Snoozecast

Tonight, we’ll read about the etiquette of throwing balls from Manners and Rules of Good Society by “A Member of the Aristocracy,” published in London in 1916. Snoozecast first read from this book back in 2021. A ball is a formal dance party characterized by a banquet followed by social dance that includes ballroom dancing. More than just an evening of entertainment, a well-orchestrated ball was a...

Tonight, we’ll read from “The New Air World: The Science of Meteorology Simplified" by Willis L. Moore, originally published in 1922. This work aimed to make the complex field of meteorology understandable to the layperson, particularly for those seeking to become more “weatherwise”. Beyond being an author, Willis Luther Moore was an American meteorologist and educator. He also served as chief of...

Tonight, we’ll read the 26th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled “The Story Club is Formed” In the previous chapter, Matthew realizes that Anne is dressed more plainly than her peers and secretly sets out to buy her a beautiful new dress for Christmas. After an awkward attempt at shopping, he enlists Mrs. Lynde’s help to pick ou...

Tonight, we’ll read the fantasy story “Celephaïs” written by H.P. Lovecraft in 1920. In it, Kuranes, the child of landed English gentry, travels to the magical city of his childhood dreams after finding himself dispossessed in the contemporary city of London. The story contrasts the bleakness of earthly reality with the splendor of a vividly imagined world, emphasizing themes of escapism and nosta...

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original, “Spandex Jackets (One for Everyone).” Listeners who are fans of Steely Dan may be aware that the title is a reference to Donald Fagen’s 1982 track “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)”. The story itself draws inspiration from the song which paints a retro-futuristic dream of undersea rails, solar-powered cities and the promise of a gloriously bright tomorrow....

Tonight, we’ll read  the next chapter of “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott titled “Lazy Laurence”. This is also known as the second half of the “Little Women” novel and is considered the 39th chapter as part of that work as a whole.   In the last episode, we followed Meg’s life as a new mom of twins, and her struggles to balance her roles of mother with wife. The motherly side had taken co...

Tonight, we’ll read St. Valentine's Day; or, The Fair Maid of Perth by Sir Walter Scott, as part of the Waverly novels. St. Valentine's Day was one of Scott’s later works, published in 1828, and it draws on real Scottish history—including the infamous Battle of the North Inch. The heroine, Catharine Glover, is based on a real legend about a glovemaker’s daughter in Perth. Medieval glove-making was...

Tonight, we’ll read “The Palace Under the Waves” found in the book “Swiss Tales” published in 1920. We will also read a story called “The Fairy in the Cuckoo Clock.” The first story features undines, a category of elemental beings associated with water, stemming from the alchemical writings of Paracelsus. Later writers developed the undine into a water nymph in its own right, and it continues to l...

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. We will pick up at the tail end of chapter 14, where we ended last, and where Anne and Lady Russell visit the Musgroves for C...

The Settlement Cook Book, first published in 1901 by Lizzie Black Kander, is a classic American cookbook aimed at teaching immigrants practical cooking skills and assimilation into American culture. Known for its comprehensive recipes and household tips, it became a bestseller and a cornerstone of immigrant cuisine. Over the years, it underwent numerous editions, adapting to changing tastes and ne...

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to an edited version of John Steinbeck’s “Cup of Gold”, a 1929 historical fiction novel based loosely on the life and death of 17th century privateer Henry Morgan. The piece begins in a small Welsh valley, where winter arrives with a biting chill, setting the stage for reflections within the Morgan household. Young Henry, yearning for adventure, listens eagerly to t...

Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”. In the last episode, Winnie-the-Pooh meets Tigger, a bouncy and energetic new arrival in the forest, during a late-night encounter. Over the course of breakfast adventures with Piglet and Eeyore, Tigger discovers that many foods aren’t to his liking, leading to a comical search for his favorite meal. The my...

Tonight, we’ll read the Caliph Stork, a fairy tale popularized by Andrew Lang among others. Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, historian and folklorist most famous for his Fairy Books, a series of twelve collections of fairy tales published between 1889 and 1910. In this tale, a curious purchase leads the Caliph of Bagdad and his Vizier into an unexpected and transformative adventure. As t...

