Best 100 Literary Fiction Podcasts

A monthly reading and conversation with the New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman.

New Yorker fiction writers read their stories.

Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books is the award-winning, author-interview podcast hosted by author, bookstore owner and publisher, Zibby Owens, dubbed 'NYC's Most Powerful Book-fluencer' (Vulture). (Zibby's novel Blank is a USA Today bestseller!) Hear from your favorite celebrities, novelists, memoirists, and others to keep you in-the-know, help you find the next book for you, and inspire you!Sign up for our newsletters here and learn more on zibbymedia.com. Please rate and review the podcast if you love it!!***Music by Morning Moon Music.Sound editing by TexturesSound.Hosting by Acast.To inquire about advertising, please contact allie.gallo@acast.com.***Thank you to this week's sponsors:K12: K12 Powered Schools are tuition-free online accredited public schools for kindergarten through 12th grade, designed to help your child to learn at their own pace, in their own place, and with an engaging curriculum that supports individual learning styles. Join the more than 2 million families who have been served by K12, and empower your student to reach their full potential now. Go to K12.com/ZIBBY today to learn more and find a tuition-free K12-powered school near you.ADT: ADT is America's most trusted name in home security. From cameras to doorbells and more, get peace of mind when you're home or away. Get started at ADT.com.Life360: Life360 is a family connection and safety app that lets you keep track of the people and things that are most important to you. Put away the bubble wrap and protect your loved ones with Life360. Visit Life360.com or download the app today and use code BOOKS to get one month of the gold package for free, plus 15% off all Tiles! more

Poured Over is a show for readers who pore over details, obsess over sentences and ideas and stories and characters; readers who ask a lot of questions, just like Poured Over's host, Miwa Messer, a career bookseller who's always reading. Follow us here for surprising riffs, candid conversations, a few laughs, and lots of great book recommendations from big-name authors and authors on their way to being big names. more

BOOKS ∙ WORKSHOPS ∙ PODCAST

Led by James Naughtie, a group of readers talk to acclaimed authors about their best-known novels

Literature discussions on James Joyce, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway and more. If you are into Literary Fiction, let's start talking! Join us in a conversational approach to literature! more

Marginalia is a weekly podcast hosted by KMUW's Beth Golay. Episodes feature author interviews, editorial commentary and other marginalia to enhance the reading experience.Several of Beth's interviews are included each year in NPR's Book Concierge.Listen to the episodes at kmuw.org or subscribe to the Marginalia podcast wherever you get your podcasts. more

A podcast for writers and readers who are obsessive about their books. Interviews with established and up-and-coming writers, and recommendations for the best in contemporary fiction, poetry, and drama. Chris Holmes. Chris is Chair of Literatures in English and Associate Professor at Ithaca College. He writes criticism on contemporary global literatures. He is the co-director of The New Voices Festival, a celebration of work in poetry, prose, and playwriting by up-and-coming young writers. more

Harshaneeyam is a podcast about Literary fiction focussing on Translated works from across the world and Telugu Short stories/Novels. Interviews with Translators from different languages, conversations with Famous Telugu writers and introduction of Novels and Short story collections form the content of our podcast. You can contact us at harshaneeyam@gmail.com#Translations #katha # telugu #telugukatha #story This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpChartable - https://chartable.com/privacy more

Podcast literalmente literario en el que ficcionamos relatos y audiolibros de todos los géneros, tanto de autores consagrados como de nuevos talentos literarios. Presentado y narrado por Xavi Villanueva more

Book Spider (previously known as The God Setebos) is a book-of-the-week podcast primarily covering novels, with the occasional detour into nonfiction, literary criticism, poetry, and music. We pride ourselves in running a smart podcast for the discerning listener, and we strive for the highest level of intellectual rigor.Our mascot, the book spider, sits in its cold corner, gathering its web of text, looking at the world with its calm, chilly eyes. more

Hosted by Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan, fiction/non/fiction interprets current events through the lens of literature, and features conversations with writers of all stripes, from novelists and poets to journalists and essayists. more

„Das Literarische Quartett' mit Gastgeberin Thea Dorn ist der literarische Salon im ZDF-Fernsehen: Vier leidenschaftliche Leserinnen und Leser diskutieren alle zwei Monate darüber, welche Romane wirklich lesenswert und relevant sind. Wir bieten hier die ZDF-Sendung zum Nachhören als Podcast an. more

This timeless novel highlights the abuse and neglect that the orphaned Jane Eyre faced while growing up.This story opens with Jane Eyre being shipped off to be cared for by her uncle Mr. Reed who lived at the Gateshead Hall. Her uncle was always kind to her but his wife, Sarah Reed was anything but. Sarah's son John and Sarah's two daughters also contributed to Jane's torment. Jane was excluded from all family activities and found solace only in her books and dolls.One day John knocked her down and she tried to defend herself. This earned her a traumatic lock up in the room where her uncle died. At one point, she thought that she could see his ghost and this so terrified the poor child that an apothecary had to be called in. The kind man advised Sarah Reed to send Jane off to boarding school and she was subsequently sent to Lowood.Seen through Jane's eyes, Lowood was only marginally better than Gateshead but at least she had friends there. The book will take you way back to the days of bumpy carriage rides and class discrimination. It is also a glimpse into some historical aspects of England centuries ago and the antiquated notions that were held at the time.Charlotte Bronte tells an amazing story about a woman who faces issues of respect in an era when women were not permitted to stand up to society. Eventually Jane finds an employer that supports her but the shadowy and ominous Mr. Rochester, hides a dreadful secret that threatens Jane's happiness. more

Works written and produced by Soren Narnia. The text of these stories is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA. Email: songofsadbirds@aol.com -- When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher asked me to sit next to a handicapped kid named Sean and help him along a little if I could. It wasn't easy, because he was quite slow, but I tried. When Sean got especially excited about something, or if he was told he had done something well, he would smile and shout out nonsense words. One of them I remember, which he used to shout many times over the few months I sat beside him, was 'Sorinarneeya!' Again and again, it was a harmless word he used when he was happy, and seeing my puzzled expression would just make him say it once more, even more pleased than the first time: 'Sorinarneeya!' For some reason that word stuck with me for years, until one day as an adult I realized how neatly and curiously it cut in half. And I thought that was so perfect, how this little gem of a thing had sprung from a bit of the absurd and a bit of the tragic. That seemed like all of life to me: momentary bits of perfection out of all the absurdity and tragedy. And amazingly, they just keep on coming. - SN more

Brandon Budda and Glenn McDorman travel through the works of the great speculative-fiction writer Gene Wolfe one story at a time. more

The Podcast about Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In each episode, I will comment on a section of the book, to make it a bit less daunting, and hopefully help you enjoy it a bit more. I am a professor, but this podcast is created with a non-academic, non-expert, non-French-speaking audience in mind--that is, anyone who'd like to dive into this classic!Views expressed in this podcast are solely those of its creator, who does not speak on behalf of any other person or entity. more

Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen's classic comic romance, in which the five Bennett sisters try to find that most elusive creature: a single man in possession of a large fortune. Sparks fly when sweet, pretty Jane meets their new neighbor, Mr. Bingley, but her sister Elizabeth is most offended by his haughty friend, Mr. Darcy. This is Austen at the height of her powers: the ironic narration, hilariously drawn supporting characters, and romantic suspense make this her most enduringly popular novel. (Summary by Elizabeth Klett) more

The podcast talks about Jane Austen's Emma.

