizabeth. She simply cannot believe that Darcy would choose Elizabeth as a wife, and thus, she thinks he must have been tricked by her. Elizabeth boldly asserts her freedom of mind and freedom from the class concerns of Lady Catherine. In doing so, Elizabeth suggests that individuals can define themselves regardless of class or social prejudices. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast+ Deluxe original story about a visit to a harvest festival, by a grandfather and his two grandkids. They have a delightful afternoon of rides, games and treats, before an evening fireworks display that they barely stayed awake for. We think you may have trouble staying awake for it too! — read by 'V' — This has been written exclusively for our Snoozecast+ Deluxe listeners. To learn more, go to Snoozecast.com/plus.

Tonight, as part of our Spooky Sleep Story Series, we’ll read our own lightly adapted version of Algernon Blackwood’s “A Haunted Island” from “The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories” published in 1906. In this story, our narrator is left alone for a few weeks at an island lodge in the middle of a lake in Canada, where he thinks he will focus on his studies, but soon begins to see and hear strange things. Tune in every Wednesday this month for sleep stories of the darker variety– lightly adapted and read in a way to evoke a mood of spookiness, without actually causing a fright. Catch up on previous years by finding our free podcast “Snoozecast Presents: Spooky Stories” or if you are a premium subscriber, look for “Snoozecast+” or “Snoozecast+ Deluxe: Spooky Stories” instead to listen ad-free — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The first half aired last week. In the first episode,Holmes is contacted by a beautiful young music teacher named Violet Smith. She's worried about a stranger who follows her when she bicycles to and from the train station each weekend. Violet Smith and her mother were living in poverty until few months ago, when two supposed friends of her uncle from South Africa, came to announce that he asked them to take care of his closest relatives. One the two men, Carruthers, is affable. He offers Violet an excellent wage to live in his house and teach music to his daughter, and he seems to grow fond of the young woman. The other one, Woodley, is rough and overly forward. Watson, asked by Holmes to visit and collect information, figures out that the mystery cyclist disappears by hiding in a hedge along the property of Mr. Williamson, a defrocked clergyman. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, while the passengers aboard the Nautilus approach the mysterious Arabian Tunnel that will whisk them to the Mediterranean, Ned insists on taking a detour in a dinghy to pursue a dugong. A dugong is actually a peaceful vegetarian, similar to a manatee, but in Jules Verne’s imagination it is a monstrous beast with large tusks. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, for the next in our 5th annual “Spooky Sleep Story Series”, we shall read the narrative poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1845. The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a mysterious visit by a talking raven. The lover, often identified as a student,[1][2] is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. Sitting on a bust of Pallas, the raven seems to further antagonize the protagonist with its constant repetition of the word "Nevermore". By the way, “a bust of Pallas” refers to a sculpture of Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. The fact that the narrator has one in his bedroom represents his interest in learning and scholarship, and also can be taken as representing his own rational, sane mind. The Raven, by landing on the bust when it flies into the room, signifies a threat to the narrator’s ability to understand the reasons (if any) behind the Raven’s coming and its message. That the Raven stays on top of the bust of Pallas at the end of the poem, never flitting, suggests that irrationality has taken up a permanent home in the narrator’s formerly rational mind. Poe claimed to have written the poem logically and methodically, with the intention to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes. The poem makes use of folk, mythological, religious, and classical references. Its publication made Poe popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success. It remains one of the most famous poems ever written. Tune in every Wednesday this month for sleep stories of the darker variety- like classic horror literature and ghost stories, read in a way to evoke a mood of spookiness, without actually causing a fright. Catch up on previous years by finding our free podcast “Snoozecast Presents: Spooky Stories” or if you are a premium subscriber, look for “Snoozecast+” or “Snoozecast+ Deluxe: Spooky Stories” instead to listen ad-free. — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The second half will air next week. In this adventure, Holmes and Watson are visited by a young lady named Violet Smith. She explains that her father's recent passing left her financially destitute and that her only other relative, an uncle named Ralph Smith, lives in Africa. One day, she meets two men visiting from South Africa, who claim to be friends of her now-deceased uncle. They claim that Ralph also passed on in poverty like his brother, but asked them to take care of his relatives. This was not one of Doyle’s favorites- he criticized himself for mentioning in this story that Violet Smith's visit to Holmes occurred on Saturday, April 23, 1895. In actuality, the 23rd of April that year fell on a Tuesday. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus!

Tonight, we’ll read the eighth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne’s Bringing Up is Begun”. In the last episode, Marilla begins her program of moral and social education for Anne at bedtime. Anne expresses a distaste for God due to the insult of purposely giving her red hair. Marilla encourages Anne to create her own spontaneous prayer. Anne’s prayer is full of flowery speech, regarding her hopes for Green Gables to become her home, and to become pretty when she grows up. She ends the prayer by saying, “Yours respectfully, Anne Shirley.” Marilla resolves to send Anne to Sunday school as soon as possible. — read by 'N' —

Tonight, to start off our 5th annual “Spooky Sleep Story Series”, we shall read the opening to “The Metamorphosis”, written by Franz Kafka and first published in 1915. Tune in every Wednesday this month for sleep stories of the darker variety- like classic horror literature and ghost stories, read in a way to evoke a mood of spookiness without actually causing a fright. Catch up on previous years by finding our free standalone podcast series “Snoozecast Presents: Spooky Stories” or if you are a premium subscriber, look for “Snoozecast+” or “Snoozecast+ Deluxe: Spooky Stories” instead to listen ad-free. “The Metamorphosis” is referred to as a masterpiece of existential literature because of how it demands the reader to accept the absurdity of our lived modern human reality. Although some of the events may be fantastical, the ideas about existence, and humanity are highly relatable. — read by 'V' —

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “Woodcraft” published by George Washington Sears, under the pen name "Nessmuk." Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. The author was born in Massachusetts in 1821 as the oldest of 10 children. A young Narragansett Indian named Nessmuk ("wood drake") befriended him and taught him hunting, fishing, and camping. Later Sears took that as his pen name, and also as the name of a couple of his canoes. This episode refers a few times to an Old Woodsman who enjoys smoking “navy plug”. Th name for this strong, dark tobacco was given because sailors would fill a long canvas tube with tobacco (or tightly wrap rope around tobacco) and sometimes add flavourings like rum, fruits and spices. Then the tube was twisted tight, mimicking the pressing process. This technique created a dense roll, or “plug” of tobacco about an inch thick which could be cut into smaller pieces or coins. — read by 'N' —

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the last episode, encouraged by the doctor, Henry spontaneously joins a community running race at a nearby town’s annual event. Little does Henry know that the race that he has won was sponsored by his own grandfather, James Henry Cordyce. His grandfather didn’t seem to realize this either, even though he was searching for his missing grandchildren. Also, sister Jessie and Violet resourcefully create printed letters for little Benny to start to learn how to read. — read by 'V' —

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from the 1912 book Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, from a chapter called “The Speculations of Jefferson Thorpe”. You won’t need to listen to the first episode in order to listen to this episode, as they are non-sequential vignettes. However, if you would like to find the first episode in this series, it aired on August 23, 2019. This humorous and affectionate account of small-town life in the fictional town of Mariposa is inspired by the author’s experience living in Ontario, Canada. The book illustrates the inner workings of life in Mariposa—from business to politics to steamboat disasters. In this vignette, we learn about the town’s barbershop, and the leisurely art of the afternoon shave. This episode first aired in September of 2020. — read by 'N' — Support us: Listen ad-free

Tonight, we’ll read the final excerpt in our series from Dorothy Wordsworth’s personal journals. This was one which she kept the year 1805. It was published a century later in 1897. Wordsworth was an English author, poet, and diarist. This particular journal was from a mountainous “ramble” her and her brother took around the Lake district of Cumbria, England. The story of this "ramble," written by Dorothy, was afterwards incorporated in part by her brother William in his prose “Description of the Scenery of the Lakes”—another instance of their literary copartnery. If you enjoy this episode, please check out the Winter, Spring and Summer journal episodes that aired recently, and our other episode featuring this author titled “First Steps | A Scottish Tour” that we rebroadcast on January of 2023. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Bingley visits the Bennets, and then he keeps coming back for more visits. Soon, Jane and him are ecstatic and engaged to be married. Elizabeth is overjoyed for her sister, but assumes that she must not be in Darcy’s favor any longer, after everything that happened. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, as we launch our new premium subscription service Snoozecast+, we’ll read a sleep story we created about a stroll through a lush garden before bedtime. It will feature roses, lilies, Swiss chard, lavender, tomatoes, primroses and more. This has been written exclusively for our Snoozecast+ Deluxe listeners. To learn more, go to Snoozecast.com/plus. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

 Today is a big day for this little sleep story podcast as we launch Snoozecast+. Join the co-hosts of Snoozecast as they dish out the inside scoop.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Stonehenge: Today and Yesterday” written by Frank Stevens and published in 1916. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire , England. One of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom, Stonehenge is regarded as a British cultural icon. The whole monument, now in ruins, is orientated towards the sunrise on the summer solstice. This episode first aired in September 2021. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Secret Pact” part of the “Penny Parker” anthology written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. This series of stories aren’t consecutive so don’t worry if you didn’t hear the first episode. You can pick up on this one just fine! Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper. In this story, Penny wants to write a story about a strange tattoo she sees on a sailor, but neither her father's nor her school's newspaper agree to the idea. She decides to start a new newspaper in the abandoned Morning Press building and enlists the help of a few close friends. She soon finds herself in over her head and courting trouble. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, the Nautilus cruises through the Persian Gulf towards the Red Sea. This confuses the three captives onboard, because at the time this novel was written, the Red Sea was a dead end. The Suez Canal was only in the process of being built to connect the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea. After a couple days admiring the sea life in the Red Sea, Nemo visits Aronnax. We will pick up in the middle of their conversation discussion things like the history and navigational difficulties within the Red Sea. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from the 1924 detective novel “The Man in the Brown Suit” written by Agatha Christie and adapted by Snoozecast. We will open with a mysterious and glamorous prologue set in Paris, regarding a dancer and a count. Then we will learn about young Anne Beddingfield, who decides to live a life of freedom and adventure. She moves to London on her own and soon finds life to be more adventurous than she expected. This episode first aired in September of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “A Tail of Belonging”, a Snoozecast original sleep story dedicated to our listener on Spotify who asked for more dog-themed sleep stories.  The term “pound” for an animal shelter comes from the old British Saxon word “pinfald” or “pund”. An animal pound is a place where stray livestock were impounded. Animals were kept in a dedicated enclosure, until claimed by their owners, or sold to cover the costs of impounding. The village pound was a feature of most English medieval villages, and they were also found in the English colonies of North America and in Ireland. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the seventh chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne Says Her Prayers”. In the last episode, Marilla Cuthbert, the stern and pragmatic woman was at first dismayed to find that not only have been given a girl instead of a boy orphan, but that this girl is the particularly imaginative and talkative Anne Shirley. Initially hesitant about keeping Anne due to her unconventional and spirited nature, Marilla has been monitoring Anne's behavior closely. She witnesses Anne's passionate enthusiasm for learning and her ability to charm others in the community. The chapter ends with Marilla making a significant decision: she decides to keep Anne at Green Gables and give her a chance to prove herself. This marks a turning point in the story, as Marilla's change of heart opens the door to a new chapter in Anne's life. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Castle on the Lake”, from a Danish fairy tale called “The Green Knight” found in “The Olive Fairy Book” compiled by Andrew Lang. The story was originally found in a book written by Evald Tang Kristensen.  Working first as a schoolteacher and later solely as a collector of folklore, Tang Kristensen assembled and published a huge amount of detailed information as he visited country people throughout his native land. His labors eventually were supported by his state government, allowing him to travel as the official folklore collector and resulted in a wealth of data. He himself recorded some 3,000 songs, 2,700 fairy tales, 2,500 jokes, 25,000 legends, numerous sayings, poems and riddles as well as tens of thousands of descriptions of traditions and everyday life. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “Woodcraft” published by George Washington Sears, under the pen name "Nessmuk." Sears was a writer and adventurer who penned essays on hunting, fishing, and camping for popular journals and magazines. Here is some Nessmuk lore: This book we are reading from tonight, Woodcraft, has remained generally in print ever since it was published in 1884. There is a mountain in Northern Pennsylvania named after him- Mount Nessmuk. And finally, his hand-crafted canoe, the Sairy Gamp, was named after the Charles Dickens character Sarah Gamp. Sarah was a comic fictional character in Charles Dickens’s novel Martin Chuzzlewit. She was a high-spirited Cockney nurse-midwife of questionable training. The canoe Sairy Gamp was later acquired by the Smithsonian Institution. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the last episode, Henry gets more work to do from the doctor, this time with his siblings picking cherries at the doctor’s home orchard. The doctor and his mother wonder at these hard-working and good-natured children. Where do they come from? Who are their parents? Then the doctor notices an advertisement in the newspaper asking for anyone to notify a James Henry Cordyce if they find four missing children that match the mystery children’s ages. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the Hindu folk tale “The Fish Prince.” It comes from “Wonder Tales from Many Lands” by Katherine Pyle, published in 1920, and is adapted by Snoozecast. This story features an ancient and still popular item of jewelry called a bangle. Bangles are circular in shape, and, unlike bracelets, are not flexible. Although people in some parts of India used to wear a thick single bangle as protection during battle, they are now worn mostly as adornment by women in many parts of the world. The oldest bangle was recently found to be at least 50,000 years old. It was masterfully crafted out of green stone by a species of early hominid that lived side by side with both homo sapiens and neanderthals. This episode originally aired in August of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from Dorothy Wordsworth’s personal journal, which she kept the year 1802. It was published a century later in 1897. Wordsworth was an English author, poet, and diarist. She was the sister of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth, and the two were close all their adult lives. This particular journal was from a period that the siblings were staying in the village of Grasmere, England. The Wordsworths, part of the 'Lake Poets' group known for living near Grasmere lake, lived in Grasmere for 14 years and called it "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found." Another of the “Lake Poets” is mentioned frequently in this journal- their friend the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. If you enjoy this episode, please check out the “Winter” and “Spring” journal episodes that aired recently, and our other episode featuring this author titled “First Steps | A Scottish Tour” that we rebroadcast on January of 2023. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, soon after Wickham and Lydia leave, Mrs. Bennet hears rumors that Bingley is returning to Netherfield. Mr. Bennet refuses to visit him, however. Not long after, however, Bingley and Darcy visit the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet gives a warm welcome to Bingley and almost none to Darcy. She then goes on to speak glowingly about Lydia's marriage to Wickham, much to Elizabeth's mortification. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a selection from “Cape Cod” by Henry David Thoreau, published in 1908. Thorough was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for “Walden”, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" , an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. Thorough traveled to Cape Cod in Massachusetts four times, which inspired this “excursion” or travel book. This episode originally aired in August of 2021. If you would like to hear more Thoreau on Snoozecast, check out “The Wild” from March of 2021, along with “Walden” parts 1 and 2, which both aired in 2019. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to the short story “The Quilt of Happiness” by Kate Douglas Wiggin, originally published in 1901. If you haven’t listened to the first half, you will find it aired just last week. Wiggin was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”, and composed collections of children's songs — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Nemo proposes an expedition to the Ceylon pearl fisheries. Aronnax explains pearls to Ned Land, including their value, shape, size, types, and method of harvesting. The group reach the vast oyster beds and follow Nemo to a deep grotto where he shows them an enormous oyster. Nemo opens the oyster’s shells to reveal a pearl the size of a coconut. When Aronnax reaches to touch it, Nemo stops him, revealing his intention to allow the giant pearl to continue to grow.They also spot an Indian free diver attached to a canoe, but the diver does not see them, as he steals oysters in hopes of finding pearls as well. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a sleep story called “The Bird King and the Mermaid,” adapted by Snoozecast from “The Story of Tremsin, the Bird Czar, and Nastasia, the Lovely Maid of the Sea” found in “Cossack Fairy Tales”, published in 1916.  The Cossacks are a group of predominantly Orthodox Christian people who speak a slavic language and originated in Eastern Europe. They played an important role in the historical and cultural development of both Ukraine and Russia. This episode originally aired in August of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to the short story “The Quilt of Happiness” by Kate Douglas Wiggin, originally published in 1901. We’ll finish the story next week. Wiggin was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm”, and composed collections of children's songs. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco, and also established a training school for kindergarten teachers with her sister. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labor. If you enjoy this episode, you can also listen to our “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” episode from April of 2020. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the sixth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Marilla Makes Up Her Mind”. In the last episode, Marilla and Anne travel by carriage on a 5 mile journey to visit the woman who picked an orphaned girl instead of a boy for the Cuthberts. Realizing that Anne would keep chatting anyway, Marilla asks Anne to tell her about her past. Anne says she would prefer to tell what she imagines about herself, as her imagination is so much richer than her history, but she agrees to tell her story. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the social novel “North and South,” published in 1854 and written by Elizabeth Gaskell. The novel’s protagonist, Margaret Hale, is forced to leave her home in the tranquil, rural south, to settle with her parents in Milton, a fictional industrial town in the north. Elizabeth Gaskell, often referred to as Mrs Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer and short story writer. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of Victorian society Her work is of interest to social historians as well as readers of literature. This episode first aired August of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “Woodcraft” published by George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears. Sears was a sportswriter and an early conservationist. His stories popularized self-guided canoe camping and what is today called ultralight camping or ultralight backpacking. Canoeing had been popularized by a Scottish lawyer in the 1860s, but the typical canoe trip of the day employed expert guides and heavy canoes. Sears, who was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed little more than 100 pounds had a lightweight solo canoe built. He named it after a Charles Dickens character and used it to travel alone for months at a time through the Adirondack wilderness of New York. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the last episode, Henry gets more work to do from the doctor, this time organizing his garage. He ends up impressing the doctor. He suggests that when he next comes to work, the cherry trees need picked, and if he knows any other hard workers, he can bring them along. The next day is Sunday, so instead of working for the doctor, Henry spends the day with his siblings damming water from their creek to build a swimming pool. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an 1886 short story titled “Kashtanka” by Anton Chekhov, and adapted by Snoozecast. It is a sincere and simple story about loyalty, about a dog named Kashtanka who experiences life with two very different masters. It has been speculated that the story is a veiled biography of the author himself. This episode first aired in August of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from Dorothy Wordsworth’s personal journal, which she kept the year 1798. It was published a century later in 1897. Wordsworth was an English author, poet, and diarist. She was the sister of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth, and the two were close all their adult lives. Modern readers often perceive Dorothy as a first-rank nature writer. In her assumption of humans as companions rather than overlords of nature, she is arguably also an early environmentalist. If you enjoy this episode, please check out the “Winter” journal episode that aired last month, and our other episode featuring this author titled “First Steps | A Scottish Tour” that we rebroadcast on January of 2023. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Mrs. Gardiner sent a detailed reply to Elizabeth explaining how Darcy worked on the situation with Lydia and Wickham. Wickham had been planning on dumping Lydia the first chance he could get, which would have ruined Elizabeth’s reputation along with her family’s. So Wickham paid Wickham a fortune to bribe him to marry Lydia. Elizabeth still shows compassion towards Wickham by accepting him as now part of the family, while not being again fooled by his manipulative and cunning ways. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the German fairy tale “Rapunzel” lightly adapted by us from “The Red Fairy Book,” and attributed to The Brothers Grimm. Some researchers have proposed that the earliest possible inspiration for the “Maiden in the Tower” archetype is to the pre-Christian European (or proto-Indo-European) sun or dawn goddess myths, in which a “light deity” is trapped and then rescued. If you are still awake after Rapunzel, you will find another hair-themed fairy tale titled “Ricky with the Tuft” from “The Tales of Mother Goose,” by Charles Perrault. This episode first aired July of 2021 — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Adventure of the Dancing Men” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. If you haven’t listened to the first part, it aired just last week. This story is considered one of the detective's most famous and memorable cases. In the previous episode, Hilton Cubitt arrives at Baker Street and tells Holmes and Watson his strange tale. The appearance of childish drawings is mysteriously frightening his wife, Elsie Cubitt nee Patrick. Cubitt had married the American Elsie a year earlier, but one of the conditions of marriage was that Cubitt was not to ask his wife about her life prior to their meeting. It was a strange request, but being a gentleman, was one Cubitt was willing to agree to. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Nemo invites the captives on another underwater expedition, this time, it is to The Coral Kingdom. Also, Aronnax starts to think that the captain does not just love being away from humanity by being underwater- he may seek revenge against humanity as well. The conversation of escaping the ship is discussed by Aronnox and Ned. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read selected poems from Emily Dickinson, starting with a collection about nature. Little-known during her life, Dickinson has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence. Her poems were unique for her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. In early editions, including this one, Emily Dickinson's poems were edited by her friends, better to fit the conventions of the times. Thus some of the uniqueness is best understood by viewing her direct handwriting on the page, or by reading more recent editions. This episode first aired in July of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Adventure of the Dancing Men” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The second half will air next week. This was one of Doyle’s favorites- he ranked it third in his “top 12” list of Holmes stories, out of 56 total stories. In this story, Holmes has to decipher the code hidden in what appears to be a child’s drawing. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the fifth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Anne’s History” Written for all ages, this book recounts the adventures of an eleven year old orphan named Anne Shirley on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In the last episode, Anne relishes the picturesque beauty of Green Gables, even while bracing herself for the painful reality of being taken away from it later that same day. Matthew lets Marilla know that he is going to hire a farm boy to help him for the summer, implying that they don’t technically need to return the orphan girl for a boy. Marilla sets off to visit Mrs. Spencer with Anne to figure out how the mistake could have happened. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “Emily of New Moon” written by L. M. Montgomery. Similar to the author’s other series “Anne of Green Gables,” this is the first in a series of novels about an orphan girl growing up on Prince Edward Island.  Emily is a heroine with a love for the beauty in nature and art, loyalty to her friends, a thirst for knowledge, and a passionate dedication to her writing. This episode aired in July of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Woodcraft” published by George Washington “Nessmuk” Sears. Sears was a sportswriter for Forest and Stream magazine in the 1880s and an early conservationist. His stories popularized self-guided canoe camping and what is today called ultralight camping or ultralight backpacking. Growing up in Massachusetts, he took his pen name from a Native American who had befriended him in early childhood. A period of factory labor while still a child left him with a fondness for the writing of Charles Dickens. At nineteen he signed on for a three-year voyage on a whaler headed for the South Pacific; it was the same year that Herman Melville shipped out of the same port bound for the same whaling grounds. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the last episode, Jess and the children start fixing up their new boxcar home and exploring their forest neighborhood. Henry goes out and gets a job. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm titled “The Valiant Little Tailor.” This episode originally aired in July of 2021. In this story, the tailor starts out having achieved a very small feat and ends up a hero. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “The New Royal Cook Book by Royal Baking Powder Co.” published in 1920. When the first truly American cookbook was published in 1792, the recipes included used three possible types of leavening: baker's yeast, emptins (from the leavings of brewing beer), and pearlash. The effectiveness of such leavenings varied widely. At that time, reliable commercial products were not available. The creation of shelf-stable chemical combinations of sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar is seen as marking the true introduction of baking powder later in the 1800s. Although cooks had used both sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar previously in recipes, they had to purchase the ingredients individually from chemists and store them separately to prevent them from reacting prematurely. Regardless of the expiration date, the effectiveness can be tested by placing a teaspoon of the powder into a small container of hot water. If it bubbles vigorously, it is still active and usable. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Lydia and Wickham arrive at Longbourn. Lydia is giddy over her marriage, mocking her older sisters for failing to get married before she did. While gloating about the details of her wedding, Lydia reveals to Elizabeth that Darcy attended the ceremony. Lydia quickly apologizes: it was supposed to be a secret. Elizabeth burns with curiosity and writes to Mrs. Gardiner for more details. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Great Gatsby,” a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, the novel depicts narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. This episode first aired in June of 2021. The novel was inspired by youthful romance and riotous parties the author had recently experienced. “The Great Gatsby” was a commercial failure that many critics thought was sub-par to Fitzgerald’s previous work. Now, it is widely considered to be a literary masterwork and a contender for the title of the Great American Novel. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from Dorothy Wordsworth’s personal journal, which she kept the year 1798. It was published a century later in 1897. Wordsworth was an English author, poet, and diarist. She was the sister of the Romantic poet William Wordsworth, and the two were close all their adult lives. Dorothy Wordsworth had no ambitions to be a public author, yet she left behind numerous letters, diary entries, topographical descriptions, poems, and other writings. Dorothy Wordsworth's works came to light just as literary critics were beginning to re-examine women's role in literature. Her observations and descriptions have been considered to be as poetic if not more so than those of her brother. If you enjoy this episode, please look for our other episode featuring this author titled “First Steps | A Scottish Tour” that we rebroadcast on January of 2023 — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, electricity temporarily fails on the submarine, and the captives onboard are enchanted at the view of bioluminescent marine life surrounding them in the dark. Later, Captain Nemo spies something that disturbs him at a distance. In response, he apparently slips a sleeping potion into the captives breakfast so that they sleep deeply through the disturbance. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a story called “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” from “The Arabian Nights: Their Best-known Tales” by Smith, Wiggin, and Parrish. It has become one of the most familiar of the "Arabian Nights" tales, and is where the phrase “Open, Sesame!” comes from. This folk tale was added to the “One Thousand and One Nights” anthology in the 18th century by its French translator. This translator heard it from a Syrian storyteller who travelled to Paris. This episode originally aired in June of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the humorous short story “An Experiment in Gyro-Hats” written by Ellis Parker Butler and published in 1910. Butler was a prolific American writer, although his writing was mostly a part-time endeavor for him as he was also a banker. Butler was also known as an always-present force in the New York City literary scene. A gyroscope is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation. It is a spinning disc in which the axis of rotation is free to assume any orientation by itself. While in this story a gyroscope is used in a hat, real life applications include the Hubble telescope, submarines, and smartphones. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the fourth chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Morning at Green Gables.” Written for all ages, this book recounts the adventures of an eleven year old orphan named Anne Shirley on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In the last episode, we learn that Marilla, unlike her brother Matthew, does not shrink from voicing her surprise upon seeing a girl orphan, instead of a boy, at her front door. As the Cuthberts talk about Mrs. Spencer’s mistake, Anne realizes she is not wanted. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, for our 700th episode, we’ll read excerpts from “The Myrtle Reed Cook Book” written by Myrtle Reed and published in 1916. Reed was an American author, poet, journalist, and philanthropist. She was a diagnosed insomniac with prescribed sleeping potions, called sleeping drafts in her day. This episode originally aired in June of 2021. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Clue of the Silken Ladder” part of the “Penny Parker” anthology written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. This series of stories aren’t consecutive so don’t worry if you didn’t hear the first episode. You can pick up on this one just fine! Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper. In this story, Penny discovers a strange silken ladder and learns how it is used in burglaries. Her story, and what it exposes, earns her a much-needed raise in pay at the newspaper. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by first grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the last episode, we explore the children’s new boxcar home in the woods, and they are introduced to a new member of their family- a lost but friendly dog with a thorn in his paw. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read "A Retrieved Reformation", a short story by American author O. Henry first published in 1903. This episode first aired in June of 2021. The story we will read shows how love can change anyone for the better. It describes the events which lead up to the reformation of an ex-convicted burglar. As usual, the ending of this O. Henry is worth hearing for the twist. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, for our final episode in this series, we’ll read about more wildflowers on the farm, including cornflowers and charlock in the hay-field, from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900. In the last episode of this series, which aired last week, we read about dandelions and common grasses that grow wild around British farmlands.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, we learn the details of the deal. Wickham is basically ransoming Lydia, and Mr. Bennet feels obliged to pay a small sum every year in return for Wickham actually marrying her. Otherwise, they would apparently live together unmarried and thus tarnish the reputations of all her other unmarried sisters. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a short story called “The Golden Touch” from “A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1910. This episode is dedicated to our patron Kathryn, who was craving something from Greek mythology, and our listener, Sue, who suggested this particular book. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about more wildflowers on the farm, including poppies in the hay-field, from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900. In the last episode, which aired last week, some plants found in the foldyard of the farm were discussed. A fold was a pen or enclosure for cattle or sheep, and the inference is that it must often have been a temporary structure, made by fastening hurdles, bars or ‘fleaks’ to fixed stakes. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Arronax, Conseil and Ned encounter the Papuan people from the island, and the people are unfriendly to the visitors. The three intruders retreat to the Nautilus. When Aronnax tells Nemo about the natives, the captain is unconcerned. He says “Savages? Where are there not any?” Soon, the native people storm the vessel and try to get inside. However, Nemo has cleverly set up an electrified cable on the stairs so that anyone who touches it is merely shocked. The Papuans retreat, the tide pushes the Nautilus out to sea exactly as Nemo has planned, and the vessel continues its journey. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Italian writer Carlo Collodi, published in 1883. This episode originally aired in May of 2021. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto as a wooden puppet but he dreams of becoming a real boy. He is notably characterized for his frequent tendency to lie, which causes his nose to grow. Pinocchio is a cultural icon. He is one of the most re-imagined characters in children's literature. His story has been adapted into many other media, notably the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio. Collodi often used the Italian Tuscan dialect in his book. For example, the name of Pinocchio’s father, Gepetto, comes from the diminutive for Geppo, the Tuscan pronunciation of ceppo, meaning a log, stump or block. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about handsome weeds and wildflowers from “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900. In the last episode, which aired last week, the wallflower was discussed among other flowers. Wallflowers are perhaps more commonly known today as people who gravitate to the sidelines of social gatherings. However, the wallflower is the common name for a genus of flowering plants called Erysium, part of the cabbage family of plants. It includes more than 150 species, both popular garden plants and many wild forms. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the third chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Marilla Cuthbert is Surprised.” Written for all ages, this book recounts the adventures of an eleven year old orphan named Anne Shirley on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In the last episode, we learn that all women scare timid Matthew, except for his sister Marilla, and his neighbor Mrs. Rachel. He rides his horse and buggy to the train station to pick up the orphan boy that turns out to be a talkative girl. Instead of insisting that she turn back around due to the mistake, he chooses to let her ride all the way home, and let the more assertive Marilla give the bad news. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “Tess of the d’Urbervilles,” a novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1891. Hardy's writing often explores what he called the ""ache of modernism"", and this theme is notable in Tess, which as one critic noted portrays ""the energy of traditional ways and the strength of the forces that are destroying them"". The book, now considered a major work of it’s time, received mixed reviews when it first appeared, in part because it challenged the sexual morals of late Victorian England. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening section to “Flowers of the Farm” written by Arthur O. Cooke and published in 1900. Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management which exploits the capacity of many species of trees to put out new shoots from their stump or roots if cut down. In a coppiced wood, which is called a copse, young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level, resulting in a stool. New growth emerges, and after a number of years, the coppiced tree is harvested, and the cycle begins anew. Pollarding is a similar process carried out at a higher level on the tree in order to prevent grazing animals from eating new shoots. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Boxcar Children” written by first grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. In the first episode, we learn that the only relative for the orphans to live with would be their supposedly hard-hearted grandfather, whom they never met because of his disapproval of their parents' marriage. So instead, the children strike out on their own into the woods. We will pick back up at the end of the first episode, where Jessie sees it is about to rain, and finds an abandoned boxcar for her siblings to shelter in, just in time. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Bread and Biscuit Baker’s and Sugar Boiler’s Assistant” written by Robert Wells and published in 1890. This episode originally aired in May of 2021. Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup, which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to caramelize. The type of candy depends on the ingredients and how long the mixture is boiled. Candy comes in a wide variety of textures, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Cranford”, a novel by the English writer Elizabeth Gaskell, first published in 1853. The work slowly became popular and from the start of the 20th century it saw a number of dramatic treatments for the stage, the radio and TV. The fictional town of “Cranford” is based on the author’s childhood home town of Knutsford in England. The stories within portray the old-fashioned class snobbery prevalent in country towns at the time. Charles Dickens encouraged Gaskell to turn her stories into the completed novel. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our August 2021 episode “North and South” from the same author. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, much is changing as the Bennet family worries about Lydia’s fate. Mr. Bennet has decided that Elizabeth was right and he must be stricter with his remaining young daughters. Mrs. Bennet is besides herself with self-pity and grief. Jane and Elizabeth spend much of their time together wondering what they should have done differently, to avoid Wickham’s wicked influence on their family.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “A Voyage to the Moon” written by Edgar Allen Poe. It was intended by the author as a hoax when it was originally published in 1835 titled as "The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall." The story is regarded as one of the early examples of the modern science fiction genre. Jules Verne acknowledged Poe as the creator of the "scientific novel." This episode originally aired in May of 2021.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the short story “Lulu’s Triumph” written by Matilde Serao and published in English in 1907.  In this character study, Lulu meets a young man at the races, and they start courting. Lulu talks about her expectations to her sister, Sofia, who is older and more serious than she. Matilde Serao was a Greco-Italian writer. She was the first woman editor of an Italian newspaper. Serao never won the Nobel Prize in Literature despite being nominated on six occasions. Read by 'V'