Tonight, we’ll read the opening to “Borderland, a Country-Town Chronical” written by Jessie Fothergill and published in 1890. Borderland is a Victorian-era novel that explores themes of love, societal expectations, and personal sacrifice. The story follows protagonist Theodora North as she navigates the complexities of relationships, class distinctions, and her own desires, all set against the atm...

Tonight, we’ll read the 25th chapter of “Anne of Green Gables”, the classic 1908 novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. This chapter is titled Matthew Insists on Puffed Sleeves. In the previous chapter, Anne joyfully returns to school in October, inspired by her new teacher, Miss Stacy, and thriving in her studies and creative pursuits. Despite Marilla’s disapproval, Anne eagerly prepares for a school con...

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt about the mountains of Colorado from “The Land of Enchantment” written by Lilian Whiting and published in 1909. Pike's Peak is one of Colorado's most iconic mountains, standing at over 14,000 feet. Located near Colorado Springs, it is known as one of the state's prominent fourteeners and is accessible via hiking, a scenic highway, or the historic cog railway. The pea...

Tonight, we’ll read a Snoozecast original “The Empty Bench”. A hidden bench by a quiet grove offers an otherworldly sense of stillness to those who find it, creating an inexplicable connection to time and place. The experience lingers, drawing one back to witness the subtleties of its magic and the profound calm it offers. — read by 'N' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by...

Tonight we'll read the next chapter of Good Wives, written by Louisa May Alcott, titled "On the Shelf". This is also known as the second half of the Little Women novel, and is considered the 38th chapter as part of that work as a whole. The concept of being on the shelf, in reference to the chapter title, speaks to the Victorian era's rigid views on marriage and womanhood. Women who remained unmar...

Tonight, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” written by Mark Twain in 1876. Snoozecast first read this back in January of 2022. It is a story about a boy growing up along the Mississippi River, often with his friend Huckleberry Finn. Originally a commercial failure, the book ended up being the best-selling of any of Twain's works during his lifetime, and is considered to be a...

Tonight, we’ll read from the seventh chapter of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle” titled “Buenos Aires and Santa Fe”. “The Voyage of the Beagle” is the title most commonly given to the book first published in 1839 as Darwin’s “Journal and Remarks”, bringing him considerable fame and respect. The book chronicles Darwin's five-year journey aboard the HMS Beagle, during w...

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. We will pick up early in Chapter 13, where we left off in the last episode. This chapter is also the start of the second volu...

Tonight, we’ll read the final part to the Romanian fairy tale “The Fairy of the Dawn.” The first part to this story aired in the previous episode. Snoozecast first read this story back in January of 2022. In the first part of our story, we are introduced to a king with three sons: Florea, Costan, and the youngest, Petru. Petru stands apart from his brothers—not for his strength or bravery, but for...

Tonight, we’ll read the first part to “The Fairy of the Dawn,” a Romanian fairy tale by author Marie Kremnitz. The second half to this story will air in our next episode. Snoozecast first read this story back in January of 2022. Tonight’s story features a prince who doesn’t seem at first to be destined for heroism. Unlike his brothers, who seek adventure, fortune, and battles, this prince prefers...

Tonight, we’ll continue the 1928 children's book by A. A. Milne “The house at Pooh Corner”.  In the last episode, Pooh sets out to visit Piglet on a snowy day but finds Piglet missing, so he hums a new song and decides to visit Eeyore. Along the way, Pooh and Piglet build a house for Eeyore out of sticks, unaware that the sticks were from Eeyore's original house. Eeyore believes the wind moved his...

Tonight, we’ll read a story called “Fortunatus”. It is inspired by a German tale regarding a legendary hero popular in 15th- and 16th-century Europe. It is a tale which marks the passing of the feudal world into the more modern, globalized, capitalist world. The moral of the story is that it is far too easy, without wisdom, to lose one's fortune, no matter how it was acquired. Snoozecast first rea...