In Nighttime Stories, the narrator H.P. Nightly reads to you stories selected each week to please, stimulate, or (hopefully) make you think. And if not that, at the very least, we aim to amuse you. Listen on to fill and haunt and dim life, turn your mind like the knob to a closet door you can't remember, arrest the senses by one means (the spoken word) and fill the void that inevitably comes to us each night. more

A literary fiction podcast hosted by authors Jaimie Batchan and Lochlan Bloom. We talk to fellow writers of literary fiction about the process, what makes fiction 'real', and the motivation to sit down in front of an empty page and make things up... more

The Chancery Court had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including administration of estates, the guardianship of orphans, and disputed property disbursement. In Dickens' time, some cases could take years to be settled, changing the lives of those involved.Esther Summerson, a young woman raised in a tough and unloving atmosphere, is unexpectedly requested to be a companion to two teenage orphans, Richard Carstone and Ada Clare, for whom the court has appointed as guardian, John Jarndyce. They take up residence at Mr. Jarndyce's home, Bleak House. The story of their lives and fortunes is the main thrust of the novel, and is related at times through the eyes of Esther, whose gentle point of view gives the reader a different and more intimate perspective.Richard is sure his fortune is 'just around the corner' when the case of Jarndyce-v-Jarndyce, of which he and Ada will be beneficiaries, is settled. He tries his hand at a career or two, but he becomes obsessed with hastening the probate of the willed fortune he feels must soon be theirs. Further difficulties arise when he and Ada fall in love, while he, penniless, continues the quest to bring his case to justice.A scriber of legal documents dies, and from his death, questions arise which unearth secrets that the Jarndyce's neighbour, Lady Dedlock, has kept hidden for years. Inspector Bucket enters the case, and begins investigating the disappearance of Lady Dedlock. In the dirt poor part of London comes a young boy called Joe who claims to 'know noffink' but who has witnessed something very important.Several other colorful characters are wound into the story. Nearly insane Miss Flite, who for years has attended court every day, with her little folder of documents, is ever hopeful of a settlement. Mr. Boythorn is a boisterous friend of Jarndyce who has a vendetta with Sir Leicester Dedlock. The Jellyby Family, invariably on the verge of a disaster, is neglected by their Mother who is obsessed with an overseas project. The Smallweed family is mean and avaricious squeezing money from poor clients. Mr. Skimpole is the childlike captivating friend of Mr. Jarndyce who sees no harm in living off everybody else. Mr. Guppy fawns after Esther, and plots to steal documents with his friend Weevle. Mr. Woodcourt is a gentle surgeon and family friend, who becomes a hero.Since the writing of Bleak House, the property laws of England were changed, and disbursements were thenceforth conducted in court with the object of swiftly coming to a settlement for the benefit of inheritors.(Summary by Mil Nicholson) more

Dive into the world of 19th-century English society with 'Dombey and Son,' a poignant novel by Charles Dickens brought to you by the GSMC Audiobook Series. This story of familial relationships, ego, and reconciliation presents a vivid exploration of human emotions against the backdrop of a shipping firm. The GSMC Audiobook Series delivers the best of the golden age of audio books, featuring performances by top audiobook performers. more

Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, living near the fictional town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, near London.In this reading, Librivox volunteers lend their voices to dramatize Jane Austen's classic and well-loved novel. (Summary by Wikipedia and wildemoose)Cast:Mrs. Bennet: Beth ThomasMr. Bennet: Andy MinterJane Bennet: Elizabeth KlettElizabeth Bennet: Arielle LipshawMary Bennet: Tina DanhCatherine 'Kitty' Bennet: GabrielleCLydia Bennet: BumbleVeeMr. Bingley: John FrickerMr. Darcy: Peter BishopCharlotte Lucas: Laurie Anne WaldenYoung Mr. Lucas: Beth ThomasSir William Lucas: Robert ScheidMiss Caroline Bingley: Liz BenningtonMrs. Hurst: Elizabeth BarrMr. Hurst: Barry EadsMr. Collins: mbMr. Wickham: Algy PugDenny: David RichardsonMrs. Gardiner: TriciaGMr. Gardiner: David LawrenceMaria Lucas: Maria ThereseLady Catherine de Bourgh: Mil NicholsColonel Fitzwilliam: Ric FMrs. Reynolds: EstherMrs. Hill: Nadine Eckert-BouletButler: Barry EadsMrs. Phillips: deboleeNarrator: Debra LynnAudio edited by: Arielle Lipshaw more

Great Expectations is written in the first person and is virtually a fictional autobiography of 'Pip' from his childhood, through often painful experiences, to adulthood. It charts his progress as he moves from the Kent marshes - his social status radically changed having gained an unknown benefactor - to busy commercial London. The book is richly populated with a variety of extraordinary characters many of whom, unbeknownst to them, have lives that are inextricably linked to the others. It is all there, love, hate, passion, humour, rejection, duplicity, betrayal, a whole gamut of emotions and human strengths and weaknesses . This is one of Dickens most fascinating, and disturbing novels. (Summary by Peter Keeble) more

Eleven-year-old Jude Fawley, inspired by his teacher Mr. Phillotson, who leaves Marygreen for Christminster to take a university degree, decides to adopt the same course for himself. Raised by his great-aunt, he studies hard with the aid of some old Latin and Greek books sent to him by Phillotson.He trains as a stonemason in order to enable him to support himself when at the university. However when he finally arrives in Christminster he soon finds that a university education is not easily come by for one of his social standing.Meeting and falling in love with his cousin Sue Bridehead his future becomes a series of challenges to his moral, religious and social beliefs.The novel caused quite a stir in late Victorian England due in part to it's depiction of marriage and the role religion played in it. Savagely criticised on publication it led to Hardy turning from novel writing and concentrating for the rest of his career on poetry alone. It's now considered one of Hardy's finest works and is held up as an example of English novel writing at it's best.Summary by T.Hynes. more

Cranford is the best-known novel of the 19th century English writer Elizabeth Gaskell. It was first published in 1851 as a serial in the magazine Household Words, which was edited by Charles Dickens. more

Set in Victorian England, North and South is the story of Margaret Hale, a young woman whose life is turned upside down when her family relocates to northern England. As an outsider from the agricultural south, Margaret is initially shocked by the aggressive northerners of the dirty, smoky industrial town of Milton. But as she adapts to her new home, she defies social conventions with her ready sympathy and defense of the working poor. Her passionate advocacy leads her to repeatedly clash with charismatic mill owner John Thornton over his treatment of his workers. While Margaret denies her growing attraction to him, Thornton agonizes over his foolish passion for her, in spite of their heated disagreements. As tensions mount between them, a violent unionization strike explodes in Milton, leaving everyone to deal with the aftermath in the town and in their personal lives.Elizabeth Gaskell serialized North and South between September 1854 and January 1855 in Charles Dickens's magazine Household Words. Upon its publication, Gaskell established herself as a novelist capable of serious discourse on social responsibility and advocacy for change in defiance of established authority. (Summary by Dani) more