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Aronnax, Conseil and Ned obtain permission to row ashore to a nearby deserted tropical island. After only eating seafood, Ned in particular is craving to hunt down some land food. They feast on local flora and fauna for several days.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a story from a short story collection titled “Mrs. Spring Fragrance” written by Sui Sin Far, published in 1912. The story we will read, about two children who find themselves lost in a magical forest, was originally titled “The Banishment of Ming and Mai.” This episode originally aired in April of 2021. The author Sui Sin Far was the pen name of Chinese-British-Canadian-American writer Edith Maude Eaton. The work is notable for being the earliest book of fiction published in the United States by an author of Chinese descent. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about desert oases from a book written by H. J. Llewellyn Beadnell and published in 1909. In ecology, an oasis is a fertile area of a desert that sustains plant life and provides habitat for animals. Surface water may be present, or water may only be accessible from wells or underground channels created by humans.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second chapter to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “Matthew Cuthbert is Surprised.” Written for all ages, it recounts the adventures of an eleven-year-old orphan named Anne Shirley on Prince Edward Island, Canada. In the first episode, we meet busybody Rachel, who checks in on Marilla Cuthbert. They live in a small town on Prince Edward Island in Canada. Marilla lives on her farm with her brother Matthew, and they are both growing older. They decided to adopt an orphan boy, which shocks Rachel. Rachel tries to frighten Marilla with terrible orphan stories from the news, but Marilla has a cooler head. Also, she reasons, at least the orphan isn’t going to be a girl.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “A Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton-Porter, published in 1909. This episode first aired in April of 2021. The story takes place in Indiana, in and around the Limberlost Swamp. Even at the time of its publication, this impressive wetland region was being reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. The author, Stratton-Porter, was considered one of the most popular woman novelists of the era. Elnora Comstock is an impoverished teenager who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine Comstock, on the edge of the Limberlost swamp. Elnora’s mother treats her neglectfully, and makes her to go to her first day of high school at a new school unprepared. She is wearing ugly, out-dated clothes, and doesn’t have proper books or tuition. Luckily, Elnora is a plucky and good-hearted young woman. She also has loving neighbors who want to help her. And that is where we will start.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Adventure of the Empty House” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of 1903’s “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. The first half aired last week. Doyle ranked "The Adventure of the Empty House" sixth in his list of his twelve favorite Holmes stories out of 56 total stories. In the first half, the year is 1894, and it is three years after the apparent death of Sherlock Holmes. An apparently unsolvable locked-room murder takes place in London: Ronald Adair was in his sitting room at the time. The motive does not appear to be robbery as nothing has been stolen, and it seems that Adair had not an enemy in the world. It seems odd that Adair's door was locked from the inside. Dr. Watson, having retained an interest in crime post- Holmes, visits the scene. He runs into an elderly book collector, knocking several of his books to the ground. The encounter ends with the man snarling in anger and going away. However, that is not the last that Watson sees of him, for a short time later, the man comes to Watson's study to apologize. Once in, he transforms himself into Sherlock Holmes, astonishing Watson so much that he faints to the ground.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Boxcar Children” written by first grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. This episode originally aired in August of 2021, and we will continue to the end of this book over time. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. They eventually meet their grandfather, who is a wealthy and kind man (although the children had believed him to be cruel). As she wrote the story, Warner read it aloud to her classes and rewrote it many times to make it easy to understand and enjoyable. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about baking cakes from the “Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Volume 4” This episode originally aired in March of 2021. The Woman’s Institute was founded by Mary Brooks Picken in Scranton, PA. Born in Kansas in 1886, Picken wrote the first dictionary to be published by a woman in the English language, beyond the over one hundred other books she wrote. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Adventure of the Empty House” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as part of “The Return of Sherlock Holmes”. It was first published in 1903. The second half will air next week. Public pressure forced Conan Doyle to bring the sleuth back to life, and explain his apparently miraculous survival after his struggle with Professor Moriarty in "The Final Problem". This is the first Holmes story set after his supposed demise in Switzerland, as recounted in "The Final Problem". Read by -N-

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle hurry home after hearing the terrible news about Lydia running off with Wickham. There is plenty of time as they travel to consider the situation from all angles, and try to reassure each other from too much worry. They arrive at Longbourne and reconnect with the rest of the family. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “Meteorology, The Science of the Atmosphere” by meteorologist Charles Fitzhugh Talman, published in 1922. This episode first aired in April of 2021. The word meteorology, stemming from the Ancient Greek, means "the study of things high in the air." Though study of meteorology dates back millennia, significant progress did not occur until the 18th century. Prior attempts at prediction of weather depended on historical data. It was not until after the elucidation of the laws of physics and more particularly, the development of the computer, allowing for the automated solution of a great many equations that model the weather, in the latter half of the 20th century that significant breakthroughs in weather forecasting were achieved. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the 1921 short story “Mr. and Mrs. Dove” written by New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. In this story, Reginald is a young man who works on a fruit farm in Rhodesia, but is currently back home in England for one more day. There, he visits his friend Anne with the pet doves, who he is in love with. Now known as Zimbabwe, Rhodesia was a state located just north of South Africa, colonized by Britain. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of, “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, it’s the New Year and Aronnax keeps himself busy studying on the submarine as usual. The Nautilus enters dangerous waters and gets stuck on a reef. Seeing as they're already stuck on land, Ned and Conseil convince Aronnax to ask Nemo to let them go ashore to explore, hunt, and reconnect with solid ground. 

Tonight, we’ll read a selection of mouse-featured Beatrix Potter stories, starting with “Johnny Town-Mouse” and followed with “The Tale of Two Bad Mice” and “The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse.” This episode first aired in March of 2021. Beatrix Potter was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her children's books featuring animals. Though Potter was typical of women of her generation in having limited opportunities for higher education, her study and watercolours of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology. In all, Potter wrote thirty books; the best known being her twenty-three children's tales. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first part to the writing style guide “The Elements of Style”, written by William Strunk Jr. in 1918, published in 1920. Strunk was a professor at Cornell University and wrote the book for use at the university. He is best remembered for the version of this guidebook, enlarged in 1959 by his student, New Yorker writer E.B. White. Now in its fourth edition, it is the most frequently assigned book on college syllabuses, and continues to earn both praise and criticism over a century after its first publication. This episode is guest narrated by Stephen Frost of Stereo Couture, who specialize in producing music, sound, and voices for animation. If you are interested in learning more, please go to https://stereocouture.com/ — read by J — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Anne of Green Gables” the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Written for all ages, it recounts the adventures of an eleven year old orphan named Anne Shirley on Prince Edward Island, Canada. The novel recounts how Anne makes her way through life with two middle-aged siblings, the Cuthberts, in school, and within the town. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Odyssey,” from the Samuel Butler translation, is one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. This episode first aired in March of 2021. “The Odyssey” is one of the oldest works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the decade of war itself, his journey lasts for an additional perilous decade. In his absence, he is assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must contend with a group of rude suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read all about gemstones from the book “Jewels and the Woman” written by Marianne Ostier and published in 1958. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out our other jewelry episode featuring this author titled “The Story of Jewels” which aired in November 2022. Gemstones are classified into different groups, species, and varieties. For example, ruby is the red variety of the species corundum, while any other color of corundum is considered sapphire. Other examples are the emerald (green), aquamarine (blue), red beryl (red), goshenite (colorless), heliodor (yellow), and morganite (pink), which are all varieties of the mineral species beryl. Gemstones may also be classified in terms of their "water". This is a recognized grading of the gem's luster, transparency, or "brilliance". Very transparent gems are considered "first water", while "second" or "third water" gems are those of a lesser transparency. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. Pooh is naive and slow-witted, but he is also friendly, thoughtful, and steadfast. Although he and his friends agree that he is "a bear of very little brain", Pooh is occasionally acknowledged to have a clever idea, usually driven by common sense. These include riding in Christopher Robin's umbrella to rescue Piglet from a flood, and discovering "the North Pole" by picking it up to help fish Roo out of the river In the previous episode, we finished chapter 9, in which piglet was entirely surrounded by water.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a story called Charan, The Dancing Maiden, taken from the book “Korean Folk Tales” written by Im Bang and translated to English by James Gale and published in 1913. This episode first aired in March of 2021. Im Bang was born in 1640, the son of a provincial governor. He was a great scholar and a disciple of one of Korea's first famed writers. When he was eighty years old, he became governor of Seoul, and held other high cabinet positions as well. In 1722 he played a part in a disturbance of the government and was exiled to North Korea. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Dream” a 1924 novel by H. G. Wells about a man from a Utopian future who dreams the entire life of a 19th century Englishman named Harry Mortimer Smith. In circa 4,000 A.D., a biologist named Sarnac is taking a holiday among mountains and lakes with his lover, Sunray. With four other holiday travellers, they visit some 2,000-year-old "ancient remains that had recently been excavated" in a nearby valley. A little later, after a brief afternoon nap, Sarnac awakens from "a very vivid dream." The rest of the novel consists of Sarnac's recounting of the dream, with occasional discussion of its particulars with his companions. Sarnac's dream brings with it total recall of the complete life of Harry Mortimer Smith, from the point of view of the achieved Utopia of 2,000 years later.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Elizabeth is shocked to read a letter with wretched news from home- her sister Lydia has run off with Wickham. This will cause scandal to befall not only Lydia but the rest of her sisters. Immediately after reading the letter, Darcy pays a visit and tries to comfort her. She is inconsolable. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight we’ll read the opening to A Little Princess, a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, published in 1905. It is considered one of the top children’s books in the US of all time, along with Burnett’s other book, “The Secret Garden”. This episode first aired in February 2020. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the 1940 mystery “Danger at the Drawbridge”, part of the “Penny Parker” anthology written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. The first episode was “The Green Door” and aired on December 5th, 2022. These stories aren’t consecutive so don’t worry if you didn’t hear the first episode. You can pick up on this one just fine! Along with being the heroine of the series, Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper. Benson was a journalist and prolific writer, under many pseudonyms, who is best known for creating the Nancy Drew series. The author Benson favored Penny Parker over all the other books she wrote, including Nancy Drew. Her obituary quoted her as saying, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is."  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, our narrator Arronax and his companions watch the underwater world float by, including some shipwrecks. Nemo appears after a long absence and tells Aronnax they're headed for the island of Vanikoro, the site of two famous shipwrecks back at end of the 18th century and early in the 19th century. We will pick up where Nemo and Arronax are discussing this.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “A treatise on the art of making good wholesome bread of wheat, oats, rye, barley” by Friedrick Accum, published in 1821. Accum was a German chemist, whose most important achievements included advances in the field of gas lighting, efforts to keep processed foods free from dangerous additives, and the promotion of popular chemistry. Following an apprenticeship as an apothecary, he opened his own commercial laboratory enterprise in London. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “Surprise House” written by Abbie Farwell Brown and published in 1917. This children’s story depicts a legacy left by an eccentric old lady to her grand-niece. Brown was a prolific American author of children’s stories and poems, who spent her entire life living in her family’s Beacon Hill Boston home. Her family was at that time the 10th generation to live in New England. Brown also penned the official song of the “Girl Scouts of the USA.” This episode is guest narrated by Shann Vander Leek of the Anxiety Slayer podcast and academy. If you are interested in learning more, please go to anxietyslayer.com

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. In the last episode, we delve into the concept of how thoughts, good or bad, have power to change one’s experience of life. While Colin and Mary were filling their heads with happy magic and their lungs with moorland breezes, Master Craven was hiking across Europe and starting to find a change of heart as well. In a peaceful and quiet moment he remembers home and opens his mind to the possibility of good things again. He dreams his deceased wife calls to him to come home to the garden. And the next day, he heads home. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a story from Hans Christian Andersen called “Little Thumbelina.” Thumbelina is about a tiny girl and her adventures with marriage-minded toads, moles, and doodlebugs. She successfully avoids their intentions before falling in love with a flower-fairy prince just her size. This episode originally aired in February 2021. Hans Christian Andersen was born in Denmark in 1805 to a shoemaker. An only child, Andersen shared a love of literature with his father, who read him fables and fairy tales. Together, they constructed panoramas and toy theatres, and took long jaunts into the countryside.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “A world of green hills : Observations of nature and human nature in the Blue Ridge” written by Bradford Torrey and published in 1898. The Blue Ridge extends as far south as Georgia and as far north as Pennsylvania. From there it dwindles to hills, however the band of ancient rocks that form the core of the Blue Ridge continues northeast through the New Jersey and eventually reaches The Berkshires of Massachusetts and the Green Mountains of Vermont. This mountain range is known for having a bluish color when seen from a distance. Trees put the "blue" in Blue Ridge, from the isoprene released by them into the atmosphere. This contributes to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their perceived color. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we finished chapter eight, in which Christopher Robin plans to lead an expotition to the north pole and then we just started chapter nine, in which piglet was entirely surrounded by water.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, by listener request, we’ll read the opening to Swiss Family Robinson, a novel by Johann David Wyss, about a Swiss family shipwrecked in the East Indies en route to Australia. This episode first aired in February 2020. Wyss, a Swiss pastor, originally wrote this book to entertain and instruct his four sons. Years later, one of his sons, persuaded his father to allow him to complete and edit the unfinished manuscript. It was published in Zurich in 1812. — read by M — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “Walker’s Manly Exercises and Rural Sports” written by Donald Walker and published in 1855. Walker was a Victorian author of several books, including this one and Exercises for Ladies. He helped to introduce British society to an unfamiliar topic in the early nineteenth century: physical education. The birth of modern physical education teaching can be traced to teachers in the 1800s who focused on nurturing a child's ability to use their body for self-expression, in combination with approaches from the 1960s, which featured spatial awareness, effort, and relationships. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner pay a visit to Pemberley and have an awkward tea with shy Miss Georgiana Darcy and conniving Miss Caroline Bingley. We will pick up right after Darcy has made an entrance. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “In New England Fields and Woods”, written by Rowland Evans Robinson in 1896. This episode first aired in February 2020. Robinson was, in his time, one of Vermont’s best known writers. This collection of short essays follows New England's changing seasons and moods in all its natural beauty. This particular selection is part of the late winter-time section. You can find other episodes featuring Robinson by searching on snoozecast.com. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “Urania”, an early science fiction novel by Camille Flammarion and published in English in 1890. This excerpt depicts an imaginary voyage through the universe. The title of this books refers to one of The Nine Muses who presided over Astronomy. Urania’s celestial glance was said to have inspired and directed the chorus of the Spheres. Nicholas Camille Flammarion was a French astronomer, prolific author and free thinker. Besides astronomy and science fiction, Flammarion was interested in exploring realms of consciousness and reality beyond our own. This is the second Snoozecast episode featuring Flammarion. You can also listen to “Mysterious Psychic Forces” from October 2022. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Aronnax, Conseil, Nemo and another sailor from the Nautilus embark on their hunting expedition to the underwater forests of Crespo Island in their underwater suits. They see diverse landscapes and all sorts of creatures, and also, take a long nap before continuing their wondrous trek. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a folktale called “Aponibolinayen and the Sun”, from the book “Philippine Folk Tales” published in 1916, compiled by anthropologist Mabel Cook Cole. This story originally aired on January 1st, 2021. This story comes from the Ting-yen or Itneg people, who live in a mountainous region in the Philippines. The Itnegs believe in the existence of numerous supernatural powerful beings. They believe in spirits and deities, the greatest of which they believe to be Kadaklan who lives up in the sky and who created the earth, the moon, the stars, and the sun. Tonight, we’ll read about the sun in particular and how he came to be married to a special mortal woman with magical powers. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Final Problem”, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The first half aired last week. As with all of our Sherlock series, this story contains some darker elements and themes that may not be appropriate for all listeners. In the first episode, Holmes is considering retiring from his private detective work, but learns about a criminal genius named Professor Moriarty, who orchestrates a huge amount of crime that happens in London and in Europe. Holmes set about gathering evidence to bring down the whole gang. The work of Holmes though, had not gone unnoticed by Moriarty, who threatens him to back off. Soon Holmes evades three attempts at his life before meeting up with Watson. Watson agrees to hide surreptiously in Europe with him while they wait for Holmes’ plans for the police to catch the whole enterprise comes to fruition in a few days time. We will start back in the story on the train where Holmes is in disguise as an elderly Italian man and has narrowly avoided being caught by Moriarty. Holmes is now discussing the plan with Watson. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. In the last episode, Mary and Colin explore the many empty rooms of their manor on rainy days. Colin expresses his desire for his father to finally come home so he can give up the secret and reveal his newfound vitality. Colin has become so well that he starts to believe that the magic he has been espousing may be another word for God. Mrs. Susan Sowerby, Dickon’s mother, also makes a surprise visit to their garden. They find her to be instantly trustworthy and charming.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening chapters of “New Amazonia: A Foretaste of the Future”, written by Elizabeth Burgoyne Corbett under the pen name “Mrs. James Corbett” and first published in 1889.  Categorized as “feminist utopian”, it was one element in the wave of utopian and dystopian literature that marked the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In her novel, Corbett envisions a successful suffragette movement eventually giving rise to a breed of highly evolved "Amazonians" who turn Ireland into a utopian society.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Final Problem”, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The second half will air next week. It is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes”. As with all of our Sherlock series, this story contains some darker elements and themes that may not be appropriate for all listeners. The story, set in 1891, introduces the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty. It was intended to be the final Holmes story. Conan Doyle felt the stories were distracting him from more serious literary efforts and that this was the only way of getting his career back on track. "I must save my mind for better things," he wrote to his mother, "even if it means I must bury my pocketbook with him." Conan Doyle later ranked "The Final Problem" fourth on his personal list of the twelve best Holmes stories. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read the second half of chapter seven, in which Kanga and Roo came to the forest, and Piglet had a bath. Then we started chapter eight, in which Christopher Robin plans to lead an expotition to the north pole. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read The Trees of Paradise, an excerpt from “Plant Lore, Legends and Lyrics” by Richard Folkard. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Palace Under the Waves” found in the book “Swiss Tales” published in 1920. We will also read a story called “The Fairy in the Cuckoo Clock.” The first story features undines, a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to live in modern literature and art through such adaptations as Danish Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid". Paracelsus believed that each of the four classical elements – earth, water, air and fire – is inhabited by different categories of elemental spirits, liminal creatures that share our world: gnomes, undines, sylphs and salamanders respectively. He describes these elementals as the "invisible, spiritual counterparts of visible Nature ... many resembling human beings in shape, and inhabiting worlds of their own, unknown to man because his undeveloped senses were incapable of functioning beyond the limitations of the grosser elements. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Darcy suddenly appears while Elizabeth and the Gardiners continue to explore the grounds of his home Pemberley. He joins them in their walk, proving remarkably polite. Elizabeth is immediately embarrassed but Darcy tells her that he has just arrived to prepare his home for a group of guests that includes the Bingleys and his own sister, Georgiana. He asks Elizabeth if she would like to meet Georgiana, and Elizabeth replies that she would. After Darcy leaves them, the Gardiners comment on his good looks and manners, so different from the account of his character given by Elizabeth. — read by V — Take the stress out of mealtime with America’s #1 meal kit service. Go to https://hellofresh.com/snoozecast21 and use code SNOOZECAST21 for 21 free meals plus free shipping! Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Across Asia on a Bicycle,” published in 1894 and written by Thomas Allen and William Sachtleben. This episode first aired on January 13, 2021. This book is made up of a series of sketches describing a bicycle journey around the world and specifically across Asia. Allen and Sachtleben set a record for the longest continuous land journey ever made around the world. The day after they graduated college in St. Louis, Missouri, the two friends set out on their journey. Almost three years later, they rolled back into New York on their wheels, having, as they write, “put a girdle round the earth.” — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Dr. Vermont’s Fantasy”, written by Hannah Lynch and published in 1896. Lynch was an Irish feminist, novelist, journalist and translator. She spent much of her working life in Paris, having also lived in both Spain and Greece. Lynch then returned to lecture in Ireland and was a part of the Paris salons of the Belle Epoque as well as the Irish Literary Revival in Dublin. read by 'N'

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Aronnax receives an invitation to go hunting in Nemo's "forests of Crespo Island" the next morning. Conseil and Ned are invited too. At breakfast, Nemo explains to Aronnax that these forests are underwater and that he has designed special suits for them to walk around down there freely. We will pick up with them getting changed and prepared for their expedition. read by 'N'

