Short Takes: An Aural Journey - Short Stories for all!

If you’ve ever been an early adopter of new technology, you’ve probably experienced the ‘bugs’ that often make their appearance only after you’ve made your purchase. Today’s story, ‘The McWilliamses and the Burglar Alarm’ by Mark Twain , is a farcical look at the chaos and confusion that often accompanies brand new technology. The story reminds me of devices like the Ring camera and similar produc...

Ernest Hemingway’s stories were often semi-autobiographical and today’s story, ‘A Canary For One’ is no exception. In early 1926, Hemingway’s wife, Hadley Richardson, became aware that Ernest was having an affair with Pauline Pfeiffer. In the midst of writing this story later that year, Hadley filed for divorce which became finalized in 1927. Hemingway went on to marry Pfeiffer that same year. Thi...

"That story probably had more left out of it than anything I ever wrote. I left out all Chicago, which is hard to do in 2951 words." This is what Ernest Hemingway had to say about today’s story, ‘ The Killers ’. One of his most famous short stories, it tells the tale of two hitmen, most likely Chicago mobsters, who enter a diner in Summit, Illinois searching for an ex-prizefighter named...

Trigger warning: This story depicts a sexual assault that may not be suitable for all listeners In last week’s episode, I mentioned that almost all of Ernest Hemingway’s early writing was stolen from a Paris train station in 1922. The story I present today, "Up in Michigan" is one of the only stories that survived. This could be due to the fact that Hemingway felt this story was not suit...

in our time by Ernest Hemingway has a complex literary history. The 1924 edition, which I am presenting today, consists of 18 chapters although they are probably more aptly described as ‘vignettes’. Almost certainly commissioned by his friend, Ezra Pound, six of the vignettes were first published in the literary magazine, The Little Review in 1923. A year later, Hemingway had written 12 more vigne...

I want to start by wishing you all a Happy New Year! With the new year brings several new copyrighted works into the public domain. Since this is an audio show, I won’t be doing anything involving Mickey Mouse and Steamboat Willie. And, since my show features short stories, I’ll leave The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne alone. What I’m presenting to you today is the first piece of standalone fi...

Today’s story, New Year’s Eve and How it Came to Houston is by O. Henry, whose real name was William Sydney Porter. Yes, two stories in a row by O. Henry! Published on January 1, 1896 in the Houston Daily Mail, what I find so fascinating about this story is that later that year, Porter was arrested by Federal Authorities stemming from a 1894 embezzlement charge. However, right before his trial, he...

Today’s story is "The Gift of the Magi" by American author William Sydney Porter, better known by his pen name, O. Henry. The story was first published in 1905 and is a poignant exploration of the theme of sacrificial love and the nature of true wealth. The term "Magi" refers to the wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus, emphasizing the parallel between the selfless acts...

Jacob A. Riis was a Danish-American journalist, photographer, and social reformer who sought to shed light on the living conditions of the impoverished in New York City during the late 19th century. Riis's most notable work is "How the Other Half Lives," a book published in 1890 that used his photographs and investigative journalism to expose the squalid conditions of the tenements in which many p...

Thank you for listening! Jack London (1876–1916) was an American author and journalist, best known for his adventure novels and short stories inspired by his experiences in the Klondike Gold Rush and other adventures.  Although he died young, at only 40, Jack London's writings have left a lasting impact on literature, and he is considered one of the pioneers of American naturalism. This amusing st...

Ernest Hemingway's "My Old Man" was first published in 1923 as part of his first major collection, "In Our Time." The story is set against the backdrop of horse racing in Europe and follows a young boy as he reflects on his relationship with his father, who is a jockey. In "My Old Man," Hemingway explores themes of love, loss, and the complex dynamics within famil...

Short Takes: An Aural Journey (Short Stories for All!) — As a bit of an offbeat Thanksgiving story, today I present, "Hunting the Deceitful Turkey", a short essay written by Mark Twain, also known as Samuel Clemens. This is a humorous piece first published in 1870 in a magazine called Galaxy. In this work, Twain reflects on his experience of hunting wild turkeys and the challenges and absurdities...

Short Takes: An Aural Journey (Short Stories for all!) — Thank you for listening to episode one of my new podcast, Short Takes: An Aural Journey. John Inglefield’s Thanksgiving by Nathaniel Hawthorne is not your typical Thanksgiving tale. It is full of regret and remorse but also, redemption. I hope you enjoy! If you're enjoying 'Short Takes: An Aural Journey', please share! Also, reviews are HIGH...

This is the trailer for my new podcast, Short Takes: An Aural Journey. On this podcast I’ll be presenting short stories that are in the public domain. Some may be familiar stories by well known authors, some might be brand new (to you and I, at least!). I’ll mostly be reading works by American authors but, that’s not a hard and fast rule! If you enjoy it, I sure hope you’ll share it. Also, leaving...