In the last of the six Palliser novels, the sudden death of his wife, Lady Glencora, leaves Plantagenet Palliser, the Duke of Omnium, finding himself in charge of his three children. The eldest, Lord Silverbridge, has recently been expelled from Oxford; his younger brother, Gerald, is about to enter Cambridge; and the youngest, nineteen-year old Lady Mary, has imprudently formed an attachment to Francis Tregear, who, while certainly a gentleman, unfortunately has no income. Before her death, Glencora knew (and approved) of her daughter's attachment; the Duke, however, does not know of it, and is not at all likely to approve. Mrs. Finn (the former Marie Goesler), who was Glencora's closest friend, learns from Mary of her love for Tregear, and is faced with the question of either keeping silent, thus breaking faith with the Duke (who has entrusted Lady Mary to her care) or telling the Duke, and breaking faith with Mary herself.Somewhat later Lord Silverbridge himself forms an attachment to an unsuitable (because American!) girl. The Duke, whose overriding passions in life are politics and the decimalization of English currency, finds himself facing the problems brought by his children, which now have to be resolved without their mother's help. It is, in short, a novel about the generation gap, and though Trollope would never have used the term, he was obviously familiar with the problem.(Summary Nicholas Clifford)The other Palliser novels are1 - Can You Forgive Her?2 - Phineas Finn, the Irish Member3 - The Eustace Diamonds4 - Phineus Redux5 - The Prime Minister6 - The Duke's Children more

Scenes of Clerical Life, which appeared in book form in 1858 (after serial publication in the previous year), was the first published fiction by George Eliot, the pen name for Mary Anne Evans. It consists of three novellas based on the lives of country clergymen and their communities. These characters interest Eliot not for their theology — she had abandoned conventional Christian belief — but for their humanity. In these stories, we find the earliest signs of the narrative voice, the humanism, and the realism that would make George Eliot one of the greatest novelists of the 1800s. (Introduction by Bruce Pirie) more

A Bristol-based podcast chatting to writers and artists about their ideas, process and politics

Published in 1900, Sister Carrie follows its protagonist, Carrie, as she resolutely makes her way through the bustling city of Chicago in the hope of achieving her ultimate goal of a securing a better and more glamorous life for herself. Effectively illustrating his reputation as one of America's greatest naturalists, Dreiser deviates from the established norms and moral values present in the Victorian era, and instead focuses his attention on accurately portraying the basic instincts that influence human behavior.The novel begins with the introduction of Caroline Meeber, an eighteen-year-old girl who leaves her rural hometown and travels to the bustling city of Chicago, where she is to live with her stern sister and brother-in-law, in the hopes of fulfilling her ambitions. During her travel, she meets Charles Drouet, a warm-hearted salesman, and is instantly allured to his charm and expensive clothing. After sharing contact details, the pair makes arrangements to meet later in the week. Subsequently, Carrie settles in to her sister's modest apartment and is excited at the thought of working in the city. Realizing that life in the big city is not as easy and enjoyable as she had initially believed, Carrie instead finds herself coming to terms with the squalid conditions at her factory workplace, the dullness of her accommodation, and the inability to treat herself to some decent clothing. Her prayers seem to be finally heard when an accidental encounter with Drouet marks her change in fortune, as he introduces her to the lifestyle she had always wanted. However, Carrie's pursuit of happiness is not what she had initially bargained for, as she is pushed to seize every opportunity thrown her way, regardless of the cost.Interestingly, the revolutionary novel received mixed reactions at the time of its release due to its depiction of the harsh and somber reality of human condition, which spurred outrage from some critics, while triggering fascination in others. Furthermore, Dreiser offers an accurate observation of the ambitions prevailing in urban areas at the time, which he successfully demonstrates with his lively characters and their uncensored radical actions. Nevertheless, Sister Carrie continues to captivate modern readers with its evocative detail of tenacious human nature, and remains a classic highly recognized and appraised for its influential portrayal of naturalism and realism. more

Louisa May Alcott's beloved 1868 novel is about the four March girls - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - who are growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War. As the novel opens, their father is away at war, and the girls are struggling to be good and to reconcile themselves to their relative poverty. Each has her trials to deal with, and they are encouraged by their loving mother, and by their friendship with their neighbor, Theodore 'Laurie' Laurence.Cast:Narrator/Jo: Elizabeth KlettMeg: Arielle LipshawBeth: KalyndaAmy/Parrot: Karen SavageMarmee: Kara ShallenbergMr. March: Bruce PirieHannah: MaryAnnMrs. Hummel/Hummel Children/Lotty: ElliGirl/Child/Tina/Daisy/Maid: LaviniaLaurie: mbAunt March: Amy GramourOld Man/Dr. Bangs: Phil ChenevertMr. Laurence: David LawrenceMr. Davis/Shopman/Young Man #2/Clerk: Tom CrawfordAnnie/May Chester: sherlock85Clara/Miss Lamb/Kitty: ESFJ GirlMr. Lamb/Mr. Dashwood: Denny SayersMrs. Moffat/Aunt Carrol/Old Lady/Mrs. Chester: Sally McMajor Lincoln/Tudor: Henry FrigonBelle/Second Girl/Minnie: BookAngel7Nan/Mrs. Kirke: SusannaSallie Gardiner Moffat: rashadaHortense/Esther: Nadine Eckert-BouletFred Vaughan: John CroudyJohn Brooke: Peter BishopKate Vaughan: BumbleVeeNed Moffat/Parker/Young Man #1: coolkid2219Frank Vaughan: John FrickerBoy/Demi: E. LeeProfessor Bhaer: RainerAudio edited by: Elizabeth Klett more

The book is about three families in England at the beginning of the twentieth century. The three families represent different gradations of the Edwardian middle class: the Wilcoxes, who are rich capitalists with a fortune made in the Colonies; the half-German Schlegel siblings (Margaret, Tibby, and Helen), who represent the intellectual bourgeoisie and have a lot in common with the real-life Bloomsbury Group; and the Basts, a couple who are struggling members of the lower-middle class. The Schlegel sisters try to help the poor Basts and try to make the Wilcoxes less prejudiced. The motto of the book is 'Only connect...' more

Dombey and Son is a novel by the Victorian author Charles Dickens. The story concerns Paul Dombey, the wealthy owner of the shipping company of the book's title, whose dream is to have a son to continue his business. The book begins when his son is born, and Dombey's wife dies shortly after giving birth.As with most of Dickens' work, a number of socially significant themes are to be found in this book. In particular the book deals with the then-prevalent common practice of arranged marriages for financial gain. Other themes to be detected within this work include child cruelty (particularly in Dombey's treatment of Florence), familial relationships, and as ever in Dickens, betrayal and deceit and the consequences thereof. (Wikipedia) more

An epistolary novel written by renowned French novelist Balzac, who is regarded as one of the founders of realism and a significant influence to later novelists, the novel focuses on two young women who preserve their friendship through regular correspondence. Originally published in the French newspaper La Presse in 1841 as a serial, the piece later became a part of Balzac's distinguished novel sequence La Comédie Humaine, or The Human Comedy. Furthermore, Letters of Two Brides surrounds intriguing topics including love, romance, confusion, duty, and the complexity of relationships.The novel begins when two young women, Louise de Chaulieu and Renée de Maucombe, befriend one another during their time at a convent and accordingly agree to stay in touch after they leave. Soon after her departure from the convent, Louise receives a substantial inheritance from her grandmother, which is intended to secure her financial independence and sustain her ambitious lifestyle. This freedom allows her to move to Paris where she devotes her time to exciting social events and also meets Felipe Henarez, who later wins her affections with his romantic perseverance. Her marriage to him provides her with passionate love and a seemingly endless supply of happiness, though it is in fact short-lived. Renée on the other hand, does not see love as a prerequisite for marriage and for that reason marries a man quite her senior, with the belief that he will care for her and fulfill her desire to become a mother. While Renée is satisfied with the love she receives as a mother and the respect of her husband, Louise devotes her time to finding a man who will promise her both love and passion. Interestingly, despite the fact that each woman tries to sway the other to adapt their standpoint, they nevertheless continue to offer sincere advice to one another. Though their lives lead them in opposite directions, as Louise is guided by passionate romance, while Renée takes a more sensible approach, both women still maintain their friendship through frequent letters detailing their lives.Balzac effectively presents the ideals of the two contrasting women, as he gives each a distinctive voice, allowing them to precisely express their thoughts and emotions. A gripping novel sure to fuel interest with its opposing images of the feminine mind, Letters of Two Brides additionally offers a vivid insight into 19th century society. more