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803”, a travel memoir by Dorothy Wordsworth. This episode originally aired in 2020. Wordsworth’s six-week, 663-mile journey through the Scottish Highlands with her brother William Wordsworth and mutual friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge has been called a masterpiece and one of the best Scottish travel writings during a century which saw hundreds of such examples. Dorothy wrote Recollections for family and friends and never saw it published in her lifetime. The three travelers were important authors in the burgeoning Romanticism movement and thus the trip itinerary was in part a literary pilgrimage to the places associated with Scottish figures significant to Romanticists. Dorothy's descriptions and judgments of the countryside and landscapes were a mixture of her own personal aesthetics and the in-fashion aesthetics of the sublime, beautiful and picturesque—in fact, Recollections is considered today a classic of picturesque travel writing. Venturing to Scotland in 1803 was not an easy trip and the thirty-year-old Dorothy would experience much of the rougher nature of Scottish life: a depopulated rural land due to industrialization and emigration, along with rough roads, coarse lodgings and sometimes meager food. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “Pop Corn Recipes” by Mary Hamilton Talbott, published in 1916. Corn was domesticated about 10,000 years ago, in what is now Mexico. Archaeologists discovered that people have known about popcorn for thousands of years. Fossil evidence from Peru suggests that corn was popped as early as 4,700 BC. Through the 19th century, popping of the kernels was achieved by hand, on stove tops. During the Great Depression, popcorn was fairly inexpensive at 5–10 cents a bag and became popular. Thus, while other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived and became a source of income for many struggling farmers, including the Redenbacher family. The snack was popular at theaters, much to the initial displeasure of many of the theater owners, who thought it distracted from the films. Their minds eventually changed, however, and Popcorn became more profitable than theater tickets.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. In the last episode, Dickon teaches Colin strengthening exercises. We get to see the happenings at the Secret Garden through the eyes of the Robins on their nest. And the staff at the Manor grow increasingly perplexed by Colin and Mary’s healthy transformation. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “Treasure Island”, by listener suggestion, an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. We first aired this on December 28, 2020. “Treasure Island” is a tale of "buccaneers and buried gold." Its influence is enormous on popular perceptions of pirates, including such elements as treasure maps marked with an "X", schooners, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen bearing parrots on their shoulders. — read by M — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read poems from “North of Boston” a collection from Robert Frost first published in 1914. Most of the poems resemble short dramas or dialogues. It is also called a book of people because most of the poems deal with New England themes and Yankee farmers. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech, Robert Frost frequently wrote about settings from rural life in New England in the early 20th century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes. Frequently honored during his lifetime, Frost is the only poet to receive four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. Read by 'N'

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read the second half of chapter six, in which eeyore had a birthday and got two presents. Then we read the first half of chapter seven, in which Kanga and Roo came to the forest, and Piglet will, apparently, have a bath. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “Balsam Fir”, a Snoozecast original. This episode originally aired on December 23, 2019. Experience tromping through an evergreen tree farm to pick the perfect tree to bring home.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “A Christmas Carol” a novella by Charles Dickens originally published in 1843. The story recounts how Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser, is visited by the spirits of Christmas and is in the process, transformed. Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” during a period when the British were exploring and re-evaluating past Christmas traditions, including carols, and newer customs such as Christmas cards and Christmas trees. It captured the zeitgeist of the mid-Victorian revival of the Christmas holiday. Dickens had acknowledged the influence of the modern Western observance of Christmas and later inspired several aspects of Christmas, including family gatherings, seasonal food and drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Elizabeth leaves on her summer holiday with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. Their tour of Derbyshire takes them near Pemberley. Mrs. Gardiner suggests they visit the estate. Elizabeth consents to go only when she learns that Darcy will not be there. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Gift of the Magi” a short story by O. Henry, followed by the poem “The Night Before Christmas.”  Published in 1905, this O.Henry story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. “The Night Before Christmas” is formally titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and written by Clement Clarke Moore, anonymously published in 1844.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “Lessons in Chalk Modeling, the New Method of Map Drawing” written by Ida Cassa Heffron and published in 1900.  Geography is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. It is an all-encompassing discipline that seeks an understanding of Earth and its human and natural complexities—not merely where objects are, but also how they have changed and come to be. While geography is specific to Earth, many concepts can be applied more broadly to other celestial bodies in the field of planetary science. One such concept, the first law of geography, is "everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things." Geography has been called "the world discipline" and "the bridge between the human and the physical sciences." read by -V-

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Captain Nemo and Professor Arronax smoke seaweed cigars together as they chat in the saloon. Nemo explains that the Nautilus is the perfect ship both due to its electrical power and the fact that, travelling below the surface of the water, it is unimpeded by things like storms, just as he is rich enough to be unimpeded from financial constraints. As “captain, builder, and engineer” of the vessel, Nemo has utmost faith in it. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

This episode is brought to you by our Patreon Supporters and by heavenly bodies.  Tonight, we’ll read the opening to The Influence of the Stars published in 1904. It was written by Rosa Baughan, the eldest daughter of an eminent London newspaper man. She soon established a reputation of her own - as one of the most intriguing spiritualists in Victorian Britain. In her short life, she published more than twenty titles devoted to graphology, divination and astrology.  This episode first aired on November 20, 2020.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the 1940 mystery “Behind the Green Door”, part of the “Penny Parker” series written by Mildred Wirt, also known by Mildred Benson. Benson was a journalist and prolific writer, under many pseudonyms, who is best known for creating the Nancy Drew series. Along with being the heroine of the series, Penny Parker was a high school student turned sleuth who also sporadically worked as a reporter for her father's newspaper. The author Benson favored Penny Parker over all the other books she wrote, including Nancy Drew. Her obituary quoted her as saying, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." read by -V-

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. In the last episode, Dickon tends the vegetable garden he keeps at home in the evenings, after working on the flowery Secret Garden in the daytime. Sometimes his mother, Mrs. Sowerby, keeps him company. Dickon shares the secret with her, and she bakes rolls for the children to satiate their voracious appetites while they are gardening. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast “The Opal”, a fairy tale about how the gemstone was formed. This story originally aired on December 7th, 2020. Depending on the conditions in which it formed, precious opal may be iridescent with white, black, or nearly any color of the visual spectrum as a background color. Black opal is considered to be the rarest, whereas white, gray, and green are the most common. Opal was rare and very valuable in antiquity. In Europe, it was a gem prized by royalty. Until the opening of vast deposits in Australia in the 19th century the only known source was beyond the Roman frontier in Slovakia. Opal was also said to grant invisibility- if wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and held in the hand- and thus it was considered the gemstone of thieves. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Million Dollar Bond Robbery”, a short story written by Agatha Christie and published in 1924 as part of her “Poirot Investigates” series. In this story, a million dollars of bonds disappear from under a young man’s nose and he is being held accountable. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our first Poirot story, “The Western Star” which aired in June of 2022 and “The Cheap Flat” which aired in August . By the way, a “portmanteau” has two meanings. One is the way it is used in this story- a large suitcase or trunk that opens into two equal parts. The other way is as a word that blends the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel which combines ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’, podcast which combines ‘iPod’ with ‘broadcast’ or of course, Snoozecast which contains ‘getting cozy’ with bedtime. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read the second half of chapter five, in which Piglet met a Heffalump, and also the first half of chapter six, in which eeyore had a birthday and if he is lucky, he may get two presents. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the second and final part of “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”, a short story written by Louisa May Alcott. This story originally aired on November 23rd, 2020. Please find the first part of this story that aired on Monday. In part one, the Bassett parents rush off when they hear that the grandmother was very ill, just as a snowstorm was starting. This left all the children to manage the farmhouse on their own. Luckily, they are a resourceful and industrious group. We’ll pick up with oldest sister Tilly and Prue in the kitchen, as they are starting their first attempt at a Thanksgiving feast on their own. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the opening half from “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”, a short story written by Louisa May Alcott. This story originally aired on November 16th, 2020. The second half will air in our next episode. “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving” is a simple story set in the early 1800s, featuring a country family in New Hampshire. It’s full of idyllic and peaceful descriptions from an earlier time.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. In the last episode, Lydia is overjoyed when the wife of Colonel Forster invites her to Brighton. Kitty is peevish not to be included. Elizabeth secretly advises her father not to allow Lydia to go, but he does not take her concern seriously. Before the departure of the regiment, Elizabeth meets Wickham. She sees a new side of him she is less impressed with. He seems concerned to learn that she doesn’t think that Darcy is so bad after all.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the story of “The Devoted Friend,” written by Oscar Wilde and published in 1910. This episode originally aired on November 9, 2020. Wilde was an Irish poet and playwright. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays, his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, and the circumstances of his criminal conviction for his homosexuality. In this fable, told by a linnet, or songbird in the finch family, to teach a water rat some life skills, Hans is an innocent gardener and the devoted friend of a wealthy but manipulative Miller. In this story, Wilde pokes fun at a society where charity is less about love and more about ensuring that the wealthy benefit.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about the history of jewelry around the world, from “Jewels and the Woman” written by Marianne Ostier and published in 1958. Ostier was the principal designer and artistic driving force behind Ostier Inc., the New York jewelry firm she founded in 1941 with her husband Oliver. Marianne was an accomplished artist of painting and sculpture when she married Oliver, a third-generation Austrian court jeweler. The couple emigrated to the United States following the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938. The majority of the firm’s output was bespoke jewelry for private clients with few pieces ever produced in quantity. As a result, Ostier’s work may be less well known today than some of their contemporaries, but at the time they were considered one of the finest jewelry houses in New York. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Captain Nemo takes Aronnax on a tour of his private natural history museum. Nemo's cases are filled with rare specimens drawn from the seas of the world: corals, shells, starfish and lots of pearls. His collection is priceless. As much as Aronnax enjoys all of this, he's keen to learn how the Nautilus itself is powered. So Nemo sits him down to explain, seated from within his sparsely furnished captain’s quarters. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the opening to “Washington Square”, written by Henry James and published in 1880. This episode originally aired on November 18, 2020. The novel recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, unemotional father. The plot of the novel is based upon a true story told to James by his close friend, a British actress. The book is often compared with Jane Austen's work (who of course, wrote “Pride and Prejudice”) for the clarity and grace of its prose and its intense focus on family relationships. This is the second time Henry James is featured on Snoozecast. You can find “The Turn of the Screw” back in October 2019. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight we’ll read another Australian fairy tale called “The Fairy City” written by Hume Cook and published in 1925. You can certainly pick up straight away on this episode, however if you’d like to listen to the first chapter of “Australian Fairy Tales” please find “The Magic Well” which aired on October 19th, 2022. James Newton Haxton Hume Cook, the author, was an Australian politician who served in Parliament for almost a decade. This story features aspects of urban planning and civil engineering- a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports and more. It is considered the second-oldest engineering discipline after military engineering,[3] and it is defined to distinguish non-military engineering from military engineering. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. In the last episode, Colin claims the secret garden as his own, and in doing so Colin chooses to follow in his mother's footsteps and dedicate himself to nature and happiness. He is inspired by Mary and Dickon, and decides to become a scientist who devotes his life to the study of Magic. We will resume our story with a gathering of Ben, Dickon and Mary, lead by Colin. It is part lecture, part ministry, part mystical rite held in the secret garden. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about baking biscuits and gems from the “Civic League Cookbook” from North Dakota in 1913. Gems are little muffin-like cakes that were popular in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They were most often made using graham flour, and had very few other ingredients – some just required graham flour, water and salt. Graham flour is named after Sylvester Graham , a minister who is considered one of America’s earliest and most vocal advocates of dietary reform. Foreshadowing the modern health food movement, he believed that natural foods in the purest form – whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts – were the pathway to a healthy life. Graham recommended using coarsely ground, whole-wheat flour to make bread, rather than white flour, which often contained chemical additives. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, for our final episode of this year’s spooky sleep story series, we’ll read “The Haunted Orchard” written by British author Richard Le Gallienne and published in 1912. Born Richard Thomas Gallienne, the author changed his last name to “Le Gallienne” after college when he began working in an accountant’s office. Soon after he attended a lecture by Oscar Wilde, Le Gallienne abandoned his job to become a professional writer and poet. Five years later, he met Wilde, they had a brief affair and a longer friendship. Le Gallienne married three times and had two children including famous and successful stage actress and director Eva Le Gallienne. After becoming a resident of the United States, he eventually settled in the French Riviera in the 1940s. During the war he refused to write propaganda for the local German and Italian authorities and, with no income, once collapsed in the street owing to hunger. He persevered, however, and continued to write into his 70s. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read chapter four and the first half of chapter five, in which we are introduced to Eeyore, who has lost his tail, and Pooh finds one. Also, Piglet meets a Heffalump.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in order. Rather than being plot driven, it is more of a meditation on memories, consciousness and ambiance. The first episode aired on May 9th, 2022, and is titled “Overture.” The second episode, “The Magic Lantern” aired on July 11, 2022. The third episode, “M. Swann” aired on September 12, 2022. A madeleine de Proust is an expression used to describe smells, tastes, sounds or any sensations reminding you of your childhood or simply bringing back emotional memories from a long time ago.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, for our 600th episode, and the next in our October spooky sleep story series, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Castle of Otranto”, a novel by Horace Walpole. First published in 1764, it is generally regarded as the first gothic novel. Set in a haunted castle, the novel produced a new style that has endured ever since, and has shaped the modern-day aesthetic of the goth subculture. Although in later editions of this novel’s publication the author acknowledged his authorship, in the first publication the story was purported to be a recently discovered ancient manuscript from the time of the Crusades. Many years later it was discovered that the main character, Manfred, was inspired by the real medieval King of Sicily by that name. This historic Manfred is remembered for being noble, handsome and intellectual, along with being ex-communicated by three different popes. This excerpt opens on a scene where Princess Isabella is fleeing through the castle from the wicked Manfred. He had recently asked her to marry him on the same evening her own fiance, Manfred’s own son, died by a giant helmet falling from the sky upon him. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. Our Friday rotation is capped at four series now, so that each episode will only be one month out from the next of a particular story. If you’d like to listen to this series or some of our others in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, younger sisters Lydia and Kitty share some capital news about Wickham- that he is still an eligible bachelor. When they arrive home, Mr. Bennet is glad to see Elizabeth and Jane, Mrs. Bennet wants to hear about the latest fashions, and Kitty and Lydia want to walk to Meryton to see the officers. To avoid seeing Wickham, Elizabeth chooses not to accompany them. Later, Elizabeth tells Jane how Darcy proposed to her and also shares the part of Darcy's letter about Wickham. Elizabeth and Jane agree not to publicize Wickham’s misdeeds, for the sake of Darcy and his sister. They agree, Wickham will soon leave along with the regiment with no harm done. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight we’ll read an Australian fairy tale called “The Magic Well” written by Hume Cook and published in 1925. The author wrote this preface: “The Stories in this little book have been set down almost in the same words in which they were told. How the telling of them came about is a very simple matter. Having three children, each of whom loved a Fairy Tale, it somehow became the fashion, on Sunday evenings, to tell them a story. On one occasion, when the youngest member was just about to be taken to bed, his sister said; “None of the books about Fairies ever say a word about Australia! Are there any Australian Fairies, Father?” Somewhat hastily, perhaps, I answered: “Why, yes, of course! Whole tribes of them!” Instantly the order went forth: “Then you will please tell us about them the very next time you tell us a story!”  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, as part of this month’s spooky sleep story series, we’ll read from “Mysterious Psychic Forces” written by Camille Flammarion and published in 1907. Nicolas Camille Flammarion was a French astronomer, mystic and prolific author, including popular science works about astronomy, several notable early science fiction novels, and works on psychical research. He has been described as being obsessed by life after death, and also with life other worlds, like that on Mars, and he seemed to see no distinction between the two. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Captain Nemo gives Dr. Aronnax a tour of the Nautilus after a seafood lunch. First they visit the ship's library, an incredible vault of books comparable in size to anything similar on land. The captain offers Dr. Aronnax a cigar made of materials from the sea, which he thoroughly enjoys. They move on to the salon. It contains a remarkable collection of reproductions of classic artwork and sculptures, and sheet music of the world's best composers. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another story from our King Arthur series. This one, “Arthur Drives the Saxons from His Realm” comes from a book edited by Rupert S. Holland and published in 1919. The Saxons were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large former country in what is now Germany. In the late Roman Empire, the name was used to refer to Germanic coastal raiders, and as a name similar to the later "Viking". In contrast, the British "Saxons", today referred to in English as Anglo-Saxons, became a single nation bringing together migrant Germanic peoples and assimilated Celtic Britons populations. The term "Anglo-Saxon", combining the names of the Angles and the Saxons, came into use by the eighth century to distinguish the Germanic inhabitants of Britain from continental Saxons. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, as part of our fourth annual spooky sleep story series, we’ll read the opening to “Carmilla”, an 1872 Gothic novella by Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu. Our series will run every Monday of October. This is one of the early works of vampire fiction, predating Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years Le Fanu presents the story as part of the casebook of Dr. Hesselius, whose departures from medical orthodoxy rank him as the first occult detective in literature. Occult detective fiction is a subgenre of detective fiction that combines the tropes of the main genre with those of supernatural, fantasy and/or horror fiction. The occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons and other supernatural elements, and the detectives are sometimes portrayed as having psychic or other magical powers. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to “The Hound of the Baskervilles” episode from last October, which would also be considered occult detective fiction, if only Sherlock was not so good at solving mysteries at the end. Also, you can find our reading of “Dracula” from October 2020. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911.  In the last episode, the children are confronted by the cantankerous gardener, Ben Weatherstaff, who is angry to find them in the garden he has kept shut up for so long. He had never seen Colin in person, but had only heard fanciful tales about the boy. They have a reckoning, and Ben is commanded to keep their secret as well.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about cooking alternatives to wheat, from the 1918 pamphlet “Foods That Will Win the War”. Although the United States did not have food rationing in World War I as it did in World War II, it did rely heavily on propaganda campaigns at the time to persuade people to curb their food consumption. Through slogans such as "Food Will Win the War", "Meatless Meals", and "Wheatless Wednesdays", the United States Food Administration under Herbert Hoover reduced national consumption by 15%. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, to kick off our fourth annual Spooky Sleep Stories series, we’ll read the opening to the novella “The Willows” written by Algernon Blackwood and first published in 1907. This year’s series of classic horror stories will air every Monday this October. In this story, two friends are midway on a canoe trip down the River Danube. The natural environment, for example the river, sun and wind— is personified with powerful and ultimately threatening characteristics. Most ominous are the masses of dense willows along the river banks, which "moved of their own will as though alive." This is one of Blackwood's best known works and has been influential on a number of later writers. Horror author H.P. Lovecraft considered it to be the finest supernatural tale in English literature. "The Willows" is an example of early modern horror and is connected within the literary tradition of weird fiction. — read by 'V' — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read chapters two and three, in which Pooh west visited and got into a tight place. And also where he and Piglet went hunting, and nearly caught a Woozle. As Pooh says about Woozles, "It is either Two Woozles and one, as it might be, Wizzle, or Two, as it might be, Wizzles and one, if so it is, Woozle. Let us continue to follow them." — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The first half aired last week. In the opening to this story, we learn that Holmes has an older brother named Mycroft. This brother sometimes has even more uncanny deductive skills, and yet does not pursue detective work because he doesn’t have the energetic ambition of Sherlock. Sometimes, Sherlock will turn to Mycroft for help solving a case. In this instance, Mycroft asks Sherlock to look into a situation that occurred to Mycroft’s neighbor, a Greek interpreter named Melas. Melas was not allowed to see where he was taken, and was threatened by a thug named Latimer if he should talk. We will pick up the story as Melas describes to Holmes the interior of the home he has been taken to. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half of “The Story of the Herons,” from a collection titled “Moonshine and Clover” written by Laurence Housman and published in 1922. The first half aired last week. In the previous episode, a princess was cursed to fall in love at first sight to whatever creature she saw. She was kept safely away, blind to the world, except for occasional walks in the forest with a blindfold on. A wicked fairy takes her blindfold off, and she falls in love with a heron that happens to be fishing in front of her. The loving parents of the princess choose to allow the princess to be turned into a heron to be with her mate. The good fairy explains that if the heron falls in love with her on a level deeper than a heron typically could, like on a human level, they could both be transformed into humans instead of birds. Soon after, it is learned that the heron princess has laid two eggs in her nest.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. Our Friday rotation is capped at four series now, so that each episode will only be one month out from the next of a particular story. If you’d like to listen to this series or any of our others in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Elizabeth bids her friends at the parsonage at Rosings goodbye, and on her way home from her vacation, picks up her sister Jane who was staying in London with the Gardiners. Elizabeth wants to share the news with Jane about Darcy, but is hesitant to do so in that it also means sharing disappointing news about Bingley as well. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter", written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes”. Out of all 56 Sherlock stories, Doyle ranked "The Greek Interpreter" seventeenth in a list of his nineteen favorites. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Story of the Herons,” from a collection titled “Moonshine and Clover” written by Laurence Housman and published in 1922. Housman was an openly gay man during the Victorian era when homosexuality was severely stigmatized. He was an activist for both the women's right to vote and for the acceptance of gay people in society. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to “The First Voyage | Sinbad the Sailor” which aired on July 18, 2022. Herons are long-legged, long-necked, long-billed freshwater and coastal birds. They include egrets, which are differentiated simply by their typical white feathers instead of grey. Although herons resemble birds in some other families, such as the storks and cranes, herons differ from these in flying with their necks retracted, not outstretched. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, Professor Arronax panics about the oxygen levels in the cell, which must be diminishing. To his relief, he realizes that there is a novel system of ventilation on the vessel. Painfully hungry, the men await their next meal impatiently. They shout, but nobody answers. When, after two hours, the door finally opens, Ned attacks the person who comes inside. Arronax is shocked to hear the stranger addressing him politely in perfect French, and yet clearly not as a native speaker.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from “Elements of Arithmetic” written by Augustus De Morgan and published in 1846. De Morgan was a British mathematician and logician. He was also known as a brilliant and witty writer. Personally, he was an atheist at a time when his expression of belief limited his academic career early. The prejudice didn’t last forever and because of his mathematical legacy, there is a crater on the moon named after him. The history of arithmetic includes the period from the emergence of counting before the formal definition of numbers and arithmetic operations over them by means of a system of axioms. Arithmetic — the science of numbers, their properties and their relations — is one of the main mathematical sciences. It is closely connected with algebra and the theory of numbers. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “M. Swann” the next part in our series from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in order as rather than being plot driven, it is more of a meditation on memories, consciousness and ambiance. The first episode aired on May 9th, 2022, and is titled “Overture.” The second episode, “The Magic Lantern” aired on July 11, 2022. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the children spend an absolutely glorious spring day together in the secret garden. Mary and Dickon learn that Colin always uses a wheelchair simply because he feels so tired and weak, but not because he cannot walk. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast Terra Nova, a Snoozecast original, which originally aired on May 15, 2020. In this short story, a young man meets a trio of travellers who provide a new perspective on the isolated village he wants to leave. Set in Canada’s Gros Morne National Park, a World Heritage Site, this tale draws inspiration from The Tablelands. The striking, desert-esque landscape is notable for illustrating the theory of plate tectonics.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the story of "Sleeping Beauty", which originally aired in 2019. It is a classic fairy tale about a princess who is cursed to sleep for a hundred years by an evil fairy, where she would be awakened by a handsome prince. The earliest known version of the story is found in the narrative “Perceforest”, composed in the 14th century. "Perceforest" provides an original Genesis of the Arthurian World. — read by M — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall rebroadcast "A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains", a travel book, by Isabella Bird, describing her 1873 trip to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This episode originally aired in 2020. The book is a compilation of letters, that Isabella Bird wrote to her sister, Henrietta. Women were scarce enough in the Western United States of the late nineteenth century, and a middle-aged English lady traveling alone, by horseback, was quite a phenomenon.  