Episodes

  • Agamemnon (Morshead Translation)-Aeschylus
    Aug 27 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    2 hrs and 28 mins
  • Oedipus Rex (Murray Translation)-Sophocles
    Aug 26 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • Diary of a Provincial Lady-E. M. Delafield
    Aug 25 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    5 hrs and 48 mins
  • Running Water-A. E. W. Mason
    Aug 24 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    8 hrs and 38 mins
  • Legends of King Arthur and His Knights-James Knowles, Sir Thomas Malory
    Aug 23 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    9 hrs and 49 mins
  • Fables of Pilpay-Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ
    Aug 22 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    6 hrs and 47 mins
  • Ivanov-Anton Chekhov
    Aug 21 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    2 hrs and 31 mins
  • Faust II-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
    Aug 20 2026
    This collection’s title is taken from its first story, a novella, which is followed by four shorter tales, all expertly and sensitively drawn. Story 1, “The Heir,” concerns an inheritance as told from the point of view of the heir, an unmarried middle-aged man. Its subtitle, “A Love Story,” is not a reference to another person but to the inheritance. Story 2, “The Christmas Party,” tells of a longtime family alienation and separation followed by a shocking reunion. Story 3, “Patience,” is a touching tale of an apparently “comfortable” marriage, but where the husband tends to lapse into his secret memories of a long-past love. The title is the name both of a version of Solitaire that his wife often plays and of her coping with her husband’s curious mental absences. Story 4, “Her Son,” is the poignant story of an aging mother eagerly planning for the future with her long-absent son, now returning but with his own private ideas. Story 5, “The Parrot,” is a short allegory about the unremitting need for freedom. ( Lee Smalley)
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    7 hrs and 21 mins