When Mr Henry Dashwood dies, with his estate entailed to his son and grandson, his wife and three daughters are left in reduced circumstances. In their new home at Barton Cottage, the two older sisters, Elinor and Marianne, experience both romance and heartache. Will they find true love? (Introduction by Karen Savage) more

Novel Gazing is a biweekly podcast dedicated to news, recommendations, and general goings-on from the world of literary fiction. more

The Voyage Out is the first novel by Virginia Woolf, published in 1915 by Duckworth; and published in the U.S. in 1920 by Doran. One of Woolf's wittiest social satires.Rachel Vinrace embarks for South America on her father's ship and is launched on a course of self-discovery in a kind of modern mythical voyage. The mismatched jumble of passengers provide Woolf with an opportunity to satirize Edwardian life. The novel introduces Clarissa Dalloway, the central character of Woolf's later novel, Mrs. Dalloway.E. M. Forster described it as '... a strange, tragic, inspired book whose scene is a South America not found on any map and reached by a boat which would not float on any sea, an America whose spiritual boundaries touch Xanadu and Atlantis... It is absolutely unafraid... Here at last is a book which attains unity as surely as Wuthering Heights, though by a different path.' (Introduction from Wikipedia) more

The Schlegels frequently encounter the Wilcoxes. The youngest, Helen, is rejected by the younger Wilcox brother, Paul. The eldest, Margaret, becomes friends with his mother Ruth Wilcox. Ruth's most prized personal possession is her family house at Howards End. She wishes that Margaret could live there, as she feels that it might be in good hands with her. Ruth's own husband and children do not value the house and its rich history, because such abstractions, while being very dear to Margaret, are lost to them. As she is terminally ill, and Margaret and her family are about to be evicted from their London home by a developer, Ruth bequeaths the cottage to Margaret in a handwritten note found among her effects when she dies, causing great consternation among the Wilcoxes. Mrs Wilcox's widowed husband Henry and his children burn the note without telling Margaret about her inheritance. However, over the course of several years, Margaret becomes friends with Henry Wilcox and eventually marries him. The more free-spirited Margaret tries to get Henry to open up more, to little effect. Henry's elder son Charles and his wife try to keep Margaret from taking possession of Howards End. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

The Rainbow is a 1915 novel by British author D.H. Lawrence. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family, particularly focusing on the sexual dynamics of, and relations between, the characters. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Virginia Woolf is one of the most influential and controversial feminine figures in the literary life of the London society. Night and Day is one of her first novels published in 1919 which displays the moral and spiritual issues that people confront. The author herself was an emotionally unstable person, her episodes of mental illness and suicidal depression being recurrent and always brought into the public attention.The novel revolves around the life of the main character, Katherine Hilbery, a superb girl, free spirited and living in her twenties. Being the only child of a traditional English family, Katherine spends her time surrounded by intellectual ideas, literature, and family duties. The young lady is pursued by two gentlemen, William Rodney and Ralph Denham. The first one sees Katherine as the perfect image of womanhood, a strong feminine figure delimited by strong moral laws. Ralph is different; he is the idealistic kind of person who falls in love with her at a first sight. He is loved, at his turn, by Mary, but Woolf decides to make the narration even more exciting by introducing a new feminine figure, Katherine's cousin, Cassandra. Virginia Woolf depicts the gender difference by creating female figures like Katherine who consider themselves strong enough to have an independent life. These ladies delay marriage because they follow their own interest, and they see the full satisfaction in the work they do. This novel will hold your attention with the conflict played out between traditional roles and the emerging modern view of Women. more

The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, normally known simply as Doctor Faustus, is a play by Christopher Marlowe, based on the Faust story, in which a man sells his soul to the devil for power and knowledge. Doctor Faustus was first published in 1604, eleven years after Marlowe's death and at least twelve years after the first performance of the play. (Summary by Wikipedia)Cast:Chorus: Martin GeesonGood Angel: AvailleEvil Angel/Cardinal/Third Scholar: Denny SayersDoctor Faustus/Vintner/First Friar/Covetousness/Gluttony: Algy PugMephistophilis/Knight/First Scholar/Envy/Narrator: Elizabeth KlettLucifer: CalmDragonWagner: Arielle LipshawValdes/Clown/Third Friar: Nadine Eckert-BouletCornelius: RainerThe Pope: John SteigerwaldEmperor: Sean RandallHorse-courser: Frank BookerRobin: Jason MillsRalph/Second Scholar/Wrath: Sandra GSecond Friar/Old Man: David LawrenceFourth Friar/Duke of Vanholt: Lars RolanderDuchess of Vanholt: Musicalheart1Pride: Mary-Beth BlackburnSloth: Diana MajlingerLechery: Lucy PerryAudio edited by: Elizabeth Klett more

Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. Tragedy unfolds as Anna rejects her passionless marriage to follow her heart and must endure the hypocrisies of society. (Summary by Mary Anderson) more

Crome Yellow, published in 1921 was Aldous Huxley's first novel. In it he satirizes the fads and fashions of the time. It is the witty story of a house party at 'Crome' where there is a gathering of bright young things. We hear some of the history of the house from Henry Wimbush, its owner and self appointed historian; Apocalypse is prophesied, virginity is lost, and inspirational aphorisms are gained in a trance. Our hero, Denis, tries to capture it all in poetry and is disappointed in love.The author, Aldous Huxley, was born in 1894 and began writing poetry and short stories in his early twenties; this was his first novel and established his literary reputation. (Summary by Martin Clifton) more

When Lucy Honeychurch travels to Italy with her cousin, she meets George Emerson, a bohemian and an atheist who falls in love with her. Upon her return to England, she is forced to choose between free-spirited George and her more conventional fiancé, Cecil Vyse. The story is both a romance and a critique of English society at the beginning of the 20th century. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Short stories from On Being, Brain Pickings and others.

Multi award-winning Irish film maker and writer, Declan Cassidy, reads his novel, Pins and Needles, in regular instalments. The book was number 3 on the Hodges Figgis Best Seller list in Ireland when it was published in 2017. According to the Dublin People newspaper, it is 'a mystical journey full of wonder, wisdom and self-discovery.' The novel is set against the backdrop of Spain's world-famous Camino de Santiago. According to a review: 'this superbly crafted novel introduces an exciting new genre in literary fiction Celtic magical realism.' more

Clotel; or, The President's Daughter is a novel by William Wells Brown (1814-84), a fugitive from slavery and abolitionist and was published in London, England in December 1853. It is often considered the first African-American novel. This novel focuses on the difficult lives of mulattoes in America and the 'degraded and immoral condition of the relation of master and slave in the USA' (Brown). It is about the tragic lives of Currer, Althesea, and Clotel. In the novel, Currer is the former mulatto mistress of President Thomas Jefferson who together have two daughters, Althesea and Clotel. Because she was beautiful and the mistress of Jefferson, Currer and her daughters lived a confortable life, this changed when her master passes away. In the end, Currer and Althesea are auctioned to the notorious slave trader, Dick Walker. Clotel is bought by her lover Horatio Green. The separation of these three women is just the beginning of the injustices they face.It gained notoriety amid the unconfirmed rumors regarding Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. Brown was still considered someone else's legal property within the borders of the United States at the time of its publication. It is considered to be the first novel written by an African American.Brown used the injustices of slavery to demonstrate the destructive effects it had on the African American family, most significantly the so-called tragic mulatto. Brown had escaped from slavery in Kentucky while still in his youth, and became active on the anti-slavery circuit.(Summary from Wikipedia) more