Bird was a nineteenth-century British explorer, writer,photographer,and naturalist. From early on, Bird was frail and suffered from headaches and insomnia. Doctors recommended open air and exercise, so Bird learned to ride horseback.  — read by V —  Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast an episode about the basics of bread making, which originally aired in 2020. The text is from 1925’s Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery, written by The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences. This institute was founded by Mary Brooks Picken in Scranton, PA. An expert on fashion, Picken also wrote the first dictionary to be published by a woman in the English language. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast a Snoozecast original titled “Maggie’s Start Date” which originally aired in 2020. Maggie is the Green family’s loyal dog, however she may have ambitions beyond being household pet.. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. Our Friday rotation is capped at four series now, so that each episode will only be one month out from the next of a particular story. If you’d like to listen to this series or any of our others in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Elizabeth has finished reading Darcy’s letter, and is considering it over and over again in her mind. As she considers, she starts to have a very different view of what had taken place over the last year. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening fairy tale from “The Descent of the Sun: A Cycle of Birth” published in 1903. This book was purportedly translated from unidentified Sanskrit manuscripts by F. W. Bain. More likely, the stories were only inspired by ancient Hindu myths. While the stories may have been a literary hoax, they are still charming fantasy tales in their own right. They help us to consider the nature of existence -- the concepts of creation, reincarnation, the power of attraction and the triumph of love. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a story from “Just So Stories” by British author Rudyard Kipling published in 1902 titled “The Crab That Played with the Sea”. The book is a collection of origin stories. Kipling began working on the book by telling the first three chapters as bedtime stories to his daughter Josephine. These had to be told "just so" (exactly in the words she was used to) or she would complain. The stories illustrate how animals obtained their distinctive features, such as how the leopard got his spots. This particular story explains the ebb and flow of the tides, as well as how the crab changed from a huge animal into a small one. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, professor Aronnax, his devoted servant Conseil and the harpooner Ned Land are cast overboard and lost at sea after their confrontation with the giant mechanical narwhal. They find themselves on a floating metal island that turns out to be the beast they imagined they were hunting. Eventually, the vessel begins to sink and, just in the nick of time, the men are snatched and dragged into the belly of the craft by masked men.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about selecting wood from “Violin Making” written by Walter H. Mayson and published in 1909. The modern violin was first known in 16th-century Italy. The name fiddle is often used regardless of the type of music played on it, and the genres are not limited to western classical music, folk, country and jazz music along with plenty of non-Western music as well. Violinists and collectors particularly prize the fine historical instruments made by certain well known families and makers, like Stradivari for example. The quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or equal it, though this belief is disputed. The current record amount paid for a Stradivari violin is £9.8 million or $15.9 million US in 2011. This book was published posthumously by the English violin maker, who started his fiddle making career at the age of 39. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the short story “At the Bay” written by Katherine Mansfield, published in 1922. Mansfield was a New Zealand writer, widely considered one of the most influential and important authors of the modernist movement. Her works are celebrated across the world, and have been published in 25 languages. This story, based on her childhood growing up in the suburbs of New Zealand, represents Mansfield’s best mature work, a luminous example of her literary impressionism. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Dickon comes to Misselthwaite Manor to meet Colin with Mary. The three children start devising their plan to covertly bring Colin into the secret garden. Mr. Roach, the head gardener, is ordered by Colin to be sure that all servants and groundskeepers are away at the times he decides to be pushed in his wheelchair outdoors with the children. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Cheap Flat”, a short story written by Agatha Christie and published in 1924 as part of her “Poirot Investigates” series. In this story, Captain Hastings meets a couple at a party who have just rented a flat in a fashionable district for an implausibly cheap price. Poirot becomes intrigued and sets out to investigate. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our first Poirot story, “The Western Star” which aired on June 8, 2022. We have also read from two of her novels as well- “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” in 2019 and “The Man in the Brown Suit” in 2021. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read poems by John Keats starting with one titled “Sleep and Poetry.” John Keats’ poems are a major part of English Romantic poetry. They portray settings loaded with symbolism and sensuality, and draw heavily on Greek and Roman myth along with romanticised tales of chivalry. Keats died in 1821 at the young age of 25, having written the majority of his work in less than four years. In his lifetime, sales of Keats's three volumes of poetry probably amounted to only 200 copies. The compression of his poetic apprenticeship and maturity into so short a time is just one remarkable aspect of Keats's work. Keats was convinced that he had made no mark in his lifetime. Aware that he was dying, he wrote "I have left no immortal work behind me – nothing to make my friends proud of my memory – but I have lov'd the principle of beauty in all things, and if I had had time I would have made myself remember'd." Keats's ability and talent was acknowledged by several influential contemporary allies. His admirers praised him for having developed a style which was more heavily loaded with sensualities, more gorgeous in its effects, more voluptuously alive than any poet who had come before him. While not appreciated during his lifetime, he has gone on to become one of the most loved of the Romantic poets, and has provided inspiration to many authors after him. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. In the previous episode, we read chapter one, in which we were introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and some bees, and the stories began. Pooh is all out of honey and thinks of the idea to steal some from the bees. To paraphrase Pooh: "That buzzing-noise means something…If there's a buzzing-noise, somebody's making a buzzing-noise, and the only reason for making a buzzing-noise that I know of is because you're a bee." — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about the musical genius Franz Liszt as a child piano prodigy from the book “Life of Liszt” written by Ludwig Nohl. Liszt was a Hungarian composer, pianist and teacher of the Romantic era. He gained renown during the early nineteenth century for his virtuoso skill as a pianist. Since he often appeared three or four times a week in concert, it could be safe to assume that he appeared in public well over a thousand times during one eight year period. During his virtuoso heyday, Liszt was described by the writer Hans Christian Andersen (who has written many fairy tales featured by Snoozecast) as a "slim young man...[with] dark hair hung around his pale face". He was seen as handsome by many, with a German poet writing concerning his showmanship during concerts: "How powerful, how shattering was his mere physical appearance". — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the fairy tale “Felicia and the Pot of Pinks” written by Madame d’Aulnoy and found in the Blue Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang. The “pot of pinks” in this story refers to a type of dianthus flower know as “garden pinks.” Its name is not due to the color pink but rather to the serrated edges of the petals, which look like they were cut with pinking shears. In fact, the color pink may be derived from this particular flower. If you enjoy this story, be sure to listen to our many other fairy tales written by Madame d’Aulnoy including The Yellow Dwarf, Princess Belle-Etoile, The White Cat and The White Doe. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Moon Maid”, a fantasy novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs and published in 1926. This novel constitutes a future history, and in it Burroughs' vision of what the 20th century held in store for humanity, which could be considered a kind of retroactive alternate history. In Burroughs's vision, in 1967 the planetary rulers send a first manned spacecraft to the Moon—coinciding very near to the actual 1969 date of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Of course, in Burrough’s version, the moon turns out to be teeming with life. This is the second time Snoozecast has featured early science fiction from Burroughs. You can also listen to “A Princess of Mars” that aired on June 14, 2019. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another story from our King Arthur series. This one, “The Crowning of Arthur and the Sword Excalibur” comes from a book edited by Rupert S. Holland and published in 1919. If you’d like to listen to this whole anthology easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone (the proof of Arthur's lineage) are in some versions said to be different, though in other incarnations they are either the same or at least share their name. Several similar swords and other weapons also appear in this and other legends. Historically, a sword identified as Excalibur (or rather, Caliburn, at the time) was supposedly discovered during the purported exhumation of Arthur's grave at Glastonbury Abbey in the year 1191. That same year, either this or another sword claimed as Excalibur was given as a gift of goodwill by the English king Richard I of England to his ally the King of Sicily. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, the sailors on The Abraham Lincoln keep a keen eye on the water, searching for the sea monster. Every time someone thinks they might see something, a great rush of excitement washes over the ship, only to subside into disappointment shortly after. The ship spends three months in the deep Pacific, scouring every inch of the ocean. Eventually, Farragut announces that if the monster is still not found after three days, they will have to abandon the mission. They are about to turn back on the final day, when Ned Land, the harpoon leader, spots the object of their search. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to "The Adventure of the Crooked Man", one of the 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes”.  In the first episode, which aired last week, we learn about Colonel Barclay, a man who had risen up the ranks to become the leader of a squadron. He and his wife enjoyed the power and popularity stemming from such a position. Their standing in the community made the case all the more shocking when Barclay was found dead and Mrs. Barclay was the only one present. She was suspected of murdering him because they had been arguing when he died. We will pick up with Holmes discussing with Watson how he would like to prove Mrs. Barclay’s innocence because he thinks there is more to the story.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first voyage from “Sinbad the Sailor” edited by Laurence Housman and published in 1900. Housman was a prolific English writer and playwright, an activist and an illustrator during the Victorian era. Turning from visual art to writing when his eyesight began to fail, he also advocated tirelessly for the women’s right to vote, and believed that men should be an active participant of the suffrage movement. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to find our episode titled “The Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor” that aired on January 13, 2020. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary shares the full secret of the garden with Colin- that Dickon will come visit him tomorrow, that she has already been inside the garden itself, and that they will take him there as well.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read "The Adventure of the Crooked Man", written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Out of 56 total stories, Doyle ranked "The Adventure of the Crooked Man" 15th in a list of his 19 favorite Sherlock Holmes stories. Although "Elementary, my dear Watson" is known popularly as a catch-phrase of Sherlock Holmes, the character never says this in any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. In The Adventure of the Crooked Man, though, he comes his closest to it in the following dialog: "I have the advantage of knowing your habits, my dear Watson," said he. "Excellent!" I cried. "Elementary," said he. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Magic Lantern,” the next part in our series from French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in sequential order as it is more about an ambiance than a plot. However, in the first episode, which aired on May 9th, 2022, the narrator recalls his childhood, bedtimes, bedrooms of his memories, and the peculiar states of consciousness related to sleep. This episode features memories about the magic lantern the narrator’s family gives him as a child to help him with his insomnia. Magic lanterns were an early form of a slide projector.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Winnie-the-Pooh” a children’s story written by A.A. Milne and published in 1926. This collection of short stories features an anthropomorphic teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, along with his friends Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo. The book was well received at release, a commercial success, and has been translated into over 50 languages, including Latin. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read recipes on schoolroom cakes along with tea cakes and biscuits from “The Cake and Biscuit Book” by Elizabeth Douglas, published in 1903. When this cookbook was published, most American students attended a one-room schoolhouse. A single teacher would typically have students of all ages in one class. The youngest children sat in the front, while the oldest students sat in the back. Students memorized and recited their lessons, and when they were lucky, they ate home baked treats like the ones here. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Otter Opal”, a Snoozecast original. The first half aired last week. In the last episode, we met two sea otters named Tumma and Nutsmn as they floated above the kelp forest. Their days are spent sleeping, eating, napping, playing and racing. Tumma excels at all activities, except for the swim races. He has felt frustration at frequently coming in almost last. We also learn that sea otters often have a favorite stone that they keep in a pocket of their fur, and Tumma finds himself an extraordinary one. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, alone at the parsonage, Elizabeth mulls over what Fitzwilliam has revealed to her that Darcy saved a friend from an imprudent marriage. She assumes that the friend is Bingley and the imprudent marriage is to her sister Jane. Suddenly, Darcy enters and abruptly declares his love for her. His marriage proposal focuses upon her social inferiority, and Elizabeth’s initial politeness transforms into an angry accusation.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, for our 550th episode, we’ll read about dinner party etiquette from the book “Our Deportment” written by John H. Young and published in 1881. The word “deportment” has fallen out of usage starting in the twentieth century, but is defined simply as “a person’s behavior or manners.” It comes from the similar French word déportement. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Otter Opal”, a Snoozecast original. The second half will air next week. In this story, we shall meet two dreamy sea otters named Tumma and Nutsnm as they float above the kelp forest.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, we learn that Captain Farragut and his crew on the Abraham Lincoln are led by their faith that the monster exists, and that they will find it. All believe in the monster except Ned Land, a French Canadian and the best harpooner around. A surly man, Land is drawn to Aronnax since they both share French culture. Land says that he has never seen a narwhal puncture a ship. Aronnax tries to persuade Land with mathematical calculations that an infinitely powerful creature could inhabit the depth of the seas. Land is not fully swayed. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about hermit caves and rock temples from “The Subterranean World” written by G. Hartwig and published in 1871. A hermit is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions although in modern colloquial usage, "hermit" denotes anyone living apart from the rest of society, for any reason. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the tale of Frithiof the Bold, found in “Northland Heroes” written by Florence Holbrook and published in 1909. The author was an educator, author and speaker involved in the peace movement during the early years of the 20th century. She was an ardent pacifist, a suffragist, and a believer in public education as the foundation for a democratic society.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary is the first to suggest to Colin that his illness is, perhaps, largely the work of his imagination. Colin offers that he will go out into the fresh air- if she and Dickon agree to accompany him. Mary does agree, and lulls him to sleep with another story of the secret garden. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Adventure of ‘The Western Star,’” a short story written by Agatha Christie, published in 1912 as part of her “Poirot Investigates” series. We read the opening half to this story last week. In the first episode, Hercule Poirot receives a visit from Miss Mary Marvell, the famous American film star on her visit to London. She has received three letters, handed to her by a Chinese man, which warn her to return her fabulous diamond jewel, the "Western Star", to where it came from – the left eye of an idol – before the next full moon. Her husband, Gregory Rolf had bought the jewel from a Chinese man in San Francisco three years ago and had given it to her. Poirot asks Mary Marvell to leave the jewel with him but she declines. She is going to stay at Yardly Chase, the home of Lord and Lady Yardly next Friday to discuss the making of a film there and Mary is determined to wear her diamond there. Next Friday happens to be the next full moon. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the first chapter to “The Portrait of a Lady” written by Henry James and published in 1880. It is one of James's most popular novels and is regarded by critics as one of his finest. This is the story of Isabel Archer, a spirited young American woman who inherits a large sum of money. The novel reflects James's continuing interest in the differences between the New World and the Old, often to the detriment of the former. It also treats in a profound way the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, and betrayal. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the final chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Aunt March Settles the Question.” The sequel book “Good Wives,” is often published as one combined book with “Little Women” as a parts one and two. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, Beth continues her slow recovery, and Mr. March surprises his family by coming home to visit on Christmas Day. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Adventure of ‘The Western Star,’” a short story written by Agatha Christie, published in 1912 as part of her “Poirot Investigates” series. We shall read the conclusion episode to this story next week. In this story, a famous American film star consults Poirot about a series of letters threatening that her celebrated diamond called ‘The Western Star’ will be stolen on “the night of the full moon”. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a version of the French literary fairy tale called “The White Doe” originally written by Madame d'Aulnoy. This version was found in “My Book of Favourite Fairy Tales” edited by Captain Edric Vredenburg and published in 1921. Snoozecast has featured several of Madame’s stories, including “The White Cat” parts one and two, “The Yellow Dwarf” and “Princess Belle-Etoile.” — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Elizabeth asks Darcy about his friend’s departing Netherfield. Darcy suggests that Bingley is not likely to return to Netherfield because he has a busy social life in London. After Darcy leaves, Charlotte tells Elizabeth that the only explanation for Darcy's odd behavior in calling on her is that he must be in love with her. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read recipes from “A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes,” written by Charles Elme Francatelli and published in 1852. Born in London of British descent, Francatelli was French-trained cook who worked for Queen Victoria. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a short story titled “The Great Carbuncle” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1835. Set in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, a band of eight adventurers gathers together. They are each on a personal quest for the Great Carbuncle, a brilliant gem legendary in its elusiveness. Hawthorne explores the importance of honesty, simplicity, and selflessness in "The Great Carbuncle." These positive characteristics are most often demonstrated by the newlywed couple during the search for the Carbuncle; they sacrifice personal gain, alter their goals, and pivot their actions to assist others for the good of the group. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea,” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. In the last episode, rumors of a mysterious sea creature in the ocean filter back to Europe and the United States in 1866. This unknown "monster" became very fashionable in the press and caught the public's imagination all over the world. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the final excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. To listen to this series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the gang is back together, and Badger, Rat and Mole devise a plan to reclaim Toad Hall for their friend, and take it back from the stoats and weasels that have overrun it. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read O Pioneers! a 1913 novel by American author Willa Cather, written while she was living in New York. It was her second published novel. The title is a reference to a poem by Walt Whitman entitled "Pioneers! O Pioneers!" from “Leaves of Grass.” If you enjoy this episode, you can find an episode with another poem from Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” titled “Song of Myself” and published March 13, 2019. You can also find another episode from Willa Cather titled “My Antonia,” published September 19, 2019.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Colin wakes up the manor in the middle of the night with his “hysterics.” The staff look to Mistress Mary as the only one bold enough and suitable enough to help in the situation, so Mary is brought in to Colin’s room.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about igloos and other polar quarters, from the book “Secrets of Polar Travel” written by Robert E. Peary and published in 1917. Although igloos, or snow shelters, are often associated with all Inuit, they were traditionally used only by the people of Canada's Central Arctic and a certain part of Greenland. Other Inuit tended to use snow to insulate their houses, which were constructed from whalebone and hides. Snow is used because the air pockets trapped in it make it an insulator. On the outside, temperatures may be as cold as −45 °C (−49 °F), but on the inside, the temperature may get as warm as 16 °C or 61 °F when warmed by body heat alone. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale called “The Invisible Prince,” found in “The Yellow Fairy Book” edited by Andrew Lang and published in 1894. This story is about The Prince of Air and how he overcame adversity and found his way to The Golden Isle. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Pleasant Meadows.” You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Laurie feels slighted so he causes mischief, in penning fake love notes to Meg. Jo is concerned because she does not want Meg to fall in love and get married- as then she will move out of their home. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Stockbroker’s Clerk,” a story found in “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and published in 1892. This story's plot is reminiscent of that in "The Red-Headed League" which Snoozecast featured in September of 2019. It, too, involves an elaborate hoax designed to remove an inconvenient person from the scene for a while so that a crime can be committed.  — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “Overture,” the opening to French writer Marcel Proust’s monumental “In Search of Lost Time” which is seven volumes long, and first published in 1913. “In Search of Lost Time” follows the narrator's recollections and experiences in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century high-society France, while reflecting on the loss of time and lack of meaning in the world. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Lady Catherine de Burgh has arranged a visit from her nephews, the Colonel Fitzwilliam and Darcy. Darcy meets Elizabeth with his usual reserve. Elizabeth asks Darcy if he ever sees Jane in London, and he seems uncomfortable, but the moment passes. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read a selection of recipes from the book “English Housewifry” by Elizabeth Moxon published in 1764. This book describes itself as being “confined to things useful, substantial and splendid, and calculated for the preservation of health, and upon the measures of frugality, being the result of thirty years practice and experience.  — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read an Icelandic fairy tale called “Litill, Tritill, the Birds, and the Peasant Lad” translated and edited by Mrs. A. W. Hall and published in 1897. Like many folk and fairy tales, the exact origins are complicated and sometimes unclear. The more well-known “Crimson Fairy Book” edited by Andrew Lang cites this story as having Hungarian origin. However, there are at least two earlier publications that are specifically Icelandic compilations that include this story. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Curdie had remembered the devious goblin back-up plan if carrying off Princess Irene didn't work- they would flood the mines. Curdie's father and Curdie rush to seal up the mine’s passageway that connects the goblin and human portions. Working as a team, the miners successfully build a huge buttress to fill the hole which they are confident will hold back the waters that the goblins unleash. We will pick up as the miners leave to go home, as a torrential storm rages outside. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. To listen to this series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Toad is a washer woman on the run, boldly stealing his way across the countryside, until . Now, he is on the run. The strong arm of the law almost catches him when he lands in a river and is saved by his old friend, Ratty. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Door in the Wall,” a short story written in 1911 by H.G. Wells. Considered to be one of his finest short stories, it explores the tension between the rational and the fanciful experiences in life. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the robin is building a nest in the garden, and Mary and Dickon must keep very still, as though they themselves were trees, to avoid frightening him. Mary tells Dickon about her new friendship with Colin. Dickon is glad that he will no longer have to hide the fact of Colin from Mary, since he abhors keeping secrets. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read from the opening to the 1923 travel memoir “Peaks of Shala” by Rose Wilder Lane. It is about a walking tour of mountainous Albania. The daughter of writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lane was an American journalist, travel writer, novelist, and political theorist. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read “The Mirror of Matsuyama” a story found in “Japanese Fairy Tales” by Yei Theodora Ozaki in 1908. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Laurie Makes Mischief, and Jo Makes Peace.” You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mrs. March returns home and Jo asks her mother to stop the budding romance of Mr. Brook with her sister Meg. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read another story from our King Arthur series. This one, “Merlin Fortells the Birth of Arthur” comes from a book edited by Rupert S. Holland and published in 1919. If you’d like to listen to this whole anthology easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. Merlin is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a wizard. He became one of the most important figures in the imagination and literature of the Middle Ages. Most notable among his superpowers being that of prophecy and shapeshifting, Merlin engineers the birth of Arthur through magic and intrigue. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” a classic science fiction adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. The book is regarded as one of the premier adventure novels and one of Verne's greatest works. Its depiction of Captain Nemo's underwater ship, the Nautilus, is regarded as ahead of its time, since it accurately describes many features of today's submarines, which in the 1860s were comparatively primitive vessels. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series easily in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series In the last episode, Elizabeth, along with her friend Charlotte’s father and sister, visits the parsonage home of Mr. Collins and Charlotte. There Mr. Collins is as pompous as ever, but Charlotte seems content. They are all invited to dinner at Rosings from Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Elizabeth notices that Lady Catherine’s daughter, Miss de Bourgh, who is expected to marry Darcy, is sickly, dull and uncommunicative. We will pick up at the beginning of their visit to Rosings. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read selections about baking breads and cakes from “The Charlotte Sunshine Cook Book” published in 1906. This episode starts with a long-form poem about baking bread, then into bread recipes. If you stay awake for the second half, you will hear cake recipes including several using hickory nuts. A relative of walnuts and pecans, there are many varieties of hickory tree nuts, and not all of them are edible or palatable to humans. But if you forage for wild hickory nuts of the right type, they are supposed to be one of the most delicious nuts, and can be eaten raw. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the complete story of “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”, a Norwegian fairy tale, collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe. In this story, a talking bear approaches a poor peasant and asks if he will give him his daughter as a wife in return for making the family rich. Many listeners have asked us to complete this story, as when it originally aired on March 11th, 2019, we didn’t include the ending. So here it is, rerecorded. Enjoy! — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, the old lady came to Curdie in his feverish dreams and restores him to health. He awakens knowing that the goblins have invaded the royal house. He rushes to the rescue, sings rhymes, stomps on goblin feet and frees the gentlemen-at-arms. Together, they rout the goblins in their midst along with their goblin queen. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read about the etiquette of throwing balls from “Manners and Rules of Good Society” by “A Member of the Aristocracy” published in London in 1916. A ball is a formal dance party characterized by a banquet followed by social dance that includes ballroom dancing. — read by N — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the fantasy story “Celephaïs” written by H.P. Lovecraft and written in 1920. In it, Kuranes, the child of landed English gentry, travels to the magical city of his childhood dreams after finding himself dispossessed in the contemporary city of London. Like many of Lovecraft's stories, "Celephaïs" was inspired by a dream. — read by V — Support us: Listen ad-free on Patreon Get Snoozecast merch like cozy sweatshirts and accessories

