Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy, a celebrated novelist and a talented painter, were openly gay in conservative 1950s Hollywood. In private, they called themselves The Animals. Simon Callow and Alan Cumming read their love letters; Katherine Bucknell reveals secrets they kept even from their friends, a galaxy of star writers, artists, stage players and movie makers in L.A., London, and New York. The series is capped by a play the lovers wrote together, A Meeting by the River, starring Dominic West, Kyle Soller and Penelope Wilton, and directed by Anthony Page.
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Podcasts about special interests and lived experiences
A concoction of twelve stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the third book in the original Sherlock Holmes series. It shadows the experiences of detective Sherlock Holmes, an enigmatic genius, as he tries to unravel the mystery of each investigation he partakes in. Set in late 19th century London, the novel not only creates a successful mystery plot, but also circulates through real locations including Hyde Park, the river Thames, St George’s Church in Hanover Square, as well as adding fictional places to spice things up. The vibrant reoccurring illustrations of London’s means of transportation are also worth noting.
The novel begins in the famous apartment 221B Baker Street, home to Sherlock Holmes who is visited by clients in need of assistance in resolving various issues. Unsurprisingly, Sherlock Holmes works his magic in order to find a logical solution to each mystery. Narrated through the perspective of Dr. Watson, Holmes’s close friend and companion, he serves as a monitor as he accompanies or is given a full account of the sequence of events surrounding investigation details. Watson then documents each adventure and shares it with the readers which in turn act as memoirs of Holmes’s achievements. This type of narration only enhances the sense of mystery surrounding each case because of the occasional missing detail and leaves the reader wondering about the next course of action. Interestingly, Holmes offers logical explanations for each of his solutions, but nevertheless manages to keep the audience on their toes. Family fortune, reputation, social status and moral weakness are just some of the themes Doyle explores in his novel of suspense and mystery.
Doyle’s use of 19th century English jargon proves to be a delightful read, whilst still maintaining a lucid style easy to follow and understand. For those embarking on their first ever encounter with the pipe-smoking, violin-playing sleuth, this is just the beginning of an unforgettable journey.
Turn writing into more than a hobby, make it your career. Stephan Bugaj (Pixar’s Brave, Wall-E, The Incredibles), Justin Sloan (Telltale’s Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, and Minecraft: Story Mode), and Kevin Tumlinson (Citadel, Lucid, The 30-Day Author) give you their advice on writing for books, movies, video games and more, and occasionally try to sound smarter by having on amazing guests.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was renowned during the mid 19th century as a philosopher, writer, public orator, naturalist and spiritual trailblazer. The essays collected for this podcast represent some of the best examples of this great American thinker’s work. For more educational audio and video, please visit www.learnoutloud.com.
The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted – for six seasons – by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. Now in its eleventh season, Alan is joined by an all-star cast of co-hosts as he explores more of Middle-earth!
Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, inviting listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, pop-culture references, and bad puns. These are the folks you’d want to hang out with at a pub and talk Tolkien with!
Hosted by Jon Hagadorn, 1001 Stories For The Road is bringing back adventure with stories like “Treasure Island”, “The Secret Adversary” by Agatha Christie, “The Hound of the Baskervilles”, “Tarzan of the Apes”, “King Solomon’s Mines”, “The 39 Steps”, “The Call of the Wild”- and many more. These stories are classic for a reason- they are great! And they are family friendly. We appreciate reviews-thank you!
CraftLit — Annotated Audiobooks for Busy People
Love classic literature…or wish you did?
CraftLit is a weekly podcast featuring classic audiobook chapters paired with entertaining literary commentary that makes great books easier—and more fun—to understand. Host Heather Ordover explains historical references, vocabulary, and cultural context before each chapter so listeners can fully enjoy the story.
Think of it as a global book club for classic literature, perfect for listening while commuting, crafting, walking, or doing chores.
CraftLit has been in continuous weekly production since 2006, making it one of the longest-running literature podcasts. Listeners also send in voicemail comments that keep the show feeling like a lively reading group.
Authors featured include:
• Jane Austen
• Mark Twain
• Elizabeth Gaskell
• Mary Shelley
• Wilkie Collins
• Alexandre Dumas
• Robert Louis Stevenson
Recent and current readings include Mark Twain’s Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc and Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford.
Classic audiobooks—because loving great books in a busy world is tough.
Hello! We are Banging Book Club, three friends who decided to read a book about sex every month of 2016. We thought we’d document it in a monthly podcast, which you can listen to here! We hope you enjoy it – feel free to subscribe to our podcasts on iTunes or listen on Soundcloud. If you’re looking for spoiler free summaries of each book, we have created a five minute video for each read which you can find the link to in the description of each podcast. Basically, we’re the baddest bitches in the sex book genre and we want to take you along for the ride.
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Writers talk about reading. Hosted by Tod Goldberg, Julia Pistell, and Rider Strong. https://www.literarydisco.com
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