A mentally unstable genius, Victor Frankenstein, inspired by the dreams of ancient alchemists and empowered by modern science, creates a humanoid but fails to nurture and educate it after it comes to life. It wanders alone into a hostile world, where fear of its size and ugliness subjects it to violence and ostracism, which in time it learns to blame upon its maker. As compensation for its suffering, it demands that he create a companion with whom to share its outcast life. Moved by the creature's account of its sufferings, the scientist agrees, but a long period of procrastination awakens doubts that ultimately cause him to break his promise. In retaliation, the creature begins a campaign of vengeance. Although its serious crimes are limited to those which will wound his maker's heart, Victor imagines much more widespread harm, supposing the human race itself to be the creature's intended victim. There then follows a chase into the frozen north, which the creature prolongs so as to destroy his pursuer by exposure and exhaustion.This story, narrated by Victor, forms a frame surrounding the creature's tale of its wanderings, education, and unhappy encounters with human beings. Victor's narrative is itself framed within a series of letters written by the young mariner who rescues him from an iceberg while engaged in his own ambitious scientific endeavor, searching for the North Pole.This novel was begun while the author and her lover, Percy Shelley, were in hiding from her father and Percy's wife on the shores of Lake Geneva, where they were the frequent house guests of Lord Byron. The young people all began to write 'ghost' stories, but only Mary's was destined to enjoy success. The novel was published in 1818. Percy contributed a preface and later made extensive emendations. After his death Mary herself thoroughly revised the text and published it again in 1831. This is the text read in this project. (Summary by Thomas Copeland) more

Qu'est-ce qui fait que, 200 ans après sa naissance, le cœur de Flaubert palpite encore ? Ce n'est pas seulement qu'il a « au fond de l'âme le brouillard du Nord »… C'est avant tout parce qu'il a inventé des héroïnes fascinantes. Mais qui sont-elles ? Fictives, réelles, qu'importe, leur histoire nous fait voyager. Emma Bovary, Salammbô, Madame Arnoux, Félicité… autant de personnages qui ont révolutionné la littérature. Partez à la découverte des secrets qui entourent les passions de l'auteur dans cette série inédite racontée par Denis Podalydès et Anne-Lise Heimburger. Un podcast produit par la Métropole Rouen Normandie et la Réunion des Musées Métropolitains. more

Silas Marner (originally published in 1861): Betrayed by a beloved friend and accused of a crime he didn't commit, awkward Silas Marner is expelled from his beloved religious community — the only community he has ever known. He exiles himself in the remote village of Raveloe. Friendless and without family, set apart from the villagers by their superstition and fear of him, he plies his weaving trade day after day, storing up gold which becomes his idol. When his gold is stolen, he is rescued from despair by the arrival on his lonely hearth of a beautiful little girl, whom he adopts, and through whom he and the other people of the village learn that loving relationships are more fulfilling than material wealth. (Summary by rachelellen) more

The recently widowed Adela Gereth, a lover of beauty and passionate collector of fine objects, strikes up a friendship with the young Fleda Vetch, when both of them find themselves guests in the tasteless house of Brigstock family. Mrs. Gereth fears that her son Owen, an honorable but somewhat unimaginative young man, may take up with one of the Brigstock girls, and indeed he presently announces his engagement to Mona, the eldest daughter. That means that Mrs. Gereth will have to leave Poynton, the beautiful house that she and her husband filled with the furniture, china, tapestries, and other objects that they lovingly collected over the years. It is not so much possessiveness that drives Mrs. Gereth to want to maintain control over them (or so she claims, at any rate), but rather the sense that she will have failed if Mona, understanding and appreciating nothing of what Poynton contains, should become Owen's wife and take charge. The story and its developing conflicts are seen largely from the point of view of Fleda Vetch, the young woman who, her moral and aesthetic sensibilities tuned perhaps as finely as any of James's protagonists, finds herself caught in the middle.(Summary by Nicholas Clifford) more

The Portrait of a Lady is a novel by Henry James, first published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and Macmillan's Magazine in 1880-1881 and then as a book in 1881. It is the story of a spirited young American woman, Isabel Archer, who 'affronts her destiny' and finds it overwhelming. She inherits a large amount of money and subsequently becomes the victim of Machiavellian scheming by two American expatriates. Like many of James's novels, it is set mostly in Europe, notably England and Italy. Generally regarded as the masterpiece of his early phase of writing, this novel reflects James's absorbing interest in the differences between the New World and the Old. It also treats in a profound way the themes of personal freedom, responsibility, betrayal, and sexuality. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of animating lifeless matter and, by assembling body parts, creates the monster who has no name in the book. Rejected by society, the Monster vows revenge on his creator. (Summary written by Gesine)Note: Project originally cataloged October 20, 2005. Audio files were volume adjusted and re-uploaded May 3, 2010. more

This Side of Paradise is the debut novel of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Published in 1920, and taking its title from a line of the Rupert Brooke poem Tiare Tahiti, the book examines the lives and morality of post-World War I youth. Its protagonist, Amory Blaine, is a wealthy and attractive Princeton University student who dabbles in literature and has a series of romances that eventually lead to his disillusionment. In his later novels, Fitzgerald would further develop the book's theme of love warped by greed and status-seeking. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

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This book is the second in Bennett's four books about life in the Five Towns (the real life Potteries in Staffordshire). It tells the story of Hilda before her marriage to Edwin Clayhanger (from the first book). Bennett explores Hilda's ambition to make a career for herself, her coming of age and her working experiences as a shorthand clerk and keeper of a lodging house in London and Brighton. He also shows her intensifying relationship with the enigmatic George Cannon that ends in her disastrous bigamous marriage and pregnancy, and finally her reconciliation with Edwin Clayhanger (Summary by Simon Evers) more

Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. In Book 7, Levin, in town for Kitty's confinement, finds himself drawn to the corruptive influence of Moscow society. Stiva again presses Karenin to divorce Anna, while Anna, driven by jealousy, becomes increasingly irrational towards Vronsky. (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn) more

Night and Day (1919) is a novel by Virginia Woolf. Set in Edwardian London, Night and Day contrasts the daily lives of two friends, Katharine Hilbery and Mary Datchet. The novel examines the relationships between love, marriage, happiness, and success. (Wikipedia) more

Welcome to Coconut Juice, the podcast you never knew you needed and the bookclub you've always wanted to join but never had the time to. We think that BAME authors are marginalised and very much underrepresented, so come and join us as we add some diversity to the existing literary landscape. more

Le roman est paru dans Le Constitutionnel en juin et juillet 1853. Il raconte la vie des « cornemuseux » à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, dans le Berry et le Bourbonnais. Il se divise en 31 veillées, où le narrateur Etienne Depardieu, dit Tiennet, raconte sa vie auprès de sa cousine Brulette, de leur ami Joseph, un orphelin, et de Thérence et Huriel. (de Wikipedia) more

