The Charles Reade Library cover art

The Charles Reade Library

The Charles Reade Library

Written by: Charles Reade
Listen for free

Welcome, Reader. Here you shall find no abridgement, no timid excerpt, no mutilated chapter smoothed for idle ears. Here the tale stands whole. The Charles Reade Library restores to the living voice the full vigour of those romances in which wrong is confronted, justice pursued, and the human heart tried as by fire. Prisons shall clang, cloisters shall echo, hearth-fires shall glow, and the oppressed shall speak. For what is a novel, if not a protest against falsehood, a plea for mercy, a trumpet against cruelty? And what is reading, if not the communion of earnest minds across the gulf of years?

Come then. Sit close. The page is opened. The truth, though resisted, shall be heard.Public domain Daily
Episodes
  • The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 100

    The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 100
    Oct 4 2026
    In which the fates of several characters are quietly chronicled, revealing the gentle, inevitable passage of years and the diverse destinies that unfold beyond the central narrative. Meanwhile, a reflection on the birth and enduring legacy of the illustrious Erasmus gently invites contemplation of genius that transcends the bounds of time and history.
    Show More Show Less
    5 mins
  • The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 99

    The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 99
    Oct 3 2026
    In which the steadfast and gentle Clement faces his final days with a serene faith that humbly rejects earthly passion in favour of a celestial hope, drawing even the sceptical Jerome to a reluctant admiration and penitence. Their parting is marked by simple but profound rites, and the monks reflect on a life of true holiness that, despite human frailty and ecclesiastical trials, offers a beacon of constancy and affection beyond the grave.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 98

    The Cloister and the Hearth Chapter 98
    Oct 2 2026
    In which a weary and ailing Gerard seeks refuge in a Dominican convent near Gouda, hoping for peace and gentle care under the kindly Brother Ambrose, whose friendship has long been a solace. Yet when the new and formidable prior arrives, strict orders challenge Gerard’s place there, culminating in a meeting most unexpected and charged with familiarity.
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet