Snoozecast

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. The novel follows Isabel Archer, a spirited and idealistic young American who travels to Europe in search of experience and independence. When she unexpectedly inherits a fortune, her circumstances...

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. Madame d’Aulnoy, writing at the end of the 17th century, is credited with helping to popularize the term “fairy tale” itself—conte de fées—as she brought t...

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, Anne is stunned to learn of Louisa Musgrove’s sudden engagement to Captain Benwick. The pairing seems un...

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...

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. This series does not necessarily need to be followed in order—as...

Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”. In the last episode Pooh discovers that fir-cones (and later sticks) dropped into the slow-moving river reappear downstream, invenitng the game of Poohsticks, which leads to playful mishaps such as Eeyore ending up inthe water. When Tigger’s bounce and the ensuing confusion prompt Rabbit to seek Christopher...

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 meanin...

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 '...

Tonight, we’ll read the 29th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “An Epoch of Anne’s Life”. In the last episode, Anne and her friends reenact the poem The Lady of Shalott by floating Anne down the river in a flatboat. She pretends to be the doomed lily maid, but the boat begins to leak and sinks. Anne is forced to climb onto the...

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 Italian descent, Francatelli was a French-trained cook who worked for Queen Victoria. While best known for his lavish cookbook The Modern Cook, filled with elaborate dishes for aristocratic tables, Francatelli also had a keen interest in practi...

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. The story’s ensemble cast represents a spectrum of motivations—scientific curiosity, fa...

Tonight, we’ll read the next chapter of “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott titled “All Alone”. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel and is considered the 42nd chapter as part of that work as a whole. In our last chapter, Laurie tries to recover from Jo’s rejection by turning to music, but soon realizes his love for her has faded into affection. His bond with Amy...

Tonight, we’ll read “O Pioneers!”  a 1913 novel by American author Willa Cather. Set on the windswept prairies of Nebraska, “O Pioneers!” tells the story of Alexandra Bergson, a determined young woman of Swedish-American descent who takes over her family’s farm.  Cather’s quiet, poetic prose captures both the hardships and beauty of prairie life at the turn of the twentieth century, and Alexandra’...

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. Peary, a famed American Arctic explorer, led multiple expeditions to the far north and claimed to be the first person to reach the geographic North Pole. His writing blends technical insight with firsthand accounts of survival in extreme cold, offering...

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, starting at chapter 17, Anne visits her old school friend, Mrs. Smith, who now lives in modest circumsta...

Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”. In the last episode Rabbit spends the morning dashing around the Forest, organizing everyone and investigating a cryptic notice on Christopher Robin’s door, consulting Owl, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore to figure out what Christopher Robin has been doing each morning. In the end, they discover from the revised n...

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. Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, and literary critic best known for his influential "Fairy Books"—a twelve-volume series that gathered tales f...

Tonight, we’ll read from the ninth chapter of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle” titled “Santa Cruz, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands”. The five-year expedition laid the groundwork for Darwin’s later theory of evolution by natural selection. In this chapter, Darwin recounts an overland expedition up the Santa Cruz River in southern Patagonia. The landscape is stark an...

Tonight, we’ll read a selection of recipes from the book English Housewifry by Elizabeth Moxon, published in 1764, starting with a recipe for whipt sillabubs. Moxon’s book was one of the earliest English cookery books written specifically for middle-class women managing their own households, rather than for professional cooks or the aristocracy. Her recipes are practical but far from plain, offeri...

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. Reed’s cook book blends recipes with spirited commentary on everything from kitchen organization to the art of table service. At the time of its publication, domestic science was gaining popularity, with cookbooks increasingl...

Tonight, we’ll read the 28th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “An Unfortunate Lily Maid” In the last episode, Marilla returns home one spring evening thrilled by the season’s promise, only to discover there’s no fire, no tea—and no Anne. After fuming in the kitchen and questioning Matthew, she fetches a candle in Anne’s room...

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...

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Ghost Beyond the Gate” written by Mildred A. Wirt and published in 1943. In this story, Mr. Parker is taken to the hospital by another driver after getting into an accident. However, Mr. Parker never arrives at the hospital. Penny takes over running the newspaper in her father's absence and discovers a clue to her father's whereabouts at an old abandoned mansion...

Tonight we'll read the next chapter of Good Wives, written by Louisa May Alcott, titled "Learning to Forget". This is also known as the second half of the Little Women novel, and is considered the 41st chapter. As part of that work as a whole. In our last chapter, the March family drew closer together as they cherished their time with Beth and prepared for the inevitable. And now we pick up with L...

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. Wells is best known today for pioneering modern science fiction with works like “The Time Machine” and “The War of the Worlds”, but he also wrote thoughtful, bittersweet tales th...