The thirty-five year-old (hence utterly over-the-hill) Miss Margaret Mackenzie, having devoted her life to others, suddenly finds herself with no one to care for, and in possession of a moderate fortune. Having money, she is now much sought-after and no longer universally deemed too old to marry. Partly because she has spent her life taking care of the brother whose money she has now inherited, she has no experience of wealth or popularity. Miss Mackenzie is the definition of 'other-oriented. (Indeed, Trollope originally considered naming the novel, and his heroine, 'Griselda', presumably to invoke the folkloric character's qualities of stolid obedience and endless patience.) These circumstances are the perfect set-up for classic Trollopian swipes and snipes at various fortune-hunters and other obsequies, and more broadly at society's sexism, classism, and Mammonism. She comes into her own and begins to try to enjoy life, at first juggling, but ultimately rejecting, three serious suitors. As the story unfolds, the particulars of her deceased brother's life and death reveal themselves, Miss Mackenzie becomes increasingly able to know who she is and what she wants, and both she and the reader are better able to discern the true colors of those around her. The question is: Will her self-knowledge overcome both her personal history and various social prejudices, so as to allow her to fall in love with and say 'yes' to a really good man? (Summary by Kirsten Wever) more

The creators of the audiobook for UCD's digital multimedia edition of 'A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man' have considerable expertise in bringing James Joyce's voice to life. University College Dublin Professor Gerardine Meaney and Athena Media previously collaborated with Barry McGovern, the well-known Irish actor, on the podcast series and an iPhone app based on 'The Dead'. In 2016, Sam McGovern joined this team to create a full-length audio version of Joyce's first novel. Rather than featuring a single voice, this reading of the novel creates a dialogue between Joyce's mature voice and that of his younger, remembered self. The interplay of these two voices in this reading of the 1916 text represents a unique contemporary interpretation of Joyce's coming-of-age novel, whose themes remain as raw and as relevant today as they did upon their original publication. The digital multimedia edition of Joyce's first novel was created by a team from University College Dublin as part of the Decade of Centenaries (2012-2022), which celebrates Irish history and cultural heritage. www.joyceportrait100.com more

Cuentos de los mejores autores del continente.

Dubliners is a collection of 15 short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences. They centre on Joyce's idea of an epiphany: a moment where a character experiences self-understanding or illumination. Many of the characters in Dubliners later appear in minor roles in Joyce's novel Ulysses. The initial stories in the collection are narrated by child protagonists, and as the stories continue, they deal with the lives and concerns of progressively older people. This is in line with Joyce's tripartite division of the collection into childhood, adolescence, and maturity. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

Stendhal - a German pen-name for a French writer who hated the English. Contemporary to some of the great names of French literature like Balzac and Flaubert, Stendhal is quite often considered a writer that doesn't seem to fit a defined genre. Some say he's a Romantic, others that he's a Modernist and that Le Rouge et Le Noir is the first modern novel. On one point they are all agreed: the novel is a masterpiece that shows a young theology student - Julien Sorel - intelligent, handsome and who is determined to rise above his humble peasant origins. Stendhal presents the reader with a satirical plot that will involve you in passions, intrigues, last-minute reversals and, mostly, the hypocrisy by which society operates. (Summary by sailormoon) more

A shy, introverted young poet. A weekend in a magnificent English country house. A beautiful young lady whom the poet is secretly in love with. An assorted group of guests with varied interests, motives, ambitions and aspirations, and the complex web of history and events that connect all of them.Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley was his first book, published in 1921, when he was just 27 years old. It is typical of many books written during this period by writers like Thomas Love Peacock and Somerset Maugham, centered round a country mansion and the quaint, British tradition of being invited to spend a weekend with a group of people whom one may or may not know. Crome Yellow is a novel of manners rather than plot and depends more on its style and characterization for its appeal. It is a precursor to Huxley's brilliant novel Brave New World and indeed some of the characters in this book appear in his other books too, albeit in different avatars. The young poet, Denis Stone, is invited by Henry Wimbush, the owner of Crome, the lovely country house in rural England. He accepts the invitation mainly because he knows that Anne Wimbush, Henry's niece, will also be there. She is four years older than Denis and sees him as a bit of a wimp, but knows that he is in love with her. She has almost made up her mind to accept him if she proposes. The other guests include an artist, Gombauld, a hearing-impaired young lady who buries herself in books to avoid interacting with people, a pompous journalist, a cynic, a philanderer and a vicar and his wife. Henry Wimbush is engaged in writing a history of his home, while his wife is addicted to gambling. This bunch of characters thrown together and the events that follow their intermingling with each other, form the plot of the book.Aldous Huxley's sparkling and witty style is evident in his debut novel. Crome is supposedly a portrayal of Garsington Manor, the home of Lady Ottoline Morrell, a famous beauty and renowned hostess to such greats as TS Eliot, Yeats, Bertrand Russell and others. Huxley's satirical depiction of the typical country house weekend is indeed amusing and thought-provoking. Modern-day readers may find the customs and traditions of pre-War England quaint. Many of the people in the book are 'stock' characters found in many English novels of the time making Crome Yellow a delightful parody of the life and times of the 1920s.An interesting read! more

In seventeenth century Venice, a wealthy and debauched man discovers that the woman he is infatuated with is secretly married to a Moorish general in the Venetian army. He shares his grief and rage with a lowly ensign in the army who also has reason to hate the general for promoting a younger man above him. The villainous ensign now plots to destroy the noble general in a diabolical scheme of jealousy, paranoia and murder, set against the backdrop of the bloody Turkish-Venetian wars.This timeless tale, Othello The Moor of Venice was one of the ten famous tragedies that William Shakespeare wrote. It is also one of his plays that has the best documented performance history. First staged on 1st November, 1604 at Whitehall Palace, it was regularly performed at the playwright's own Globe Theater and the Blackfriars Theater in London besides touring the country as part of the repertoire of the King's Men which was the theatrical company that Shakespeare belonged to for most of his career.Such is the power and appeal of the play that it has remained completely unchanged or unrevised over the centuries, while many other Shakespearean plays were adapted, rewritten or trimmed during the Restoration and the eighteenth century.The doomed figure of the lovely Desdemona who is murdered so cruelly by the ill-fated Othello based on a tragic misunderstanding continues to haunt playgoers and readers the world over even today. Modern performances have explored the race and class aspects of the play. Famous actors like Laurence Olivier have given legendary performances, while opera, ballet, television, film, stage, graphic novels and animation versions have kept the magnificent story alive today for audiences all over the world.Shakespeare was probably inspired by the sixteenth Italian writer Cinthio's story titled A Moorish Captain. Many scholars have deemed this to be based on a true incident that happened in Venice in around 1508. However, only the mere skeleton of the story has been used by Shakespeare and most of the characters and sub-plots are his own dazzling creations. He may have also been influenced by the delegations from Morocco to Elizabethan England in 1600. For other details like location and manners, he probably used Venetian history books and contemporary sources.Whatever the history and inspiration of the play, it remains one of the most powerful, compelling and towering works in English literature. This tale of deception, heroism, love, hatred and the demonic obsession called jealousy sparkles with brilliant lines that have entered the English language and become immortal.A majestic work by a supreme artist - Prepare to be overwhelmed! more

Born in 1862 and died in 1910, O. Henry's birth name is William Sydney Porter; however, he adopted the pen name O. Henry while in prison. He published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.The Trimmed Lamp follows The Four Million and provides another series of short stories that take place in New York City in the early years of the 20th century and are representative of the surprise endings that popularized O. Henry's work. They also capture his use of coincidence or chance to create humor in the story. O Henry wrote about ordinary people in everyday circumstances. He is quoted as once saying, 'There are stories in everything. I've got some of my best yarns from park benches, lampposts and newspaper stands.'I hope you enjoy the following readings as much as I enjoyed recording them.(Summary by Marian Brown) more

