The Essential Reads

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 16, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn the evening, the 4 men go back to the graveyard and find again Lucy’s tomb to be empty. Van Helsing pulls out some holy materials and seals the tomb so that the men can see Lucy before she can try and make her way inside at dawn. The men hide in wait, watching for any movement tha...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 15, narrated by Isaac BirchallDr Seward is appalled by the suggestion that Lucy could be the one attacking these children; it is only his respect for Dr Van Helsing that causes him to join Van Helsing on his investigation. The two men head to the hospital where one of the recent victims is recovering and they fin...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 14, narrated by Isaac BirchallCopying out Jonathan Harker’s Journal, Mina is horrified at its contents. When Dr Van Helsing comes to visit, he tells Mina about the events that led up to Lucy’s death; impressed by what he tells her, Lucy gives him a copy of Jonathan’s Journal to read. After reading the Diary over,...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 13. narrated by Isaac BirchallDr Seward tells of Lucy’s Burial in his diary. Before the funeral, Van Helsing again covered Lucy in Garlic, and now places a crucifix into her mouth. He tells a very confused Seward that after the funeral, and once everyone has left the graveyard, that they must cut off Lucy’s head,...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 12, narrated by Isaac BirchallThe next day, Seward makes his way in a hurry to Lucy’s house. He finds the door locked, and all ways of entry sealed. After a few minutes, Van Helsing arrives, and they break into the home. The men are devastated at the state of the home; the maids unconscious; Mrs Westenra dead; an...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 11, narrated by Isaac BirchallIn the morning, Van Helsing and Seward return to Lucy’s home. They are welcomed by Lady Westenra, who informs them that Lucy is doing very well, and she removed all of the horrid plants from her room which made it very stuffy. Trying to keep their cool, the two men head to Lucy’s; en...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 10, narrated by Isaac BirchallDr Seward and Arthur Holmwood are every more concerned about Lucy’s sudden decline in health. When Van Helsing arrives, Lucy is Deathly Pale and hardly able to breath. Van Helsing determines that Lucy will need a blood transfusion, and Arthur steps forward as the best candidate. Van...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 9, narrated by Isaac BirchallMina writes to Lucy from Budapest, where she has finally been reunited with Jonathan. He is a destroyed man, and he has 0 memories of his time with the Count. The nun taking care of him confesses to Lucy that Jonathan often raves in his sleep about unspeakable things. Jonathan however...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 8 narrated by Isaac BirchallMina wakes up in the middle of the night and find’s Lucy’s bed empty. In a panic Mina runs out of the house to find her, and sees Lucy in the churchyard with a tall dark figure looming over her. Mina darts to the church and catches the glance of 2 gleaming red eyes looking towards her....

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 7, narrated by Isaac BirchallTwo newspaper clippings that Mina stuck in her journal, indicate that the rogue ship that the coastguard pointed out to Mina, a cargo ship called the Demeter has washed up on the Whitby coast. The crew of the ship is nowhere to be found, and the only being to be found on the ship was...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 6, narrated by Isaac BirchallMina and Lucy meet in Whitby on the Yorkshire coast. It is a very picturesque town with a beautiful old red roofs and a ruined abbey which was sacked by the Danes. There is however a newer church with a graveyard that looks out onto the harbour. There are two lighthouses that overlook...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 5, narrated by Isaac BirchallMina Murray (Jonathan’s fiancée) writes a letter to her best friend Lucy. She tells her that she is practicing her shorthand and is trying to keep a diary so that she can have an exercise book so that she can help Johnathan with his work when he comes back from Transylvania, in about...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker, chapter 4, narrated by Isaac BirchallJonathan Harker wakes up the next morning in his bed, confused as to the events of the previous night. After a few days, Dracula instructs Harker to write some letters to his employer, and to his Fiancée Mina, and to date them for 3 dates in June. The count says that he should tell t...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 3, narrated by Isaac BirchallThat night, Harker questions Dracula about the history of the land and his house. Dracula is instantly enthusiastic to talk of the glory of his house and land, and the battles they won. Over the next several says the Count interrogates Harker about English life and law. The count then...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 2, narrated by Isaac BirchallJonathan Harker is standing outside of Castle Dracula, asking himself what on Earth he has gotten himself into. After waiting for several minutes in the cold and wind, the door opens and a tall, old, grey-haired man, completely clad in black greets him. Dracula extends a hand to Harke...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podDracula by Bram Stoker chapter 1, narrated by Isaac BirchallThe Main character Jonathan Harker is making his way to Castle Dracula. His journey starts in Budapest, and he enjoys many of the cultural delicacies, finding his basic German enough to get him understood. In the Morning he gets on the train and marvels at the countryside, so differen...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 10 "Epilogue", narrated by Isaac BirchallIn the aftermath of the attack on Earth, the narrator reveals that the Martian bodies were examined, and that they contained bacteria only found on earth. The black vapor is still a mystery, and they have no clue how the Heat-Ray works. The narrator pes...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 9 "Wreckage", narrated by Isaac BirchallMany people come back into London. The narrator has wanders around without any sense of self or being spouting something about being the last man alive before being taken in by a family. They inform him that leatherhead was destroyed by the Martians and...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 8 "Dead London", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe narrator makes his way quietly through London. Whole parts of the city are layered with bodies and the black Martian dust. A strange ululating sound comes from a slight distance, and he decides to go and investigate. Traveling past Hyde Park, he s...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 7 "The Man on Putney Hill", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe Narrator hides in an Inn on Putney hill for the night. He searches for more food, and slowly makes his way towards Leatherhead with the vein hope of finding his wife. He thinks about the curate, for whom he feels no remorse. While trave...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 6 "The Work of Fifteen Days", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe narrator feels like he has been transported to Mars, surrounded by the alien plant, and scorched earth. He fears that Humans are no longer the dominant species on earth and believes that the Humans will serve as slaves and food for th...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 5 "The Stillness", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe narrator eventually leaves the coal-cellar and finds that the Martian too all of the remaining food. Incredibly thirsty after his house in the cellar, he is forced to use the water pump, afraid that the Martian will come back after hearing the s...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 4 "The Death of The Curate", narrated by Isaac BirchallAfter days of dispute, the narrator finally tries to reason and bargain with the Curate, but he become all the more irrational. The Narrator separates the food into 10 days of meals, but he is forced to constantly fight and wrestle the cur...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 3 "Days of Imprisonment", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe Narrator and the curate are at odds, each fighting over who gets to look through the peephole at the Martians. He retells of his dislike of the Curate, who does not want to ration nor share food, and he cries and wails for hours on end. A...

Send me a message. What do you think about the book/podThe War of the Worlds, by H G Wells book 2 chapter 2 "What we saw from the ruined house", narrated by Isaac BirchallThe kitchen and pantry have been left intact after the arrival of the cylinder providing the narrator and curate thankfully a small stock of food. Through a small gap in the wall made from the destruction, the narrator peers at t...