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary likens Colin to a young Rajah, a boy king she had encountered while in India, and nothing at all like Dickon. While they sit together Mrs. Medlock and Colin’s doctor, Dr. Craven comes in. Dr. Craven does not approve of Mary cheering Colin up. He seems to think Colin should stay ill and miserable. — read by V — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. To listen to this series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Toad can’t help himself but steal automobiles to race through the English countryside. This lands him in jail, but a kindly maiden takes pity on him and helps him break free. Now, he is on the run. — read by V — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Story of Caliph Stork” taken from “The Caravan,” a book of original fairy tales by nineteenth-century German writer Wilhelm Hauff.  This German stories, inspired by “The 1,001 Nights” stories, has since become part of Middle Eastern folklore. — read by N — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Amy’s Will.” You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Amy struggles living with Aunt March during Beth’s illness. For consolation, Amy turns to the servant, Esther, who guides her to find solace in prayer. Amy also decides to make a will, just in case. — read by V — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the conclusion to “The Adventure of Silver Blaze,” a story found in “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and published in 1892. If you haven’t listened to the first half of this story yet, it was the episode that aired right before this one. One of the most popular Sherlock Holmes short stories, "Silver Blaze" focuses on the disappearance of the winning race horse on the eve of an important race and on the apparent murder of its trainer.  In the first episode, Sherlock and Watson travel to Dartmoor to investigate the disappearance of the great race horse Silver Blaze and the murder of the horse's trainer, John Straker. Bookmaker Fitzroy Simpson had come to Dartmoor to gather information about Silver Blaze and his stablemate Bayard. He had approached both Straker's maid and a stable boy the night of the horse's disappearance and has been arrested for the murder. — read by N — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Adventure of Silver Blaze,” a story found in “The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and published in 1892. The conclusion episode will air next. One of the most popular Sherlock Holmes short stories, "Silver Blaze" focuses on the disappearance of the winning race horse on the eve of an important race and on the apparent murder of its trainer. The tale is distinguished by its atmospheric setting and Victorian sporting milieu. — read by N — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series easily in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Aunt Gardiner warns Elizabeth not to fall for Wickham. Jane writes to Elizabeth that she realizes now that the Bingley sister is not a trustworthy friend. And Elizabeth reluctantly agrees to visit Charlotte in her new marital home. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt about the mountains of Colorado from “The Land of Enchantment” written by Lilian Whiting and published in 1909.  Pikes Peak is an ultra-prominent summit of the Rocky Mountains, in North America, and inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write the song “America, the Beautiful” after she visited the summit. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a myth about a love triangle between a couple of mortals, and the ancient Greek god Apollo. It is taken from “A Book of Myths” written by Jean Lang and published in 1914. The favorite son of Zeus, who was king of gods, Apollo had direct access to the mind of his father and was willing to reveal this knowledge to humans. A divinity beyond human comprehension, he appears both as a beneficial and a wrathful god. — read by V — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald.  If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Curdie comes to regret his rudeness in not believing the princess, as his parent’s have helped him to understand. He sets about to protect her by figuring out the goblin’s devious plans. — read by V — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read about Punches and other Beverages from “The Settlement Cook Book,” published in 1901. This compendium of recipes and other useful information was intended to support new immigrants raising their families in America.  — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read advice about being a good conversationalist, and why you should never say “bovine continuation” when you mean “cow’s tail”, from the book “Etiquette in Society, In Business, In Politics and at Home” written by Emily Post and published in 1922. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911.  If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary continues her rainy midnight encounter with the mysterious boy Colin. Then she has an in-depth conversation with Martha about him as well. We will pick up during that discussion. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. To listen to this series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In this episode, we learn of the downfall and comeback for the exuberant and foolish toad. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read about gardening in window boxes, and also planning the arrangement of outdoor flower gardens, from the 1903 book “The Flower Garden” by Ida D. Bennett. A window box is usually placed on a window sill, or fixed to the wall immediately below it, so the owner(s) can easily access the plants in it. Window boxes are usually accessed from indoors, and are often used by people who live on upper floors without access to gardens or other plantable areas. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Amy’s Will.” You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Beth falls ill with scarlet fever while her mother is away in Washington DC. The two older sisters and Hannah keep watch over her. Amy is sent away to stay with crotchety old Aunt March. Laurie sends a secret message to Mrs. March to alert her that she needs to come home to Beth. At the very end of the last episode, she arrives. — read by ' V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second half to “The Little Mermaid” written by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted by Snoozecast.  In the first half, we learn about the little mermaid and her family. The little mermaid saves a handsome prince from drowning at sea and falls in love with him from afar. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the first half to “The Little Mermaid” written by Hans Christian Andersen and adapted by Snoozecast. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid in order to marry a prince and become human.  — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series easily in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mr. Collins finally leaves the Longbourne house, and Mrs. Bennet’s brother Mr. Gardiner and his wife come to visit from London in his place. We will pick up after Aunt Gardiner suggests to Lizzy that Jane should come stay with them in the city to get a change of scenery. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another story from our King Arthur series. This one, “Pelleas and Ettarde” comes from a book written by Mary MacGregor.  If you’d like to listen to this whole anthology easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “St. Valentine’s Day” or “The Fair Maid of Perth” written by Sir Walter Scott and published in 1828 as part of the Waverly novels. Inspired by the strange, but historically true, story of the Battle of the North Inch, it is set in Scotland around 1400. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out our other story taken from the Waverly series titled “The Maiden of the Mist” that aired on January 11, 2021. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight we shall read the next part to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie.  An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. Peter Pan is a free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up. He spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland. Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism. He must forget his own adventures and what he learns about the world in order to stay childlike. His name and playing the flute or pipes suggest the Greek god and mythological character Pan.  When we left off, Mrs. Darling waits patiently and sorrowfully for her children to return home, keeping the nursery window unlocked and opened just in case. Peter and Tinkerbell arrive with a devious plan to secretly close and lock the window, but at the last minute, Peter has a change of heart. The Darling children then fly home to their parents. Afterwards, the 6 lost boys make their appearance and ask if they can be adopted as well. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a selection of sweetmeat recipes from “Miss Leslie’s New Cookery Book” published in 1857. A type of sugar confectionery, it is where the term ‘sweets’ comes from nowadays. It has nothing to do with animal flesh, as the Old English word ‘mete’ meant ‘food’ in general. In other words, we are talking about candy. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “Great Expectations” that features the iconic character “Miss Havisham.”  A wealthy spinster, once jilted at the altar, who insists on wearing her wedding dress for the rest of her life, she is one of Dickens’s most Gothic characters. Miss Havisham lives in a ruined mansion with her adopted daughter, Estella. Dickens describes her as looking like "the witch of the place". Although she has often been portrayed in film versions as elderly, Dickens's own notes indicate that she is not quite 40 years old at the start of the novel, and that her reclusive lifestyle without sunlight aged her. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Queen Zixi, King Bud, Princess Fluff and Aunt Rivette search the countryside for the missing cloak. They have to piece and sew the cloak together for it was cut up by a group of enthusiastic quilters, and are still missing one little piece. The group decides to regroup at Zixi’s palace and figure out what to do next. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. This series does not require you to follow a plot between episodes, however if you would like to start from the beginning and listen easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In this episode, Rat encounters a wayfarer, the Sea Rat, and invites him to lunch. The Sea Rat regails him with tales of maritime adventures and invites Rat to join him. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read more stories about cats written by English author and poet Edith Nesbit, published in 1899. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out the other “Cat Tales” episode that aired in September 2021, and also the fairy tale “The White Cat” that aired in July of 2020. Nesbit wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature under the name E. Nesbit, along with being a political activist. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri.  If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, Peter pushes Clara’s wheelchair down the mountainside and then has trouble with his guilty conscience. Enraptured with life on the mountainside, but without her chair, Clara finds the will to live a bigger life, and also the potential to walk towards it on her own. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” written by Mark Twain in 1876. It is a story about a boy growing up along the Mississippi River, often with his friend Huckleberry Finn.  Originally a commercial failure, the book ended up being the best selling of any of Twain's works during his lifetime, and is considered to be a masterpiece of American literature. It was also one of the first novels to be written on a typewriter. — read by 'N' —  Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Culinary Herbs” by M.G. Kains, published in 1912.  Herbs are a widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Herbs generally refer to the leafy green or flowering parts of a plant (either fresh or dried), while spices are usually dried and produced from other parts of the plant, including seeds, bark, roots and fruits. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald.  If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Princess Irene receives a magical, refreshing and healing bath from her mysterious grandmother, after her long ordeal saving Curdie from the goblins. Curdie goes home to discuss everything that happened with his parents. They can tell that he is angry at how the princess seemed to be making up fanciful stories about serious matters. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the conclusion to “The Adventure of The Speckled Band” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” published in 1891 and written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The first part of this story originally aired on November 4th, 2020, and we rebroadcast it yesterday for easy access. In the first part, Watson tells a strange story that starts when a young woman, Helen Stoner, pays them a visit one morning, in desperate need of their help. Helen’s mother had left an inheritance to Helen’s stepfather Dr. Roylott when she died, with a stipulation that should either of her daughters get married, they would receive an annual income from this fund. Helen’s sister died shortly before her wedding and Helen suspects that their stepfather, Roylott, is the culprit. Helen now worries for her own safety, and Holmes agrees to take the case. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll re-broadcast the opening to “The Adventure of The Speckled Band” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” published in 1891 and written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The conclusion episode will air next.  The story tells of Helen Stoner, a soon-to-be married young woman who suspects her stepfather may be trying to kill her in order to retain control of her inheritance. Convinced of her stepfather's intentions, she turns to Holmes for help. "The Speckled Band" is a classic locked room mystery that deals with the themes of parental greed, inheritance and freedom. Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911.  If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary discovers her cousin Colin, who is Mr. Craven’s secret son. He is the same age as Mary, often in pain and miserable from it. We will pick up during their first middle of the night conversation, in his dimly firelit bedroom.  — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to the Romanian fairy tale “The Fairy of the Dawn.” The first part aired last night. In the first part, we learn of a king who has 3 sons- Florea, Costan, and the youngest was Petru. Petru is an unlikely hero, since he is more feminine and playful than his brothers. Yet when his father asks for his help in seeking the spring of the Fairy of the Dawn, it is Petru that eventually sets out on the adventure. Luckily, Petru rides a valiant and wise horse that gives him excellent advice in dealing with the fairy world.  He ends up battling dragons and goblins, and making the kingdom a better place than he left it, as he continues onward. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the first part to “The Fairy of the Dawn,” a Romanian fairy tale by German author Mite Kremnitz. The other half of this story will air this Wednesday. This story features a prince who doesn’t seem likely at first to be as heroic as he turns out to be. He is more interested in singing and laughing than seeking adventure, fortune or battles as his brother’s do.  The author, Kremnitz, was born Marie von Bardeleben, and moved with her husband and children to Romania from Germany. There she became the maid of honor to the Romanian queen and fellow writer, Queen Elisabeth. Queen Elisabeth herself had a reputation for being an eccentric dreamer. They wrote several books together under pen names, and Kremnitz went on to publish many books of her own. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from Wilkie Collin’s 1864 novel “Armadale.” It is the third of his four 'great novels' of the decade: after “The Woman in White” and “No Name”, and before “The Moonstone.” This is Snoozecast’s third-and-a-half time featuring Collins’ work. If you enjoy this episode, you can also find our “Moonstone” episode from March 2019, our “Woman in White” episode from December 2019, and the “Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices” from July 2020, which Collins co-wrote with his friend Charles Dickens. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read about calling cards, also known as visiting cards, from the book “Etiquette in Society, In Business, In Politics and at Home” written by Emily Post and published in 1922. Post was an American writer and socialite who became the most famous authority on how to behave graciously in society and business. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our original episode from this book called “Introductions” that aired on August 30, 2021. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next two chapters of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, titled “Little Faithful” and “Dark Days”. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the March sisters’ mother leaves to visit their ailing father in Washington DC. They do their best to stay cheerful and brave, and write letters to their mother in the meantime. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series easily in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Elizabeth’s dear friend Charlotte Lucas schemes to and succeeds in winning Mr. Collins as a husband, much to the shock of the Bennett family. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. To follow along easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, a crowd of chilly field mice sing a Christmas Carol at the mole’s front door, and Mole and Rat invite them in for some mulled ale and a delicious meal. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read selections from “The Bird Watcher in the Shetlands” by Edmund Selous, written in 1905. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our others from this birdwatching series at snoozecast.com/series. The author started as a conventional naturalist of his time, but Selous developed a disdain of the common practice of killing animals for scientific study. He was a pioneer of peaceful bird-watching as a method of scientific study. The author was a solitary man and was not well known in ornithological circles. He avoided both the company of ornithologists and reading their observations so as to base his conclusions entirely on his own observations. He has gifted future generations with his beautiful and intuitive writing on birds. The island of Shetland is the northernmost part of Scotland. It has a complex geology, a rugged coastline, and many low, rolling hills. The islands have produced a variety of prose writers and poets, who have often written in the distinctive Shetland dialect of the Scots language. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast-adapted excerpt titled “The Manor at Birlstone” taken from “The Valley of Fear” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  The novel was the fourth and final in a series we have read from during the second half of this year. It started with “A Study in Scarlet” which aired on June 9th, 2021. You can listen to all episodes from our Sherlock sleep story series at snoozecast.com/series. In this story, Holmes deciphers an encrypted message that warns of a nefarious plot against a country gentleman named Douglas who lived at Birlstone House, an ancient moated manor.  — read by 'N' —" Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight we shall read the next part to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Peter and the boys vanquish the pirates, and take over the ship. They set sail for the mainland to take Wendy and her brothers home. Then we catch up on what has been transpiring in the Darling household during their absence. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “King Awkward and Princess Sweetheart” an adaptation by Snoozecast of “Princess Sweetheart” from “The Pink Fairy Book” edited by Andrew Lang. This story was originally found in the “Library of Genius and Fairies” written by Madame de Murat, a French aristocrat and writer of the late 1600s. She published many stories that she first debuted at the fashionable literary salons of her time, and was considered one of the leaders of the “fairy-tale vogue.” After several years of success and recognition, Madame de Murat was imprisoned and then exiled, being accused of debauchery and “shocking practices and beliefs”. Although she failed at an attempt to escape wearing the disguise of men’s clothing, she did continue to write her body of works for several years after that. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Aunt Rivette flies King Bud and Princess Fluff to the land of Ix, in hopes of receiving help from Queen Zixi in overcoming the Roly-Rogue invaders. Zixi, now reformed into a truly good witch, reveals that she stole the real magic cloak, and left it behind in the lilac grove. She offers to help the children retrieve it and take back their kingdom. In return, Fluff happily offers to help Zixi use the cloak to grant her wish of looking young and beautiful in mirror reflections. But first, they must stay for a royal feast. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Nutcracker of Nuremberg” story, originally published in 1844. Dumas’ version of The Nutcracker was itself adapted from the original, written by E.T.A. Hoffman. However it was Dumas adaptation that gave inspiration to the famous “Nutcracker” ballet composed by Tchaikovsky. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “How to Make Money” by John V. Dunlap, published in 1922. This guide to making money may have served up inspiration to the entrepreneurial-minded of the day. The schemes include starting a neighborhood pantry, along with candy making, doughnut making, starting a kindergarten, and editing an interesting column in a newspaper. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, the Grandmama agrees to allow Clara to stay up on the alp with Heidi and Grandfather. She has a splendid time, and starts to grow stronger by the day. Peter, the young goatherd, seems to be growing angrier by the day but does not explain why. Plans are made to take the girls higher up the alp the next day to experience sitting amongst the wildflowers and grazing goats with Peter. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read all about old-fashioned puddings from “The White House Cook Book” written by the house stewards in Washington DC, and published in 1887. The original “pudding” was formed by mixing various ingredients with a grain product or other binder such as butter, flour, cereal, eggs, and/or suet, resulting in a solid mass. These puddings are baked, steamed, or boiled. Depending on its ingredients, such a pudding may be served as a part of the main course or as a dessert. Christmas pudding is a type of pudding traditionally served as part of the Christmas dinner in Britain and British-influenced cultures. Despite the name of "plum pudding", that particular pudding contains no actual plums due to the pre-Victorian use of the word "plums" as a term for raisins. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Japanese tale adapted by Snoozecast called “The Precious Fishing Hook” or “The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher.” It was originally found in “Japanese Fairy Tales” compiled by Yei Theodora Ozaki. If you enjoy this sleep story, be sure to check out our other ones that come from the same book. “The Bamboo-Cutter and the Moon Child” is a two-parter that first aired in April of 2019. “Momotaro” also aired in April 2019. “The Fisher-Boy Urashima” aired in May of 2020. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Princess Irene uses her grandmother’s gossamer thread to rescue Curdie from the Goblin’s cave labyrinth, and bring them both back to the safety of Irene’s royal home. Curdie is grateful to Irene for saving his life, but does not believe her explanation of her grandmother’s ring and the thread. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. To follow along easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the two little friends Water Rat and Mole are headed back after a long day to their home on the river, which is really the Rat’s home. Suddenly the Mole remembers his original mole den home, and the urge to visit becomes to strong to ignore. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “For Luncheon and Supper Guests” written by Alice Bradley published in 1923. “Luncheon” is the formal word for lunch, a light mid-day meal. In the Middle Ages, before electric lighting and industrialization, the mid-day meal was large and considered dinner. There was no lunch, so later in the evening a lighter meal was had called “supper”. But by the 1800s, the large meal of dinner was pushed into the evening and thus, not only was supper squeezed out, but there was a need for something to eat in between breakfast and dinner. Up until the early 1800s, luncheon was generally reserved for ladies, who would often have lunch with one another when their husbands were out. The meal was often made up of left-overs from the previous night's plentiful dinner. Beginning in the Victorian era, afternoon tea supplemented this luncheon at four o'clock. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary decides that she has 5 people in the world she actually likes, now that she knows Dickon. She also counts 2 people that like her back, if she includes the robin. We will pick up at the tail end of her first meeting with Mr. Craven. He is the master of Misselthwaite Manor and Mary’s assigned guardian as he is her uncle. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the conclusion to the fairy tale “The Treasure Seeker.” You can find our rebroadcast that aired yesterday of the first part to this story, which we originally aired in January 2020. In yesterday’s story, we learn of Peter Bloch, who was once a prosperous inn-keeper and master cook, but is now a poor man. He hears of a mysterious dark spirit, The Treasure Seeker of the Mountain, and directions on how to find an amazing treasure trove of hidden wealth. Although he has an unhappy marriage with the Dame Ilse, Peter also has a sweet daughter named Lucia. His love for Lucia motivates him to seek the treasure in order to change their fortunes in life for the better. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’re airing a re-broadcast of the opening to “The Treasure Seeker,” an adventurous fairy tale found in “The Crimson Fairy Book” compiled by Andrew Lang and published in 1903. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow. In the opening of this story, some shepherds sit around one night telling of the strange things that happened to them in their youth. One of their stories is more exciting than expected- regarding a mysterious dark spirit, The Treasure Seeker of the mountain. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Wild Garden” by William Robinson, published in 1870. Robinson was an Irish gardener and journalist whose ideas about wild gardening spurred the movement that led to the popularising of the English cottage garden. He was a champion of the "wild garden", who vanquished the high Victorian pattern garden of planted-out bedding schemes, which used tropical plants grown in greenhouses. Modern gardening practices first introduced by Robinson include: using alpine plants in rock gardens; dense plantings of perennials and groundcovers that expose no bare soil; use of hardy perennials and native plants; and large plantings of perennials in natural-looking drifts. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Letters”. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. The novel has been said to address three major themes: domesticity, work, and true love, all of them interdependent and each necessary to the achievement of its heroine's individual identity. According to many critics, Alcott created a whole new genre, one that took elements from romantic children's fiction and combined it with others from sentimental novels. Within the four different March sisters can be found the first vision of the "All-American girl.” In the last episode, a chapter called “A Telegram,” Marmee receives news that her husband has fallen ill in an army hospital. Her daughters, along with Laurie, Mr. Laurence and Mr. Brooks all rally to help in different ways. Jo cuts her long hair short at the barbers to earn some quick money, and Mr. Brooks plans to accompany Mrs. March to Washington DC. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll re-broadcast the opening to “The Blue Carbuncle” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow.  The dermatological term “Carbuncle” refers to a painful cluster of boils on the skin. In this case, however, The Blue Carbuncle is a missing and near-priceless gemstone.  — read by 'N' —" Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll re-broadcast the opening to “The Blue Carbuncle” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow.  The dermatological term “Carbuncle” refers to a painful cluster of boils on the skin. In this case, however, The Blue Carbuncle is a missing and near-priceless gemstone. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Editor's Note: We apologize if you had trouble playing this episode earlier, please refresh and try now. Tonight, we’ll read the short story “Aunt Susanna’s Thanksgiving Dinner” written by Lucy Maud Montgomery in 1907. This is a heart-warming holiday tale from the author of “Anne of Green Gables.” If you enjoy this author, you can find a Snoozecast excerpt from “Anne” that aired in April 2019, and our “Emily of New Moon” episode that aired this July, 2021. Maud was a prolific writer, with over 500 short stories and poems to her name, along with some 20 novels. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen to this series easily in order, please go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mr. Collins finally moves on from asking for Lizzy’s hand in marriage, but he hasn’t moved on from his visit at the Bennet’s home. Jane receives a disturbing letter from Caroline Bingley and reads it to Lizzy. The sisters have opposite interpretations. Jane believes Caroline that her brother Charles has moved on to a new love interest in Georgiana Darcy. Lizzy guesses that Caroline is scheming to marry Mr. Darcy, and as part of her devious plan, that she is trying to break up the love between Jane and Charles. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “In the Mist of the Mountains,” by Australian novelist and children’s writer Ethel Turner, published in 1906. Her best-known work is her first novel, Seven Little Australians (1894), which is widely considered as a classic of Australian children's literature. Turner was awarded a number of prestigious literary awards and could be considered one of Australia's best-loved authors. This story is set in a tiny mountain vacation town during tourist season. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the fairy tale “Cinderella” taken from the old French tale by Charles Perrault originally published in 1697. This version has also been lightly adapted by Snoozecast. "Cinderella", also known as "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale about the triumphant reward of a persecuted heroine. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world, since ancient times. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Peter stealthily boards the pirate ship to save his friends. Mayhem ensues, as he starts to attack the pirates one by one, without Hook understanding what was happening. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for the final episode of our third annual Classic Horror Sleep Story Series this October, we will read the Edgar Allan Poe tale “Ligeia”. The story follows an unnamed narrator and his wife Ligeia, a beautiful and intelligent raven-haired woman. She falls ill and dies- but not for long.  ​​It may or may not have all been a hallucination of the narrator, and the story may or may not have been a satire by Poe of the Gothic genre itself.  — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. To follow along easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the two little friends Water Rat and Mole spend more time in Mr. Badger’s cozy underground dwelling with Mr. Otter before returning safely home. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the quarrelsome Roly-Rogues bounce down from the mountaintop above the clouds to take over the peaceful kingdom of Noland. Luckily, King Bud and Princess Fluff were far away at the time, having a picnic. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, as part of our third annual October classic horror sleep story series, we’ll read an excerpt from “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus,” an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. “Frankenstein” tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, and this excerpt is from his point of view. He is a young scientist who creates a human-like creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley was only 20 years old when her book was anonymously published. Today, the novel is generally considered to be a landmark work of Romantic and Gothic literature, as well as science fiction. This is the second time Snoozecast is featuring this book. During our first annual horror series in 2019, we aired the very opening to the novel, which consists of letters meant to cradle the ultimate narrative of Frankenstein. Tonight’s episode is meant to start at the heart of the story. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story “The Three Golden Apples” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and found in “A Wonder Book” originally published in 1851. This is Hawthorne's retelling of Hercules’ search for three golden apples. Along the way he meets the Old Man of the Sea, a six-legged man creature and the mighty giant, Atlas. This story also features the Hesperides. In Greek mythology, they are the nymphs of evening and golden light of sunsets. The Hesperides love to sing, and they spend their time tending to Queen Hera’s apple orchard. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, Heidi teaches Peter how to read during the snowy winter. Then spring comes, and the Grandfather and Heidi move back up the mountain. Clara and her Grandmama come to visit. Clara is carried in a sedan as she is unable to walk, and Grandmama rides a horse. We will pick up our story with Heidi showing Clara around the grounds of their alpine home. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