Als der berückend gutaussehende Jüngling Dorian Gray sein Porträt betrachtet, kommt ihm der Gedanke, wie herrlich es sein müsste, wenn das Bild an seiner Stelle altern könnte, während er selbst für immer jung und schön bliebe. Als sich dieser fantastische Wunsch zu erfüllen beginnt, genießt Dorian seine ewige Jugend in vollen Zügen während in seiner Seele ein grauenvolles Werk der Zerstörung seinen Lauf nimmt.(Zusammenfassung von Al-Kadi) more

En 'Si no lo has leído' reseñamos libros, nuevos y antiguos, que merecen la pena leer. En menos de 3 minutos, te damos toda la información que necesitas para que valores si esta va a ser tu siguiente lectura. more

Youth is the third in Tolstoy's trilogy of three autobiographical novels, including Childhood and Boyhood, published in a literary journal during the 1850s. (Introduction by Bill Boerst) more

El club de lectura que siempre quisiste escuchar. Con Nicolás Artusi y Eugenia Zicavo. Señaladores es una serie original de Posta. more

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Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky. In Book 4, Anna's husband considers drastic measures to address the flagrant infidelity of his wife, while Kitty and Levin meet once again in Moscow to their mutual discomfiture. (Summary by Mary Anderson and MaryAnn) more

This collection of ten stories, first published in 1904, shows Edith Wharton dissecting some of the customs, habits and vagaries of courtship and marriage, particularly as practiced in the upper reaches of New York society at the turn of the twentieth century (two stories, however, are set in Italy). Fidelity is only one problem; others may arise from the machinations and emotions of the protagonists or outsiders. Wharton handles the questions with her usual gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) irony and curiosity about human behavior. (Summary by Nicholas Clifford) more

Esta es mi lista de libros IMPERDIBLES. Clásicos o contemporáneos. La única condición es que hayan sido escritos por una mujer, en el sentido inclusivo de la palabra. Por cada episodio, les recomiendo un libro SIN SPOILERS. Mi nombre es Keila Raitzin y esto es PROPIA, un podcast de recomendación de libros y autoras. Instagram: @propiapodcast more

Hunger (Norwegian: Sult) is a novel by the Norwegian author Knut Hamsun and was published in its final form in 1890. The novel has been hailed as the literary opening of the 20th century and an outstanding example of modern, psychology-driven literature. It hails the irrationality of the human mind in an intriguing and sometimes humorous novel. Written after Hamsun's return from an ill-fated tour of America, Hunger is loosely based on the author's own impoverished life before his breakthrough in 1890. Set in late 19th century Kristiania, the novel recounts the adventures of a starving young man whose sense of reality is giving way to a delusionary existence on the darker side of a modern metropolis. While he vainly tries to maintain an outer shell of respectability, his mental and physical decay are recounted in detail. His ordeal, enhanced by his inability or unwillingness to pursue a professional career, which he deems unfit for someone of his abilities, is pictured in a series of encounters which Hamsun himself described as 'a series of analyses.' In many ways, the protagonist of the novel displays traits reminiscent of Raskolnikov, whose creator, Fyodor Dostoevsky, was one of Hamsun's main influences. The influence of naturalist authors such as Emile Zola is apparent in the novel, as is his rejection of the realist tradition.(Introduction by Wikipedia) more

A young boy falls in love with his friend's much older sister and is desperate to get her the perfect gift from the Araby Fair.After a party, a man discovers something he had never known about his wife, which has a devastating impact on their marriage.An ambitious mother schemes to get her daughter a role in a series of concerts.A drunken legal clerk takes out his frustrations on his helpless young son.These and other brilliant stories are contained in the collection entitled Dubliners. Published in 1914 during the height of the Irish Nationalist Movement, the fifteen stories are an invaluable record of the life and times of the middle class in Dublin. The strangest aspect of this book, which we value so much today, is that it was serially rejected by fifteen publishers before a Dublin publisher agreed to do so. Many publishers wanted certain passages to be cut, while others did not agree with the ending of some of the stories and wanted them rewritten. One of them even burned the original manuscript when James Joyce the author refused to pay for publication. He managed to salvage parts of it and rewrote it with great difficulty. He continued to doggedly pursue his conviction and the result is available today for all of us to marvel at.Most of the stories here are based on Joyce's personal philosophy that there is an epiphany or a turning point in each of our lives that creates that moment of decision. His style is very simple and he rarely allows his own voice to intrude into the story. He seldom passes moral judgments on his characters and allows readers to form their own conclusions. The tales are best read in sequence, as the characters progress in age from childhood to old age.A wonderfully evocative collection from a master craftsman who redefined the nature of the English novel! more

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short masterpiece about a ranting, slightly mad civil servant. The stylistic inventiveness, and the insights into the absurdities and weakness of humans seem so fresh and incisive today that if published now (a century and a half later) Notes would be considered an avant-garde post-modernist triumph. In some ways this is a heavy text, laden with conversational philosophizing; but the vividness of the narrator make it a wonderful read, and funny.(Review by Hugh McGuire) more

The Moon and Sixpence is a 1919 short novel by William Somerset Maugham based on the life of the painter Paul Gauguin. The story is told in episodic form by the first-person narrator as a series of glimpses into the mind and soul of the central character, Charles Strickland, a middle aged English stock broker who abandons his wife and children abruptly to pursue his desire to become an artist. (Summary by Wikipedia) more

Cranford is set in a small market town populated largely by a number of respectable ladies. It tells of their secrets and foibles, their gossip and their romances as they face the challenges of dealing with new inhabitants to their society and innovations to their settled existence. It was first published between 1851 and 1853 as episodes in Charles Dickens' Journal Household Words. Appended to this recording is a short sequel, The Cage at Cranford, written ten years later and published in the journal All the Year Round. In a letter to Mrs. Gaskell, Charlotte Bronte wrote: 'Thank you for your letter, it was as pleasant as a quiet chat, as welcome as spring showers, as reviving as a friend's visit; in short, it was very like a page of Cranford.'... Cranford is a genteel and humorous look at Victorian society by Elizabeth Gaskell, and is quite a change from her more gritty novels like Mary Barton or North and South. (Summary by Noel Badrian) more

Kate Orme, shocked by the discovery of her fiance's complicity in a tragedy, and by society's willingness to overlook such transgressions, nevertheless marries him. Years later, her son faces a moral crisis similar to the one that showed her his father's moral weakness. (Introduction by Christine Dufour) more

Novelle per un anno è una raccolta di 241 novelle scritte da Luigi Pirandello. Originariamente sono state pubblicate sul Corriere della Sera, successivamente ripubblicate in 15 raccolte. Inizialmente erano previste 24 raccolte contenenti 365 novelle, tuttavia la prematura morte dell'autore ha impedito il raggiungimento del traguardo. Postume sono state pubblicate altre novelle scritte dall'autore. Le raccolte sono state pubblicate tra il 1896 e il 1924. La nona raccolta, edita nel 1925, contiene novelle pubblicate tra il 1902 ed il 1923. (Riassunto di Filippo Gioachin)Nota: Per motivi di diritti d'autore negli Stati Uniti, alcune novelle sono state rimosse da questa raccolta. Gli abitanti di nazioni ove i diritti d'autore su quest'opera sono già cessati possono trovare le novelle mancanti su Legamus.eu more

