Episodios

  • Persuasion pt. 17

    Persuasion pt. 17
    Apr 25 2025
    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, an Englishwoman whose family moves in order to lower their expenses, by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. In the last episode, concluding chapter 16, Mr. Elliot continues his frequent visits to Camden Place, charming Sir Walter and Elizabeth with his polished manners and apparent desire to reconnect with the family. Lady Russell, once indifferent to him, now views him as a highly suitable match for Anne. Anne, however, remains cautious. Though she acknowledges Mr. Elliot’s attentiveness and refinement, she is not fully at ease with his motives. His flattery feels calculated, and she senses a lack of emotional sincerity. She compares his composed charm with the deeper, more genuine feeling she once shared with Captain Wentworth. As Mr. Elliot’s admiration grows more obvious, Anne is left feeling both flattered and wary of his true intentions. — 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
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    30 m
  • The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

    The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
    Apr 24 2025
    Tonight, for our Snoozecast+ Deluxe bonus episode, we’ll read from "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" translated poetically into English by Edward Fitzgerald. This first edition, inspired by Persian rhymed quatrains, together known as a “rubaiyat”, were rooted in the 11th to 12th century. They reflect the philosophical musings of the original author Khayyam who was not only a poet, but an accomplished mathematician and astronomer. As a seminal piece of Persian literature, the collection delves into themes related to the transience of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness amidst the inevitability of death. The content of the "Rubaiyat" encapsulates a dialogue between the speaker and the cosmos, often expressed through the metaphor of wine and revelry. The Rubáiyát also made its way into American pop culture, perhaps most charmingly in the classic 1957 musical The Music Man. In one scene, it’s cited as one of the books the mayor’s wife wants banned from the town library. The book’s verses are condemned for their supposed licentiousness—proof, perhaps, of just how intoxicating these quatrains have always been. Though in truth, the work is more meditative than scandalous, filled with musings on time, nature, and the fleeting sweetness of life. — 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
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    7 m
  • The Mirror of Matsuyama

    The Mirror of Matsuyama
    Apr 23 2025
    Tonight, we’ll read “The Mirror of Matsuyama,” a story found in Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki in 1908. This tale explores the quiet strength of familial love and the power of memory, all seen through the lens—literally—of a small hand mirror. It begins with a mother who gives her daughter the mirror as a keepsake, and unfolds into a story that blends gentle superstition with emotional resilience. The mirror itself becomes a symbolic object, reflecting not only appearances but also devotion and loss. Yei Theodora Ozaki was born in England to a Japanese father and an English mother, and she devoted much of her life to retelling Japanese folktales in English with great care and lyricism. Her collection introduced many readers in the West to the stories and moral traditions of Japan. “The Mirror of Matsuyama” is one of the more intimate tales in the collection—less about mythical creatures or grand adventures, and more about the enduring connection between a mother and her child. — 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
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    42 m
  • East of the Sun, West of the Moon

    East of the Sun, West of the Moon
    Apr 22 2025
    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. The tale belongs to a broader class of folktales known as “Animal Bridegroom” stories, where a maiden is betrothed to a mysterious creature whose true identity is hidden. It shares roots with stories like Cupid and Psyche and Beauty and the Beast, though its northern setting and surreal imagery give it a distinct, dreamlike quality. The journey “east of the sun and west of the moon” evokes a place that lies just beyond the edges of the known world—a poetic way of describing an impossible quest. In the second half of the story, a “gold carding-comb” is mentioned several times. Not well-known nowadays, but in the past readers were more likely to know that a carding-comb is a tool used to brush and untangle wool before it’s spun into thread. The one in this story, made of gold, is more symbolic than practical—a glittering gift meant to dazzle, rather than do chores. Asbjørnsen and Moe, sometimes called the “Grimms of Norway,” gathered this story during the 19th century as part of a national effort to preserve the country’s oral traditions. Their collections helped shape the image of Norwegian folklore: filled with towering mountains, icy winds, trolls, talking animals, and brave heroines who outwit enchantments. This story in particular has captivated readers for generations with its eerie beginning, evocative landscapes, and a heroine whose strength lies not in spells or swords, but in her persistence. --read by 'V'-- Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    42 m
  • Dear Listeners: An Update from 'V'

    Dear Listeners: An Update from 'V'
    Apr 18 2025
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    6 m
  • Dear Listeners: An Update

    Dear Listeners: An Update
    Apr 14 2025
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    2 m
  • Middlemarch

    Middlemarch
    Apr 9 2025
    Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life” written by English author George Eliot, and originally published in 1871. George Eliot is the pen name of Mary Ann Evans. The novel is set in a fictional English Midlands town in the early 1800s, following many separate characters whose lives intersect at times. Issues include the status of women, the nature of marriage, idealism, self-interest, religion, hypocrisy, political reform, and education. Initial reviews were mixed, but it is now seen widely as her best work and one of the great English novels. — 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
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    33 m
  • Hickorynuts and Sunshine

    Hickorynuts and Sunshine
    Apr 7 2025
    Tonight, we’ll read selections about baking breads and cakes from “The Charlotte Sunshine Cook Book” published in 1906. This episode begins with a long-form poem that sings the praises of homemade bread, followed by a collection of recipes for classic loaves—many with ingredients familiar to the early 20th-century Southern kitchen. In the latter half, we turn to cakes, including several that call for hickory nuts, lending a rustic and deeply flavorful character to the confections. Hickory nuts, closely related to walnuts and pecans, grow on various species of hickory trees native to North America. While some varieties like the bitternut are too bitter to enjoy, others—such as the shagbark—have a sweet, buttery flavor prized by foragers. Though their thick shells can be a challenge to crack, the reward is a nut considered by some to be the most delicious of all. In early American kitchens, especially before widespread commercial nut distribution, these wild-harvested treasures were a special ingredient in baked goods, adding richness and texture to cakes, cookies, and breads. Cookbooks like The Charlotte Sunshine Cook Book were often compiled by women's clubs, church groups, or civic organizations, reflecting the everyday wisdom and resourcefulness of their communities. They serve as snapshots of a particular time and place—capturing regional tastes, available ingredients, and even local customs. In this case, the cookbook comes from Charlotte, North Carolina. — 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
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    34 m
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