***Dear Listeners, we regret this episode was not available at it's regularly scheduled time but are happy to announce that 'V' just welcomed the next little snoozer 'X' into this world on 10/13/21, please accept our apologies for the delay and we hope you enjoy this next episode in our October horror series*** Tonight, as part of our third annual October classic horror sleep story series, airing every Wednesday this October, we’ll read our adaptation of the opening to “The Hound of the Baskervilles.” It is the third full novel featuring Sherlock Holmes and was published in 1901, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyal. “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is a mystery about an attempted murder inspired by the legend of a diabolical hound of supernatural origin. One of the most famous stories ever written, it is considered by Sherlockian scholars to be the most perfect novel. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Brazilian fairy tale called “The Seaside Princess” or “Why the Sea Moans” adapted by Snoozecast from “Fairy Tales from Brazil” published in 1917. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel by George MacDonald. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Princess Irene follows her Grandmother’s instructions to follow the gossamer thread wherever it goes. It took Irene directly to Curdie’s cave prison cell deep within the mountain. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for the start of our third annual Classic Horror sleep story series, we’ll read the opening to “The Phantom of the Opera” written by Gaston Leroux, published in 1909. Be sure to catch our other snoozy, and a bit creepy, sleep stories every Wednesday this October. This novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century, and partly by an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil's skeleton, inspired by a German opera. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Games for Hallowe’en” written by Mary Blaine and published in 1912. It describes step by step how one would throw a Halloween themed party at this time. Traditional Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related guising and souling), attending Halloween costume parties, carving pumpkins or turnips into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, divination games, playing pranks, visiting haunted attractions, telling scary stories, as well as watching horror films. Join us every Wednesday this month for Snoozecast’s third annual classic horror sleep story series! — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary and Dickon get to know each other. She brings him to help her with the secret garden. Dickon not only has a way with wild creatures, but also with plants. He teaches her how to learn if plants are “wick,” which means “alive” in his dialect. They both wonder at how the garden has been shut up for ten years, when it seems as if there has been some minimal maintenance done since then, according to Dickon. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt about bicycle etiquette from “Twentieth Century Culture and Deportment for the Lady and Gentleman at Home and Abroad” by Maud C. Cook published in 1899. Bicycles and horse buggies were the two mainstays of private transportation just prior to the advent of the automobile. The grading of smooth roads in the late 1800s was stimulated by the widespread advertising, production, and use of bicycles along with horse buggies. By the turn of the century, when this book was written, cycling clubs flourished on both sides of the Atlantic, and touring and racing became widely popular. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read cat-themed stories written by English author and poet Edith Nesbit, published in 1899. Nesbit wrote or collaborated on more than 60 books of children's literature under the name E. Nesbit, along with being a political activist. This particular collection of stories follows the lives of various cats and dogs and will appeal to all of our animal-loving listeners. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “A Telegram”. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, a chapter called “Secrets” Jo secretly submits some of her stories to the local newspaper for publication. Laurie spies her and shares the secret with her until Jo sees her stories in print and joyously shares them with her family. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. To follow along easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the two little friends Water Rat and Mole pay a surprise visit to Mr. Badger during a snow storm. They are treated to the badgers warm hospitality, and meet other various guests that drop by, including Mr. Otter. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from the 1924 detective novel “The Man in the Brown Suit” written by Agatha Christie and adapted by Snoozecast. We will open with a mysterious and glamorous prologue set in Paris, regarding a dancer and a count. Then we will learn about young Anne Beddingfield, who decides to live a life of freedom and adventure. She moves to London on her own and soon finds life to be more adventurous than she expected. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mr. Collins and Lizzy discuss their conflicting interests in the subject of their mutual matrimony. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Stonehenge: Today and Yesterday” written by Frank Stevens and published in 1916. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. One of the most famous landmarks in the United Kingdom, Stonehenge is regarded as a British cultural icon.  The whole monument, now in ruins, is orientated towards the sunrise on the summer solstice. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Danish fairy tale called “The Green Knight” found in “The Olive Fairy Book” compiled by Andrew Lang. The story was originally found in a book written by Evald Tang Kristensen. Working first as a schoolteacher and later solely as a collector of folklore, Tang Kristensen assembled and published a huge amount of detailed information as he visited country people throughout his native land. His labors eventually were supported by his state government, allowing him to travel as the official folklore collector and resulted in a wealth of data. He himself recorded some 3,000 songs, 2,700 fairy tales, 2,500 jokes, 25,000 legends, numerous sayings, poems and riddles as well as tens of thousands of descriptions of traditions and everyday life. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie.  An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, the lost boys and Wendy find themselves captives on the pirate ship, while Peter takes off to save them with the oath “Hook or me this time. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the conclusion to “The Man with the Twisted Lip” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The first part of this story originally aired on July 24th, 2020, and we rebroadcast it yesterday for easy access. In the first part, a friend of Dr. Watson's wife comes to Watson's house, concerned because her husband, who is addicted to opium, has gone missing. While Watson is helping to retrieve the husband, he is surprised to find that Sherlock Holmes is there too, in disguise and trying to get information to solve a different case about a man who has disappeared. Watson stays to listen to Holmes tell the story of the case of Neville St. Clair. St. Clair is a prosperous, respectable, punctual man. His family's home is in the country, but he visits London every day on business. One day when Mr. St. Clair was in London, Mrs. St. Clair also went to London separately. She happened to pass down an alleyway. This is where we will pick up. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll rebroadcast the opening to “The Man With The Twisted Lip” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow.  This mystery deals with London opium dens of the 19th century, missing gentlemen and their worried wives. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the Hindu folk tale “The Fish Prince.” It comes from “Wonder Tales from Many Lands” by Katherine Pyle, published in 1920, and is adapted by Snoozecast. This story features an ancient and still popular item of jewelry called a bangle. Bangles are circular in shape, and, unlike bracelets, are not flexible. Although people in some parts of India used to wear a thick single bangle as protection during battle, they are now worn mostly as adornment by women in many parts of the world. The oldest bangle was recently found to be at least 50,000 years old. It was masterfully crafted out of green stone by a species of early hominid that lived side by side with both homo sapiens and Neanderthals. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Queen Zixi steals the magic cloak from Princess Fluff using deception and cunning. She then finds out that all of her work was for nothing- the cloak does not grant wishes to those that steal it. Zixi grows wiser through her disappointing realization. We are also introduced to a society of quarrelsome creatures called Roly-Rogues that live high on a mountaintop above the cloud line. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes” by Miss Parloa, and sponsored by the Walter Baker & Co based in Massachusetts. The Maya believed that cacao was discovered by the gods in a mountain along with other delectable foods, for their divine use. According to Maya mythology, the Plumed Serpent gave cacao to the Maya after humans were created by the divine grandmother goddess. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Etiquette in Society, In Business, In Politics and at Home” written by Emily Post and published in 1922. Post was an American writer and socialite who became the most famous authority on how to behave graciously in society and business. This particular book became wildly popular. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, the good doctor says farewell to his friends on the mountain. The grandfather fixes up a ruined mansion in the village for him and Heidi (and their goats) to stay in for the winter. Heidi attends school. We will pick up at the end of Heidi’s visit to the beloved and bed-ridden Grandmother. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. To follow along easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. Grahame grew up on the River Thames. As secretary of the Bank of England, he told his son bedtime stories that evolved into this book after he took an early retirement. In the last episode, the innocent Mole isn’t content with hibernating overwinter in the cozy domicile of his friend the water rat. He becomes obsessed with finding the mysterious Mr. Badger, who lives somewhere in the Wild Wood. Mole sets out to find him, and the Rat goes out to rescue him when he gets lost. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Boxcar Children” written by first grade school teacher Gertrude Chandler Warner and published in 1924. The Boxcar Children tells the story of four orphaned children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny. They create a home for themselves in an abandoned boxcar in the forest. They eventually meet their grandfather, who is a wealthy and kind man (although the children had believed him to be cruel). As she wrote the story, Warner read it aloud to her classes and rewrote it many times to make it easy to understand and enjoyable. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, our little hero Curdie had been spying on the goblins in their cave system under the mountains. He stumbled upon the royal family and was captured and kept prisoner by them. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a selection from “Cape Cod” by Henry David Thoreau, published in 1908. Thoreau was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for “Walden”, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience", an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. Thoreau travelled to Cape Cod in Massachusetts four times, which inspired this “excursion” or travel book. If you would like to hear more Thoreau on Snoozecast, check out “The Wild” from March of 2021, along with “Walden” parts 1 and 2, which both aired in 2019. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a sleep story called “The Bird King and the Mermaid,” adapted by Snoozecast from “The Story of Tremsin, the Bird Czar, and Nastasia, the Lovely Maid of the Sea” found in “Cossack Fairy Tales”, published in 1916. The Cossacks are a group of predominantly Orthodox Christian people who speak a slavic language and originated in Eastern Europe. They played an important role in the historical and cultural development of both Ukraine and Russia. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary interrogates old Ben Weatherstaff about gardening and in particular, the care of roses. We will pick up just after she stumbles upon Dickon, who is charming the woodland creatures with his flute. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the second novel featuring Sherlock Holmes, “The Sign of the Four.” It was published in 1890 and written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyal. Sherlock referred to himself as a "consulting detective" in the stories, and is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science, and logical reasoning that borders on the fantastic. Written from the point of view of Holmes’ friend Dr. Watson, “The Sign of the Four” has a complicated plot involving Indian colonial service, a stolen treasure, and a secret pact among four convicts. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to the social novel “North and South,” published in 1854 and written by Elizabeth Gaskell. The novel’s protagonist, Margaret Hale, is forced to leave her home in the tranquil, rural south, to settle with her parents in Milton, a fictional industrial town in the north. Elizabeth Gaskell, often referred to as Mrs. Gaskell, was an English novelist, biographer and short story writer. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of Victorian society Her work is of interest to social historians as well as readers of literature. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Secrets”. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last chapter, “Castles in the Air”, Laurie joins the sisters for their secret hilltop “Busy Bee Society” meeting. They discuss what their own personal heavens would be. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from a little cookbook titled “Pennsylvania Dutch Cookery.” The publisher and author are unknown.  The Pennsylvania Dutch live primarily in Southeastern and South Central Pennsylvania. Some Pennsylvania Dutch live in the historically Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking areas of Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The continued use of the term ""Pennsylvania Dutch"" was strengthened by the Pennsylvania Dutch themselves in the 1800s as a way of distinguishing themselves from later waves of German immigrants to the United States. There are possibly more than 300,000 native speakers of Pennsylvania German language in the United States and Canada. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an 1886 short story titled “Kashtanka” by Anton Chekhov, and adapted by Snoozecast. It is a sincere and simple story about loyalty, about a dog named Kashtanka who experiences life with two very different masters. It has been speculated that the story is a veiled biography of the author himself. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the Bennet’s had differing experiences at the ball at Netherfield. For example, Jane, in love with Bingley, had a lovely time. Elizabeth, holding prejudice against both Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy, and generally embarrassed by all the other members of her family, did not have a lovely time. We will pick up with the Bennet family being the last to leave the ball at Netherfield. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. If you’d like to start with the first episode, it aired on March 22, 2021. Grahame grew up on the River Thames. As secretary of the Bank of England, he told his son bedtime stories that evolved into this book after he took an early retirement. In the last episode, new friends Mole and Rat have a picnic on the river bank, and take an accidental plunge in the river afterwards. Later, they pay a visit to the estate of The Toad to see what he was up to. The Toad’s newest passion was for his fancy carriage he referred to as a gypsy caravan. The Toad hoped for company to join him on the open road and tries to convince his visitors to come along. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the German fairy tale “Rapunzel” lightly adapted by us from “The Red Fairy Book,” and attributed to The Brothers Grimm. Some researchers have proposed that the earliest possible inspiration for the “Maiden in the Tower” archetype is to the pre-Christian European (or proto-Indo-European) sun or dawn goddess myths, in which a “light deity” is trapped and then rescued. If you are still awake after Rapunzel, you will find another hair-themed fairy tale titled “Ricky with the Tuft” from “The Tales of Mother Goose,” by Charles Perrault. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for the 400th episode of Snoozecast, we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, the lost boys were tricked into thinking the pirates aboveground were defeated by the tribal warriors in battle. Up the boys came only to be bound and carried off to the pirate ship, along with Wendy, as hostages. Hook stayed behind, to go below ground and deal with Peter Pan himself. The pirate captain dropped poison into Peter’s bedside cup of water for him to wake up to. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read selected poems from Emily Dickinson, starting with a collection about nature. Little-known during her life, Dickinson has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Evidence suggests that Dickinson lived much of her life in isolation. Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a penchant for white clothing and was known for her reluctance to even leave her bedroom. Dickinson never married, and most friendships between her and others depended entirely upon correspondence. Her poems were unique for her era. They contain short lines, typically lack titles, and often use slant rhyme as well as unconventional capitalization and punctuation. In early editions, including this one, Emily Dickinson's poems were edited by her friends, better to fit the conventions of the times. Thus some of the uniqueness is best understood by viewing her direct handwriting on the page, or by reading more recent editions. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Buddha’s Path of Virtue: A Translation of the Dhammapada” by F. L. Woodward. The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. This particular translation by Woodward was published by The Theosophical Society, which was founded by Madame Helena Blavatsky. You can listen to some of her travel memoir in our episode from January 2020 titled “Madame Blavatsky Visits Bombay | From the Caves and Jungles of Hindustan." — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the war between the kingdoms of Noland and Ix ends with the Ixian army running away in fear of Nole’s magical powers. Queen Zixi devises a new plan to steal the magic cloak. She disguises herself as a girl and asks to become a royal maid of Princess Fluff. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we'll read the conclusion to “A Case of Identity”, a short story from the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The first part of this story originally aired on April 8th, 2020, and we rebroadcast it yesterday for easy access. Miss Sutherland was engaged to Mr. Hosmer Angel, who disappeared on the day of their wedding, leaving her only a mysterious plea that she remain faithful to him no matter what happened. She vows to await his return, and eventually turns to a detective for assistance. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’re airing a re-broadcast of the opening to “A Case of Identity”, from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1892. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow. The story revolves around the case of Miss Mary Sutherland, a woman with a substantial income from the interest on a fund set up for her. She is engaged to a quiet Londoner who has recently disappeared. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “Emily of New Moon” written by L. M. Montgomery. Similar to the author’s other series “Anne of Green Gables,” this is the first in a series of novels about an orphan girl growing up on Prince Edward Island. Emily is a heroine with a love for the beauty in nature and art, loyalty to her friends, a thirst for knowledge, and a passionate dedication to her writing. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, the doctor visits Heidi on the mountain. He brings many gifts from home, but Heidi is at first saddened that he has not brought her friend Clara for this visit. Still, the doctor has his own recovering to do, from his own personal grief. He finds solace and beauty on the alpine slopes with Grandfather, Heidi, and their friends. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “Canoe and Camp Cookery : A Practical Cook Book For Canoeists, Corinthian Sailors and Outers” by H.H. Soulé under the pen name Seneca, published in 1893. Canoes were developed by cultures all over the world. Until the mid-1800s the canoe was an important means of transport for exploration and trade, and in some places is still used as such. A canoe, in American English, is a lightweight narrow vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top. In British English, the term "canoe" can also refer to a kayak, while canoes are then called Canadian or “open” canoes to distinguish them from kayaks. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm. In this story, the tailor starts out having achieved a very small feat and ends up a hero. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, our little hero Curdie is trying to find his way out of the Goblin’s cave system when he stumbles upon a strange sight. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Great Gatsby,” a 1925 novel by American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, the novel depicts narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. The novel was inspired by youthful romance and riotous parties the author had recently experienced. “The Great Gatsby” was a commercial failure that many critics thought was sub-par to Fitzgerald’s previous work. Now, it is widely considered to be a literary masterwork and a contender for the title of the Great American Novel. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Red House Mystery” by A. A. Milne, published in 1922. This episode is dedicated to Kerry, who first recommended the author Milne to us. It was Milne’s only mystery novel, and yet it was immensely popular. It falls into the “locked room” whodunnit category. The setting is an English country house, where Mark Ablett has been entertaining a house party. The black sheep of his family arrives from Australia and a mystery ensues. There is a preface to this book by the author that reads “My dear Father, Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories, and feel that there are not enough of them. So, after all that you have done for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one. Here it is: with more gratitude and affection than I can well put down here. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary and Martha write a letter to Martha’s brother Dickon, asking him to obtain some gardening supplies for Mary. Mary is hiding where exactly she plans to do her gardening. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another story from the King Arthur series written by Maude Radford Warren titled “How Sir Lancelot Saved the Queen If you’d like to listen to this whole series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story called “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” from “The Arabian Nights: Their Best-known Tales” by Smith, Wiggin, and Parrish. It has become one of the most familiar of the "Arabian Nights" tales, and is where the phrase “Open, Sesame!” comes from. This folk tale was added to the “One Thousand and One Nights” anthology in the 18th century by its French translator. This translator heard it from a Syrian storyteller who travelled to Paris. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Castles in the Air”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, we finished the chapter called “Camp Laurence.” The episode finished with the March sisters, along with Laurie and his British friends paddling back from their day of picnicking and games. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read selections from “The Bird Watcher in the Shetlands” by Edmund Selous, written in 1905. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our others from this birdwatching series at snoozecast.com/series. The author started as a conventional naturalist of his time, but Selous developed a disdain of the common practice of killing animals for scientific study. He was a pioneer of bird-watching as a method of scientific study. The author was a solitary man and was not well known in ornithological circles. He avoided both the company of ornithologists and reading their observations so as to base his conclusions entirely on his own observations. He has gifted future generations with his beautiful and intuitive writing on birds. The island of Shetland is the northernmost part of Scotland. The archipelago has a complex geology, a rugged coastline, and many low, rolling hills. The islands have produced a variety of prose writers and poets, who have often written in the distinctive Shetland dialect of the Scots language. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "A Retrieved Reformation", a short story by American author O. Henry first published in 1903. This story shows how love can change anyone for the better. It describes the events which lead up to the reformation of an ex-convicted burglar. As usual, the ending of this O. Henry is worth hearing for the twist. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. In the previous episode, the Bennet sisters attend the much anticipated ball at Netherfield. Elizabeth makes the mistake of talking with her odious cousin Mr. Collins, and becomes obligated out of politeness to accept the first two dances with him. She had designs to dance with Wickham then, but either way Wickham does not show up at the ball. While Jane has a wonderful time with Mr. Bingley, poor Lizzy makes matters worse by dancing with Mr. Darcy, whom she has judged to be detestable. We will pick up with Lizzy and Jane chatting, during the ball. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “A Study in Scarlet” an 1887 detective novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle. The story marks the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. They meet for the first time and interview each other to become roommates. “A Study in Scarlet” was also the first work of detective fiction to incorporate the magnifying glass as an investigative tool. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for our episode “Halvor and the Trolls” we’ll read a story called Soria Moria Castle from The Red Fairy Book. This episode is dedicated to our patron Heidi, who loves the Red, Blue and Green Gairy Book stories best. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Peter Pan pt. 12 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “The Myrtle Reed Cook Book” written by Myrtle Reed and published in 1916. Reed was an American author, poet, journalist, and philanthropist. She was a diagnosed insomniac with prescribed sleeping potions, called sleeping drafts in her day. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a short story called “The Golden Touch” from “A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1910. This episode is dedicated to our patron Kathryn, who was craving something from Greek mythology, and our listener, Sue, who suggested this particular book. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote “The Wizard of Oz”, commented this was the best book he had written. In the last episode, Queen Zixi disguises herself and sets up a fake Witch Training School to lure the Princess Fluff and her Magic Cloak into her trap. This plan fails, so the queen decides to bring her large army to Noland to get the cloak. Meanwhile, King Bud along with his sister and the high counselors, make a last minute plan to have a wish be granted for the Lord High Counselor that they would win the war despite being outnumbered. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another story from the King Arthur series written by Maude Radford Warren titled “Sir Lancelot and His Friends.” If you’d like to listen to this whole series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. Sir Lancelot, also known as Lancelot of the Lake, is a character in some versions of Arthurian legend, where he is typically depicted as King Arthur's close companion and one of the greatest Knights of the Round Table. In the French-inspired Arthurian tradition, Lancelot is the orphaned son of a king, raised in the fairy realm by the Lady of the Lake. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. Grahame grew up on the River Thames. As secretary of the Bank of England, he told his son bedtime stories that evolved into this book after he took an early retirement. In the last episode, Mole was spring cleaning his underground burrow when he was hit hard by spring fever. He ran up into the sunshine and befriended a water rat on the River Thames. The mole then not only sees a river for the first time but has his first boat ride. We will pick up at the start of their delicious picnic. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. “Heidi” is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. “Heidi” is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. In the previous episode, Mr. Sesemann and Clara convince their friend, the doctor, to visit Heidi on the mountain in place of Clara. Clara was still too weak to go herself, and the winter was approaching. The doctor was grieving the loss of his own daughter, and they believed it would be a good tonic for his spirits to make this journey. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Bad Little Owls” from the “Told at Twilight” series by John Breck. It was published in 1923. A group of owls is called a parliament. This term originates from C.S. Lewis’ description of a meeting of owls in “The Chronicles of Narnia.” — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “A Voyage to the Moon” written by Edgar Allen Poe. It was intended by the author as a hoax when it was originally published in 1835 titled as ""The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall.""  The story is regarded as one of the early examples of the modern science fiction genre. Jules Verne acknowledged Poe as the creator of the ""scientific novel. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872.  If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s “The Princess and the Goblin” tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, Princess Irene was in conversation with her grandmother, preparing to leave for the evening. Her grandmother gives Irene the gift of a magical ring that provides a thread for her to find her way back to safety if she is ever in danger. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Tonight, we’ll read the conclusion to “A Scandal in Bohemia” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1892.  In the first episode, Holmes receives a visit from a masked man, whom he deduces is actually the king of Bohemia. Once the man is unmasked, he asks for Holmes’s help retrieving a valuable set of photographs.  The King is engaged to a Scandinavian princess, but is worried that the princess’s family would disapprove of his previous relationship with an American opera singer named Irene Adler.  Ms. Adler has evidence of this relationship, namely photographs of the two of them together, and has refused to return them to the King. Holmes is the King’s last hope of retrieving the photos." — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’re airing a re-broadcast of the opening to “A Scandal in Bohemia”, from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Arthur Conan Doyle in 1892. The conclusion episode will air tomorrow. "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the first short story featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. The story is notable for introducing the character of Irene Adler, who is one of the most memorable female characters in the Sherlock Holmes series, despite appearing in only one story.  Doyle ranked "A Scandal in Bohemia" fifth in his list of his twelve favourite Holmes stories. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “Tess of the d’Urbervilles,” a novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1891. Hardy's writing often explores what he called the ""ache of modernism"", and this theme is notable in Tess, which as one critic noted portrays ""the energy of traditional ways and the strength of the forces that are destroying them"". The book, now considered a major work of it’s time, received mixed reviews when it first appeared, in part because it challenged the sexual morals of late Victorian England. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary is having a fantastic time practicing with her skipping rope all over the grounds of Misselthwaite Manor, when she stumbles upon the secret garden." — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Bread and Biscuit Baker’s and Sugar Boiler’s Assistant” written by Robert Wells and published in 1890. Candy is made by dissolving sugar in water or milk to form a syrup, which is boiled until it reaches the desired concentration or starts to caramelize. The type of candy depends on the ingredients and how long the mixture is boiled. Candy comes in a wide variety of textures, from soft and chewy to hard and brittle. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Adventures of Pinocchio” by Italian writer Carlo Collodi, published in 1883. Pinocchio was carved by a woodcarver named Geppetto as a wooden puppet but he dreams of becoming a real boy. He is notably characterized for his frequent tendency to lie, which causes his nose to grow. Pinocchio is a cultural icon. He is one of the most re-imagined characters in children's literature. His story has been adapted into many other media, notably the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio. Collodi often used the Italian Tuscan dialect in his book. For example, the name of Pinocchio’s father, Gepetto, comes from the diminutive for Geppo, the Tuscan pronunciation of ceppo, meaning a log, stump or block. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of the chapter “Camp Laurence” in the book “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters. If you would like to start at the beginning, the first episode aired on December 18th, 2019. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the March sisters go on a picnic with Laurie and his friends visiting from England. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another story from the King Arthur series written by Maude Radford Warren titled “Sir Geraint and Enid.” If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020. If you’d like to listen to the whole series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. Sir Geraint was a valiant warrior who married the beautiful Lady Enid. We will hear the tale of their marriage, which has its ups and downs, but luckily, ends on the up. Beyond their part in the Arthurian legends, Geraint and Enid are featured in a classic Welsh folk tale and their story was reworked by the poet Alfred Tennyson. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Ugly Duckling” from “Favorite Fairy Tales” compiled by Logan Marshall. It is a Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, originally published in 1843. Unlike most fairy tales, this one is completely Andersen's invention and owes no debt to humanity’s vast cultural catalog of fairy tales or folklore. Apparently Andersen grew up awkward and tall, with a big nose and feet. Furthermore, speculation suggests that Andersen may have been the illegitimate son of Prince Christian Frederik who later became king of Denmark. Being a swan in the story was a metaphor not just for inner beauty and talent in that case, but also for secret royal lineage. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first episode aired on March 20th, 2019. An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, because Peter Pan had saved Tiger Lily’s life, the native people idolize Peter, which in turn irritates the other boys. The tribe stays above the Lost Boy’s cavern home and guard it from the pirates. Below, Peter and Wendy have a strange conversation. Wendy wants to know what Peter thinks of her. Peter answers that he feels like a devoted son. This upsets Wendy. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from “The Complete Herbal” written by Nicholas Culpeper, published in 1653. Culpeper was an English botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer. Culpeper catalogued hundreds of outdoor medicinal herbs. He attempted to make medical treatments more accessible to lay persons by educating them about maintaining their health. Ultimately his ambition was to reform the system of medicine by questioning traditional methods and knowledge and exploring new solutions for ill health. The systematisation of the use of herbals by Culpeper was a key development in the evolution of modern pharmaceuticals, most of which originally had herbal origins. Culpeper's emphasis on reason rather than tradition is reflected in the introduction to his Complete Herbal. He was one of the best-known astrological botanists of his day, pairing the plants and diseases with planetary influences. Culpeper believed medicine was a public asset, not a commercial secret, and the prices physicians charged were far too high compared with the cheap and universal availability of nature's medicine. For this, he was considered a radical, and even accused of witchcraft. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story from a short story collection titled “Mrs. Spring Fragrance” written by Sui Sin Far, published in 1912. The story we will read, about two children who find themselves lost in a magical forest, was originally titled “The Banishment of Ming and Mai.” The author Sui Sin Far was the pen name of Chinese-British-Canadian-American writer Edith Maude Eaton. The work is notable for being the earliest book of fiction published in the United States by an author of Chinese descent. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. “Pride and Prejudice” follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. In the previous episode, Elizabeth shares what she heard about Darcy from Wickham with her sister, Jane. Jane takes the more reasonable stance that there must be more to the story. Elizabeth is already sure Wickham is correct. All the sisters attend a ball at Netherfield, and Wickham is not there. Elizabeth feels obliged to dance with Mr. Collins, and she has an awful time. The other sisters have a wonderful time, as dancing was a thrill for them. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1892. In this story, a woman with long copper colored tresses named Violet is offered a strange job as a governess at a country estate called “The Copper Beeches.” She is offered a large sum of money if she will cut her hair short as well. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “A Girl of the Limberlost” by Gene Stratton-Porter, published in 1909. The story takes place in Indiana, in and around the Limberlost Swamp. Even at the time of its publication, this impressive wetland region was being reduced by heavy logging, natural oil extraction and drainage for agriculture. The author, Stratton-Porter, was considered one of the most popular woman novelists of the era. Elnora Comstock, is an impoverished teenager who lives with her widowed mother, Katharine Comstock, on the edge of the Limberlost swamp. Elnora’s mother treats her neglectfully, and makes her to go to her first day of high school at a new school unprepared. She is wearing ugly, out-dated clothes, and doesn’t have proper books or tuition. Luckily, Elnora is a plucky and good-hearted young woman. She also has loving neighbors who want to help her. And that is where we will start. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. “The Magic Cloak” episode one aired on Nov 11, 2019. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote “The Wizard of Oz”, commented this was the best book he had written. In the last episode, Tillydib, the lord high purse-bearer, is wearing the cloak when he wishes the royal purse would never run out of coins. Then we are introduced to the beautiful witch Queen Zixi. Her one weakness is that her true face shows in mirrors, so she has them all hidden. When she learns about the magic cloak, she sets out to steal it, in order to never have to see how ugly she really looks. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from “Meteorology, The Science of the Atmosphere” by meteorologist Charles Fitzhugh Talman, published in 1922. The word meteorology, stemming from the Ancient Greek, means "the study of things high in the air." Though study of meteorology dates back millennia, significant progress did not occur until the 18th century. Prior attempts at prediction of weather depended on historical data. It was not until after the elucidation of the laws of physics and more particularly, the development of the computer, allowing for the automated solution of a great many equations that model the weather, in the latter half of the 20th century that significant breakthroughs in weather forecasting were achieved. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the complete story of “The Velveteen Rabbit”, a British children's book written by Margery Williams in 1922. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner. Many listeners have asked us to complete this story, as when it originally aired on June 10th, 2019, we didn’t include the ending. So here it is, rerecorded. Enjoy! — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. “Heidi” is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. “Heidi” is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. In the previous episode, Heidi gets an idea to use the money she received from the Sessemann family to provide soft white bread rolls to the grandmother regularly. She also reads a story to her grandfather, also referred to as “the uncle”. The story was about repentance, forgiveness and humility and it brings the old man a change of heart. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read about baking cakes from the “Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Volume 4” This was the same book we have read selections for the original Breadtime episode along with the Baking Cookiezzz episode. The Woman’s Institute was founded by Mary Brooks Picken in Scranton, PA. Born in Kansas in 1886, Picken wrote the first dictionary to be published by a woman in the English language, beyond the over one hundred other books she wrote. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another story from the King Arthur series written by Maude Radford Warren titled “Sir Ivaine.” If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020. If you’d like to listen to the whole series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. In the last episode, we learn of Sir Ivaine, who, among Arthur's Knights of the Round Table was one who was a mixture of good and bad, as indeed most people are. He was brave, kind-hearted, and merry; but at the same time fickle, sometimes forgetful of his promises, and inclined to make light of serious things.  