Novelle per un anno è una raccolta di 241 novelle scritte da Luigi Pirandello. Originariamente sono state pubblicate sul Corriere della Sera, successivamente ripubblicate in 15 raccolte. Inizialmente erano previste 24 raccolte contenenti 365 novelle, tuttavia la prematura morte dell'autore ha impedito il raggiungimento del traguardo. Postume sono state pubblicate altre novelle scritte dall'autore. Le raccolte sono state pubblicate tra il 1922 e il 1938. L'ottava raccolta, edita nel 1925, contiene novelle pubblicate tra il 1902 ed il 1923. (Riassunto di Filippo Gioachin)Nota: Per motivi di diritti d'autore negli Stati Uniti, alcune novelle sono state rimosse da questa raccolta. Gli abitanti di nazioni ove i diritti d'autore su quest'opera sono già cessati possono trovare le novelle mancanti su Legamus.euQuesto libro è stato promosso dal gruppo Volontari del Libro di aNobii. more

Six short stories and a novella by the Russian master. (david wales)

Harriett Frean is a well-to-do, unmarried woman living a life of meaningless dependency, boredom, and unproductivity as she patiently cares for her aging parents, waiting for a man to marry. When her opportunity for Love finally comes, she is offered a moral dilemma: the man is engaged to her best friend. Should she sacrifice what, according to the priorities of the time, seems like her 'one chance for happiness,' or should she seize the moment? Can she make something meaningful of her life without significant others? May Sinclair, as always gently ironic in tone, succeeds in skewering the conventions of her society while laying bare the hopeless realities for so many women of the era who were given so few chances really to live. ( summary by Expatriate) more

One of the all time best American novels, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is a masterpiece and one of the best books I have ever read. You should read it before you listen. Hear why I like it some much and why it's such an interesting book. more

Se cuenta la obra literaria extraños en un tren

A novel by Susanna Clarke

Michael Kohlhaas is an 1811 novella by Heinrich von Kleist, based on a 16th-century story of Hans Kohlhase. Both the theme (a fanatical quest for justice) and the style (existentialist detachment posing as a chronicle) are surprisingly modern. They resonated with other writers more than a century after it was written. Kafka devoted one of only two public appearances in his whole life to reading passages from Michael Kohlhaas. Kafka said that he 'could not even think of' this work 'without being moved to tears and enthusiasm.' (Introduction by Wikipedia) more

Owing to its highly personal content focused on feminine sexuality, this LibriVox edition was recorded by eight female readers. The Modern Library edition of The Awakening has an introduction by Kay Gibbons, who writes: 'The Awakening shocked turn-of-the-century readers with its forthright treatment of sex and suicide. Departing from literary convention, Kate Chopin failed to condemn her heroine's desire for an affair with the son of a Louisiana resort owner, whom she meets on vacation. The power of sensuality, the delusion of ecstatic love, and the solitude that accompanies the trappings of middle- and upper-class life are the themes of this now-classic novel.' As Kay Gibbons points out, Chopin 'was writing American realism before most Americans could bear to hear that they were living it.'To give you an idea of the subject matter, Project Gutenburg catalogues The Awakening under 'Adultery -- Fiction -- Women -- Louisiana -- New Orleans -- Social conditions. (Summary by Denny Sayers) more

Mario Vargas Llosa (Arequipa, 1936) escritor peruano, nacionalizado español, uno de los exponentes más prolíficos del movimiento literario denominado Boom latinoamericano. Aunque en 1959 ya había publicado Los jefes, su carrera literaria cobró notoriedad con la aparición de La ciudad y los perros (Premio Biblioteca Breve, 1967), traducida a más de treinta lenguas. Habiendo trabajado toda clase de géneros, desde el ensayo hasta la crítica literaria, la autobiografía y el teatro, su faceta más reconocida se encuentra en la novela, donde destacan títulos como La guerra del fin del mundo, La fiesta del chivo, Los cuadernos de don Rigoberto, Travesuras de la niña mala y, recientemente, El sueño del celta, entre muchas otras. En 1990 incursionó en la política como candidato a la presidencia del Perú. A lo largo de su trayectoria literaria, ha sido merecedor de una serie de importantes premios, que culminan con la entrega, en 2010, del Premio Nobel de Literatura, por el valor universal de su obra. En voz de su autor, a continuación reproducimos un fragmento de La casa verde. Esta grabación pertenece al acervo fonográfico de la colección 'Voz Viva' de la Dirección de Literatura de la UNAM. La novela, originalmente publicada en 1965, posee un complejo entramado que gira alrededor de un mítico prostíbulo en las afueras de Piura, al que arriba una muchacha quien después de haber sido expulsada de un convento se convierte en la hetaira más famosa de 'La casa verde'. Agradecemos a la Dirección de Literatura de la UNAM por facilitarnos este material. D.R. © UNAM 2011 more

The Metamorphosis (in German, Die Verwandlung, 'The Transformation') is a novella by Franz Kafka, first published in 1915, and arguably the most famous of his works along with the longer works The Trial and The Castle. The story begins with a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, waking to find himself transformed into a giant 'monstrous vermin'. (Summary from Wikipedia) more

A storytelling podcast dedicated to the stories behind the great books of the past. On the show, I explore the inner conflicts and adverse circumstances that have shaped authors' lives, from antiquity to the twentieth century, one author at a time. Together, we'll uncover the long-forgotten mysteries and dramas behind the greatest literary works, the heartache and anger and joy behind all those books that still speak to us today. Visit my website, www.inviolablevoices.com, for more information. more

Published by Honoré de Balzac in the tempestuous year of 1830, the tale follows the undulating pathways of Sarrasine the sculptor's shocking journey to his coming of age. As one of the 'fathers of realism' Balzac painted with his words a vivid portrait of life in the swirling salons of Europe at the end of the Bourbon monarchy, and we follow Sarrasine from France to Italy in search of both his métier and his muse. However it is also the story of La Zambinella, an Italian singer with whom Sarrasine falls madly and passionately in love. But that passion holds a secret which Sarrasine spies too late. (Summary by Chip) more

Katherine Mansfield was prominent Modernist writer of short fiction. This a ninety minute story from her collection of The Garden Party. more

Carlos Fuentes (Panamá, 1928- Ciudad de México, 2012). Escritor mexicano que inauguró con su obra La región más transparente (1958) el llamado boom de la literatura hispanoamericana. Dentro de sus títulos más destacados se encuentran: La muerte de Artemio Cruz, Aura y Terra Nostra, entre otros. A lo largo de su trayectoria fue distinguido con los más importantes galardones literarios a nivel nacional e internacional como los premios Biblioteca Breve, Rómulo Gallegos, Alfonso Reyes, Nacional de Ciencias y Artes, Cervantes, Príncipe de Asturias, entre muchos otros. En esta sesión, el escritor Carlos Fuentes hace un análisis de La comedia humana, obra cumbre de Honoré de Balzac. Escritor del Romanticismo, el autor francés es presentado por Carlos Fuentes como un autor con la mirada hacia el futuro, 'porque sus criaturas viven en función del porvenir'. Esta característica y el tono picaresco y melodramático en La comedia humana, le permite a Fuentes hacer un ejercicio comparativo entre con esta obra y la literatura de Shakespeare e, incluso con la de Sófocles y la mitología griega, en las que los personajes están atados a la fatalidad, a la tragedia y al destino que se les ha conferido; no poseen ilusión, sino nostalgia. En cambio, la consigna de los personajes de Balzac podría ser: 'El mundo es nuestro', asegura Carlos Fuentes. En Descarga Cultura.UNAM también puedes escuchar El verdugo, de Honoré de Balzac, en castellano y en su lengua original, francés. D.R. © UNAM 2016 more