Sir Ivaine was overthrown by the evil Black Knight as a boy, and Ivaine sets out before the others to vanquish the foe. On his way, he befriends a lion. Sir Ivaine battles the Black Knight and wins, but in doing so finds himself wounded and confined within the castle walls of the Black Knight, separated from his lion whom is still outside the walls. He is protected at the top of a castle turret, in secret hiding, by a kind little maiden. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872.  If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s “The Princess and the Goblin” tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, cave creatures, which descend from commonplace animals but have turned grotesque after generations without sunlight, enjoy playing in the moonlight now that they have a way out of the cave system at night. Meanwhile, Irene knows she has an important date to meet with the mysterious old woman upstairs. Instead, a cave cat jumps in her window and frightens her into running out into the dark. She makes her way back home by following the guiding light of her great-grandmother’s beacon. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The House of Mirth,” a 1905 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It tells the story of Lily Bart, a beautiful but impoverished New York City socialite. The commercial and critical success of “The House of Mirth” solidified Wharton's reputation as a major novelist. The central theme of “The House of Mirth” is essentially the struggle between who we are and what society tells us we should be. Thus, it is considered by many to be as relevant today as it was in 1905. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, published in 1908. This story was suggested by our patron, Lucienne. This story centers around four small animals: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. Their stories take place in the countryside of Edwardian England. Grahame grew up on the River Thames. As secretary of the Bank of England, he told his son bedtime stories that evolved into this book after he took an early retirement. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary realizes she is starting to like people and wonders if she could visit Martha’s family cottage. Also, Mary finds an old-fashioned key buried in the earth. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Beryl Coronet” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1892. A beryl coronet is an emerald crown. This story begins with a prominent banker making a loan equivalent to two million US dollars today to a socially prominent client, who leaves a beryl coronet as collateral. Imagine going to the bank and asking for a two million dollar loan. As collateral, you secretly offer the banker someone else’s fancy royal crown. Do you think that would work? Well, it may have worked in tonight’s episode. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story called "Charan, The Dancing Maiden", taken from the book “Korean Folk Tales” written by Pang Im but compiled, translated to English by James Gale and published in 1913. Pang Im was born in 1640, the son of a provincial governor. He was a great scholar and a disciple of one of Korea's first famed writers. When he was eighty years old, he became governor of Seoul, and held other high cabinet positions as well. In 1722 he played a part in a disturbance of the government and was exiled to North Korea. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter to “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Experiments”.  Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters.  If you would like to start at the beginning, the first episode aired on December 18th, 2019. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, the little women learn that idleness does not necessarily lead to lasting contentment. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Odyssey,” in this the Samuel Butler translation, is one of two ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War. After the decade of war itself, his journey lasts for an additional perilous decade. In his absence, he is assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must contend with a group of rude suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "The Wild", sometimes known as “Walking”, a lecture by Henry David Thoreau first delivered in 1851. It is a transcendental essay that analyzes the relationship between man and nature, trying to find a balance between society and our raw animal nature. Thoreau read the piece a total of ten times, more than any other of his lectures. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. “Pride and Prejudice” follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. In the previous episode, Mr. Collins accompanies the Bennet daughters to Mrs. Philips’ dinner party. Mr. Wickham is there, and Elizabeth is charmed by him, and hears his tale of woe blamed on Mr. Darcy. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from the “Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness,” written in 1860 by Florence Hartley. The excerpts will include “Conduct in the Street” and “Polite Deportment and Good Habits.” The opening excerpt regarding conduct in the street refers to omnibuses. These were large horse-drawn carriages used for public transportation in the late 1800s. Hartley was a Victorian-era writer covering topics of etiquette and needlework. She was also an advocate for women's health. If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out our other episode of excerpts from this title including “How to Behave at a Hotel” and “Places of Amusement.” That episode aired on June 21, 2019. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a selection of mouse-featured Beatrix Potter stories, starting with “Johnny Town-Mouse” and followed with “The Tale of Two Bad Mice” and “The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse.” Beatrix Potter was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her children's books featuring animals. Though Potter was typical of women of her generation in having limited opportunities for higher education, her study and watercolours of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology. In all, Potter wrote thirty books; the best known being her twenty-three children's tales. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Magic Cloak pt. 8 Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a section from the King Arthur series written by Maude Radford Warren titled “Sir Gareth and Lynette.” If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020. If you’d like to listen to the whole series easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. In the last episode, King Arthur decides he wants to marry Princess Guinevere and sends some of his men to ask her father, King Leodogran. This leads Leodogran to investigate King Arthur’s parentage to find out if he is truly from royal blood. Leodogran seeks the counsel of Queen Bellicent, who has a young son named Gareth. Gareth pleads with her to be allowed to join his older brothers in joining the court of King Arthur. She finally concedes, as long as he disguises himself as a lowly kitchen worker at first. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Persuasion,” the last novel fully completed by Jane Austen, along with being considered her most mature and refined writing, published in 1817. The story concerns Anne Elliot, a twenty-seven year old Englishwoman, whose family moves to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. The novel was well-received at it’s debut, but its greater fame came decades later, and continues to this day. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to this continuing story in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. “Heidi” is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. “Heidi” is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. In the previous episode, Sebastian, Mr. Sesemann’s servant, is ordered to take Heidi back to her mountain home. Heidi’s first stop as she hikes up the mountain is to Peter’s grandmother. They have a joyous reunion and then Heidi sets off higher up the mountain towards Grandfather. She is warned by Peter’s mother Brigida to be careful with Grandfather as he has been even more like an unfriendly hermit since she left. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll be reading another chapter from the book “Bird Watching” published in 1901 by Edmund Selous, titled “Watching Birds in the Greenwoods.” If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our “Blackbirds” episode, “Watching Birds from a Haystack” episode, and “Watching Seabirds”, from this series as well. The author started as a conventional naturalist of his time, but Selous developed a hatred of the common practice at the time of killing animals for scientific study and was a pioneer of bird-watching as a method of scientific study. The author was a solitary man and was not well known in ornithological circles. He avoided both the company of ornithologists and reading their observations so as to base his conclusions entirely on his own observations. The word “greenwood” refers to both unseasoned firewood and a forest in full leaf, as in summer. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story from Hans Christian Andersen called “Little Thumbelina.” Thumbelina is about a tiny girl and her adventures with marriage-minded toads, moles, and doodlebugs. She successfully avoids their intentions before falling in love with a flower-fairy prince just her size. Hans Christian Andersen was born in Denmark in 1805 to a shoemaker. An only child, Andersen shared a love of literature with his father, who read him fables and fairy tales. Together, they constructed panoramas and toy theatres, and took long jaunts into the countryside. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first episode aired on March 20th, 2019. An easy way to listen to this continuing story in order is at snoozecast.com/series. When we left off, Wendy and Peter end up on Marooner’s Rock with the tide coming in after a fight with the pirates. They are both too weak to swim to shore or fly for home. The tide is getting higher and higher on the rock. Suddenly Michael and John’s kite drifts across the rock. The kite is too small to lift them both, so Peter tells Wendy to grab on and let it carry her home, sacrificing himself. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “A treatise on the art of making good wholesome bread of wheat, oats, rye, barley” by Friedrick Accum, published in 1821. Accum was a German chemist, whose most important achievements included advances in the field of gas lighting, efforts to keep processed foods free from dangerous additives, and the promotion of popular chemistry. Following an apprenticeship as an apothecary, he opened his own commercial laboratory enterprise in London. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Enchanted Castle,” a children's fantasy novel by Edith Nesbit published in 1907. The enchanted castle of the title is an English country estate seen through the eyes of three children, Jerry, Jimmy, and Kathy. They discover it while exploring during the school holidays. The lake, groves and marble statues, with white towers and turrets in the distance, make a fairy-tale setting. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like an easy way to listen to these continuing episodes in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s “The Princess and the Goblin” tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home. When we left off, Princess Irene couldn’t sleep as she had a painfully sore finger. She wandered upstairs to see if she could find her secret grandmother again. The grandmother cures her injury, and let’s here sleep with her that night. Also, we learn more about Curdie’s love and admiration for his wonderful, strong and wise mother, Mrs. Peterson. We also learn that he has been saving to buy her a new petticoat. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Mr. Midshipman Easy,” an 1836 novel by Frederick Marryat, a retired captain in the Royal Navy. The novel is set during the Napoleonic Wars, in which Marryat himself served with distinction. At fourteen, the naïve Jack Easy leaves the luxury of his family estate in England and sails into a world of adventure aboard the sloop of war HMS Harpy. At first, Jack finds it hard to bear the discipline of naval life and is always getting himself into trouble. But soon he is bravely taming a band of mutinous seamen as the Harpy chases Spanish ships on the Mediterranean. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the third part of a fairy tale called “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The first part aired on January 4th, 2021. This story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed tales. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” In the second part, we follow little Gerda on her journey to find her friend Kay. She is bewitched and talks with flowers, and then gets caught up with a family of robbers. A raven tries to help her and leads her to a castle where he thinks he has seen her Kay. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Secret Garden”, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020. If you’d like to listen to this story’s episodes easily in order, go to snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, Mary wanders the halls of the manor alone on a rainy day. She finds some interesting things, like old fashioned portraits of a girl that looks like her. She also finds a hidden hallway, and hears the sound of a child crying again. Mary gets caught by Mrs. Medlock and thus ended her investigations for the day. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor” from “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This story describes the disappearance of Hatty, an aristocrat's bride on the day of their marriage. She participates in the wedding, but disappears from the reception. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Around the World in 80 Days,” a novel by Jules Verne published in 1872. In this story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employed French valet Passepartout attempt to circumnavigate the world in 80 days on a 20-thousand pound wager ( over two million pounds now) set by his friends. It is one of Verne's most acclaimed works. — read by 'V’ — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter to “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Experiments”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters. If you would like to start at the beginning, the first episode aired on December 18th, 2019. You can listen to the whole series in order at snoozecast.com/series. In the last episode, we sit on a meeting of The Pickwick Club, the girls secret literary club. By the end, it turns out that Jo had Laurie hiding, and he is revealed to much consternation from the others. Soon though, he is welcomed into the group, and he provides a private mail box (or post office, as they refer to it) to exchange communication between the households. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read The Trees of Paradise, an excerpt from “Plant Lore, Legends and Lyrics” by Richard Folkard. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part of a fairy tale called “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The first part aired on January 4th, 2021. The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” In the first part, we meet best friends, Gerda and Kay. We also learn of the wicked mirror that splinters into tiny pieces over the land. The shards sometimes land in unknowing people’s eyes or hearts, and cause them to be cold-hearted and mean-spirited. This happens to the little boy, Kay. Then he gets whisked away by the Snow Queen’s sled. Gerda goes in search of him, and meets a kindly witch. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part of “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, please find and listen to all the previous episodes easily at snoozecast.com/series. “Pride and Prejudice” follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. In the previous episode, distant cousin Mr. Collins comes to the Bennet Family’s home at Longbourne to find a wife. Although he poses as a man of convictions, his supposed love interest can change in a moment. The girls walk to the nearby town of Meryton, accompanied by Mr. Collins. There, they become enamored by a handsome stranger in uniform named Mr. Wickham. They also bump into Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley at the same time. Elizabeth notices a curious displeasure between the surprise meeting of the stranger and Mr. Bingley. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Across Asia on a Bicycle,” published in 1894 and written by Thomas Allen and William Sachtleben. This book is made up of a series of sketches describing a bicycle journey around the world and specifically across Asia. Allen and Sachtleben set a record for the longest continuous land journey ever made around the world. The day after they graduated college in St. Louis, Missouri, the two friends set out on their journey. Almost three years later, they rolled back into New York on their wheels, having, as they write, “put a girdle round the earth.” — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Maiden of the Mist” or “Anne of Geierstein”, by Sir Walter Scott, published in 1829. It is set mainly in Switzerland, shortly after the Battle of Tewkesbury in the 1400s. In this story, two exiles are on a secret mission to the court of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, hoping to gain his help in regaining the English crown from Edward IV. The two Englishmen get into difficulties in the Swiss mountains. They meet Countess Anne and her family, who are involved in the politics of the newly independent Swiss Confederation and plan to confront Charles with complaints about his conduct towards the Swiss nation. This book is part of a long series called The Waverley Novels. For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. Because Scott did not publicly acknowledge authorship until later, the series takes its name from Waverley, the first novel of the series released. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our “Magic Cloak” series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. “The Magic Cloak” episode one aired on Nov 11, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode again, it aired November 13th, 2020. The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote “The Wizard of Oz”, commented this was the best book he had written. In the last episode, the magic cloak accidentally lands on the royal valet Jikki’s shoulders. At the time, he is trying to carry much too many things on behalf of the demanding Aunt Rivette. He wishes he could have a half dozen servants to help him complete all of his tasks. Then, he has the new and unexpected problem of having to much help at hand! — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next chapter to “Peter Pan”, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first episode aired on March 20th, 2019. If you’d like a refresher by listening to the previous episode, it aired on November 11th, 2020. In the last episode, the children are napping on Marooner’s Rock in the Mermaid’s Lagoon, when they realize pirates are near and dive underwater. The pirates caught Tiger Lily, from the island tribe, snooping on their ship and planned to leave her on the rock to drown. Peter impersonates Hook’s voice and orders the pirates to let her go, which they fearfully obey. Hook appears afterwards and gives his men the news that the lost boys have found a mother in Wendy. They come up with a plan to kidnap her to make her their mother instead, as even pirates apparently want to be comforted and taken care of. — read by 'V' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale called “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Andersen. The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kay. The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories. It was also the inspiration for the Disney movie “Frozen.” — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a folktale called “Aponibolinayen and the Sun”, from the book “Philippine Folk Tales” published in 1916, compiled by anthropologist Mabel Cook Cole. This story comes from the Ting-yen or Itneg people, who live in a mountainous region in the Philippines. The Itnegs believe in the existence of numerous supernatural powerful beings. They believe in spirits and deities, the greatest of which they believe to be Kadaklan who lives up in the sky and who created the earth, the moon, the stars, and the sun. Tonight, we’ll read about the sun in particular and how he came to be married to a special mortal woman with magical powers. — read by 'V' — Be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story “Heidi”, published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode before this one, it aired on October 28th, 2020.  “Heidi” is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. “Heidi” is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. In the previous episode, the servants at the Sesemann house are certain the house is haunted. The ghost turns out to be a sleepwalking little Heidi, tormented by her secret homesickness. When Mr. Sesemann realizes this, plans are made to allow her to go back to visit her family on the mountain. — read by 'V' — Be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “Treasure Island”, by listener suggestion, an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It is a tale of "buccaneers and buried gold." Its influence is enormous on popular perceptions of pirates, including such elements as treasure maps marked with an "X", schooners, tropical islands, and one-legged seamen bearing parrots on their shoulders. — read by 'M' — Be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Tonight, we’ll read the section on baking cookies from “Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery Volume 4”, written by The Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences. This is the same set of cookbooks Snoozecast’s “Breadtime” episode draws from.  The Woman’s Institute was founded by Mary Brooks Picken in Scranton, PA. Born in Kansas in 1886, Picken wrote the first dictionary to be published by a woman in the English language, beyond the over one hundred other books she wrote." — read by 'V' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. And be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Gift of the Magi” a short story by O. Henry, followed by the poem “The Night Before Christmas.” Published in 1905, this O.Henry story tells of a young husband and wife and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. “The Night Before Christmas” is formally titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and written by Clement Clarke Moore, anonymously published in 1844. — read by 'V' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. And be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “The Exploits and Triumphs, In Europe, of Paul Morphy, The Chess Champion.” It was published in 1859 and written by Frederick Milnes Edge, who was Morphy’s secretary. Paul Morphy, born in New Orleans in 1837, was considered the greatest chess player of his era. He was a child prodigy who learned playing chess simply by watching family members play. When he was only 9 years old, he was hailed as the best chess player in his city. This book describes Morphy's trip to Europe in 1858. After his triumphs in Europe, he was considered the unofficial World Chess Champion, as official championship tournaments were only held starting in 1886, almost thirty years later. — read by 'N' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. And be sure to check out GreenChef.com/snoozecast80 and use code snoozecast80 to get $80 off including free shipping! Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803”, a travel memoir by Dorothy Wordsworth. Her six-week, 663-mile journey through the Scottish Highlands with her brother William Wordsworth and mutual friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge has been called a masterpiece and one of the best Scottish travel writings during a century which saw hundreds of such examples. Dorothy wrote "Recollections" for family and friends and never saw it published in her lifetime. The three travelers were important authors in the burgeoning Romanticism movement and thus the trip itinerary was in part a literary pilgrimage to the places associated with Scottish figures significant to Romanticists. Dorothy's descriptions and judgments of the countryside and landscapes were a mixture of her own personal aesthetics and the in-fashion aesthetics of the sublime, beautiful and picturesque—in fact, Recollections is considered today a classic of picturesque travel writing. Venturing to Scotland in 1803 was not an easy trip and the thirty-year-old Dorothy would experience much of the rougher nature of Scottish life: a depopulated rural land due to industrialization and emigration, along with rough roads, coarse lodgings and sometimes meager food. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “The Princess and the Goblin”, a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872.  If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode, part four aired November 6th, 2020. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s “The Princess and the Goblin” tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, Princess Irene found her way back to her mysterious great-great-great-great-grandmother, after she couldn’t sleep due to an injury from pricking her finger earlier in the day. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a short story by Charles Dickens called “A Christmas Tree”, from 1850.  It was only ten years earlier, in 1840, that Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, introduced the German concept of a Christmas tree to England. Before then, nobody in England had placed a Christmas tree in their home. Just as Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” isn’t actually a song, “A Christmas Tree” is barely a story and the tree is merely a launching off point for a series of dreamy impressions from the author’s mind. — read by 'M' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to "The Secret Garden", a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020. The most recent episode, part 3, aired October 21st, 2020. In the last episode, Mary spends a lot of time outdoors wandering around the gardens and moor. It begins to help her grow healthier and heartier. The maid Martha tells Mary the forbidden story of how Master Craven’s garden became “secret.” Mary also insists to Martha that she hears a child crying somewhere in the manor. Martha insists it’s just the roar of the wind playing tricks on her ears. — read by 'V' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read from "The Journals of Lewis and Clark". The Lewis and Clark Expedition, from 1803 to 1806, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country. The Corps of Discovery was a select group of Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend Lieutenant William Clark.  President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the expedition shortly after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to explore and to map the newly acquired territory, to find a practical route across the western half of the continent, and to establish an American presence in this territory before other powers tried to claim it. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific and economic: to study the area's plants, animal life, geography and to establish trading. The expedition returned to Jefferson, with maps, sketches, and journals in hand. — read by 'M' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “The Opal”, a fairy tale about how the gemstone was formed. Depending on the conditions in which it formed, precious opal may be iridescent with white, black, or nearly any color of the visual spectrum as a background color. Black opal is considered to be the rarest, whereas white, gray, and green are the most common.  Opal was rare and very valuable in antiquity. In Europe, it was a gem prized by royalty. Until the opening of vast deposits in Australia in the 19th century the only known source was beyond the Roman frontier in Slovakia. Following the publication of Sir Walter Scott's Anne of Geierstein in 1829, opal acquired a less auspicious reputation. Due to the popularity of Scott's novel, people began to associate opals with bad luck.  Opal was also said to grant invisibility- if wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and held in the hand- and thus it was considered the gemstone of thieves. — read by 'V' — Remember to head to headspace.com/snoozecast for a free one-month trial of Headspace’s clinically proven meditation app. Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for the 300th episode of Snoozecast, we’ll read a story about Princess Guinevere from our King Arthur’s series. If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode, it aired on September 14, 2020. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries. Guinevere is the wife and queen of King Arthur in the Arthurian legend. Early versions of these stories starting in the twelfth century had only a brief mention of her. As time went on, her character has been fleshed out depending on the author’s desires. Guinevere has been portrayed as everything from a villainous and opportunistic traitor to a fatally flawed but noble and virtuous lady. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from "The Feasts of Autolycus", including “On Soup” and “The Incomparable Onion”, published in 1900 and edited by Elizabeth Robins Pennell. Pennell was an American travel writer, columnist, biographer and memoirist. Her biographies included the first in almost a century of the proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, and also one of her uncle the folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland. Coincidentally, Charles Godfrey Leland compiled the book “Algonquin Legends” that the recent Snoozecast episode “Badger the Mischief Maker” was based on. — read by 'N' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to “Pride and Prejudice”, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, episode one aired on August 28th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode, it aired on October 19th, 2020. Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. In the previous episode, the Bennet's learn that they are to be paid a visit by a distant cousin, Mr. Collins, who also will inherit their estate when Mr. Bennet passes. We will pick up in the middle of his visit to the family. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter to “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “The PC and the PO”.  Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters.  If you would like to start at the beginning, find the first episode that aired on December 18th, 2019. If you would like a refresher from the last chapter, it aired on October 14th, 2020.  In the previous chapter, Meg allows herself to be made over as a wealthy belle of the ball by the Moffat family she is staying with. She has an emotional roller coaster at the actual ball- pride, embarrassment and finally tipsy revelry. She hears more talk about her and her family that she doesn’t appreciate. Meg feels glad to be home, and gets heartwarming advice from her mother. Marmee tells her that it is more important to be a good person, and to be happy, than to be too focused on marrying into wealth lest one be miserable. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a short story by H.G. Wells in 1897 titled “The Crystal Egg”. The story tells of a shop owner, named Mr. Cave, who finds a strange crystal egg that serves as a window into the planet Mars. This is the fifth time H.G. Wells has been featured on Snoozecast. If you enjoy this story, be sure to look for “The Time Machine”, The Island of Dr. Moreau, “The Wonderful Visit”, and “The Invisible Man. — read by 'M' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second and final part to “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”, a short story written by Louisa May Alcott. Please find the first part that aired on November 16th, 2020.  “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving” is a simple story set in the early 1800s, featuring a country family in New Hampshire. It’s full of idyllic and peaceful descriptions from an earlier time. In part one, the Bassett parents rush off when they hear that the grandmother was very ill, just as a snowstorm was starting. This left all the children to manage the farmhouse on their own. Luckily, they are a resourceful and industrious group.  We’ll pick up with oldest sister Tilly and Prue in the kitchen, as they are starting their first attempt at a Thanksgiving feast on their own. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to ""The Influence of the Stars"" published in 1904.  "The Influence of the Stars" was written by Rosa Baughan, the eldest daughter of an eminent London newspaper man. She soon established a reputation of her own - as one of the most intriguing spiritualists in Victorian Britain. In her short life, she published more than twenty titles devoted to graphology, divination and astrology. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Washington Square”, written by Henry James and published in 1880. The novel recounts the conflict between a dull but sweet daughter and her brilliant, unemotional father. The plot of the novel is based upon a true story told to James by his close friend, a British actress.  The book is often compared with Jane Austen's work (who of course, wrote “Pride and Prejudice”) for the clarity and grace of its prose and its intense focus on family relationships. This is the second time Henry James is featured on Snoozecast. You can find “The Turn of the Screw” back in October 2019. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”, written by Louisa May Alcott after she wrote The Little Women trilogy. It’s a simple story set in the early 1800s, featuring a country family in New Hampshire. It’s full of idyllic and peaceful descriptions from an earlier time. Alcott was an American writer, raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents. She grew up among many of the well-known intellectuals of the day, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our Magic Cloak series, from the book “Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak”, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. “The Magic Cloak” episode one aired on Nov 11, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode again, it aired October 5th, 2020.  The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote “The Wizard of Oz”, commented this was the best book he had written.  In the last episode, while Bud and Fluff glory in their new positions of authority and their possessions, Aunt Rivette wants to show off her good fortune. She asks Fluff if she can wear her cloak, and she becomes so tired walking that she wishes she could fly. Two wings sprout from Aunt Rivette's back, and she flies up in a confused panic.  We will pick up after Fluff convinces Bud that he can’t just play with his toys all day, even if he is the supreme ruler of the land. He must do all the disagreeable things a king is supposed to do, like attending the royal receptions he is invited to. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next chapter to "Peter Pan", the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first part aired on March 20th, 2019. If you’d like a refresher by listening to the previous episode, it aired on September 30th, 2020. In the last episode, we learn about the underground abode of the lost boys. Tinkerbell has her own little cubby hole of a fancy bedroom. Wendy ends up doing all the boys housework and cooking. Wendy also tries to help her brothers along with other boys remember their parents, by giving them quizzes on the subject. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story The Devoted Friend, written by Oscar Wilde, published in 1910. Wilde was an Irish poet and playwright. He is best remembered for his epigrams and plays and his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. In this fable, told by a linnet, or songbird in the finch family, to teach a water rat some life skills, Hans is an innocent gardener and the devoted friend of a wealthy but manipulative Miller. In this story, Wilde pokes fun at a society where charity is less about love and more about ensuring that the wealthy benefit. — read by 'V' — Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to "The Princess and the Goblin", a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872.  If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode, part four aired September 23rd, 2020. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s "The Princess and the Goblin" tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, Curdie, our little hero who works as a miner within the caves of the mountain, realizes part of the Goblin’s devious plans: that they may flood the mines and destroy them with any miners in them. Curdie went home to his father’s house and have some sleep. Meanwhile, we will pick back up at the introduction of Princess Irene’s father, the King Papa." — read by 'V' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story "The Adventure of The Speckled Band" from "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", published in 1891 and written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  The story tells of Helen Stoner, a soon-to-be married young woman who suspects her stepfather may be trying to kill her in order to retain control of her inheritance. Convinced of her stepfather's intentions, she turns to Holmes for help.  "The Speckled Band" is a classic locked room mystery that deals with the themes of parental greed, inheritance and freedom. Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story. — read by 'N' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the 1865 Mark Twain short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. It was Twain’s first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. In it, the narrator retells a story he heard from a bartender, Simon Wheeler in California, about the gambler named Jim Smiley.  Jim Smiley is described as betting on just about anything, for example, on the travels of a “straddle bug”. If you’re wondering what a straddle bug is, just picture a large, commonplace beetle. — read by 'N' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for the last episode of our second annual October classic horror series, we’ll read a Snoozecast original called “Night Spell.”  It’s Halloween Night and all the nocturnal animals of the forest will be attending a very important function. Where are they off to this evening?  Besides a cameo from Maggie in this story, you may also notice poet Robert Frost, for a spell. — read by 'V' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story "Heidi", published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode before this one, it aired on September 28th, 2020. "Heidi" is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. "Heidi" is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature.  In the previous episode, Clara Sessemann’s grandmama comes to visit. The grandmama takes a liking to Heidi and inspires her to start reading. Heidi has trouble reading at first, and is still homesick, but by the end of the episode is able to find some solace in stories that remind her of her mountain home. — read by 'V' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "Herbs for Incantations", an excerpt from "The Folk-lore of Plants" by T. F. Thiselton-Dyer, published in 1889.  The Reverend Thiselton-Dyer was a British curate and vicar, along with a writer of popular non-fiction books such as this one along with “Strange Pages from Family Papers”, which was considered a masterpiece of popular historical writing.  He was particularly admired for his ability to couple in-depth research with the suspense and excitement normally associated with the nascent art of detective fiction. — read by 'V' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, during our second annual October classic horror series, we’ll read the opening to "Dracula", an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.  "Dracula" introduced the character of Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy. The novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse. — read by 'M' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 Tonight, we’ll read the next part to The Secret Garden, a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020. The most recent episode, part 3, aired September 16th, 2020.  In the last episode, Martha the maid encourages Mary to explore the grounds and gardens of Misselthwaite Manor. Martha also lets Mary know there is a locked, walled garden that had belonged to Mr. Craven’s deceased wife. Mary finds a wall so covered in ivy that it doesn't seem to have a door at all. As she is searching, she meets the crusty old gardener Ben Weatherstaff, and his friend, a sweet little songbird of the Robin variety. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, episode one aired on August 28th, 2019.  If you’d like to listen to the last episode, it aired on September 11th, 2020. Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.  In the previous episode, Mrs. Bennet, the matriarch of the family, schemes to marry her daughter Jane to Bingley but it ends up making the daughters look bad when they overstay their welcome. Darcy is prejudiced against Jane and her family’s lowly social connections. Though Mrs. Bennet is disappointed that Jane and Elizabeth didn't stay longer, Mr. Bennet is glad to have them back. He had missed their conversation amid younger sister’s Kitty and Lydia's infatuation with anything related to the regiment. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, for our second annual October classic horror series, we’ll read a Swedish fairytale called The Werewolf.  Until the 20th century, wolf attacks on humans were an occasional, but still widespread feature of life in Europe. Some scholars have suggested that it was inevitable that wolves, being the most feared predators in Europe, were projected into the folklore of evil shapeshifters. Areas devoid of wolves typically use different kinds of predator to fill the niche; werehyenas in Africa, weretigers in India, as well as werepumas, and werejaguars in southern South America.  Werewolvery was a common accusation in witch trials throughout their history. A peak of attention to lycanthropy, or the clinical diagnosis of werewolvery, came in the late 16th to early 17th century, as part of the European witch-hunts. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part to the ninth chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Meg Goes to Vanity Fair”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters.  If you would like to start at the beginning, find the first episode that aired on December 18th, 2019. If you would like a refresher from the last chapter, it aired on September 7th, 2020.  In the previous chapter, Meg stays with the wealthy Moffat family to celebrate Belle Moffat’s coming-out party as she was turning sixteen. The March family, however, is too poor for this sort of party. Meg and her family collect all of their nicest clothing for her, but when Meg gets to the Moffat’s, it soon becomes clear that her nicest clothing is nowhere near nice enough.  The Moffat’s are kind to Meg but are clearly dismayed by the difference. Meg also is shocked and dismayed to learn that the Moffat’s think Meg’s mother is scheming to marry Meg to her younger neighbor Laurie, in order to marry her into Laurie’s wealth. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an Armenian folktale titled “The Betrothed of Destiny”. It comes from A.G. Sekelmann’s 1898 “The Golden Maiden and other Armenian folktales. This particular story features a fearless, strong heroine. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, during our second annual October classic horror series, we'll read "The Ghost Ship", written by Richard Middleton published posthumously in 1912.  Middleton was a tragic figure - a young man impatient for success, who managed to live the archetypal life of the Romantic Bohemian poet, complete with poverty and unrequited love for an impossible woman. None of his novels were published while he was alive. Soon after his death, he was quote unquote discovered and critically acclaimed for the brilliance of his work and the brevity of his life.  If you enjoy this story, be sure to check out Snoozecast's other Middleton episode to date, titled "The Magic Carpet." -- read by 'M' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we'll read excerpts from "The Feasts of Autolycus" , including "An Autumn Dinner" and "The Magnificent Mushroom", published in 1900 and edited by Elizabeth Robins Pennell.  Pennell was an American travel writer, columnist, biographer and memoirist. Her biographies included the first in almost a century of the proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, and also one of her uncle the folklorist Charles Godfrey Leland.  Coincidentally, Charles Godfrey Leland compiled the book "Algonquin Legends" that the recent Snoozecast episode "Badger the Mischief Maker" was based on. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to our Magic Cloak series, from the book "Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak", a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. "The Magic Cloak" part 1 aired on Nov 11, 2019.  If you’d like to listen to the previous episode again, it aired September 2nd, 2020. The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote the Wizard of Oz, commented this was the best book he had written. This episode will start at the opening of Chapter Seven.  In the last episode, King Bud and Princess Fluff preside over the royal court and have their first try at official decision-making. At the end of session, their miserable Aunt Rivette bursts in and demands to be given better accommodations and money to spend since she is family. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, during our second annual October classic horror series, we’ll read "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", a gothic story by American author Washington Irving. Written while Irving was living abroad in Birmingham, England, it is among the earliest examples of American fiction with enduring popularity, especially during Halloween.  The Headless Horseman was believed to be a Hessian soldier who was decapitated by a cannonball in battle. Hessians was what the American’s called German soldiers who fought for the British during the Revolutionary War.  If you enjoy this story, be sure to check out Snoozecast’s earlier episodes of Rip Van Winkle part one and part two, also written by Irving. -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the next chapter to "Peter Pan", the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first part aired on March 20th, 2019. If you’d like a refresher by listening to the previous episode, part 6 aired on August 26th, 2020. In the last episode, Peter Pan flies in right after Tootles has shot Wendy. Peter is about to kill Tootles for the act but finds out that Wendy has in fact not died. The acorn button that was the “kiss” that Peter had given her saves the arrow from hitting Wendy. Peter declares that Tinkerbell is banished for a week from the dastardly deed. The boys build a small house around Wendy. Wendy plays the motherly role of telling the boys a bedtime story before they all fall asleep. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to the classic children’s story "Heidi", published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode before this one, it aired on August 24th, 2020.  "Heidi" is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. "Heidi" is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature. We will pick up at the start of chapter 10.  In the previous episode, Heidi causes lots of cute chaos since she isn’t familiar with the formal life in the city. Miss Rottenmeier the head housekeeper is at odds with Heidi but Heidi always ends up overcoming the adversity due to her sweet nature. Mr. Sesseman, Clara’s father, comes home and Miss Rottenmeier tries her best to turn him against Heidi. Luckily, Mr. Sesseman uses his own perspective on Heidi along with Clara’s enthusiastic embrace of her to let her stay. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from the 1912 book "Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town", from a chapter called “The Speculations of Jefferson Thorpe”. You won’t need to listen to the first episode in order to listen to this episode, as they are non-sequential vignettes.  However, if you would like to find the first episode in this series, it aired on August 23, 2019. This humorous and affectionate account of small-town life in the fictional town of Mariposa is inspired by the author’s experience living in Ontario, Canada.  The book illustrates the inner workings of life in Mariposa—from business to politics to steamboat disasters. In this vignette, we learn about the town’s barbershop, and the leisurely art of the afternoon shave. -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read part 6 to "The Princess and the Goblin", a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode, part four aired August 19th, 2020. One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s "The Princess and the Goblin" tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, Curdie, our little hero who works as a miner within the caves of the mountain, secretly follows a family of goblins to see what they are up to. As he rounds a corner, he stumbles upon what may be the headquarters of the Goblin kingdom. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story of the mischievous animals of Algonquin Legends, particularly the badger, the weasel fairies, the moose and the marten.  This story is based on one found in the book “Algonquin Legends of New England”, published in 1884 and compiled by Charles Godfrey Leland. The Algonquians are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups. Today, thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples. Their legends involve characters who are simultaneously human and at the same time represented by an animal or a magical being, or sometimes both, as is the case of the weasel fairy sisters. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a short work by John Burroughs called "The Exhilaration of the Road". It is taken from a compilation titled "The Footpath Way", an anthology for walkers published in 1911.  John Burroughs was an American nature essayist, active in the U.S. conservation movement. Burroughs accompanied many personalities of the time in his later years, including Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Ford (who gave him an automobile), and Thomas Edison. According to Ford, "John Burroughs, Edison, and I made several vagabond trips together. We went in motor caravans and slept under canvas.” -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the fourth part to "The Secret Garden", a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020. The most recent episode, part 3, aired August 5th, 2020. In the last episode, little Mary and the maid Martha get acquainted.  They are both surprised by the other. Mary is shocked by Martha’s thick Yorkshire dialect and casual, direct manner. Martha is shocked that Mary is helpless to dress herself and is wasteful of eating good food, when her own numerous siblings may go hungry. Where we pick up, Martha has encouraged Mary to walk around outside. -- read by 'V' Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read more stories from "King Arthur and His Knights". If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020.  If you’d like to listen to the most recent previous episode again, “The Great Feast” aired August 3rd, 2020. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.  The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and modern historians generally agree that he is unhistorical. The Knights of the Round Table are the knightly members of the legendary fellowship of the King Arthur in literature. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to "Pride and Prejudice", written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, episode one aired on August 28th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode, it aired on July 27th, 2020.  "Pride and Prejudice" follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.  In the previous episode, Jane Bennet continues to recover from her illness slowly; and in the evening Elizabeth joined the drawing-room party. Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his sister. Elizabeth took up some needlework, and was sufficiently amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and Miss Bingley. Miss Bingley gets jealous with Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy is relieved that Elizabeth is so beneath him that he can’t be tempted into a relationship with her. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale by listener request called "The Twelve Dancing Princesses".  This tale is best known as part of the German Brothers Grimm collection, but there are variants of it from around the world including the folk tales of Russia, Iceland, India, Armenia, France, Turkey and Portugal.  -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the first part of the ninth chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Meg Goes to Vanity Fair”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters. If you would like to start at the beginning, find the first episode that aired on December 18th, 2019. If you would like a refresher from the last chapter, it aired on July 22nd, 2020.  In the previous chapter, "Jo Meets Apollyon" (Napolean), Jo comes to terms with her fiery temper when little sister Amy falls through thin ice due to Jo’s negligence. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story "The Adventure of The Blue Carbuncle" from "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", published in 1891.  The dermatological term “Carbuncle” refers to a painful cluster of boils on the skin. In this case, however, The Blue Carbuncle is a missing and near-priceless gemstone. -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the fourth part to our "The Magic Cloak" series, from the book "Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak", a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905. The Magic Cloak episode one aired on Nov 11, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the previous episode again, Part 3 aired July 15th, 2020.  The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz. Baum, who also wrote the Wizard of Oz, commented this was the best book he had written. This episode will start at the opening of Chapter Four.  In the last episode, orphaned siblings Timothy (who everyone calls "Bud"), the orphaned son of a ferryman who, with his sister Meg (nicknamed "Fluff"), enter town with their stern Aunt Rivette. Timothy is declared the new king of Noland. His sister becomes Princess Fluff, and they take residence in the royal palace.  -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "The Good Anna", a short story written by Gertrude Stein as part of her first published book, titled “Three Lives” published in 1909.  Stein was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector. Born in the United States, she moved to Paris as an adult and stayed there the rest of her life. She hosted a Paris salon, where the leading figures of modernism in literature and art, such as Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Henri Matisse would meet.  Two quotes from Stein’s works have become widely known: "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose," and "there is no there there ”The Good Anna is set in the fictional city of Bridgepoint, which is modeled after Baltimore, MD where Stein lived at one time.‍ — read by 'V' — Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll be reading another chapter from the book "Bird Watching" published in 1901 by Edmund Selous, titled "Watching Gulls and Skuas".If you enjoy this episode, be sure to listen to our "Blackbirds" episode and the "Watching Birds from a Haystack" episode from this series as well.  The author started as a conventional naturalist of his time, but Selous developed a hatred of the common practice at the time of killing animals for scientific study and was a pioneer of bird-watching as a method of scientific study. The author was a solitary man and was not well known in ornithological circles.  He avoided both the company of ornithologists and reading their observations so as to base his conclusions entirely on his own observations. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the sixth chapter to "Peter Pan", the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first part aired on March 20th, 2019. If you’d like a refresher by listening to the last most recent episode, part 5 aired on July 20th, 2020.  In the last episode, the pirates have figured out the lost boys underground hiding spot and wait to plot their attack. Tinkerbell is a vengeful, jealous little fairy and not only attacks the flying Wendy with an assault of mid-air pinches, but tricks the boys on the ground to shoot poor Wendy with an arrow. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read part 7 of the classic children’s story "Heidi", published in 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you’ll find that the very first episode aired on March 8th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode before this one, it aired on July 13th, 2020.  Heidi is a novel about the life of a young girl in her grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. Heidi is one of the best-selling books ever written and is among the best-known works of Swiss literature.  We will pick up at the start of chapter 8. In the last episode, Heidi has only been living in Frankfurt at the grand Sesemann house for a day but she is already missing her mountain home with her grandfather. She mistakes the sounds of the street coaches for the wind racing through fir trees and runs outside. The stern Miss Rottenmeier has been trying to figure out a way to send Heidi back where she came from. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a short story by O. Henry titled “Snow Man” published posthumously in 1917.  William Sydney Porter, pen name O. Henry, is known for his stories with surprise twist endings. This particular story had to be left unfinished by the author as he was dying, so he asked a friend and fellow writer to finish the it for him.  -- read by 'M' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read part 5 to "The Princess and the Goblin", a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired on April 15th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode, part four aired July 3rd, 2020.  One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s The Princess and the Goblin tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, Curdie stayed late to mine in the mountain on his own. In the past he would sometimes hear possible Goblin noises, but on this night he heard an actual conversation between a Goblin family, through a thin wall of rock.  -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original titled “Maggie’s Start Date.” Maggie is the Green family’s loyal dog, however she may have ambitions beyond being household pet... -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read about the history of bread-making in Europe and America, from “The History of Bread”, written by John Ashton and published in 1905. The text mentions visigoths, which were an early Germanic people, and part of the larger political entity of the Goths within the Roman Empire.  -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll be reading the fourth part to "Doctor Dolittle", written in 1920 by British author Hugh Lofting. The full title being, “The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts”. It is the first of Lofting’s "Doctor Dolittle" books, a series of children's novels about a man who learns to talk to animals and becomes their champion around the world.  Hugh Lofting started writing the Dolittle stories as imaginative letters to his children from the battlefield trenches of World War I.If you’d like to start with episode 1, it aired on December 2nd, 2019. Episode 3 aired on May 27th, 2020.  Previously, the good doctor had to deal with all the monkeys. He vaccinated the healthy ones and created a hospital for the sick ones.  -- read by 'M' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "Prince Darling", a french fairy-tale credited to Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont.  The author is also known for the best known version of "Beauty and the Beast". She was one of the first to include folk tales as moralist and educational tools in her writings. Her third husband was the French spy Thomas Pichon. -- read by 'V'  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read short stories including "The Magic Carpet" from the compilation called "The Day Before Yesterday" by Richard Middleton, published posthumously in 1912.  Middleton was a tragic figure- a young man impatient for success, who managed to live the archetypal life of the Romantic Bohemian poet, complete with poverty, unrequited love for an impossible woman, and an early, tragic death.  No novels were published while he was alive. Soon after his death, he was quote unquote discovered and critically acclaimed for the brilliance of his work and the brevity of his life.Four volumes of his collected works were published, including this one... -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the third part to "The Secret Garden",a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature.If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first episode aired March 9th, 2020.  The most recent episode, part 2, aired April 29th, 2020. In the last episode, Mary and Mrs. Medlock take the train to Misselthwaite Manor. Mary sees the moor for the first time. It reminds her of the sea because of the sound of wind rushing across it. In the manor, she only meets her uncle Mr. Craven’s servants because Mr. Craven doesn’t care to see her.  She meets a young maid named Martha when she wakes up. Martha speaks in a Yorkshire dialect Mary has trouble understanding.This is where we will pick back up.  -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read more stories from "King Arthur and His Knights", published in 1903 by Maude L. Radford. If you’d like to listen to the first stories in this series, you can find our episode titled “The Sword Excalibur” that aired on April 10, 2020. King Arthur was a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.  The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and modern historians generally agree that he is unhistorical. The Knights of the Round Table are the knightly members of the legendary fellowship of the King Arthurin literature.  -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part to the story "Tears of Gold", known as "The Blessing of the Mendicant", from from Folk-Tales of the Khasis compiled by Mrs. Rafy in 1920.  The Khasi people are an indigenous ethnic tribe from India. A unique feature of the Khasi people is that they follow the matrilineal system of descent and inheritance.In part 1, a boy named U Babam Doh grows up not knowing that the father he had never known had was eaten by the dragon U Yak Jakor.  The boy was bestowed the ability to cry tears of gold nuggets, because the boy’s mother had eaten some magical rabbit stew. The rabbit was a gift from a wise beggar. U Babam Doh grows up with another boy that is the heir apparent to rule his chiefdom. The prince grows jealous of U Babam Doh’s uncanny luck at winning, and charges him with witchcraft. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story from Folk-Tales of the Khasis called "The Blessing of the Mendicant" (or Beggar), compiled by Mrs. Rafy in 1920.  The Khasi people are an indigenous ethnic tribe from India. A unique feature of the Khasi people is that they follow the matrilineal system of descent and inheritance. A mendicant is a person who relies on alms to survive. This person is often a monk or otherwise part of a religious order.  -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to Pride and Prejudice, written by Jane Austen. If you’d like to listen from the beginning, episode one aired on August 28th, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode, it aired on June 15th, 2020.  Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. In the previous episode, Mrs. Bennet arrives with two more of her daughters, Lydia and Catherine, to visit Jane and Elizabeth at Netherfield.  Mrs. Bennet makes a general fool of herself, trying too hard to convince Bingley to remain there, and boasting about Jane’s beauty. Fifteen year old Lydia Bennet boldly asks Bingley whether he will hold a ball at Netherfield.  -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the story "The Man With The Twisted Lip from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", published in 1891. This mystery deals with London opium dens, missing gentleman and their worried wives. [Editor's note: This episode contains themes that may not be suitable for some listeners]. -- read by 'N' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the eighth chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Jo Meets Apollyon”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters.If you would like to start at the beginning, find the first episode that aired on December 18th, 2019.  If you would like a refresher from the last chapter, it aired on June 3rd, 2020. In the previous chapter, Amy’s Valley of Humiliation, Amy borrows money in order to obtain trendy pickled limes, and gets in trouble for it with the teacher. Her harsh punishment leads to her mother, Marmee, allowing her to take a break from going to school, although Marmee also warns Amy about her conceited nature.  -- read by 'V' Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we shall read the fifth chapter to Peter Pan, the 1911 novel by J.M. Barrie. If you’d like to start this story from the beginning, you can find the first part aired on March 20th, 2019. If you’d like a refresher by listening to the last most recent episode, part 4 aired on April 15th, 2020.  In chapter 4, Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Michael, and Tinker Bell fly toward Neverland for many days. They approach Neverland as the sun is setting. The island looks ominous at dusk. Pirates fire at them as they approach, and Tinker Bell thinks of a jealous plan to rid herself of Wendy. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from 1892’s The Chemistry of Cookery by W. Mattieu Williams titled Count Rumford’s Substitute for Tea and Coffee. Who is this Count Rumford, you may ask? Well, to summarize Count Rumford’s life in modern words: Benjamin Thompson was an interesting fellow. Born in Massachusetts in 1753, he charmed and married an heiress from Concord, New Hampshire, then called Rumford NH. He was a British loyalist when the American Revolutionary War began. When a rebel mob attacked his house, he abandoned his house and family to join the British side of the war and conducted experiments on gunpowder. Then he moved to Bavaria, and among other things applied his scientific skills to establishing workhouses for the poor and inventing the method of cooking called Sous Vide. For his efforts in science and society his awarded the title of Count. He chose the name Rumford for the town he was married in some twenty years earlier. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the third part to our The Magic Cloak series, from the book Queen Zixi of Ix, or The Story of the Magic Cloak, a children's book written by L. Frank Baum and published in 1905.  The Magic Cloak episode one aired on Nov 11, 2019. If you’d like to listen to the last episode again, Part 2 aired March 30th, 2020. The events of the book alternate between Noland and Ix, two neighboring regions to the Land of Oz.  Baum, who also wrote the Wizard of Oz, commented this was the best book he had written. This episode will start at the opening of Chapter Four. In the last episode, the kingdom of Noland’s high counselors are trying to decide how to choose a successor to the dead king. It turns out that there is an obscure law that the forty-seventh person to pass through the gates would be declared ruler. Meanwhile, orphaned children Meg, AKA Fluff, and Timothy, AKA Bud, along with their stern Aunt Rivette, are headed for town when Meg is gifted a magic cloak by a fairy. The magic cloak brings her a magical happiness. -- read by 'V' -- Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we'll read pt. 6 from Johanna Spyri's "Heidi" first published in 1881. -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part to the fairy tale called "The White Cat", credited to Madame d’Aulnoy. In part 1, the old king devises to distract his sons from taking over the throne with a sort of fool’s errand to find him the perfect beautiful lap dog. Whoever won would also take over the kingdom.  The youngest son stumbles upon a magical castle with a lovely talking cat, known as the White Cat. She gives him an acorn that she says carries the tiniest, most perfect dog, to bring to his father.  As an aside, the story mentions that the prince brings with him a “turnspit dog”. This was a lowly breed of dog that is now extinct. It was kept in kitchens and ran on a wheel to turn the spit, or rotisserie that meat cooked on. The turnspit may have been an ancestor to either a modern Corgi, or the Glen terrier.  In order not to overexert a dog with this hot and unpleasant work they were often kept in pairs, so that they could be worked in shifts. It is believed that this is the origin of the proverb 'every dog has his day.’The Turnspit dog was also used as foot warmers at church, and it is said that Queen Victoria kept retired turspits as pets.  -- read by 'V' --  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a fairy tale called The White Cat, credited to Madame Comtesse d’Aulnoy. Madame d’Aulnoy’s tales were designed to entertain literary salon attendees for hours so they tended to be long, complicated and political. She could not openly criticize the regime of Louis the Fourteenth, or the way aristocratic women were entrapped within it, but she could tell her fairy tales, as in this one.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read “If On a Summer’s Night a Traveler...”, a Snoozecast original.  The story is an homage to Julio Cortazar’s “The Continuity of Parks” and Italo Calvino’s “If on a winter’s night a traveler”. This meta-fiction follows a group around the campfire deciding what story to tell, while eventually settling on one that seems to converge — with their own reality.  — read by 'M' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read part 4 to, "The Princess and the Goblin", a children’s fantasy novel, published in 1872.  One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald’s "The Princess and the Goblin" tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home.  When we left off, the princess and her nurse Lootie go for a walk and get lost. As they try to make their way back, the day gets later and the shadows longer. Lootie is afraid of breaking the most important rule- to never let the princess be out in the dark, due to goblin issues. Luckily, they meet a mining boy named Curdie who helps them back to safety.   — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: April 15, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: July 29, 2019 — pt. 3 air date: March 23, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to "The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices", written in collaboration by Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins.  The book reads as an autobiographical tour taken by the two of them in the north of Britain. The Lazy Tour takes place in the year 1857 and provides insight into the friendship and adventures of the pair of titans of Victorian literature.  — read by 'M' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from the book "Fresh Fields" by John Burroughs, published in 1896. The main section we will read is titled At Sea.  John Burroughs was an American nature essayist, active in the U.S.conservation movement. Burroughs accompanied many personalities of the time in his later years, including Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Ford (who gave him an automobile), and Thomas Edison. — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Also known as "The Arabian Nights", "One Thousand and One Nights" is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age, which ran from the 8th to the 14th centuries. In the first part of the story, we meet the Persian emperor Kosrouschah. We also meet 3 sisters- one who becomes the emperor’s queen, and the other two become wives of the emperor’s baker and his royal chef. These two become jealous of the queen so when she gives birth to two sons and a daughter, the sisters secretly steal and abandon each baby. The royal babies are all found by the emperor’s gardener and raised as his own. — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: June 24, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we are offering the first part of the story “The Talking Bird, The Singing Tree and the Golden Water” from One Thousand and One Nights. This episode is remastered and rebroadcast - the original air date was on January 11th, 2019. Our next episode will feature part two of this story.  Also known as "The Arabian Nights", "One Thousand and One Nights" is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age, which ran from the 8th to the 14th centuries. Some tales themselves trace their roots back to ancient and medieval Arabic, Persian, Greek, Indian, Jewish and Turkish folklore and literature.  What is common throughout all the editions of the "Nights" is the initial frame story of the ruler and his wife and the framing device incorporated throughout the tales themselves. The stories proceed from this original tale; some are framed within other tales, while others begin and end of their own accord. Some editions contain only a few hundred nights, while others include 1,001 or more. — read by 'V' —  pt. 2 air date: June 26, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read another excerpt from “In New England Fields and Woods”, written by Rowland Evans Robinson in 1896. Robinson was, in his time, one of Vermont’s best known writers.  This collection of short essays follows New England's changing seasons and moods in all its natural beauty. This particular selection covers the month of June, along with bullfrogs and angler fishing.  Angling is the type of fishing, unlike trolling or long lining for example, that one typically assumes when one thinks of the activity- that of a hook on a line with a rod.  — read by 'N' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, by Patreon supporter request, we’ll read "A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains", a travel book, by Isabella Bird, describing her 1873 trip to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  The book is a compilation of letters, that Isabella Bird wrote to her sister, Henrietta. Women were scarce enough in the Western United States of the late nineteenth century, and a middle-aged English lady traveling alone, by horseback, was quite a phenomenon.  Bird was a nineteenth-century British explorer, writer,photographer,and naturalist. From early on, Bird was frail and suffered from headaches and insomnia. Doctors recommended open air and exercise, so Bird learned to ride horseback.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the third part to the classic 1847 novel "Jane Eyre", by English writer Charlotte Bronte. It is the story of a young, orphaned girl who lives with her Aunt and cousins and is mistreated by them. The novel is considered one of the greatest works of English fiction.  — read by 'V' —   pt. 1 air date: September 9, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: January 29, 2019  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the next part to "Pride and Prejudice", written by Jane Austen. "Pride and Prejudice" follows Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.  In the previous episode, Jane Bennet falls ill on a visit to Bingley’s house, and is forced to remain there sick. Her sister Elizabeth goes to visit her. Jane insists that her sister spend the night. That night, while Elizabeth visits Jane, the Bingley sisters poke fun at the Bennets. Darcy and Mr. Bingley defend them, though Darcy concedes that the Bennets’ lack of wealth and family make them poor marriage prospects. — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: August 28, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: October 21, 2019 — pt. 3 air date: December 4, 2019 — pt. 4 air date: March 11, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a chapter titled “An Old Road” from "A Rambler’s Lease" by Bradford Torrey, published in 1892.  Torrey was an American ornithologist. He also edited a book of Thoreau’s journal writings. He wrote a preface to A Rambler’s Lease paraphrased as follows: “The writer of this little book has found so much pleasure in other men's woods and fields that he has come to look upon himself as in some sort the owner of them. Their lawful possessors will not begrudge him this feeling, he believes, nor take it amiss if he assumes, even in this public way, to hold a rambler's lease of their property. His private opinion is that the world belongs to those who enjoy it.”  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to, "The Invisible Man", a science fiction novel by H.G. Wells, published in 1897. The Invisible Man refers to a scientist named Griffin, devoted to research into optics.  He invents a way to become invisible. He tests it on himself successfully, only to find that he cannot reverse it. The novel is considered influential, and helped establish Wells as the "father of science fiction".  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read The Golden Goose, from Katherine Pyle’s 1918 "Mother’s Nursery Tales". The Golden Goose was collected by The Brothers Grimm. In this tale, The Golden Goose, a simple and sweet man named John finds a goose with golden feathers- and it turns his whole world on its head.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Soul of Golf” by P.A. Vaile, published in 1912. Vaile was born in 1866, and wrote many books on the subject of golf.  The modern game of golf originated in 15th century Scotland, but it’s ancient origins are unclear and much debated. Versions of the game may harken back to ancient Rome or China. — read by 'M' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the seventh chapter of “Little Women” by American author Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868, titled “Amy’s Valley of Humiliation”. Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the novel details their passage from childhood to womanhood and is loosely based on the author and her sisters.  In the previous chapter, shy Beth and old Mr. Laurence become friends. Beth reminds Mr. Laurence of his beloved but deceased granddaughter. He gives Beth a piano as a gift.  — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: December 18, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: December 25, 2019 — pt. 3 air date: January 1, 2020 — pt. 4 air date: February 12, 2020 — pt. 5 air date: March 4, 2020 — pt. 6 air date: April 1, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "Snow White", a 19th-century German fairy tale which is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812.  The seven dwarfs were first given individual names in the 1912 Broadway play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and then given different names in Walt Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  The Grimm story, which is commonly referred to as "Snow White", should not be confused with the story of "Snow-White and Rose-Red", another fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from "Healthful Sports for Boys", by A.R. Calhoun. Also known as Alfred Rochfort, born in 1844, Calhoun was an American soldier, author, journalist and critic. He served in the Union army during the U.S. Civil War. He was born in Kentucky and died in Brooklyn in 1912.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll be reading the third part to "Doctor Dolittle", written in 1920 by British author Hugh Lofting. The full title being, “The Story of Doctor Dolittle, Being the History of His Peculiar Life at Home and Astonishing Adventures in Foreign Parts”.  It is the first of Lofting’s Doctor Dolittle books, a series of children's novels about a man who learns to talk to animals and becomes their champion around the world.  Previously, the good doctor’s animal collection grows. Dr. Dolittle takes a ship to Africa to help with an epidemic, and introduces himself to the native people.  — read by 'M' —  pt. 1 air date: December 2, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: February 3, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to "Roughing It", by Mark Twain, published in 1872.   It is a semi-autobiographical travel memoir following a young Twain through the Wild West during the 1860s.  US Astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell read Roughing It aloud to pass the time aboard a two week long mission orbiting the earth in 1965.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to "Lorna Doone", a Romance of Exmoor, a novel published in 1869 and written by English author Richard Doodridge Blackmore.  "Lorna Doone" is based on a group of historical characters set in the late 17th century. John Ridd is the son of a farmer who is murdered by a member of the Doone clan.  The Doone’s were once noble but now outlaws. John falls in love with a girl named Lorna who turns out to be from this very clan he loathes.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a story called, "Fortunatus". It is inspired by a German tale regarding a legendary hero popular in 15th and 16th century Europe.  "Fortunatus" is a tale which marks the passing of the feudal world into the more modern, globalized, capitalist world.  The moral of the story is that it is far too easy, without wisdom, to lose one's fortune, no matter how it was acquired.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read a Japanese folk tale called "The Story of Urashima Taro, the Fisher Lad", compiled in Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki.  Urashima is a fisherman rewarded for rescuing a turtle. The tale, sometimes called the “Japanese Rip van Winkle”, originates from 8th century Japanese literature.  It is considered a national fairy tale.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read "Terra Nova", a Snoozecast original.  In this short story, a young man meets a trio of travellers who provide a new perspective on the isolated village he wants to leave. Set in Canada’s Gros Morne National Park, a World Heritage Site, this tale draws inspiration from The Tablelands.  The striking, desert-esque landscape is notable for illustrating the theory of plate tectonics.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part to, "The Swiss Family Robinson". "The Swiss Family Robinson" is an 1812 novel by Johann David Wyss, about a Swiss family shipwrecked in the East Indies en route to Australia. Wyss, a Swiss pastor, originally wrote this book to entertain and instruct his four sons.  In part 1, The Robinsons' ship wrecks and the family decide to explore what is left the next day. They make a boat and decide to set sail for an island on the horizon.  — read by 'N' —  pt. 1 air date: January 22, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, by listener request, we’ll read the second and final part to the story, "The Princess of Babylon".  This story is taken from a lesser known philosophical tale by Voltaire, written in 1768. The story focuses on Amazan, a handsome, unknown shepherd, and Formosanta, the Princess of Babylon, whose love and jealousy drive them to travel the world.  In the first episode, the king holds a competition of the world’s rulers who were interested in marrying his daughter, the princess. The games would be impossibly difficult. A handsome and magical stranger appears out of seeming thin air to win the games, however he is suddenly called away to care to matters at home.  — read by 'V' —  pt.1 air date: January 6, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to Wassily Kandinsky’s, “Concerning the Spiritual in Art”, published in 1911.  Kandinsky, a Russian painter and art theorist, is credited as the pioneer of abstract art. This text is the artist’s meditation on how the creative process feeds a spiritual hunger within the artist.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to, "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by Laurence Sterne and published in 1759.  As its title suggests, the book is about Tristram's narration of his life story. But one of the central jokes of the novel is that he cannot explain anything simply; he must make diversions to add interest to his tale, to the extent that Tristram's own birth is not even reached until far into the book. Its style is marked by digression,double entendre, and graphic devices.  — read by 'V' —  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, by Patreon supporter request, we’ll read pt. 2 to, "The Yellow Dwarf" from "The Blue Fairy Book" edited by Andrew Lang in 1889.  "The Yellow Dwarf" story originated from the Countess d'Aulnoy, a 17th century French writer known for her fairy tales. In part I, Bellissima is a beautiful princess who has a spell put on her by the yellow dwarf that her and him should marry.  Bellissima moves forward with her life in hopes that the spell isn’t true, and plans to marry one of the many kings who want to betroth her.  — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: May 4, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, by listener request, we’ll read the fourth installment to 1877’s, "Black Beauty" by Anna Sewall. "Black Beauty" is one of the best-selling books of all time.  When we left off, we learned Ginger’s story. Ginger is a mean-spirited horse- or so she seems, until you hear her experience and mistreatment. Even the well behaved pony named Merrylegs sometimes has trouble with human behavior, but Merrylegs is wiser in how he responds.  — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: September 25, 2019 — pt. 2 air date: November 20, 2019 — pt. 3 air date: January 20, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight, we’ll read the second part to "The Secret Garden",a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1911. Set in England, it is now one of Burnett's most popular novels and seen as a classic of English children's literature.  In the first episode, we learn of the unloved and unloving Mary. When cholera breaks out, she is left all alone in the world. She is then sent from India to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven.  — read by 'V' —  pt. 1 air date: March 9, 2020  Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/snoozecast) Listen Ad-Free on Patreon See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.